Rabbit: August 1968
Title: Rabbit
Chapter Number/Title: August 1968: Sound (18/100) [[ Previous | Next]]
Rating: G
Word Count: 1278
Workshop?: Suggestions always welcome.
August 25, 1968
Sound
Fwomp! A large branch came crashing down and missed Rabastan’s head by a hair. Missed it by a leaf, actually: the waxy green leaves brushed against the boy’s face and blocked his view. He was too surprised to even shout. Instead, he sat in shock, blinked twice, and shuffled himself into a more protected area.
“Bella, if you would kindly spare our trees,” he heard his brother saying.
A girl’s sigh echoed in the courtyard. “What, as if you haven’t slammed enough Bludgers into them all, already?”
“Well,” now spoke the third voice, with silky carefully-chosen words-it was Lucius, “he can’t exactly control what the Bludger does. Unlike you, and your wand.”
“You’re just afraid,” taunted Bellatrix in a loud whisper, “that we’ll get told off for being underage.”
“Ha! Not likely.”
Rabastan peeked out again and saw the two leaning toward each other. They could not look any more different, Rabbit thought. Bellatrix’s long hair fell down her back like a dark river, and it looked as if she were holding all the energy in the world. Lucius looked back with the effort he might give a fly, and short bits of white hair thinned out to fine ends that reminded Rabastan very much of the soft wispy insides of a plant pod he had seen once. Except they are, he reconsidered, comparing the two visitors, both very pointy.
A groan from his brother interrupted his thought. “Oh, give it up, you two.”
“Aren’t you just King of the World today, Roddy?” Rabbit caught a glimpse of Bellatrix folding her arms before she turned in his direction and he hid once again. “Spare the trees,” she copied. “Spare Lucius. Sit here. Do what I say.” It wasn’t a very good copy, Rabastan thought. “You aren’t in charge of us, Rodolphus Lestrange.”
“Not yet,” Rodolphus shot back through a laugh, and then groaned. Between two leaves Rabbit saw his older brother standing and stretching, one side, and then the other. His leg swung over to the tree that hid the young boy, and Rabastan gasped. Luckily, while Rodolphus stretched against the old trunk, his voice drowned out other noises. “Fine, Bella. You’re the guest, do as you like. But lay off the vegetation, or Maman’ll have my head.”
“We wouldn’t want that, no.” Bellatrix shook her head. She too stood up and began pacing. Lucius stretched himself out along the stone bench and lazily watched the others, just as Rabbit was. “I’m bored,” she moaned. “I’d almost rather be at school, if it didn’t mean dealing with that blotch-faced Emily Brinckley and her weekly declarations of love for the last boy she’s seen.”
Lucius chuckled. “As long as she stays well away from me.”
“And me,” echoed Rodolphus. He was now leaning against the tree, very close to Rabastan, and the little boy’s heart pounded.
“Of course,” Bellatrix teased, “because you couldn’t resist her, and your name would turn to mud.”
“Likely story.” Lucius was smirking. “With that crooked nose, hair that’s never seen a brush, chubby face, chubby… everything. No thank you.”
Rodolphus’ arm blocked Rabbit’s view, and then cleared away, and blocked it again. As quietly as possible, Rabbit crouched lower to be able to see Bellatrix and Lucius again. When the scene was before him again, Bella was sitting next to Lucius again.
“Why,” she was saying, “I have a lovely nose. And hair, everyone thinks so, though it’s hard to match yours, Lucy dear. And I’m not chubby in the least! How sweet! This is your little way of saying that you love me, isn’t it?”
Her hand stroked Lucius’ arm, but the boy swatted it off and slid down the bench and away. “I’d rather die,” he grumbled.
“I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, and I’d hate it to ruin our friendship, but… I just don’t like you. I mean, I like you. But I don’t fancy you, Malfoy, I’m sorry.” She clicked her tongue, and then began to giggle.
Rabastan could not hide his own laughter, and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to keep from being found out. His eyes were shut tight for a second, and when they opened he saw Rodolphus strolling away and Bellatrix coming quite near, flicking bushes with her wand.
“Come on, let’s go in,” he heard Rodolphus suggesting.
“Yes, please. It’s far too hot,” whined Lucius, but his voice sounded miles away to Rabastan, whose eyes were open wide and whose breath had stopped. Go in, go in, he thought, but it did not work. Bella came closer.
And there she was, kneeling in the grass, her face inches away from his. Her grey eyes danced as she made sure of what she was seeing. Rabastan was sure he was in trouble now, but found that he couldn’t quite move.
“Wait!”
The boys turned back. “What now, Bella?” called Rodolphus.
“Maybe we should get Rabbit, invite him to play with us. He must be lonely. Where is he?”
Rabastan swallowed. He had no idea what Bellatrix was doing. He was right there!
Lucius groaned. “Please, no.”
It was not the nicest thing to hear, but Rabbit knew well enough that Lucius was not fond of the days when Rodolphus let Rabbit come along with them. He could handle that. He could not handle what came next, however.
“Honestly, Bella,” Rodolphus was saying. “He’s already been quite the tag-along this summer. How would you like it if Lucius and I dragged Cissy out and made you play with her? Should we do that next time we’re at your house?”
“Don’t you dare,” warned Bellatrix, but Rabastan could see a smile on her lips.
“Well, then,” Rodolphus finished, “don’t dare make me entertain Rabbit right now.”
Rabastan’s eyes were full of tears, and whatever was holding him back and keeping him quiet until now let go. He wanted to sink into the ground, but that was not an option, sadly. Instead, he pushed his way forward, past Bellatrix, and ran inside at full speed, down the dark hallway, almost tripping over an elf.
Rabastan, being only eight (almost nine now), was much shorter than his older brother, and his little legs carried him his distance in twice the amount of time it took Rodolphus. His running was cut short by an arm sweeping around him and blocking his path.
He turned around, his eyes brimming and bottom lip quivering. “L-let me go. I’ll l-leave you al-lone.”
Rodolphus crouched down. The two brothers now looked eye-to-eye. “Shh, Rabbit. You know I like playing with you.”
“B-but you s-said--” Rabbit stuttered.
“I’m older, and Lucius and Bellatrix are my age. You wouldn’t want me barging in on some game of yours and Sirius’, would you?”
“No,” whispered Rabastan.
“Well, then. Come on. You wouldn’t want me eavesdropping either, would you?”
Rabbit shook his head, and then, before he could stop it, sobs burst forth again.
He felt Dolph’s strong hand squeeze his shoulder. “Don’t cry,” the older brother ordered. “It makes you seem even littler.”
“Sorry, Dolphin.” Rabastan caught his breath and wiped away tears from his cheeks and eyes.
Rodolphus stood, and the distance between the two grew again. Rabastan could see Bellatrix and Lucius, hovering in the distance. “We’ll do something together when they leave, later on, all right?”
Rabbit nodded, wanting little more than to get away from the older children as soon as he could.
“Go on, then.”
Without waiting for another word, the young boy turned around and raced around the corner, back to his own room, his feet in small leather sandals that pattered against the stone floor.
Chapter Number/Title: August 1968: Sound (18/100) [[ Previous | Next]]
Rating: G
Word Count: 1278
Workshop?: Suggestions always welcome.
August 25, 1968
Sound
Fwomp! A large branch came crashing down and missed Rabastan’s head by a hair. Missed it by a leaf, actually: the waxy green leaves brushed against the boy’s face and blocked his view. He was too surprised to even shout. Instead, he sat in shock, blinked twice, and shuffled himself into a more protected area.
“Bella, if you would kindly spare our trees,” he heard his brother saying.
A girl’s sigh echoed in the courtyard. “What, as if you haven’t slammed enough Bludgers into them all, already?”
“Well,” now spoke the third voice, with silky carefully-chosen words-it was Lucius, “he can’t exactly control what the Bludger does. Unlike you, and your wand.”
“You’re just afraid,” taunted Bellatrix in a loud whisper, “that we’ll get told off for being underage.”
“Ha! Not likely.”
Rabastan peeked out again and saw the two leaning toward each other. They could not look any more different, Rabbit thought. Bellatrix’s long hair fell down her back like a dark river, and it looked as if she were holding all the energy in the world. Lucius looked back with the effort he might give a fly, and short bits of white hair thinned out to fine ends that reminded Rabastan very much of the soft wispy insides of a plant pod he had seen once. Except they are, he reconsidered, comparing the two visitors, both very pointy.
A groan from his brother interrupted his thought. “Oh, give it up, you two.”
“Aren’t you just King of the World today, Roddy?” Rabbit caught a glimpse of Bellatrix folding her arms before she turned in his direction and he hid once again. “Spare the trees,” she copied. “Spare Lucius. Sit here. Do what I say.” It wasn’t a very good copy, Rabastan thought. “You aren’t in charge of us, Rodolphus Lestrange.”
“Not yet,” Rodolphus shot back through a laugh, and then groaned. Between two leaves Rabbit saw his older brother standing and stretching, one side, and then the other. His leg swung over to the tree that hid the young boy, and Rabastan gasped. Luckily, while Rodolphus stretched against the old trunk, his voice drowned out other noises. “Fine, Bella. You’re the guest, do as you like. But lay off the vegetation, or Maman’ll have my head.”
“We wouldn’t want that, no.” Bellatrix shook her head. She too stood up and began pacing. Lucius stretched himself out along the stone bench and lazily watched the others, just as Rabbit was. “I’m bored,” she moaned. “I’d almost rather be at school, if it didn’t mean dealing with that blotch-faced Emily Brinckley and her weekly declarations of love for the last boy she’s seen.”
Lucius chuckled. “As long as she stays well away from me.”
“And me,” echoed Rodolphus. He was now leaning against the tree, very close to Rabastan, and the little boy’s heart pounded.
“Of course,” Bellatrix teased, “because you couldn’t resist her, and your name would turn to mud.”
“Likely story.” Lucius was smirking. “With that crooked nose, hair that’s never seen a brush, chubby face, chubby… everything. No thank you.”
Rodolphus’ arm blocked Rabbit’s view, and then cleared away, and blocked it again. As quietly as possible, Rabbit crouched lower to be able to see Bellatrix and Lucius again. When the scene was before him again, Bella was sitting next to Lucius again.
“Why,” she was saying, “I have a lovely nose. And hair, everyone thinks so, though it’s hard to match yours, Lucy dear. And I’m not chubby in the least! How sweet! This is your little way of saying that you love me, isn’t it?”
Her hand stroked Lucius’ arm, but the boy swatted it off and slid down the bench and away. “I’d rather die,” he grumbled.
“I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, and I’d hate it to ruin our friendship, but… I just don’t like you. I mean, I like you. But I don’t fancy you, Malfoy, I’m sorry.” She clicked her tongue, and then began to giggle.
Rabastan could not hide his own laughter, and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to keep from being found out. His eyes were shut tight for a second, and when they opened he saw Rodolphus strolling away and Bellatrix coming quite near, flicking bushes with her wand.
“Come on, let’s go in,” he heard Rodolphus suggesting.
“Yes, please. It’s far too hot,” whined Lucius, but his voice sounded miles away to Rabastan, whose eyes were open wide and whose breath had stopped. Go in, go in, he thought, but it did not work. Bella came closer.
And there she was, kneeling in the grass, her face inches away from his. Her grey eyes danced as she made sure of what she was seeing. Rabastan was sure he was in trouble now, but found that he couldn’t quite move.
“Wait!”
The boys turned back. “What now, Bella?” called Rodolphus.
“Maybe we should get Rabbit, invite him to play with us. He must be lonely. Where is he?”
Rabastan swallowed. He had no idea what Bellatrix was doing. He was right there!
Lucius groaned. “Please, no.”
It was not the nicest thing to hear, but Rabbit knew well enough that Lucius was not fond of the days when Rodolphus let Rabbit come along with them. He could handle that. He could not handle what came next, however.
“Honestly, Bella,” Rodolphus was saying. “He’s already been quite the tag-along this summer. How would you like it if Lucius and I dragged Cissy out and made you play with her? Should we do that next time we’re at your house?”
“Don’t you dare,” warned Bellatrix, but Rabastan could see a smile on her lips.
“Well, then,” Rodolphus finished, “don’t dare make me entertain Rabbit right now.”
Rabastan’s eyes were full of tears, and whatever was holding him back and keeping him quiet until now let go. He wanted to sink into the ground, but that was not an option, sadly. Instead, he pushed his way forward, past Bellatrix, and ran inside at full speed, down the dark hallway, almost tripping over an elf.
Rabastan, being only eight (almost nine now), was much shorter than his older brother, and his little legs carried him his distance in twice the amount of time it took Rodolphus. His running was cut short by an arm sweeping around him and blocking his path.
He turned around, his eyes brimming and bottom lip quivering. “L-let me go. I’ll l-leave you al-lone.”
Rodolphus crouched down. The two brothers now looked eye-to-eye. “Shh, Rabbit. You know I like playing with you.”
“B-but you s-said--” Rabbit stuttered.
“I’m older, and Lucius and Bellatrix are my age. You wouldn’t want me barging in on some game of yours and Sirius’, would you?”
“No,” whispered Rabastan.
“Well, then. Come on. You wouldn’t want me eavesdropping either, would you?”
Rabbit shook his head, and then, before he could stop it, sobs burst forth again.
He felt Dolph’s strong hand squeeze his shoulder. “Don’t cry,” the older brother ordered. “It makes you seem even littler.”
“Sorry, Dolphin.” Rabastan caught his breath and wiped away tears from his cheeks and eyes.
Rodolphus stood, and the distance between the two grew again. Rabastan could see Bellatrix and Lucius, hovering in the distance. “We’ll do something together when they leave, later on, all right?”
Rabbit nodded, wanting little more than to get away from the older children as soon as he could.
“Go on, then.”
Without waiting for another word, the young boy turned around and raced around the corner, back to his own room, his feet in small leather sandals that pattered against the stone floor.