✧AN UNWANTED COURTSHIP✧

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With Rabastan 'wanting to stay out of it,' and his disappearance, she hadn't managed to ask anything more about Rolf's rumor. So to busy herself, she went ahead and continued to read through her newest manual she purchased from the store in Hogsmead.

It's meant to hold her until she managed to sort out her thoughts, and give her something to do.

It was work to retain and manage a sort of study method, her mind held endless storage and she smiled while obtaining and reviewing. Course her studies had been abruptly interrupted by one of the many house elf.

"Mistress ask for young Mistress to come down, supper is on table."
"Thank you Tessie, let's get going before they get pissy." She grumbled, but the elf hadn't made much of a reaction to Rhea's bitter comments.

Not when Tessie was flourishing at being spoken to so kindly by her young mistress.

Rhea had made her way up from her desk and hurried into her house shoes before taking the guiding steps down the main staircase and into the dining room.

The rest of her family was already sitting down, but Rolf's mention had thrown sirens in her head. Yet she managed well enough and took her seat across from Rabastan and between either parent.
"I'm glad you're feeling better to join us this evening, Rhea." She tried to keep up with her movements in placing the napkin onto her lap.

"Yes, the Gryffindors certainly gave me a migraine the final moments on the train." She ushered, and Rabastan smirked. He had heard from McNair she let them have it so he threw his own words into the discussion.

Leaving Rhea not having to speak considering it continued to bounce back and forth.

She had been pushing her soup back and forth with her spoon as she followed along with her father and brother's heated debate on the Quidditch season.

As that was certainly more important than her NEWTS, wasn't it?

The elves had come and gone with an array of dishes, and yet nobody really had made the effort in speaking to her. Not unless it was Rabastan who mentioned her in context, leaving her to politely smile and nod along.

It pained her to realize that nothing had really changed to when she was at the table or not, she was just filling the void of her eldest brother at this point, wasn't she?

"Rhea, your father and I wanted to have a word with you about this coming summer." It startled her to hear her name at the point of discussion and so she nodded along, silently showing her sense of attention to her mother then turning off towards her father.

"Rolf said that you wanted to speak about it during lunch when he was here?"
"Yes, that would've been easier considering this is an important family matter." The stern face of her father had washed over, it was as he was a new man every time he spoke to either of his children.

He loved them dearly, but it was clear to everyone—Rhea included, that she wasn't the favorite.

"...You're of age darling, it's time we start considering proposals. And they've certainly started to come in like wildfire these last few months. It seems they've been scouting the new graduates." Rhea blinked at her mother's words.

What sort of proposals did she mean?

"I-I'm sorry...I'm not quite following." She honestly admitted, and her father sneered. Though it was a rather endearing sight to see that her mother had defended her for being lost.

"That's enough of that, of course she'd be confused. We haven't discussed it with her yet."
"She's a Ravenclaw, Clarissa, for goodness sakes must we spell it out to her?" Rhea's shoulders had fallen, perhaps it would've been better to have Rolf at her side.

Or at least at the table, considering he'd just bluntly relay the information instead of this bitterness coming back and forth. Or bringing up her sorted house into the mix.

Had she been in Slytherin this wouldn't have happened.

"Your mother has gone over your recent betrothal proposals, and we've decided that you'll be introduced to Dolohov." Rhea swallowed, as that was the only thing she could do when the contents of her stomach threatened to rise up.

Betrothal?!

"Dolohov?" She questioned, and her mother nodded with a smile. "Yes, we thought he was the perfect potential husband for you dear. He's your brother's best mate." Clarissa had managed, but then her father's words had overtaken the conversation once more.

"And, a much more important note, he's been on the rise with the Dark Lord. He's a loyal follower. With my age, I cannot help as much as would, but the least I can do in record is present my daughter to those valiant men."

Valiant men, because that's what they're considered to be?

It was one thing to hear vial words, but to pair it with the actual taste was starting to grow too much for her to bare.

"...How does that sound darling?" Concentrating on not throwing up her dinner, Rhea had missed what her mother had said—But like most conversations, her voice had been overthrown.

"Dolohov is a handsome young man, I don't see any issue or reason we cannot be labeled as more than a potential courtship." Her father dwelled, but Clarissa knew that this was a much more delicate situation.

And the sprout of empathy had risen ten-fold in the mother.

"Because it's better to have options, love, Rookwood has also risen in ranks. The first pick isn't always the best." It truly hadn't helped soothe Rhea's looming thoughts of being trapped and disabled of any rights. She didn't think this summer could get much worse, but to hear that the only reason she had been sought out for a conversation was to hear that they were placing her into an unwanted betrothal.

Marriage was the furthest thing from her mind! She hardly managed out of the grove of being of age, why couldn't she enjoy the last months of her teens without getting married!

"I...I suppose he's a nice man." She offered out, and that was enough for her father to smile—And the mentality that that had made her father happy made her heart beat violently.

He was happy...So why wasn't she?

"Sure Rolf will love that, his best mate turns into his brother?" Rabastan laughed, and Rhea forced herself to do the same. The will not to cry was growing difficult to overcome, but thankfully that dinner that felt never-ending had managed to come to a close.

While Clarissa had wanted to speak to her daughter on the beauty and joy of wedding planning, but she recalled when she'd been blindsided by her own parent's coming to discuss this.

In being excused, Rhea hadn't waited for Rabastan like she usually would to walk up the grand staircase. It had been a rather childish thing, sure. But seeing her hurrying up and away to her room caused him to frown.

Wouldn't a witch be thrilled about getting married?

He hadn't heard anything from standing outside her bedroom door, but when he took one step forward—he heard the muffled cry that peeked through. Had Rhea used a silencing spell?

"Rhea?" He called out, putting his head towards the door and knocking at the wood. And that instantly caused her to throw her head up from her position on the floor. Wiping her eyes by the sleeve of her dress she hurried off into the bathroom, knowing full well that she could lock it from the inside—Seeing as her wand was off by her bedside table.

"Rhea—Are you alright?" She did think her brother was that thick to not recognize what was the matter, but she was wrong. As he was most likely counting down the days before he'd receive a new brother.

In an effort to stop her sobs, she placed her fist against her mouth—Pressing roughly to her lips to not allow a peep escape for her brother to hear.

But alas, he entered her room anyway.

It didn't take an Auror to know that she was in the bathroom, but having stepped on something, he paused. Bending down to the floor he picked up the now empty chocolate frog card to read the title.
"Merlin Rhea! You've gotten the last one!" He shouted, their never-ending bet had finally been put to rest as Rhea had collected them all.

But at what expense?
She wasn't happy now or ever.

If he hadn't come looking, he'd never know.

"Rhea...What's wrong?" He whispered, and she felt him appear just behind her door.
"Rabastan please—Just go away." She said, her vision completely blurred to the bathroom before her. And thus she managed to wrap her arms around herself, giving herself the small bit of comfort she'd relied on for years.

"Rhee, are you still feeling ill?... Should I go and get mother?" Her body responded with a silent chuckle. 'What the hell would mother be able to do?' She mouthed to herself, until she shook her head.

"No. I'm alright...I rather be alone Raba." He blinked, usually his sister favored his company. But then he recalled his father's teachings that there would be one day that Rhea wouldn't be the same as she once was.

Was today the day? That he'd be forgotten and put into his place is Antonio Dolohov?

"Rhee, come on, it's—"
"Rabastan, I said go away."
"But—"
"GET OUT!" He hardly ever heard her raise her voice, but hearing the sob that followed caused his lips to part in confusion.

"I...I won't tell mother or father about the parcel from Saint Mungos. I promise."

Oh goodie, but that's the least of my problems now.

"Just talk to me Rhea...We can fix it, can't we?" She laughed, wiping the mixture of tears and snot onto her already damp sleeve.

"I don't want to get married, Rabastan. That isn't something we can just fix." She offered out, and he had nearly fallen on his bum in hearing that.

"W-what?" He bustled, his entire image of life having almost flashed in front of his eyes.

Isn't that the progression of life? Graduate, then marriage then children?

"Dolohov? I don't want to marry that arse! I want to go to school, not plan a wedding!" The truth had been let loose, and she truly did not want to talk about this at all. Let alone with him.

Her brother was still a naive child to think that anyone would want this type of treatment.

How long had her parents scooped out the proposals, she realized quite quickly that being from the Lestrange name and two brothers—That meant that sons would be a given.

Or that's a hopeful thought.

"What about Rookwood? Or Rosier?"
"That's not the point, Raba! I'm not ready to get married!" He was left nearly speechless, nearly.

Not when he thought long and hard on how to hear how his parents explained his brother's courtship with Bellatrix, but he knew that was more or less by order of the Dark Lord.

Rhea was presented as a gift in regards to aiding the pureblood rallying of continuing tradition, which was easy to spot miles away.

"That's alright, a courtship could last a year or more. Mother and father wouldn't make you marry someone you didn't fancy, Rhee...Honestly, they wouldn't—"
"Yes they would. You don't know the half of it." She huffed, leaning her chin to her risen knees.

Had Rabastan just forgotten that Rhea was never invited to the Quidditch games that he and Rolf would be brought to?

That she was left shopping and spending time with her mother learning proper tea etiquette as if that was truly helping her now.

"I'm sorry Rhea...Really, it's—" She had peeked the door open, allowing him to see the amount of hatred she was being put through and he has nearly fallen over.

He'd never seen Rhea that beaten up over herself, but she didn't give him the benefit of the final word and thus, she closed the door.

After locking it, she made her way off towards the closet and pushing aside her dozen of dresses before using her nails to pry apart the moved tapestry—As if she was going to take advice from her kid brother.

"Screw this." She ushered, sighing in relief inf feeling the rush of cold air fill the room.

The Lestrange manor had been renovated hundreds of times, and after a look at the original blueprints. Rhea had discovered that her closet was connected to one of the converted halls. Allowing her to travel without the knowledge or being seen by elves.

She recalled one time that Rolf almost outted her secret, saying he had seen her in the library but she'd been in her room the whole time. Not that her parents knew of the original layout, but Rhea had it memorized.

And if she was having trouble, they were marked accordingly.

Without her wand, she couldn't rightly see without candlelight or her wand. Though that wasn't an issue, she took the rickety staircase that filled the cool stone with an echoing creek to fill the forgotten halls.

She embraced the cooling air and caught sight of her nook, thanking the stars that she had spar candles and supplies still stationed here.
It wasn't as though anyone would find it here, better yet—It was her safety net away from the rest.

Though she couldn't stay long, not with Rabastan most likely going to tattle. And while she should't complain outright, she still felt mildly misplaced.

Sirius has it harder.

That's what she'd usually say to calm her nerves, but shouldn't make her situation invalid.

After giving herself twenty minutes to recollect herself, she finally emerged from the hideaway to return back—Though when she hurried back into her bedroom.

Her mother was standing right in the middle of the room. "Mother, what—"
"For Merlins makes, Rhea. I've been calling you for the past two minutes!"
"I'm sorry, I was getting my things in order in my closet." She lied.

As had Rabastan, given the state of things.

"Come sit darling, we have a bit to talk about." It was as if the day was never-ending, they were pushing her to her near limits when all she wanted to do was go to bed.

Hadn't dinner been enough?

She followed her mother's lead, taking a seat at her window's nook—Seeing that there was already a tray of tea. Which meant her mother certainly planned this, or else she wouldn't have scheduled for the tea.

"It's exciting news, hearing about all the proposals of men wanting to court you...And I know it'll be a challenge as all of them are quite handsome nowadays, aren't they?"

Insufferable pigs more like it.

"Mother...didn't Dolohov's wife pass away from childbirth just the other—"
"That's nothing to worry about darling, she didn't come from clean blood. Rumor has it there's a squib in her family." That hadn't settled her mind at all, if anything, it worried her for the future.

Or giving birth!

"What if I don't end up fancying Antonio?"
"Then perhaps the next will catch your interest. Your father wasn't my first coupling my parents had made, and I certainly had a line of suitors to fill his place if it hadn't worked out." Rhea nodded. Finally, some good news.

"Rabastan said you were having a tough time this semester...?" She nodded her head and let out a stressful sigh. "Being Head Girl with NEWTS and all, I think I took too many NEWT classes." Clarissa didn't have any knowledge that her daughter had done that, and she stared in both confusion and shock.

In addition to them, she also held a position in the infirmary. Yet that wasn't up for discussion, she still had plenty of time to get it together and ask for tuition funds.

"It's over now, and there's a fine line of celebrations this coming season. And you'll need some new clothes now that you're of age and courting. Perhaps you'll meet someone at a party? There's always hope there." That was true, but off the top of her head, Rhea couldn't think of anyone more than provided.

Course Jasper, but she wasn't going to drag her friend into this mess. He deserved a proper wife when he wanted to get married.

There would be no escape, not yet at least.

"There's plenty to look forward to sweetheart, your wedding gown for instance. I've spent ages preparing it, we'll talk with plenty of designers and—" Rhea had watched her mother talk on and on about the joys of a wedding, proving myth after myth—As if she didn't have a mind of her own to fall back on.

"...How does that sound?" She had avoided responding, partially because she hadn't been listening to the rambling for the past few minutes—Even being confused as to when her mother's drawing had come into the mix of the conversation.

But her mother read her silence as nerves rather than annoyance and frustration. "I know, it's a bit early to start this courtship—But I have hope that tomorrow will be grand, just a walk in the gardens and a dinner with the family." Rhea gulped, no, she didn't have enough time to mentally prepare herself to be gawked at by a mindless follower that couldn't tell the difference between his head or his head.

"I...I don't know mother, I wasn't given much of a warning—Nor do I have anything to wear for tomorrow." It had worked as a scapegoat before, or at least turn into a rescheduled plan. And at this rate, that's all she wanted.

"Oh nonsense, you've just taken a look. Let's go and plan something, it'll calm your nerves. I promise you that darling." Rhea reluctantly followed after, and that had been a regret.

Her perfectly organized closet had been almost torn to the seams, as if this was any fun.

Watching her mother sort through and hold up things against her daughter's body, only to say things such as 'too blue' or 'too conservative'.

Wasn't that the point?

Rhea was not in any realm prepared for a relationship, let alone one with physical content or sexual acts. So it wasn't strange to tilt her head when her mother skimmed the conversation on what was appropriate behavior whistle courting.

As if she had tried any of that while her brothers were in school beside her!

The wizards she attended with wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole! Not even the ones that were rumored to fancy her.

"What was this dress for?" Her mother's question had managed to ease its way through the brick wall that's managed to build up. "Christmas party, two—No, three years ago." She replied and Clarissa hummed in recognition.

"Silver is your color, we'll need to add it to the pallet." A Slytherin color.

At least she had been able to veto what she wanted, and thus it was decided that she'd wear a light purple color. Hoping that she was peeking into her adulthood.

Clarissa had already recalled the comment that Radolphous hated to see the gawks their only daughter was receiving from their crowd, and she hardly managed to think of her NEWTS back then.

Rhea had been blessed early in a few areas and she needed to wait patiently for the rest, with a beautiful figure and a few of her mother's features. But she inherited much more from her father's side than anything else. Her brothers and her shared their brown hair between them, even if hers was a bit lighter than the rest.

That night, Radolphus had drunk himself silly. But Rhea didn't have that type of luxury as the nightmares had plagued her all night long.

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Date Posted: 04-10-2021

Time: 9:40 

Words: 3348