A.N. — Even though it's Gary Oldman's (Sirius Black) birthday today, I have plans involving him a week from now (though not Sirius' actual drabble). And I've already done a fair few Blacks. But there's so many Blacks that Rowling thought up, so here's another.
80. Regulus Black
1979 was a bad year for the Black family.
Orion died, shifting the headship of the family to Walburga. That caused enough discord, but then favored son Regulus disappeared. His death was only discovered by a skull replacing his portrait on the family tapestry. With these two events, the Black family's future was suddenly on shaky ground.
Regulus' sway over his family's fortunes reverberated long after his passing. Kreacher's descent into senility, the further slipping into the Dark of both House and Head, and even Sirius' saga — all were lacking Regulus, the unsung stabilizing factor in the Black family equation.