is it complicated ... when someone wants you so much they kidnap you and your friends? (yeah, it's complicated)

Tom Riddle (Voldemort):

Fenrir Greyback (closest I could find that I imagined him as, but with silver hair instead of black):

Rodolphus Lestrange:

is it complicated ... when someone wants you so much they kidnap you and your friends? (yeah, it's complicated)

Chapter 4

Previously on is it complicated ... when someone wants you so much they kidnap you and your friends? (yeah, it's complicated):

“So Walburga did this? Hurt Ditsy?”

“Yes, she did, Basty. But there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Like hell there’s nothing—”

“Rabastan.” Rodolphus warned, the male slumping.

“Fine, fine.” Rabastan’s eyes go to Kreacher. “So what’s he doing here?”

“I’ll explain at diner. I think the Dark Lord might want to here this as well.” Rabastan nodded, standing and collecting Ditsy into his arms. “Hey, no, I’ll take him, you continue what you were doing.” Rabastan hesitated, glancing down at the elf before sighing and depositing Ditsy into his brothers arms gently. Rodolphus exited the room, sending a pointed look to Evan that had him glancing at Kreacher and nodding. They both knew why Kreacher was there and both of them were wary on things that the elf would learn before they could sever the bond between the elf and Walburga.

He laid Ditsy into his own bed and placed the covers over the young elf before exiting the room and shutting it softly. He’s walking down the hall when he gets tugged into a spare room, the door clicking shut behind him and whoever had grabbed him.

He turns and squints through the dark, frowning.

“We need to talk.”

There’s the click of the fire roaring to life and candles before lighted and in the sudden light, Sirius stares defiantly up at him.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. They simply just stared at each other. Sirius was just glaring at him, his jaw tight and tense, highlighting the muscle in his cheek. Rodolphus however was just running his eyes over Sirius’s face; being so close to him now he was able to and wasn’t watching him from afar, his features were much harsher than the smiling expressions he’d give his friends. Though he could see the softer features on his face, his button nose and plumper lips. Full cheeks and sloped forehead.

Finally, it registered that Sirius was standing in front of him and he jumped into action, shaking himself out of the allure of Sirius. “S-Sirius, you’re … um, here. Right now, um, well … right.” He glanced around the room and walked over to the sofa in the middle of the room. He brushed off some dust before registering the fact that he was a wizard and grabbed his wand, cleaning the rest of the room. He sent a glance at Sirius to see him watching him with an arched brow, a smirk on his lips.

Sirius walked over to the armchair sat on the opposite side of the sofa Rodolphus was sitting on, collapsing elegantly down into it. Rodolphus cleared his throat, calling for Mippy, who glanced between the two of them, feeling the tense air. She popped out with saying anything and then came back two minutes later, snapping her fingers. A tea sat in front of Rodolphus alongst with a butterbear in front of Sirius, who looked surprise, grabbing the cup with a wary glance at the former.

Rodolphus pretended not to see it, glancing at Mippy when she patted his hand. Then she popped away, a smile on her face. Clearing his throat once more, he took a sip of his tea, sighing softly as he relaxed back into the sofa. “You said we … needed to talk?” Rodolphus said, glancing at Sirius, who narrowed his eyes back at him.

“Yes, I did. I assume you went to see Lord Lestrange in Lestrange Manor?” Sirius asked, pursing his lips.

“I … yes, after work, I went to see my father. He wanted to … well, you’re my betrothed, I have feelings for you.” He shrugged a little, seeing the way Sirius went pink, eyes widening as they darted down to his mug of butterbeer. “He wanted to know if you arrived to Slytherin Manor safely.” Rodolphus explained.

“And Kreacher? Where did he come into it?”

Rodolphus sighed, placing the cup of tea on the table in front of him before turning to face Sirius. “I think I’ll need to start at the beginning.”

“You do that.” Sirius snorted. Rodolphus pursed his lips to hold in a laugh.

Sirius was just … so unashamed to be himself and that was what had drawn Rodolphus to him in the first place. He didn’t want a stuffy wife that he had to pretend to love and had to pretend to be someone else with when he could have Sirius. He wanted someone who wouldn’t be ashamed to argue with him and wouldn’t shy away of showing their affection in public like most pureblood marriages were like. Rodolphus wanted a marriage like his parents—they’d been so in love with each other.

“Okay, okay.” Rodolphus took a breath to gather his thoughts, wetting his lips. “Okay, right, so you know about my feelings for you, I … hadn’t kept that a secret when it came to my brother and father. Rabastan knew who it was, but my father only knew that it was someone from the Black family. He believed it was Bellatrix as I told you before, though how he came to that conclusion, I don’t know.” His nose wrinkled a little, making Sirius chortle.

“She’s beautiful, that you cannot lie. Though her personality and short temper is not something to talk home too.” He giggled a little to himself. Rodolphus smirked, picking up his cup and taking another sip of his tea.

“Her beauty is objective. Yours isn’t.” Rodolphus retorted. Sirius grumbled, his cheeks red.

“You’ll never not take a chance to flirt with me, will you?”

Rodolphus’s eyebrows rise. “Is it flirting if I’m being truthful?”

“Yes.” Sirius sent him a grin before he realised what he was doing, clearing his throat and schooling his features into something more neutral. Rodolphus smiled over the rim of his cup at Sirius, the male looking away. “So … your family?”

“Ah, yes. So I told my father and brother about you. I hadn’t … I hadn’t planned to do anything until you had graduated Hogwarts. I believed you would still be in the Black family … wait, not that. It’s more like I believed you would be more intranced into the family, politics and such.”

“Politics and such?” Sirius asked, interrupting him. Rodolphus shot him a look.

“Well, to be truthful, I’d hoped. Simply because if you hadn’t, I doubted we’d be able to interact if you hadn’t. I join my father on the Wizengamot and I work in the Department of Magical Artefacts—”

“You—you what? You work where?” Sirius spluttered, interrupting him.

Rodolphus huffed a laugh. “The Department of Magical Artefacts. Where’d you think I worked?” Then he examined the emotions on Sirius’s face and eyes. “Wait. Did you … did you think I don’t work? What do you think I do when I say I’m going to work?” Sirius ducked his head, wetting his lips before lifting his eyes to stare sheepishly at him.

“Most purebloods don’t work. They just attend Wizengamot.” Sirius justified himself.

“I know, I know, I’m not making fun of you, most purebloods do. I just … well, I like working. And I like magical artificats, studying them and well … they help preserve them. I suppose I’m a bit like your friend Lupin … what was it you called him? A yes, a nerd.” He shot Sirius a smirk, that had him spluttering, pressing both hands to his face, peering out between the gaps of his fingers, eyeing him. Rodolphus chuckles softly.

 “Stop making fun of me!” Sirius whined. Rodolphus cleared his throat to stop another laugh from coming out of his throat. “Stop!”

“Okay, okay—I’m stopping!” Rodolphus grinned to himself, taking another gulp of tea to hide his face. Sirius huffed. “Well, I … right,” he tried to gather his thoughts once more and away from Sirius’s allure, “well, I’d been waiting for you to graduate to approach you and maybe ask you permission to court you and such. And then you ran away to the Potter’s—”

“I had no choice—”

“And I don’t blame you for it. I’m surprise you stayed as long as you had done.” Rodolphus finished, eyes going to Sirius, meeting them. He tried to show the sincerity in his eyes and honesty in his words. Sirius fell silent, lip trembling as he glanced down at his lap and the mug clutched in small hands. “I don’t blame you for running to somewhere safer. It made it harder for me to seek you out, but that pales in the fact that you were now safe and happy. And that was all that I wanted.”

He sighed, taking another sip to soothe the hoarseness of his throat. “And then Walburga found out about your ability to conceive. Believe it or not, it was your brother that came seeking me out. Evan Rosier knew how to get to Slytherin Manor and knew our Lord through his father, so they scheduled a meeting and he asked me to attend. I was … rather enraged when I heard she planned to sell you to the highest bidder as though you were nothing more than a—than a—” He shook his head, disgust building in his gut.

“You are something to be treasured, Sirius, not something to be bargained with. What she was going to do was despicable. And I’d heard she’d planned to give you to Lord Sewyln—”

“What?” Sirius bursts out. “He’s—he’s older than my father! He’s my fucking grandfathers age near enough! He has granddaughters my age!” Sirius looked frantic. Rodolphus nodded.

“I know. He’s also … well, it’s rumours and conjectures. But he’s an abusive fucker. And I would never allow anyone to go through that, least of all you. Like I said, you deserved to be treasured, even … even if it isn’t me.”

“But you’d prefer it.” Sirius shot at him.

Rodolphus smirked at him. “Of course, I would. I’d prefer you over any stuffy pureblood. You’re … unashamed to be yourself and if—if you did agree to let me court you and do end up falling for me, well, I’d like to have a bonded that isn’t so bloody cold to me in public, isn’t ashamed to let everyone know that they love me.” Rodolphus bit the inside of his cheek and then sighed, slouching a little in his seat. He cradled the cup in his grip, bringing it to his mouth.

“So, I went to my father. I told him everything. About you, my feelings, your ability to conceive. Swore him to secrecy so no one could pry it from him, not that he’d share it. He agreed with it and then … well you know the rest.” He shot Sirius a pointed look as if reminding him of where he was. Sirius huffed, rolling his eyes as he placed the mug onto the table, slouching back and throwing his legs over the side of the armchair. He was lounging on it with a lack of manners that Rodolphus knew his father would be sending him exasperated glances but wouldn’t say anything about it.

In fact, he’d probably be reminded of his wife, Rodolphus’s mother, who’d taken to sprawling herself on the floor, right on top of a fluffy rug. With no shoes nor socks on and an open and free outfit, she’d smile up and him and tell him that she liked the soft material on her skin. Rodolphus shook his head to rid the memories of him giggling with Rabastan as he peered over the doorway, only to be ushered over to his mother and tickled until he begged her to stop with laughter in his voice.

“And then today? Where does Kreacher come into it?” Sirius repeated himself from earlier.

“I went back to the Manour to tell father that you’d arrived safely. And then … Mippy, my house elf,” he said to his confused look, only to get a nod back, Sirius urging him to continue, “told me that Lady Black was there. And that she’d injured Ditsy, the house elf I brought in earlier.”

“You said you thought … Ditsy was a weak link?” Sirius asked hesitantly.

“Yes, but not in the way you think. He wouldn’t spill secrets to anyone but he’s … painfully young. Bright, I wasn’t … I wasn’t expecting him to be so injured. He normally isn’t—well, he doesn’t come out from the kitchens often, most of the seniors elves come out to serve guests and such.”

“She probably asked to see them all. To glimpse just who she could intimidate or manipulate. She liked doing that to other dark families since she loathes light families like the Potter’s.” Sirius rolled his eyes. “It’s a familiar tactic of hers, if predictable.” Sirius explained to him. Rodolphus sat back a little in thought, staring at the door with a frown on his face. “How long had she been there?”

“Two hours.” Sirius’s nose wrinkled. “My thoughts exactly. I don’t know how my father entertained her for that long nor do I want to know.” Probably insulting Sirius and trying to shift the match to Regulus now that he thinks about it. “Anyway, I got there, sat at the table and then she inquired about you. If you were … obeying me. Like a fucking mule. Ridiculous woman.” Rodolphus scoffed. “As if I’d demand the one I want to court to bloody obey me. Does she know—” He cut himself off.

“What?”

Rodolphus sighed. “I was going to say does she know my mother, but I guess it’d be did she know my mother?” At Sirius’s confused look, he raised an eyebrow. “She died, Sirius, when I was—”

“No, no, I know.” Sirius interrupted. “Just … what does your mother have to do with you not treating me like a bloody slave?”

“Well, my mother and father loved each other. It was an arranged match, like most, but they’d met before and fallen in love with each other before it, not that they told their parents. Just imagine their surprise when their parents scheduled a meeting between them and there they were, staring at each other.” Sirius laughed at whatever picture was in his mind. “And well, everything went well, as they got married, it was a good match—and it was a good life for both of them. They loved each other. We learned from an early age what real love looked like.”

“You wouldn’t want fake love when you’d seen the real thing.” Sirius murmured softly.

“No, I don’t.” Rodolphus murmured. He shuffled to a better sitting position, leaning forward on his knees and dropping the cup gently on the table. “And well, my mother, believe it or not, was the one that ran the household and relationship. She had my father wrapped around her finger. She’d tell him she was craving a meal from a different country and he’d get a portkey to that country, taking us all to dinner, no matter the cost. She’d …” He stopped, shaking his head and staring down at his hands, letting out a shaky breath.

“And I doubt it’d be different if we’d have a relationship. You’d have me wrapped around your finger, Sirius. She should’ve asked if I was obeying you.” Sirius barked a laugh, looking surprised, pressing a hand to his mouth. Rodolphus grinned at him, happy to have made him laugh.

“Then?” Sirius grumbled after a moment, returning him back on track. Rodolphus frowned at the wall.

“Then she said about a gift to join our families or whatever crap between pureblood families. And that elf came—by the way what the hell have they done to him? Why is he so … injured?”

“Injured?” Sirius frowned. “Walburga orders him to punish himself if he’s done something wrong or thought something wrong about her or the family. Why? Bastard fucking deserves it.” Sirius murmurs. Rodolphus straightened like someone had shoved their wand into his back.

“No one deserves that, Sirius, why—”

“Because he was the one snitching to her and telling her everything! He was the one doing some of the fucking injuries to me!” Sirius cried, jumping to his feet, starting to pace. “He was the one that told Walburga things that got me crucio’d but Regulus? No, not his perfect little Master Reggie,” he spat, “and that fucking name—Master Reggie! I was the one that called him that—me! Only me!” Sirius yelled. Rodolphus stood, lurching forward and tackling Sirius in a hug, the male growling and fighting him.

“Sirius—Sirius stop!” Rodolphus gasped. “You’ll hurt yourself—”

“Not. You?” Sirius gritted between his teeth, punching him on the chest.

“I don’t matter when you’re this upset.” Rodolphus returned. Sirius fell limply onto his chest at that, sniffling. Rodolphus swept him up and walked over to the sofa, sitting down with the male on his lap, Sirius tensing. The Lestrange Heir waited a moment and then lifted a hand and ran it soothingly through the Black Heir’s hair. “I know now that he was most of the reason to … that you were injured. But Walburga most likely ordered him to keep an eye on you and not Regulus? What if …?” He stopped, frowning.

Sirius sniffled and looked up, eyes red. “What? What if what?”

“What if Kreacher … wait, let me think for a moment to explain it better.” Rodolphus closed his eyes, focusing, an image rising in his mind. He didn’t know if it was correct or not but he felt it was right for some reason. “Okay. What if—and humour me for a moment—what if Kreacher was ordered by Walburga to tell her everything that wasn’t remotely Black in nature? He was probably ordered to do the same with the punishment but that doesn’t mean he enjoyed inflicting them on you. He probably focused so hard on you with the relaying information and punishments so he didn’t have to do the same to Regulus.”

“Then why does he fucking hate me? Everyone saw that bloody glare!”

“Sirius, think for a moment. I’ve just told you what I believe it to be. Now what point in the equation that was there in the past to ensure Regulus’s safety isn’t there anymore?” Rodolphus stared at Sirius, willing him to understand.

“Me.” He breathed.

“You.” Rodolphus nodded. “You fled to the Potter’s—a good thing for you—but a bad thing for Regulus. As much as I hate to say it, Regulus lost his shield. And Kreacher knows it. He’s stupidly putting the blame on you for he can’t blame Walburga or anyone else. There is no one but you.” Rodolphus murmured. Sirius released a shaky breath, pressing a hand over his eyes.

“Give him to Reggie, please—just give him to my brother.” Sirius breathed.

“I … I can’t.” Rodolphus admitted.

Sirius looked up at him, eyes pleading. “What do you mean you can’t? You can! Say you can!” He grabbed Rodolphus by the collar, knuckles white and straining. Rodolphus reached up and pried them off, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb against Sirius’s knuckles. Sirius stared down at them like he found the attatched appendages strange and confusing.

“I can’t. I wish that I could but I can’t. Walburga gifted Kreacher to me due to our betrothal. That means he is now apart of the Lestrange house elves. And Regulus isn’t a Lestrange. Not by blood, not by marriage. Possibly after we got married, but I don’t want you agreeing to marry me to get Kreacher to go.” Rodolphus said hastily when he saw the way Sirius’s mouth opened, only to watch it snap shut, the male slumping.

Impetuous Grffindor, Rodolphus thinks fondly.

“But,” Rodolphus started, Sirius glancing at him, “we can get Kreacher to bond properly with me. That means I will be the one issuing orders to him. The first thing I will be doing will be informing Mippy of the situation and she will … educate Kreacher and trust me, that woman has a sharp tongue. Then I’ll tell him that he’s to strictly stay at Lestrange Manor and only come to Slytherin Manor if either Regulus or I call him. Though I doubt I will because Mippy’s my favourite and she knows it. Ruddy woman.” Sirius giggled, hiding his face so Rodolphus can’t see the way his eyes crinkle and his dimples appear. Which is such a shame and travesty.

Rodolphus wants to weep at being denied the sight of such beauty.

“So you won’t have to see him. Though … I would like it if you cleared the air between the two of you. I’ll be there, making sure he doesn’t say anything bad and so he can explain the situation. Not now. It could be tomorrow, it could be next month, hell it could be next year or even five years. But I would like it if you talk to Kreacher.”

“Why?” Sirius grumbled.

“It’d make Regulus happy. And also, then I can get an explanation and I won’t have the constant need to want to kill him for inflicting damage on you. Cause if he was ordered to then it’s not his fault.” He said gently. “However if he was ordered but also enjoyed inflicting it on you then that is another story and he may mysteriously go missing. But we won’t tell Regulus that bit, just that he went on a permanent vacation.”

Sirius bursts into laughter, whole frame shaking with it. Rodolphus grinned, running his hand through Sirius’s hair, though this had the consequence of Sirius realising just where he was sitting and jumping up, eyes wide. He rushed over to the armchair and threw himself into it, clearing his throat desperately. “U-Uh, c-can I have another butterbeer please?”

“Just call Mippy, she’ll answer to you. Be careful, she’ll mother you. Hopefully you can escape it cause I damn well can’t.” Rodolphus murmurs, peering into his tea cup that’s empty. He frowns, hearing Sirius’s snickers, glancing up to see him staring at his mug, lips twitching with mirth.

“Call her … like right now?”

“Sure.” Rodolphus nods, watching Sirius glance around the room.

“Uh … M-Mippy?” He calls, timid, so unusual on the normally confident male. A pop signifies that the house elf had arrived, a bright grin on her face.

“Master Rody’s betrothed! You being Master Siri, yes? Or would Master Rody’s betrothed prefer something else?” Mippy asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. Rodolphus ducked his head to hide his smirk at the surprised look on Sirius’s face, letting out a grunt of pain when something collides with his head. His head popped up and he pouted at Mippy, who narrowed her eyes before turning to an amused Sirius.

“Uh, call me Pads.”

Mippy beamed. “Good Master Pads. Would Master Pads be liking another butterbeer?”

“Um, yes, please.”

“Such good manners, Master Pads. Master Rody could learn some from you—”

“Hey!” Rodolphus griped, watching Mippy roll her eyes and turn to him. “Can I have some more tea, Mip, please?”

“Hmm, no.” Then she popped away. Rodolphus spluttered, turning to glare at a laughing Sirius.

“Merlin, I love your house elf. She’s a riot.” Sirius wiped away the tears of mirth and happily took the new mug Mippy popped in with, thanking her. Mippy turned to Rodolphus, narrowing her eyes again before snapping her fingers. His cup refills and he sends a grateful look to her, thanking her as well. Mippy sniffed.

“You being nice to Master Pads? Be taking care of Master Pads? Because if Mippy finds out you haven’t, Mippy will find you, Master Rody. Mippy be serious.”

“Well, technically, he’s Sirius.” Rodolphus gestured to the Black Heir, who snorted, butterbeer coming out of his nose, coughing and laughing all in the same breath as he doubled over. Rodolphus smirked, summoning some napkins and floating them over to Sirius, who took them, dabbing at his face and nose with them. When he’s finished, he paused and then broke down into giggles again, unable to stop himself. Mippy sent him a look, approval in her eyes before nodding sharply.

“You being good to Master Pads. How is Ditsy, Master Rody?” Mippy bounced over to him and jumped, landing next to Rodolphus and bouncing a little. She patted his knee.

“He’s sleeping now. What did father say about Ditsy staying with me, Mip?”

“Oh, Master Corvus expected it. Said you were just like Mistress Elena and that he was glad you hadn’t scheduled a jail break for the rest of the elves when Master Rody heard Lady Black was at the Manor. Mippy does not know what jail break means, but thinks it is what Mistress Elena would’ve done.” Mippy said. Rodolphus offered her his cup of tea, registering Sirius’s gaze on him as Mippy grabbed the cup and took a sip of it. She sighed.

“Yes, mother would’ve scheduled a jail break. Meaning, she’d break them out of Lestrange Manor and take them somewhere else for the time Walburga would be there.”

“Oh, now Mippy understands. Good Mistress Elena, good witch, good soul. Mippy misses her.” Mippy sighed heavily.

“So do I, Mip, so do I.” Mippy handed the cup back and Rodolphus took a sip, humming. “And I have another task for you. You’re aware of the new house elf Walburga gave me?” Mippy nodded, curious. “Well, he’s been heavily abused and it’s yet to be determined whether he was being ordered to hurt Sirius or not or if he enjoying doing it, so for the time being, I’d like you to take him in and teach him the ropes after I bond him to the Lestrange family. Walburga most likely thought I wouldn’t—which means her claws she had in him will be gone.” Rodolphus explained.

Mippy scowled. “No good elf hurting Master Pads! No good elf will find Mippy’s hands if no good elf dares to hurt Master Pads again. Don’t worry, Master Rody, Mippy is on the case!” She popped away, Rodolphus laughing fondly.

“On the case?” Sirius asked, curious. Rodolphus looked to him to see his eyes soft. He could feel his cheeks heating up and cleared his throat, looking at the door, shrugging his shoulders.

“Don’t ask me, I have no idea where she got it from. Just that—” He’s interrupted when the door slammed open and James lurched into the room, grabbing an unsuspecting Sirius, who yelped, clutching onto his mug of half full butterbeer.

“Sorry bout this, Lestrange, I’ve got to kidnap my dear Siri for a while! See you at dinner, my dear!” James cooed, pushing him out of the door and reaching for the handle, pulling it shut with a mocking wave. He couldn’t hear their muttered exchange, but definitely heard James’s whining as he dragged Sirius away.

Rodolphus sighed, his head dropping back onto the sofa, just as the door opened once more and someone stepped inside. The sofa dipped as the person sat next to him.

“That bad?” His brother asked.

Rodolphus glanced at him. “You have no idea. Let me tell you what happened.”

He sat up, erected a silencing ward around the room and then spilled everything to his brother.

He never could keep secrets when it came to his little brother—never had. And right now, he needed it.

For he was in a crisis.