Chapter 1
The Lestrange Brothers
3rd November 1981
When Dumbledore himself appeared, I knew it was the end. I didn't pay attention to the signs that this would happen sooner or later. Rabastan had started to waver a long time ago, and I understood. In the beginning, I too had faltered. It wasn't easy being a soldier. It was ten years of war. And when things started to get really ugly, I was the one who stepped up to do what no one else had the guts to do. I opened the doors to all the tools that began to turn the tide. We started winning the war because of my sacrifices. And honestly, a few years ago, I didn't want Rabastan to follow in my footsteps. But everything changed, and all I wanted was for him, at least him, to be truly with me. And if I had to break a few bones along the way to make it happen... well, I don't regret it. He will never know the truth. The flashes of the cameras blind me, many are trying to ask questions to the aurors who are leading us. Wandless, surrounded by so many of Dumbledore's men, our fate is already very clear and evident. I glance at my little brother, who has his eyes down and a pensive look. He didn't start to falter at the Longbottoms' house, it was much earlier than that. Frank and Alice Longbottom knew they didn't stand a chance against me and Bella, but they had hope in Rabastan, and I saw in his eyes... I saw regrets. I think he still has a soul, after all. I abandoned mine a long time ago. I look at Bella and see her trying to maintain her composure, head held high, eyes determined. Not like Rabastan who accepted defeat, or like Barty, who is trying to get away, trying to say he's innocent. I try to follow my wife's example. My soul is long gone, but I still have my pride. I think at this point, it's all I have left. People call me a monster. Some are violent. The aurors need to draw their wands to keep us safe. The crowd shouts insults.
Monster. Monster. Monster.
They are right. That's what I became. I know. I reached the limit and gave up everything, because it was too late to turn back. But I wasn't always like this. I used to be just a boy. I look at Rabastan and he looks back at me. There are apologies in our looks. I think about what our parents will say.
-I'm so sorry for all this, Rabastan. – I whisper to him. He nods in agreement.
-I'm sorry too. – Laments my younger brother – But now... Now it's too late for that.
-I know... – I murmur. Heavens. How I know.
Looking at my dear younger brother, I ask myself, as we walk towards our inevitable fate. What do I regret?
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31st October 1959
Rodolphus loved Halloween. It was the day he could eat all the sweets he wanted. His mother would hide them around the house and they would play a candy hunt. His father claimed not to like it and not to want to participate, but he was the one who bought the sweets and enchanted the pumpkins. The family would tell stories and have hot chocolate in front of the fireplace, and when Rodolphus fell asleep, his father would pick him up and take him to bed. His mother would kiss his forehead and he would have a good night's sleep.
But that year, Halloween would be different. His mother hadn't hidden the sweets, and his father hadn't enchanted the pumpkins. And, honestly, Rodolphus didn't care about that. His birthday had already passed, but the gift he most wanted would arrive that day. For over a year, he had been begging his parents to give him a little brother. A boy to play with.
For months, his parents had told him that he would finally be getting a brother or sister, and he couldn't have been happier. But now he was slightly worried. His mother seemed to be in pain, and his father was very anxious. An older man had come to visit, and his father explained that he was a mediwizard. It would be this man who would bring his new brother or sister.
Rodolphus was more than impatient. The old man had arrived hours ago, and still no sign of his sibling. Five years old is not the most patient age of all, and he was seriously thinking of kicking the door and entering the room where his mother was, to demand answers. Since before lunch, they had been saying that his sibling was about to arrive, and now dinner was almost ready and the baby still hadn't come. He wondered if the owl that would bring him had gotten lost in the storm.
It was then that he had a dreadful thought. He looked around the whole house, worried, finally noticing what was wrong. All the windows were closed because of the rain! The owl that would bring the baby would never be able to get in that way, unless only the window of the room where the mother was, was open. Perhaps so that the owl wouldn't get confused. But he couldn't be sure of that. Adults had the annoying habit of forgetting things. Perhaps the window of the room was also closed and the owl was trapped outside with the baby. This thought made him very worried.
There was only one thing he could do. Check if the window of the parents' room was open. If it wasn't, he would open the window of his room so that the owl could leave the baby there. He would be the first to meet him!
With a playful smile on his face, and with his heart racing for the plan he had devised, Rodolphus went out through the back door, telling the elves to keep quiet and continue making dinner, without revealing what he was doing. The rain was falling heavily and the sky was already quite dark. But that didn't intimidate him. After all, he wasn't made of sugar. Under the thick and heavy drops of the storm, and facing the strong wind that was howling, Rodolphus circled the property and noticed how foolish the adults really were. Even the doctor with that know-it-all look. All the windows of the house were closed!
He rushed back into the house through the same door he had left, then ran to his own room. He left his wet shoes in the hallway and hurriedly closed the door. He ran to the armchair where his mother used to hold him to read stories before he went to sleep. He pushed the furniture to the window, climbed onto the armchair and with some effort, opened the window. The rain came into his room and began to wet the floor, but he didn't care. He was more soaked than anything else; his brown hair was drenched, stuck to his forehead. His silver eyes searched for the owl, for the skies.
-OOOOOOOOOOOOOWL! THIS IS THE LESTRANGE RESIDENCE! – He shouted as loud as he could, looking for a bird with a package big enough to hold a baby. But his eyes only saw rain all around. Rodolphus shouted a few more times until the door of his room opened. Startled, he jumped and tripped over the arm of the armchair, falling onto cushions wet from the rain that had come in through the window.
Frowning, the child looked at his father, who was looking into the room, seemingly trying to understand what on earth was happening there.
-Rodolphus, what are you doing? – He asked, taking out his wand. The little boy sat up, angry, feeling a bump forming rapidly on his head from the fall. His father approached, looking only slightly amused. With a wave of his wand, the window closed again, and with another, the armchair began to float back to its original position.
–No, daddy! If you close the window, how will the owl bring the baby? – He asked, his clothes and hair soaked from the rain. His father chuckled.
-Well, the baby has just arrived, but how are you going to show up to your little brother all wet like this? – His father asked, and Rodolphus blinked in shock. Then he smiled, feeling the excitement and joy that the news brought.
-A little brother? I have a little brother? – Rodolphus asked, standing up and jumping for joy. His father laughed and agreed, waving his wand to open the dresser drawers. Then, another set of clothes came flying onto the bed.
-Accio towel. – His father said as the little boy tried to get rid of the wet clothes as quickly as he could. The towel flew in through the door, and his father dried him off with it. Then he helped him get dressed and combed his hair, despite Rodolphus making it difficult by jumping around with enthusiasm – Your mother is very tired. So, you need to speak softly when you go to see the baby, okay? – His father asked, and Rodolphus agreed, trying to run off, but his father's strong fingers held him by the elbow – Rodolphus, wait. I need to talk to you. – His father said, and the boy looked absolutely impatient – Rodolphus, do you understand that your life is going to change completely now, don't you? – His father asked, and Rodolphus looked at him, confused.
-Why?
-Because before you were the child of the house, now you are the older brother. – His father bent down to be at his eye level. The same silver eyes he had, eyes he inherited from his great-grandmother, since the late great-grandfather Ophiucus had green eyes – Do you understand that you have an important mission now, don't you?
-A mission? – Rodolphus asked, frowning, as his father straightened his clothes so they wouldn't be crooked.
-You are going to become a hero now, Rodolphus.
-A hero? – The boy asked, still confused, but liking the direction of the conversation.
-Yes. You will be your brother's hero. You have the important mission of becoming his idol. Of showing him how to act right. How a real wizard should be. You, Rodolphus, will be the greatest example of a man your brother will have. Unlike me, who will only be the "daddy", you will be the older brother. You will be his best friend. So you have the enormous responsibility of taking good care of your little brother and not letting him get into trouble. You have to protect him, help him, take care of him, give him advice and everything else. Do you think you can do that? – Asked your father, with a crooked smile, the kind of smile that Rodolphus liked the most, after all, his father was normally very serious. But it was visible that he was very happy at that moment. Rodolphus was too.
-I can. I will always take care of him. I promise.
-Promise? – Asked your father proudly and the boy nodded. His father squeezed his cheek and nodded towards the door. Rodolphus then started to run and this time no one held him back.
He ran to his parents' room and opened the door carefully. Swallowing hard, he saw the doctor packing his things in a briefcase and saw his mother sitting on the bed. Her golden hair tied up in a bun, a sweet smile for a little bundle in her arms.
-Rodolphus, my love. Come and see. Come and see your little brother. – His mother said, and Rodolphus nodded. Controlling the urge to run, he walked cautiously to his brother. He climbed onto the bed, since he was barefoot, and gazed at the baby wrapped in blankets – Rodolphus, this is your little brother, Rabastan. – She said, and Rodolphus nodded, looking mesmerised. With an excited smile, he reached out to hold his brother's tiny hand. The baby looked at him, seeming cross. He had dark red eyebrows and hair, like the living room carpet. With a serious expression and closed eyes, little Rabastan pouted as if he was about to cry.
-Don't cry, Rabastan. – Rodolphus whispered – I'm here. I'll take care of you. Don't cry, okay? – He pleaded, and Rabastan sniffled and yawned – He must be very tired. With all this rain, it must have been very difficult to get here, right, mum? – He asked, looking at his mother, who smiled serenely.
-Certainly.
-Did it take a long time for the owl to find us? The windows were all closed! The poor thing must have been out in the rain for a long time!
-And how do you know the windows were closed? – His mother asked, looking suspicious.
-He went to check. He was drenched, in his own room, shouting at the top of his lungs for the owl to find the house. – His father laughed, leaning against the door with his arms crossed.
-Oh! – His mother looked at him, and Rodolphus wondered if she would be angry – Thank goodness you did that, dear. Otherwise, it would never have found us in the middle of this storm. – She laughed, and Rodolphus smiled again.
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1965
-Not so fast, Rodolphus! – He gasped. His brother, up on the rock, looked at him and smiled, then burst into laughter – I... I can't. – He lamented and Rodolphus knelt down from above and reached out his hand.
-Come on, I'll help you! – He said with an excited smile – Do you want to see the nest or not? – He asked, and Rabastan bit his lip.
-I'm scared, Rodolphus. – He lamented, looking at the rock her brother had climbed.
-You don't need to be afraid. I'm here. – Said Rodolphus confidently, and Rabastan took a deep breath. He looked for somewhere to support himself and then tried to climb the rock. When he managed to climb a little, he felt her brother's firm hand holding his. Rodolphus pulled him up and Rabastan finally managed to climb. He looked back, impressed with how high he had climbed – Let's go. The tree is right there – Said Rodolphus, still holding her hand. Rabastan agreed and the two brothers ran hand in hand, laughing. They arrived at a tree with thick branches. Rodolphus looked somewhere up and then smiled – There. The nest is right there. – He said, and Rabastan tried to find it, but couldn't identify anything among the branches and leaves. Rodolphus crouched down and pressed his cheek against his, then pointed to something at the top of the tree – There, look. Can you see it?
It was when he noticed the nest. A tangle of small tangled branches, forming the birds' nest.
-I saw it! I saw it, Rodolphus! – He said happily, and Rodolphus smiled at him – Can you reach up there?
-Yes. Max and I climbed up there two days ago. There are four eggs. – Rodolphus said.
-I want to see! – Exclaimed Rabastan excitedly, but Rodolphus frowned.
-I'm not sure if you can climb up there, Rabastan. You are very small and it's very high up.
-You can get an egg! We can take it home and take care of it! – Rabastan suggested, but Rodolphus refused.
-And what if a troll found you cute and took you to his cave to take care of you? Would you like that? – Rodolphus asked, and Rabastan promptly shook his head – We shouldn't touch the eggs. – he said, and Rabastan agreed. The two sat under the tree, enjoying the shade, and Rodolphus took some sweets out of his pocket to offer him – Sweet?
-Do you have green apple? – Rabastan asked, looking for his favourite, and Rodolphus agreed, handing it to him. – I wish I could climb up there, like you and Max.
-One day you will climb up, don't worry. – Rodolphus laughed.
-You're going to Hogwarts next year. – he said suddenly, and Rodolphus looked at him, with a serious expression. – I don't want you to go. I'll be alone… – he lamented, sadly gazing at the candy his brother had given him. Rodolphus sighed and put his arm around his shoulders.
-Don't worry, Rabastan. I promise to write. – he said, but that didn't cheer him up. – Which means you'll have to practice your writing and reading. I'll only write in cursive.
-It's very difficult, Rodolphus! – He complained. – Write in normal letters. – he asked, referring to the letters he had just started to learn. He still couldn't read very well, but Rodolphus always helped him when he asked. – I don't want you to go to Hogwarts – he lamented, wanting to cry. Rodolphus sighed and patted him on the shoulder.
-Don't be like that. I promise to come back on every holiday and tell you everything about the school. And when you go to Hogwarts, you'll be with me, I'll introduce you to all my friends. Alright?
-But it will take a long time! – He complained with teary eyes, and Rodolphus smiled.
-I was alone for five years before you were born, little brother. You can handle a few months, I'm sure. – he said, tousling his hair.
Rabastan smiled and pushed his brother's hand, who started tickling him. But soon they were on their feet and decided to continue their walk. They left the park and strolled through the streets. Rabastan knew that his father didn't mind them being out on the street just the two of them. He trusted that Rodolphus wouldn't take them down dangerous streets. They could play on the street as long as they were home by 5 p.m.
Rodolphus led them to a playground and Rabastan soon ran to a swing. Rodolphus started to swing him and Rabastan laughed, asking his older brother to push him higher. Rodolphus pretended to push with all his strength, but Rabastan knew he wouldn't do that.
Rabastan knew his older brother was very strong and that if he swung him with all his strength, an accident could happen. There was no one who made Rabastan feel as safe as Rodolphus did. Soon Rodolphus sat on the swing next to him and they both swung, and Rabastan was impressed by how high Rodolphus could go, laughing, seemingly unafraid of the height.
It was when another family arrived at the playground. Two women accompanied by five children. Rabastan glanced at the two boys who seemed to be his age. One of them seemed intimidated by the place, while the other was already running to go down the slide. The other three children were girls. Two of them seemed to be about the same age as the boys, perhaps just a little older. But the oldest child eyed Rodolphus with calculating eyes. She was his age, certainly, being quite tall and slim. Rodolphus didn't seem to notice, he just kept trying to go higher and higher.
-Look at me, Rabastan! – he shouted, and Rabastan obeyed. His heart seemed to stop for a second when Rodolphus jumped off the swing at its highest point. With his mouth open, he saw his brother seem to fly through the air and land on the sand with agility, without getting hurt. He stood up and looked at his brother with that fun and smug smile, and Rabastan stopped swinging to applaud.
-Wow! – said the boy who had just arrived, from up on the slide – That was awesome! – The boy slid down again and came running, while Rabastan looked at him suspiciously. – How did you do that?
-Sirius! – scolded one of the adults. They were two beautiful women, one blonde with long straight hair and the other with black curly hair. – Don't go talking to strangers, we don't know which families they belong to. – she said, and Rabastan didn't like her tone, but Rodolphus wasn't intimidated and messed up Sirius' hair just like he did with Rabastan's. And that didn't make the boy happy at all.
-Don't worry, madam. We are Lestranges. – he said, and the two women seemed to relax. One of the girls approached, the one with brown hair. The youngest, with platinum hair, gazed at the women, while the older one, with black curly hair, continued to stare at Rodolphus as if assessing him. But up to that moment, the brother had not noticed her. – You must be wizards too.
-Yes. We are Blacks, – said the one called Sirius, and Rodolphus agreed. Rabastan was not allowed to speak to Muggles, but since these were wizards, he saw no reason not to try to fit in. – I want to try jumping like you, from the swing.
-Sirius, try not to hurt yourself. – scolded one of the women, as she sat on the bench next to the blonde lady. The younger girl ran to the older one and whispered something to her, while the third girl, with brown hair, approached the swings.
-I'll try too. – she said with a smile. – My name is Andromeda.
-Rodolphus, at your service. – said Rodolphus, bowing and eliciting giggles from the girl. She crossed her legs and held her skirts, returning the greeting.
-Pleased to meet you. – she replied, and the aforementioned Sirius came towards him.
-Are you going to jump or just watch? – he asked. Rabastan held onto the swing ropes tightly.
-I don't want to jump. But I'm not going to leave the swing. I want to play. – he said, and Sirius gave him a mischievous little smile.
-Is this your brother, Rodolphus? – Sirius asked, and Rodolphus nodded. – It's very annoying to have a cowardly brother. Mine is too. – he laughed, and the little boy, probably his brother, looked at him with teary eyes.
-Don't be cruel, Sirius.
-You're afraid of everything, Regulus! – scolded the other boy, and the said Regulus started to cry, running back to his mother.
-My brother is not a coward! – scolded Rodolphus, frowning, and Rabastan smiled, grateful – Watch your words, boy.
However, Sirius smiled disdainfully.
-If he didn't like the comment, why doesn't he come and say it to my face? – asked the certain Sirius and Rabastan blushed with shame.
-Has the cat got his tongue? – laughed the older girl. She approached with her arms crossed, and only then did Rodolphus seem to notice her. The two exchanged a furious look, and she smiled disdainfully. – There's no doubt that Sirius is a pest. – she laughed, and the said Sirius stuck his tongue out at her. – But if your little brother just wants to warm the bench instead of letting others play, ask him to leave.
She was taller than Rodolphus, and he was quite tall. Rabastan swallowed hard, wondering if they would be expelled, but Rodolphus just smiled disdainfully and approached her to whisper.
-Make me.
-Do you think I can't make you, shorty? – she asked, clenching her fist at Rodolphus.
-Bella, stop it. They got here first. Let the boy play on the swing. – Andromeda pleaded.
-But Sirius wants to play. – said the certain Bella with a drawl.
-As if you care. – grumbled Andromeda.
-And it's not like this perfect gentleman would have the courage to hurt a lady. – Rabastan saw the girl approach. She grabbed his ear and started pulling him off the swing, but soon her brother's hand grabbed her wrist very tightly. She looked at him in surprise, and Rodolphus spoke in a very angry hiss.
-I don't see any lady here. Get lost before I call your mummy. – he growled. But instead of looking scared, the girl smiled, letting go of his ear.
-Can't handle this on your own, by any chance? – she taunted, and Rodolphus smiled.
-Of course, I can. – He pulled her hand forcefully, and she had to step closer to him. – But I think wild little girls like you only behave after a scolding from mummy or daddy.
Bella frowned and pulled her hand away, getting rid of Rodolphus. Rabastan looked from one to the other, not knowing what to do with all of this.
-Push him, Bella! – shouted Sirius as the two adults arrived.
-Sirius Black. Are you picking on Regulus again? – asked the woman who should have been his mother.
-Bella, what are you doing? – asked the blonde woman, and Bella looked from her to Rodolphus.
-Just making friends, Mum. – she said with a cynical smile, and Rodolphus moved away from her to go and push Rabastan on the swing.
There was a moment when Sirius's mother said he was impossible and told him to go and play with his brother on the seesaws. Bella went to keep the blonde girl company on another little bench, while Andromeda played on the other swing.
-Sorry about Bella. She always loves to stir up trouble. – she laughed, and Rodolphus let out a scornful laugh.
-Is she your little hurricane? – he asked.
-They're both my sisters. Bella is the oldest, Narcissa is the youngest. Sirius and Regulus are my cousins. – she said, and Rabastan nodded in agreement. – Do you have any cousins?
-We have two first cousins. – said Rodolphus – But we don't have any contact with them.
-We live together. – Andromeda laughed, looking at Regulus who was desperately asking Sirius to let him down from the top of the seesaw while the boy just laughed and called him a scaredy-cat – Not in the same house, of course, but we always get together on weekends and holidays.
-It must be crazy. – Rodolphus laughed, and Andromeda agreed.
-You have no idea.