History Fanfic / TheBlackSheepDogSeries

* AmbiguouslyChristian: Most of the characters seem to be, at least, culturally Christian. First names are still referred to "Christian name", and God is mentioned here and there (and not just as an expletive). Sirius once even quoted the Bible while arguing with his father, and Walburga seems to believe in fate/divine providence. However, other forms of religious devotions such as prayer and church-going are noticeably absent, and the characters' personal faiths, if they actually have any, are never mentioned.

* CoolPeopleRebelAgainstAuthority: This seems to be Sirius' mindset when it comes to dealing with his family.

* PoorCommunicationKills: Orion and Walburga haven't been on good speaking terms ever since Sirius ran away from home, and has apparently turned to Lucretia as their confidant instead. Unfortunately, Lucretia is also an unrepentant gossip, who can't really be trusted to keep a secret.
--> '''Walburga:''' What a fool I have been to speak of my most private business with the biggest gossip in this family by far. Who would be so idiotic as to trust you with a secret?\\
'''Lucretia:''' Well, if you and your husband ever actually spoke to one another, instead of always using me as the go-between, you wouldn't have to, would you?

'''Orion:''' I thought it was. I'm sorry you don't feel the same way.\\

* AmbiguouslyChristian: Most of the characters seem to be, at least, culturally Christian. First names are still referred to "Christian name", and God is mentioned here and there (and not just as an expletive). Sirius once even quoted the Bible while arguing with his father, and Walburga seems to believe in fate/divine providence. However, other forms of religious devotions such as prayer and church-going is noticeably absent, and the characters' personal faiths, if they actually have any, are never mentioned.

* BigScrewedUpFamily: The Black family issues are depicted in great detail. Having a proud, narrow-minded and oppressive tradition that dates back to centuries, their tradition are so ingrained in the bloodline that even the most rebellious and disgraced members of the family can't cleanly wash themselves clean of the family's influence. Relationships within the family tends to be exceedingly complicated as a result.

* YouJustToldMe: In chapter 16, Lucretia tricks Sirius [[spoiler:into revealing that Regulus is indeed in the flat too]] by claiming that Remus had already told her.

* NominalHero: Orion, Walburga and Regulus may be against Voldemort, but it's clear that they are still, at heart, the arrogant blood purists not unlike the ones found in the Dark Lord's ranks.

* ExtremelyShortTimespan: Despite the fic being longer than the original novels (the word count stands at 405,000 at the moment of this writing, while the longest Harry Potter book, ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'' has 257,000), only 5 days have passed in-story.

* TooMuchAlike: Discussed. Alhpard notes that Walburga and Cygnus are more similar to each other than they are to him, and that's why they can't stand each other.

* StrongFamilyResemblance: Despite his attempts to distance himself from his family, Sirius looks almost exactly like his father did at his age. He's also compared several times to his mother, in personality.

* TheChessmaster: Dumbledore.

* RebelPrince: Sirius was born as heir to the Black family, but doesn't want the role. He's even compared to a runaway crown prince.

* SoProudOfYou: Orion towards Sirius, quite surprisingly. He praises his son's bravery and skill in dueling five opponents at the same time, and later admires his Animagus form.

* GuiltyPleasures: While Regulus initially refuses to even consider watching television due to his drilled-in prejudice against Muggle contraptions, in later chapters he's found secretly watching shows when no one else is in the room. He even manages to learn what guns are through the shows he watch.

* NominalHero: Orion, Walburga and Regulus may be against Voldemort, but it's clear that they are still, at heart the arrogant blood purists not unlike the ones found in the Dark Lord's ranks.

* GenerationXerox: The FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling dynamic between Sirius and Regulus is almost an exact mirror reflection of their father's dynamic with his older sister, Lucretia. Sirius and Lucretia are both brazen, headstrong troublemakers who remain frustratingly charming even as they drive their families up the wall. Regulus and Orion, on the other hand, are more passive, reserved and obedient. Also, Colette accuses Sirius of having bullied his brother as children, while Orion complains the same about Lucretia (and Walburga); but in both cases, the bullying is not malicious, and both pair of siblings deeply care for one another.

* ThickerThanWater: Despite their strained relationship, both Sirius and his parents care far more about each other than they'd care to admit. [[spoiler:Orion risks his life to help Dumbledore with his missions if it would keep Sirius from launching himself head-first into danger for the Order's sake]], while Sirius finds himself compelled to fulfill the chores his father gave him in order to prepare him as the next head of the family, knowing that it's still his responsibility.

** Sirius's parents are autocratic and domineering, and their efforts to discipline their son can probably qualify as abuse. But they are also very concerned about his well-being and safety. Sirius also finds himself, to his own mortification, wanting their approval, despite his wish to dissociate himself from the family entirely.

** The ones in ''In The Black'' are all about Regulus.

* InTheBlood: Natural charisma and stubborn proud is something that seems to characterize every member of the Black family, including those who have been disgraced and disinherited, such as Sirius and Andromeda.

%%* SiblingRivalry: Sirius and Regulus, somewhat unconsciously encouraged by the parents.

* ThickerThanWater: Despite their strained relationship, both Sirius and his parents care far more about each other than they'd care to admit. Sirius and his father, in particular, insist on pretending to see the other as unworthy of respect and attention, but their frequent rows hurts them far more than either would show.

* NominalHero: Arguably all three of Orion, Walburga, and Regulus are this to a degree, but [[spoiler: Orion's attempt to exchange his memory for Dumbledore's promise to keep Sirius out of trouble]] in chapter 8 is the best example.

--> '''Walburga:''' ''"What a fool I have been to speak of my most private business with the biggest gossip in this family by far. Who would be so idiotic as to trust you with a secret?"''\\
'''Lucretia:''' ''"Well, if you and your husband ever actually spoke to one another, instead of always using me as the go-between, you wouldn't have to, would you?"''

This series consists of ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/14800721/chapters/34243049 In The Black]]'' and the ongoing sequel ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/15457248/chapters/35881359 Black Mask]]''. It also has a spin-off, titled ''[[https://www.archiveofourown.org/works/21844177/chapters/52131784 The Black Sheep]]'', which focuses on Alphard Black.

** In chapter 11 Sirius says that his parents were an arranged marriage.

This series consists of ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/14800721/chapters/34243049 In The Black]]'' and the ongoing sequel ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/15457248/chapters/35881359 Black Mask]]''.

* ShipperWithAnAgenda: Walburga is bent on marrying Sirius because she thinks a wife will "settle" him.

* ExtremelyShortTimeframe: Despite the fic being longer than the original novels (the word count stands at 405,000 at the moment of this writing, while the longest Harry Potter book, ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'' has 257,000), barely a week has passed in-story.

* AdultFear: Walburga and Orion's facade of aloofness and respectability crumbles right when they learn Regulus almost commited suicide via Inferi and Sirius was assaulted by five Death Eaters. ''In the same night''.

** In chapter 10, Orion is the one annoyed with Walburga and he tells her he'll sleep in his dressing room again.

* {{Foil}}: Sirius and Colette Battancourt. Both are heirs to noble families who are feels out-of-place among their clan due to their "unorthodox" views about the world, but while Sirius is openly rebellious and tries to reject everything his family stands for, Colette is still TheDutifulDaughter who tries to preserve her family's honour even though she doesn't necessarily enjoy what she must do to accomplish it. Personality-wise, Colette is also more similar to Regulus, being an introvert who is frequently overshadowed by the louder personalities around her, and this allows her to understand Regulus's jealousy towards Sirius, even though Sirius complains that he's often compared unfavourably to his brother.

* GenerationXerox: The FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling dynamic between Sirius and Regulus is almost an exact mirror reflection of their father's dynamic with his older sister, Lucretia. Sirius and Lucretia are both brazen, headstrong troublemakers who remain frustratingly charming even as they drive their families up the wall. Regulus and Orion are more passive, reserved and obedient. Also, Colette accuses Sirius of having bullied his brother as children, while Orion complains the same about Lucretia (and Walburga); but in both cases, the bullying is not malicious, and both pair of siblings deeply care for one another.

* GenerationXerox: The FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling dynamic between Sirius and Regulus is almost an exact mirror reflection of their father's dynamic with his older sister, Lucretia. Sirius and Lucretia are both brazen, headstrong troublemakers who remain frustratingly charming even as they drive their families up the wall. Regulus and Orion are more passive, reserved and obedient. Also, Remus accuses Sirius of having bullied his brother as children, while Orion complains the same about Lucretia (and Walburga); but in both cases, the bullying is not malicious, and both pair of siblings deeply care for one another.

* {{Blackmail}}: Orion finds out that Sirius is [[spoiler:an animagus]] and holds this over his head by threating to tell Walburga unless he does as Orion says. Amusingly, he mostly seems to use it to get his son to behave and eat dinner with them.

** Phlegmatic: Regulus--quiet, unassuming, eager to please his parents, hero-worships his brother, tries his best to keep the peace between his family.

* {{Irony}}: Sirius notes with bitter irony how his parents waste a lot of time trying to mould him into accepting his familial duties even though that's the last him he wants, while they treat Regulus--who desperately ''wants'' the attention--as more than a little afterthought.

* SiblingRivalry: Sirius and Regulus, somewhat unconsciously encouraged by the parents.

* CallingTheOldManOut: In chapter 6, Sirius gets to call his father out on being wilfully ignorant when it comes to the Death Eater activity in his family, his seemingly lack of principles, and the way he can't stand up to his own father.

* {{Foil}}: Sirius and Colette Bettancourt. Both are heirs to noble families who are feels out-of-place among their clan due to their "unorthodox" views about the world, but while Sirius is openly rebellious and tries to reject everything his family stands for, Colette is still TheDutifulDaughter who tries to preserve her family's honour even though she doesn't necessarily enjoy what she must do to accomplish it. Personality-wise, Colette is also more similar to Regulus, being an introvert who is frequently overshadowed by the louder personalities around her, and this allows her to understand Regulus's jealousy towards Sirius, even though Sirius complains that he's often compared unfavourably to his brother.

* DeadpanSnarker: Sirius in chapter 5.
-->'''Orion''': What sort of an animal ''do'' you turn into? You'd have to be fairly large not to fit there, you've plenty of room.
-->'''Sirius''': I'm a walrus.

* FreudianExcuse: Two minutes of interaction with the Black parents is enough for Lily to declare it explains ''a lot'' about Sirius.

* ManipulativeBastard: Orion certainly comes across this way in chapter 5.

* ArrangedMarriage:

* DrowningMySorrows: Orion rarely consumes alcohol in excess, but when he shows up in Dumbledore's office in chapter 8, he's half-drunk from brandy, and then goes on to drink several more glasses when Dumbledore offers him mead. Considering how, he's just spent the last couple of hours getting browbeaten by his father, arguing with his wife and having a screaming match with his son, it's not hard to see why he'd need the drink.

* TitleDrop: Lucretia mentions the "Black mask" as the tendency for the members of the family to put up an inscrutable facade to mask all weaknesses and prevents other people from knowing their true intentions. Orion is apparently the best at employing this mask--often a little too well.