At eight months pregnant, Rodolphus had never felt more uncomfortable—or more on edge. Nothing brought him relief. His body felt unbearably heavy, his emotions swung wildly, and the smallest things set him off. Just last week, he had snapped at Rabastan simply for walking past him, only to dissolve into tears moments later, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of his own feelings.
Through it all, Harry had been his anchor—steady, patient, always there without question. But today, the discomfort gnawed at him worse than ever, an undercurrent of anxiety making it impossible to settle.
When the summons arrived, Harry's stomach twisted. This won't be good.
"Harry, help me up?" Rodolphus asked, his voice strained.
Harry was by his side in an instant, guiding him carefully to his feet. They made their way to the dining room, Rodolphus instinctively pressing closer to Harry, as if drawing strength from his presence. Harry responded in kind, wrapping an arm around him in quiet reassurance.
At the head of the room, Rabastan greeted Tom with a respectful nod. "My Lord."
Tom gestured for them to sit, his sharp gaze flickering briefly to Rodolphus. "First, take a seat. And Rodolphus—I must say, your wand work last week was flawless."
Rodolphus gave a tight smile, but his response was flat. "Fine."
Harry's eyes flickered with concern, but he masked it quickly as the meeting began. Despite the discussion flowing around them, tension steadily coiled in the room.
Then it happened.
A lower-ranking Death Eater, distracted and oblivious, brushed against Rodolphus as he passed. The man barely had time to freeze in horror before Rodolphus snapped, his voice cutting like a blade.
"Will you watch where you're going? It's not hard to use your damn eyes."
Silence fell.
The harshness in Rodolphus's tone left no room for misunderstanding—he did not want to be touched. Not now. Not when the pregnancy had made everything feel unbearable. His discomfort, his irritation, his vulnerability—they were all laid bare in that single, sharp outburst.
Harry's gaze remained fixed on him, worry deepening. He could see the storm building inside Rodolphus, but the question remained—how could he calm it before it broke?
