Marmoris | Rabastan Lestrange [1] ✔︎

50 | IN DUBIO PRO REO

                   

Phoenix woke up in the dark, to a door being slammed shut and feet pounding against the floor. She blinked several times, surprised at making out Rabastan's blond hair on the other side of the bed. As far as she could tell by his peaceful features he was still sleeping a good distance away from her, only their hands touching in the space between them. However, he nearly fell to the floor when the curtain, which somebody must have closed while they were sleeping, was forcefully pulled aside and he was woken up.

"By Salazar's honour-", he murmured while Phoenix jumped to her feet, in search for something to throw at the intruders.

Then she recognised the shorter one of the figures, standing in front of her hospital bed. "Reg?"

Her brother didn't answer, as the other man, who turned out to be a furious looking Jack Avery, pulled Rabastan up by his shirt. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," he defended himself, trying to push the young man away from him. "I have been here since I left the Great Hall after dinner."

"Not today, idiot. What happened yesterday evening?" Jack inquired further, shaking him.

There was no more of the friendly man she had met prior that day. He talked to Rabastan in a completely different manner. Aggressive and superior, just like he had done it when she had been trapped in her own body. Phoenix wasn't one to easily talk back to people, who obviously had authority, but hearing him accuse her friend and making him feel even worse than he apparently already did, alongside her brother not doing anything against it, made anger rush through her veins. Without thinking she stretched out her hands at him, reaching out to her powers. In an instant Jack was thrown backwards over another bed and on the floor beside it. "Leave him alone."

Jack came back to his feet but Phoenix clenched her outstretched fist making him cry out in pain and holding on to his head. She heard Regulus shout her name, just before she was tackled against the bed behind her. His face was close to hers, as his hands firmly gripped her arms. "Jack is not our enemy, Phoenix."

"You know him?", Phoenix asked, confusion lacing her voice, but she felt the sudden anger slowly subside.

Regulus shook his head, letting go of her arms. "Hardly, but Rabastan does."

Phoenix' eyes moved from Jack, who was breathing heavily, to the blonde boy and back again. She suddenly felt overwhelmed by exhaustion and was glad that her brother pushed her to sit on the bed. She swallowed and apologised, "I'm sorry. I have no clue what I just did."

Jack nodded, resting his hands on the bed which was separating him from Rabastan. He seemed more calm, but his shoulders were still tense with stress. However, he didn't seem fazed by her action at all as he kept questioning her friend. "What happened yesterday evening?"

Rabastan took a step backwards crushing against the nightstand, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "I did not try to off myself, if that's what you are getting at."

The brunette man audibly breathed out, his lips forming a thin line before he explained, "Really? Because there's a girl running around the castle, telling the professors and students that she surprised you, while you were cutting yourself. You know what she said? That you launched yourself at her and stabbed her."

"I could never-"

"I really want to believe that," Jack cut him off, desperation lacing his voice. "But you have a history of having difficulty at controlling your emotions."

"Crystal Morgan got here just a few minutes before you two did with a stabbing wound in her abdomen. Did you do this?", Regulus added.

They were actually suspecting him of trying to murder a fellow student. A shiver ran down Phoenix' spine. She breathed, "Merlin's beard."

Nobody reacted to it in any way as everybody was fixed on Rabastan, who started to shake his head violently, gripping it with his hands. "No, no, no."

To her surprise Jack's expression softened as he approached him this time, grabbing his shoulders. "Please tell me you didn't do it."

"I don't know." Rabastan's confession was barely a whisper but it might as well have been him shouting it.

Phoenix started to tremble and Regulus' voice sounded incredulous as he inquired, "What? How can you not know if you nearly killed somebody?"

"I don't know what happened before I found myself sitting in that classroom where Phoenix found me. It's completely gone." Even though she could only see his profile, Phoenix was sure that his eyes were filled with terror as he looked at Jack. "I thought I wasn't supposed to happen again."

Phoenix had no idea what he was talking about, and she had no idea what to do or say either. So, she just sat there watching the scene with wide eyes.

"I wish it hadn't," Jack told him, not letting go of his shoulders. "I'm sure they are already looking for you by now. We have to get you out of here."

"What?" Phoenix jumped to her feet, nearly stumbling over Regulus legs, as she walked with them to the door. "You can't just leave. It'll make you look guilty."

Jack turned around to face her. "Look, there are some things you don't understand and I can't guarantee his safety if he stays here."

"But what about 'in dubio pro reo'? Rabastan is innocent until he's proven guilty," she persisted, stepping in front of the door to make sure they wouldn't leave through it.

"She's right," Regulus joined in. "But if you leave now, that might be seen as a prof that he's guilty."

To their surprise Rabastan didn't even hesitate to take Jack's side, just like he blindly followed him to the door without another word of argument. "It's her words against my lack of memories. Who do you think will win that battle? I'm sorry but I can't take any chances."

"Move aside," Jack added.

Phoenix shook her head. "I can't."

"Please Nix," Rabastan begged. "You have to let me do this."

As she didn't move, Jack gently pushed her aside and despite Regulus' protests, they walked out. Their friend had made his decision.

Rabastan Lestrange wasn't ready to fight.