He had put it off all summer but, as August came to an end, he knew he had to tell her.
The day before the start of the school year, Andromeda had come over to the Lestrange home to see Rabastan and say her goodbyes. She would be returning to Hogwarts the next morning for her final year of school and Rabastan, having finished his schooling in June, was headed on a different path. Two weeks from now he was going to join the Death Eaters and swear his eternal allegiance to the Dark Lord.
Rabastan had yet to reveal these plans to his fiancé, but he knew he couldn't wait any longer. He asked her to accompany him on a stroll through the gardens and, as they walked, Rabastan explained his upcoming plans to Andromeda.
Andromeda didn't say a word the entire time that Rabastan was speaking. Once he finished his well-rehearsed speech, they came to rest beside a large pond. Andromeda took a few steps away from him and stood with her back to him, staring into the water, seemingly lost in thought. Rabastan watched her for a moment, then went to her, reaching for her hand.
"Let's sit down," Rabastan suggested, gently pulling Andromeda toward a nearby bench. "I know this is a lot to take in –," he started, but she cut him off.
"Why are you doing this, Rab?" Andromeda asked, as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Why in the world would you want to join them? These people are doing horrific things – you aren't anything like them!"
"I agree that some of the Death Eaters tend to take things a bit too far at times," he admitted, "but they are fighting for a good cause. You know how important it is to keep the bloodlines clean. Besides, they aren't all bad people. Rodolphus joined quite a while ago."
The expression on Andromeda's face quickly changed from misery to anger.
"Wait," she said heatedly. "Your brother is a Death Eater? Does Bellatrix know about this?"
Rabastan's older brother, Rodolphus, had married Andromeda's older sister, Bellatrix, a couple years ago. Rabastan knew that ever since Bellatrix found out that Rodolphus was a Death Eater, she had been nagging him to take her to the Dark Lord, so she could join as well.
"Yes, she knows and fully supports it," Rabastan insisted. "She's actually planning to join, too. Rodolphus is hoping she will want to have children first, but Bella said that she doesn't want to wait that long."
Andromeda raised her eyebrows slightly but didn't seem too surprised by that news.
"I see," Andromeda said, sounding indifferent. "And now you want to sign up, as well? You want to help spread fear throughout the country, while you torture and murder anyone who stands in your way?"
"Yes – I mean, no!" Rabastan sighed, feeling frustrated. Why did she have to phrase it that way?
"I don't know anymore, to be honest," he admitted. "But don't you see, Annie? It doesn't matter what I want – its too late for that. The Dark Lord has already asked me to join him and I said yes. I mean, really, what else could I say? He isn't exactly someone that you can say no to."
Andromeda moaned and put her face in her hands. Rabastan hoped he was finally getting through to her; hoped that she saw the gravity of the situation and how he had no choice but to join. If he tried to back out now (not that he wanted to, anyway), it would essentially be a death sentence.
After a moment, Andromeda looked up at him; her face held a look of fierce determination.
"There must be something you can do," she said, resolutely. "What if we leave? We could run away and hide. Leave the country if we have to!"
Rabastan shook his head, feeling exasperated.
"You know it isn't that easy," he replied. "We would have to live in hiding forever. What would you tell your family? What about Rodolphus?"
Andromeda snorted. "What about him?" she asked, in an unfamiliar icy tone of voice.
"He's my brother," Rabastan said firmly, looking her in the eye.
"He's a murderer," she retorted, just as stubbornly.
Rabastan couldn't dispute the point and didn't want to argue with her. He had to find some way to convince her that everything was going to be okay.
"We can make this work, Annie," he maintained. "Everything just seems hard right now because we are going to be apart for a year. We just need to make it through a few more months, then we will be married and together forever."
"I don't want to marry a Death Eater," she whispered. "I don't want that life, Rab."
Rabastan felt like someone punched him. Was she serious? Surely, she wouldn't want to call off their engagement over something so trivial.
"Annie, please," Rabastan begged. "Being a Death Eater changes nothing. Its not as though you have to join them. And, I swear to you that if I can find a way out, I will take it at first chance."
Andromeda started crying again and Rabastan was sure that he had finally convinced her. He knelt down in front of her, taking her hand in his.
"I love you, Andromeda," Rabastan said, as he placed a kiss on her hand. "Please don't give up on me… don't give up on us."
"I love you too, Rab," Andromeda said sadly. "More than anything in this world."