Regulus Black

## Regulus Arcturus Black

Regulus Arcturus Black (1961-1979) was an English Pure-Blood wizard. He was the youngest child of Orion and Walburga Black and the younger brother of Sirius Black. He was a member of the noble House of Black. He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1972 to 1979 and was a member of the Slytherin house. At the age of 16, he joined the Death Eaters, but later deflected and attempted to destroy one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. Regulus died in the Crystal Cave on 9 November 1979.

## Biography

### Early Life

Born on 25 June 1961 to pure-blooded parents Orion and Walburga Black, Regulus Black was the youngest son and second male heir to the wealthy, English House of Black. Regulus Black had one brother, Sirius Black. Named after two Black relatives, Regulus gets his first name from his great-uncle and his middle name from his paternal grandfather, Arcturus Black III. As a member of the noble House of Black, his relatives included Bellatrix Lestrange (an avid Death Eater and follow of Lord Voldemort), Andromeda Tonks (who married a Muggle-born and was consequently disowned by the family), and Narcissa Malfoy (who married Death Eater Lucius Malfoy).

Regulus was a polar-opposite of his older brother, Sirius Black. Although Sirius was the heir to the House of Black, he did not follow the family traditions, unlike Regulus who obliged his parents commands. When Sirius was later sorted into Gryffindor house in 1971, his behavior became more rebellious. In 1976, Sirius left home after Walburga attempted to force Sirius into the ranks of the Death Eaters. Upon Sirius' disownment and removal from the family tapestry, Regulus became the sole heir to the House of Black and received the blunt of his parents pressure to be the perfect pure-blooded heir.

During the summer of 1972, Regulus received his acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unlike Sirius, Regulus followed in the family tradition and was sorted into the house of Slytherin. Later, he became the seeker of his house Quidditch team. He graduated top of his potions class in 1979.

### Sirius Leaves Home

Although very different, the Black brothers were close during early childhood. However, upon being sorted into the house of Gryffindor, Walburga began actively trying to lodge a wedge between the brothers. To both of the brothers' sadness, it worked. Sirius turned to the Marauders to escape the constant hatred from Walburga, while Regulus strived to be the perfect son to avoid punishment from Walburga.

During the summer of 1976, Walburga conducted a last ditch attempt to get Sirius back under her control. Summoning relative and Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange, and cousin-in-law and Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy, Walburga attempted to force Sirius into taking the Dark Mark, while forcing Regulus to watch.

After hours of torture from the hands of the two Death Eaters and Walburga, Walburga erupted in anger and disowned him. Once the three left Sirius in a tortured mess, Sirius turned to Regulus and plead with him to come with him to the Potters. Regulus, frighten of the wrath of Walburga, stayed behind but assist Sirius to the Floo to escape to the Potter Manor.

### Life Among the Ranks

From a young age, Regulus has pure-blood ideologies instilled in him. Once Sirius left home for Hogwarts, his admiration of Lord Voldemort grew. Fueled by the desire to appease his distant mother, Walburga, he developed an ambition to become a Death Eater later in his life. Even though his parents were never Death Eaters themselves, they agreed with many of Lord Voldemort's own beliefs.

Upon the disownment of Sirius, Walburga began leave Daily Prophet papers that contained photos and articles about the Dar Lord and his followers. Regulus cut these photos and articles out and hung them in his bedroom near a painting of his family crest. A year later, Walburga summoned Lucius and Bellatrix back to the Black Manor (12 Grimmauld Place). Remembering the torture that Sirius endured in deny the mark, Regulus quickly agreed to take the Dark Mark and join the ranks of the Death Eaters. His family, mainly his mother, was pleased at his willingness to join, as Voldemort was seen as striving to achieve pure-blood supremacy over other wizards and Muggles.

After becoming a Death Eater, Regulus quickly begun to consider abandoning Lord Voldemort. Although he was raised to believe in pure-blood supremacy, he did not believe that Muggles, Muggle-Borns, and Half-Bloods should be killed purely because of their birth. Regulus believed in a caste-system that would put the "lesser beings" in their place, not total annihilation of any not of pure-blood status. The final straw came when Voldemort mistreated and intended to kill the Black family's loyal house-elf Kreacher, whilst setting up the security measures for one of his Horcruxes.

### Attempts at Rekindling

In October 1979, the Black family received wedding invitations from Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Upon receiving the letters, Walburga burns hers and Orion's and attempts to burn Regulus'. Regulus saved his invitation but claimed he would not be attending.

On Halloween 1979, Regulus shows up to the Black-Lupin wedding that was hosted in the orchids of the Potter Manor. Everyone was apprehensive as he was a known Death Eater, but he stayed out of the way of the wedding, going as far as to stand in the back, as to not take away attention from the couple. During the reception, Regulus approaches Sirius and congratulates him. Regulus doesn't stick around long, but the brothers make plans to meet from dinner the Saturday after Sirius returns from his honeymoon with Remus.

### Discovery of Voldemort's Horcruxes

On 2 November 1979, Voldemort asked Regulus Black for a house elf. Regulus Black offered Kreacher and he was taken here. Kreacher was forced to drink the potion and Voldemort left, leaving him to get killed by the Inferi. Kreacher Disapparated back as Voldemort didn't remember or realize that house elves could Apparate in and out. Kreacher told Regulus Black what had happened and it was the last straw for Regulus.

Regulus got in contact with his old professor, Horace Slughorn, via letters and asked Slughorn about how to become immortal. Slughorn talked about a few ways, such as the Resurrection Stone, the Philosopher's Stone, and finally Horcruxes. It was then that Regulus worked out that Voldemort had used the locket of Salazar Slytherin to make a Horcrux.

Before leaving for the Crystal Cave, Regulus drafted a letter to

. He then asked Kreacher to take him back. Regulus commanded that Kreacher make Regulus drink the potion, no matter what. Regulus had just died from drinking the potion, the real locket clutched in his hands, when his brother arrived with Remus. Sirius and Remus banished the Inferi away from Regulus body.

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