The Affairs of Rodolphus Lestrange

A Rodolphus Lestrange/Narcissa (Black) Malfoy Pairing

Written by: The Marauder Named Prongs

Assigned By: Verbalklepto

Rodolphus Lestrange had a plan. His plans were always quite cruel, and this was no different. However, in this particular situation, Rodolphus found the cruelty of his plan to be entirely justifiable. He had set his sights on an unlikely source. He was determined to find her tonight. It was important that this happen tonight.

He found her sitting alone in the Slytherin common room, her head buried in her hands. He lay a deviously convincing hand on her shoulder. He tried to comfort the shaking shoulders of Narcissa Black. "I know," he said quietly as Narcissa jumped and turned to face him. Her cheeks were streaked with tears as she looked at him helplessly. "I know what they did to you," he continued, taking a seat beside her on the dull, green couch. Rodolphus knew Narcissa had just learned of her fiancé's affair with her own sister, Bellatrix Black. Lucius Malfoy had been sleeping with the older Black sister for quite some time; Rodolphus had been aware of it from the start. After all, Bellatrix Black was his own fiancé; of course he knew what she was doing and who she was doing it with at all times, but Narcissa had been blissfully ignorant.

It was just last night that Bellatrix and Lucius had been caught sleeping together by Severus Snape. Word had it that Snape had relayed this information to his Mudblood Gryffindor friend. Lily Evans had then told James Potter, who had informed Sirius Black. The distraught girl sobbing beside Rodolphus was at the end of this chain of communication. A part of Rodolphus genuinely felt bad for the girl. As shameful as it was to see a Black so fraught with emotion, he understood why she felt this way. She had stuck herself into the fantasy world where Pureblood fiancés don't cheat. It just didn't work out that way when marriages are arranged from birth. Rodolphus knew this well and accepted it. He was certainly no angel in the department of adultery. But he wanted Narcissa to know about Lucius and Bellatrix. He wanted her vulnerable because he had had his eyes on her for quite some time. If Bellatrix could sleep with her sister's fiancé, then Rodolphus could certainly sleep with his fiancé's sister. It was for this reason that he had subtly alerted Severus Snape of the 'possible' doings of Bellatrix and Lucius. He knew the boy's curiosity would get the better of him and he would run to find proof for himself.

Narcissa had stopped crying long enough to look at Rodolphus meaningfully. "How could they do this?" she murmured, as she looked at her future brother-in-law painfully. "How could they?"

Rodolphus slung an arm around her shoulders, rubbing soothingly into her skin as he pulled her against his side. This vulnerability was exactly what Rodolphus had been anticipating. "I don't know, Cissa," he said feigning pain himself. "It's sometimes hard to believe Bellatrix has a heart at all," he admitted dramatically. "To do this to her own sister…. I'm sorry, Cissa." Narcissa nodded, tears welling in her eyes once more.

In this position they stayed for quite some time. Rodolphus didn't mind. He could be patient. Narcissa cried and cried in the way any fifteen-year-old would if they had been cheated on. Rodolphus had expected this.

"Narcissa," he cooed softly, lifting her chin with a gentle finger. "Don't cry." He used a thumb to wipe away a tear falling gracefully down her pale cheek. He wove pity, comfort and understanding into his demeanor as he gazed at her. Her face visibly softened. Now, he knew this was the ideal time to make his intentions clear. She was calming down, but she was still upset enough to make rash decisions. He placed one hand on her thigh, using the other to trail the path of her tears down her face and neck. He paused, gauging her reaction. She looked mildly surprised – he may have even seen a hint of encouragement in the way she tilted her head into his touch. He smiled. Perfect.

He dared to move the hand on her thigh higher. Again, she didn't stop him. She smiled at him coyly as she wiped away the last of her tears. He could tell that Bellatrix and Lucius were still on her mind, but she was determined to forget about it, for now at least. She leaned into him, turning her head until her lips were just inches away from his. Rodolphus returned her smile, a little more deviously. She didn't seem to mind.

In seconds, they had melded together at the lips. Rodolphus was mildly surprised at her vigor. She was, after all, only fifteen. Another part of his brain also reminded him that she was Bellatrix's sister, if that was any standard to go by. Bellatrix was aggressive in every aspect of her life. Why would her little sister be any different?

Within minutes, Narcissa found her way onto Rodolphus' lap. She was clearly enjoying this, and Rodolphus was no longer sure if it was because of her current state of mind. He began to wonder if she had planned for this, rather than him. Either way, he was certainly enjoying himself. He was surprised at how easily she had responded to his touch. He had her out of her shirt in minutes. He smiled as he trailed his lips down her chest. Her fingers entangled in his hair. When she moaned, he could no longer control himself. He turned her over on the couch, situating himself comfortably between her legs, his hands traveling up her skirt. She laughed like tinkling glass as his nails scraped gently against her thighs.

He soon learned that Narcissa Black was a much gentler lover than her sister, regardless of how she had started out. He found that he quite enjoyed that fact. She was so different from her sister in everything from her actions to her looks. Rodolphus liked that about her most. Yes, she was young, and no, he would never fall in love with her or marry her, but for now, he could have her. He could have her for revenge, for pleasure, for every and any reason he fathomed.

When it was over, she looked at Rodolphus shyly as though trying to figure out his thoughts. Vaguely, Rodolphus wondered if she knew Occlumency. He assumed she was much too young to have mastered that particular art.

"Dolph?" she questioned quietly as she straightened her skirt and buttoned her shirt. He nodded at her nonchalantly. "What was that for?" She asked it so bluntly and so innocently. Rodolphus was almost touched. His only response was a shrug. She looked slightly crestfallen. Rodolphus found it hard to believe that she could possibly think they could ever have anything together. It was impossible. Deep down, Narcissa knew this as well. Maybe, she didn't like the thought of sleeping around. Maybe, she had had her eyes on him too. Maybe, tonight had been a 'dream come true' of sorts for her. Rodolphus decided to nip that train of thought in the bud immediately.

"We can't ever be anything more than this," he said, waving his hand over their disheveled appearances. "We are both betrothed. There is nothing that can be done about it." He was not remorseful about this fact. He had gotten what – who – he had desired. He was satiated. And he was sure she would come back again. She would acknowledge what he had voiced, and she would be okay with it. He was sure. If not for herself, then for the same revengeful reasons Rodolphus was okay with it. If Lucius or Bellatrix were to ever find out, it would be quite a showdown. And he anticipated it greatly. He couldn't wait to give Bellatrix a taste of what she had done to them. No, Rodolphus had never been faithful, but he had never (before this night) slept with anyone close to Bellatrix – never her family members or friends. Narcissa would feel the same way.

"Why can't we be something?" she pressed in that whiny, ignorant teenage tone Rodolphus hated. It screamed spoiled brat. He rolled his eyes at her.

"Don't be foolish," he replied sharply. Narcissa stood abruptly, turning cold eyes onto him. He ignored her. She walked away angrily. Rodolphus was anything but worried. She would be back. He was sure.

Six months later; Summer after Rodolphus and Bellatrix graduate

Rodolphus sat in the dank kitchen of Bellatrix's family's manor. He had moved in with them after graduation. Things had gotten difficult and exciting since the start of summer. He wondered what Bellatrix's parents would say if they knew Rodolphus was sleeping with two of their three daughters. At the same time. He had a feeling Bellatrix suspected him of something. He was not so sure if she suspected her sister. After all, she had an irrational blind eye for her sister's actions. She could not see Narcissa Black doing anything 'bad'. That showed just how well Bellatrix knew her sister – not very well at all.

In recent weeks, Narcissa had been bugging Rodolphus to tell Bellatrix what had been going on since that night in late January. Rodolphus continually refused. Narcissa still had it in her head that she and Rodolphus could be something. She had to stop being naïve. Bellatrix and he would be getting married in just over a month. Didn't Narcissa realize that that signaled the end of all of this nonsense? He decided he had to make this clear to her. Now.

He knocked on her door, entering without awaiting an answer. She was sitting on her bed, scrawling something across a piece of parchment. She threw it to the floor as he neared her. Her lips broke into a coquettish smile. She reached for Rodolphus' shirt. He swatted her arms away in aggravation as he sat on the end of her bed.

"Not today, Narcissa," he said in annoyance. "We have to talk."

She looked crestfallen, but she obliged. Sitting next to him at the end of her bed, she asked, "About what?"

He looked pointedly across the room, avoiding her gaze. "Bellatrix and I are getting married soon."

Her shoulders slumped. "I know," she whispered to her hands as she blinked back tears.

"This will not carry on after the marriage," he declared firmly. Again, Narcissa nodded. "This has to stop now," Rodolphus commanded, turning to face her for the first time. He took her hands in his and squeezed them tightly. "She stopped sleeping with Lucius, you know."

Again, she nodded. "I know."

"It's time we stopped with this foolishness as well."

A single tear fell from her eye. "Why?" It came out as a pained whisper. It angered Rodolphus. The tear, the stupid question. He exploded.

"You know why!" he shouted tearing himself away from her bed. "This has been a childish game and it's time to end it!" he was so frustrated with her idiocy. She was fantasizing and he was sick of it. He would not support her naïve dreams anymore. "We can't ever be anything, Narcissa! Stop trying! It's over. It was never anything to begin with!" He paused as she stood, arms crossed firmly upon her chest.

"Fine." She said it so calmly, Rodolphus almost lost his composure.

"I mean it, Narcissa," he warned. "This is over. Never again."

"Fine," Narcissa repeated. "I understand."

Rodolphus still didn't believe her, but he decided not to press the issue at the moment. He left the room as Narcissa quietly picked up her parchment and returned to her scribbling.

What greeted Rodolphus the next morning was anything but ideal. It was Bellatrix, screeching like an owl – not the best way to wake up, that's for sure.

She had a ratty piece of parchment crumpled in her hand. She threw it at Rodolphus vehemently, screaming unintelligibly. Rodolphus smoothed the parchment to the best of his abilities. What he saw stopped his heart dead. That bitch.

Narcissa Black had written a highly immature and inarticulate letter to her sister about her affair with Rodolphus. Rodolphus couldn't believe her! He tried to quell Bellatrix's anger. Of course, this was nearly impossible. Luckily, her wand was not on her. Rodolphus was genuinely thankful for that. The things she could do with magic were incredible. Finally, he sprang towards her, grabbing her wrists and bellowing, "Bellatrix!"

She shut up abruptly, glaring daggers at him as she wrenched her wrists out of his grasp. "What?" she screamed back.

He took a deep breath. "Calm down," he said, taking her moment of submission to his advantage. "What are you so upset about?" He knew very well, but he wanted to hear her try to explain herself. This would be interesting.

Bellatrix spluttered over her words, trying and failing to make him appear guilty while keeping herself innocent. She finally concluded to scream, "I never slept with your brother!" Rodolphus snorted at that. As if. Rodolphus was quite sure that she had, in fact, slept with Rabastan at least once. His amusement only served to make her angrier. "For six months, Rodolphus? Narcissa is fifteen!"

Again, Rodolphus chuckled at her reasoning. "So is Rabastan," he deadpanned, folding his arms defiantly over his chest as he paced back to his bed. She had no valid arguments. Couldn't she just let this go now? "She was the one who wanted to continue it, Bellatrix," Rodolphus continued calmly. "Maybe you shouldn't have slept with Lucius Malfoy for six months straight." Bellatrix visibly paled. It was only temporary; her face turned beet red with anger swiftly.

"That has nothing to do with this!" she declared. She was so sure of herself. Rodolphus was more than willing to pop that bubble.

"This all started the night she found out that you were sleeping with Malfoy," he admitted honestly. "She was upset. She came to me." Okay, not so honest there. Bellatrix looked incredulous. Rodolphus pinched the bridge of his nose in aggravation. "Can we just drop this, please?" he said tiredly. "Faithfulness has never been our strong suit. I've already ended things with your sister, as I'm sure you have ended things with Malfoy. We are set to marry in a few weeks. We can put this behind us."

Bellatrix's jaw was visibly clenched. She did not look ready to end this fight, but she conceded violently as she stalked away from Rodolphus, slamming the door behind her as she exited. Rodolphus rolled over to lay on the bed. He decided to go right back to what he was doing before he was so rudely awakened. He was not worried about Bellatrix or her anger. She was always angry about something. He never cared. She was always quick to get over things. He heard her yelling at Narcissa on the floor below him. He smiled into his pillow as he buried his face in it. Good. She deserved this. What was she thinking, telling Bellatrix about their affair the day after they ended it? He knew for sure it wasn't Narcissa's good conscience showing through. More likely, she thought telling Bellatrix would be the equivalent of exacting some kind of revenge on Rodolphus for ending the affair. If the noise coming from Bellatrix below was any indicator, Narcissa's plan had gone horribly wrong.

He lay there thinking of his impending wedding and wife. Was he happy with this arrangement? Not particularly, but he was sure Bellatrix would make an excellent companion in the war that was sure to decimate the Wizarding World as he knew it. Or so the Dark Lord told him. He knew the Dark Lord considered Bellatrix his most faithful follower. Rodolphus could not pass up a marriage to the Dark Lord's right hand man – or woman, in this case. This would blow over. It was childish. Especially with what would soon come to pass. This war would make them infamous. It won't matter who slept with whom in a few years. Pondering these thoughts, Rodolphus drifted back into a sound sleep, thoughts of Bellatrix and Narcissa far from his dreams.

THE END. Uhm, good? No? I wrote it in a day, people, give me a break!