Being the mother of a metamorphmagus was something odd, she was a healer and sometimes she thought of the biggest threats her daughter could face, when in reality Dora could simply change her body at will and sometimes loved to scared her mother.
This lead to question after question on her daughter’s condition, was something she had from Ted, was something that the Blacks passed along, did it meant something other than a general mutation? She wasn’t sure, however, she thought that a good idea would be to search for lineage registries, the kinds that most pureblood families had, and that could only be found in antique shops, making Andromeda navigate, with a really curious Nymphadora, the Knockturn alley until they reached Borgin and Burkes.
She remembered being there when she was Dora’s age, and she warned the 8 year old not to touch anything, not that Andromeda would leave her alone in that store.
Reaching the front desk she rang the bell to request some assistance, she didn’t want to wander too long with the kid by her side. However, the person that came to greet her wasn’t the one she expected.
“Oh, Regulus…” she said softly, not sure why she was so shy around the younger man.
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Regulus avoided facing the clientele at Borgin and Burkes as much as he could. Nobody on earth would describe Regulus as a people person; he was introverted by nature, preferring the solitude of researching and studying the items that came through the shop. He could usually be found in the back workshop during his work hours, bent over a book or trying to unlock the magical properties of artifacts. It was the more charming employees that were placed at the counter at the front of the shop, ready to talk up a sale, barter on a price, or compliment the customers.
It was a slow day, from what Regulus could tell. No items had come into the shop so he was catching up on a few items he still needed to research. As he sat in comfortable silence in the empty workshop, he heard the distant ding of the bell at from the front counter. Then another ding. Regulus frowned in irritation– where was the clerk? Had he snuck out for a cigarette again? Regulus would not be able to focus with that irksome bell ringing. With a sigh, he stepped out to the front, hoping this would be a quick transaction.
Regulus went still. The sight of Andromeda was not one he had expected to meet. He lingered in the doorway before stepping forward, his eyes sweeping the shop to see if there were any other customers about. “How may I help you?” He asked, his expression unperturbed, his tone neutral.
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Andromeda knew Regulus sort of took a job, she felt it was more like a hobby, but it definitely was odd to see the heir of the great Black family behind the small counter of the Knocturn Alley shop.
It was still awkward between them, they had seen each other more recently, but it wasn’t exactly in a social convention, it almost felt like they shouldn’t be talking in public like that, when no one knew that they were in contact again. She felt like at the beginning of Ted and her dating, always hiding, always looking over her shoulder for an elder to reprimand her.
She was about to say something, when her daughter just blurted “I thought cousin Sirius worked in a tattoo shop.” Making Andromeda almost laugh at the statement.
“This is cousin Regulus, Sirius’ brother.” she explained, looking at the 8 year old, who looked confusing because that wasn’t exactly Sirius, but they did look alike.
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Despite being blood cousins, Andromeda seemed more stranger than anything to Regulus. She had been disowned when he was so young that they’d hardly had a chance to get to know each other. He did remember feeling as a child that Andromeda favored Sirius more– that she enjoyed his rebellious nature, probably because she was secretly a rebel herself. Now, more than a decade later, Regulus still hardly knew what to make of Andromeda. She was helping the Order just like Regulus was, but that was not common knowledge. Which complicated things even further between the Blacks.
Regulus startled slightly at the sound of a child’s voice. He moved to look over the counter and there, standing by her mother, was a girl like none that Regulus had seen before. She had shocking pink hair, and in her confused expression it was odd to see his own shared features on someone so small. She did not possess the haughtiness of the Black family, more like a softened version of it, but she was clearly Andromeda’s daughter. It was Regulus’ first time ever seeing her. Of course, he knew she existed– Bellatrix had thrown an incredible, terrifying fit when the news of Andromeda’s half-blood child had reached the Black family. Regulus had never quite given this child’s existence much thought. Now, he simply stared in surprise and, admittedly, awe, at this new relative.
“I’m not Sirius,” Regulus replied flatly, still looking at the kid. The hair stood out the most. Andromeda probably let her dye her hair, even if it looked pretty terrible, in his opinion. Regulus found himself lowering slightly over the counter to move closer. “My name is Regulus. And you must be Nymphadora.”
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The weren’t many things that Andromeda regretted leaving her family, she tried reasoning, she tried compromising, but every time she thought something was getting through she realized that the only one coming to an understanding was her, she always bent her will to fit with the family and at some point enough was enough.
However, she did regret leaving the littles behind. Regulus, Narcissa and Sirius could barely understand her reasonings for leaving, they weren’t exactly babies, but they still believed that the elders were right in most of their beliefs and she couldn’t act against the Black family without getting her and them some backlash. She was glad to have some sort of relationship with Regulus, and to get in touch with Narcissa, even if things were awkward.
“Don’t call me Nymphadora.” the kid replied immediately, her hair changing from bright pink to dark red in a second. It was clear she didn’t love the name, making Andromeda roll her eyes, but she didn’t do much more than sigh. “Tonks or Dora is fine.” the child explained as she looked at him, he was certainly familiar but he seemed more stuck up that Sirius. “Do you have a flying motorcycle too? Or just the stuffy job?”
“Dora!” This time Andromeda did reprimand her, the kid could be blunt, but politeness was something she could learn. “I’m sorry, Regulus, she tends to run her mouth and forgets some thoughts should not be uttered.” she replied looking at the child, that change her hair back to light pink. “I didn’t know you worked here.”
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Regulus quirked an eyebrow at the child’s sass, clearly unimpressed. She immediately reminded him of Sirius at that age, defiant and brash simply for the sake of it, something his brother had never seemed to grown out of. Then, to his utter shock and awe, the girl’s pink hair shifted into a bright red in an instant. The mention of a flying motorcycle and the slight insult to his job barely registered in his mind as he watched her hair return back to the brilliant pink from before.
“She’s a Metamorphmagus,” Regulus said, turning to his older cousin. His near permanent closed off expression had suddenly opened, a look of genuine curiosity on it. He’d never met someone with such abilities, and to see it in a child was fascinating.
“I… yes, I’m an artifact apprentice,” Regulus answered, glancing towards the door instinctively in case any of their clients or his fellow workers walked in. “I didn’t know you shopped here.”
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Dora looked at him and crossed her arms, “I’m right here,” she mumbled, Andromeda put her hand on the child’s back, hoping to reassure her that they weren’t talking on top of her. Andromeda didn’t want her child to grow up feeling she wouldn’t be heard and her concerns addressed. “He’s just in awe of your colorful hair, no one in our family does that.” she admitted to the kid, who seemed to be proud of that achievement.
“She is, that is why we are here, I was hoping to get some books on ancestry, hopefully find some link between her and another relative?” she offered to her cousin, maybe now that he knew he would actually help.
“Aren’t you too old to be an apprentice?” the girl asked, curious about the older man as well, he wasn’t fun like Sirius, but she always wanted to know more relatives.
“I usually don’t, but I don’t think the Diagon Alley has what I’m looking for.”
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An inexplicable fondness blossomed in his chest at the confirmation of Nymphadora’s abilities. Regulus could not properly articulate it, but up until that very moment, his cousin’s daughter had been more of a concept than a person. She’d only ever been referred to as a smear and a burden to the family name. But the child in front of him was real, an extension of Andromeda, of the generations and generations of Blacks before him. Andromeda’s disownment did not change that Nymphadora and Regulus still shared the same blood.
“She’s right– nobody else in our family can do it,” Regulus said with a nod. “Not that we know of. We would have to trace the lineage past our grandparents.” He looked to Andromeda, confirming that he understood why she’d come to the shop now. It wasn’t like she could approach any of their parents for this information. Luckily, purebloods loved to publish books about their lineage.
Regulus stepped out from behind the counter. With a swish of his wand, the front door to the shop clicked shut and the sign turned to say CLOSED. Regulus would probably lose his job should the shopkeepers come back, but he ignored the incessant nagging in his head and instead motioned for his cousins to follow him. He looked down at the child with a raised brow and a frown at her words. “And you’re too young to be speaking to your elders in such a way,” he said in a clipped tone. “It’s rude to ask such questions.”
Regulus was never around children. He’d grown up as the baby of the family, the youngest of them all, until Draco had come along. But Draco was nothing more to him than a babbling blonde lump, with no personality except high pitched crying and giggles. Nymphadora was a whole different story– she clearly had a mind of her own and a lot to say.
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Andromeda gave a look to Regulus letting him know that was exactly what she was there for, she wanted to make sure that not only there was someone like her daughter in the registry, but also know if they had any health issues she should be concerned about.
“Mum always says I have more magic in my little finger than the rest of the family, so it must be true.” the little kid said proudly, making Andromeda chuckle.
“I do say that,” Dora was more magical than anyone, and not only because of he abilities but how Andromeda felt after becoming a mother, Dora was her reason to push forward and do better.
“Being curious is not rude, avoiding the answer with a lecture without giving a reason is.” the little wix told him, she may be direct but she knew that there were sore topics like family and politics, your job was something you did, and it seemed that Regulus did a boring one.
“There are less harsh ways to ask that, love. That’s why cousin Regulus is implying.” she explained taking the child’s hand, “Maybe try not to touch some of these things, some might have weird magic and we don’t want any trouble.” making the little kid nod. “Do you have the registry for the Rosier and Black family or you don’t think it’s in the shop?”
