The Tragedy of Walburga Black

★𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕𝟓★

Letting go of him and removing his arms from her, she fixed her cloak before taking out her wand and making red roses appear on her parent's graves.

Regulus stood by her side, still in slight shock from her uncharacteristic display of affection. He glanced at her briefly, unsure of what to say.

"Mother, are you-"

" I think I would like some tea," She cut him off before he could ask her anything personal, "Do you want to go to Diagon Alley?"

Regulus hesitated, noticing her deflection, but he nodded in agreement. "Yes, Mother, tea sounds nice," he replied, falling in step beside her as they began to make their way towards Diagon Alley.

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𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡, 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟐 - 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐠, 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲

As they navigated the dark cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley, Walburga kept a vigilant grip on her wand, her senses alert to any potential threats lurking in the shadows. Regulus walked beside her, his steps echoing faintly against the deserted alleyway

Regulus stopped in his tracks as they passed an alleyway, his eyes widening in horror as he witnessed two large men in dark cloaks stunning innocent wizards.

Yanking his arm, Walburga nearly dragged him away until they made it to the safety of the tea shop.

"Never - ever freeze like that. Especially when you are alone, Regulus," Walburga admonished sternly as they entered the tea shop.

The boy's bright blue eyes widened as he was still in shock, his mother led him to a table in the corner of the tea shop.

As they sat down, Walburga noticed all of the pink and red Valentine's Day decorations that adorned the shop. It was reminiscent of Madam Puddifoot's in Hogsmeade.

"Mother, we should have helped them," His voice was breaking as his eyes turned to glass ignoring the magical decor.

"If I did, they would be coming for us," Walburga whispered, leaning closer to her son.

"There are times when it is right to help someone in need, and there are times when protecting the people you care for comes first." Her words carried the weight of their reality, emphasizing the necessity of prioritizing their safety in their precarious world.

The boy shook his head as a waiter interrupted them.

"Good afternoon, madam, little sir." He smiled brightly at Regulus but was only met with a deadpan look from the boy.

The waiter's smile faltered slightly at Regulus's deadpan expression, but he maintained his cheerful demeanor. "May I take your order then?" he asked politely, directing his attention to Walburga.

She put on a fake smile, "Two peppermint teas and he'll have a heart-shaped cookie."

The waiter nodded, jotting down the order on his notepad. "Two peppermint teas and a heart-shaped cookie," he repeated, before excusing himself to fetch their order.

Dropping her act, she turned back to her son, her expression softening slightly. "I admire your need to want to protect, Regulus, but it is not worth losing your life for strangers," she explained gently. "We must be cautious, especially in times like these. Our safety comes first, always."

"Those men, the ones in the robes, they are working for him," she reiterated, her voice solemn. She had explained to both him and Sirius about the growing presence of dark wizards, particularly the Dark Lord, over Christmas.