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."

"Mother..." Regulus took a deep breath, "As much as you make a fantastic point, I'm not going to break up with Esmerelda. She isn't some sort of demon that wants to ruin my life."

Walburga frowned deeply, "There... There are just so many good girls out there - better girls for you."

He was caught off guard by a sudden chuckle that escaped past his lips, "Oh, right?"

"Your father and I think it's best if-"

"You can't make me break up with her." Regulus interrupted, "You aren't trying to set me up with someone, are you? Because that would be mortifying."

"Regulus..." Walburga's shoulders slumped down somewhat as she sat back on the sofa and explained, "We-I only want what's best for you. I really think it's best if you just... If you just meet this girl..."

He let out another sharp laugh, and finally stood up from his seat and walked over towards the tapestry before turning back around and asking, "What girl?"

"Angelique Fremont." A small smile spread across the woman's lips.

"Fremont?" He frowned slightly and pocketed his hands, "That's... Familiar. Where have I heard that name before?"

Walburga nodded once before she said, "Angelique is Antoinette Avery's niece."

Regulus scoffed again, "Esmerelda's cousin?"

As was becoming the usual at this point, the Christmas holidays were proving to be torture for the boy. Despite trying their best to act like everything was fine, Walburga and Orion Black were still devastated that their eldest son had abandoned them. They had at first attempted to brush it under the carpet by showering Regulus in attention and gifts but it only made the younger boy feel uncomfortable and even guilty at times.

It was now their third Christmas without Sirius and there was nothing Regulus could do to restore the Christmas atmosphere he had always enjoyed in the past, and there was nothing he could do to bring his parents any joy. It was no hope him trying to fill the void Sirius had engraved into their family's heart. Sirius couldn't be replaced. No matter how much Sirius had clashed with his mother, she still loved her son deeply and had been traumatised by his departure.

Where once Sirius' absence had meant all of the attention and adoration fell on Regulus, this had now been eroded away. Instead, he was now the subject of intense scrutiny as he was the only hope of carrying on their good family name.

So not only was the atmosphere full of aged sadness, but now also coated in tenseness that Regulus could not risk stepping out of line.

"Yes, Angelique. Your father and I met her a few weeks ago and she's just a delightful girl. She's a year older and has already finished her time at Durmstrang. She hopes to move to England to work in the Ministry." Walburga exclaimed with an aura of pride.

Perhaps before he had repaired his relationship with Esme, Regulus might have simply shrugged his shoulders and accepted whatever his parents wanted because he had no desire of his own to compete with.

All of that time spent with Esme, however, it had inspired something in him. Sitting there, he felt a small piece of the girl in him - this courageous fire to fight for what he wanted because what other people thought really didn't matter. That was why it wasn't such a big deal for him to step out of line anymore.

Regulus had something he needed to protect.

"I don't know the girl at all. Why would I have any interest in her?" He asked.

He could her the grin on his mother's face as she replied, "You would get to know her, of course. We could invite Angelique and her parents for dinner."

"I don't even know why I'm humouring this ridiculous idea." Regulus quipped, "I'm not breaking up with Esme so I can date her cousin and please you."

Walburga grimaced at his words before a steely mask wiped over her features, hardening her face, as she stated, "Regulus, I just want what's best for you."

"But you don't, do you?" He said, "You want what's best for you."

"What?" She opened her mouth slightly as if to gasp, but instead paused for a moment before she responded, "Regulus, don't talk like that. You're my son and I want you to be happy and successful."

"Did you ever consider that I'm perfectly happy with Esmerelda? She makes me happy." Regulus replied softly, now folding his arms across his chest.

"I know what's be-"

"If you want me to be happy." He cleared his throat before continuing, "Then you'll let me make my own decisions."

"Regulus." At last, Walburga rose to her feet again and stepped closer to her son, "That girl is going to lead you down a perilous path. Not only is it wrong and a danger to the way we live, it could put you in harm's way. I won't let you fall into that trap like your brother did."

This startled the boy. Regulus was, at last, taken aback. Nobody in Grimmauld Place had so much as referenced Sirius' existence or muttered his name since he'd runaway from home all those years earlier.

The evening after Sirius had left for good, Orion had gone to his youngest son and forbidden him from ever talking about Sirius in the presence of his family. And that's what had happened. Even since Walburga had blasted Sirius' face off of the family tree tapestry in a devastated rage, they never spoke of him again - like he was long dead, and all the better for it.

"Mum..." Regulus ran a hand through his hair as he sighed, "I really can't keep having this conversation with you. I've done everything you asked of me but I can't... I won't do that. I'm going to go upstairs now. I suspect Kreacher will call me down when dinner is ready, yes?"

He made his way past his mother and towards the doorway. Though, as he reached it, Regulus placed his hand on the wooden frame and looked over his shoulder at Walburga.

She was gazing up at the wall, staring directly at her own face plastered onto the tapestry. Then, her voice barely above a whisper but still carrying the same harsh authority it always did, she replied, "Yes."