The Widow's Web

by Screaming Fae

The Black Family holds more secrets and surprises than anyone could ever imagine; this web of purity that dates so far back, with such elegant lines of purity in our blood. Even though the strings that break are disposed of, our secrets are still ours to hide. - A collection of oneshots/drabbles, relating to each member of the Black Family, starting with the earliest recorded.

2. Magenta - An Intellectual Beard

ii

Magenta Black (née Tripe)

Rising as the matriarch of the House of Black wasn't what I had in mind for life.

In fact, I wasn't sure what I had in mind for my life. I wanted to travel; wanted to see the world and make something of my life. But when I was sixteen, my mother told me that I was betrothed to the eldest member of the Black clan, and I would marry him in the winter. "Oh, Magenta. He's a lovely young boy…very well groomed, I've heard."

I cried and cried, for hours, days, weeks. Deep down, I guessed that this would happen – I was doomed to live my life as my mother had; nothing but an empty, waiting womb, who would spend my next few decades of fertile life bearing proud and precious heirs. But I didn't expect that the one I would marry would be Licorus Black.

Secrets flew around Hogwarts about Licorus. No one would dare say anything to his face, of course, judging from the clan he came from, but it was definitely on the minds of his peers. Licorus liked boys, namely, Licorus liked Xavier.

I never really thought about Licorus; much less about his sexual preferences.

But I couldn't help but wonder about his sexuality when I was stood at the altar, facing my dearly beloved. Licorus leaned forward to present the sealing kiss, angling his lips slightly at the end so that they only touched the corner of my mouth. I saw his eyes dart to the left of me, and when I followed his gaze, he was looking at the blonde boy, seated a few rows back, his arm thrown around Phoebe.

At the reception service, my eyes welled up with tears when Licorus read out his marriage speech. I allowed all of our relatives and friends to believe that I was sobbing with happiness, but it was a bitter lie.

I was crying because I knew that this was the end of my life. I would live out the rest of my days as nothing but Licorus' beard; subtly hiding the fact that my husband was actually gay.