The Dark Lord's Pet Princess

25. Betrothed

Sirius's leaving brought the mood in the house right down, and made everyone very miserable.
He had sent Larissa a secret letter, saying that he was alright, which she had shared with Regulus.
But Larissa still missed her little brother, and she wished that she could run away like he had done. The only thing stopping her, was that she didn't have anywhere else to go.
"I can't believe Harold Minchim wants to double the amount of Dementors around Azkaban" Larissa said one morning, as she looked at the morning Prophet.
"What does he think he's going to achieve by doing that?" Asked Regulus.
"Merlin knows. We've tried to tell him it's a silly idea, but he won't listen to our advice. Eugenia Jenkins may have been a useless Minister, but at least she listened to us" sighed Larissa.

"Perhaps he thinks it will deter people from committing crimes" suggested Regulus.
"Maybe, but we know that won't work. Eugenia was voted out because of her inability to do anything. If Harold doesn't show some back bone soon, he'll find himself kicked out as well" replied Larissa.
"Enough talk about work. We've got some exciting news" announced Walburga.
Larissa frowned, "Oh yeah?".
"Yes, we've found you a husband" revealed Walburga.
"Good for you" mumbled Larissa as she got up and headed for the door, like she always did when potential suitors were brought up.

"You're going to want to hear this" admitted Walburga.
"I've found that the best way to avoid a fight, is to not let yourself get into any kind of confrontation in the first place" replied Larissa.
"This is important" insisted Orion.
Larissa groaned and turned back around to face her parents.
"What is it?" She questioned.
"We've got you a husband. You are now officially betrothed to Amycus Carrow" answered Walburga.
"I'm sorry, what now?" Frowned Larissa.
"Amycus Carrow, twin of-"
"Yes I know who he is, he's in Regulus's year at Hogwarts. It was the last part that confused me. What do you mean him and I are now betrothed?" Interrupted Larissa.

"Well, since we knew that you wouldn't choose a husband for yourself, we decided to pick one for you. We've been talking with Amycus's parents over the past weeks and come to an agreement. You will marry him when he finishes school in a couple of years time" informed Walburga.
"Absolutely not" snapped Larissa.
"It's all been decided I'm afraid, and there's nothing you can do about it" replied Walburga.
"But he's a child, he's in the same class as my little brother"
"You won't be marrying him until he's of age".

"That's not the point. I'm not marrying someone that much younger than me. And I'm not getting stuck with Alecto Carrow as a sister-in-law. She is the most stuck up cow I've ever met. There must be someone else I can marry" begged Larissa.
"Your grandmother was a Crabbe before she married, so we don't want to join with that family again just yet. Your aunt Druella was a Rosier. And your cousins have married into the Lestrange and Malfoy families. So there aren't many pure-blood options left for you to marry" admitted Walburga.

"Please don't make me marry someone that I don't like" begged Larissa.
"I don't care whether you like him or not. You will marry Amycus Carrow, and that's that" replied Walburga.
Larissa stood up straight and shook her head, "No, I refuse to be sold off like cattle. I am not Bellatrix, and I will not let myself end up in a loveless marriage like hers. You cannot force me to walk down the aisle and say I do".
"You have to marry eventually. We left you a year to find a husband, which you have failed to do. So we decided to pick for you. And you really have no choice in the matter" replied Orion.

"Did you not hear what I just said? You can't physically force me to marry someone" informed Larissa.
"Well you're not staying here, unmarried for the rest of your life. So, you either marry Amycus when the time comes, or become an outcast like your cousin Andromeda" replied Walburga.
"You would really disown me, just for refusing to marry someone?" Questioned Larissa.
"If you decide to disappoint the family like that, then yes, we would".

"I don't believe it. I have done everything you've asked. I stayed away from things I wanted to do, like Quidditch. I didn't associate myself with people you don't like. I was a Prefect, Head girl and top of my class. I got a job at the Ministry, close to the Minister. And I serve the dark lord. But that still isn't enough for you! You want to sell me off and ship me away, as though I'm nothing more than a massive disappointment. How dare you treat me this way!" Screamed Larissa.
"All girls get married off by their parents. That's what happens in our world, and you just have to accept it" informed Orion.

"I refuse to accept it. I will not become a dutiful wife who obeys their husbands every command. Lord Voldemort needs me, and I need to be able to go to his side when he wants me" announced Larissa.
"Well, you can't exactly marry the dark lord, can you? And don't say that name in this house" replied Walburga.
"You don't know anything about him. If you did, you would know that he likes it when I say his name" snapped Larissa.
"I do know that he's at least twice your age. Which means that your issue with Amycus's age really isn't that big of a deal"
"I'm not marrying Amycus Carrow, and that's all I have to say on the matter".

"Then you will leave this house tonight" insisted Walburga.
"If that is what you want, then I will oblige" replied Larissa.
"I don't want to lose both of my siblings in the same summer" Regulus said quietly.
"Your siblings have let themselves and the family down, Regulus. And I will not permit them to stay in this house" announced Orion.
"But where will she go?" Asked Regulus.
"I have money, I'll find myself a place somewhere" answered Larissa.

Regulus got up from the table and placed his hands onto Larissa's arms.
"Please think about this. If you agree to marry him, you can stay here for several more years. It's not like they're asking you to marry him tomorrow" admitted Regulus.
Larissa pulled herself free, "I'm not marrying Amycus".
"Just say that you will, and argue your case closer to the actual wedding" whispered Regulus.

"If Larissa wants to remain in this house, she must make the unbreakable vow, and promise to marry the Carrow boy when the time comes" informed Walburga.
"Which is exactly what I don't want to do. There is no other way out of this. Either I leave now, or I marry Amycus" sighed Larissa.
"Would marrying him really be the end of the world? I mean, he's not the worst person out there" admitted Regulus.
"As a boy, I don't expect you to understand what it's like to be a girl forced into an arranged marriage. But listen to my voice, because I'm going to say this one last time. I AM NOT GOING TO MARRY AMYCUS CARROW!".

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This is one of several songs that inspired me to make this character.