‘Do you regret it?’

‘Regret what?’

‘Everything. Like, I don’t know, marrying her, following him, doing what you did.’

‘Not really, no.’

‘How’s that?’

‘How’s what?’

‘What I just said.’

‘What did you say?’

‘Did you even listen to me, brother? I suppose not or you wouldn’t have to ask.’

‘What will you do about it, Rabastan? If I choose not to listen, you can hardly do anything about it, seeing that there are physical barriers between us, like the wall over there or these bars.’

‘True, but I can still curse you.’

‘And that will work how without your wand?’

‘If you’re keen on talking with me, Rodolphus, you can also try and listen to what I say.’

‘What if I don’t want to?’

‘There’s no escape for you seeing that we’re in neighbouring cells.’

‘Stop grinning.’

‘How do you know I’ve been grinning? It’s dark in here so you can’t see me.’

‘By your smug tone, little brother. You’ve always put too many emotions into your words.’

‘Not true.’

‘It is.’

‘No, it’s not. You’re only hearing it because you want to hear it.’

‘As if I had nothing else to do than interpreting emotions into your words when they shouldn’t be there in the first place.’

‘I don’t –’

‘Stop arguing, Rabastan. You’re irritating me.’

‘Am not.’

‘I heard that. Now, what do you want to talk about?’

‘You’re changing the subject.’

‘And? What do you want to do about it? You can’t reach me.’

‘You’re incredible.’

‘Thanks.’

‘It wasn’t a compliment, Rodolphus.’

‘I know.’

‘You’re driving me insane.’

‘You started it by initialising the dialogue with me.’

‘Fine, you win. So, I asked earlier if you regret it.’

‘Regret what?’

‘Marrying Bellatrix, serving the Dark Lord, everything we did in his name.’

‘You doubt the cause?’

‘I didn’t say that. I just asked if you regret anything of what you did which brought you here to Azkaban.’

‘Do you regret it?’

‘I asked first so you answer first.’

‘Okay, okay, I’ll answer first.’

‘So?’

‘What?’

‘You wanted to answer my question.’

‘Did I?’

‘Rodolphus!’

‘Stop shouting. I can hear you perfectly fine. There’s only a hallway between our cells.’

‘It doesn’t seem to stop you from not answering my question.’

‘No, I don’t.’

‘Don’t what? Regret it or don’t want to answer my question?’

‘How about both?’

‘Oh, Rodolphus, come on. I’m bored here with nothing to do and you’re the only other person in close enough proximity to talk to, so talk with me. Keep me busy, keep me entertained.’

‘What am I, your personal slave?’

‘Don’t talk rubbish. Of course not.’

‘Then why can’t you just let me in peace? I tried to sleep here when you started jabbering.’

‘I’m not a girl.’

‘Never said that.’

‘But you indicated it.’

‘When?’

‘When you said I’m jabbering.’

‘That’s what you’re doing so I’m saying nothing else apart from the truth.’

‘You’re horrible.’

‘If you say so.’

‘I do.’

‘Can I then assume you’re sick of talking to me? I’d like to try to sleep before they come back again.’

‘No, I’m not sick of you. Although, if I think about it, I might get sick when you don’t stop not talking with me.’

‘What’s that with you and your double negations? You never used to speak like that.’

‘Maybe it’s a testament to me already going crazy.’

‘In that case, don’t take me along. I value my time.’

‘It will move faster when talking to someone.’

‘I’d rather spend my entire life in absolute silence – which won’t happen with you over there – than listen to your jabbering.’

‘You’re mean, Rodolphus. I hate you. I never did anything to you but now you’re taking revenge.’

‘You’re stupid, little brother. Why would I take revenge on you?’

‘I don’t know. Maybe because you think it’s my fault we’re in here now.’

‘How did you work that one out?

‘Well, if I hadn’t hesitated, we might have got away without being seen. If I had killed them or left like you said, then those people wouldn’t have seen us.’

‘Rabastan, what are you talking about?’

‘The night we went to that Auror family. Longbottom their name was, I believe. Remember that Bellatrix tortured them to find out about the Dark Lord? Well, when you were finished with the Auror and his wife, you said to leave, but I couldn’t decide whether or not to leave them alive. Because I noticed that they were still breathing; Bellatrix hadn’t finished them off as we thought she had. So I wanted to make sure they couldn’t turn us in.’

‘So why didn’t you do it?’

‘Because… because I… I couldn’t kill them, lying helplessly there like that.’

‘Ugh. Rabastan –’

‘No, don’t say anything. I know you hate me now for real. I know you think I’m a fool and a coward.’

‘I never said that.’

‘But you’re thinking that. I know it. I can literally feel those words forming in your mind and working their way down to your tongue to be spoken aloud.’

‘Rabastan –’

‘And then, once you’ve said it, you’ll feel better, not caring that it will have hurt me to the deepest that my own brother holds me in low regard. So, go on. Relieve yourself of the pressure it must surely be for you.’

‘Could you shut up for a moment? I’m trying to listen.’

‘To what? I thought you didn’t want to listen to me.’

‘I don’t but what choice do I have if you don’t shut up? So save your breath on whatever you want to say and listen. If you’re quiet, you’ll hear it yourself.’

‘All I hear is your whisper.’

‘Listen closer.’

‘The water dropping from the ceiling? You know that I hate humid surroundings, and listening to the water isn’t exactly what I imagined doing.’

‘Shut up now, Rabastan. It’s not the water. It’s the Dementors.’

‘Where?’

‘I believe down the hall. They’re coming closer. It’s getting colder and I see pictures flashing through my mind.’

‘I see what you mean. I’m having this… memory. What kind of pictures do you see?’

‘I’d rather not tell you.’

‘Why starting about it then?’

‘Did you hear that?’

‘Did you just ignore my question?’

‘Don’t be difficult, Rabastan. The Dementors are coming, and it’s going to be some awful moments again.’

‘Argh. I hate when that happens.’

‘Hey, Rabastan, you all right?’

‘Fared better.’

‘Same. At least they left again.’

‘My head is hurting. It feels like it’s going to explode any minute.’

‘Eat some chocolate.’

‘Funny. Where should I get some from? Do you have a stack in your cell no one knows about?’

‘How’s the headache?’

‘Why are you asking? I just told you it’s bad.’

‘Well, if you can jabber again like earlier, you’re fine.’

‘Rot in hell, Rolph.’

‘Stop calling me that!’

‘Or what? Want to kill me? Go ahead. The Dementors will kill us one day either way, and I suppose rather earlier than later. You might spare me the boredom until that happens.’

‘You’re just silly. Have some faith. We will get out of here.’

‘You’re going nuts, Rolph. This is Azkaban. No one has ever escaped from here. And if you didn’t know already, this prison is on an island in a very stormy North Sea far away from the coast of Great Britain. It’s under heavy guard from those Dementors, and there are anti-Apparition jinxes all over the place. You might find yourself fit enough to swim. I assure you I’m not.’

‘You give up too easily. The Dark Lord will get us out of here. We’re his loyal servants.’

‘The Dark Lord is gone and no one knows what happened to him. If he were still around, we wouldn’t be here, would we?’

‘Probably not.’

‘My point exactly.’

‘So you regret having joined his leagues?’

‘No.’

‘But from the way you talk it appears like that.’

‘Does it? Wasn’t my intention.’

‘Rabastan, what did you see?’

‘When?’

‘When the Dementors were feeding on us?’

‘Oh, well, I… rather not tell you.’

‘Let me guess. You saw us at the Longbottoms’ house, didn’t you? I noticed you were quite pale that night. Think what you want of me not caring about you or anything, but I’ve always cared for my little brother – and always will. If you can’t stand what we did, why did you join in the first place?’

‘What are you talking about? I joined because I wanted to support the Dark Lord in his cause. Those Mudbloods are taking away our jobs, our freedom. They’re poisoning our society and life. They have to be got rid off or the wizarding community will face its destruction soon.’

‘It sounds more like a learnt speech rather than what you truly believe.’

‘I’m not in the mood to talk about it.’

‘But you wanted to talk, remember? Rabastan, if it makes you feel better: I don’t regret what I did in his name. It was – and still is – the right way to go if we want to avoid utter destruction. Thus, I don’t regret joining him.’

‘But you do regret.’

‘Yes. I regret marrying that woman.’

‘Why? Didn’t you get along rather well?’

‘As if! All she was talking about when she talked was “the Dark Lord said�, “the Dark Lord did�, “Did you know what the Dark Lord told me?� She got on my nerves soon and I couldn’t stand it. She was married to me, for crying out loud. But all she did was talking about him. Never did she speak to me. Never did she even look at me with the same passion she looked at him.’

‘Was that what you saw?’

‘Partly, yes. I never told anyone, that woman least of all, but I saw her how she gave herself around him. She was all twittering and grovelling; it was just sick to watch. If she loved him so much, why marry me and not him?’

‘Maybe because, first, our parents arranged that marriage with the Blacks, and second, the Dark Lord didn’t want to marry.’

‘Maybe.’

‘You love her, don’t you, Rolph?’

‘Stop calling me that!’

‘You truly love her, right? What did she do, feed you Amortentia? I’ve never before heard or seen you speak of her with such a passion.’

‘What if I did love her? It doesn’t change anything. As far as I know she’s in another part of the complex. And that’s all I need to know. I’m finished with her. She’s betrayed me. I can’t even be sure if she gave her body to him, enjoying being used.’

‘Would she really do that?’

‘Believe me, she would do anything to be in power. She would even lick his shoes if he asked for it.’

‘That’s horrible. She’s a pure-blood. She mustn’t lower herself to such degrees.’

‘Right. And that’s why I won’t concern myself with her anymore. To me, she’s dead.’

‘Hmm.’

‘Are you really all right? You don’t sound like it, little brother.’

‘Sorry, just… trying to get rid of the memory I went through.’

‘Talking about it will help greatly, believe me. You’ll feel free of the burden afterwards.’

‘Did you study psychology or some of that Muggle stuff?’

‘Just say it, Rabastan.’

‘Okay, okay. You were right. It was the night at the Longbottoms’. I admit, her screams ran through me like icy needles, piercing my soul. It was horrible. I never want to do that again.’

‘You know, me neither. I won’t deny that the supremacy of us pure-bloods needs to be ensured, but… sometimes I think his ways are a little bit too extreme for my liking.’

‘Do you nonetheless still wish for him to come back and get us out of here?’

‘Yes. Because being at his side is the better option – no matter what services he asks us to do. And if we should go down in his service, it’ll be quick. I prefer that to being sucked dry by Dementors.’

‘I agree.’

‘Yes.’

‘Hey, Rodolphus?’

‘What?’

‘I’ll let you sleep now. I need it myself.’

‘You know, little brother? I’m glad you’re in the neighbouring cell. Sleep well.’

‘Thank you. You too.’