Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe. It belongs to J.K Rowling.
Chapter 15: Black Star
In the fog-laden corner of Britain, nestled within the quiet streets of Grimmauld Place, there was a stirring of anticipation. Rigel Black, the offspring of the notorious Sirius Black and the valiant Marlene McKinnon was embarking on his journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Raised under the protective gaze of Andromeda Tonks, his doting aunt, and the remainder of his pure-blooded kin, Rigel was the embodiment of his lineage's charm, cloaked in a youthful radiance that spoke of both innocence and a longing for adventure. His hair was as dark as the night sky, with eyes reflecting the mysterious allure of his namesake star.
A torrent of emotions cascaded through Rigel as he stood at the threshold of King's Cross Station, eyes wide with the thrill of the unknown. The Black family's reputation, amplified by whispers and stares, followed him like a spectre, but he held his head high. There was a world waiting to be explored, a legacy to be acknowledged, and Rigel was ready to meet it with resilience.
The journey to Hogwarts was a magical whirlwind of golden landscapes and twinkling skies. As the Hogwarts Express snaked its way through the countryside, Rigel felt an undercurrent of excitement, an awakening of magic in his veins. He couldn't help but press his nose against the cold glass, eyes marvelling at the unfolding panorama of rolling hills and the first glimpse of the castle's imposing silhouette.
Upon reaching Hogwarts, Rigel was awestruck. The grandeur of the Great Hall, the enchanting ceiling shimmering with stars, and the warm glow of the floating candles - it was a sight to behold. The Sorting Hat ceremony was underway, a moment of great significance. One by one, the first-year students were being sorted, their fates sealed.
Then, it was Rigel's turn. He could feel the weight of countless eyes upon him as he took his seat, the Sorting Hat placed gently on his head. The murmuring of the crowd seemed to recede into a soft hum as the Hat delved into his thoughts, taking a glimpse of his bravery, ambition, and potential.
"Slytherin!" The Hat's declaration echoed in the Great Hall, silencing the murmurings. A jolt of surprise ran through the crowd, followed by a collective gasp. Rigel had been sorted into Slytherin, the house of his ancestors, the house of cunning and ambition.
Now bearing the title of the heir of the Black lordship and a Slytherin, Rigel felt a profound sense of responsibility resting upon his young shoulders. He glanced towards the Slytherin table, catching the gleam of respect in their eyes. The legacy of the Blacks had found its future, and Rigel was ready to navigate his path, with the wisdom of his past and the promise of his future guiding him towards his destiny.
As the echo of the Sorting Hat's declaration faded into a respectful silence, Rigel's gaze scanned the Great Hall. There, amidst the sea of eager faces, he spotted his cousins, Eadric and Aldred Prewett.
They shared a look before breaking into wide grins, applauding Rigel's sorting into Slytherin. There was a playful glint in their eyes, acknowledging the familiar rivalry between their houses, yet radiating a deep familial bond. The Prewetts were among the few who knew Rigel beyond the Black family's infamy, and their acceptance meant more than any house pride.
From a different corner of the hall, a burst of enthusiastic clapping punctuated the silence. Nymphadora Tonks, a fifth-year Hufflepuff and Rigel's older cousin was on her feet. Her usually vibrant hair was a sober shade of brown tonight, perhaps a sign of the seriousness of the occasion, but her characteristic vivacity was undimmed.
Nymphadora, the metamorphmagus, had always been a source of amusement and admiration for Rigel. Her nonchalant approach towards the Black family's expectations and her disregard for pure-blood elitism were things he secretly admired. The proud smile on her face and the resounding applause she gave, spoke volumes of her support, cutting across the house divide.
In the grand castle of Hogwarts, amidst stone towers and whispering portraits, a young Rigel Black was proving himself quite the prodigy.
Rigel's ability to grasp complex magical theories and perform advanced spells was becoming the talk of the school. His professors marvelled at his aptitude, and his housemates revelled in the glory he brought to Slytherin, but there was an undercurrent that some found disconcerting.
Subtle signs began to surface, indications of a belief that Rigel was trying to keep hidden. An inclination to scoff at the mention of Muggle-born wizards excelling, and a certain coldness towards Muggle-born students. The subtlety of his actions was unnerving, indicating a well-thought-out belief system rather than juvenile prejudice.
On one such afternoon, while overlooking the sweeping landscape of Hogwarts from his office, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore found himself mulling over this issue. His keen eyes had not missed the seeds of bias in Rigel. The young lad was exceptionally talented, but Dumbledore had seen enough to know that talent without the right values could lead down a dangerous path. He remembered his dealings with the Black family and their firm stance on blood purity in the Wizengamot.
Rigel, oblivious to Dumbledore's concerns, continued to excel, basking in the attention and adulation. He was starting to believe in the power of his lineage, and the prestige that the Black name carried. The castle's stone walls echoed with tales of his brilliance, but in the hushed corners, there was a ripple of worry. A worry that Rigel Black, the star student of Hogwarts, could potentially tread the path of his forebears, not realising the divisions it could cause.
Rigel Black's first year at Hogwarts was nothing short of a revelation. The ancient castle, with its moving staircases and ghostly inhabitants, became his playground. From the lofty towers of the Astronomy classroom to the greenhouses bustling with magical flora, Rigel was in his element, learning and thriving.
His days were marked with a flurry of classes. In Potions, his meticulous approach and understanding of magical properties earned him Professor Snape's rare nod of approval. In Charms, his levitation spell was so perfect that Professor Flitwick squeaked with delight, a high accolade indeed.
As the months rolled on, Rigel's name became synonymous with academic excellence. His essays were lauded his spells flawless, and his thirst for knowledge insatiable. When the first-year exams arrived, he surpassed all expectations, topping his year and earning significant points for Slytherin.
His most peculiar routine, however, was his correspondence with his great-grandfather, Arcturus Black. Each week, an eagle owl would take flight from the Owlery, carrying a crisp parchment bound for Grimmauld Place. Rigel would narrate his academic triumphs, his trials, and, subtly woven into these tales, his growing resentment towards Muggle-borns.
In one such letter, Rigel penned, "Dear Grandfather, my studies continue to be fruitful. However, I cannot help but notice certain... discrepancies. Muggle-borns who, due to their lack of magical upbringing, often struggle to grasp basic concepts. It is disconcerting, to say the least."
Arcturus, reading these lines in the dim light of the Black family library, felt a strange mix of pride and concern. Rigel was indeed a Black, rising in the ranks, upholding their traditions. However, the underlying tone of prejudice, the echo of a time when the Blacks believed in blood supremacy, made him uneasy.
As Rigel's first year came to a close, he had etched his name in the annals of Hogwarts' star students. But beneath the surface, the undercurrents of his bias were starting to show, and those who cared for him began to wonder if Rigel was truly shaping his future or merely reflecting the shadows of his family's past. The summer following Rigel's first year at Hogwarts saw a different kind of schooling, one that wasn't found in textbooks or classroom lectures. Rigel returned to the ancient Black family home at Grimmauld Place, where his grandmother, Walburga Black, awaited him.
Walburga, a formidable woman with an iron will and an unwavering belief in blood purity, saw it as her duty to instil in Rigel the "true values" of the Black family. They spent hours in the family library, not poring over magical theories but rather the family tapestry and records, each bearing testament to the Black's pure-blood lineage.
With a subtle cunning that had long served the Blacks, Walburga began to poison Rigel's mind against those she deemed lesser. "Muggles and their ilk," she would say with a sneer, "are the downfall of our world, Rigel. We mustn't let them dilute the magic that's rightfully ours."
Sirius served as a constant reminder of the perceived betrayal by the Potters. Walburga fuelled this narrative, speaking of how Sirius, once the heir to the Black family, had been led astray by James Potter and his 'mudblood-loving' ways.
"The Potters took your father from us, Rigel," she would often say, her voice echoing in the cavernous halls of their ancestral home. "And now, he languishes in Azkaban while they enjoy their ill-gotten fame."The seed of resentment, already planted in Rigel's mind, began to grow, watered by his grandmother's toxic words. "Never bow to those lesser than us," she would instil, "Our lineage is our strength."
Dumbledore wasn't spared either. "He's a manipulator," Walburga warned Rigel, "His preachings of love and unity are but tools to weaken the pure-bloods. Don't fall for his tricks."
As the summer sun warmed the bricks of Grimmauld Place, a cold shadow fell over Rigel's heart. His grandmother's words, laced with venom and prejudice, became his summer lessons. By the time the leaves began to turn orange, Rigel Black was no longer just a brilliant student. He was a Black, armed with his grandmother's lessons and ready to uphold the pure-blood supremacy that his family had championed for centuries.
Rigel Black's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry marked an era of distinction and veiled discord. His brilliance in his studies only amplified, his keen intellect mastering the complicated incantations and magical theories with ease. But academics weren't the only arena where Rigel was making a name for himself.
Early into the term, he was selected as the Seeker for the Slytherin Quidditch team, a coveted position typically reserved for older students. With the agility of a falcon and the eyes of an eagle, Rigel proved his mettle on the field. His uncanny knack for spotting the elusive Golden Snitch and his nimble manoeuvres led Slytherin to a glorious victory, securing the Quidditch Cup for their house. Rigel had become the pride of Slytherin, his triumph echoing through the castle corridors.
However, not all was as bright as it seemed. Rigel, using his newfound popularity, began assembling a group within Slytherin. This faction, known only to a select few, was subtly pushing an agenda against Muggle-borns. Its influence started seeping into the common rooms and classrooms, its members walking a fine line between open rebellion and veiled antagonism.
The group, led by Rigel, started fuelling the animosity towards Harry Potter, reminding the pure-blood families of their 'humiliation' at the hands of a half-blood who had defeated the Dark Lord. They didn't shy away from throwing derogatory slurs at Lily Potter either, daring to tarnish her memory by branding her a 'mud blood'.
In the dimly lit corners of Hogwarts' dungeons, Severus Snape stood tall and imposing, his eyes flickering with an icy rage barely contained. Murmurs of Lily Potter's name, laced with disrespectful slurs, had reached him. The culprits, Rigel Black and his gang were blissfully ignorant of the storm they had stirred up.
An opportune moment presented itself in the form of a second-year Potions class. The task of the day was brewing a perfect Strengthening Solution, a meticulous procedure that demanded precision.
Rigel and his group were huddled together, a smirk playing on their faces as their potion emitted the desired lilac steam. Snape, his gaze as sharp as a hawk, sauntered over, his black robes billowing around him.
"Your potion appears to be progressing satisfactorily, Mr Black," he commented, his voice smooth yet laced with an undertone of disdain.
Basking in the illusion of a compliment, Rigel let out a chuckle. "Thank you, Professor."
Snape's gaze hardened. He peered into their cauldron, his eyes scrutinising the contents. "Tell me, when did you add the salamander blood?"
"After the lionfish spines, Professor," Rigel replied, his tone confident.
The ghost of a smirk flashed across Snape's face. "A rather elementary mistake for the son of Sirius Black, a convicted Death Eater," he remarked, his words carrying a bite. "The salamander blood should have been added before the lionfish spines. Twenty points from Slytherin."
A gasp echoed around the room. Rigel's expression faltered, his confident veneer cracking under Snape's cold stare. The reprimand, severe for a small mistake, sent a clear message to the class.
The incident with Severus Snape and Rigel Black caused a significant uproar in the Hogwarts Board of Governors. The whispers of Snape's harsh treatment of Rigel and the alleged use of Legilimency reached the ears of Orion Black, a respected member of the board.
Orion, while known for his steadfast adherence to traditions, had always prioritised the welfare of students above all. The news of his grandson being targeted didn't sit well with him, sparking a heated debate within the board. Lucius Malfoy, another influential member of the board was caught in a tight spot. Snape was not only Draco's godfather but also his trusted ally. However, he couldn't ignore the severity of Snape's actions.
After a lengthy and intense deliberation, it was decided - Severus Snape was to be dismissed from his post as the Potions Master at Hogwarts. The news sent shockwaves through the school, affecting students and staff alike.
The daunting task of finding a suitable replacement fell upon the shoulders of Albus Dumbledore. After considering many candidates, he turned to Andromeda Black who held potions masters as well. Andromeda agreed to take up the post.
Author's Note: This chapter might be the worst. The next 2-3 chapters will be about the time span between Harry's Eight and Eleventh birthday.
Relevant Events may or may not happen during this. What will Snape's sacking cause in future what will happen when Voldemort returns and who
will kill Dumbledore? Rigel is an important character in this story, one of the reasons he has a chapter about his school life in Hogwarts.