Kill the Lights

Roddy had stood in on a number of new member initiations, watching from the wings as others brought in their prospects and awaited the final word on whether they would be rewarded for their good judge of character and skill or punished for wasting the Dark Lord’s time. Rodolphus had no worries that Jovi wouldn’t match up to the high bar held up for her. She was cunning and driven and everything a good Slytherin ought to be, and related to the Lestranges which only reflected well on her already stellar proverbial resume. He watched silently with a smug arrogance that went unseen by those who could only view the painted expression on his mask, but he was certain his confidence in his cousin was radiating despite his hidden features. His chin raised as Lord Voldemort pressed his wand tip to Jovi’s pale forearm and he could feel his father take a gentle sigh of relief beside him. It was disappointing that his father held less confidence in Roddy than he held in himself to worry about such things, but were the tables turned and it was Aurora’s neck on the line, Rodolphus would have been a pile of nerves so his father’s state was understandable.

Once they were dismissed and the Dark Lord retired to his office, the formalities of the evening were dropped. Adolph and Rodolphus spoke among themselves while a few of the others congratulated Jovian. When the crowd thinned, Adolph approached, his mask removed, and gave Jovi a familial embrace. “Your parents will be proud of you, Jovian.” Releasing her and turning to Roddy, who had moved closer, he added, “you’ll get your cousin home safely, then.”

Roddy nodded. “After a few beers, of course,” he remarked to his cousin as his father turned to leave. “We’ll need to celebrate properly. You should invite some of your slutty friends, as a thank you for all that I’ve done for you.” He grinned and tried picturing which of Jovi’s hot young girlfriends he might be shagging in the pub toilets later on as he guided her back through the mansion, taking more time to show her around and explain how the security wards worked. As a newly marked Death Eater, Jovi would be able to come and go from the site as she pleased, though there were some wings of the large mansion that she would want to steer clear of until expressly permitted. After a tour of the home and the grounds, the pair were off to the Hung, Drawn and Quartered in London where Rodolphus had arranged requested his brother and a few other mates join them.