Part 2
Voldemort's appearance had changed slightly since last time Alice had seen him. His eyes were still red but he had done something about his missing nose. There still wasn't any hair on his head. All the Death Eaters bowed until he raised his hand to allow them to stand up normally again. An eerie silence had fallen over them.
"Welcome my Death Eaters," he said. His voice was still very high and cold. Nothing about his voice or appearance could explain the soppy look on Bellatrix Lestrange's face. Alice at least preferred men with a deeper voice. Like Frank. She didn't want to imagine what he would think if he knew what she was doing right now. Would he understand if she explained?
"I'm glad to see that everyone available has followed my call. I've asked you to come here tonight because we have to decide over the Plea for Clemency of Mrs Alice Longbottom née Fawley."
"We?" Alice wondered. Since when had there been democratic elements in the Dark Order's proceedings? More likely, Voldemort was just talking about himself in plural.
"Most of you probably know Alice Longbottom as the mother of Neville Longbottom, distinguished Healer at Saint Mungo Hospital. Some of you have met her on the playground while looking after her grandchildren."
Theodore gave Alice a slight smile. That was exactly where they had gotten to know each other.
"It is quite possible that not all of you understand why she is even listed as an enemy who needs to appeal for clemency before she can receive citizen rights. Those of you who have fought in the first wizarding war do know however. Alice Longbottom once used to be an Auror and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. She was a very dedicated enemy of our cause, dedicated enough to prefer Cruciatus curse induced insanity over having a small part in my return to power. Most of you should be familiar enough with the Cruciatus curse to know what that says about her."
Alice took a deep breath. It wasn't surprising that he mentioned this. No matter what sensible choices some of his supporters had made during the last few years, this was a man dedicated to nothing but causing the greatest possible amount of suffering for other people. Now she was at his mercy and he was going to exploit this. She had to live through it somehow, hoping that it would go well. It was one evening and more freedom afterwards. Only one evening and the more broken and frightened she looked; the more convincing her act was going to be.
"She's spent fourteen years in a locked ward at Saint Mungo Hospital before her son could help her back to health."
Alice quickly glanced at Rodolphus. If he was upset by the Dark Lord's lack of recognition of his own part in this, he didn't show it. Of course not.
"It has been a long way back as it seems but tonight she has decided to leave her son's guardianship and appeal for clemency on her own behalf. We have come together to decide, if she is worthy of being a citizen of our community."
Voldemort's red eyes directly gazed at Alice now. "I see that tonight, I find you on your knees. Last time I asked you to kneel in front of me, you stubbornly refused." A slight smile was curling his mouth. "I like this much better."
A few of the Death Eaters laughed. Alice tried not to listen. This had been expected.
"Very well, Alice. I can call you Alice, can't I?"
"Of course. Whatever you wish my Lord," Alice said. Speaking like this was much easier than she had thought. It was nothing but a role she played, a role she had chosen to play.
"You are indeed Alice Irene Longbottom born to the House of Fawley?" Voldemort asked next. "A good pure-blood house if I may say so."
"Thank you for your appreciation. Yes, that's my name."
"Good. Now, tell me and my friends here why you have come to this place tonight."
"You have already told your Death Eaters what my role during the First War has been, my Lord. There is no need for me to repeat this. I've fought against you because I believed it was the right thing to do. I believed that this was a war about good and evil. I know now that this hasn't been true. It has been a war between one group of people who wanted to keep power and another who wanted to gain it."
This wasn't even a lie even though Alice still believed wholeheartedly that the old Ministry and most of all Dumbledore had been the side that should have won. There were black spots in their history as well though and she was going to use them to explain her supposed regrets. Using half truths was easier than telling outright lies. She could add some real feelings and memories for the Dark Lord to see which would make it far more convincing.
"We called your side evil because you killed while we thought it was right to send you to the Dementors and condemn you to a slow and agonizing death."
She let Voldemort see the memories of some of her visits to Azkaban after his fall and her real regrets she felt when she saw the mad and screaming prisoners behind their bars. She didn't let him see that she was mainly concerned about those who had been sent there even though their guilt had never been proven.
Afterwards, she added a few words repeating things she had heard from Hannah. It wasn't easy to make them sound convincing coming from her own mouth when she had argued against Hannah about them so often but she didn't do a bad job.
Some of the Death Eaters were muttering to each other when Alice had finished her speech. She wasn't sure if they were making fun of her, couldn't believe her or were actually moved by her words. Probably a bit of everything.
Bellatrix looked at her directly through her heavily-lidded dark eyes. "Finally," she said with a short nod. So she had been able to persuade her, Alice thought. Maybe the Dark Lord would feel the same way.
Voldemort looked around. The circle seemed to shiver as if they had felt a cold breeze. Silence fell once more. "You've heard what she had to say, Death Eaters. Rodolphus, the next part is yours."
Alice flinched at these words but then she remembered what her witnesses had told her before the meeting. Rodolphus was supposed to check if she had taken any potions or was under the Imperius curse. She had undergone this potions test many times as an Auror. It was part of the advanced security procedure. She wasn't sure how they wanted to test her for the Imperius curse. The Aurors hadn't had a secure method to do so. In suspicious cases, they had sometimes subjected the person to the Cruciatus curse for a very short period of time. It broke the Imperius curse immediately. She had endured short doses of the curse many times but right now, the idea left her paralysed with fear. She had known that this might happen but she was still so unprepared.
Rodolphus Lestrange standing over her with a wand once more alone was almost unbearable. Alice wished to be anywhere but here and regretted a thousand times that she was doing this. She didn't even understand why it had ever seemed like a sensible idea.
"You're familiar with this test, aren't you?" Rodolphus asked.
Alice simply nodded. She wasn't sure if she was able to say anything coherent.
"I'll need a few drops of your blood."
She nodded again and pulled her robes up to reveal her underarm. Her hands were shaking badly but it was still better than letting him touch her. Rodolphus cast a spell that made blood drop from her arm and let it fall onto a plate with small slots on it. She didn't register any pain. At least none that compared to what she expected and remembered. When every slot contained a drop of blood he undid the spell and stepped back to perform the tests, some with other potions, others with his wand.
"She hasn't consumed any potions," Rodolphus finally told Voldemort and the other Death Eaters. Alice had known this anyway. She took a deep breath. A dose of Goldberry Leaf Potion would have made this much easier but she hadn't wanted to risk it.
Alice braced herself for what was about to come next.
"I know your familiar with the next step," Rodolphus said which didn't do anything to ease her sense of foreboding. "I'll make a diagram of your magic."
At first, Alice was relieved when she heard this but this feeling was gone very quickly. She didn't want Lestrange to have her magic diagram. He'd be able to read so much from it. Given the situation she had gotten herself into, there was nothing she could do about it though.
He spoke the same incantation that he had recently used on Neville. Slowly, Rodolphus' magic was creeping into her skin. It made her think of the slimy substance that could be found in the drains when they needed a new cleaning spell. She felt revolted. Her own magic tried to rise up against it. It didn't work. Instead, her body started to convulse, almost as if she were under the Cruciatus curse again. She tried to breathe, keep herself from screaming.
Rodolphus stopped speaking his spell and tried a different one. Alice wasn't able to understand the words or what it was supposed to do. It felt no different from the first one.
He put his wand back into the pocket of his cloak.
Alice tried to concentrate on the breathing exercises she had learned from Neville and slowly, his magic seemed to seep out of her. The pain or whatever it had been went away as well, almost. Her stomach was aching and she was glad that she hadn't eaten anything for dinner. If she had, she'd probably not been able to keep it down. She realised that she wasn't kneeling anymore. She lay on the ground instead. Was that a breach or protocol? She did her best to return to her kneeling position.
"Are you alright?" Theodore Nott asked. "What's happened?"
"You'll have to ask him," Alice said her voice rather shakily.
"Try it again," the Dark Lord ordered.
"Master, are you really sure?" Theodore asked. "I think she's not very well."
"This spell is routinely used on people who are unwell, isn't it Rodolphus?"
"Yes, Master."
"Then try it again."
Part of Alice knew that she had to allow this if she wanted to get through this evening but she couldn't do anything about the anger, fear and disgust she felt at the idea of Rodolphus' magic touching her own. When he tried the spell again, accidental magic kicked in. There were silvery sparks that left small burn marks on Rodolphus' cloak and face. He took a step to the side.
Alice knew that accidental magic normally didn't happen to adults. She also knew that she was in trouble now. Her subconscious magic had betrayed her when her mind would not. They had told her that the only person who had been rejected had attacked the Death Eaters. Now Alice had done the same thing. She thought of Neville and the children. She probably wouldn't see them again because she had been stupid enough to come here. She'd die here, kneeling in front of Voldemort whom she had wanted to ask for mercy. Well, at least she hadn't harmed anyone. Maybe she'd still be with the friends who had gone before when she reached the other side.
A few of the watching Death Eaters laughed at her or at Rodolphus she wasn't sure.
"I don't think this will work," he said to even more laughter.
"What's this, Rodolphus?" Voldemort asked.
"I don't think I'll be able to perform this spell on her. At least not as quickly and easily as would be appropriate on this occasion," he answered. "My apologies Master."
Alice wasn't sure where to look. Was she supposed to apologize for this attack on Rodolphus? It probably wouldn't make any difference but she could try.
"I'm sorry. I didn't do this on purpose. It just happened."
"We are aware of that," Voldemort said to her surprise. "That's why I'm talking to Rodolphus and not to you at the moment."
Alice took a deep breath once more. Was there still hope after all or was he simply playing with her?
"I've never seen you fail with your healing spells before, Rodolphus," Voldemort said, addressing his Death Eater once more. "I have to confess that I'm surprised. Is there any evidence that she might be under the Imperius curse?"
"No Master. I don't think that's very likely either way," Rodolphus said. "I can't think of anyone who would put her under it to come here."
"You're right. And even if, this chaotic magic would probably have broken the curse anyway. It's alright. Let's proceed. The witnesses next."
Rodolphus stepped back to his position in the circle and Alice sighed with relief. She hoped that they wouldn't have to interact anymore this evening. What had just happened made her worried and ashamed, but at the same time, she felt a faint hint of pride because her magic did not let Rodolphus act as if nothing had ever happened.
She barely listened as Theodore and Mulciber explained where they had gotten to know her and why they believed that she was trustworthy. The Dark Lord sent them back to their position behind Alice before announcing the next step.
"Now it's time to have a closer look at Alice's thoughts and memories so we can decide if she has really been serious in the things she said or if her reaction to Rodolphus magic is more indicative of her true feelings. I'd like all of you to witness this, that's why I'm going to use a spell that allows all of you to see what I'm going to see. This way you can help me spot what's important."
The Death Eaters shared long glances. "This isn't the usual procedure," Theodore muttered to Mulciber.
Alice hadn't expected this either. Neville had only been forced to show his thoughts to Voldemort not to the entire circle. She didn't really mind sharing the selected memories from the last eight years with the others. They were safe and harmless, that was why she had chosen them.
Knowing Voldemort, she was certain that he would pick on the memories of the attack as well though and maybe those from Saint Mungo's too. The idea that Voldemort saw this didn't bother her too much. He didn't respect her (or anyone else) anyway.
The Death Eaters were a different matter. Would Montague still want to give her a job if he had seen this? Could he still respect her in any way then? Would people like Zabini and Turpin keep treating her like an equal or would they despise her in future? Why did Voldemort want to do this? Maybe he had lied when he had told her he didn't blame her for the attack on Rodolphus and only wanted to torment her before he would tell that he was going to kill her after all.
Either way, there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn't hide those memories. If she did so, Voldemort would be able to guess that she was probably hiding more. And even if this weren't the case, she probably wouldn't be able to hide them anyway. She had no power over these memories.
Voldemort cast his spell now. He took Bellatrix' hand into his own and touched it with his wand. A strand of silver light linked the two now. Bellatrix passed it on to Rodolphus in the same fashion and so it went on until the entire circle was connected by a band of silvery light. This was an impressive spell, Alice thought. If she ever got the chance, she'd be interested in learning it. Sharing memories with an entire group this way could be useful in some situations.
"The two of you as well," Rodolphus said to Theodore and Mulciber. He linked Theodore to the spell who passed it on to Mulciber. Alice wondered if it made any difference that Rodolphus was linked to three rather than two people. Not that it really mattered but thinking about spell theory was a welcome distraction.
Voldemort raised his wand. "Look at me Alice." She obeyed and looked directly into those strange red eyes. He was using a stronger form of Legilimency, Alice noticed. The simple kind didn't require wand or spell. To her relief, there was no unusual reaction to Voldemort's magic. Attacking him would have been embarrassing indeed and would probably have sealed her fate. The spell worked and so did, to Alice's relief, her Occlumency. Voldemort's intrusion into her mind was rather unpleasant and caused a headache. It wasn't any worse than Scrimgeour's Legilimency had been back when he had taught her though. Marlene's approach had been completely different. It had been almost impossible to feel when she used Legilimency. Alice was sure that her own was similar.
The first memory Voldemort made her relive was from the time when Alice had met the Notts on the playground. Sharing this with the other Death Eaters didn't bother her. She had shown her public face there anyway.
Afterwards, Voldemort looked at a few other memories of Alice and her grandchildren and a few where she was working in the garden. This brought a very slight smile to the face. Montague could see that she really did have an aptitude for Herbology this way. Another memory showed her teaching the children about the witch burnings. She informed them that the Muggles had really killed witches and wizards back then and that people had been lied to about this in the past. Perfectly in accordance with the new regime's approach.
There were a few memories of Neville telling her stories from his school years. These were safe as well. He didn't talk to her about the things that were bothering him anyway. Alice could hear a few of the Death Eaters laugh from a distance when Neville commented on Umbridge. She clearly wasn't very popular here either. Umbridge wasn't among the Death Eaters; Voldemort probably hadn't considered her competent enough. When Neville talked about Umbridge he also mentioned the Carrows. Alice had deemed this memory safe enough but she hadn't known that the Carrows would watch.
"Later, the Carrows used this quill that would cut your skin as well. When I refused to use the Cruciatus curse, Carrow made me write "I must obey." I wrote "I must not obey" instead though. Thought I'd get into trouble but he didn't notice. Probably can't read well enough."
"The boy's handwriting was atrocious," a man who Alice assumed must be Amykus Carrow commented. The statement was met with renewed laughter.
"There is no need to defend yourself, Amykus," Voldemort said. "We all know that teaching wasn't really your thing."
Voldemort picked up another memory with Neville. He told her about his first detention with the Lestranges.
"I've put graffiti on the wall once again, we wanted to show that we don't give in you see. I didn't want anyone getting into danger so I did it alone. I got caught though and then Hannah turned up. She had followed me and said it had been her alone and I had tried to stop her. She said I was more important than her."
"Completely ridiculous," Bellatrix muttered.
"Be quiet Bella," Voldemort hissed. She looked rather flustered. He hadn't told Carrow off like this.
"I don't want any more comments while I'm doing this. If you want to say something you can do so afterwards. This goes for everyone."
He turned back to Alice. "Let's continue. We are all curious to know how the detention went."
Alice let him see the rest of the memory. "They didn't believe Hannah of course and we both had to clean the graffiti off the wall. Those we had done this evening and all the ones before. I know it sounds ridiculous but it was the worst detention I had all year. Bellatrix found it very amusing of course."
Bellatrix was smirking. Neville had obviously been right; she found this situation highly amusing even nine years later. She whispered something to Rodolphus and Alice wondered if Voldemort was going to tell her off again but he did not. Objectively seen, there was nothing wrong in making teenagers who had sprayed graffiti on the wall clean it off again but in this situation it had meant much more of course.
Voldemort continued his mind reading. The next memory was about her in the zoo with her grandchildren, Daphne and the Nott children. Francis and Hazel were eager to see the Dragon which was the greatest attraction in the magical zoo, an institution created by the new Department of Family, Health and Recreation. Deborah and Elsa meanwhile were more interested in the Kneazles who had kittens which they watched for a long time.
Alice was surprised to notice that she felt almost comfortable now. Feeling comfortable while Voldemort was reading her mind was really strange but it made it more convincing. She also noticed something. There had been quite a few good things happening during the last few years, something she almost forgot when misery overtook her once more.
The memory of her first meeting with Dylan Mulciber brought her closer to this. She wasn't surprised that Voldemort would want to see this as well.
"Good Dylan, this is what I want to see," he said afterwards. "You are supposed to be seen helping those in need and feared only by those who've done something to expect punishment."
"Thank you, Master," Dylan muttered.
"Well Alice, I'm quite satisfied with what I've seen so far. You seem to have found your place in our new wizarding community as far as your health has allowed it. You probably know already that I will have to look a bit further backwards so I can judge the situation appropriately."
Alice swallowed. She had barely dared to hope that she might be spared that but of course she would not be. "Yes, my Lord. Of course."
"Very well, do not try to resist. Any resistance will be futile anyway and only make this more difficult," Voldemort said.
"I'll try," Alice said her voice very thin.
"Look at me once more. Legilimens."
This time, her body tensed when she felt the spell. It made the accompanying headache worse. Voldemort easily found the wounded parts of her mind, of course he did. It very likely wasn't the first time he tried something like that.
Alice instinctively wanted to push him away. It didn't have much of an effect though. Her sickly attempts at creating a barrier crumbled under his magic like a house of cards. For a moment, she felt as if she were falling into a vast abyss.
Then she was back in that small Muggle house she had shared with Frank and Neville. She had just woken up from magic-induced unconsciousness, finding herself bound and captured. A swear word escaped her lips before she began to contemplate her situation. Frank was on the ground as well but by the way they were standing around him, Alice assumed he was merely unconscious and not dead. Her feet hurt. Some of the glass shards stuck in her skin. She had to remove them somehow but at the moment, she couldn't reach them. She needed to think. It hadn't been hard to recognise the Death Eater woman, not after their meeting at the Ministry. Alice had glimpsed into her mind back then, a mere mask wasn't enough to hide Bellatrix Lestrange anymore. Two of the other men had to be Rabastan and Rodolphus. She didn't know who the fourth one was. Not yet.
Rodolphus had been the one who had defeated her. Alice felt a mixture of anger and shame at this. Shame because he was the least talented duellist of the three Lestranges and anger at his betrayal. A part of her had still hoped he might not have become a full Death Eater. When he cast the spell the Death Eaters always used to trap their victims if they didn't want to kill them quickly, Alice knew that she had been wrong. The man whose talent and work ethic she had admired so much was one of those who had given up everything for Voldemort's sake.
Frank was awake now and he didn't seem to be seriously injured. Alice breathed with relief. They wanted to know where Voldemort was. She wasn't surprised. At least they hadn't come for Neville. Frank had been gone for so long, they had probably realised he had found something. He refused to tell them of course, Bellatrix cast the Cruciatus curse. It didn't worry her too much. They were trained to deal with that.
The Death Eaters didn't seem very interested in her at the moment. If she managed to loosen the ropes, she might be able to reach Frank's wand. Rodolphus had taken her own but his wife had simply tossed Frank's wand aside. They had escaped so many tight spots; there had always been a way. The Death Eaters were always too stupid and careless to take everything into account.
Rodolphus was standing over her, his wand in his hand. Alice resisted his curse as she had learned to do. The situation was so absurd. The man who could, who should cure people from the after effects of the curse was using it instead. She tried to catch his eye, make him see sense somehow but it was in vain. He was focused on his curse and didn't notice anything else.
Her magic seemed to slip away from her changing shape in ways she couldn't control. As if worms were crawling through her, eating her up from the inside. Alice often dreamed of those worms. Her mind wanted to drift away into this dream but Voldemort made her continue remembering this scene.
She felt panic rise inside her as the pain increased. He was making her own magic cause this. It was horribly painful, disgusting and simply not right. Her defences crumbled beneath her and she could do nothing but scream. She tried to fight back again, force his influence away. It was in vain. She was helpless like someone who came in contact with this curse for the first time.
When his brother called for his attention, Alice told him that he should be ashamed.
She knew now that this time, there would be no escape.
Bellatrix' laughter sounded like fingernails scratching over a blackboard. It hurt her ears like her spell hurt the rest of her body. Bellatrix was feeling so much hatred and disgust and disdain for the "Blood Traitor" who dared to defy her.
Alice had wanted to capture her but instead, she had been caught first. She had known that Bellatrix was going to make a mistake. Frank and Alice were her mistake. The Lestranges would go to Azkaban for this. No innocent people would be harmed. No innocent people would be harmed. Crouch would put them in prison for this.
She repeated this countless times to herself. Take the mind of the pain somehow, if she lingered on it she had no chance to endure it and there was no choice, she had to.
No one else would get hurt if Frank kept his silence. Frank had to keep his silence. He would. He was brave. He wouldn't give up, not Frank.
The look in Bellatrix eyes when she raised her wand to turn to Frank again wasn't sane. As the pain left her once again, Alice wondered for a moment what had turned her into this madwoman. The thought was drifting away again, it didn't matter.
Frank needed to keep his silence that was all that mattered. She didn't know anything of importance anyway. This burden was his alone. They couldn't torture them forever. Sooner or later, they were going to kill them. They'd be reunited with Marlene. Her former superior and friend would be proud of them. Auror debriefing in the afterlife. Despite of the situation, the thought brought a smile to her face. She'd also see Lily again, Lily the friend who had been forced to go so early. In front of her inner eye, she saw her dancing, dark red hair and heard her laughter. "Soon, Lily, soon," she whispered inaudible to anyone else over Frank's screams.
When Voldemort began to search her memories once more, she saw Snape's eyes boring into her own. Almost as if he were looking for some information his Master was missing. At least, Voldemort wasn't making her relief the entire evening, Alice thought. He probably didn't want to spend so much time on this.
Alice was falling into the abyss of her memories again. She didn't think about justice and her duty to other people anymore. Her magic had succumbed long ago, now her body had as well. Her once white night gown was stained with blood and worse, sweat was running down her face and her throat was so dry that the screaming hurt but she couldn't keep herself from doing so either. Pain was everywhere; her whole world seemed to be made of pain. She thought she couldn't stand any more of it but it went on and on and she was still there.
Alice looked down upon her aching body. She seemed to be floating above it. Some part of her realised that this couldn't be that something was wrong but it didn't matter. It was her only chance to escape.
It wouldn't last long though. As he had done before, Rodolphus pulled her back into her body, forced her to feel the pain once more. It happened again and again.
Then the pain was gone. She couldn't believe it. Could it really be over?
"Where is the Dark Lord?" Bellatrix yelled.
"I don't know," Alice whispered. Hadn't she told her so countless times? "I don't know. Simply kill me, please?"
She wasn't sure if Bellatrix had even heard her. Maybe she had spoken too quietly. She looked at Rodolphus. For some reason, she didn't quite know what it was; a part of her believed that he'd be more likely to have mercy.
"Please, Rodolphus please, I can't stand this anymore."
"I know that," he said with a smile and spoke this word again. The pain was back and with the endless circle of Alice leaving her body and being forced to return to it.
When it was gone again, she was gasping for air, barely able to breathe. The woman said something but her words made no sense to Alice.
Alice tried to get the man to notice her, to help her. He could help her, couldn't he? "Please, stop it. Make it stop, I'll do anything," she said, holding onto his robes. He simply kicked her away like an annoying animal. Alice didn't feel the pain from that but she did when they cast their next curse.
She hadn't believed that it could get any worse but it did just that. The pain was getting worse and worse as if her whole body was being torn apart. Maybe that was what happened. She screamed and screamed and then she fell into a deep hole. He was trying to hold her back once more but this time he failed. This time she managed to get out of his grip, out of his reach, away from the pain.
