The Ill-Informed Vow (G; Regulus; 300 words)
snapesgirl prompted me with Regulus Black: occamy and cotquean. Regulus seeks to prove he is not just his mother's favorite child.
The Ill-Informed Vow (G; Regulus; 300 words)
Regulus cannot understand the language of the book he has removed from his father's library, but he has selected it to "read" because of the occamy illustration on its cover. The creature looks like a brilliantly coloured, snake-bird hybrid and unfolds its wings in an endless loop of movement as it stands over a clutch of silver eggs. Regulus could stare at it all night. He believes occamies to be noble beasts and not at all as threatening as they seem. His mother agrees with him, and they have spent hours discussing the lore of occamies and their like while cataloguing the feathers of her collection of magical curiosities.
Reading is something to do while he waits, and it is better than holding skeins for his mother while she knits. Of course, he has not done that since Sirius called him a cotquean for it, even though his brother has abandoned them and his mother yearns for Regulus' company. Regulus wants to be more than Walburga's favourite son in the eyes of others; he wants to be a Black in his own right.
Proud, strong, protective, he thinks, as the occamy aggressively spreads its wings. How many Muggles did you manage to destroy before someone got close enough to capture you?
The Dark Lord understands Regulus' desires to protect these animals and others like them. "All magical creatures must be saved from the scourge of humanity," he has told him, "and your respect for your natural heritage will be rewarded."
Regulus hopes that this means he will earn the Care of Magical Creatures position at Hogwarts once the New Age dawns; it is so important that children be taught early to appreciate and safeguard the world's living treasures.
Education is everything, and I shall be one of Lord Voldemort's boldest teachers.