✧PROBLEMS IN THE CLOSET✧

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For the next few days, Rabastan refused to think about the traitor wedding that Aria was attending. And it seemed like she had been absent mind on the details being on the fridge out in the open, but in seeing the new dress on the wrack it was clear that she was still going.

Today however, he dropped by slightly unannounced that he scared Wyatt into dropping his tray. "Goddess Bas! Don't do that!"

"I'm sorry mate, I'll call out beforehand yeah?"
"Yeah...Aria's not home though." While he frowned for a moment, Rabastan came over and put together the bowl of...Milk?

"Experimenting?"
"N-no..." The secrets on Wyatt's face was so easy to read that his cheeks started to turn pink.

"Alright, look this way...I can't read your mind like Ari. If you're hiding something from her it can stay between us if it's not dangerous, harmful or illegal under her rules. Deal?"
"Jacob said I can't keep secrets to save my life, fine. In my room though." He grumbled but hurried up the stairs anyhow.

And while it did seem a little confusing, the sudden case of mews caught Rabastan's attention instantly. "Is that...?"
"An Alley cat, I don't have a name for her yet. Jacob and I found her a few days ago and I haven't told Ari."
"You keep her in the closet?"
"Ari's just going to say I have to bring her to a shelter." He said with a pout, and Rabastan sighed.

"Would it be better to say I've gotten her a kitten?" Wyatt shook his head and hugged the unnamed kitten tighter.

"No, I have to tell her eventually." And it was then that Aria leaned against the wall and frowned at the scene before her. "Tell me what?"

Goddess, it had never been that fulfilling to see two wizards jump and almost duck for cover at her voice.

However the second Aria had spotted the kitten her face had turned soft, she bent down to the little fellow—And perhaps it was stress with the added bonus of a witch's favorite time of the night, but the emotional range of her at the moment caused her to sniffle.

"She's so cute...What's her name?" Aria asked and Wyatt frowned. "I haven't named her yet. You're not mad?"
"Oh I am believably angry, you're grounded for the weekend because you kept this adorable lil kitten in the closet when she needs to visit the vet and proper kitten food." Rabastan just assumed that Aria just had the touch that all animals were attracted to, but then her finger pointed in his direction.

"You're lucky I can't ground you too, Lestrange."
"Oi I just learned about this." Her eyes narrowed and she turned out of the room and hurried down the stairs to call and make an appointment, so when Rabastan followed and she was talking to nobody it confused him greatly.

"It's a phone Lestrange, it's like using the floo network but more direct...What's that?"
"Kitten food, sounds like the lad had everything the lil thing needed...Are you really going to ground him?" Aria nodded and then turned back to make sure the kitten was alright herself.

"Aria, really...He didn't want to—"
"Rabastan, it isn't a matter of him not telling me about the kitten, I don't expect you to understand but if he thinks it's okay to hide this, what else is he going to hide in the future? He knows what he was doing and if he just came and told me himself then he wouldn't have gotten in trouble." Lestrange stood there almost dumbfounded, and while he gawked for the first moment, it turned up to a pleasant smile.

"Sounding like a real mum every day."
"He's a growing lad." She stated, but he knew she was smiling brightly inside at the comment. Her method of parenting was flawless, Wyatt will assume that he could get away with hiding anything, and while it doesn't sound like a Hufflepuff trait, Aria didn't want it to start.

Opal...As the feline's name had been decided, had taken a liking to Loki an Omen. And the color shades between the three animals had been unmatched, unless Ghost was held in account as well.

Currently, Aria was under a lie for Rabastan, saying that she was having a meeting out of town and that Wyatt would be over Jacob's house. When realistically she was helping the Potter's wedding and in attendance to it, did she feel bad in lying?

No.

Because whether or not she believed in one side or the other, she favored the Potters just as much or more than Rabastan. If she was accepting of his Death Eater persona he had to show the acceptance that she was not going to put in the consideration of who she could and couldn't be friends with.

And while it was a joyous occasion, it was soon overrun with destruction and chaos. Sirius made quick work of trying to protect his sister and Wyatt, but he had been a prime target.

The report of Aria in attendance would confirm her side—So while Aria was trying to defend and deflect all she could, even going as far as to order Wyatt to find a closet to hide in. The sudden cornering of two Death Eaters caused her to panic.

Leaving Rabastan to absolutely hate himself as he disarmed her and locked her in a tight hug, only to disappear away.

The two fell onto the dirt path, just outside the church...Or that's what Aria assumed anyway. But back at the mater at hand, she was currently wandless—though that wasn't a first, instead she went directly to the dagger in her stockings and swiped it out.

"Aria wait!" The Death Eater shouted, and that simple phrase and voice caused her to halt her next attack. Seeing her absolutely suicidal in an attack against an armed wizard was more than a surprise, it was absolutely insane!

"R-Rabastan?" She ushered out, it was then her took off the ugly metal mask and drew back his hood. The look of utter disappointment rallied, and it was then he finally took in her appearance.

The bruised cheek, the cut lip...He attempted to come forward but she instantly took the step back.

"Y-You volunteered?!" Aria gasped, and Rabastan shook his head. "Love I...I only volunteered because I knew you'd be here, it was either you duel me or someone else and I—Ari—"

"Don't. You stay right there, you bloody arsehole! How could I have been so stupid to believe it, to believe that everything between us wouldn't change? But clearly you seem to fit right in with them!" She said with a scoff in the direction he was in, as though he could defend himself.

"Aria...Please."
"Please what? The next thing I'll know you'll take me to the Dark Lord, I trusted you! I let you into my home!" Rabastan shook his head, realizing that he was breaking her heart all over again.

Which he responded by throwing both his and her wands to her feet. "I have to follow orders Aria...It isn't a choice, it's who he wants to be there. And goddess love, the absolute last thing I would want is for you to get hurt." It was painful to cry, it was clear that she had gotten some damage as her body started to wobble—and his heart broke further.

"Something hurts..." Perhaps it was the adrenaline, he didn't hesitate to catch as they both fell to floor, Rabastan grabbed his wand to run a diagnostic over her, and sure enough...She got nicked by a nasty curse. 

In looking at the venue he bloody prayed that Avery and McNair were true to their word. If anything happened to Wyatt, Rabastan might as well drown himself in Ghost's lake downstairs.

When arriving at her manor, he hurried upstairs and ripped her out of the dress. What she needed was to soak in a warm bath, and while he struggled with getting the gifted tonic from Avery and his brewer—He generously put the drops into the water and tried his best to keep her body from falling any further to the water where she couldn't breathe.

"Bloody fuck—Rose!" He shouted out, and the Elf only took a moment before popping into the cramped bathroom with him. 

"Make sure Aria stays in here, she's hurt." The panic of the order passed through to the servant, and it was perfect timing as the chaos erupting downstairs with the addition of a barking dog caused him to groan.

"And silence the house from her neighbors."
"Yes master." The little fellow said, snapping its boney fingers to make sure all the orders had been followed.

The yelling of either Wyatt and Avery caused Rabastan to rush down the final steps. "Let him go Avery."
"Let him go?! He clocked me in the bloody nose!" Seeing the blood from his mate's nose would've been hilarious any other time, but the pure panic that Wyatt was having basically dug Rabastan further into the pit.

"You saw the invitation on the fridge, didn't you?!" Rabastan wouldn't have been surprised if Aria had called him out, but the Hufflepuff managing it?

Damn. An extra foot was just dug in his grave.

"Wyatt, I have an obligation to follow. I didn't mean for you or Aria to get hurt."
"Where is she?!" 

"She's upstairs soaking in a bath with tonics...She'll be alright." The hufflepuff didn't hesitate to glare off to the three Slytherin's in the house all before taking off upstairs.

And thus Rabastan turned with his arms crossed over his chest, clear blame ready to be thrown.

"Oi, I did exactly what you wanted. Got the lad out and brought him here, but you didn't mention the fact that the Hufflepuff would attack me!"
"Fight or flight, is she really okay?" McNair interrupted, shedding off his cloak and dragging his hands down his face.

"She got nicked by something, couldn't finish yelling at me before—"
"And I'm not going to be here when she wakes up, fucking Merlin himself wouldn't be stupid enough to wait for it 'Bas. Goodnight." And thus, the wizard had taken the floo out of the manor and leaving either Rabastan and McNair to look to one another.

"Do you think she'll hold a grudge?... We did come and try to protect her and the boy."
"But that's her son, and she'll only see we were there to cause terror. Fuck. I should've warned her."
"She could've asked too...she might not be in the Order but those are all Order members there, it was a prime location for an attack. Even if they put false trails. She can't play both sides 'Bas, she's a Black daughter." Rabastan soaked up these points for later, it wasn't long before Rose came downstairs and said she dressed Aria for bed.

"Best get something for the lad to eat."
"I cook for Sweet young mistress?" McNair smirked at Rabastan, of course his mate's damn Elf would be just as infatuated if not worse.

"How screwed do you think we are?" McNair questioned, and Rabastan could hardly differentiate the possibility between Aria being upset or betrayed...He promised her, didn't he?

He was going to be safe and he was going ensure her safety. He failed.

"I'd say you're about as screwed as bolt...Evening lads, now where is my niece?" Either Lestrange and McNair flinched at the question being answered, but it was even worse in seeing Alfred Black standing right in front of the fireplace with a face almost worse as Orion.

"Sir, I swear...I did my best to get her out of there as quickly as I could."
"Is she still being targeted by the Dark Lord to join?" The lack of response dictated the answer and the elder wizard nodded along.

"I'll talk to her Rabastan, she's not from our world...Obligations is what brought her away from us and well—Your track record isn't the best."
"You'll help me?" To say the young lads had been shocked as to what he was hearing.

"You might not recall the majority of your childhood, but you hardly wanted Rory to climb a tree because you thought it was too high. I'm holding you in the same regard as not wanting her get hurt the same way from then to now. Just the odds are higher, and she's not trying to climb a tree." A smile started to slowly trickle on Rabastan face, but Alfred needed to shoot down any final thoughts on the two being friends.

"Besides...If she gets hurt under your watch then it's me and my brother you're answering to...Understood?"
"Yes sir!" Even McNair had felt the order run through his system, however when Alfred took the liberty to go upstairs and check on her...

Rabastan realized that the only person that would've known was Wyatt, and so the Slytherin awaited patiently downstairs—Hoping—Waiting that there was some improvement.

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Date Posted: 11-11-2020

Time: 12:26

Words: 2199