A promise made at sixteen held Victoria Malfoy and Walburga Black together with the strength of a sealing charm. They would not leave each other alone in a cold world. When the other pureblood wives turned their back on the harlot that got Obsidian Lestrange killed and betrayed their Dark Lord, Walburga kept Victoria close. And when Walburga's sharp haughtiness bristled against everyone around her, Victoria still held onto her hand.
Abraxas had taken Octavian with him and Pandora to a quidditch game, leaving Victoria to her own devices for the day.
They sat beside each other in Grimmauld Place, Walburga catching Victoria up on the pureblood families’ gossip now that most kept their distance from the Dark Lord's wife.
"The Pettigrew's son has actually started showing magic now," Walburga said, gesturing with her wine glass. "Lucky them I guess, not another squib. There has to be muggle blood in that line the amount of muggles they give birth to. Don't you think?"
"I suppose." Victoria shrugged, listening to the footsteps of the boys above them. "Some people just have weak genes. Not us though."
"Thank Merlin," Walburga smiled, raising her glass as she bowed her head. "Nothing but good pureblooded heirs."
A loud thud clattered above their heads, followed by a purposeful silence. Walburga's entertained expression hardened into a clenched jaw that she pushed away.
“He's a good boy.” Walburga's voice made barely a whisper as she dug her knuckle in between her brows to try and smooth out the wrinkle.
“I'm sure it's easily fixed,” Victoria reassured her, reaching over a hand.
“He breaks things, destroys everything around him,” Walburga said, letting her head fall into her hands. “I have to let him become his own man, but only the kind of man Orion wants him to be. If he misbehaves, it's my fault, never his. I don't know if Orion even likes Sirius. The man is never here.”
“Do not let Orion turn you against him.” Victoria leaned forward and pulled Walburga's face towards her. “Sirius is in this house day and night, Orion is not. You need him just as much as he needs you.”
Her grey eyes had darkened over the years and the dark circles around them didn't help. She looked so tired. Walburga's mouth opened like she might speak but a creak on the staircase turned her head.
Sirius and Regulus Black were two boys remarkably similar. They had both inherited their mother's angular cheekbones and sharp chin. Regulus had heavier eyebrows like his father as he hid behind his brother, grey eyes wide with fear. Sirius mirrored his mother, thinner eyebrows, longer curly hair, and the strength of her spine.
“What did you do?” Walburga asked, voice low like a whisper but in the silence of the house the boys could hear her.
Sirius swallowed hard and spoke. “I did it. The bust of Grandfather upstairs fell when I bumped into it when we were playing.”
Walburga nodded slowly, gaze flickering to the guilty expression of her youngest son watching her. “And you think that's acceptable, to destroy the image of your Grandfather?”
“No,” Sirius said quickly, pulling at his fingers. “I'm sorry. I'll get glue from Kreature and fix it like new before Father comes home.”
“No.” Walburga shook her head as she rose from her chair. “Kreature will fix it, it's what he's for.”
Silence hung heavy. The six year old steadied his breathing, his younger brother didn't have the same steadiness at five. His lip shook and tears swam in his eyes.
YOU ARE READING
The Fearsome Name of Riddle
Fanfiction"I had to sit in this house and watch him destroy her. Do you really want to hear all of that?" ##### In the aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts, an old photograph is found, revealing the life of a young witch that had been lost with the memories of...
