Chapter 1

She was used to darkness in her life. She had no other choice. Darkness surrounded her on all sides. In the family, at school, at home and even in the blood circulating in her veins. Darkness accompanied every minute of her life.

She still remembered how badly she wanted to run away from that house. She was glad that, being a woman, she would be married to someone who would tear her out of this family. Her future husband would be chosen by her parents, but she would still be mistress of her own house from the day of her wedding. She would live up to her own expectations instead of those imposed on her by others.

She couldn't be more wrong.

Her dreams collapsed the day her parents decided that she would marry her cousin in the future. The boy she had grown up with and whom she had come to regard as a brother over the years.

Walpurgia looked at her two sons with resignation. She caused them too much suffering just because she was trying to punish her parents for her suffering in some twisted way. Sirius and Regulus were the only ones who mattered in her life. That's why she let Sirius go. To have what she couldn't get. Freedom.

On the one hand, she was happy. On the other hand, she felt betrayed. The fact that he chose a different family meant only one thing. Regulus will have to do what his older brother ran away from. He will be marked and slaughtered in the name of defending other people's ideals.

"Sirius, pack your things and go to the Potters." - She hissed, each word hurting her as if someone were stabbing a dagger into her heart. - "I've already spoken to Lord Potter. From today they will take care of you. It doesn't matter to you anyway, because you despise our family. And I won't have to be ashamed of you anymore."

It was supposed to be different. She thought that Regulus would have an easier life. The most important thing is that at least one child will not fall into the spiral of ambition that is eating this family like a cancer. And all because her father and uncle decided to keep the pureblood at all costs.

Turning around, she hoped none of the boys noticed a tear streaming down her cheek.

xxx

She was stronger than her. Andromeda, Druella's daughter, was stronger. She was strong enough to reject the magic guarding the engagement contract her parents had placed on her. She was strong enough to marry Ted Tonks without harming herself. One of the most intelligent Hufflepuffs of his class.

As soon as she found out about this event, she immediately went to Druella and demanded that Andromeda Tonks be removed from the family. It took a long time to convince her. That witch wanted to annul her daughter's marriage and force her to marry a wizard three times her age.

However, it worked. Cygnus naively thought that it was enough to burn someone's name from the family Tapestry to break the family ties. They forgot about the bureaucracy. Regardless of whether it is a magical world or not, it is the bureaucracy that rules the world.

She washed down her success that day with a glass of Firewhisky. The next person in her family will have what she couldn't get herself. Freedom.

xxx

It wasn't long before Druella stated that she could still fulfill Andromeda's engagement contract. The contract was for a daughter from the house of Black. It wasn't written down to a specific name. That's why she tried to sell Narcissa. She failed. Walpurgia, as the mother of the future heir and Lord Black, interceded for the blonde.

Only because she knew about Narcissa's reciprocated feeling for Lucius Malfoy. The boy was a selfish bastard who closely resembled the peacocks he and his father had reared at Malfoy Manor. But he was also as monogamous as a swan. She knew that he would be faithful to her until the last breath of his life.

Before Druella Black née Rosier could make any move, Narcissa Black was already Narcissa Malfoy.

At the wedding, she drank a glass of Firewhisky. She was happy that another woman was free. Happy that another woman didn't go through what she did and wasn't treated as a commodity that can be sold.

What she wasn't aware of was that the glass contained more than just whiskey.

xxx

She was getting worse. She was weak. She forgot many things. Sometimes she saw in herself her mother who had died of a disease the Muggles called Alzheimer's and the Healers called the Curse. She asked the artist to paint her portrait. She knew her end was near. Convinced that she didn't have much time left, she called her son home. A son who was currently in his seventh year at Hogwarts.

She shuddered as she looked at her child's reddened eyes. Only now did she notice that he was no longer a boy, but a grown man. - "Thank you for coming so quickly…" - she whispered between coughs that escalated. - "Can you come over here?"

She watched as he uneasily walked over to the chair beside her bed. She could see that he was thinking. After a while, he sat down on the bed next to her instead of the chair. - "What happened mum?"

"I'm going to tell you something that is being passed down less and less among pureblood families. Something that is getting less and less passed down for fear of blood thinning." - she sighed before continuing, afraid that she wouldn't have time to say everything. - "Family magic isn't just magic we write down in books. It is a living energy that is transmitted from Lord to his heir. This part of magic needs a strong magic core for the bearer to survive having not only their own magic but also the magic of their ancestors."

Regulus watched her carefully as she coughed again. This time there were blood clots on the handkerchief. Even then, he didn't lose his composure, though he probably realized that this might be their last conversation.

"I'd like to give you a spell that can only be used as a last resort. With this spell, it doesn't matter who you choose. Whether it's a boy or a girl, it won't matter at all... This baby just has to be strong."

"What are you talking about?" - Her son looked confused.

"Hard times are coming. I don't know if you'll be able to bond with someone enough to father a child. Thanks to this spell, it is possible that the magic of our family will not die. However, there is no place for two family magics in one core. Do you know what it means?"

"This spell should only be used as a last resort, and only on a real Muggle-born. One with no connection whatsoever to any other magical family. What about that purity of blood?"

"It was never about purity of blood. Only for the purity of magic. Every pure-blood family is descended from a Muggle-born, and only through a true Muggle-born, Pureblood family be reborn. Just like a broken tree can sprout new shoots."

Regulus abruptly stood up and started pacing the room. After a moment of silence, he asked. - "So what was it for? What in Salazar's name was all this for?"

"One day you will understand..." - the older witch's body was shaken by a fit of coughing - "Promise me, Regulus. Promise me Reg that you won't hesitate to use this spell in a desperate situation. Promise me that when you have no choice, do the right thing. Don't let us go. Also remember that I love you, that I love you both..."

With these words on her lips, holding a crumpled piece of parchment in her hand, Walpurga Black ended her life.

And Regulus Black felt as if his whole world had collapsed.

xxx

I tried to feed another bunny. How did you like this chapter? I have to admit that I cried while writing this chapter. Is the story worth continuing? Regards, Katie Krum