Post Tenebras Lux

Chapter Seventeen

The first thing Cassiopeia noticed as she sat down at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall was the large book Rabastan was silently reading. It was an unusual sight as no one expected him to be flaunting his interest in the Dark Arts. Although everyone knew what his beliefs were and what he was going to become when he grew up, he never purposely showed off that he had any interest in it. 

"Since when did you read?" Cassiopeia joked, finally catching the attention of her friend, "It is quite a big book too."

"Roldolphus told me about it."

"Since when did he read?"

Rabastan closed the book with an exasperated sigh, "Stop trying to be funny."

"I'm not trying, I'm succeeding, Rab."

"This is serious stuff, Cassie," Rabastan informed her, "The first book I've actually been interested in."

"I thought you didn't want to show off your interest?" Cassiopeia asked him, "Anyone who looks over here will be able to see what you are reading."

"And why should I care, Cassiopeia? We shouldn't have to hide in the shadows as everyone pretends muggles are good. Our time is coming. We all need to be prepared to fight."

Cassiopeia raised her hands up in surrender, "Hey, I never said I disagreed. You've always been the one telling people to be less obvious about it all."

"I'm fed up of pretending."

She stared at her friend and noticed the dark bags underneath his eyes, "Are you not sleeping very well at the moment?"

"I was up all night reading."

Fear pricked as she continued to watch her friend. He was slowly morphing into his older brother as his obsession with the Dark Arts began. She wanted to be able to hold onto him, to tell him he didn't have to pursue this path, for once he started he wouldn't be able to go back. 

But then she remembered who he was. As a Lestrange, it was guaranteed he would become a death-eater and remain a loyal servant to the Dark Lord until the very end. Even now he was beyond her help. There would be no redemption for Rabastan Lestrange. 

She was frightened about how low he would stoop and what atrocities he would commit. But also, she worried whether she would soon follow him. She relished in the dark but also feared it. She didn't want to let her family down, she didn't want to be disowned but she knew she didn't want to be a death-eater, she wanted Bellatrix to be the only Black sister death-eater. Maybe, she would be lucky and be like Narcissa. Maybe she could fall for a Pureblood and be saved from the darkness. Or maybe she would escape her fate by running away.

Rabastan picked up the book again and as she watched him turn the page she wondered whether he would marry her and let her avoid becoming a death-eater.