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THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF BLACK

Summary: Remus Lupin has heard not a single word from his old friend Sirius Black since Sirius retreated to his family’s ancestral home, abruptly and without explanation, twelve years ago. Now Remus receives an urgent letter from Sirius, begging him to visit the House of Black.

Characters: Sirius, Remus, Regulus, Kreacher

Words: 16,000

Notes:

I was thinking about Edgar Allan Poe’s story “The Fall of the House of Usher” and about the “Noble and Most Ancient House of Black,” and how delightfully they might map onto one another: two grim houses, one gothic tale! But in this one, perhaps there’s romance to be had as well…

(This is an AU and a fusion with Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” but you don’t in the least need to have read that story to enjoy this. Though if you have read it, I hope you’ll get a kick out of spotting the parallels!)

Written for the 2017 Remus/Sirius Games (Team Sirius, Day 21; prompt: picture of a stack of old books with a glass jar on top).

I’ve also created a music playlist to accompany this story (see the end notes for links to individual songs).

Thanks so much to huldrejenta for betareading!

Read here below or on AO3.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

( The Fall of the House of Black )

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A CONSTELLATION'S JUST A PICTURE IN THE SKY

Summary: There’s a war on and all is not easy for the young members of the Order of the Phoenix, but Remus – nineteen, in love and sharing a flat with Sirius – is happier than he ever thought it possible to be. …Until one morning a knock at their door heralds an unexpected visitor from Sirius’ past, begging help with a desperate mission.


( Chapter Six )

A CONSTELLATION'S JUST A PICTURE IN THE SKY

Summary: There’s a war on and all is not easy for the young members of the Order of the Phoenix, but Remus – nineteen, in love and sharing a flat with Sirius – is happier than he ever thought it possible to be. …Until one morning a knock at their door heralds an unexpected visitor from Sirius’ past, begging help with a desperate mission.

( Chapter Four )

A CONSTELLATION'S JUST A PICTURE IN THE SKY

Summary: There’s a war on and all is not easy for the young members of the Order of the Phoenix, but Remus – nineteen, in love and sharing a flat with Sirius – is happier than he ever thought it possible to be. …Until one morning a knock at their door heralds an unexpected visitor from Sirius’ past, begging help with a desperate mission.


( Chapter Two )

TEA, NO SYMPATHY

Summary:

Regulus keeps coming to tea at Narcissa’s home to rant and rave about how Sirius is a traitor to the family. But they’ve all known that for ages, haven't they?

(Part 2 of La Ronde Noire)

Characters: Narcissa, Regulus

Warnings: None

Words: ~1,100

Notes:

The idea for this story arose directly out of my writing of “The Landlord's Other Daughter,” which is itself a remix of "The Chimes at Midnight," stereolightning’s story about Andromeda and Narcissa, which in turn she says was influenced by my Andromeda-centric stories "Saying Yes" and "Two Sisters Take Tea."

Also, my ideas of Narcissa and Regulus’ interactions are unquestionably influenced by "I Know Where the Summer Goes" by such_heights.

…So there’s some additional reading for you, if you like!

Characters belong to JK Rowling.

Thank you to stereolightning for another extremely helpful beta-read!

Updated note:

This story is now part 2 of a series I'm calling "La Ronde Noire." (See part 1: "The Landlord's Other Daughter" for more explanation.)


Story:

 

( Tea, No Sympathy )