violent delights

Rodolphus sat on his usual spot and then took his cup of tea. “Apparently one of her cousins is pregnant… for some reason she believes we care about that” he said curtly, shaking his head slowly before sipping his tea. “Besides, we have gone to Spain twice already” he added bitterly as he rolled his eyes.

He couldn’t help but to grin when he said that he could stay there. It wasn’t common for him to have such reaction, but it came easy whenever he was around his grandfather. He was a fine man who, unlike their parents, wanted what was best for him and his brother. “Thank you” he said politely. “Mother won’t be pleased about that…” he trailed, not that he gave a damn about his mother, but still, she could be an inconvenience for the older man.

Rabastan didn’t hate Spain itself. In fact, it was a beautiful country, as they had visited all parts of it. What he hated was his ridiculous family, overbearing and unable to know the meaning of personal space. He could already hear his countless tias commenting on him and his brother’s bellos ojos azules. He wanted to spend the last part of his summer at home, but as always, their mother wanted to drag them elsewhere.

“If your mother has an issue, she can speak to me about it,” Adrastos said coldly. Rabastan was amused whenever his grandfather confronted his parents. The older man always made his mother and father look like idiots. Rabastan would just stand by, proud of his grandfather.

“Oh, grandfather, I’m going to try for the Slytherin team this year,” he said confidently. “Beater, like Rodolphus.” He had no doubt he’d make the team, he thought of himself as rather brilliant, and with his brother they’d make a powerful duo.

Andromeda shrugged with one shoulder as she detached the baby out of her breast and burped him. “It hurts a bit, but the good outweighs the bad. I like having them close and I know that the other purebloods don’t do this but it’s a good thing.” she promised looking up at him.

“You know you can stay the night,” she said looking how he was captivated with the little girl, they both were so in love with their kids it was almost impossible to look at them and just not marvel at the wonder they were. “It’s not like we never slept in the same bed.” she offered rocking a bit so Leo could fall asleep.

“Whatever makes you comfortable,” Rabastan replied curtly. He wouldn’t stand in the way of Andromeda fulfilling her motherly duties. He lifted his gaze from the crib and shook his head. “It’s quite alright. I need my beauty sleep too.” Indeed, he was in love with their babies in a way he hadn’t thought possible. Rabastan didn’t think of himself as a sentimental man, but the surge of emotions he got when he gazed at either of the twins was enough to prove him wrong.

He kissed the top of his wife’s head. “Only two more years of this,” he drawled playfully. “Have a goodnight.”

“Pretty much anything is more impressive than our home” he said pointedy. Their father was the family embarrassement, there was no way he could get to live in the Lestrange Estate, it would be a waste of potential. Just the mere thought of his spanish aunts fawning over the marble staircase like a pair of leechers made him sick to his stomach.

Adrastos Lestrange embodied everything that a proper pureblood should have: he was strong, rich, with thousand of important connections and slightly scary. Rodolphus had learned that those who were intimidating reached farther in life. In other words, his grandfather was everything that he aspired to be.

“Rodolphus” the man greeted him and then Rabastan. He was a tough man, but he did have a soft spot for his grandchildren which made his interactions with them slightly warmer than with the rest. He always felt sorry for them, neither his son or daughter in law were fit to raise them as they should, so he always tried to teach them the important things in life.

“I am good” he said before sitting down again as his dog moved back to his side. “How are you? How’s your summer going?” He asked before snapping his fingers. A house elf showed up and bowed. “We’ll have the tea now” he ordered.

Adrastos was a man that invoked fear and respect. Yet with Rodolphus and Rabastan, a different side appeared. He didn’t turn into a warm teddy bear of a grandfather but he did give them the attention and encouragement that their parents didn’t. Rabastan always felt like he had something to learn from his grandfather. Sure, Rodolphus was Adrastos’ favorite for being the heir, but Rabastan didn’t complain.

“Boring,” Rabastan sighed, sitting opposite from his grandfather. He crossed his legs, then uncrossed them after further thought. “Mother wants to bring us to Spain once more before the summer ends. As if we haven’t visited enough.”

The elf arrived with a tray of tea. Adrastos leaned forward to take his, then added, “She will do no such thing. Your father can leave with your mother as she very well pleases, but you both may remain here in their absence.” He said this firmly, leaving no room for argument, and Rabastan grinned. 

Andromeda sighed and looked down at Valentina, she was getting calmer by the second and Andromeda felt like celebrating at that, she would die of concern if she thought her baby was hungry and she was making her wait. She always worried, no matter what happened she was always concerned and asked the universe if she was being a good mother. She didn’t have exactly the best example as it was.

“I don’t want to switch to bottles just yet.” she admitted with a sigh knowing it might be a good idea, but she liked feeding the babies, “Maybe we try you waking me up for a while, see if it works. Then I can look into those pumping devices some people use, but I like this. Might be stupid but I feel it makes us bond.”

“Don’t you say it hurts?” Rabastan said, his eyes flickering briefly to the baby suckling on her chest. Andromeda complained from time to time how sore the twins made her, and Rabastan could do nothing for it. At her words he nodded, finally understanding: it was a mother thing. 

Rabastan watched Valentina close her eyes, her movements around the pacifier growing slower. “One down, another to go,” Rabastan sighed, standing with the baby to his chest. He moved to the ivory crib, decorated with pink silk and cashmere blankets, and set his daughter down. “A dormir, princesa,” he cooed, taking the pacifier from her mouth.

“Only those who don’t know what they are doing” he shrugged. “It’s quicker and cleaner than the floo network” he said simply. Rodolphus craved for the independence that apparition gave him. If his mother was being too annoying, all he had to do was turn on his heels, if he felt like going to Rome to eat a plate of pasta, all he had to do was apparate. Apparition didn’t leave traces either, which was even better.

“You do? I think it’s quite far from the city” he shrugged. “Though I suppose is a splendid place” he allowed as they walked into the tea room where his grandfather was sitting in front of the fireplace and reading the newspaper.

His dog raised his head when the two siblings walked in and immediately approached to them. Rod smiled, he genuinely smiled and leand over to pet him briefly before straightening up. “Grandfather” he said as he approached to him and shook his hand.

Rabastan nodded. He could picture it too-- going wherever he pleased, whenever he wanted. Their parents weren’t particularly strict but it would be brilliant to disappear just before dinner to simply annoy his mother. “Once you get your license, can you take me too? Or have I need one as well?” Rabastan asked, knowing Rodolphus would get his before him.

“It’s much more impressive than our home,” Rabastan pointed out. Their grandfather lived in the manor given to the Lestrange heir, yet their own father had been appointed to live with him and his manor in one of the smaller estates. Rabastan wasn’t jealous, after all Adrastos was the head of the family, but he did love to come here and explore the grounds and house.

A fake marriage wasn’t something she wanted but leaving her family wasn’t an option either, that’s how she ended with with Rabastan. It was strange to be married to someone she didn’t romantically love but she did love Rabastan as a friend and companion and that was the greatest thing in the world at the moment. They wanted the same things and were improving as a small and unconventional family.

“You were famish, weren’t you.” Andromeda said to Leo as he sucked happily before looking up at Rabastan, “I think if you help me I can feed Tina too.” she offered frowning at her question, considering the idea. “That could work, but I’m afraid the boobs are attached to me,” she rested her head on his shoulder, “What would happen if the one with you wakes up? would you bring them here or should I go there?”

Would Rabastan have preferred to live his life as a bachelor, free from the constraints of a wife and children? A few years ago the answer would have been yes. This marriage had been out of convenience, to spare Andromeda and himself from marrying a stranger who would demand things from them they didn’t want to give. Now he didn’t think of this as an arrangement, Rabastan saw this as his family. His wife/best friend, his twins, and him. That was all he needed.

“She doesn’t seem particularly hungry,” Rabastan said, looking down at the baby. Her eyes were slowly closing as she steadily sucked on the pacifier. “I would wake you and bring you to the room. Or we can make the switch to bottles,” he said pointedly.

Andromeda and Rabastan weren’t a proper marriage, they didn’t fancy each other and they managed to have a couple of kids in a ‘non traditional’ way making Rabastan and Andromeda the only marriage that had barely seen each other in underwear or bathing suits. Her mother would shriek if she knew the truth but Andromeda didn’t care, they were happy and that was all that mattered.

The first time she removed her shirt to breastfeed the babies was awkward all around, she didn’t want to show Rabastan more than she had already but she didn’t to push him away when all he wanted was help with the kids. It took a lot of tries and errors to get to the point where they both were comfortable.

“If your hands are clean you can put your pinky in her mouth, it’ll distract her for a bit until she realize you don’t produce milk.” Andromeda offered wincing a little, breastfeeding was weird and a little uncomfortable at times. “I think it won’t be long before Leo finishes.”

Nobody knew what their marriage really entailed. At least, not their parents. Anyone with half a brain was aware that Rabastan was adamantly gay, thus he had never even touched his wife beyond a hug and a staged kiss on their wedding day. That did not mean Rabastan had not wanted a family. Starting one with his best friend was never something he had regretted, not since he laid eyes on the precious babies in front of them, whom were now crying in unison.

Leo quieted, attached to Andromeda’s chest contentedly, while Rabastan fetched a pacifier for Valentina. Her small mouth puckered around it and her wails died, replaced by short gasps and sucking noises. He sighed and settled down next to Andromeda.

“What if we put one of them in my room?” He asked tiredly. “That way they don’t wake each other up.”

Family time wasn’t usually Rodolphus favorite activity. He was embarrased of his own parents and every single relative on his mother’s side. His aunts were the very same definition of nosy and loud. When they weren’t pinching his cheeks, they were gushing about all the girlfriends and they insisted on talking in spanish to him. Oh sure, Rodolphus was fluent on the language, but just because he knew how to speak it, it didn’t mean that he wanted to talk in spanish every bloody time.

However, if there was a relative that he genuinely enjoyed visiting was his grandfather on his father’s side. Adrastos Lestrange was everything Rod aspired to be: a well respected man among the pureblood community. Some found him scary and intimidating, but not Rod. So when he invited him and Rabastan for tea, he was actually excited. 

He came down the stairs and already found her brother waiting. “Yeah, I’m ready” he nodded as they both headed to the fireplace. “I can’t wait to apparate… I hate getting dust on my clothes” he muttered, taking a handful of floo powder and walked in. He pronounced the correct address and threw the powder, bursting into emerald flames.

The house elf was already waiting and immediately removed the ahses from Rod’s suit as he waited for his brother.

Even if Rabastan did not enjoy his grandfather’s company, he wouldn’t have had a choice anyways. An invitation from Adrastos Lestrange was simply not ignored. His word was final in this family, and he demanded your respect even if you didn’t want it. Luckily Rabastan thought his grandfather was brilliant. He was intelligent, having taught Rodolphus and him all they knew about their lineage and instilled pride in them of being purebloods. Something their own father had never even attempted to do.

“Doesn’t everyone get splinched the first time they do it?” Rabastan said, wrinkling his nose. “Or get sick. Either one.” He watched his brother disappear, then followed suit, reciting the address of one of the oldest Lestrange manors. He brushed his sleeves and looked up, then motioned to Rodolphus to clean his nose of the black soot that remained on it.

Andromeda could see the change in Rabastan, she always knew he had a good heart but with their kids it just grew warmer. He still was himself, a little stoic at times, but when it came to Leo and Tina he was brilliant and the best father they could have.

She smiled tiredly at him and replied with another ‘morning’ as she breastfed Leo. He was hungry beyond his size and he seemed to eat more and more each day. “We woke you up with all the partying we do in this side of the house?” she joked as she yawned, she was tired, exhausted really, but she wouldn’t change feeding her children to let an elf take care of them. There was nothing wrong with that, elves did a great job, but she wanted to be a hands on mom.

Rabastan had been ready to hand the twins over to be in a house elf’s care, but Andromeda had taken a different approach. It persuaded Rabastan to do the same. He’d been raised by house elves as well, and he wondered if that was why he was so distant towards his mother and father. Rabastan, like Andromeda, did not want to end up that way. With children kept at arm’s length. His twins were his pride and joy, therefore Rabastan did not care about waking up at night to tend to his crying newborn, something a traditional pureblood man would never do. Then again, he was no traditional pureblood, just like their marriage.

“Mhm,” Rabastan mumbled back, rocking a wailing Valentina in his arms as he sat near Andromeda feeding Leo. He didn’t squirm like he used to when Andromeda revealed her body. They’d been through everything together by now. Childbirth, to be exact. “Princesa, please quiet,” he hummed, the newborn’s tiny fists balled.

Andromeda wasn’t sure this was real, she thought it was a dream and that she would wake up at home still crying over some sappy book. She felt Rabastan hugging her and it sort of woke her up from the day dream, he wasn’t always this emotive but it seemed that the news hit him as they hit her. “You don’t have to thank me, we are having a family.” she wanted that as much as he did, she cleaned the tears and smiled at him before returning to the healer that gave her a regiment o follow for a healthy delivery.

The pregnancy wasn’t exactly pleasant, she still had her ups and downs and the morning sickness were killer but she focused on the good things. They discovered they were having a boy and a girl and couldn’t be happier, it fulfilled all the expectations each had with either of them and just excited them more. They decorated the nursery with light colors and shapes that would entertain them and just under eight months they had two beautiful babies.

It was the middle of the night and Andromeda had finally managed to fall asleep when a cry woke her up. She had the kids in there with here momentarily while they grew a bit more, they fed every couple of hours so maybe it was for the best, however as tired as she was she wished Rabastan could breastfeed if it meant a couple of minutes more of sleep. 

Taking the crying twin she rocked him gently, “There, there, it’s alright, mommy’s here.” sitting on the rocking chair so she could properly tend to him.

Leonardo and Valentina Lestrange were born on a chilly January morning. They were big and healthy, with light eyes and heads of dark hair that mirrored their parents. They had lungs that were meant for the gods and skin pinker and softer than any rose. They had perfect little fingernails, perfect noses, perfect everything. They were all and more than Rabastan had ever wished for, and for the first time in his life, the stoic, reserved man was smitten.

He may not have shared a room with Andromeda, but he was close enough to hear the cries through the walls. He lifted his head from the silk sheets, groaning when he heard not just one set of lung crying, but both. That was the issue with twins-- if one woke up wailing, the other followed suit.

He pulled a night robe over himself and shuffled sleepily into the adjacent room. “Morning,” he muttered, even if it was only three in the morning. He went to Valentina’s crib, where her pinched face had gone red as she bawled. “Shh,” he soothed her, bringing the baby up to his chest.