Hiraeth | Regulus Black

Chapter Seventy Five

Grimmauld Place had belonged to the Black family for as long as any of them could remember or trace back through their family tree. Much of the furniture was even passed down through the generations so that the house was rich in history.
This had once greatly fascinated Regulus and he had spent much time during his childhood learning about his history. This had also brought much comfort to the boy as whilst he was growing up as his parents had always emphasised their pride in their history.
Though all those years later, when Regulus was growing into adulthood, those feelings had greatly reversed.

Sitting in the living room of his home, staring out at the large tapestry plastered across the wall opposite, Regulus was uncomfortable.
Now his family history was a burden and something he felt guilty of - almost embarrassed or ashamed.
And it wasn't as though he could avoid facing the past because his mother in particular never wanted anyone to forget where they came from.

"Regulus, dear?" A calm voice drew his attention upwards towards the doorway, where his mother lingered.

Walburga Black wore her curly black hair pulled tightly back into a neat bun at the nape of her neck, and her long dress and cardigan hung loosely off her frame as if she were nothing more than a clothes hanger itself.
For as long as Regulus had known her, she had always been a stern woman. Though the years of stress had weathered down her hard exterior, and now tiredness was beginning to tighten its grip on her - wrinkles and sullen eyes were not set in stone over her face.

"Yes?" He replied, straightening up in his seat to turn and face her fully.
"Well..." Walburga began slowly as she quietly made her way into the room, "I need to talk to you about something. You shan't get cross with me, though; I know what's best."
Regulus hummed shortly in response as he waited for his mother to continue.

"It's about Esmerelda." She stated shortly.
He let out a sigh of restrained irritation before asking, "Oh, do we have to do this today? It really hasn't been that long since we last argued over her."

"Regulus..." Walburga sat down on the far end of the sofa and crossed one leg over the other before continuing, "Your little... Relationship with that girl... It was tolerable when you were both in school. I'm sure it was fun and exciting and whatnot, but when you go out into the world and meet people and get a job... Regulus, she isn't any good for you."

"My relationship with Esmeralda isn't some sort of rebellious phase." He explained, leaning back in his seat as he looked up at the ceiling.
Walburga's impression of calmness was wearing thin already as she pressed on, "It's time to start being realistic, Regulus. She's not the kind of girl anyone would want to marry."

"Marry?" He scoffed slightly and muttered under his breath, "Well I don't have any single second cousins to shack up with."

This startled the older woman, who quickly rose back up to her feet and snapped, "Don't you dare! You will not be so vulgar in my house!" Walburga raised a hand to her chest and took a deep breath, "When you talk like that, you sound just like that wretched girl. She's a bad influence on you."
"What makes you think that?" He inquired.
She paused for a moment, almost as if she was trying to figure out whether or not her son had been snide again, before she answered, "It's a surprise her brother hasn't turned out the same way - their parents let them run wild and do whatever they want and everyone agrees with me. That girl... She has no respect for what's important. She'll drag you into trouble."