Chapter Text
The day Bellatrix Walburga Black, the eldest of this generation of the Black family, was born, it was cloudy, with signs of a storm. Her parents thought that this was a wonderful sign. A sign of a boy. Neither Cygnus nor Druella Black was getting on in their years, but they hoped to get a boy out of the way as soon as possible, the last thing they wanted was to not have a boy, or if they did, not be able to raise him properly before dying. Besides, the mediwitch had told them that they shouldn't try too hard for multiple children and that wouldn't be good for Druella's health. Any child would be a miracle, she had said, you aren't able to carry too many children.
To their dismay, their child was not a boy. She was a little baby girl who had dark brown eyes and an almost black mop of curls on her head. They chose not to worry too much, as the second she was born, a flash of lightning was seen near their house by the butler, a good sign that this child would bring them honour.
As a tradition in the Black family was to name each child after a star or constellation, they named her Bellatrix. Bellatrix Black, the eldest of Cygnus and Druella Black, destined to bring the Black family name honour.
Two years later, Cygnus and Druella were blessed with another child. Who turned out not to be a boy. The mediwitch recommended they not have any more children, for Druella's health. Cygnus and Druella decided one more couldn't hurt. Third time’s a charm.
Andromeda Druella Black, the second child. No lighting accompanied her birth, but Cygnus' parents had been on a boat that night, desperate to get back to England and see their second grandchild, and they had been caught in the most dreadful sea storm. When told, Cygnus and Druella their daughter would be a force to reckon with. Maybe not the same way her sister would, but deadly in another way. Druella was from a Divination strong family, her family believing in signs, for marriage, for birth, for death, and her husband believed them too. His wife was never wrong after all. So they named her Andromeda.
Narcissa was an odd child. Born in the spring, no storm graced her birth, but light rain. Rain through the sunshine, and a rainbow could be seen. Druella didn't know what that could mean, but she hoped that it would be good. She was blonde too, something the only person in the family possessed was Druella's mother. The two decided it must mean something along the lines of a soft nature and empathy. Which would be a good thing when growing up with two older sisters who would most likely bash heads a lot. At two and four, they were already disagreeing. Narcissa Violetta Black would be the peacekeeper.
After the birth of their third child, the mediwitch insisted that they not have any more children.
"Mrs Black may die if you were to try for a fourth," She had said, the weak Druella lying in bed, her husband sitting beside her, one arm holding Narcissa and the other grasping his wife's hand. "She has gotten progressively weaker with each pregnancy, she might not recover from a fourth."
As it was, Druella barely recovered from the third pregnancy. That seemed to be a wake-up call for the two. They decided to take the witch's advice and not try for another child, even if they did not have a boy. They settled for raising their daughters for marriage. Raising them strong, independent, graceful and beautiful. The perfect wife.
Although that was the end of children for Cygnus and Druella, Cygnus' sister, Walburga, had recently gotten married to Orion Black, their second cousin, and was pregnant. Cygnus knew his sister to be power-hungry and bloodthirsty, her marriage to Orion was purely for power, not an ounce of love, unlike Druella and his. Orion was a man who cared little for anyone, his family might be the most important for him, but that really wasn't saying much. The only thing he really cared about was money and power. Cygnus often thought that, in some respect, Walburga and Orion were perfect for each other.
In November of 1959, four years after the birth of Narcissa Black, Sirius Orion Black was born. Cygnus and Druella were a little jealous of Walburga and Orion, having a son on their first try, but otherwise were grateful someone would carry the Black name forward, that their family would live on in the future. Druella offered her readings for their son's future to the new parents, a surprisingly cloudless day, sunny but cold, but they declined, rather forcefully, saying that they did not believe in Divination and all it entailed. Later in life, maybe they wished they had accepted. Maybe then they would have an extra chance at an heir.
That did drive a little wedge between Druella and her sister-in-law, but that did little to bring a damper on Walburga's mood. She still treated her sister-in-law the same as usual, absolutely horribly. This drove Druella mad, also making her a little sad. Not only because of the snide remarks and backhanded compliments from her sister-in-law but also because she believed, that as the only two women in the family, they should get along. Be able to gossip together, visit each other for a cup of tea and watch their children play together. Sadly, Walburga did not share her vision. According to Orion, Walburga did not get along with his sister either. This did nothing to make Druella feel better when Cygnus told her.
Two years after Sirius, Regulus Arcturus Black was born. A warm, balmy day with storm clouds ahead, threatening to rain, but nothing came. Druella found this quite fascinating. Walburga did not. Walburga called her children "the heir and the spare". Something Druella would huff and roll her eyes at and Cygnus to frown. Druella often said Walburga's mistake was not raising her children herself, something Cygnus agreed with wholeheartedly.
And so the House of Black was complete. For now.