Identity Crisis

Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Chapter 7- Failed

July 21, 1986 12:34 pm

Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange apparated to the manner, eager to pick up the children. They had only been gone for a few hours so the charms should still be up. They walked through the rubble of their old home. They noticed that almost everything was covered in a white cloth. Good. That meant that the house had went on lockdown. There was only one thing wrong with that theory, the staircase is intact.

The spells that Bella herself put up hadn't worked. That couldn't be right. But then why would the staircase not be a pile of ash?

Bellatrix glanced over to her husband. His face was pale,meaning that he had come to the same conclusion that she did. Someone must've repaired the staircase. This meant someone went upstairs. If someone went upstairs, they would've definitely stumbled upon the Shield Charm put in place. They would've traced them back to the nursery, they would've found the children.

Rodolphus looked to his lover, his face grim. He knew what this meant. He just didn't want to accept it. And apparently, neither did his wife.

Bella tore up the stairs, leaping over the fallen pieces of wood, screaming her children's names repeatedly.

"Ronan! Rhea! Where are you?!" she cried desperately, her husband echoing her.

When they reached the spot where Bellatrix had cast the protective charm and met no resistance, they knew something was wrong. Bella fired a stun spell in the direction of the rest of the charms. It crashed into the wall, since there were no charms there to stop it. Husband and wife looked at each other, horrified. They barged into the nursery, desperate to find their children.

When they reach the bassinets,however, they were sorely disappointed. The curtains were lifted already, the bassinets empty and as cold as a tomb.

Bella let out and anguished cry, falling to her knees. Her magic reacted to her emotions, sending out a light shockwave of air throughout the nursery. Her husband followed suit, kneeling next to her and bring her to his chest, all the time whispering condolences. Even though he sounded like he was trying to reassure himself, Bella appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

Bella dried her tears and looked at her husband, fury practically glowing in her eyes.

"We'll make them pay. You hear me? Whoever took our children from us. They will pay. I'll make sure of it." Bella said, a dark edge to her voice. Rodolphus nodded, eager to get his revenge as well.

It was obvious that the Ministry had taken the children. And the wretched Order of the Phoenix worked with the Ministry so... they would just have to make a house call to a known member of the Order. Such as Frank and Alice Longbottom.

A few days later, Alice gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, who they named Neville. He was perfectly healthy. Nothing could go wrong. But the Lestranges had some questions.

It was the week after the Longbottom child had been born and his parents had taken him to his grandmother's so they can have a quiet night at home. Big mistake.

Bellatrix knocked on the front door to the Longbottom household. She was wearing a dark cloak with the hood up, concealing her face. Her husband was next to her, wearing a similar attire. They had dragged Barty Crouch Junior along, for added to was standing guard, also in a dark cloak with the hood up. Bella interlaced her fingers with Rodolphus'. He squeezed her fingers, giving her silent support.

The door opened. Alice Longbottom was standing in the doorway, smiling at something her husband said. She looked surprised to see someone at her door at such a late hour.

"Oh, hello. Can I help you?" she asked pleasantly, her hand drifting to her wand casually. Noticing this, Bellatrix lowered her hood. Alice froze. Taking advantage of Alice's fear, Bellatrix whipped out her wand and shrieked a spell.

"Incarcerous!"

Golden ropes shot out of Bellatrix's wand and wrapped themselves around Alice, silencing her screams for her husband. Alice's hands were tied behind her back, preventing her from reaching for her wand.

Frank Longbottom came barreling into the room, his wand in hand. Bella quickly disarmed him and Rodolphus tied him up next to his wife. The Longbottom couple glared at the Lestrange couple. Bellatrix smiled brilliantly.

"Oh, you might be wondering why we're here. Well, we just want a few questions answered, that's all. Absolutely nothing to worry about. As soon as we get the answers we need, we'll be out of your hair." Bellatrix said. She needed her captives to cooperate. Otherwise, she would go mad.

"You know of the raid recently performed on my manor, correct?"

A nod from Frank.

"You were present, weren't you, Frank?"

Another nod. Bella pointed her wand at Frank threateningly.

"Then where are my children?" Bella's voice was taut with rage.

"We won't tell you! They're safe now, because they finally got away from you!" Frank spat at Bella's feet when his small rant was done. Bella's eyes grew dangerously bright as she paced back and forth in front of the Longbottoms.

She finally stopped in front of him. She raised her eyebrow.

"Are you done?" she asked.

A glare.

"I'll take that as a yes because I want you to see every minute of this. It's going to be... entertaining." she exclaimed before pointing her wand at Frank, who defiantly stared her down. A maniacal smile wound its way to her face. While Frank was watching, she slowly moved her wand from Frank to Alice, who watched in in terror. She reveled in the looks of fear on their faces.

"Crucio!" The Unforgivable Curse left her lips easily, like she had been waiting to cast that spell forever. A yell of protest left Frank, but it was already too late. Alice was writhing on the ground, screaming through the gag Rodolphus had put on her. Frank got up from his knees and charged Bellatrix, stopping when she trained her wand on him.

"Crucio!" Bella's screams for answers were the only things that were heard above the Longbottom's screaming. After about an hour of off and on Cruciatus, Bella decided to ask again.

"Don't make me ask three times, Longbottom." Bella pushed her wand in Frank's throat, right on his Adam's apple.

"Where...are...my...children?!" she asked, pushing her wand in deeper. Frank seemed to be mustering up the courage to say something.

"Piss off!" He yelled, spitting in her face. Wiping the offending liquid away, Bella gave him a glare worse than the Dark Lord's.

A smile formed on her lips.

"Really? Okay, if you insist." She playfully turned to go, before stopping. She looked over her shoulder, speaking again.

"Oh, I forgot to say. Speak to me like that again, Longbottom, and I'll show you just what it feels like to have your family taken away from you." As she spoke, she pointed her wand at Alice again. The pathetic woman shrank back from the weapon as Frank placed himself between the wand and Alice.

"You won't harm them." Bella moved her wand to the side of her face and leaned in close to Frank.

"So tell me what I need to know." she said, quietly.

"Never!" Frank yelled once more. Bella stood up and sighed.

"A shame, a real shame. I was hoping to spare your child after I was done with you. But I think I'll kill dear Neville," she paused to revel in the terrified looks on their faces, to enjoy the strangled sob that escaped Alice's gag. "Just for fun. It's only fair, after all."

The Longbottom's screams and yells of protest had started long before the curses were set on them. Now, there was just screams of pain, of unbearable pain. And Bellatrix loved it. She smiled as she inflicted pain on the couple, Rodolphus joining in on the fun after a while.

The screams still wouldn't stop. It was going to be a long night for the Longbottom couple.


James and Lily Potter now had to worry about 2 kids. They had to care for, feed, and love these children. But they handled those kids like birds would take to the air. They were in their element. They didn't know how they would succeed but they would sure as hell try their best.


Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange spent all night torturing the Longbottoms. Unable to withstand the pain, Alice and Frank delved into insanity.


Later, all three Lestranges were arrested by the Ministry of Magic along with Barty Crouch Jr. because of their allegiance with the Dark Lord Voldemort and the torture, and incapacitation, of Alice and Frank Longbottom.


A year after the Potters adopted the Lestrange children, Voldemort attacked them and killed them for their continued disobedience. After using a massively powerful Reducto curse, the house was destroyed, along with Lord Voldemort. The children were alive, by a miracle. The feared Dark Lord was no more.


So Harry James Potter and Helena Rose Potter were sent to the Dursleys, orphaned and unaware of the hard trials that awaited them. They would be starved, beaten, and abandoned. But through it all, they would have each other to rely on. By surviving those trials, they would make both their step-parents and their birth parents proud. If only they were there to see it...


Okay, sorry for the long absence. I will try not to be gone for so long next time. I already have up to about 20 chapters written out, but not typed so that should help speed up updates.

Anyway, until next time. R&R!

-Nightingale0708