QLFC Season 10 Round 6: Why is it my fate?
Main prompt: Brave Danny Flint
"Oh Danny Flint you'll never escape
The Fate the Gods have written
And life must seem the cruelest jape
Oh Brave Young Danny Flint"
Additional prompts:
1. [Character] Marius Black
2. [Dialogue] "You stab them with the pointy end."
3. [Weather] Rainy
Word count: 3000
Warning: Domestic abuse. Child abuse. Bullying. Torture. Attempted child filicide. Prejudice. Nihilism. Suicidal feeling and thoughts. Self-loathing. Self-blame. Character death.
A/N: Greek mythology is mentioned but understanding the mythology in its entirety is not required. Only information needed: The Moirai sisters are the Fate sisters who personified the inescapable destiny of mankind, and Goddess Themis is the Goddess of Divine Law, Order, Custom and Justice.
Marius Black was not a fan of Fate. It was not that he was not fascinated by the mystery that surrounded a divine power that transcended the wildest imagination; but for the longest time, he pondered how he should feel about the circumstances Fate decided for him.
He always knew and understood that there were many reasons to resent the life he lived. He hailed from the prestigious ancient family - one of the purest families - yet he was born magicless.
"Your father must never learn of your defect," Mother warned him as she trained him to act mentally underdeveloped. "He'll kill you!"
Pretending to be retarded was supposed to protect him, yet he was still bullied by his siblings and cousins. The elders still mocked and sneered at him. He was still punished for circumstances he had not chosen. He should resent his fate, yet he did not. He just wanted to die. He did not want to live in a world that did not want him. After all, if his own father wanted him dead, why would anyone want him?
He should resent his birth family when his father denounced his birthright and threatened to end him. He remembered that cold morning when he was fifteen years old, and he was lying crumpled on the wooden floor of his father's office. There was the broken wooden chair, the splinters of wood scattered messily on the floor, the black whip... and his blood tainting the walls and floor of the office. His crying mother was in a corner as his father loomed over her.
"You dared to lie that it's - what was it you say? - too mentally retarded to conjure its magic and attend Hogwarts?" Father hissed venomously as he moved his wrist and the whip cracked loudly in the still air. "Do you think I'm a joke?"
Marius had been very sure the whip would taste Mother's blood if his saviour had not arrived at that moment.
"Cygnus, what're you doing?" Aunt Lysandra asked with a raised eyebrow as she stared pointedly at Father's weapon. Immediately, he abandoned the whip and a charming smile curled on his face.
"Nothing for you to worry about, my dear," Father replied as he leaned easily against the table and watched Lysandra knelt beside Marius. He was so relaxed as if the macabre scene of violence did not faze him.
"Nothing?" Aunt Lysandra challenged as she collected Marius gently into her arms. "Your son-"
"It's no spawn of mine, Lys," Father insisted coolly. "Blacks never produce...those things. It's shameful and dishonourable!"
"Are you... denying him his birthright?" Aunt Lysandra asked softly as tightened her arms around Marius. When Father shrugged carelessly, Aunt Lysandra nodded slowly as she lifted Marius with a floating charm and walked towards the door.
"Where are you taking it?"
Aunt Lysandra merely looked over her shoulder and spoke coldly, "Yaxleys will never abandon Family, and he is my nephew."
That evening, Aunt Lysandra helped him cheat death and took him to a quiet hall that was hidden within the valley of mountains. He remembered the ghastly atmosphere and the mist that surrounded it, and she warned him to avoid the rain. He met the youngest lord, Lord Yaxley, who was orphaned but the boy had the widest and most friendly grin, and the most twinkling and kindest eyes.
"Hi, I'm Lord Corban Yaxley but you can call me Corban! What's your name?"
"Marius. Marius Black," Marius uttered his name as he opened his eyes and smiled. That was one of his most memorable days. It might not have started well, but it ended very well. That day, his life took a drastic turn and restarted.
Marius began living with a smile, and enjoying life even through the stormy days and nights when Corban had his terrible temper tantrums and disappearing acts. A few years after their meeting, Corban began studying at Hogwarts and Marius was introduced to Corban's best friend and sworn brother, Antonin Dolohov. Marius might not live with his birth family, but Corban was his family. He would die for the boy. He would do anything for him. Corban was like his younger brother and Marius loved him unconditionally; Fate knows Corban treated him with much more respect, gentleness and kindness than his birth family had ever spared him.
"I'm getting sentimental," Marius chided himself as he wiped the stray tears away. "Today, he finally turns twenty-one. Let's cook his favourite food: steaks."
As Marius began emptying the fridge, gathering herbs from the garden and arranging the kitchen counter, he noticed the darkening sky and the cold gust, and sighed, "I hope he doesn't get caught in the rain."
Marius was in the midst of preparing the slabs of beef, when he heard an awkward cough beside him. He looked up to see Corban hovering by his side, prodding at the tenderized pieces of meat.
For a long time, Corban stared pointedly at the needle tenderizer. Then, his blue eyes moved up achingly slowly, as it held Marius' eyes in a deep stare. "You stab them with the pointy end. That's how you tenderize the meat, isn't it?" Corban asked a little too inquisitively.
Marius glanced at the slabs of meat and the tenderizer and then returned his attention to Corban with a shrug. "Yeah, exactly like that," he answered easily. What a strange question for Corban to ask.
"That's how you do it?" Corban asked again, but this time it was softer.
Marius noticed a strange look in those blue eyes. There was something bothering Corban, and that bothered him too. "Yes," Marius repeated his answer warily with a slow nod.
"You're not listening to the question, Marius," Corban admonished gently as his eyes fluttered close. A long sigh escaped his lips softly. When he reopened his eyes, he brushed past Marius to move towards the kitchen window to stare outside. It had begun drizzling. "Do you know why I hate the rain?" he asked quietly.
Marius turned to watch the back of the young man. He had always wanted to know Corban's hatred for the rainy weather. Since he lived at Yaxley's Hall, he had noticed that Corban would always disappear whenever it rained or stormed. Yaxley's house elf, Potsie, had informed him that Corban had a burning hatred for the weather. Aunt Lysandra, when she brought him to live here, had warned him to stay away from Corban when it rained but like Potsie, she had not explained why.
"I was only four years old when Mother was playing with me. She had a miscarriage and died. When they buried her, the rain couldn't wash the blood from my hands," Corban whispered as he pressed his palms against the window. "Two years later, Father was teaching me Quidditch. It was drizzling and I slipped off my broom. I was falling and he abandoned his safety to catch me. He was smashed to pieces because of me. Like it was with Mother, I was drenched in Father's blood and all the tears from the sky couldn't wash his blood from my hands even though my skin had turned cold. I'm the Rain Killer."
Marius clenched his hands. There was so much suppressed sorrow in that voice. It was no wonder Corban hates the rain. Marius wondered if Corban had ever grieved his losses… if he even knew how. When he first met Corban, the young man had only been seven years old. Now that he had heard the truth, Marius understood Corban's hatred for the weather. Perhaps, it was not hatred but fear. Perhaps, Corban believed that the combination of rain and his presence was the reason his parents died. Perhaps, that was why he hid alone whenever it rained - to prevent more deaths.
"I'll ask you again, Marius," Corban asked softly as he turned around to look at Marius. "You stab them with the pointy end. That's how you tenderize the meat, isn't it?"
Marius opened and closed his mouth a few times, but not a single sound escaped him. He shut his eyes, took a deep calming breath and blew out slowly. Finally assured that he could speak, Marius tried to answer only to be interrupted.
"Is there any point in asking repeatedly?" a low drawl asked from the entrance of the kitchen before a tall man entered the kitchen. "You know the truth won't-"
"Be quiet, Antonin! I want his truth, not your speculation," Corban hissed venomously as he glared at the newcomer. Blue eyes glared warningly at grey eyes before Antonin nodded slowly. Corban turned his head back at Marius. "You've always been too lazy to use magic, haven't you?"
Marius closed his mouth and feelings of sympathy began rising in his chest. There was so much hope in that question that it saddened Marius terribly. The short conversation between Corban and Antonin had revealed so much that Marius could only wonder when they had begun noticing and speculating. There was no doubt that Antonin knew, and Corban… Was it a confirmation or a lie that the boy desired? Could Marius even lie to the boy who he loved and cared for, and who changed his fate? If this was the question, the answer was obvious. Marius could not lie to Corban. He owed Corban too much that if he lied to Corban now... There was a special place in Hell for ungrateful liars.
Marius took a deep breath and admitted the truth, "I'm…"
Just then, a loud rumble of thunder reverberated through the Hall and Marius' answer was overwhelmed and silenced. Two pairs of eyes stared at him as lightning flashed outside.
"What did you say?" Antonin asked with wide eyes as if he had heard the answer.
Marius raised his voice a little as the thunder threatened to silence him. "I'm-"
"Listen to me very well before you finish your answer," Corban warned dangerously as he hands curled into tight fists and his eyes stared heatedly at Marius. "Get out if you want to lie."
Marius smiled a little. Corban wanted the truth, no matter how ugly it was, and on that account, they were the same. In that case, there was no harm in admitting his imperfection. He should have done it a lot sooner. He had been so foolish keeping his defect hidden. He should have been upfront about it. Feeling a little confident and boosted, Marius admitted loudly, "I'm a squib!"
More flashes of lightning, and deafening roars of thunder exploded outside as powerful water bullets began assaulting the Hall. However, inside the kitchen, it seemed as if time had slowed down to a snail's pace. Antonin's shocked expression slowly morphed into a conflicting look before his jaw muscles pulled as if he was gritting his teeth tightly together. Corban stared in silent horror before he released a long scream of defiance.
Antonin grabbed Corban's shoulders and shook him until blue eyes stared at him. "We need to do it, or he'll suffer at their hands!" Antonin urged harshly. "The Dark Lord and Death Eaters will torture him. You know they will!"
"No! Never!" Corban snarled as he shoved Antonin back. "I won't add his blood to my hands! I won't bury any more family in the rain!"
"It's decided by the Moirai sisters! It's your fate to bury your family in the rain!" Antonin snarled fiercely.
Marius looked at the two of them and finally, he understood it all. The reason Corban kept asking him about the tenderised meat, about his laziness, and even the warnings about lying… the reason was one and the same. Corban had been hopeful that he would lie that he was just too lazy instead of being magicless. That was why Corban had said that they wanted Marius' truth instead of their speculation. Corban had been willing to accept whatever answer Marius gave to be the truth. Marius had believed he cheated death when Aunt Lysandra whisked him to Yaxley's Hall but as it turned out, nobody could cheat death for so long. This was his fate.
"What're your beliefs to a non-believer?" Corban challenged defiantly. "I'm the master of my own destiny! I won't be the reason my family dies again. I won't bury Marius! I won't be an orphan again!"
The young men glared at each other fiercely. Neither was budging until Antonin closed his eyes and blew a loud sigh. "Alright, we'll play the cursed game of Fate and Judgement: Body, Mind and Soul," Antonin compromised as he took out a coin and explained the game. "You and Marius will be a team against me. There are three rounds: Body, Mind, Soul. For each round, whoever calls the coin wrong suffers the dark curses. Body means Cruciatus curse, Mind means Imperius curse, and Soul means the Killing curse."
"We'll play your stupid game but we won't use your coin," Corban sneered as he summoned the needle tenderizer from the kitchen counter. "We'll use this and whoever the pointy end points to loses the round." Antonin simply nodded as he, followed closely by Marius and Corban, walked to the small dining table.
"We'll see if Justice would help you overcome Fate," Antonin said softly. "You'd better hope Goddess Themis protects your interests."
As the two teams took opposite sides of the table, Corban added a final term, "If I die, promise me that you'll let Marius go." Antonin looked from Corban to Marius and back to Corban and slowly, reluctantly, unwillingly nodded.
Then, the game finally began. The first round was for the Body, and Marius spun the tenderizer. For a while it spun, and when it stopped, its needles were facing Marius. Without a protest, without hesitation, Antonin cast a silencing charm and then, the Cruciatus curse on Marius.
"We can't stop the game. This next round is for the Mind," Antonin whispered as he pointedly ignored the writhing man on the floor. "Spin it, Corban."
Corban closed his eyes, took a deep breath and then spun the tenderizer. When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the needles. Slowly, he raised his eyes to look at his best friend. "Remember the promise," he reminded softly as he waited for the Imperius curse to overwhelm him.
Antonin watched Corban's eyes finally dulled and he heaved heavily. Corban's will was strong and defiant, and it took too much magic and energy to subdue Corban's mind. He was nearly drained and if he won the last round… Antonin glanced at Corban with a laboured sigh, "No one escapes the Moirai sisters."
This game was a cursed game that could not be stopped once it started. It had to finish the third round lest, they were all doomed to suffer dreadfully slow and terribly excruciating deaths. He lifted the Cruciatus curse from Marius and helped the older man to stand. "You need to play the last round," Antonin whispered as his hand clamped around the tenderizer. "You've to win this."
Marius shakily covered Antonin's hand as he leaned heavily on the table for support. "I may be Corban's cousin and remaining family… but you're his sworn brother and best friend," Marius stuttered as the pain from the curse still greatly affected his senses. "He cannot lose you or it'll break him completely. I hope to see the needles again."
With a heavy, pained wheeze, he released Antonin's hand as he slumped over the table and Antonin spun the tenderizer for the last time. In the silence, the tool spun on and on, and Antonin watched it wearily. Casting two dark curses and trying to overwhelm Corban's mind, the game was taking its toll on him. If he wins the last round, all of them would die together by the game's curse. He simply had no more strength to cast the Killing curse.
When it finally stopped spinning, Marius smiled weakly at the needles. His hopes came true.
"I'm sorry," Antonin apologised in between loud huffs as he collapsed on the floor. He was too drained.
"Don't be sorry, Antonin," Marius denied with a faint smile as he dismissed Antonin's concerns with a weak wave. "It's my fate to die by my family's hand. I cheated it once but I can't deny it forever."
"No, it would kill him to kill you…" Antonin's voice trailed away weakly.
"It's his fate, Antonin. Please order him to kill me."
"He can't, Marius," Corban replied softly as he approached them and knelt in front of Marius. "Antonin is too exhausted and weakened to maintain the Imperius curse on me."
He pulled Marius into a hug, slung Marius' arms on his shoulders and wrapped a strong arm around Marius' back. He supported Marius' entire weight as he leaned his head on Marius' shoulder.
"I lost to Fate," Corban whispered as his tears streamed easily and he squeezed the older man a little tighter. "Even if Antonin allows you to flee, the Dark Lord would still send someone after you. Antonin's right. It'll be more merciful for you if I do it. I promise Marius… It'll be swift." He slipped out his wand and gently pressed the tip on Marius' temple. "I'm sorry that my stubbornness caused you to suffer the Cruciatus curse… I'll finish the game so your suffering isn't in vain. I'm so sorry that I couldn't free you from your cruel fate. Forgive me and my weakness, Marius."
"Love will always forgive. I will always forgive you."
That evening, under the torrential downpour, surrounded by soft mud, Corban buried his cousin easily. Like Marius, he remained a slave to his fate. He looked at Antonin and spoke gravely, "One day, I'll bury you beside Marius and my parents."
"If it's you, I don't mind," Antonin smiled serenely as they finished Marius' burial. "After all, I'm fated to be killed by the one I deem most important to me. That is the cursed fate of Dolohovs."
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