Post by arcturus rigel lestrange on Feb 6, 2019 12:24:58 GMT -5
December 24, 2003. Lestrange Manor.
Arcturus was eleven the first time he truly realized that life wasn't fair.
His first term at Hogwarts had gone off without incident, although he had begun to notice the looks people gave him when he proudly introduced himself as Arcturus R. Lestrange. It was the surname that made people look twice, the name that made people stop and stare, even just for a moment. He didn't quite understand why, only knowing that the name Lestrange made him special.
That's what his father had always told him, of course.
Christmastime came just at the right time for Arcturus. He missed his mother and his home and his bedroom, even if he did not miss the rules and the properness of it all. Hogwarts was so much more relaxed, but it wasn't home. He wanted to sit with Orion, his older brother, on the train ride home, but he knew Orion had his own friends he would want to sit with. Arcturus sat alone. He drew shapes on the condensation that collected on the windows of the train and tried to study for Charms class.
But none of that mattered, because soon enough the Hogwarts Express was pulling into King's Cross Station, and there were his mother and father, waiting for him. He was home.
Christmas Eve had arrived before Arcturus knew it. His family was not big into gift-giving, but Arcturus always looked forward to the holiday nonetheless. It was one of the few times all of his family was together and happy.
They were gathered in the sitting room around the roaring fireplace; Euphegenia was knitting, Rabastan was reading the Daily Prophet, and Orion and Arcturus were playing chess on the floor in front of the hearth. A soft silence surrounded them, one of comfort and of peace. They were comfortable with each other, even for just that moment. It was a nice reminder of the bond they all shared.
But the door came crashing down, and that peaceful quiet around them would prove to be the last the four of them would share together. There were four aurors at the door, along with the head of the Department of Magic Law himself.
They entered the house without waiting for someone to invite them in. Arcturus was scared, and cowered into his brother as the men entered the sitting room. Their eyes were fixed on Rabastan, who had risen as they entered the manor.
Rabastan Sirius Lestrange, you are under arrest for treason against the Ministry during the Second Wizarding War.
Arcturus was unable to look away as the four aurors approached his father, handcuffing him. Rabastan put up no fight. They were gone in another instant, disapparating from the sitting room.
Arcturus sat in silence for a long time afterward, frozen even as his mother fussed over him and his brother. He didn't remember anything that happened for the rest of the night, or even for the rest of the holiday.
This isn't fair. That was all Arcturus could think, watching his mother sending owls and messages through the floo. Why had they taken his father? Rabastan wasn't one of the bad guys. He was just his father. This wasn't fair. Why had they taken him? Arcturus didn't understand anything that had happened, and wouldn't for some years to come, but he knew that it wasn't fair.
He and Orion returned to Hogwarts at the start of the next term, and the whispers and stares had increased tenfold. Arcturus still wasn't sure what all had happened, but he knew now that maybe the Lestrange name wasn't such a good thing, didn't make him so special.
After that, he hated Christmases.
His first term at Hogwarts had gone off without incident, although he had begun to notice the looks people gave him when he proudly introduced himself as Arcturus R. Lestrange. It was the surname that made people look twice, the name that made people stop and stare, even just for a moment. He didn't quite understand why, only knowing that the name Lestrange made him special.
That's what his father had always told him, of course.
Christmastime came just at the right time for Arcturus. He missed his mother and his home and his bedroom, even if he did not miss the rules and the properness of it all. Hogwarts was so much more relaxed, but it wasn't home. He wanted to sit with Orion, his older brother, on the train ride home, but he knew Orion had his own friends he would want to sit with. Arcturus sat alone. He drew shapes on the condensation that collected on the windows of the train and tried to study for Charms class.
But none of that mattered, because soon enough the Hogwarts Express was pulling into King's Cross Station, and there were his mother and father, waiting for him. He was home.
Christmas Eve had arrived before Arcturus knew it. His family was not big into gift-giving, but Arcturus always looked forward to the holiday nonetheless. It was one of the few times all of his family was together and happy.
They were gathered in the sitting room around the roaring fireplace; Euphegenia was knitting, Rabastan was reading the Daily Prophet, and Orion and Arcturus were playing chess on the floor in front of the hearth. A soft silence surrounded them, one of comfort and of peace. They were comfortable with each other, even for just that moment. It was a nice reminder of the bond they all shared.
But the door came crashing down, and that peaceful quiet around them would prove to be the last the four of them would share together. There were four aurors at the door, along with the head of the Department of Magic Law himself.
They entered the house without waiting for someone to invite them in. Arcturus was scared, and cowered into his brother as the men entered the sitting room. Their eyes were fixed on Rabastan, who had risen as they entered the manor.
Rabastan Sirius Lestrange, you are under arrest for treason against the Ministry during the Second Wizarding War.
Arcturus was unable to look away as the four aurors approached his father, handcuffing him. Rabastan put up no fight. They were gone in another instant, disapparating from the sitting room.
Arcturus sat in silence for a long time afterward, frozen even as his mother fussed over him and his brother. He didn't remember anything that happened for the rest of the night, or even for the rest of the holiday.
This isn't fair. That was all Arcturus could think, watching his mother sending owls and messages through the floo. Why had they taken his father? Rabastan wasn't one of the bad guys. He was just his father. This wasn't fair. Why had they taken him? Arcturus didn't understand anything that had happened, and wouldn't for some years to come, but he knew that it wasn't fair.
He and Orion returned to Hogwarts at the start of the next term, and the whispers and stares had increased tenfold. Arcturus still wasn't sure what all had happened, but he knew now that maybe the Lestrange name wasn't such a good thing, didn't make him so special.
After that, he hated Christmases.