A Hand and a Heart and a Brain
Title: A Hand and a Heart and a Brain
Author: Janus
Word Count: 500
Rating: M
Summary: Dolohov helps Rabastan demonstrate to himself that he possesses the necessary tools to be a Death Eater.
Warnings: violence and dark ideas
Author's notes: none
"Can you kill your brother?"
Rabastan's eyes slid past Dolohov's. He was here to protect Rodolphus.
"If he were a traitor, could you kill him?" The older man persisted, leaning forward intently. "Until you know, you won't be able to act reliably. This is war, but it isn't easy. These are not battles of masses. Our missions are strategic, precise, and acts of scalpels rather than fireworks. Reality is keen when you must kill where you have been smiling, where your targets may be misguided schoolmates. And if one of you is turned, he must be killed as well, perhaps by the one closest to him, lest you all be lost."
Rabastan's eyes slid to the others: to serious little Regulus, wide-eyed with learning; to determined Severus, already eradicating feeling; to Evan, steeling himself to be worthy of this adventure for the world; to dangerous, scornful Bella; to Roddy himself, wanting nothing more than to please her. To protect Rabastan, they would do what they had to do. If Rabastan could not do the same for them, he was nothing. He would not be able to save them - all he wanted to do - and he would not be worthy of their company.
He nodded at Dolohov, who held his eyes until they matched the movement of his head.
"You will be paired with Rodolphus for this exercise." 'This exercise' was not Avada Kedavra, but another unforgivable: the Cruciatis curse. "If you were to actually kill one another at this stage, it would only be counter-productive."
There was nervous laughter at this. It was not funny. But it was funny because it was true. Clearly their teacher was trying to relieve the tension without doing so. Did that make it funny, or uncomfortable?
"Focus and do not hesitate, or you would be helpless against a real target, standing foolishly while their hands were not thus stayed."
Rabastan faced Rodolphus. He took a slightly shaky breath and cast. "Crucio!"
"Crucio!" Rodolphus.
"Crucio!" Rabastan.
"Crucio!" Rodolphus.
"You have to mean it," Bella interrupted. Her tone was just short of dismissive.
Severus' curse had finally managed to catch Regulus, and immediately he lurched towards him with a broken-hearted sound.
Rabastan filled with horror. He had to be able to protect his loved ones, no matter what he had to do. If someday Severus meant this, Rabastan would have to kill him.
"Crucio!" Somehow Rabastan had now succeeded against Rodolphus. And it was his turn to run weeping to cradle his brother's dazed and tortured head. He had done this.
"Yes," said Dolohov. "You must also love one another. You must trust one another. The other part of this lesson is that without that bond, without knowing your heart through brutal experience, you are more likely to be turned. You must have hands to kill and hearts to keep you. Well done."
Rabastan stroked Roddy's hair back from his face as his brother came back to himself. Bella knelt beside them, proud of him for once in a way.
first posted to my dreamwidth account.
Author: Janus
Word Count: 500
Rating: M
Summary: Dolohov helps Rabastan demonstrate to himself that he possesses the necessary tools to be a Death Eater.
Warnings: violence and dark ideas
Author's notes: none
"Can you kill your brother?"
Rabastan's eyes slid past Dolohov's. He was here to protect Rodolphus.
"If he were a traitor, could you kill him?" The older man persisted, leaning forward intently. "Until you know, you won't be able to act reliably. This is war, but it isn't easy. These are not battles of masses. Our missions are strategic, precise, and acts of scalpels rather than fireworks. Reality is keen when you must kill where you have been smiling, where your targets may be misguided schoolmates. And if one of you is turned, he must be killed as well, perhaps by the one closest to him, lest you all be lost."
Rabastan's eyes slid to the others: to serious little Regulus, wide-eyed with learning; to determined Severus, already eradicating feeling; to Evan, steeling himself to be worthy of this adventure for the world; to dangerous, scornful Bella; to Roddy himself, wanting nothing more than to please her. To protect Rabastan, they would do what they had to do. If Rabastan could not do the same for them, he was nothing. He would not be able to save them - all he wanted to do - and he would not be worthy of their company.
He nodded at Dolohov, who held his eyes until they matched the movement of his head.
"You will be paired with Rodolphus for this exercise." 'This exercise' was not Avada Kedavra, but another unforgivable: the Cruciatis curse. "If you were to actually kill one another at this stage, it would only be counter-productive."
There was nervous laughter at this. It was not funny. But it was funny because it was true. Clearly their teacher was trying to relieve the tension without doing so. Did that make it funny, or uncomfortable?
"Focus and do not hesitate, or you would be helpless against a real target, standing foolishly while their hands were not thus stayed."
Rabastan faced Rodolphus. He took a slightly shaky breath and cast. "Crucio!"
"Crucio!" Rodolphus.
"Crucio!" Rabastan.
"Crucio!" Rodolphus.
"You have to mean it," Bella interrupted. Her tone was just short of dismissive.
Severus' curse had finally managed to catch Regulus, and immediately he lurched towards him with a broken-hearted sound.
Rabastan filled with horror. He had to be able to protect his loved ones, no matter what he had to do. If someday Severus meant this, Rabastan would have to kill him.
"Crucio!" Somehow Rabastan had now succeeded against Rodolphus. And it was his turn to run weeping to cradle his brother's dazed and tortured head. He had done this.
"Yes," said Dolohov. "You must also love one another. You must trust one another. The other part of this lesson is that without that bond, without knowing your heart through brutal experience, you are more likely to be turned. You must have hands to kill and hearts to keep you. Well done."
Rabastan stroked Roddy's hair back from his face as his brother came back to himself. Bella knelt beside them, proud of him for once in a way.
first posted to my dreamwidth account.