An Offer You Can't Refuse [Rabastan]

It had been nearly a week since the incident. Rabastan spent that time laying low, but enjoying the general feeling of fear that seemed to have spread through the school. Finally people were starting to look at him how they should. It wasn’t as though nobody feared him before, but now they positively avoided him, and the rest of the likely suspects.

It was his face, he realised, which assisted in landing him this response. People were terrified for their lives anyway, with what happened to Gamp, but his appearance was notably more frightening than usual. Rab still had scars and blisters on his skin from the fire. Sirius had burned his flesh off quite skilfully in an attempt to unmask him. Of course, when Rabastan returned from Malfoy Manor he subjected some of his peers to a similar fate. At least that way his scars wouldn’t betray his name. It wouldn’t do to be caught out just yet, particularly with Black and Potter and the rest snooping around for news of Gamp.

Although they did concern him, they were low on his current list of problems. The Dark Lord wasn’t happy. He wasn’t sure yet who was in the frame for responsibility. Lucius had organised it, he had put Rabastan in charge and it was Amycus who had taken the life. In all fairness, Rab had lost control. He knew Carrow wasn’t stable and knowing his possessive nature over Alecto, Rab goaded him anyway. The moment he had turned to see him stab the blade into Gamp’s neck had made his stomach jump. He didn’t care for the girl, didn’t even care what happened to the school – but the Dark Lord was formidable; angering him could ruin his reputation, and he had failed in the explicit instruction to keep her alive. So whilst everyone else feared him, he feared for himself. All he wanted was to maintain the power of his family name as impressively as his brother did, this had been his opportunity to prove himself and he failed. If he had to suffer for that, so be it.

Rab had spent the day going through the usually monotonous motions of Hogwarts life. Wake, class, eat, bed. Nothing to draw suspicion. When someone called his name in the corridor, and he didn’t immediately recognise the voice, he half expected it to be someone prying for information. A professor, a Gryffindor, maybe even another Death Eater come to scald him. He didn’t expect to see Alice.

With all that was happening, he hadn’t really thought of Wyman. That night she had been on his mind, perhaps he should blame her for his recklessness. Their kiss was ill-advised, but it had also been too short lived and left him feeling worse somehow. It almost lead him to a different kind of attack on Gamp, which in hindsight would have been a kinder fate for her.

Rabastan was surprised to say the least that she had sought him out. He was almost certain what happened after their encounter at the party would cause her to never seek him out again. But he had been continuously surprised by her blind courage, or stupidity, born from some strange fascination. Any other Gryffindor he may have shunned, but she hadn’t fled from dark magic and she was after all from another pureblood family. Rabastan was suspicious, but he didn’t think it completely impossible that she may be legitimate.

“And what offer would that be?” he probed, a cold grin pulling across his face. He stopped in his tracks, turning to face her without bridging the gap between them. He couldn’t work out if it was fear or fascination that brought her here, but she didn’t look the type to want to start torturing mudbloods. “You seemed pretty happy to be in with your Gryffindor royalty last week, what’s changed?”

Rabastan couldn’t help but find it entertaining that she still sought him out. She looked so uncertain, far more on edge than she had in their first encounter. He couldn’t help but find her intrigue strangely comical at this stage. But as he faintly began to realise she had come to him deadly serious, he was less amused. They were after all in a perfectly public not so secluded area of the castle, open to any prying eyes and ears at a time when many were wandering back and forth from the great hall. She may disregard her safety seeking him out, but he still treasured his secrecy.

Grabbing her arm, Rab pulled her into one of the classrooms they stood beside, long empty out of class hours, and flicked the door locked with his wand. This felt familiar. Though even in his irritation he felt certain it would end far better. It couldn’t end much worse, anyway. He pushed her against one of the walls, his expression far more serious.

“Not stupid, so much as subtle. If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not incriminate myself further in the Gamp affair by shouting about my allegiance in corridors.”

Rab backed off her a tad, eyeing up her expression to weigh how serious she was. Of course he could offer her protection; he was the threat after all. He may not have the authority he wished, may even be in for a severe demotion in the Dark Lord’s estimations, but he knew that a young pureblood recruit would always be one wand more for them, and one less for the old headmaster.

“Of course I meant it,” he said obviously, “The question was always your willingness to be the snake amongst the lions.” He still wasn’t entirely convinced, but he could see why Gamp’s death would shock most into choosing their sides. Her torture was meant for that very reason after all.

“The Dark Lord protects those who swear their loyalty. You need only offer your allegiance, support his cause when the time comes.” Rab tapped his wrist in indication. “If you join us, he could offer you more than you could ever imagine. Refuse, and I can’t promise you yourself won’t be next.”