Meet the Rookwoods

𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒖𝒔 𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅

▪︎   𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 "𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲, 𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐧"
▪︎ "𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰"

𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝟏𝟗𝟑𝟏

𝐃𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝟕 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 (𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝)

𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫: Marcus Rookwood †
𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫: Alma Greengrass †
𝐒𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬;

Julius Rookwood - Born 1929 †

Flavius Rookwood - Born 1929 †

𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞: Ravenclaw
𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐝: Red Oak and Thunderbird feather - A Shikoba Wolfe wand
𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐬: Golden Eagle

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲:
       Rigid and quick to snap, much like many rumoured red oak wand users. Quick to temper and even quicker to react, breaking like a dry twig under a boot. But returning to cool controlled indifference just as quickly.

Born the unexpected third sibling after twins, Cassius Rookwood was the very definition of 'the unwanted' child. As many Purebloods struggled to have children, there was still generally a rule of thumb that they stuck to. The heir, and a spare. And he was unfortunately neither. Therefore growing up he did everything he could to possibly try and outshine his frankly lacklustre older siblings. 
None of his various achievements, learning the material first, despite being younger, perfecting duelling stances, despite not being enrolled in duelling classes, theoretically creating his own spells, despite not having the access to the tools that the other two had (swiftly remedied with the help of a well meaning visiting American relative, his first and only wand, hidden until the time for him to attend Ollivanders came to pass). None of these earnt him more than a swift hex (and a more intense curse for the appropriated wand) from his father, and teasing, or more often downright bullying from his older siblings. Thus, the older he grew, the more angry, bitter and easy to snap he became.

This only intensified when he learnt at 16 that he would not be inheriting any part of the estate, or be allowed to remain there, as he was not a main, nor a secondary heir. He would be expected to leave Coldham Hall once he had finished Hogwarts. The family was no longer part of the sacred 28 due to the dalliances of a previous generation of Rookwoods (disastrously failed) attempts at disrupting muggle politics (assisting some idiot muggle that it appeared Dumbledore named his Phoenix after for Merlin's sake), and the Rookwoods were well known to muggle aristocracy until that point, but were still considered an important part of pureblood society, he wouldn't be if he were forced to leave. He would be redundant. A leftover even further, forced to find some form of employment and fend for himself, find his own way and make a whole new reputation out of nothing, no home.  
He snapped completely. 

First, Julius, the eldest of the two, would be found having over drank on firewhisky, and attempted to have used the floo with no powder. A simple Imperius made him stand there for as long as it took. It hit the news in a scandal for the floo industry, but ultimately as a tragic accident.

He was no longer required to leave... but why not make himself the sole beneficiary? The Rookwoods may not be sacred 28, but they were independently wealthy, the estate was large, could easily slip into muggle anonymity with a few repelling charms, why should he have to settle for any less? 
Flavius, shortly before his birthday, fell afoul of one of the carriages led by the Abraxans, as he was waiting for one to take him to his betrothed's manor, as the carriages arrived, one of the horses was spooked, and a simple tripping Jinx saw him fall right into its path. He was still finding skull fragments amongst the gravel weeks later.

And so he remained, the sole Rookwood child, following his 18th birthday and subsequent marriage to the bastard child of Croesus Rowle, Artemisia, who he did honestly enjoy the company of most nights, he listened to her history, her ideals, and of muggles and what should be done with them. He honestly agreed, and so when he heard through some of his school contacts that they were joining a new Dark Lord, one that would bring about a new age, they both joined without hesitation despite the upcoming birth of their child.

After Augustus was born, he became even colder, this child was to be perfect, he had everything set out for him from the start, so he would not fail to make this child perform to the highest standard. Failure wouldn't be an option, or a touch of cruciatus, a flesh wound here or there, a flash of imperious, or sometimes more creative means would do the trick to correct him. He was matched with an heirloom wand, far too long for him at that age, but he would grow, he would be taught to curse, how to be efficient, how to best opponents and those that would otherwise outmatch him. He would be an excellent tool to mold into whatever their lord wanted, if they started young enough. Even if his magic was uncontrolled at this stage. He would be an asset to their cause by the time he finished Hogwarts, and a way to continue the bloodline. Nothing further.

Thus, aside from mother & son trips to Ireland that started once the child was old enough and he had no part in, he was in charge of the child's education, as he would trust no other. And brutal he was in his education. Thin white barely visible scars that Augustus would bear for the rest of his life healed almost as an afterthought, sometimes days later, so that questions were not raised. What was a broken bone if it could be mended? Or a missing digit if it could be re-attached? Leaving the child on bedrest on numerous occasions, punishments doled out should he not complete the assigned reading or achieve a spell far too advanced for someone that should not even have a wand in hand yet. A wand found in the depths of the Rookwood family vaults, more than likely belonging to some forgotten ancestor.

Failed spells obviously happening far more often than successful ones. And frustrated punishments increasing with each failed attempt, despite the child's age. 

Being a somewhat rigid and oftentimes angry individual, many deatheaters and acquaintances alike mistook him for being completely serious person, but he was prone to playing twisted jokes on those around him, or using torture as a sort of hilarious game. To him anyway. And was often found laughing or grinning in the face of others misfortune as he set upon them. This did unnerve his compatriots somewhat.