For Les (QueenDementor) – happy valentines and I hope you enjoy this!

Prompt: Arranged Marriage

Characters: Rodolphus and Rabastan

Pairing [canon]: Rodolphus and Bellatrix

If I was dying on my knees,
You would be the one to rescue me.
And if you were drowned at sea,
I'd give you my lungs so you could breathe.

Brother by Kodaline

"Huh," Rabastan says the moment they are away from the parents, seconds after Rodolphus has cast a charm up to stop sound escaping. "I wasn't expecting that."

Rodolphus turns on his brother, instantly ready to attack and attack – to bear his fangs and strike. "Don't for a moment pretend that you didn't know that was happening!" He shouts back, voice raised, wand held in a white-knuckled grip. "You knew that was going to happen!"

"I'm afraid not, little wolf," Rabastan replies, barely glancing at Rodolphus' drawn wand.

Rodolphus snarls at his older brother, "Don't call me that!" He says, "And you knew! Merlin damn it all, you knew! Don't give me some rubbish about not knowing, Alwaid."

Rabastan finally turns a glare on his younger brother. He draws himself up – Rodolphus' hold on his wand tightened and his hand raised the tip slightly – he stares straight at his younger brother and says, "Are we or are we not brothers?"

Rodolphus sighs, the fight gone out of him, shoulders dropping and wand hidden away again. "My apologies, Anguis."

"And you have mine, Lupus," Rabastan replies. The pair share a quick smile at the names – their nicknames for each other remain the only untainted thing between them.

Rodolphus gained his first, when he broken Rabastan's toy and Rabastan snarled 'little wolf' back due to the Germanic name Hrodwulf – which mean famous wolf – which Rodolphus' name was derived from. When Rodolphus had started to bawl, Rabastan had been quick to call him wolf in Latin, and since then it had become a safe name between the two of them. Rabastan had gained his own nickname Anguis – meaning snake – once they had learnt the word in their Latin lessons, and learnt that Rabastan was derived from the Arabic phrase that meant head of the serpent. When Rodolphus had gotten annoyed at Rabastan, he called him by the second name the Rabastan star is known as – Alwaid, meaning who is to be destroyed in Arabic.

"I knew nothing of the marriage proposal," Rabastan finally reveals. "I would've told you if I had known. We are brothers."

Rodolphus sighs, "This is because of that stupid deal we made when we started Hogwarts. I decided to be the outgoing one and you decided to be the hidden one."

Rabastan smiles, "I do believe it has worked out in my favour – for once."

Rodolphus rolls his eyes. "Merlin damns you for being the older one – I hope you know that. If I had been smart enough to decide to be the hidden one, then you would be in this situation."

"And it is your own fault you weren't smart enough Lupus," Rabastan responds. "Anyway, I have heard a bit about Bellatrix Black. She's dangerous and will want little with you. It's all purely political. She, too, is loyal to the Dark Lord. Rumours paint a sadistic woman who knows no restraint and listens to our Lord only."

"Will an heir be expected?" Rodolphus asks. "Or do you expect this marriage to be for politics only?"

"Power and allies are granted, along with a smoother ascent into the Dark Lord's circle," Rabastan reveals. "I don't expect there will be any push until the war has been won, as she is one of our Dark Lord's top Death Eaters, and thus can't be missing from action for so long. You will want to stay on her good side."

"A response much like yours then," Rodolphus says decisively. "Act weak-willed and keep out of her way, pull the strings from the shadows."

"Except you won't have strings but the thinnest threads; all you will have, dear brother, is scraps."

"Scraps from a wife, but ropes from a brother," Rodolphus points out.

"And who says that I won't make a noose from those ropes?" Rabastan asks, even as previous invisible tension unwinds from his shoulders. Rodolphus raises an eyebrow, the motion sharp and blunt. Rabastan chuckles, "Quod reptat sumus!"

"Ad sidera nobis fugere!"

Translations:

Quod reptat sumus – winged we are

Ad sidera nobis fugere – to the stars, we fly

Notes:

Rodolphus is known as the braver and calmer one and who marries Bellatrix; Rabastan is thought of as the opposite to his brother. I painted the picture where the brothers are twins, with Rabastan being slightly older and forever disappointing, with Rodolphus being the achieving younger brother. However, in reality, Rabastan is smarter and is rather ambitious and prefers the shadows where he can manipulate things to his liking. Rodolphus, on the other hand, is better at thinking on the fly and is better with people. Together, the pair work to have power and allies and strength among the company of purebloods they keep.

I have never written either of them – it was an interesting experience.