A/N Not many people write about Frank and Alice. People think of them as Neville's parents, or as the Longbottoms, not as anyone important. I love them with all my heart and soul.
Frank got home that night early; he had dropped Neville off at his mother's house and then come back to wait for Alice so that they could go to the Ministry dinner that had been planned long ago. Running a hand through his hair so that it stood up slightly, Frank walked over to the kitchen of their small house, leafing through the envelopes that he had picked up at the front door. Opening one quickly and flipping it open, he skimmed it briefly, frowning. Raising his eyebrows and stifling a yawn, Frank set down the letter and then walked towards the fridge, pulling out a carton of orange juice and unscrewing the lid, setting it on the counter. Leaning his head back, he drank straight from the carton. Alice would probably have skinned him alive if she saw.
"Your wife wouldn't like you to do that, now, would she Frankie?"
He froze, back going stiff. He recognised that voice from Hogwarts. It wasn't hard to forget.
"Turn around, then. Nice and slowly. Rodolphus has your wand. Silly Frankie left it in his coat pocket. Not very smart for an Auror, is he?"
He did as the voice told him to, Frank lowered the carton, eyebrows creased. When he had turned around it wasn't just Bellatrix and Rodolphus there. A man who he recognised as Bartemius Crouch's son and another who he recognised as Rabastan Lestrange were standing behind Bellatrix.
"What d'you want?" Frank said finally, eyes never leaving Bellatrix who had her wand pointed lazily at him. "Where's Alice? What've you done to her?" Bellatrix laughed and Frank felt his heart clench. "God dammit, where is she?" Voice raising with anger, Frank threw the carton on the floor by her feet, the orange liquid seeping out slowly.
"Frankie thinks something's happened to his wife. You think we'd do something? Frankie, why do you think so ill of us?" She was smirking and Frank stared at her, wide eyed, not sure what to think.
"Where is she? Do what you like to me, just don't—don't hurt her." He was trying to keep his breathing under control and he looked around desperately.
"Do what we like to you?" There was a jibing tune in Bellatrix's voice, like she was talking to a baby. "Really, Frankie. How Gryffindor of you." Frank grit his teeth and stayed quiet.
"Where is he?" she said finally. He said nothing, looking at her still, not moving. "Tell us, Frank, and no one will get hurt. Where's the Dark Lord?"
"No one will get hurt my arse," he said quietly, taking a step back. Wasn't there the knife rack just behind him? If he could just grab that, then maybe… Hand closing on something, Frank felt around it. It felt like a spoon. He set it down quietly. "What do you want from him? I thought you married Lestrange. Not much you can get out of him, unless adultery is something that comes to Death Eaters." Speaking lightly, Frank raised an eyebrow.
"Don't speak about the Dark Lord like that," she said quietly, voice changing completely.
"I'm sorry. Really, I am. I'm so very sorry for you. You know, maybe if you were born into a different family you may actually have some compassion and feeling, rather than going off to shag whoever's available," Frank said, voice still light. Bellatrix narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"You've got one last chance, Longbottom. I'm rather fed up with this. Where is the Dark Lord?"
"Don't you know? Don't you all have some, I dunno, paging device or something? Maybe he doesn't want you anymore. Maybe he doesn't—."
"Quiet!"
Frank felt something hot against the side of his face and he stumbled backwards, hand snapping upwards to feel the raw skin underneath his fingers. Heart rate increasing slightly, he tried to think sense. They had his wand, they had wands: he was defenceless. Heart pounding, he realised what would happen. He was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it at all. Standing up a bit taller, Frank looked at them all coolly. Was this like it was with James? Was it like it was with everyone else that he had investigated and that was in the newspaper? Closing his eyes slightly, Frank took a step foreword before opening them. He opened his mouth to talk, but was cut off.
When Alice heard him come home, a smile had played her lips, and she had quickly abandoned the dressing table. Her hair could wait; a kiss from Frank was all she had wanted. However, when she had reached the top of the stairs, she stopped, not descending. She could hear voices coming from the kitchen. Voices that instantly made her insides churn. Slowly, tentatively, she had dropped one foot onto the top step, straining her ears to listen.
"Turn around, then. Nice and slowly. Rodolphus has your wand. Silly Frankie left it in his coat pocket. Not very smart for an Auror, is he?"
Alice could feel her own wand in the pocket of the shirt she was wearing (one of Frank's, as she couldn't find any of her own that would be comfortable to wear while putting on make up and doing your hair). Her fingers had closed around it as she went down three more steps. She had felt as though there was a hang clenching at her heart, as if there was a dead weight on her chest that was trying to cut of her breathing. The last stair creaked slightly, and she'd froze, her shoulders rigid. A second later, she decided that they hadn't heard her.
The door to the kitchen was very slightly open, and Alice had peered through it, looking over at Rodolphus Lestrange, Bellatrix, Rabastan and, something that had surprised her, Barty Crouch Junior? Alice frowned, listening intently.
"Where's Alice? What've you done to her?"
Her heart was beating up a bruise in her chest. Alice clenched the wand in her hand, stepping away from the door, closing her eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. There was little she could do. She heard the bark of instruction, and she opened her eyes in time to see Frank stumble. It was in that moment, when she saw him stand up to them in an almost arrogant way, but she could tell from his body language what he was expecting. And she didn't want to think about that. Not yet. It was something she wanted to plan fifty years from now. Blinking back the gathering tears, she had shoved the door violently open.
Her wand was pointed out at Rodolphus' back, and she knew she was too badly outnumbered to do anything; but there was nothing stopping her from trying.
"Do you honestly think that we'd answer that? Really, Lestrange. I expected that you, of all people would be in contact with him, eh Bellatrix?" Her lip curled slightly, though her gaze darted to Frank for a moment, betraying her fear for only a second, before the hard expression came back. "You can ask us all you like, but we're not going to tell you a single thing."
Frank stared at her, eyes leaving Bellatrix. Alice could never win against them. She may be an Auror as well, but they were Death Eaters. Aurors were being picked off by the dozen daily by them. He trembled slightly. They couldn't hurt her. Why couldn't she have stayed upstairs? He thought she was out, he thought she was safe, but here she was.
Bellatrix raised an eyebrow.
"Well, well, two Longbottoms. You see, Frankie? We didn't do anything to her. I'm hurt that you thought we would do. Here you go. She can stay safe." Bellatrix nodded to Rabastan who raised his wand, nodded sharply so that Alice's flew out her trembling fingers before she could do anything.
"You wankers!" Frank roared. Losing it, he threw himself at Rodolphus who was closest, grabbing his shirt and making a fist, plunging it into his face. "You fucking wankers!" There was a bang and a flash of light and Frank flew off of him, slamming heavily into the counter. Alice screamed, trying to get past Rabastan, but he held her firmer.
"Now, now, Frank. Temper." He looked up, breathing heavily, and pulled himself up from the counter.
"Let her go. Let her leave—leave." Bellatrix raised an eyebrow.
"We couldn't possibly do that," she said.
"Let her leave, you fucking bitch," he growled, gripping the edge of the counter.
The change was immediate. Bellatrix's eyes narrowed and she took a step closer to Frank. She traced a finger around his cheekbone and then raised her eyebrows again, mouth close to his ear.
"Let me tell you something, Longbottom," she whispered. "I have the wand. You have nothing. You can tell us what we like, or you can't." She stepped backwards.
"No way in hell," Frank said quietly.
Alice shrieked, leaping towards Bellatrix, but she never reached her; Rabastan's strong hands gripped her arms painfully, yanking her back. Alice stumbled, falling against him, feeling no warmth radiate from his body. She shuddered slightly, feeling the first tear slip down her face.
"You shouldn't do that, Al," Rabastan whispered to her, laughing slightly, putting particular emphasis on her nickname, the one Frank always used. "You might get your husband into more trouble doing that. Might get yourself in trouble too."
Alice's face creased, and she caught Rodolphus off guard as she spun around, kicking him in the shins. "Fuck off," she hissed, as she pulled away. However, Rabastan was too quick for her, his hand darting out to slap her. She was pushed back by the blow, and once again she could feel his hands on her, and his stinking breath on her cheek.
"Naughty, aren't we?"
Frank tried to push past Bellatrix but another flick of her wand sent him back. His face was creased with anger, eyes fixed on his wife.
"Let her go! Let her go, fuck, let her go!"
Bellatrix glanced towards Bartemius Junior and nodded sharply and he walked away towards the door, glancing out, and then started walking around the room and closing all the curtains. Frank watched him suspiciously, heart thudding against his chest.
"I'm getting rather impatient." No longer was there a childish jump to Bellatrix's voice. "Tell us where the Dark Lord is, Longbottom, or we'll have to make you." Frank said nothing, staring determinedly back at her. Finally, Bellatrix turned to Rodolphus, muttered something to him, and he nodded before she turned back to Frank.
It was quick and he wasn't prepared. They had told him everything there was about the Cruciatus Curse in Auror training. They had said what it felt like and how it was conjured and how to fight it. Nothing ever came up about fighting it wandless, though, and nothing that they said about how it felt was close to this.
Pain was searing through his body, pain worse than anything he had ever felt before. Billions of white hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, jugs of poison was poured down his throat. His whole body was on fire and he writhed on the ground, oblivious to anything, just wanting it to stop. He couldn't hear anything, he couldn't make out his own screams from Alice's screams, and Alice's pleads for them to stop. He couldn't make out anything that was going on around him and he forgot everything.
And then it stopped.
He lay panting on the floor, face pressed hard against the cold tiles. He didn't want to touch anything. Everything hurt, everything made him hurt. His face was stinging and he couldn't move.
"Do you want more, Longbottom?"
Frank didn't move. He opened his eyes slowly, painfully, breathe coming short and laboured. He lifted his head an inch off of the ground and then pulled his hands out from under him to push himself up. It was hard, but eventually he managed it and no one stopped him, leaning against the counter. How long the curse had gone on for, he didn't know. Frank let his eyes move to Alice who was crying, her own eyes fixed on him.
"I love you," he said, voice hoarse. "I love you, Al. Don't give in. I'll be fine. I love you. Don't worry. I love you, Alice, I love you so much." She nodded silently, eyes not moving from him, and Frank turned to Bellatrix, face as straight as he could manage.
"I'm not telling you anything."
Her expression didn't change but she looked at him for a long time before Bartemius stepped foreword and raised his wand. Frank cut in front of him before he could say anything.
"Where's your dad, Barty? Does he know you're here?" He met the young boy's eyes briefly before he looked away at Bellatrix who nodded.
"Crucio!"
Pain hit him again and he wasn't aware if he was standing up or on the floor. Pain was all he was aware of. It was not as strong as last time, not as well practiced, but it was still intense and Frank was sure that it went on for longer than the previous time. Alice was screaming, yelling his name again and again but Frank didn't hear. He curled over, like a dead bug on its back, not sure if he was quiet or yelling. He couldn't see anything.
Alice struggled, tears cascading down her face freely now as she tried to get to Frank. "Frank! FRANK! I love you, I… I love you… I forgive you for everything you've ever done…" She kicked wildly at Rabastan, while Bartemius and Bellatrix cackled in the background, but she didn't register the sound. "The fight you have with… with James… that time in the kitchens, remember? And then there was the incident at the front gates, Christ, Frank, listen to me! God dammit, just listen! R-r-remember the gates? When we finally became a couple? I'm sorry for kicking you-"
It stopped again and Frank staggered upright, knees giving in slightly.
"Tell us, Longbottom. It's really not that hard." He shook his head, unable to talk, unable to do anything and something collided heavily with his legs, knocking his feet out from under him.
"It's not working, Bella. Get the woman. Maybe he'll give in if you get her."
She shrieked as she was shoved toward him, and she found her hands reaching out to grab for his shoulders. She ran her fingers over his face, her body trembling as she heard Bellatrix murmur, "Go ahead Barty."
"I'm sorry," she whispered to Frank, her eyes and face still wet with tears. "I'll see you in another life, yeah?" She pressed herself close to him, but her grip slackened when pain shot through her. Somehow, she hadn't heard Barty say "Crucio", but she didn't care. Sliding down, her fingers weakly entwined with his, she landed on the floor, leaning against Frank's legs.
Shaking, Frank felt his hands moving everywhere, gripping Alice towards him as she felt what he had a moment ago. He murmured things to her, not sure what he was saying, running his hands through her hair.
"Make it stop," he moaned, head leaning back against the counter. "Please. Don't hurt her anymore. I'll tell you… I'll tell what you have to know. Just leave—leave Alice alone." He closed his eyes, still gripping her towards him, trying to keep her still.
Bartemius jerked his wand upwards and stumbled back, staring at the two of them, eyes wide, lips white. He looked terrified and Rabastan hit him, glaring.
"Pull yourself together," he snapped. Bellatrix didn't even glance at him but raised her own wand. Frank stared at her, breath still shaking.
He looked at Alice in his lap and kissed her, feeling her kiss him back, both of them tired and filled with pain.
"I love you," he said into the kiss, holding her tighter and Alice held him. "I love you so much, Al. I love you, I love you." She had her eyes closed and her head pressed against his chest.
"Don't leave me, Frank, I love you. Merlin, I love you. I love you Frank. I love you, I love you Frank Longbottom."
Frank pressed his forehead against the top of her head.
"I know, I know. I love you. I'll never leave you. I-." He was cut off by Bellatrix shouting the curse again and Rodolphus stood by her side, pointing his own wand at Alice. They were still clinging to each other.
I love Alice. I love you, Alice. I love Neville. I love Neville I love Alice.
Rodolphus' brow was creased in concentration.
I love Frank, Neville, I love you.
Bartemius Crouch Junior was staring at the couple, eyes wide. He wasn't moving. Rabastan smirked.
I love you, Alice.
Bellatrix was laughing now, wand jerking upwards, laughter almost hysterical.
I love you, Frank. I-
Bartemius stepped backwards, looking away. He was only young.
I love-
Bellatrix finally stopped and Rodolphus soon followed her and they stared at the two in front of them for a moment before turning towards the door. Frank tried to collect his thoughts and remember the thing that mattered most.
I love… I-
He closed his eyes, clinging to the person who he was holding, not sure why he was holding her. He held her towards her and rocked back and forth, aware of the pain still searing through his body and determined to make her feel better.
"I… I love… I…"
There was a pause and Alice looked at him, the familiar look in her eyes gone.
"I…"
He stopped and leant his head back, stroking the woman's hair, not sure who she was, not sure where they were, not sure who he was.