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A Winter's Reprieve	By : enchanted_nightingale Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 12790 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters from them and I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Author: enchanted nightingale

Beta Reader: pussycatadamah

Disclaimer: The characters from Harry Potter books do not belong to me. I merely use them in my plot for fun.

Return to Dark

August 28th, Malfoy Manor

Rabastan could hear that awfully familiar cackle that made every hair on his body stand to attention and the need to turn in the opposite direction was too tempting. His older brother placed a hand on his shoulder.

"If I have to go in there little brother then so do you," Rodolphus hissed in his ear.

"She's your wife."

"Exactly! I'm tortured more than enough. I need support."

Rabastan sneered. "Can I offer you a hug?" He received a soft slap in the back of his head.

"Don't be a smartass," Rodolphus told him and promptly pulled him inside the tea room where his 'darling' wife, her sister, his brother in law and his nephew were all gathered.

Rabastan observed his cousins and nephew. They were unchanged mostly, though Draco had gained height. The wizard noticed absently that he was taller than his Harry and much paler. Then he realized how dangerous his thoughts were and pushed them to the back of his mind. This was really not the time to have the green eyed wizard in his thoughts.

"Rodolphus!" the insane witch exclaimed and sauntered over to her husband.

Her bony arms embraced Rabastan's brother, who stayed still, only partly returning her hug. "Bella," he acknowledged.

Then Bellatrix let him go and focused on Rabastan. "Don't even think of hugging me," Rabastan hissed at her and took a step back and away from her.

"Poor baby is all shy?" she cooed.

She reached over and Rabastan pulled his wand on her. "Keep those claws away." She always made him feel a chill. Even before Azkaban she was not exactly sane. That madness was what made him despise her. And he would never understand why his family allowed his brother to marry her and taint their blood with her disease. The Black family had a known history of mental instability. Rabastan's only consolation was that she and his brother had yet to have children.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at him. Rabastan tried to ignore her. She always had the habit of trying to rile him up. She got a kick from it. When she was newlywed to his brother she used to tease him about how reserved he was. During their days with Voldemort she found other ways to annoy him, questioning his logic, his skills, his loyalty. The Dark Lord had never once paid her any mind though, for that Rabastan was grateful. And neither did the rest of the Death Eaters. Most feared the witch. Those who did not usually ignored her, balancing between pity and loathing for the woman.

"Bella," Rodolphus warned. "Stop this or I will make you stop." and the wizard meant it. He was not above hexing her to get his point across. Reason did not work with her.

"Tea Rabastan?" Narcissa offered.

"Or something stronger?" Lucius countered.

The wizard had to consider it. "Brandy would be nice."

The hostess called for a house elf. Rabastan then sat on a couch as far from his sister in law as possible.

"Uncle," Draco came to Rabastan's side. "How wasParis? I have not been there for years."

"It was the same," he replied. Taking a sip from his drink he allowed himself to fall into polite chatter. He would need the warm up if he were to socialize in this circle again.

August 29th, Malfoy Manor

Rabastan burrowed into the soft covers, turning onto his stomach. Subconsciously he knew the sun had risen for a while and breakfast had already been brought into the room by one of the numerous Malfoy House elves. Even the smell of freshly brewed coffee was not enough to make the wizard move from his spot on the bed. He simply lay there, eyes closed; trying to remember what it would feel not to sleep alone at night. He felt pathetic for having these thoughts and his mood worsened.

He was ready to fall asleep again when his brother entered the room.

"Rise and shine brighter than a Lumos spell," Rodolphus said to him in a loud voice.

"Go away," Rabastan grunted.

"I cannot," Rodolphus replied as he inspected the tray. He snagged a croissant from a plate and took a bite. "I still cannot get enough of House elf cooking. Azkaban made me appreciate the simple things in life. A good meal, a good dish, a fine shag."

Rabastan groaned in misery. "Go away?"

"Now what brother would I be if I did not give you an incentive to get out of bed?"

Before Rabastan could react a well placed stinging hex hit him full force and he was out of his bed before the spell ended. Wand in hand he hexed his brother back, but Rodolphus erected a shield and smirked at the younger wizard.

"Sleeping until noon is really not like you, brother. So unless you actually like pining away in the dark like a bloody Hufflepuff get a grip."

Rabastan winced and rubbed his arm where the hex had made contact. "Do not compare me with those cowards."

Rodolphus spelled the curtains to part and let the light in and then the balcony doors opened to let the fresh air hit them. "Eat. You are impossible to handle on an empty stomach."

"I'm not twelve anymore."

"But you have not matured either," Rodolphus responded.

Rabastan agreed since he was hungry. His older brother let him alone for a while content to watching him like a cobra ready to strike. When Rabastan had enough to eat he took his coffee in his hands. He barely took a sip when the quiet broke.

"Who was it?" Rodolphus demanded.

Rabastan considered playing the fool but his brother knew him too well for that to be believable.

"Was it the same one that left your bed in that state?" Rodolphus asked him.

"Yes," Rabastan replied.

"That was short. I thought I would have to torture you at least a bit," his brother commented. Rodolphus was thoughtful. "Was she any good?"

"If you absolutely have to know, 'he' was amazing."

A short pause and then, "You are gay?" Rodolphus asked. "Or was it a onetime thing?"

"I don't have any preference," Rabastan replied.

"I sense a 'but'," Rodolphus smirked. "What despicable act did you commit?"

Rabastan's mind registered the question and had trouble answering. Which one was worse? Sleeping with Harry Potter or sleeping with a minor?

"Oho, you certainly took your time to answer," Rodolphus gleefully commented.

"You're worse than a bloody hound after blood."

"Stop with the compliments and answer."

The younger man sighed. "I… he was a minor."

Rodolphus blinked. "That's it?"

"Yes."

"Let me get this right, you are an escaped prisoner from Azkaban no less, committed despicable crimes under your guise as a Death Eater, including multiple murders and extensive torture, and you worry about fucking a minor?" Rodolphus explained. He paused. "How old exactly? You are not into kids, are you?"

"No! Morgana, no! Just he and he did not look like a minor at the time. I thought he was seventeen…but it turned out he was not."

Rodolphus signalled him to continue.

"He's over fifteen."

"How much older?"

"A month."

Rodolphus laughed. "You my dear little brother are a delight!"

"You actually think this is funny?" Rabastan asked him.

"Oh, yes! This is absolutely precious. I think I might even manage a 'Patronus' now!"

Rabastan hid his face in his palms. He just knew he would not live this conversation down, ever.

August 30th, Malfoy Manor

"Good morning uncle," Draco greeted Rabastan when the second joined the family for breakfast that morning.

"Yes, good morning dear brother," Rodolphus spoke up. "Doesn't our dear nephew look ravishing today?"

Rabastan promptly turned around and left the room leaving the Malfoys staring at the door.

"What was that about?" Draco asked Rodolphus, but the man was too busy laughing to answer.

"Was Rabastan blushing?" Narcissa asked no one in particular.

Rabastan entered the office and immediately spotted his brother sniggering in a corner. Lucius was working at his desk and looked up at the disturbance. Rabastan took one look at Rodolphus' gleeful face, turned around and left.

Rodolphus caught sight of his brother in a hallway and smirked when Rabastan saw him and hurried away from him.

"This is just so much fun," Rodolphus muttered to himself.

Rabastan was relieved when at dinner his brother was not in the dining hall. The three Malfoys saw him and Rabastan just knew they were studying him.

"Good evening," he greeted everyone.

He was seated when Lucius cleared his throat. Rabastan suppressed an unseemly groan and turned his attention to the blond man.

"Yes?" Rabastan inquired.

"What in Merlin's name is going on with you and your brother today?" Lucius demanded.

"It is personal," Rabastan replied.

"How personal?" Lucius asked.

"Unless you have done something we do not know, we do not have that many secrets in this family," Narcissa reasoned.

"And Aunt Bella is not here," Draco added.

"I would really rather not say," Rabastan told them.

Just then Rodolphus entered the room. "I apologize for my tardiness; I was finishing writing my letter. So, brother of mine, robbed any cradles lately?"

Narcissa and Lucius stared at Rabastan strangely while Draco contemplated the meaning of Rodolphus' comment.

"Will you stop that?" Rabastan was annoyed at his older brother.

"I am merely poking fun at you; I have to spend my time somehow. Our Lord has yet to send me on any missions," Rodolphus explained. "But if you feel so bad about it why did you do it in the first place?"

"My conscience is my own," Rabastan replied. "I really do not need you making things worse."

"Can you please explain to me what is going on?" Draco asked them.

"Your uncle here had a fling with a boy your age," Rodolphus happily informed the teen.

All three Malfoys were quite surprised at this.

"Weren't you dating Imogene Greengrass at some point?" Narcissa asked Rabastan.

"I actually remember you for a short time with Regulus Black," Lucius commented.

"Imogene was a leech and Regulus was a good friend," Rabastan replied.

"And my peer?" Draco asked.

"Well, he looked a lot taller in those clothes, the place was dark and we both had a few drinks more than we ought to," Rabastan informed them. "Now can we please change the subject?"

"Of course," Lucius told him, but his grey eyes were sparkling with mischief and smugness. "And as I hardly see you as a paedophile I imagine the youth was special?"

'If only you knew how much,' Rabastan thought darkly.

Narcissa, as if she read his thoughts smiled and said, "Then we simply have to meet him."

"Impossible," Rabastan replied.

"Of course, schools are starting on September first," Lucius teased, joining Rodolphus in teasing the younger adult.

"You two are impossible," Rabastan accused.

Lucius and Rodolphus smirked at him and before they knew it two jets of light hit them, making boils break out on their skin.

Draco and Narcissa were quick to dodge out of the room for the duration Rabastan vented his frustration on the other two unfortunate wizards.

"It's like that dinner party with Bella all over," Narcissa sighed. "Tilly! Shield the china or I flay you!"

Draco shook his head at the behaviour of his family members. "I'm Flooing to Blaise's house."

Two hours later Severus Snape was called to Malfoy Manor by Narcissa herself to aid the three errant males.

"I don't want to know," Severus said as soon as he entered the room and saw the disaster. "Now, was anyone hit with the 'Cruciatus' or a cutting curse?"

All three men raised a hand.

The Potions Master sighed and got to work.

September 1st

Rabastan blew on his hot coffee as he watched the Malfoys have breakfast. His nephew was returning to school that morning and that would be one less person to keep Bellatrix away from him.

It also meant that Harry was going back to that castle.

'Don't think of him', the wizard mentally berated his errant mind.

"Everything alright brother?" Rodolphus asked.

Rabastan nodded while he strengthened his Occlumency shields. He doubted his brother would try but he wanted to be certain.

"You have been more pensive since you returned from France," Lucius observed over his tea cup. "And your habits are different. For instance, I do not remember you drinking coffee before this summer."

Rabastan froze in his seat. He was not that different, was he?

"People change," Rodolphus commented. "I remember you my friend with your hair short. You were thinking of dying it black with green stripes?"

Draco stared at his father. "You are kidding!"

"No," Narcissa smiled. "I remember that time."

Lucius sighed. "Father averted that disaster, which I'm thankful for today."

"Pity," Rabastan commented. "I would have liked to have seen pictures."

Lucius threw a glare at him.

"Where is Aunt Bella?" Draco asked.

"She went to the Riddle house early in the morning," Rodolphus replied.

"Hence the quiet," his brother muttered.

"You know," Lucius spoke up. "You could stop antagonizing her."

"Lucius my friend, Bellatrix and I have a special relationship, we hate each other's guts," Rabastan said with a dark smile on his face. "You cannot possibly ask me to pass up the opportunity to annoy her. Our Lord has explicitly prohibited us from using curses and the Unforgivable Curses against each other. So I will enjoy the small mercies I have."

Rodolphus snorted. "After the last time you started cursing each other and two Death Eaters died while another lost an arm? I see why he would do that."

Rabastan shrugged. "It was fun while it lasted."

The silence that followed was awkward.

"And they say my family has problems," Narcissa commented. "Anyway, hurry up Draco. We need to get to the station early."

"Are you coming father?" the teen asked.

"Of course. Are your trunks ready?" Lucius asked.

"Yes. And Blaise will be Flooing here soon."

"I know," Narcissa commented. "His mother wrote me."

"I can't wait to have Quidditch season start," Draco commented. "This year Potter will see my dust." Nobody noticed Rabastan freeze and Draco was busy patting the corners of his mouth with a napkin. "May I be excused?"

"Of course," Lucius told him. Once his son was well out of hearing range he commented. "The day my son beats that brat is the day I like Dumbledore."

Rodolphus was surprised. "Shouldn't you support your son, your flesh and blood and all that?"

Lucius scoffed. "I'm all about supporting family but I'm also a realist and a Quidditch fan and former captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. Potter might be a pain in our butts but that boy can fly like the best of them. Though I will deny telling you this if my son or anyone else ever asks."

"That good?" the eldest Lestrange brother commented.

"You'll know only when you see him fly," Lucius replied.

Narcissa shook her head at them when they started discussing sports. "If you will excuse me I must see to my son."

Rabastan watched her leave, the other two engrossed in their discussion. He had to do something if his Harry's name kept popping up in conversations. His mind was preoccupied when he felt a sharp burn on his left forearm. A quick look at Rodolphus and Lucius confirmed the Call.

"Our robes and masks are in the antechamber," Lucius informed the two men.

Rabastan followed with a feeling of dulled horror. He had not been Called since he left forFrance. While no one knew the identity of his lover he still feared for his fate.

With the air of a doomed man Rabastan got ready for the Death Eater meeting.

"Get your mind together," Rodolphus needlessly reminded his brother.

"Lately his moods vary from bad to worse," Lucius offered as they wore the dark robes.

"Thankfully none of us have done something to annoy him," Rodolphus stated while placing the bone white mask on his face.

Rabastan closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath, mask firm in place. "Right."

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A Winter's Reprieve