Written for a prompt - (character) Bellatrix.
I know this is probably AU and makes the characters different, but I thought it'd be fun to write Bellatrix/Rodolphus as kids (picture them being about 13-14).
Word count: 1859
Bellatrix laughed gaily as she watched her younger sisters play. She twirled her long hair around her fingers, entwining her curls until they formed a unique-looking braid.
Cissy smiled and showed Bella her latest creation: a magicked crane, fully grown and able to fly on its own with just a tap. Bella grinned and used her wand to change the paper crane into a beautiful swan, a trick she had learned in her Charms lesson. Cissy's expression of contented glee and delight warmed Bella's heart.
Rodolphus Lestrange watched the three sisters, envious of their oblivious happiness. He and his brother Rabastan were kept inside with strict schedules. Today, being a Wednesday, Rodolphus was stuck with letters. Writing letters, reading letters, deciphering letters. It was all a lesson. A silly societal test. To see if he was worthy of being the Lestrange heir. Only a year - a mere thirteen months - separated him and Rabastan. Of course, at school, they were two years apart, Rabastan having been born after 1 September.
"Roddy!" Rabastan called.
Rodolphus scowled, hating that pet name.
"Yes, Rabby?" he replied, loving the frown that creased Rabastan's angelic features. Yet another reminder how cruel Fate could be. Out of sheer irony, most whispered it was a curse from an ancestor's spurned lover, Rabastan, the non-heir, was the pure, angelic one in the family. His smiling face was as sickly sweet as a cherub's. He had cornflower blue eyes and blonde hair like flax. Rodolphus, on the other hand, was like a dark angel. Dark hair accentuated by thick brows and dark eyes. His mouth was usually turned down into a scowl, unless Rabastan was nearby. Rodolphus was not beautiful. He wasn't ugly, either. He was just - well, there. Taking up space.
Rodolphus swallowed hard, knowing his younger brother would ask for something that would distract him for hours. It always happened and he, Rodolphus, got blamed for everything. Because Life was a fickle bitch.
"Roddy, can we play brooms?" Rabastan asked, looking up at his older brother with the same level of adorableness as a puppy, eager to please. Rodolphus sighed and knit his brows together.
"Now, why ever would you want to do that?" he said, mock-sarcasm dropping off Rabastan like rainwater.
"Yay! Roddy, come play Keeper!" Rabastan jumped, causing the room to shake. Rodolphus' quick reflexes saved several pieces of china and a chair from Rabastan's clumsy nature.
"Oops!" Rabastan giggled, holding his hands in front of his mouth like a girl. "Thanks, Roddy. Now, hurry! Hurry!"
Rodolphus took one last glance at the letters spread out on his desk before he sighed and stood up. Well, one hour wouldn't hurt. He could work on these after lunch.
Rabastan had already run outside and was mounting his broom when Rodolphus caught up.
"Good! I knew you would come. I asked Bellatrix and her sisters if they would play with us. Bella said she and Cissy could, but Andromeda is still too young to fly."
Rodolphus scowled, "Why would you bother," he wrinkled his nose, "girls!" Rodolphus made the word 'girls' sound like a plague.
Rabastan thought for a moment, as if he had never considered that girls were different from boys.
"I thought you liked Bella," he said, not coming up with anything else.
Rodolphus frowned. Damn, Rabastan, he thought, knowing he'd get the what-for later.
"Fine, I guess the others," he indicated the five other houses nearby, "were just too busy."
"Nope," Rabastan replied happily. "Malfoy, Sr. is out - running some errand, so Lucius can't play with us or he'll get the what-for later." Rabastan giggled, "He sounds just like you, Roddy."
"Lucius Malfoy is an arrogant, pretty-boy git! He is NOTHING like me!" Rodolphus yelled.
Rabastan's giggles stopped. His face was utter and complete sorrow.
"I'm sorry, Roddy, I forgot."
"HELLO!" Bella yelled, interrupting the brothers' conversation. "Are you two dolts just going to stand there, or are you going to mount your brooms and play? The grass is growing and if we don't start soon, we have a tea we can't be late for!"
Roddy growled and murmured, "Later," to Rabastan before the brothers mounted their brooms.
The play was good. Rodolphus forgot how nice it felt to be flying. He loved the feel of wind in his hair and the way the sunlight felt. He would never admit it, but being cooped up indoors was awful.
Rabastan was a good flier, but he was more focused on the girls today than on winning. Odd, considering how competitive Rabastan could be, another trick from Fate, no doubt. Roddy was as competitive as a sloth - he was more willing to think things out than to act rashly. Rabastan was prone to impulsiveness - like this utterly stupid game.
Surprisingly, Cissy was a superb flier. She played Keeper because she was smaller and faster at blocking goals than Bella. Without Andromeda around, Cissy was carefree and unworried. Bella knew that Andromeda made Cissy nervous because the younger girl was such a crybaby.
Bella flicked her hair over her shoulder as she scored a goal on Rodolphus.
"You daydreaming?" she called, flying away. She smiled at him and he felt his heart melt. If he was secretly a romantic, (which he would never EVER admit, not even to Rabastan), he had become a puddle of happiness in her presence.
Rabastan noticed and Rodolphus cursed. Again.
"Hey, Roddy! I'm open!" Rabastan called, using Rodolphus' pet name. Worse, the girls had heard. Rodolphus scowled and threw the Quaffle straight at Rabastan's head.
"Ouch!" Rabastan yelped, struggling to stay on his broom. "I'm on your side!" he called, slightly miffed.
Rodolphus sniffed before turning up his nose. "Sorry, I couldn't see with the sun glare in my face."
Bella giggled, causing Rodolphus to lighten up.
Rabastan rubbed his head, but let it slide. He'd get even later.
Cissy, being compassionate, had flown over to help Rabastan.
"Ger-off!" Rabastan shoved, holding his hands over his ears.
"Ah!" Cissy yelped, falling off her broom.
"Cissy!" Bella screamed, flying after her.
It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. Rodolphus, face horror-stricken, tried to cast some spell - anything - to prevent Narcissa's fall.
Bellatrix, being the responsible sister, flew after her Cissy, heading straight for the ground.
Rabastan was useless, as usual. Rodolphus was going to give him the what-for later, that was for sure! Grimly, he landed his broom and walked over to the two sisters.
"Stay back," Bella warned. "I don't even know why I agreed to play with you dolts, if you can't even be civil. Come on, Cissy." Bella led her sister away, leaving their brooms behind.
Rodolphus didn't even know if this was a test or not. Instead, he picked up the girls' brooms and told Rabastan to go back inside.
Gritting his teeth, Rodolphus trotted up to the House of Black. Grimacing, he looked up and studied the large mansion. It was disguised to look like a Muggle country house, but he could see the Pureblood architecture and the paneling that indicated this was a rich family. It was very similar to his own house, although the family crest was an added touch of aristocracy.
Knocking on the door, Rodolphus found the door opened and was greeted by a house elf.
"Mrs. Black," he requested.
"Kreacher is sorry to report Mrs. Black is not in residence," the trained house elf replied, bowing low to show his respect for the Lestrange family.
"Right, well, Miss Bellatrix Black, then," Rodolphus said impatiently.
Kreacher eyed the boy warily before vanishing with a pop. It still unnerved Rodolphus to hear house elves vanish like that. The eyes, he thought, were particularly bug-like. Shivering, he closed the door behind him as it was proper and stood near the fire.
Kreacher returned with Bellatrix in tow.
"Miss," Kreacher said, "here is the boy." Giving Rodolphus one last impish stare, Kreacher vanished behind a large door Rodolphus had failed to notice before.
"Well?" Bella asked, scorn in her face. She was wearing a white dress now, clearly dressed up for tea.
"Here," Rodolphus said, trying to look away from her. He held out the brooms.
"Oh, those," she replied, looking down at her gloved fingers. "I can't take them," she whispered. "It's almost time for tea and mother said I have to wear this." Bella tugged at the skirt of the dress as if it was uncomfortable.
"Oh, right, you did mention that," Rodolphus said, taken aback that she hadn't rushed him out of the house. He was used to being seen briefly before being shooed out. His ugly mug, as his father called it, would get him places, but he would never be welcome.
Bella found herself staring and so she cleared her throat.
"Well, if you wouldn't mind, I don't want to ask too much of you," she said, letting the sentence hang in the air.
"Yes?" Rodolphus inquired, curiosity piqued.
"You could do me a favour and hang the brooms near the stables. We have a broom shed to store them." Bella let the request be just that - a polite request, one Pureblood to another.
Rodolphus bowed slightly, indicating her status as a Pureblood female.
"Your request is my command," he said smoothly, hoping he sounded half as suave as Rabastan. Damn Rabastan. Why did it always have to be the eldest in situations like these? Oh, he was going to make sure Rabastan stayed inside until Monday!
Bella grinned for the first time, and Rodolphus' mind become a blank slate. His only thought was to follow this angel of mercy.
"Follow me," Bella indicated the door and Rodolphus gallantly held it open for her, ushering her delicate form outside.
"There," Bella pointed. "I'm sorry I cannot accompany you. My shoes are white and must therefore stay pristine if I am to be fit for tea."
Rodolphus bowed and, trudging across the grass in his slightly worn boots, found the shed open and easily replaced the brooms in their proper slots. Returning to the house, he bowed once more and turned on his heel. He knew the Pureblood etiquette. It was courteous of Bellatrix to see him at such an improper hour. But considering her mother was gone, it wasn't all that bad. He had salvaged a potentially threatening situation. He would be betrothed at sixteen to one of the Pureblood girls in the vicinity. He must maintain good relations until then, or else his father would want to know why!
Brimming with glee, Rodolphus turned his head and saw Bella staring after him.
Impulsively, Rodolphus waved. "Bye, Bella!" he called, not knowing why she became even more lovely when she blushed.
"Thank you, Roddy!" she called, teasing him. Grinning, she gave a small wave and disappeared into the house.
For once, Rodolphus liked his pet name. She was the only one who made him sound like a dashing hero.