Chapter Text
Coming of Age in the House of Black is a story of turning points in the lives of the last generation of Blacks: Bellatrix, Andromeda, Narcissa, Sirius, and Regulus. It takes place over the course of Bellatrix's life, prior to the events of canon, and focuses on the five cousins, but is told from multiple perspectives, including Cygnus and Druella, Arcturus, Walburga, and all five of the main characters.
Mary Potter AU magic and history applies; the Black Family tree as outlined by JKR outside of the books, and any birth-dates she has given for any of the characters do not.
Not even sure whether I should have to say this, but I squicked myself out writing certain chapters, so for the record, I don’t condone child abuse of any sort; Cygnus is the worst character I’ve ever written, and his justification and rationalizations for his actions are no excuse whatsoever.
Druella, Arcturus, Walburga, Orion, Bella, Narcissa, and Young!Sirius, are pretty awful, too.
And Lily.
And even Young!Andromeda is a piece of work.
Tom/Voldemort and Dumbledore also have crowning moments of dick-headedness.
I was going to say Regulus doesn’t do anything that horrible, but even he kills someone. He feels bad about it, though.
Basically, this is a story of a dysfunctional family full of dysfunctional people hurting each other both intentionally and unintentionally. Um… it ends in tragedy, because it’s canon-compliant to the same degree as the other Mary Potter stories, and the journey isn’t any less awful for the most part than the destination.
And no, I haven’t finished Mary Potter Book 3, yet.
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See Below for Chapter List with Trigger Warnings!
- A New Generation (Jan. 1950) Cygnus; Druella
-
The Second Child (summer 1952) Cygnus
[tw: corporal punishment] -
Sororitas (summer 1953) Bellatrix
[tw: parental neglect] -
A Dubious Promotion in Status (spring 1954) Bellatrix
[tw: physical abuse; verbal abuse] -
Mr. Tom (Jan. 1955) Cygnus
[tw: non-con/rape, incest, pedophilia, child abuse, sexual abuse of a minor (moderately explicit, POV perpetrator)] -
What Doesn't Kill You (Jan. 1957) Bellatrix
[tw: blood, self-harm, mentions of ongoing physical and sexual abuse] - A Proper Lady Black (Mar. 1957) Arcturus
- By Magic, By Blood, By Fire (Sep. 1958) Bellatrix
- Apprentice (Dec. 1958) Andromeda
-
Handmaiden of the Unwilling Bride (Sep. 1959) Bellatrix
*Corresponds to An Intermediate Beginning*
[tw: non-con/rape, torture, attempted murder (POV accomplice to perpetrator)] - The Accident and the Heir (Nov. 1959) Druella
- Hogwarts (Sep. 1961) Bellatrix
- Lessons (Nov. 1961) Andromeda; Walburga
-
Escalation (Jul. 1962) Bellatrix
[tw: non-con/rape, incest, pedophilia, child abuse, sexual abuse of a minor] -
Unwanted (Sep. 1964) Narcissa; Sirius
[tw: bullying] - A Simple Question (Sep. 1964) Andromeda
-
Lady Knight (May 1965) Bellatrix
[tw: murder (POV perpetrator); moderately explicit] -
In the Depths of Darkness (Dec. 1966) Sirius
[tw: recounting of murder, child abuse] -
Happy Birthday, Bella Black (Jan. 1967) Bellatrix
[tw: unhealthy D/s dynamics, rated 'R' for sexual content] - Forbidden Fruit (Oct. 1968) Andromeda
-
Witness (Dec. 1968) Regulus
[tw: murder] -
Crossing the Line (Jan. 1969) Narcissa
[tw: non-con/rape, incest; murder] -
Breakdown and Recovery (Apr. 1969) Andromeda
[tw: non-con/rape, incest, self-hatred, depression] - The Most Difficult Lesson (Jan. 1971) Narcissa
- The Great Escape (Jun. 1971) Andromeda
- The Sorting Upset (Sep. 1971) Sirius
- Truly to be a Slytherin (Jan. 1972) Narcissa
- Leaving the Nest (Sep. 1972) Regulus
- The Lost Metamorph (May 1973) Andromeda
- It's Not a Rabbit (Oct. 1973) Sirius
- Envy, Pride, and Wrath (Mar. 1974) Narcissa
-
Heroes by the Light of Day (Dec. 1974) Sirius
[tw: torture] - A Taste of War (Apr. 1975) Bellatrix
-
Requited, but Impossible (Jul. 1976) Regulus; Narcissa
[tw: incest (unconsummated)] -
Breaking the Covenant (Aug. 1976) Walburga; Bellatrix
[tw: torture] -
Falling (Sep. – Oct. 1976) Sirius
[tw: depression, self-hatred, anorexia, dangerously obsessive unrequited teenage love, (accidental) attempted murder; Rated ‘R’ for teen drug/alcohol use; sexual content] - The Duty of a Bride (Jul. 1977) Narcissa
- Born to Serve (Dec. 1978) Regulus
-
Courage (or Madness) (Dec. 1978; Feb.; Apr. 1979) Regulus
[tw: murder, blood; torture (observed); suicide; canon character death] -
Clarity (Apr. 1979) Bellatrix
[tw: murder, blood] - Innocent (Sep. 1979) Narcissa
-
They Called It Madness (Love) (Nov. 1981) Sirius; Bellatrix
[tw: canon character death mentioned; depression; torture (mentioned)] - Epilogue: To Return, but Not in Triumph (May 1982) Nymphadora
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I have not and do not intend to make any money from this story. If you recognize something from canon, you doubtless know to whom it belongs.