The Black Bulstrode Family
Part I of IV
Pollux Black
(1907-1990)
Summary: Since the beginning Pollux was the one they wanted, making him into a spoiled Black, while Cassiopeia was stuck in her own world, and no one, not even that handsome muggleborn wizard, could get her out. Marius was condemned to be the "worst" Black of them all, an abomination, but he was the luckiest of the four. And Dorea, she couldn't help falling for a Gryffindor while she helplessly watched her siblings downfalls.
Pollux Black was a very lucky boy.
His parents had wanted him for many years; they had been waiting for Pollux ever since Violetta laid eyes on Cygnus. It was so important to have him. He wasn't just an heir or a pureblood boy that needed to be born. No. It was the desire of both parents to take care of him, to love him, to cherish and spoil him.
And when finally the day came that Violetta discovered she was pregnant with little Poe, she knew that all those tears were worth it.
Not many Black children could proclaim this fact.
After he was born, it seemed that he had brought a miracle to Cygnus and Violetta. They had three children after Pollux.
...
Being a child that was wanted for so long had its downsides of course.
He was always stuck at the hip to his mother when he was a toddler. He became a spoiled little boy who always got what he wanted.
Pollux didn't even get along with his siblings – they took attention and love away from him.
At first, no one liked to be around him. Not even Arcturus. And that was saying something.
Pollux would always cry if he didn't get what he wanted, and of course Violetta would give him every single thing he desired, not really knowing she was doing more harm than good.
Pollux was a Black. And Blacks got what they wanted and if you couldn't have it, well, you could just take it and no one would stop you.
Unfortunately this became his prerogative, making him not only ruin his close relationships with his family members, but with most of the wizarding community in England as well.
...
You could say that he only wanted to be with his parents and no one else. And that was fine, but Cygnus was worried Pollux wouldn't be able to be very open or a leader when he grew up. So Cygnus decided it was best to keep his son close to Arcturus and Lycoris.
But ever since Arcturus had first spoken to Pollux, the little boy knew that he and Arc would never be on agreeable terms. Both were the first child, the first boy in their branches of the Black family. Both were heirs. They had competition, and both couldn't – wouldn't even be able to be friends.
Both knew this very well – it didn't matter that they were too young to really know what was behind their destinies. It was their way of life. And Pollux didn't like that Arcturus got everything that he wanted. Just like him.
So, Pollux kept his distance from his cousin, especially after what he told him about Regulus. Pollux didn't know him that well, but Regulus didn't look mean. But he didn't want to take his chances.
...
He thankfully realized that Regulus wasn't that bad. Regulus was actually was much nicer and more fun to hang around with than Arcturus, who was too mature. Regulus was also mature, but unlike Arc, he had his moments of being a troublemaker, even though he sometimes – well, mostly – wouldn't follow Poe's lead.
And Pollux didn't have to worry about competing against him. Regulus was more laid back about being the best heir to the Blacks. Reg just wanted to be the "good" Black, while Poe wanted to be the "best" Black. It was always fun and laughter, even though Pollux had to pay for being his friend. He didn't receive hits or pinches from Arcturus – Poe would immediately tell on him if he tried, and all hell would break loose if Arc laid a single finger on him. But of course the consequence was having his precious mud castles destroyed.
That for him was the worst punishment ever.
The thing that he envied about Reg was that he was always optimistic about things. When they would go to the Black garden, the boys would find that their castles were beyond repair. And instead of crying, Regulus would always smile and say, "Fantastic! Now we can build a bigger one. I have a new idea for this castle, Poe. It's gonna be much better than the last one."
Pollux had no idea how that much hope and happiness came from Regulus. He knew very well how Reg's life was – compared to his, it was horrible. Pollux wouldn't have been able to live with it.
Sometimes, he wished he was like Regulus. Reg was a good person, while he was the opposite.
People were drawn to Reg, people like Irma Crabbe.
...
When he entered Hogwarts he began to have in interest in girls.
And not just any girls.
He had eyes for two girls in particular.
And Pollux wanted them both, not caring about the means that got them for him.
After all, a Black got what he wanted.
...
His interest in Irma was something that came about when he had noticed that she liked to spend more time with Regulus than with him.
Of course, Reg was nice and respectful but, really, he wasn't fun and exciting like Pollux. Why would Irma prefer to spend more time with Regulus who now preferred to have his nose stuck in a book than to fly on his broom?
Pollux had no clue really. No clue that Irma's eyes and heart were only for his cousin and best friend.
It was ridiculous and Regulus should have been the last person that Irma Crabbe would fall in love with. Pollux was more worried she'd fall for Arcturus than for Regulus.
...
His body began to notice things. He liked to sleep with his little sister Cassi, holding her close to him as he buried his nose in her wavy hair. As the years passed and Irma paid less and less attention to him, he liked to kiss Cassi's cheeks and his hands liked to roam over her sides, touching her thighs and rubbing her small breasts, all to hear that sigh come from her lips.
Poe had no idea how this started. He had always liked to sleep next to his sister and then one day, he began to touch her. There was no explanation; his body just noticed his sister and Pollux detested figuring out the explanation of things that just were.
He liked Cassi just the same way he liked Irma.
And he didn't want to figure out why he liked them both. After all, Father liked three women and he always looked happy.
Why would Pollux feel confused when he only felt happiness?
Besides, Cassiopeia didn't fight him and was always so welcoming when he touched her.
Pollux liked to think that he was training himself to please his future wife.
...
He never thought that what he was doing with Cassiopeia was wrong.
After all, she wanted it. She would smile innocently and open her arms, pushing her covers away for him. So if someone were to point fingers, it was all Cassi's fault, not his. She was bewitching him with those wide, naive and childish eyes of hers.
For some reason he had thought it was normal, to be this close to one's sister.
Father liked being close to Cassi as well.
And then when he was walking in one of the deserted hallways in the dungeons he caught Arcturus and Lycoris touching each other just like how he touched Cassiopeia.
Pollux didn't see it as something bad. No. He saw it as an opportunity to ruin Arcturus' life; he was so tired of his cousin winning everything and being recognized as a pureblood example. And Lycoris was the most annoying, hypocritical girl he had ever met – he could already feel the happiness at seeing her engagement being crushed and then having no prospects of marriage. And Regulus. Finally, Reg could be left alone. If Pollux didn't announce it, he could use the information as blackmail in order to make Arc and Ly respect his favorite cousin.
When he told Regulus, Pollux had thought that Reg would be ecstatic and excited for revenge but quite the contrary – he didn't do anything. And that angered Pollux. So he sent a letter to William Macmillan.
It had angered him that Reg didn't see things his way at times.
But now, Lycoris would never marry and he knew why, relishing every moment he took to whisper it in her face.
...
Then something wonderful happened.
He was to marry Irma Crabbe. It happened so suddenly – his father and Mr. Crabbe talked in the family sitting room and then the next moment Pollux was giving the dowry to Mr. Nigel Crabbe and announcing the excellent news to Regulus, telling him he was to be his best man.
Finally things were looking up. Irma was his, Cassi was loyal, his parents were so proud of him and even for a time Regulus was treated kindly by Arcturus and Lycoris.
But then just as he was to marry Irma, Regulus didn't show up.
He had thought something bad had happened to his best friend. To his true brother.
Arcturus was the one to tell him that Regulus hadn't made it to the wedding because his plan to take Irma away had failed, that if it hadn't been for him, Reg would have succeeded with his plans of destroying Pollux's marriage and happiness.
The looks that Irma and Regulus had given each other now made sense. Pollux knew that Arcturus could be lying but he had seen it with his own eyes and he couldn't believe that someone he had considered to be loyal was actually the worst traitor of all.
He sent word to Regulus to never set foot in his home, to never see Irma, and with the help of Arcturus he sent Regulus to the Black Cottage.
...
Things got out of control very quickly.
His nosy Aunt Misapinoa had taken Cassiopeia away to the place he hated the most – the Black Cottage where Regulus lived.
And that was the last place he would set foot in.
It was horrible knowing that the one person that accepted your touches was now sent away and the person that you wanted to accept your touches was simply not wanting it.
Irma never loved him. Not even after they had two beautiful children.
...
When he saw the baby Cygnus he couldn't help but scoff at Irma as she lay on the bed, holding a boy that wasn't his.
The baby was an exact replica of Regulus with hints of the Crabbes.
But appearances were a must and Regulus was a Black so no one would notice that Cygnus didn't have the same eye shape or that his nose wasn't like his supposed father's.
Still, Pollux had never stopped loving Irma even if she cringed every time he laid a hand on her arm or kissed her cheek.
And it wasn't his fault that his anger manifested one night. After not being able to make her love him like she loved Regulus, he broke and he hit her. Shock overcame him as he saw his hand print on her beautiful pale cheek, saw the fear in her blue eyes.
He couldn't help but blame Regulus for all his misfortune.
...
Pollux had always been stubborn, prideful and never liked to accept defeat or acknowledge he had done wrong.
He was a Black.
But when he had heard that Regulus was dying he needed to forget his pride. Remembering that Reg had been a brother to him and that he had sent him away, Pollux realized he had acted like Arcturus. He despised Arcturus! And he had betrayed the person that he had most cared for.
...
But as he lay in his own death bed, Regulus nor Irma nor his children and not even his loving parents and siblings that he had never gotten along with, nor even Cassi, were on his mind.
Failure was on his mind.
Thinking back through his life, he knew it was something he had built but wasn't happy with. Wasn't he supposed to be happy for being rich, respected and adored by society?
No one was there for him and he was an old, grumpy, hateful old man who was dying alone. At least Arcturus had his children and grandchildren, Lycoris had Arc and Regulus had the family that had always belonged to him. But Pollux? He was alone, trying hard to breathe but he felt life slipping away from his fingers.
And no one was there to say goodbye.
Pollux Black deserved his painful and lonely death. Someone who caused pain would be punished sooner or later.
AN: I changed the date of birth concerning Pollux, Cassiopeia and Marius to fit my head!canon. Please review. Next up: Cassiopeia Black
