The Sinistriad
Atta-Nycol

CHAPTER 10

Rudy was waiting outside the door. See if they can stop me. Watch them try. I'll make him sorry—how dare he speak to me like that—

Dumbledore emerged from the Great Hall just as Avery did. "Your wand, Mr. Lestrange," Dumbledore said slowly. "As per our agreement?"

After a moment of murderous hesitation, Rudy glared menacingly at Avery, and laid his wand handle-first in Dumbledore's hand, reluctant to let go of it.

Aurora gasped. "You—you're—he's not expelled is he?"

Rudy looked into her frightened face. "It's all right," he said, deflating, almost embarrassed that she should see him at his worst this way. He looked away. "I tend to be unable to control my temper, at times, and it is best for everyone, and especially the windows, that I don't carry a wand." And it's best for everyone that I don't ever go near you again. He glanced back at Aurora, and forgot the idea almost as soon as he had thought it. He stepped forward and took her trembling hand. "It's all right, starshine."

Avery glared at their entwined fingers as though they did him personal wrong. "Starshine?" The word rolled out of his mouth like vomit. "Starshine," he repeated, amused and disgusted all at once.

"Aurora and Rudy do nothing to offend you directly, Mr. Avery, and in the best interest of Slytherin's position in the running for the house cup, you may wish to stop speaking." Avery glared at Dumbledore.

"Now then. If we have all taken a moment to cool our feet…" Dumbledore looked between the boys, and seeing them quelled for the moment, he continued. "Let us continue to Professor Slughorn's office."

It was a quiet walk down towards the dungeons. Rudy refused to look at her, his face solidly impassive, but he held tightly to Aurora's hand, determined to show her that she had nothing to fear, from Avery or anyone else, while he stood next to her. Dumbledore strode between Rudy and Avery, presumably to forestall any further attacks of one boy on the next.

When they arrived at Slughorn's office, Dumbledore opened the dungeon doors. "In," he said simply. "I will speak privately with Miss Sinistra." Rudy squeezed Aurora's hand once and regally strode into the room behind Avery, a full head taller and much more composed. Aurora watched him go, stunned by the whole episode.

Dumbledore nodded back up the stairs once the door had shut behind the two boys.

"To my office then, if you would."

Aurora walked up to his office without any conversation. She was still recovering from the shock, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her robe and her bag feeling heavier on her shoulder. She knew she had nothing to fear; she had not attacked anyone. But the thought of what would become of Rudy…she didn't want to lose him. She had only just gotten him! Dumbledore closed the door behind them and moved to sit behind his desk, sweeping his wand and placing a chair in front of it for Aurora. She sat on the edge of her seat and watched him arrange a few objects on his desk. He seemed calm and composed, as he always did, and his eyes twinkled when he looked up at her. He did not seem as upset as Aurora would have guessed him to be. Now that they were alone, the atmosphere was much more relaxed and he regarded her over his folded hands.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded numbly.

He gave an understanding smile. "Do you need some water?"

"No, thank you."

A slight nod and he leaned back in his chair. Now that the formalities were out of the way, the questioning could begin.

"Do you mind sharing what happened?" He asked quietly.

Aurora wanted to say, "Yes, actually I do mind…it's not anyone's business" but instead she looked down at her hands and said simply, "Avery said some offensive things, Rudy hit him, he hit back…." She shrugged.

Dumbledore was not put out by her shortness, but paused a moment to tap his long fingers against one another.

"What did Avery say?"

Aurora inhaled sharply. That really was the part she preferred not to repeat. But as she thought about it, she realized that if it looked as though Rudy had started the fight without any reason, he wouldn't stay at Hogwarts for long. So very quietly, almost mumbled, she repeated the comment to Dumbledore, unable to look at him. He strained to hear her, but nodded nonetheless and looked thoughtful.

"He insulted you, then. Not Rodolphus."

Aurora nodded meekly.

"Why didn't you hit him?"

Aurora looked up, rather surprised by this question. "…because…" Was this some sort of trick question? She considered her words carefully, but when she answered it was confident. "…because I didn't have a chance to. Rudy beat me to it."

The faintest flicker of a smile tugged at Dumbledore's thin lips, but he said nothing more of it. Instead he leaned forward and said with a sigh, "Frankly, Aurora, I'm not sure what to tell you. If there is a way to halt the discrimination, do share because assigning detentions and punishments doesn't seem to be doing anything except raising the tension. Now instead of purebloods against everyone else, it's pureblood against pureblood…"

He looked at her as though she had an answer to this, but really Aurora was just as baffled.

"I don't think there is anything to do, professor." She said honestly. "You're talking about changing thoughts that were passed down for generations. I guess I've just accepted that they won't look at me any differently, no matter what you threaten them with."

"Rodolphus certainly looks at you differently," Dumbledore corrected with a smile. "What changed his mind? He could be the start of a revolution, don't you think? He's an important figure among the Slytherins especially. "

Aurora smiled despite herself, but shook her head. "I don't know what changed Rudy…but Avery is proof that not everyone is so easily changed. And I'm willing to bet more students are like Avery than Rudy. In fact, I know they are. If they were like Rudy, I would have discovered them long before now and dated a few of them."

Dumbledore shared a laugh with her and stood from his seat.

"My dear Aurora…I feel for you. It is a shame that blood blinds even the smartest of people. You don't deserve the treatment you are dealt, and I will be the first to acknowledge that the ways of this school, though improving, have a tendency to favor the purebloods…"

He trailed off, looking pensively out the window. Aurora remained quiet as he pondered his own words, and when he turned back to her, she stood as well. "But, on the bright side, seeing you and Rodolphus together gives me hope. Blood blinds, but hearts speak…"

Aurora chewed her lip, followed him to the door of his classroom, and turned to him abruptly before she left.

"Professor, please don't suspend Rudy. He was only sticking up for me, and it really is my own fault it happened at all. I should've known going to the Slytherin table would—"

He held up a hand, silencing her immediately. "He will be punished for fighting, Aurora…" Dumbledore said sternly and Aurora's face fell. "…but, he will also be rewarded for standing up for what's right."

Aurora looked up at him and her smile was huge.

"Thank you, professor!" She said, hugging him without thinking about it.

Dumbledore chuckled, placed a firm hand on her shoulder, and stepped away.

"Now now, Miss Sinistra. Please spare me Rudy's fist. Old faces such as mine are not easy to replace."

Aurora blushed furiously and apologized as she scurried away from him and back to her room. Now she only hoped that Rudy would not endure too harsh of a scolding. But if Dumbledore had any say in it, he would at least avoid suspension and that was all Aurora cared. Hurrying past all the questions in the Ravenclaw common room, Aurora was relieved when she found her room empty. She changed into her pajamas and tied a furry, dark blue robe around her shivering body. The rain always made the tower rooms cold, but she didn't mind. Rain also meant she was able to sit in the window and do her homework to the sound of it bouncing off the castle. She loved the sound of rain. Opening the window slightly, she propped a pillow behind her back and rested her feet on the stone wall of the windowsill. With her eyes closed she took a deep breath and smiled at the scent of wet grass. There was nothing more relaxing than the soft pitter-patter of a fresh rain.

Her homework was the only thing keeping her from worrying about Rudy. One hour passed. And then another, and still there was no word from him. The room got darker and darker, but since it was Friday most girls remained in the common rooms, toasting with smuggled butterbeers. Aurora didn't mind. She found her wand and lit the candles in the room so she could see her homework, and every now and then she scribbled snippets of verse or doodled alongside her homework. Even when he was not with her, Rudy was such a distraction. Her homework should've been done by now, but she ended up spending more time staring dreamily out into the night. Little was getting done. She really was helpless over the boy, and even though seeing him fight was terrifying, Aurora couldn't help but smirk at her own reflection in the glass. The way he punched immediately after she had been insulted…the confidence and raw power in those arms…

"Hot. Bloody hot." Aurora laughed and reached down to the floor where her bag sat and pulled out her doll. She looked her over, and ran her finger over where the tear had been. "You should've seen it, Lisa. Even you would've been impressed."

The doll stared blankly at her, and with a kiss to her forehead Aurora replaced the doll back on her bed.

Rudy strode forward and sat in one of the plush armchairs inside Slughorn's office. How often he had sprawled here, thinking of ways to talk himself out of trouble; placidly receiving Slughorn's favor and praise, talking about Transfiguration, bantering Quidditch back and forth between the boys…Slughorn laughing and chewing on the candied pineapple, inspecting his collection of students…

Dog and pony shows. That's what they were called among the students. The Slytherins spoke of them with such disdain, and yet… didn't they all secretly crave Slughorn's favor? Want him as a bridge or a connection? Didn't they see past the greasy schoolteacher exterior to something, really something underneath it all? After all, he was successful. What was his parentage, again?

Slughorn himself emerged from his bedroom, dressed in a sumptuous robe and a nightcap, toting a cup of oak matured meade in his massive, fat fist. He set the glass down, stood in front of Avery and began fixing the boy's face, siphoning away the blood and healing the injuries Rudy's fist had inflicted. Rudy stared stoically, straight ahead. Slughorn finished, patted Avery once on the shoulder, and turned to seat his massive form behind his desk. "Fifty points," he said gravely, clutching his chest as though the mere thought of such a blow to the Slytherin House Cup score caused him palpitations and physical pain. Apparently Avery felt it himself, for he kicked out at Slughorn's desk and swore.

"He was defending that dirty squib-shit Sinistra—"

"SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND—" Rudy growled, a flush creeping back up into his face again despite his intense effort to remain cool.

"AND THAT MAKES YOU A BLOOD TRAITOR!"

Rudy stood up so quickly his chair fell backward. "What did you call me?"

Silence fell, even Slughorn stunned by the accusation. "I think you had me confused with someone else, Avery. I think you mistook my surname for Black." He paused, letting the weight his family carried sink in, what it would mean to really accuse Rodolphus Lestrange of such a treason. Rudy was royalty in comparison.

"Really, Thomas," Slughorn said at last. "Keep your temper in check."

"My apologies, Master Lestrange," Avery spat, and threw himself out of his chair. "But don't ask me to go around bowing before you like you deserve some sort of applause for getting in its pants—"

"I wasn't in her pants, but at least I've seen the inside of a few more pair than YOU have—"

"It," Avery corrected, and Rudy lunged for Avery again.

"BOYS!" Slughorn shouted, interrupting Rudy's attack midmotion. "Dear me, what a nasty business of temper we have going—Dumbledore took your wand, I assume, Rodolphus?"

"Yes," Rudy spat, slamming his chair as he picked it back up. "But if I had it, I'd hex off Avery's balls and shove them up one of his nostrils. Assuming they weren't too small to find. Professor."

"You must admit it's wrong of him, Professor. He's embarrassing his family and his race." Avery sat down carefully in front of Slughorn's desk, as though imploring his professor to see reason. "Think of what he stands to lose if he gets caught fornicating with a mudblood."

"Language, Avery! Do please speak civilly when you are in my office. And I shan't be saying anything of the kind. You know muggle-borns are tolerated at Hogwarts, and seem to produce reasonable levels of magic."

"She's not a muggleborn." Rudy snarled.

"Her father was a squib," Avery shot back.

"Avery. Rudy. What do I have to say that will make either of you look a little less murderous? I daresay I stand to lose a valuable student if either one of you dies."

"Tell him to stop insulting me and mine."

"Tell him to stop befouling my air with his squib-spawn breath."

"This is going nowhere," Slughorn sighed. "Rudy, keep your hands to yourself. Thomas, mind your mouth. You can be angry with each other if you wish, but I shan't tolerate any further displays of temper. Muggle dueling—MUGGLE dueling! Both of you, how utterly disgraceful!" Slughorn shook his disappointed head under his nightcap. "I think a week's worth of detentions is rightfully in order."

The boys were silent. "And, as much as it pains me to say it, I think you deserve the points taken away for embarrassing your house with that common behavior. Slytherin does have an image to project to the school, and to the magical community. Shouting and muggle dueling only calls attention to its occasional problems…" Slughorn paused, "Like the insatiable tempers of young men." Slughorn looked sternly between the two of them. "Am I going to awake to find more Slytherin bloodshed in the night?"

"No sir," Avery muttered.

"Rudy?" Slughorn prompted.

"No." Rudy responded, his anger threatening again. He'd break Avery's nose five times, if that's what it took to shut him up.

"Well then. Your next stop is back with the headmaster, and he shall decide if there is anything further to be done about your behavior." There was a pause in which Slughorn incredulously surveyed the boys in front of him. Fine young men, good students, excellent families—"Muggle dueling!" He exclaimed again. "At least use your wands next time."

Dumbledore did not rise from his seat when the boys entered his office, and as soon as they sat his stern voice betrayed his disappointment.

"Let me begin by making something very clear; you are both wizards. It has been your identity since you were born, and I expect that in future duels you will conduct yourselves accordingly. Secondly, I strongly encourage you to refrain from any such dueling within the walls of this school. Should such a fight happen again, the punishment would be…devastating. I kindly implore you then, to keep your tempers under control so that I may keep my suspension record clean."

He turned purposefully to Avery. "Mister Avery, you do realize that your race of purebloods will either die or succumb to madness in future generations if purebloods do not befriend those of lesser purity?"

Avery furiously stared straight ahead. Dumbledore allowed the slight protest to pass for assent to the lecture. He turned to Rudy.

"And you, Mister Lestrange. You already know how tenuous your disciplinary record is in this school. While I am glad to see that you were able to keep involuntary magic to a minimum, Muggle dueling is hardly better. I assure you that additional violence of any kind will bring neither you nor Miss Sinistra any further happiness or respect. Your behavior dishonors you both."

Rudy met Dumbledore's eyes. His mouth seemed too dry to speak and his body was so tense he thought he might pop. The anger swelled yet again—as if Rudy hadn't thought of all this! It wasn't his fault!

Dumbledore rested back in his chair, receiving a stony silence from both parties.

"Mister Avery, I have spoken to Professor Newton. During your detention periods, I wish you to work out together how many generations it will take to produce complete inbreeding by second cousins of pureblood wizards. Mister Lestrange, you will work with Professor Binns to compose a brief essay of controversial periods of social change in Wizarding History, with an emphasis on successful approaches to integration of magical communities. 'Hogwarts, a History' may be a good starting point, considering our Four Founders and their differing opinions on purity. Hopefully you will both learn something, in the end?"

The headmaster waited for the slight nods of acknowledgement and then gestured for the boys to leave. Avery and Rudy refused to look at each other as they descended the stairs, each humiliated by the essay they were to write. Avery was simply angry—didn't his Headmaster know that pure blood could withstand itself? How ludicrous. How utterly demeaning to assume that this was not true. How unfair.

Rudy was much more unnerved. He didn't have a mission. He just wanted to date Aurora. It had nothing to do with mudbloods and squibs and the mixing of pure blood for everyone—it was just his personal choice—he wasn't thinking of marrying her or anything…

As soon as they reached the hallway Avery stalked away without speaking, but Rudy lingered a few paces behind. Dumbledore was acting like he was the lead case in some sort of experiment… everything was getting blown out of proportion! Rudy just enjoyed her company, for crying out loud—he liked the way she looked him—

He crumpled against the wall, sat down and covered his head with his arms. This was terrible. Not good. Could be every bit as bad as Avery had suggested. He was going to be found out, he knew it… and what then? What was his father going to say about it? Rudy felt some of the anger stirring in him again. Who gives a hippogriff's hoof what he says? It was a hollow protest. Feeble. His father's choice, his father's wish, his father's thought and opinion and every whim was law absolutely, as unbreakable as a Permanent Sticking Charm.

Aurora gave up. The girls were finally starting to file back into the room and that presented the perfect opportunity for her to leave. It had been far too long since she had heard from Rudy and her homework wasn't going to get finished if she didn't know that he was okay. She remembered Avery's fist connecting with his eye and cringed. Placing her belongings back in her trunk and grabbing a washcloth from the bathroom, she soaked it in cold water and pointed her wand at it. A moment later it froze and she tucked it into the pocket of her robe.

No one paid her any attention as she slipped out of the common room. After all, it was late and most of the students had more important things to do than watch Aurora; snog, cheat on homework…

With bare feet and in her dark robe it wasn't difficult for Aurora to meander the hallways undetected. She first checked the dungeons, but there was no one around and not a sound to indicate that Rudy was in the classroom. Frowning, she started back towards the Great Hall and when he wasn't there she started up towards the Headmasters office. She didn't see him immediately, but just as she was about to give up she spotted a body hunkered over in a dark hallway.

"Rudy?"

Her voice was soft and he looked up at her with worn eyes. As she knelt next to him in concern, she noticed his one eye was already showing signs of swelling.

"Are you alright? What did they say?" She placed a gentle hand on his arm and searched his face for an explanation. But he looked unfamiliar to her; an expression so new to his face that Aurora only recalled seeing it briefly once before—when she had brought up his parents. She thought to inquire further, but figured if he wanted to talk, he would. "Rudy?"

"A week's detention," He muttered quietly, so as not to alert the professors on hall duty. "Avery too…I'm sorry Aurora."

Aurora dismissed his apology with a relieved breath and a wave of her hand. He had not been suspended. Reaching into the pocket of her robe she pulled out the frozen washcloth.

"Here, I brought this for your eye. It'll help the swelling at least…" She pushed his shoulder gently and he leaned back against the wall. Carefully, she slid herself around to the front of him so she was stationed in-between his propped up knees, and then held the ice pack up against his eye. He closed his other and exhaled.

"Thanks."

"…though if I were you, I'd wear that proudly." Aurora said lightly, but he didn't respond. She chewed her lip and glanced around the hallway. It was too dark for anyone to immediately see them, but she still didn't fancy the idea of getting into more trouble. So with her free hand she found her wand and cast a silencing charm on the hallway. It would at least keep them from being heard.

"Rudy?"

"Hmm?"

"…thank you."

"Sure."

Aurora looked at him through the dark, and felt guilty for the first time. It was finally setting in just what "going steady" meant…and it was not her fairy tale ending. It was going to be a long hard road, and she knew it was because of her. Not that she had any control over it…but she was dragging Rudy with her. Rudy, who had everything going for him, was giving it all up to be with her. Had she guilt-tripped him into this arrangement just so she could better her own image? Did she only want him because he was the only one who would kiss her, hold her hand, talk to her?

Sitting here in the dark, his eye black and his chest heaving tired breaths, Rudy did not seem so intimidating anymore. He was just…Rudy. He wore the complexities and stress of the past week just as Aurora did. It had not been easy for him either and she began to appreciate just how much he was going through. She was not alone…

Aurora leaned forward and gave him a light kiss, just so he knew she appreciated his company.

"What was that for?"

She shrugged. "For being you."

"You are such an embarrassment! Circe, Rodolphus, you're around your brother every day. Can't you learn from him, or are you too stupid to figure out how?"

"There's nothing wrong with stunt flying—it's not like I'm neglecting Quidditch—"

"How dare you—how dare you contradict me—"

Rudy flinched and grabbed Aurora's wrist, pushed it away from his eye so that he could look at her, and her hesitant smile broke his heart. He couldn't. He couldn't bring her to his world. Hogwarts was just an escape. She didn't understand! Avery was nothing—Avery could be managed, if necessary.

He brushed a hand against her cheek and felt the weight settle even more firmly into his stomach. How many things was she getting into that she didn't understand? How brutal was the world to which he would drag her… she did not deserve it. It was not her lot. She deserved to run free around the world as though she owned it; to roam with her parents as they followed the horses; to be exempt from society and all its terrible obligations, and prejudices, and necessities.

He gave a sad little smile and pulled her closer to him. Rudy adjusted his seat against the wall and helped her lean back against him.

She brushed her fingers along his chest and let herself be held. "Rudy?"

His name. He loved the way she said his name. She understood it.

Briefly he considered the option of running away with her. Of fleeing out the castle gates and learning to ride a horse without a saddle on its back, or racing thestrals through the air and spending his entire days flying. How tempting. To come home to Aurora and not eggshells; to be kissed instead of switched… to evade a destiny by which he did not want to be consumed…

He buried his face in her hair to hide it as the flush crept into his cheeks. What was wrong with him? He had people that needed keeping; he had a name that needed tending… Was it all worth a few kisses? They are more than just kisses.

She pushed herself away from him slightly, turned her face to look into his. "Rudy, I know it's not detention that's gotten you this upset. Talk to me. We're in this together."

Did they have to be? Couldn't he still spare her? The thought of letting her go was unbearable. "Don't ask me questions yet. Just sit here with me." He pulled her back, settled her head on his shoulder. "Why does everyone have to make it such a big deal?"

"Because you're a big deal, Rudy."