✧NOT THAT TYPE OF MISTRESS PT.2✧

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Rabastan couldn't get the words Aria said when she was teaching at Hogwarts out of his, they were on repeat, 'age is just a number.' And he agreed, it was just a number. But the idea didn't sit right with him, Alfred could've been on his way to being a grandfather had he married and procreated.

But instead, Rabastan spent the days mulling over just how infatuated Aria was with Alfred. He was a good man, and he didn't look half bad with his Black family traits.

"Bas, it's your turn." His eyes flickered up and he was left staring at the cards. Mumbling the first word he thought of, leaving McNair to win this round and Avery throwing his cards to the table.

"Merlin, could you bloody focus for one round?" The bloke said crossing his arms and it caused McNair to rub the back of his head. "You don't really believe the rumors, do you?"

"He was half-dressed in her manor, how else am I suppose to take it?" Rabastan shot back, causing his mate to frown.

"You said he took off his coat upstairs, is it that or half-dressed...Now you're just changing up the story." He dwelled, taking a sip from his fire whiskey and grimaced.

"Why don't we figure it out, can just send us to her manor."
"Can't. Her invitation-only elects an injury or 'Bas, and 'Bas got kicked out the last time...Besides, the Dark Lord didn't have any orders to move on her just yet." McNair smirked towards Avery and shrugged.

"Then perhaps you need to be injured." While that seems like a good plan, Rabastan turned back towards Avery. "What do you mean that Dark Lord hasn't given any orders? I didn't know he was interested in Aria?" His two mates remained utterly silent, McNair going so far as to start nawing on his lip to keep quiet.

"Is he?"
"Of fucking course he does, she's on the mist of cracking Dragon pox. He asked us what we knew about her and—"
"And you told him?! You outted her?!" Rabastan had risen to his feet now, looking down to either of them in an utter rage.

Aria was surely in trouble.

"Of course we told him, but like I told Crawford it was better that it was us than you. It left your name out of the association with a half-blood!"
"Why am I just now hearing about this?! When did you talk to Aria?!" Avery pinched the brink of his nose, there was never a time he wished that his friend would just get over the gal.

Because now the times were getting dangerous.

"She came up to me at the party, and the Dark Lord had sought an audience with her. She declined." The explanation left Rabastan in awe. Why hadn't Avery warn him?

Better yet, why didn't Aria talk to him?

"She wasn't hurt...Was she?" McNair snorted.

"Hurt? Merlin, she took out two dozen of the lower tiers, threw a sleeping mist at them and then a bomb! I would've paid money to see it and how she talked to Malfoy." While it sounded wonderful in McNair's mind, it sent Lestrange further of the railings.

"You know, she's safer as Black's mistress."
"Safe?! She's turned into the laughing stock of the—"
"No. She hasn't, the rumors are actually excited that Alfred found someone. And whether you want to believe me right now or not, Aria is going to need him...Owl me, when you stop acting like a fuckin' dumbarse." Avery said, finishing off his own drink before continuing away and out of the room.

Rabastan needed to get to the bottom of this.

"You agree with him, don't you?" It didn't take a genius to know that McNair was torn and didn't want to say his piece.

"Not exactly...It doesn't sound like our business on what Aria wishes to do with her life."
"She's making a mistake." McNair felt just as lost in the conversation as Avery and he stopped his card shuffling to leave it at the table as well.

But he didn't have the stomach to finish his drink, instead he placed it closer to Rabastan...Seemed like he needed it more.

"And you haven't made a mistake that's affected her? This doesn't affect you if she's with Alfred. If anything, he's a sweet fellow. He's not an arse...Can't have a card game with just us, Bas, G'night." And just like that, Rabastan was left with an empty card table and an awful temper that only rose with his brother's taunts.

And the mist of all this, he had missed his mother's frantic planning on a party—He just hoped that his parents weren't shrining on a surprise engagement party on him. Sweet Merlin, he couldn't handle that, he could hardly handle the headrush now.

Even the atmosphere was gruesome, but his mums as proud of her new project and the only way she convinced father of having her own party was to host it to the general public of purebloods.

It seemed the older Rabastan found himself, the more his name was brought up on the invitation list. As there wasn't one single record of a child, and perhaps that was for the better.

Perhaps this party could take his mind off everything, and while he made amends to his mates. It was still tension-filled, though Avery said he would mention if there was any word on Aria's name being passed around in the circle.

"Salzar give me strength, you aren't going to talk to her. Alright? I don't bloody care, I can't take much more of this." Rabastan wasn't sure what Avery was talking about, but as he caught his mate's line of sight—Of course Aria would come with Alfred.

Of course.

It was just his luck.

Rabastan felt his heart tighten, and so his mates dragged him outside for a smoke. And while he was out facing the garden, either of his mates was eyeing her actions.

Where McNair thought it adorable, Avery thought it suspicious. He didn't think Aria was dumb, nothing in the sort.

"She looks tired..." McNair observed, and Rabastan groaned. That was certainly not what he wanted to hear, at all.
"Not that way, gods, she is working remember. She's a rising potion mistress." Rabastan hummed as he took another inhale, he recalled the amount of owls she received—Taunting him with it.

Or that's what he felt it was.

"Hundred Galleons says she's with child within the year—" Rabastan's look only dared Avery to continue speaking. And Avery was living for pissing him off, it was seen as karma for being so damn annoying over Crawford.

"Mate, stop." McNair defused, and Avery simply chuckled and sipped just a tad more—Or would've had he not spat up his drink. "Shite, your brother's taken interest." It wasn't odd, if Aria became a true mistress, it was basically a family position—And at this point, a marriage between Alfred and anyone was better than none.

The Black-line was already on a thin line with just Regulus.

From out on the porch, Rabastan was able to see the interaction of Aria and his brother. But in the midst of their handshake he caught how he leaned in to whisper something—And close to instantly Alfred had disrupted it.

Getting himself in between the eldest Lestrange and Aria herself, but it was clear that Aria wasn't scared.

When she should, she really should.

"The Dark Lord hasn't said anything about her?"
"Not that I've heard...No...I think your brother is just giving her a hard time, though I doubt he's sober enough to recall what your bird looks like." Rabastan sucked in a steady breath, he agreed that his brother was probably already drunk.

And he could see the frown etching on Aria's face as the seconds, all before being led away by her date.

"I need to talk to her."
"Well don't come bloody crying to me when you're pissed off again." Avery finalized, tapping the ash off his cigar and shrugging his shoulders. He wouldn't stop him, not that he ever could.

When Rabastan entered back into the public eye, he straightened his overcoat and ran a hand through his hair as he walked over towards his mother and greeted her a lot of friends.

He earned plenty of comments from the elder witch generation, all claiming how handsome of a bloke he grew up to be. But alas, he continued—Catching Aria right beside Regulus once more.

The two were catching up, and it was a rather adorable sight. Especially when Regulus seemed to be down as of late, course Rabastan couldn't blame him. Grimmauld Place was a nasty place, and now that he was considered an only child.

It only put more pressure on him.

"Aria, Regulus...Funny, I didn't see the two of you walk in." Aria turned over her shoulder and attempted to smile through the pain, but it was clear that she was instantly transported back to their previous argument.

"Considering you smell like a cigar, I doubt you were actually paying attention to who was walking in and when. But a lovely attempt at a segway, I think I'll pass." He hadn't been at all prepared for Aria to be the one to walk away from him, but seeing her return back to Alfred struck a nerve.

"Have a lot of nerve with—"
"And being with someone almost triple her age wasn't meant to strike a nerve with me?" Rabastan without a second thought, and Regulus just stood there mouth gaping.

"Aria's not dating anyone, are you mental?"
"No. What happened to Scamander?" Regulus sighed, stopping his eye from twitching by rubbing his brow.

"He broke up with her, she didn't say more than that...Think it's cause he's traveling now and well—Aria's centered here." While he didn't wish a break up on anyone, nor at the sanction that her heart was broken...But it made sense now, perhaps she wasn't a mistress.

Perhaps she was just having a bit of fun.

"And your uncle?"
"My uncle?... He's great actually, healthy and happy. Mother's relieved, think we were all desperate for some answers and closure. All thanks to Aria."
"So you're alright with what's she's doing?" The young Black nodded without much thought.

"I think it's brilliant, she even said she wished she could go back in time and manage better than she did. My families' very thankful for her." The smile shined brightly to Regulus, it was only that he caught how badly Rabastan was shaking.

"Bas? You alright?"
"What the bloody hell is wrong with you, Merlin, you approve?"
"Of course I approve, I'm more than proud of her." Rabastan scoffed, he couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"And her parents?"
"They know, course it has to be on the secret end of the spectrum. Though I'm sure most of the room has figured out why she's here, right?" Rabastan nodded slowly in agreement, gods he needed a drink.

He needed a drink, a smoke, and a random fuck.
Right this very moment.

"You're looking a little pale mate, do you need some water or—" Bas had taken a direct path to the bar and ordered a fire whiskey. Leaving Regulus just as confused as dealing with Aria's response to Rabastan attempt at being kind.

Granted the last two instances left either in a pit of confusion, but Lestrange couldn't put it past him any longer. Though out of respect he had for Aria, he kept it as dating.

Aria is dating Alfred Blake, she wouldn't accept a pureblood title of mistress.

As the night weighed on, it was clear that Aria did have the respect of the Black family. He had even caught her talking to Narcissa Malfoy, that was probably shocked him the most.

However with most of the Black off and away, he finally caught Aria by her lonesome. Most of the wizards had taken the opportunity to take a cigar break, while Regulus was off with his own mates.

She was open to talk to.

"You've had three glasses of wine, could I possibly get a word in now, Aria?" She perked her lips and hummed. "I suppose, depends what it's about."
"An apology or two...And a general warning." She waved her glass towards him and offered him to speak whatever was on his mind, and thus he inhaled to ready himself.

"I am sorry that I've made a fool of the situation, with Claudette and at your house. Truly love, I thought I understood how you felt. But I didn't know the half of it, that the barrier of blood is still there even if I don't care and you don't."
"Well you're off to a decent start, so I accept the apology...But no more appearing in my manor unannounced." He nodded right away, simply thankful that she accepted his apology.

He hadn't really prepped it and it felt half-arsed, but she accepted and thus—He could breathe easy.

"And this general warning?"
"Well two, I didn't know you were on the Dark Lord radar. I did swear I would look out if your name was passed, but I—"
"I know. I spoke with Avery the last party I attended."
"I did want to ask, were you a Bennet guest for that party?"
"No, Alfred Black invited me...Same for this one. Though this venue is much grander." Rabastan shook his head.

"That's because it isn't a venue, this is Lestrange manor."
"Of course it is, I've stepped right into your realm. But that's probably why the parties' host was excited to meet me." An embarrassed blush crept up without his consent and she smirked.

"I apologies for my walking away, your brother was a bit of an arse and I wasn't rightly in the mood."
"Yeah, Rodolphous has that effect on others." Aria hummed in agreement, but then a soft smile graced her lips.

"I do admit, you look rather handsome this evening—But that might be the wine speaking."
"I'll take any compliment I can salvage from you, love." She rolled her eyes, but after a few moments of people watching...A thought popped into her head.

"Do you recall...That you would always help me if I ask?" His attention had imminently tore off a random couple and back to Aria.

"I believe I said I would do anything you asked, of course in proper reason. Is there something wrong?" Her eyes closed and she squeezed them.

"The Dark Lord...He doesn't take no for an answer, does he?" Rabastan eyed those around him before turning his back to where they were facing. Enclosing the conversation as it was not for the ears of others.

"No...No love, he doesn't."
"And if I agreed, if I became one...What would that mean?" He was a mere few beats from a heart attack at the prospect of this conversation.

"There's a solution, to keep your tasks a bay if you truly want him off your back..."
"Which is?" She turned rather interested, had he thought about this?

What had the Slytherin concocted?

"You marry me."
"For a second there I thought you had a reasonable idea." It was a rude clap back, but that was for getting her hopes up.

"It is reasonable, there are plenty of witches who have the wife mark and aren't entitled to do a single task."
"I think you failed to take into account that I bested an entire room of your fellow cloaked friends with whatever was in my potion's belt and a few defense spells. Do you really think the Dark Lord would accept me as a wife?"

No. He wouldn't. That was the issue.

"No, most likely not. Not when my in-law is such a high rank herself."
"Oh she's bloody insane. I meant to tell you, that's Mrs.Malfoy's sister right?" Rabastan nodded, pointing off in the direction of either.

Now there was a proper face to Bellatrix Lestrange.

Her cousin.

"How's Alfred?" Rabastan dwelled, and Aria smiled. "Good. Better. I still wish he wouldn't smoke as often as he is, but he's gaining improvements much quicker than I first predicted. It's been a blessing." The way Aria's light shined in explaining the medical journey of her uncle made her smile with uncontrollable happiness.

"Does he make you happy then?... I suppose that's what matters."
"He makes me happy? He's hilarious and witty, but Ravenclaws always seem to make conversation with one another." Rabastan gritted his teeth.

"I'm glad you're over Scamander then, age really is just a number. But like Avery's said, it's your choice and I'm not allowed to stick my opinion in what you do."
"Rabast—"
"No. You deserve to be happy, and if you're happy with Black and you're staying safe then maybe it's a better choice than me." She sighed, never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would have to explain this.

"So you believe the rumors..." Now that caught him off guard. "Grand. I am not with Alfred Black you daft dumbarse, he's my patient. I've cracked Dragon pox, he and a handful of people are being administered for the first batches. That's why he was at my manor when you were there, usually I stay with him for a few hours after a dosage to track his temperature and such." Instant regret washed over him, and he finally understood all that Regulus was saying.

He meant it as a patient to care provider relationship, not a mistress.

"The only mistress title I have was earned with two and a half years of hard labor. Sweet fucking goddess above, give me strength." He was wrong, Merlin was he wrong.

He was so wrong that he couldn't even feel the regret, just pure utter embarrassment for being so utterly wrong.

"Ari—"
"No. Don't speak. That pretty mouth of yours gets you into enough trouble. So to suppress my urge to hit you with a chair, I suggest you keep yourself nice and quiet." He dug himself further, he should've listened to his mates.

He should've left well enough alone.

"May I speak now? Or am I stuck in purgatory?"
"Since I've lost my filter and patience, you can do whatever you please. But do you see how you always start a conversation with me address an apology from a previous talk to ending one with making me either angry or upset?" He nodded, a small pout forming on his lips.

"I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted, you've done much worse." He sucked in a breath, that wasn't a good sign.

"I have, and I'm sorry. For past and future mistakes I know I'll make. Feels like I never have a handle on things when you're involved."
"You're human, Rabastan, same as me. Blood doesn't matter, we have feelings for each other but we are so far apart and differing further that it's...how long are we going to hold onto those feelings we had our fifth year?" He swallowed, his heart leaving him with a pain in his chest.

Especially with how fast it was racing.

"If there was ever a chance..." Rabastan attempted, and she let her shoulders fall and took the last sip of her wine.

"Then we'd start over...We'd start over and we wouldn't hide, but that isn't the world we live in. Not when you were punished for a mere dance. Not when a marriage between you and another witch would be chosen by your parents."
"We can get married then, like I said. We get married and my parents wouldn't be able to do anything in retaliation." Aria rolled her eyes at the idea of just eloping without any notice to anyone.

"And your parents disown you?"
"They wouldn't."
"They wouldn't have me killed?"
"Ari—"
"If there's anything I learned, Rabastan, is that something can sound so lovely and great, but it turns out being the most vial and cruel of them all."
"Is that how you see us?" A sad smile appeared on her face as she nodded.

"Do you believe we were ever going to last more than a year?"
"I did, I truly did. But my actions were inexcusable and you were right to slap me some sense into me...Quite literally as well." She hummed, but she was ever so thankful that one of the many waiters had come over with a tray of filled wine glasses.

She surely needed the extra boost while talking to Rabastan. The liquid courage never tasted as good.

"It's what you deserved in the moment...But if you're serious in wanting to try again, then I'll give it some thought and maybe—Maybe, we can try again."
"That's all I'm asking. I know you were thinking about saying yes to my offer on a date, you won't regret it love." She smiled and offered her glass.

"Then here's to a semi-fresh start, Lestrange."
"A fresh start, Crawford." He countered, clicking his glass to hers with a subtle smile.

Little did either know, that Senior Lestrange had caught sight of his son talking with the one witch he explicitly told him not to be seen with.

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NOT THAT TYPE OF MISTRESS has 3 Parts, the last will be posted tomorrow (Hopefully)!

Here's a hint:
Aria reaches her final breaking point in being labeled something she's not😬

Date Posted: 09-27-2020

Time: 10:40

Words: 3588