<div align="center"><em>Lavender Ackerly - Chatting with Brutus</em></div><hr/><br/>What he said made little sense to her. If his father was nice, then why leave him like that? Wouldn't his father miss him? And what was wrong going to work with his father? Lavender was likely to end up in whatever job her father found fit for her. Whether she wanted it or not. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to do something like what he was saying. Sure, it sounded a little crazy, but who was she to judge. After all, it wasn't like she had any expectations for her own life, nor that anyone else had them for her either. With her terrible grades, her parents had given up hope that she would even be able to find a job on her own. Instead her father had already set her up with one after graduation, "Well, I'm sure your father will be happy with whatever you do. If he's so nice, then I'm sure he's understanding too," not like her parents. They wouldn't understand. Why would they?<br/><br/>"Plus, it's not like you'll never see him again, right? I mean...you would come home to see him and you said you were going to write him. If it's really what you want to do, I think he would be okay with it. After all, it's not like you're me. I'm sure you can take care of yourself. I couldn't cast a shield charm to save my life..." the world was a dangerous place. No place for a girl like her, "...though I don't see what's wrong with working for the Ministry."<br/><br/><div align="center"><em>Rabastan Lestrange - Talking with his Sister</em></div><hr/><br/>Rabastan followed his sister into the train compartment and shut the door so they could talk in private. Oh how he hated playing the good boy. It wasn't him. Luckily, he seemed to be a good enough actor to pull it off. Again, it wasn't his problem if Barty wanted to rut around with a blood traitor, even if it was his sister. He let her prattle on about them being civil again and their mother. Dear god, their mother. The woman was a loon. If she couldn't handle the world today, then she was better off where she was right now, "Can we not talk about mum?" that was even further back on his list of things to talk about than trying to make nice with his sister, "I'm sure if you talked with Aunt Hestea, she would let you back in the house...not that it really matters. I'm not living there anymore either. I, uh, got tired of her rambling."<br/><br/>He sat down on the bench seat and motioned for her to sit too, "We're like twins, Remy. We always were. I've never been the one to really do anything to you, have I? It was always Rodolphus shooting hexes and things like that. I want us to be close again. You should come sit with me and Barty. I want us to be good again. I want you to see me as your big brother again, Remy," he gave her a big smile, "Maybe having you around again will be a good influence on me," he teased, "What do you say? Come sit with Barty and me for the trip?" Rabastan prayed that Bellatrix would already be gone or would leave if he asked. Having Bella around would ruin all the work he was putting into this. Rabastan was sure of it.