✧LESTRAN...LESTRANGE?!✧

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Rabastan had fallen in a similar slump, as did his wife. He nor Rory had shown up for breakfast that morning. Even though the children had prepared an apology all night long. Course it was a conversation with Opa, who suggested that they call Regulus on the two-way mirror. 

And thus, they learned the in-betweens:
They learned about Walburga Black.
They learned about Rabastan Lestrange and they learned about Cassiopeia Lestrange nee Black.

Their mother was always a good person who had reached her limit, which Romulus could understand as he too lost his temper at the table.

With the combination of their Opa and uncle's words, they were ready to talk to their parents again.
Only their parents were doing their best to avoid the situation, Aurora hadn't said a word to anyone. Even when she finally made her way into her study after the children went to bed, Orion just watched as she stared at the fire grimly.

She felt like a failure, felt like all her children would outcast both her and Rabastan for what they've done. And what truly saddens her is that the children never took account of the other things that's happened, that Rory worked tooth and nail to provide for the children and give them the type of lifestyle she grew up with.

Not having to worry about funds or anything in the sort, it was why she was so focused on budgeting and providing tips on saving.

She never wanted them to worry about that in their lives.
Then again there were a lot of things she didn't want them to worry about.

She was heading down to the library for a reference on herbs, as she was going to spend some time in the greenhouse as well given she needed to put her hands to some task to distract her.

But of course the children were both in the hallway.

"Mummy!" Imara screamed as she tackled her, and had Rory not been used to her daughter's excessive force, then they surely would've toppled over.

"I'msorrywedidn'tlistenandwedidn'tunderstanding.Butyouweren'tatbreakfestandwewanttoapolgize." Imara had said all in one breath.

But Rory turned to look at both children in confusion. "What?" 

"Mum we wanted to apologize this morning, though I'm sure you and fath—"
"Please don't be mad at us mummy, we didn't mean any of it. Is papa mad at us? I don't want him or you to be mad at us. Is he going to leave again?" Aurora had started to move away from the strains of her daughter's hair as she looked fitfully down to the two.

"No, he's not leaving." The mother whispered, though her voice lacked any all true emotion. Throwing Romulus off his prepared speech, though now it felt as though he needed something more.

"Mum. We are sorry. I knew father was imprisoned, but not for what, and I assumed it was bad mum, but not that bad. And not that you were involved and almost thrown in jail."

"Yeah mum, we weren't spoiled...But we are so used to you protecting us that you're only telling us now because of Hogwarts. Because we're not going to have you around with us so close, and we can't go home every other weekend like Salem. I get why we were in America now."

Silenced reigned in the hallway, but Rory knew Rabastan had yet to get out of bed today. Surely this could've gone better.

"I made the best choice for the family, and perhaps if your father wasn't released you would be attending Ilvermorny. But that is not the case, I don't want to hear another word on that decision. It's final."

The twins nodded, and a quick 'yes mum' followed in unison.

"Is papa in his study?" Imara asked, but their mother shook her head. "It's best you let your father mellow down, he had hoped that it'd go a bit better than it did. When your brother and sisters return I don't want to hear a word of what was discussed."

"Yes mum." Once again, in unison.

"Will he accept our apology?... I said some awful things." Romulus questioned, his hands starting to sweat in anticipation.

"He's more against what the two of you said to me than what was said against him, though I am still disappointed in you both for the lack of respect I was shown." His heart clenched as his question received a much more stern response than Imara had prior.

His mother had never been mad at him. Suppose it was a first time for everything.

"Go find something to occupy yourselves with." She whispered, beginning to move but Imara had simply squeezed tighter. "No! Mummy you're still mad. Please...Please. I'm sorry."

Aurora bent down to meet her daughter's gaze, and with that she unlocked Imara's hands from her waist and held between the two. "I'm not mad, at either of you...I'm simply hurt." 

Hurt.

It was worse than being mad at, and Romulus frowned instantly as his speech hadn't prepared him at all now that he thought about it.

"Can we make it up to you?... To you and father?" Romulus asked, and it resulted in a heavy sigh. "I think it's still best to let your father be, he's used to the hate...But he—He's hurt too." It was an entirely honest notion, especially since the last time she checked on him he was holding back his sobs.

"What does papa like?"
"Lovelies, I am sure by tomorrow he'll be open to whatever apology you give him. But right now it's best that you don't see him, he needs to remember you two are your own persons and you're at the age where your opinions start to make up your own personality. We weren't raised like that, and it's a culture shock to us both. I promise, when he feels up for it I'll tell you. But for right now it's best we all find something else to distract ourselves." Romulus had blinked up to his mother in utter confusion. That was the issue?

Of course it was indeed an issue, Rabastan could've yelled, he could've scared the children to the bloody ends of the earth.
But he hadn't, he took the brute of their anger right beside his wife.

He felt like a failure, an utter failure that he remained under the covers and thought about his other children. How would Lori react?

Would she hate him too?

"Raba?" A voice called out, and he shifted just a smidge before leaning further into his pillow. It was enough of an invitation for her to come in, and not to open the shades as he suspected. But instead she sat on the edge of the bed and started playing with his hair.

"How about we take a bath? I'll wash your hair." He shook his head, his face and entire body just numb of any and all feeling. He knew he was hungry, but what would really settle in his stomach if he tried?

"I was here too...When I found out I was pregnant, I didn't leave my bed until Liz figured out why." Her voice was so soft, and it went fluently with the motion of her hands in his curly locks.

"They want to apologize."
"Why? I'm just what they said I am." Rory perked her lips, stopping her fingers for a single beat and then continued.

"That's not true, it's masked because you were away. Romulus even said that he hadn't realized you were convicted wrongly...I do realize that they are just being open to this world, and I just spoke with them how utterly disappointed I am—"

"Don't. They did nothing wrong."

"No. It doesn't matter what you were-are-or going to be. They do not get to talk to either of us like that. We were children of circumstance, they are the byproduct of that." He nodded, feeling ever so relaxed with her being nearby.

But Rory's coping meant throwing herself into her work, and he wasn't about to distract her from that.

"Daisy, prepare a bath." She called out, and Rabastan let out a small groan into the pillow as he rightly didn't want to get up. "No wallowing, they want to apologize. And I'm proud of you for not losing yourself, I almost had."

"You have more of reason to. I've known the children for just about two months." Giving his hand a small squeeze had she gone into both his closet and hers before placing them into the bathroom and add the bubbles into the rising water.

"Alright, are you going to join me willingly?" She called out, and he blinked at her sadly. So it caused Aurora to whistle in a high to low tune.

"I've dealt with Lori not wanting a bath, only to finally give her one and be completely mud ridden within half an hour of each other...So willing or unwilling?" He remained silent for just a moment before he started to rise up from his position on the bed.

"I feel awful."
"That's called guilt love, it'll pass." She spoke gently tugging him to the bathroom and starting to undo his pajamas. Even if it was closing to one the afternoon.

The tub was warm and inviting, and seeing Rory bare and getting in first to allow him the golden seat only made him feel slightly better.

But the attention and doting from his wife is what made the situation the sliver lighter than it was, or at least made him relaxed to prepare for their apology.

"I do have a bit of good news, if you're up for it."
"Of course, what is it love?"
"The Salem University has finally been approved, we're building a board and gathering professors...It won't be exclusive but it'll be a home for those who want further education than Ilvermorny and Hogwarts even." This reveal had such a positive effect on the man that he reigned in the sudden reminder of how his children ever thought that this witch was as evil as him.

He grew aware of his past in his time in prison, as it was indeed the punishment to relive in regret of the crime.

"That's brilliant kitten." Rabastan tried to sound happier, he truly did. But his own despair only brought a neutral tone to the conversation, though she hadn't mind all that much.

"I promise when your house arrest lifts we'll go to America, perhaps not Salem itself...But to other areas." "Won't the university be in Salem?" "It'll be all around, perhaps one focuses on different subjects. We haven't discussed more than a build-up of a board, it starts with donations and then on." He had hope that Rory would deliver all the promises she'll make in progressing the American education, but it spoke high on how much she's given up in Britain.

She wasn't pushing for a Britain university...Or was she.

"Do you believe that it'll branch here?"
"Salem University? Haven't a clue love, but that'd be grand if we could reach that far...The only issue I'm worried on is how much traveling to and from the states I'd have to be doing." That was indeed an issue, but since Lori was on her way in attending Salem in the coming years...It meant that she would either be leaving Rabastan in the manor by his lonesome or he comes with.

And that meant Regulus was up to being noticed and discovered, thank the goddess they put him under alias all those years ago.

Or else he would've had to do so now, and he would've had lose all his credibility as it was tied to another name.

"I think it'd do you some good to see the world from outside Britain lines. And this will surely take the board and I awhile before anything is tangible." He leaned further into her nude hold and hummed, the proudness radiating off of him was positively burning her soul.

"Where would you have to go? For how long?"
"The next coming meeting will be when I drop off the children at Salem, but I needed to go anyway and talk to my own brewers and settle so incompetent partners. It'll be easy to meet with Crawford and the others then. Perhaps a few days?" He frowned, realizing that he would be home alone without the ability to leave.

"I've already asked for McNair and Avery to come and check on you, and Evelyn."
"Owl me?...If it changes, or just any news?" She leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

"Don't tell me you'll miss me love, and I'm sure Ronan will humor you with owls for the first two weeks. Gods Romulus and Imara wouldn't let up on it."
"What do you mean?"
"Perhaps I was a bit emotional sending them to Salem, our first little munchkins going to school was such a bittersweet moment...And I was slightly afraid that they wouldn't send owls our way, and Romulus promised to do it. What I didn't realize was that both he and Imara teamed up and sent one every day, sometimes twice a day." He chuckled, the water splashing this way and that, the twins were chaotic but in the good way.

"I'm not mad Rory...I want them to be able to express themselves when they're displeased, something I think back to my father and what did to my mother—I don't—I don't want that...Any of that, for us." Aurora agreed with this tenfold, but soon after the two were set the leave the tub, he asked what the plan was for today and she chuckled.

"It's my turn to sulk in bed."
"Absolutely not. You just got me out."
"Then it's a nap." She spoke, already working on getting under the covers, had Rabastan no limits of what magic he could do, he would've apperented them to the gazebo without another word.

But he couldn't and so he wrapped her in his arms and tugged her back to her feet. "Nooo, I'm tired."
"Then let's be tired outside, I'll read so you'll fall asleep." She had been craving the comfort of her bed, but perhaps it was better if she knew Rabastan's voice was nearby?

So she nodded and thus the two walk the given ways to the gazebo and found themselves relaxing, Rabastan had taken the same approach with Aurora in his arms like she had catered to him in the tub.

The witch was asleep by the first three pages.

Her soul was itching to be close to his, they were silently still getting used to one another and this was enacting the healing trait. Which was probably why either of them were so exhausted.

McNair had been the one to check on the two, and he wasn't at all surprised to see the gloom in their eyes—Or just Rabastans, but even in seeing Aurora cling to him while she lightly slept was clear sign that perhaps everything hadn't gone in the way they hoped.

Waldon wasn't planning to talk to the children, he couldn't help but overhear their conversation in the hall. Nor was he prepared to have been caught, then again was it all that surprising?

These were the intelligent and cunning children of Aurora and Rabastan.

"Afternoon Romulus, Imara." He greeted, and although Imara looked slightly weary...Romulus had been the one to respond to the greeting. Though the lad wasn't all that afraid, assertive yes.

But afraid? Not a trace.

"Did mother and father ask you to come and talk to us?"
"No, but I know neither fault you for the reaction you gave. It would worry me if you didn't respond at all. Nothing about that life was normal." Imara had surely been surprised by such an explanation, and so he gave in and decided to try and shed some light to what was confusing to the twins.

Better him than Avery.

"But papa cursed mummy."
"Ah well that I have no excuse for, and Avery and I were just as livid. She reigned hell on earth for him, but then the chaos started...Your father, Avery and I were called for days on end and hadn't returned home in weeks. I wish I could've aided your mother in demanding the arse leave the obsession. But he persisted...And we couldn't find you lot after you left the country." It seems like the cursing was an overall shared hatred on their father's actions.

But leaving for so long?

"I know you both and the rest of your siblings lost your father, and your mother lost her husband...But Avery and I lost our best friend since childhood because of our combined actions. He wouldn't dare harm you—Any of you. And if he does you come directly to me and Evelyn if you cannot manage to speak with your mum." Perhaps that is what the two needed, a gateway to feel safe.

Though there wasn't a world where Waldon suspected Rabastan would lay a finger on any of them.

"Have you forgiven papa?"
"In some areas, though the lot of us never approved of him leaving your mum. Not with a house filled with children, I returned to my wife as she was with child and Elijah was expected to come soon. If I hadn't been so distracted perhaps you and your siblings would've been raised with a father." Imara and Romulus shared a look to one another, it was strangely similar to the one McNair witnessed Aurora and her brothers would have.

Either of them.

"Mum said we can't apologize yet."
"Yes, I hadn't had a chance to get a word in considering she was asleep on your father. But I did hear what you two said." Imara flinched, she hated disappointing those around her, but Romulus remained neutral.

"What your father did tell me, however, is that he didn't want you two to be silent and obedient to what he's done. He was expecting a fair bit of anger, but what he didn't want...Is either of you questioning your mother." Waldon didn't want to make the twins guilty for saying what was on their mind, sure the different comment could've gone differently.

He wouldn't know how to feel if his son wished for a different father, but then again he had been there.

"Why don't you two come with me, sure it'd be better than staying here." 

"Is that alright?" Imara whispered out, and Waldon offered his hand out to Imara and lead her to the fireplace as he took the twins out of the Lestrange manor.

He soon sent his elf saying that he took them to dine away from the tension. One that Rabastan was extremely thankful for the empty house as then it wouldn't cause so much stress on either him or his wife.

But instead of going straight to the McNair manor as the children expected, he was needed to check into his place of work. He was expecting for the two to show some sort of displeasure but they looked generally excited to see a normal job.

"I dunno if I like being considered a normal job."
"Compared to mum's?...Everything's normal to that. Lori's been holding onto the history book of hers because mum's picture is in it." McNair knew exactly what Romulus was talking about, but besides the upbeat conversation, he felt rather proud to pretend that these were his children.

Just for a moment of course, but Rory was always a proper lady and she surely passed to the children. Much to everyone's curiosity on how she kept sane all this time with five children and the announced Americans that helped her.

The twins were so easy to keep after, they were always right beside one another—Even if one's attention was turned elsewhere. Seems as though they might have an extensive knowledge on America and the MACUSA, they held little understanding about their homeland and it's customs and laws.

"Merlin's beard, don't tell me this Elijah and little Rosa." A voice called out, and McNair closed the folder in his hand and held a protective hand on Imara's shoulder as he lead the two closed to Travers.

"No, they're still younglings. This is my best mate's children." Travers looked to either of the children and attempted to remember the last time he saw the Avery children—But then Romulus stepped up.

"Hello, I'm Romulus Lestrange...And this is my sister Imara." Travers had done a double-take to McNair and then back to the children. "Lestran...Lestrange?! Sweet Salzar, about bloody time they've resurfaced. Tell me, is your mum still fit?" The bloke teased, and Romulus looked between the two elder wizards in confusion.

But then he realized it was a flirtatious comment directed to his mother, and he remembered kindly how both Uncle Regulus or Aidan would respond to them.

So the lad crossed his arms over one another and frowned.

"I don't believe my father would like hearing you say that." Nothing beat the eldest son showing distaste to any sort of comment, and Travers wasn't much more than a low tier Death Eater anyhow.

"My apologies young sir, harmless words." Romulus didn't know if it was better to start something or let it pass, never the less he hadn't responded which caused McNair to speak about work matters while Imara turned about to gaze around the ministry.

"I can't picture being at a desk for a career."
"Mum works at a desk when she should be in the labs, where else do you plan to work?"
"Outside."
"And what do you plan to write on? An uneven lot of books?"
"Where I am, it won't be this claustrophobic...I rather take mum's worse brew than this." Romulus rolled his eyes while his nails were still digging at the beginning of his nail.

He absolutely hated when his mum was angry or sad, and now he was the reason for it. Usually it was problems at work or otherworldly demands that didn't involve him but his mum, the guilt was eating him away and he realized that Imara felt the same way.

"Mr.McNair? I don't think we should've left." Romulus said, and the father of two looked between them and sighed.

"I can drop you off at home, but do promise to keep to yourselves. I know it's new and everything being back here and all. Your mother and father are trying to work it all out. You two are the eldest and that means there will be a lot more troubling things to deal with than this."

"More? How could there possibly be more?" Imara breathed, and McNair chuckled at the worse moment as Romulus caught his sister starting to loose her calm nature.

"It was a war, children, and it was difficult to know what was the right side at the time."
"But you were with papa."
"And I didn't say it was the right side, it wasn't...Evie forgave me for all that I've done to her and the position it put my son and daughter in the future." With a new perspective, the twins returned back to the manor though McNair was slightly apprehensive, especially when he left and was interrogated by his wife to hear all that happened.

Yet there wasn't much left to say other than how awful it turned, and it made the parents of two entirely cautious in telling their own children.

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Date Posted: 06-02-2020

Time: 4:20

Words: 3928