They ran.
The night slid past them as they ran, footsteps pounding into the earth. Her breath caught in her lungs and she heard him beside her gasping for air as well. They continued to run, as fast as possible, away from their home. Away from the baby…
He slowed, as did she, as they searched for a place to hide. The night was silent, all life now silent, as Alice felt Franks hand slid into hers.
He was shaking. Or was it her that was shaking?
They knew they were being followed. They saw them, hiding in the shadows, and knew it was the moment they had both feared. As they made the decision to lure the people lurking in the shadows away from their magically hidden home, they knew that they had precious little time.
They could not apparate anywhere just yet. They had to lure them away from their home, and their child. Perhaps a bit further…
Alice felt Franks hand give her a tug and they turned the corner onto another street. Where were they?
Frank flicked his wand an a beautiful lion erupted from the tip, white and wispy, it galloped into the darkness. Alice turned her eyes to her husband, questioning.
"I sent it to Dumbledore. If we stay on the run long enough, maybe he can send help here…maybe…" But his words were drowned by yells behind them.
Alice, still holding her husband's hand, turned and aimed a very powerful stunning spell over her shoulder to their pursuers. However, they did not stand still long enough to note the effects.
They continued to run.
The footsteps behind them were loud, and curses flung haphazardly at them from behind. Just a little more to go, and they could fight it out. A little more time and Dumbledore will send help.
Alice felt Frank's hand violently jerk from her hand. She skidded to a stop as he was thrown bodily from her side and landed with a heavy thud some few feet in front of her. She turned on her heal and placed her body over her husband's. Aiming her wand at the approaching figures, she sent a Reductor Curse at their feet and watched as the pavement erupted beneath them and two figures went flying into the night.
Debris from the gaping hole in the ground fell like rain around the two figures still standing.
It was silent for a moment, as the two fallen figures joined the others. One of them was limping. Alice stood over her husband's still body.
"We didn't come to play chase with you Longbottom!" shrieked a woman's voice. A cold icy hand gripped Alice's heart as she realized that Bellatrix Lestrange was one of her pursuers. She steadied her wand and aimed it at the woman's figure.
"Then why are you chasing us Lestrange?" yelled Alice into the night. If she could stall them…just a little longer…
"Looks as if your husband had a bad fall Longbottom. Shouldn't you see to him? Or do you care more for killing me than caring for him?" Bellatrix's voice oozed sarcasm, but it elicited the desired effect. Alice's wand wavered for a moment, but only for a moment. She knew her husband would want her, no, expect her to continue fighting.
"He'll be fine Lestrange….you however…." As she spoke, a prickling sensation seized her and she immediately sent up a shield charm. Alice's movements were fluid, like a dancer as she felt the curse Bellatrix had sent her, pass her body. She side stepped away from it and she pivoted on her foot and aimed her own stunning spell, not at Bellatrix, but the man's form looming to her right. Her wand pointed forcefully at him as her hair swished around her head. The stunning spell had hit Bellatrix's husband.
As his body flew several feet into the sir, the powerful stunning spell set him aglow in red light as he skidded in a heaping pile feet from where he was standing. Alice's breathing was fast with exhaustion and with fear. She heard at her feet, her husband move a little.
"Why are running from us Longbottom? Why are you so scared?" The woman's voice has a shrill note to it. One of both panic and desperation.
"We are not afraid of you, you crazy witch!" Alice started at her husband's voice. He stood, gingerly, and aimed his wand at Bellatrix. Alice glanced at him and saw that he had a gash running down the side of his face. Blood mixed with sweat ran down his chin onto his robes. But, other than that, he was alright.
"What could you possibly want now Bellatrix? Your master is dead! Gone! By a child none the less!" Alice screamed menacingly into the night. They watched as the two figures standing a bit behind her twitched nervously. Bellatrix let out a scream.
"He is not dead you ignorant woman! He can not die! Where is he? I know you fools in the Ministry know something! I want to know where you have him! What did you do to him?" She was ranting like a lunatic now. Pacing in front of them, her wild hair swinging behind her. Her voice filling the night.
"He's gone Lestrange-" Frank's words were cut off by Bellatrix's voice crying out into the night.
"Crucio!" Alice side stepped this curse, only to find that it was not meant for her at all. Her husband, her sweet Frank, lay writhing in agony on the ground. Laughter rose from the three men surrounding Bellatrix.
Alice felt anger replace her fear, but as she aimed her wand it flew out of her hand and ropes sprung out of nowhere and bound her feet to neck. Alice lay on the ground, looking for all the world, like a cocoon.
Alice closed her eyes and willed her husband to be strong. She loved him so…since their first date she knew he was the one for her. Images of their past few years together passed through her mind. She felt tears spring into her eyes as she tried to block out his screams.
She watched Bellatrix apply the Cruciatus Curse on her husband over and over again. Her screams filled the air and mingled with his. But his screams were hollow now. The pain had taken him to a place where no one could touch him. No one could reach him.
After several long minutes of this, Bellatrix lifted the curse and began speaking in low, crazed tones.
"I want…to…know…where…he…is…." She gasped or breath, trying to control her words so that they were decipherable. The four people moved closer to them and Alice felt hands on her and then she felt herself fall. With her hands tightly bound, she had nothing to brace her fall. All she could do was close her eyes.
She felt the pavement meet her cheek, as she felt, and heard the crack, as her face hit the ground. She groaned in pain.
"Longbottom…do you want more? I can you know...keep going…all night if I must. I want to know-" Alice heard her husband's voice break through Bellatrix's ranting.
"Go to Hel-" Crunch! The youngest of the four had violently stomped on Frank's face, effectively breaking multiple bones in his face. The young boy continued to kick and stomp on Frank's limp form, but he was dragged bodily back from him.
"Easy now Jr." A man's voice cut in. The young man rounded on his friend.
"Do not call me that!" He screamed, sounding like a spoiled child. The other man clapped him on the back as Bellatrix leaned over and whispered into Frank's ear.
"Wakey wakey Frank…did that hurt? Here, I know what will make your face feel better….Crucio!" She cast another Cruciatus Curse on Frank and Alice heard nothing but his body thumping on the ground. He did not scream…he only jerked violently on the pavement.
"How hard did you kick him Crouch?" Said one of the men. This was met with laughter.
"Yes…I believe you were a bit hasty there Jr. No matter….we still have her." Alice felt Bellatrix's hands grasp her hair and pull her to her feet.
"Now…you see him there," she pointed to Frank's lifeless form on the ground. "he refused to tell me what I need to know. You won't be that stupid, will you?" Bellatrix's face was inches from Alice's. Alice's eyes scanned the figure of her husband's prone figure. He lay still. Was he really dead? She closed her eyes and fought back tears. But to no avail.
"Ohh…she's crying!" Shrieked Bellatrix. Whose words were met with more laughter. "OK Longbottom. Your husband has paid a price for his silence. Will you follow him?" Her wand was pointed at Alice's chest as she spoke. "Where…is…the…Dark…Lord?" She screamed.
Alice eyed the wand pointed at her and then her eyes moved to meet those of Bellatrix Lestrange. They were heavily lidded black eyes. No remorse. No humanity in them. She could not appeal to this woman at all. She knew, this woman was no more human than Lord Voldemort himself. Alice stared defiantly into her eyes.
"Nothing? Alright then…Crucio!" Alice felt her body meet the pavement once more and with it, the effects of the Cruciatus Curse. Pain beyond anything she could ever have imagined. Except the pain in her heart as she thought of her husband. Images of his face flashed in her mind as she heard her own screams emitting from her. She was unable to thrash about, as he had, for she was still bound heavily in ropes.
She accepted the pain as it came in waves, over and over again. Even her eyes hurt, as she squeezed them together, tears pouring forth. In a moment, it was all gone. Alice felt the ropes release her from her bindings and she lay sprawled on the ground at the feet of the four lost Death Eaters. Her breathing was rapid, with the pain in her body and her heart. Only inches away lay her husband.
"That hurt, didn't it? I know something happened that night. Someone knows where he is…what happened that night?" Her voice was dangerously low. Alice curled up into the fetal position and groaned. Nothing mattered anymore….
"Crucio!" Came Bellatrix's crazed voice. The pain was worse this time. Alice was vaguely aware of the pain as her body jerked about on the hard ground. But the fire…the hot fie eating away at her from the inside out. Death is better than this…no…not death…she had a reason to live after all…her baby.
In her mind she saw his sweet, chubby face smiling at her. Her baby, her little Neville. She fought through the pain to remember his shinning face. His eyes dancing with laughter as he giggled at his father who was blowing bubbles with Droobles Blowing gum. Frank's favorite sweet. They had made Neville laugh for the first time by blowing bubbles and they had continued the tradition as often as they could. They both lived to see his laughing face. To hear his deep baby laugh fill the room sweetly.
Alice sighed as she sank deeper into her thoughts…
She heard Bellatrix talking, almost it seemed , from far away. Far away, through a tunnel she heard her voice asking about the Dark Lord. Why was she asking her, Alice Longbottom, about him?
"Crucio!" Alice heard herself scream loudly and felt the skin rubbed raw from scraping against the cement. My baby's face….my Frank….the smell of Neville…so sweet he is…such a sweet natured little boy…Those bubbles always made him laugh so…
Frank and Alice were supposed to be home long ago. She had come to watch the baby while her son and Alice were working. Never to be a worrier for anything, she simply thought they had gotten tied up at work somehow. It never crossed her mind to seek help from anyone and tell them that her son and his wife should have been home ages ago. Frank was a powerful wizard after all. Capable of doing great things.
A knock at the door stirred her from her thoughts and she pulled the door open. Her friend of many years, Minerva McGonagall stood in the doorway.
"Augusta…I need to speak with you. It's urgent…it's about Frank and Alice…" Augusta Longbottom stepped aside and allowed her friend to enter. She watched as Minerva trembled as she spoke.
"Your son...Augusta…and his wife…they were…injured tonight." The usually calm and collected Minerva had trouble getting the words to fall from her lips.
"But they're not dead? Not dead? Just injured?" Augusta clutched at her chest and heaved a sigh of relief. However, she scanned her friend and realized that there was more.
"My dear Augusta…they were caught by no less than four rouge Death Eaters. They fell prey to the Cruciatus Curse…too many times. The initial report is not good. Frank, as well as succumbing to the Cruciatus Curse, was also brutally beaten. His mind…he was damaged beyond repair. His body has been healed…but his mind…oh Augusta!" Minerva wrapped her arms around her friend. August stroked her friends back and stared blankly at the wall.
Her son. Her baby. He was such a wonderful man, A powerful wizard. A loving husband, A doting father…he was gone?
"And Alice?" croaked Augusta. Minerva stepped away from Augusta and wiped her face on a linen handkerchief.
"She suffered under the Cruciatus Curse as well. It is horrible Augusta. Her mind is gone too…the pain was too much for her…They are now at St. Mungo's. You can go there and have the Mediwitch tell you everything in more detail than I am able to..."
Augusta Longbottom felt the room spin. She sat herself on a chair as she tried to catch her breath. Minerva shoved a cup of tea under her nose that she dutifully took. There was a noise, and both women jumped.
A round faced, chubby little boy stood in the doorway. He was rubbing both eyes with his chubby fists and yawning.
He looked at the people in the room and toddled over to his grandmother. His round brown eyes looked up at her tear filled ones.
"Mama?" Minerva turned away in tears as Augusta gathered the little boy in her arms. So unlike Frank in looks, she hoped he would grow to capture the spirit of her son, his father. She hoped he would be determined, brave, loyal and true.
She allowed herself to cry, one last time, over her son as she carried little Neville to bed.
One day revenge would be his. She would see to it that Neville grew up knowing the truth. He would know and one day, be ready to avenge his parents.
She would see to that.