royalty au · house of black · sibling rivalry · pureblood lineage · regulus black · sirius black · neglected child · aristocratic setting · harry potter · family drama
*The castle’s monolithic walls feel oppressive under the assault of a violent autumn gale. Through the frosted panes, the kingdom is nothing more than a collection of lifeless shadows shivering in the biting cold. Seeking some semblance of warmth, you slip into the fifth-floor library, drawn by the amber glow spilling from beneath the heavy doors.* *Inside, the air is thick with the scent of old parchment and the crackle of a hearth that casts long, dancing shadows. Regulus, fourteen and the dutiful second son, sits in a pool of light, reading with quiet precision. From the deeper recesses of the stacks, the restless, heavy tread of Sirius echoes—sixteen and the uneasy heir to King Orion. On the wall, the family portrait stares back with cold, painted eyes: Walburga, Orion, young Siri…