Chapter 2
Author's note: Thank you all for taking an interest in my new story! The story is finished and will be posted twice a week.
Rabastan Lestrange
June 30th, 2000
Rabastan and his favourite house-elf Tilly, who had been his nanny-elf since his birth, took over two hours to finish the letter to Rab's satisfaction. He had had nearly two years to phrase it but now he found some turns of words too demanding or too forward. Rabastan had followed Luna's progress via the press, he had read and catalogued each of her contributions in the Quibbler, but he hadn't seen her since her incarceration safe their brief interaction during the battle. He had made progress since the so-called last battle, he could walk, cast spells and eat and drink without the help of potions, but writing was impossible. Therefore Tilly wrote what her master dictated because he thought a dicta-quill too impersonal.
Dear Miss Lovegood,
Please let me offer my most sincere congratulations on your graduation from Hogwarts. While our talks told me that your interests are wide-spread I was impressed that you gained six NEWTs!
I have been dithering between writing to your father first for permission to write to you and writing to you without all that trappings of tradition because I suspect you, as a modern young witch, may find that patriarchal and sexist. From my missive you can deduct that I chose the latter option. Miss Lovegood, we met under horrible circumstances and I realise that me writing to you alone could offend or worse, hurt you. For this I want to apologize.
But if you can find it in your heart to meet with me, now both of us free persons, I would be very grateful and happy.
Yours affectionately,
Rabastan Romouald Lestrange
Rab went to the window to whistle for his owl Sigurd. He worried that he might lose his nerve to send the letter. Tilly had to help with the tie.
"Sigurd, bring this letter to Miss Luna Lovegood! Find out whether she has an owl at her disposal and if not, wait for her orders! Safe flight, my boy!"
He watched as the owl grew smaller and smaller with distance, at last being only a speck on the horizon. When he could no longer see the animal Rab started to fret. What if Miss Lovegood was angry about his letter? What if she was not and wanted to meet? Where would they meet? How would she react to his physical infirmaries? Back then, during her incarceration, Rab had relied heavily on borderline-dark potions to at least give himself the appearance of functioning. He had been tasked with the care for the prisoners in Malfoy's dungeon when Pettigrew had been away on a mission. After the return of the rat Rabastan had come back often in the evening, when upstairs mayhem and madness reigned, to talk to the prisoners. He procured an invisible blanket with warming charms for Luna, he'd made Draco brew a salve for Garrick Olivander's arthritis and had let Mr Lovegood know that his daughter was comparatively well. Griphook understood that no message could be sent to his brethren as that would lead to a new goblin rebellion.
Miss Lovegood had talked to Rabastan often and long, she had listened and she even had laughed sometimes. But the wizard knew well enough that it had been a special situation, any compatability he'd felt between himself and the witch might not stand the test of peace-time.