Title: Our One and Only Son
Author: scarletladyy
Pairing: Orion/Walburga with Regulus and Sirius
Word Count: 1,613
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Summary: The effects of the First Wizarding War on the Black family.
Author's Notes: Written for nicccc for hh_writersblock's first fic exchange in 2010.

1970

"The war has started," Orion whispered into Walburga's ear as she sat by the fireplace.

Walburga nodded gently. "What does this mean for us?"

"If we keep our heads down, we should be safe. We should try to protect the boys, they're only young."

Walburga smiled weakly and picked up her knitting needles, setting them to work in front of her. "I'll see to it."

"I've noticed the change in Regulus' room," Orion commented softly. "Do you think we should do anything about --?"

"-- the Death Eater photos? Or articles of the Dark Lord?"

Orion shrugged. "Either."

"I don't think so," said Walburga. "This is the path we've practically led him to. I'm surprised Sirius isn't the same."

Orion raised his eyebrows. "Are you really? Or are you just pretending you haven't noticed his attitude?"

"Perhaps a little," she admitted, staring into the fire as though it could give her all the answers. "I'm sure he'll come round. Once he gets to Hogwarts and is with others that think like we do, it'll be smooth sailing."

"One can hope," Orion mused, sounding as though he wasn't too convinced. "We don't want him becoming like Andromeda; you know what her attitude is like. I've heard rumours she's dating a muggle."

Walburga gasped; as far as she was concerned, that was the worst thing her sons could do. "I don't want to hear it. Druella was always far too soft for her daughters."

"Agreed," Orion said darkly, leaving Walburga to her knitting.

September 1971

"Gryffindor, Orion! Gryffindor!" Walburga screeched at the top of her voice. "What are we going to do?"

Orion didn't speak for a long time, his eyes trained on the floor and his arms behind his back. "We're not going to do anything."

"Nothing?" roared Walburga, stamping her foot on the ground. "We can't just do nothing!"

"Oh yes we can," Orion said quietly. "That's exactly what we'll do. We won't rise to it. We won't let him get a kick out of it."

Walburga felt as though her eyes were bulging out of her head. She half knew this day would come, but she never wanted to acknowledge it. Sirius had always been the difficult child, they should have expected this. "But he'll be mixing with the wrong people!"

"Then when he comes home for Christmas we'll have to make sure he mixes with the right people."

Walburga nodded her head in agreement, worrying about the thought of Sirius amongst Gryffindors.

Christmas 1971

"Merry Christmas, mum, dad!" Sirius said brightly as he got off the train.

"Merry Christmas, son," Orion and Walburga said in unison, though it was quite obviously through gritted teeth. They couldn't help but be angry at their son for turning out as a Gryffindor, but they were trying not to show it.

"Bye, James!" Sirius called to a scruffy, dark haired boy.

"Who was that?" Walburga asked sharply, pulling Regulus in closer to her as though he could get infected.

"That, mother, was a Gryffindor, and he looks like a troublesome one at that," Regulus answered his mother's question, being sure to avoid his brother's piercing looks. "I bet he's the reason Sirius has had so many detentions."

Walburga gasped. "Is this true?"

"I hate you," Sirius muttered as he rolled his eyes and tried to change the subject. "So, father, what have you been up to?"

"Answer your mother," Orion barked, glaring at Sirius. "Now."

Sirius sighed. "He is a Gryffindor, and we have got in a few scrapes, but he's a nice lad..."

"Listen to me, boy," snarled Orion, leaning up close in his son's face. "You won't even look at him again, let alone speak to him. Do you understand?"

"Shove off," Sirius said bravely. "He's my best friend, I'll see him whenever I like."

Orion grabbed Sirius' hair tightly in his fist and squeezed, causing Sirius to wince. "Do you understand me?"

"Ow!" Sirius cried out as his head was pulled further back. "Yes, yes, I understand."

Walburga smiled sweetly at him. "You better." She turned to Regulus, looking at him as her golden boy. "I swear, if you're not in Slytherin..."

"I will be, mother," Regulus insisted, looking slightly worried.

"Good," Orion sneered as he let go of Sirius. "Because I want one son to be proud of."

Spring 1975

Walburga waited nervously in the kitchen for Regulus to come home. She knew he'd been seeing the Dark Lord for a couple of months now, but every time he left she worried he wouldn't come home. When his all too familiar face came running through the kitchen door, relief washed over her.

"I got it, mother," Regulus said proudly. "I got the Dark Mark!"

"Oh," Walburga said quietly; she hadn't thought he'd be initiated so soon. "That's great, son. I'm really proud of you."

"We both are," Orion said as he came into the kitchen, slipping an arm around Walburga's waist. "You're turning out exactly as we hoped. Just don't let us down, now."

Regulus beamed. "I won't, father."

Summer 1975

Walburga stared out of the window, feeling more aged by the minute. Her sons had gone in completely different directions; Regulus, the golden boy, with his Dark Mark, was always off doing this, that and the other for the Dark Lord. As proud of him as she was, she couldn't deny she was worried. Then of course there was Sirius; the once mischievous, now unruly, elder son who should know better. There was nothing like the shame Walburga felt when she had heard he'd been sorted into Gryffindor of all houses, and that wasn't the end of it. He'd made himself at home with Gryffindor friends and Gryffindor colours, making Orion want to curse him at every opportunity.

"Right, that's it. I've had it up to here with you and your ridiculous views."

Walburga sighed; that was Sirius' voice, she'd recognise it anywhere. "What are you on about now, Sirius?"

"I'm leaving," he said, a smirk on his face as he dragged his suitcase down the stairs after him. "I don't want to live here anymore."

"And where are you going to go?"

"James' house," he said smugly.

Walburga's eyebrows rose. "The Gryffindors? Oh no you're not."

"You can't stop me!" Sirius shouted.

Walburga pursed her lips; she didn't know what to do. "If you leave this house," she said at last, "you won't be my son."

For a moment it looked as though Sirius was hurt, but his eyes glazed over and he snarled at her. "Fine by me."

"Idiot boy!" she called after him as he slammed the front door shut. There was no stopping her as she stormed into the hallway, yanked her wand out of her pocket and pointed it straight at Sirius' face on the family tree. Once it was completely burnt off she smiled to herself, though her happiness was only temporary. Sirius was a disappointment, but he had been her son.

Autumn 1977

"Did you hear?" Walburga asked her husband as they were lay in bed. "About Sirius..."

Orion nodded slowly. "The accident. Yes."

"I believe the Gryffindor boy was involved."

"Regulus was right about him," Orion mused, chucking his copy of the Daily Prophet on the floor. "Nothing but trouble."

"Quite," Walburga agreed. "They can both rot in hell for all I care," she added on the end, though she knew she was fooling herself. "Does Regulus seem a little, strange, lately?"

Orion shrugged. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he just seems to be miserable a lot of the time, always creeping about as though he has something to hide..."

"The boy works for Voldemort, darling. He can hardly go around bold as brass announcing his missions, now, can he?"

Walburga pursed her lips tightly. "I suppose. But he just doesn't seem himself. Everytime we mention the Dark Lord he shudders."

"Who doesn't?" Orion laughed, blowing out the candle at the side of his bed and going to sleep.

"He never used to," Walburga said quietly, almost to herself.

Spring 1979

"Regulus didn't come home last night," noted Walburga as she set her wand on the mountain of washing up.

"He'll be fine," sighed Orion as he tucked into his breakfast.

"He was shaking when he left, and I think Kreacher went with him. Why would he take Kreacher?" There were a million worries going around inside Walburga's head, and she knew she couldn't put it to rest until her one and only son came home.

"I honestly don't know, love," Orion said, seeming relieved when the family owl turned up with this mornings paper. Walburga watched as he took it from the beak of the bird, opened it up and saw his face drop.

"What's the matter?" she asked, concerned as to what could possibly have made her husband go from being fine to having tears in his eyes. "Is it Regulus?" Walburga reached for the paper, but Orion snatched it away out of her grasp. "What is it?"

Orion shook his head. "It's nothing. Forget it."

"Let me see that paper," she said quickly, leaning over for it. "Now, Orion!"

"No," Orion said fiercely, but as he tried to take it further away from her wandering hands, he loosened his grip, enabling Walburga to snatch it from him.

As Walburga read the front page a hand went to cover her mouth as she gasped, and she grabbed the kitchen table for support. "Our son..." The Daily Prophet slipped out of her hands and fell to the floor, the headline of 'Regulus Black: Dead After Betraying Dark Lord' clearly visible in the morning light. "Our one and only son!"