A/N: The Potterverse is JK's.

Chapter 4: Kindness

August, 1980

"Hey, Diana," Marley smiled brightly at her weary colleague. "Long shift?" She enquired, noting the amount of sheets littering the blonde's desk.

Marlene worked in the Obliviator department of St. Mungo's. They were located in the more administrative wing of the hospital. As one of the smallest teams, they were only allocated three offices and two actual treatment rooms in which they would wipe the memories of the patients.

Paperwork had become a huge part of Marley's life since becoming an Obliviator. As you would expect, there were a lot of forms to fill out once the relatively simple task had been completed. Judging from the amount of paper in front of Di, they'd had to work out a whole new identity for someone; Marlene hated those jobs.

"Yeah, I had Obliviate all of the Muggles who witnessed the Prewett murders." Diana explained tiredly. Marlene winced at the reminder of the most recent deaths.

Gideon and Fabian Prewett had been brutally and quite publically murdered; it happened in the middle of a busy London street, a Muggle area too. They hadn't gone without a fight though, making it all the more messy and traumatic for the non-magic folk who'd witnessed it.

Marlene had cried when she heard the twins had died. They were a couple of years younger than her and they'd been friends with Caradoc; they often met him for Firewhiskey after work to talk about Quidditch.

Their deaths had impacted the wizarding world in a big way. They were two of the most prodigious duelling talents the Ministry had, trainee Aurors. If they couldn't survive this war, then who could? Also, they were pure-blooded wizards albeit blood traitors. Before this event, barely any truly magical blood had been spilt.

"Well, you can finish it on your next shift surely?" Marlene asked Diana. "You should take a break. I'm manning the front for the next four hours, I believe."

The other witch smiled gratefully. "Thanks Marls, I think Edgar's working with you tonight."

Marley nodded in farewell to Diana. Edgar would be a great help, he was a very talented wizard and the head of their department. Marlene couldn't help noticing how much more work they'd been getting recently. It was hard to imagine You-Know-Who's power growing anymore.

The young woman had just settled down at her desk when an owl shot into the room, dropping a hastily scribbled note before tearing off back into the dusky summer evening. Marlene grabbed the note, scanning its contents quickly.

She tried in vain to block the feeling of dread and nausea. Tears began to trickle down her face uncontrollably. Her limbs were tingling unpleasantly but the rest of her body was numb.

I have to pull myself together, I've got to do my job properly, she thought to herself. Oh God.

Frank and Alice Longbottom tortured… Damage irreparable. Kindest thing to do. Expect immediate arrival. Please be prepared. Big job.

"The kindest thing to do". The phrase kept leaping off the page at her, mostly because she was desperately trying to block their names out and that ugly, horrifying word 'torture'. She ran to the toilet next to the office and threw up in the basin. The only thing that stopped her falling apart completely was the sound of double doors clattering open.

Marlene strode out of the cubicle and into the treatment room where the stretchers now lay. At first she thought it was just the blood ringing in her ears, her own internal fear but with a jolt she realised the strangled screaming noise was coming from Alice.

Alice Longbottom, with her coffee coloured locks cropped so short now, showing off her wide and kind eyes. Frank's almost lifeless, gangly body was curled up on the canvas. A puddle of spit was collecting on the material below his mouth. His limbs spasmed suddenly and he began making an awful choking noise.

The medi-wizards shoved a bright coloured tablet down his throat and he resumed his corpse-like position. Evidently there was no medication to subdue Alice's distress.

"Please," Marlene whispered, her throat hoarse after vomiting. "You have to cure them. If I wipe their memories… It seems bad. I'll have to remove so much. They won't remember anything about who they are."

The medi-wizards shook their heads slowly. "Sorry, pet, there's nothing we can do. This kind of thing's not curable."

Marlene sobbed slightly. "You have to."

They just looked frustrated now. "No, you have to do your job. Seriously, you've got to understand that there is nothing we can do anymore."

"NO. YOU DON'T FUCKING WELL UNDERSTAND." Marley was shocked to hear herself screaming at the men. Alice's yells also rose in harmony with Marlene's distress. "They just had a son, a child. He is barely a month old. They won't even know who he is."

She could not look at the faces of her friends. How could she ever so this to them? She couldn't, she knew that much. Alice's wounded screams pierced her heart once more.

The wizards looked chagrined but just shrugged once more. The youngest of the group, a trainee Marley could tell from the colour of his robes, stepped forwards. He looked as if he too had been sick at some point.

"I'm sorry, Miss, I don't been to talk above my station but, please, they're in a lot of pain. Are they your friends? They are hurting so much. It's the kindest thing to do."

Those words once more.

"What… what curse was used? I have to know in order to…" Marlene gestured towards the bodies.

"Cruciatus."

Marley gasped slightly, she knew should have expected it but it still shocked her. Her mind was made up. The unimaginable horror of feeling that curse had always scared her. She knew what she'd want done to her, if she had been tortured this way.

"And, who?" She did not pretend that she needed to know the information for her job, only vengeance was on her mind now.

"Lestrange."

Marley nodded numbly and stepped towards the stretchers. She gazed at their faces for the first time since she'd entered the room. Softly she pushed a damp lock of hair off Alice's sweet face, contorted with pain, her eyes screwed shut as if to block out the images and the memories.

She moved over the where Frank lay, his eyes blank. A corner of paper stuck of out the pocket of his green corduroy trousers, she pulled it out gently. The image of a chubby, dark-haired baby squirmed in the frame. He appeared to be gurgling and squealing, unaware of the horrendous fate that had befallen his parents.

Marlene held both their hands, squeezing them briefly in what she hoped they would recognize as a comforting gesture.

"Obliviate."

A/N: Okay, so it's getting serious now. I love Frank and Alice so much and their situation has always really fascinated me so I enjoyed being able to write about it.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE ONE PERSON WHO'S SUBSCRIBED TO THE STORY. I love you so much. And the one person who favourited it. You maay regret this later as I just wrote the ending to this and it's freaking messed up. I don't know what is wrong with me aha!

Reviews would be loved. Ha. ;)

Love to you all,

Elle xxo