A Winter's Reprieve

Author:enchanted nightingale

BetaReader: pussycatadamah

Disclaimer: The characters from Harry Potter books do not belong to me. I merely use them in my plot for fun.

Chapter 10 – A brother's worry

Rodolphus was a patient person. He knew that, he even had proof of this. He had been married to a mentally unstable witch for years. He had found himself in Azkaban for a bit more than decade. He was still sane- well, mostly- after all that but lately that sanity was escaping him. Considering his dear brother was driving him up the wall. He had first thought it was a fluke. Ottery St. Catchpole had after all been their first raid since Azkaban, the first raid since the attack on the Longbottom's. That night had left a mark on his younger sibling.

And that mark had festered while in prison. Rodolphus recalled on the days that he was lucid enough despite the presence of Dementors that his brother had been truly tormented by the creatures. He might have never made a sound but Rodolphus still knew. Bellatrix had been laughing and giggling with glee even though those foul creatures could affect her. Barty had also cried on the first few nights. His wife's cousin, Black, was already there when they had arrived and the man made no noise either, just like Rabastan.

Rodolphus was concerned. While the healers had cleared him and his brother completely, Rabastan had been withdrawn ever since. He had not been particularly expressive, even when he was younger and brassier, but the current behaviour was perplexing. During the meeting he did not offer to participate in any torturing, he did not step up for any missions; it was like he was not really there. Oh, he loved dark magic, of that here was no doubt. He practiced it too when asked directly by the Dark Lord, and that was it. And that was odd. If Rabastan was having second thoughts about their sect, Rodolphus needed to know. He would not let his brother have an obscure death like Regulus black. While they had both taken the Dark Mark, the Lestrange's always put family first and foremost, that was one lesson Rodolphus had had ingrained since his childhood. If Rabastan wanted out he would help in whatever capacity he was capable. But to do that, Rabastan had to first ask for help, or at the very least talk to him about it.

Finally, fed up with their game of Kneazle and Mouse, Rodolphus managed to corner Rabastan in the Malfoy library one afternoon. It was an added bonus that none of their hosts or his wife where in the manor. Rabastan was browsing some book titles when he grabbed him by the arm and made him turn so they were face to face.

"Brother," Rodolphus gave a fake pleasant smile, ignoring how his sibling struggled to get away. He had always been physically stronger, since they were kids. And Rodolphus was confident that the other wizard would not draw his wand.

"I'm kind of busy…"

"You don't have time for your favourite brother?"

"You are my only brother."

"Even more reason to oblige me," Rodolphus remarked. "Let's sit, shall we? And then you can tell me what happened to you at Ottery St. Catchpole, hm?"

Rabastan managed to shrug his brother's grip off. "Nothing but the usual."

"Torture, mayhem, death?" Rodolphus offered.

"All three."

Rodolphus actually smiled. "Hm, you have gotten better at lying to me."

The comment made Rabastan flinch.

"Yes, you did something, brother of mine, something bad. What was it?"

"You said it, torture, mayhem and death," Rabastan replied.

"No," Rodolphus mused. "There's something else. And that is what you are letting torture you so thoroughly."

"Are you implying that…?"

Rodolphus narrowed his eyes. "No, I'm outright saying it. Something's wrong. Terribly wrong. You look like hell."

"Well thank…"

"I was not finished."

"Neither was I!" Rabastan hissed. "You keep cutting me off."

"I'm saving you the trouble of lying to me," Rodolphus told him. "Will you talk to me? I am not joking. You looked less tortured after the years you spent under the tender care of Dementors."

Rabastan flinched. "Don't worry. I can handle this."

"I can help you…"

"You can't, not with this," Rabastan replied after a tired sigh. "I've made my bed, now I have to lie in it. If you'll excuse me now."

Rodolphus watched as his younger brother walked past him.

Something was horribly wrong. And now he was almost certain that it had to do with the war and their part in it. Rodolphus never thought it would come to this, but perhaps it was time to make contact with old associates and start working on his back up plan, the one he had not even considered even when he had been thrown in Azkaban. He could handle jail, but he would not let his brother die. Because Rodolphus was certain that whatever had his brother in such a state would not end good.

End of chapter