dancing with the devil

“If you’re attempting to sneak up on me you’re doing a horrible job. Come and do your staring where I can stare at you as well.” Bella spoke in a warm inviting tone hoping that she was about to find a new plaything. 

“I think this could go back to also prove I’m always right. We could also just go around in circles with this conversation too if that will help?” Barty laughed following the other up to the bar. He paused to order a drink before turning back to Rabastan. “That hurts Rab. I believe I was at that wedding as well. The Blacks love to show off, especially at weddings, so my parents and I were invited there as well.” He rested against the bar. “But weren’t you the one that offered to go get drinks in the first place?”

--- “ i think we’d get bored, ” rabastan chuckled. he settled on a bar stool, ordering a drink and shaking his head, “ maybe you aren’t as fun as you think you are then, ” he grinned. “ or you chose the wrong group to spend the night with. because i mostly remember a very drunk narcissa black. ” 

“Well you tell me when you figure that thing out.” Barty chuckled. “I guess that could be something we both agree on?” He rolled his eyes, with a smile still on his lips. “That sounds awful. I’m sorry.” He said genuinely. “Took you long enough.” He said as they apparated.

--- “ mhm, will do, ” bast shook his head. “ perhaps, ” he nodded, shrugging. he shook his head, “ i mean, we weren’t even friends until bellatrix and my brother got married. but she was way more fun than anyone else at the wedding. well, cissa and regulus, ” he shrugged again. “ in my defense, i put up anti-apparition wards when i was following the guy, and i didn’t bother taking them down again, ” he replied, pushing open the door to the pub and heading up to the bar.

“You don’t know that though.” Barty said laughing softly. “Oh shut up. You know I’m right. You’re just scared to admit it.” He wiggled his eyebrows jokingly. He turned his head to the side. “Do you guys really have that many family events that that is one of you’re main ways of seeing each other?” He ran a hand quickly through his hair as a smile was still plastered on his face. “Are we ever going to go get those drinks?”

--- “ i’m sure there’s something, ” rabastan shrugged. “ of course, of course, you’re always right, always ! ” he exclaimed, grinning. he shook his head, “ no, so i never see her. ever. ” rabastan nodded, “ yeah, yeah, c’mon, ” he grabbed barty’s arm and apparated to the three broomsticks.

“If you say so.” Oliver chuckled lightly. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small photo. He handed it to Rabastan. “I wasn’t given a name. Just this picture.” He ran a hand through his hair, sitting back in the couch. “That’s why they send me out. To fix the problems that come with those that know too much.”

--- “ as long as they actually get scared off i won’t complain, ” rabastan shrugged. taking the photo, he looked over the person’s face, nodding, “ oh, yeah, he’s a total arse, ” rabastan chuckled. “ honestly i’ not surprised that it’s him. i usually hide in the back when he’s here. ”

“That doesn’t necessary mean you agree with me though. We can see the same political view in different ways.” Barty crossed his arms lightly with a smirk covering his lips. “Of course. I always have and know I’m more fun than all of them.” He joked back. “That was four years ago. You’re still hung up on that?”

--- “ but we still probably agree on some things, ” bast shrugged. he smirked back, “ uh huh, alright, whatever you say, crouch, ” he laughed. “ yeah, well, narcissa doesn’t do anything fun anymore. i only see her if there’s some stupid party we’re both required to be at or if i go to the bakery while she’s there. ”

Voldemort: No, no, no, it should be delicate, fetching, and a chiffon train rippling down like... like...

Walden: Like a waterfall.

Rabastan: Like an open wound.

Despite how ill-advised the decision was The Dark Lord trusted the dementors, but that didn’t mean Walden had to share his opinion. He understood their purpose, and why they were useful but Merlin did they creep him out. Here was hoping that they powers that be would ultimately decide that having the creatures roaming about was a little over zealous. Stepping out onto the street the wizard wanted nothing more than to be out of the anti-disapparation zone and away from their presence.

Information gathering was a task that took quite a bit of finesse, and it wasn’t that Walden completely lacked it. No, he just didn’t care to handle their enemies (perceived or otherwise) with that level of care.  So when The Dark Lord asked him to make an urgent visit whomever he’d had his audience with tended to be quite a bit less…alive at the end of their meeting.  Unfortunately for his host that did not change on this night. Turning the corner he’s barely had the time to recognize the younger Lestrange before he felt the familiar tugging feeling. No matter how long he’d been apparating the feeling never got any more comfortable and certainly not when it was done without any sort of forewarning.

“Tell me about it. Azkhaban must be a damn picnic right now.”

He’d been to the Lestrange manor enough to recognize his surroundings but not enough to felt any left of comfort there.  But it wasn’t crawling with Dementors or rebels so he didn’t exactly have any reason to complain about the albeit abrupt change is scenery.

--- rabastan agreed with plenty of new order laws and regulations, but sending dementors to track down rebels wasn’t something he agreed with. and even if he wasn’t worried about himself, he knew that narcissa was hiding her own worry from her husband and sister. 

rabastan liked his job usually, but tonight he was far from happy with it. usually, he got to finish off his victims, and having the dementors show up and screw up the hit pissed him off. he wanted a drink, but sitting alone in the lestrange manor didn’t sound like a very good plan.

“ they multiply the more darkness or whatever that they’re allowed to infest. letting them roam free across the country, regardless of their allegiances with us is not my idea of a good plan. they can change alliances as they please, if someone else offers more souls, ” bast scowled as he spoke. “ i need a drink. ”

“But that’s always the best parts of my visits.” Oliver pouted slightly before it broke into a wide smile. “I have some things to discuss with one of Narcissa’s regulars.” He turned his gaze to the window to make sure no one was entering the small shop. “It’s been said they know too many things for being ‘neutral’ in this war.”

--- “ you can scare off the next one, ” rab said decidedly. he smiled back. “ of course you do. which one ? ” he asked, resting his chin on his palm and leaning against the table. “ ah, knowing too much is never a good thing. ”

“Why are you so certain about that?” Barty asked, lightly back handing the other’s shoulder. “When was the last time you agreed me?” He raised an eyebrow skeptically. “I know, with certainty, that you will not be able to find someone because I am the most fun person you know.”

--- “ you’ve reacted, ” bast grinned. he laughed as barty backhanded his shoulder. “ we share political views, ” he shrugged, grinning. “ oh so you’re keeping tabs on who i hang out with now, are you ? ” he joked. “ you’re right though. narcissa’s not been as much fun since draco was born. ”

Emma nodded, slowly. It still all seemed just a little too convenient that it was Rabastan who suddenly appeared there. Nevertheless, she kept her eyes on him, struggling not to look back. Not to run to the alley and actually check on the person herself.

“Please.” She said, only looking back at the alley once Rabastan was occupied with scribbling the tone to his supposed friend. “Should we stay here? Until your friend comes? To- to make sure nothing happens.” Emma added, taking a few steps towards the alley despite his initial warnings.

--- rabastan held eye contact with emma. he hoped that whatever suspicion she might hold, she’d just let go of it. he didn’t have the time nor want to deal with someone questioning his morals. he had the dark lord’s favour, and he was supposed to appear fairly close to neutral while still supporting the new order. but it wouldn’t do him any good if it became well known that he was one of the hit wizards being sent after rebels.

rabastan watched as emma stepped back towards the alley, listening to her speak. he didn’t make any move to stop her from moving towards the body this time. he knew she was uncomfortable, but he wasn’t there to keep her from giving herself mental scars from staring at his dead target. “ we don’t have to. i mean, you know everything i do so i can always just send him my witness statement. i... don’t really want to sit around staring at a dead body, ” rabastan stated.