Shades of Silver and Black

Chapter 73 | heavy is the head

Narcissa understood the reason why Regulus had applied those glamours. Injuries were seen as a weakness, something the king of Slytherin could not afford to have. The rulers of Slytherin were supposed to project an image of perfection onto others, represent all the ideals and mottos that the house was based upon and act as a pillar of strength for the snakes. Should Regulus and Narcissa show even a semblance of fragility, they would be immediately challenged for the crown, after which they would have to defend their throne and prove that they were still powerful.

Regulus winced under the cooling effects of the plethora of spells that Narcissa had cast. He physically looked better than earlier. However, he maintained the impression of a poor, dirty muggle who had been on the receiving end of her family's wands. Regulus, at that moment, seemed nothing like the pureblood prince he had been raised as.

"Thank you," Regulus said softly, eyes closed and breathing laboured. Narcissa simply nodded her head, not trusting her words to be coherent after having seen her little brother in such a horrid state. There was a heartbeat of silence between them before Regulus spoke, reopening his eyes. "Did Lyra have to deal with this? All this duelling? I mean, she and Lucius were eleven and were given authority to command seventh years and even actual adults. Did she have to constantly duel them all the time to assert her power?"

"I don't think so," Narcissa replied gently. "Yes, she did have to duel a couple of fools but it wasn't as often as you and I have to. I think she duelled the same number of people you did in these three months during her whole term. Lucius had to duel even lesser than that."

"Oh," Regulus stated because how else could he respond to such news? He sighed.

Regulus had had an irking that this much challenging to his crown wasn't natural, and Narcissa's words confirmed his suspicion. And unfortunately, Regulus had even theorised a reason to answer why this abrupt increase in mutinies was occurring during his and Narcissa's term as well.

The members of the House of Slytherin no longer believed in the House of Black to lead them.

In their defence, the House of Black had adopted a mudblood and allowed a blood traitor to remain. Two, if Sirius could be counted. Regulus had gotten accustomed to hearing about how his family, previously proud practitioners of toujours pur, should be unable to use that motto any longer. The abuse hurled against his family over that issue had only gotten worse when news of Andromeda being pregnant with a half-blood child reached the ears of the public.

The House of Black which had always followed the ideals and stood behind the opinions of the dark tier had recently begun supporting neutral-inclined bills and views; something that didn't sit well with the Lords of the dark families. Now, they were being dubbed as 'blood-traitors' in hushed whispers as the gossip being circulated lately consisted of the beginning of the downfall of the Most Ancient and, according to the public, once Noble House of Black.

Invites to galas lessened while rumours were surrounding them, ones that the House of Black hadn't originally started. Sure people still feared them but now, they mocked them as well.

There was also a subtle shift in the tides of power recently. It was seen in the way more and more students began to wear long sleeves to cover up the dark ink that had been branded onto their forearms. It was seen in the way people spoke of a saviour who would eliminate the muggle taint from their pure world. It was seen in the way students considered the authority of the Court binding no longer. How they cared no more and flocked towards the ones who held more power like moths to light. And now, the Dark Lord was apparently more powerful, influential and reliable than a system that had worked for thousands of years.

It hadn't just been him who was repeatedly challenged. Narcissa, the Silver Queen, herself had had to participate in seven duels till date and something told Regulus that despite what she had said earlier, the number of duels they would have to fight in to keep their crown would only increase henceforth, as the parasite that was the upcoming Dark Lord --at least, in the words of his grandfather Arcturus-- would only grow.