lucius malfoy (loucius) wrote in disorderic, @ 2018-03-11 21:29:00 |
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Entry tags: | lucius malfoy, rabastan lestrange |
WHO: Rabastan Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy
WHAT: Talking about sons, long lost and not
WHEN: Backdated to March 5
WHERE: Malfoy Manor GARDENS
There was still a slight chill in the air, but the vegetation in the Malfoys’ garden was viridescent. A bright white peacock strutted across their path, with another peacock trailing a few feet behind. Rabastan stood beneath the shade of a weeping willow, hands shoved in his pocket, a sense of dread brewing in the pit of his stomach. He did not want to have a talk with Lucius — not when said talk would involve Carmichael or Noëlle. Still, he nodded as Lucius approached, his mouth curving into something approaching a smile. “How nice of you to propose a walk in the garden,” he drawled, gesturing to the lush greenery. “It’s almost romantic.” “It’s that time of year,” Lucius remarked, looking around himself. “And a change in scenery might help make this conversation easier.” That, or make it easier for Rabastan to flee. But he wanted to think that it wouldn’t come down to that possibility. “That’s highly unlikely,” Rabastan groused as his gaze drifted to one of the peacocks. “If all else fails, I’ll leave you to the peacocks and seek out Narcissa.” Knowing the Malfoys, though, they would both have serious conversations planned. They could’ve rehearsed together. Rabastan fell in step beside Lucius as the two men strolled down the garden path. “The bigger one seems like it’d be a good conversationalist.” “That one tries to attack you if you get too close, but I suppose you could try.” It had happened to one of their previous gardeners and he had left the grounds with a fairly nasty scar on his nose. Lucius chuckled at the memory before turning his attention back onto Rabastan. “You couldn’t have thought this would be a secret forever.” Rabastan was silent as he considered Lucius’ words. “I thought it would come out on my own terms. Not because Bellatrix decided to stab him with a cursed blade.” With an almost unnoticeable eye roll, Lucius said, “You shouldn’t have let him near Bellatrix with a cursed anything.” It really was a miracle that was all that happened, he thought, but didn’t add. Rabastan had probably thought the same thing already. A shadow passed over Rabastan’s face. “I had no idea she had given him a cursed knife,” he explained, his voice tight. “I certainly had no idea she had approached him about training. They all kept it a secret from me.” The thought disturbed him. If Eddie was willing to approach Bellatrix for training behind his back, what else was was he willing to do? Aware of the shift in the air, Lucius took a few seconds before he proceeded. He didn’t want to guilt him further if he really hadn’t known and he didn’t want to exactly say that it was Bellatrix, so it shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. Surveying the green around him, he settled with, “Isn’t his eventual training what you want for him?” “Of course. But Bellatrix is too…” Rabastan trailed off, unable to settle on the right word. He gave Lucius a sidelong glance as he continued, “He has to want this. I don’t want to rush him — not when he has a vigilante ex-girlfriend tugging him toward the Phoenixes.” He suddenly thanked Salazar that Draco was dating Pansy Parkinson. At least he and Narcissa didn't have to worry about conflicting loyalties like that. Quietly, Lucius asked, "And what if he doesn't want it?" Rabastan lifted an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t he want it?” "For a number of reasons," was the answer, with an added, almost hasty, "I'd imagine." “You’d imagine,” Rabastan repeated, his voice flat. The two men walked in silence for a while, strolling past a small pond dotted with flowering lily beds. “What we’re doing is a great honor, Lucius. You must always keep that in mind.” Lucius tried his best to keep any sign of defensiveness out of his voice when he said, "I do keep that in mind. You know that your son didn't grow up with this. He wouldn't understand immediately." “Perhaps I should take him on some kind of outing,” Rabastan mused, idly stroking his chin. “He needs to witness dark magic first hand.” There was a beat before he changed tack: “How did you ease Draco into all this?” "He's always known about dark magic and how to learn more about it," Lucius said, wanting to stress the differences between the two situations. "But I didn't quite get the chance to ease him into," a slight pause, "being a Death Eater." “True.” Rabastan gave Lucius an inscrutable look. “Still, you must be proud of him.” "Of course I am," he scoffed. There was no doubt about that. "For multiple reasons. He's doing very well in school." “But why is he in school? The Carrows are…” Rabastan trailed off with a disgusted noise. “He could learn much more from Bellatrix.” Lucius turned a quelling look on Rabastan. He couldn't say he preferred the Carrows to Bellatrix, but he couldn't say that he preferred Bellatrix's teaching to whatever they were learning at Hogwarts. "Because Narcissa and I don't believe in cutting his education short," he said instead, "and it's not as if you want your son to learn from Bellatrix either." “I don’t want him to learn from Bellatrix yet,” Rabastan amended. “Draco already has the mark.” "Which means he has time to devote to finishing his schooling." Rabastan gave Lucius a challenging look. “That’s the excuse you’re going to go with?” "It's not an excuse," Lucius said with an eye roll before leading them down a different path. "It's the truth. Your son is already done with Hogwarts. Mine isn't." “But he doesn’t need Hogwarts,” Rabastan insisted. Lucius had to take a deep breath before responding, though he couldn't keep himself from snapping, "That isn't what Narcissa and I think. And it isn't your decision." It was Rabastan’s turn to roll his eyes. “I know it isn’t. It was just a suggestion. But hey, you and Narcissa always know best.” There was a slightly bitter edge to his voice. "When it comes to our son, we do, yes," he replied, picking up his pace just a little. Lucius suddenly wanted to be as far away from Rabastan as possible. Rabastan came to an abrupt halt. He looked almost sheepish as he pretended to inspect a nearby rosebush. “I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. I apologize.” Not expecting an apology from Rabastan, Lucius almost tripped as he came to a stop. With his curiosity barely veiled, he raised an eyebrow at him. "Thank you. It's," he paused, "actually very difficult to make these sorts of decisions with Draco in mind." “I understand.” And it was true: Rabastan had Edasich to think of now. “Draco’s a good kid, Lucius. He’ll be fine no matter what.” Though he wouldn't be admitting it, it did feel reassuring to hear that sentiment shared by someone other than Narcissa. In a way, it bolstered the feeling. "Of course he will. He's a Malfoy," Lucius stated. "And yours will be too. He's still a Lestrange." Rabastan looked mildly uncomfortable as he hummed in agreement. Silence settled between them before he quickly changed topics. “Let’s go burn down a muggle village.” |