Part 3

No, she did not escape. When she looked up, she gazed into the eyes of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange again, connected by a strand of silver light. She lay on the ground and could smell grass, she must be somewhere outside. Her head was aching and she was very, very cold. She shivered.

"Mrs Longbottom?" a voice asked.

She looked at the speaker, a young man with tussled brown hair and glasses, wearing a hooded black cloak. Slowly, she remembered where she was. Twenty-three years had passed, Voldemort had won and she was here to get accepted under his regime. Her mind was hardly able to process this fact.

"Cold, I'm so cold," she muttered.

The young man, Theodore Nott nodded. "You should have brought a cloak. The nights are still very chilly," he said in the falsely cheery voice Alice knew only too well from the hospital. "I would lend you mine but I think this is against the procedure."

"What about a warming spell," Dylan Mulciber suggested. When no one protested, he cast the spell. It worked fairly well. She really started to feel warmer and it even eased her headache.

"Do we still need the spell, Master?" Rodolphus asked meanwhile.

Alice drew her too thin robes around herself more tightly.

"I think we've seen enough. You can undo it."

Alice remembered that she was supposed to kneel rather than lie on the ground. Her knees were sore already. She noticed that there was grass in her hair and on her robes. She plucked it away and thought that it had been right to wear her hair in a ponytail rather than tied up. The Death Eaters were still quiet, Voldemort's warning from before seemed to be rather effective. It reminded Alice of the silence after the Unforgivable curses had been shown to her class at Hogwarts for the first time. This probably wasn't supposed to be anything other than a lesson on the Unforgivable curses for advanced learners.

"Are you alright?" Theodore asked quietly.

"Yes, I'm fine," Alice answered. She was, sort of. At the moment, she wasn't thinking about anything and it was probably for the best. She would make it through this evening, somehow.

The sound of Voldemort's cold voice made her look up to him once more. "Very well my friends. You've already known I think how unwise it is to get on my Bella's wrong side."

Bellatrix gave her Master a delighted smile at being addressed like that. Alice felt reminded of a loyal dog, living and killing only for her master's appreciation. If Bellatrix were an Animagus, she might turn into a dog. Just like the cousin she had killed.

"Some of you might not have been aware of the fact that the same is true for Rodolphus as well. You probably mainly know about his work in managing the healthcare system and about the number of impressive advancements he achieved there. You would be very mistaken if you believed that this means he doesn't know his dark magic. I want you all to do how he does and excel at both, whichever the current situation demands."

Alice was sure that Bellatrix would have been jubilant if she had received this kind of praise from Voldemort. Rodolphus however didn't give any indication that he even cared about Voldemort's words. Remembering the conversation with Neville, Alice thought it wasn't unlikely that he didn't.

"You've also seen demonstrated, very impressively I might add, the power the Cruciatus curse has even over the strongest if used by those accomplished enough. Never underestimate it my friends."

Alice thought that this was probably the closest thing to praise Voldemort would have for her.

"Now, let's return to you, Alice. Do you feel prepared for the next step now?"

"Yes, my Lord. Thank you for asking," Alice said. Her inner mask was in place again.

"Good. My Death Eaters will be allowed to ask you questions now. I strongly advise you to answer them." A smile was playing around his thin mouth.

"Of course my Lord." Alice was going to answer. Truthfully or not depended on the question.

"You may get up now and walk to the side of the person who wishes to speak to you," Voldemort said.

Alice scrambled to her feet. She was glad that her legs were steady enough to carry her. After spending so much time kneeling, she had been worried that it might be difficult.

"I want to ask you something," Rookwood said.

Alice walked towards him and looked at him expectantly. Rookwood had been an Unspeakable working at the Department of Mysteries. Igor Karkaroff had brought him to Azkaban because he had spied on the Ministry. Frank had been involved in his capture. She wasn't surprised when Rookwood's question was about Frank.

"Do you know anything about your husband's whereabouts? He has been given the cure as well if I remember correctly but left Saint Mungo's and hasn't been seen since."

"Yes, that's all I know as well," Alice answered truthfully. "We assume that he's dead. At the point where he must have left Saint Mungo's he wasn't well enough to get along outside. He might have fled as well of course but we think it's unlikely."

Alice couldn't believe that Frank would have left without her but maybe. No one knew what the after effects of the curse had done to him.

"So you are not in contact with him?" Rookwood asked.

"No, I'm not."

"Good question Augustus," Voldemort said. The Death Eater smiled at the praise. "I think her answer is convincing. Do you as well?"

"Yes, Master."

Alice thought that it probably wouldn't have been wise if he had said something else.

The next person who wanted to ask a question was the woman at Rabastan Lestrange's side.

"Good evening. My name is Minona Lestrange, your son mentioned me in some of your memories under my former name Minona Moonshine. I'm teaching Transfiguration at Hogwarts and I'm also as Neville told you a werewolf."

Alice was startled. Rabastan Lestrange had married a werewolf? Many of the Lestranges' ancestors would turn in their graves if they knew about that. Neville spoke rather fondly of this woman. Her more nature-based approach to Transfiguration had appealed to him and helped him understand the subject better.

"I'm pleased to meet you. Neville speaks very highly of you."

Minona smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. I'd like to talk to you longer but I think some of the others are already getting impatient. Therefore my question. You probably know that the Dark Lord has given us werewolves full citizen rights and has outlawed any discriminatory practices as reward for our support. You've been taught by the former Ministry so I'd like to know how you feel about that."

Alice thought of Remus and quickly made sure to hide these thoughts. Still, answering this question was easy. "I believe that werewolves have the right to be treated like other witches and wizards if they choose to act like human beings. Given that this includes a very wide range of behaviour, I don't think there is any justification for discrimination."

"Thank you," Minona said.

Lucius Malfoy was next. "Well, you've talked about the new order and that the situation isn't the way you feared it would be for witches and wizards. I've noticed that you've not once mentioned the subject matter of so called "Muggle-born witches and wizards." How do you feel about the policy of taking magic, unlawfully acquired by Muggle children away from them?"

Alice had to lie to answer this but she had prepared herself well for that. She had expected this to come up earlier actually.

"I do not believe that Muggles are able to take magic away from witches and wizards to give it to their children, how should they be able to do so without magical powers?" It was safe to say so; this matter was still controversial in the official media.

"It must be an accident of nature and I'm sure that those children are better off when this alien magic is removed from them. They can live among their equals that way and aren't forced to join a world where they will never really belong."

Malfoy nodded, he seemed to be satisfied with her answer.

A young witch named Pansy Flint asked if Alice intended to have another child as was expected from pure-bloods under the new regime. Alice was rather taken aback by this question at first. She wasn't young anymore and more importantly, she was a widow. Where was the child supposed to come from? Alice remembered that Neville had told her about this person and her rather lacking intelligence. Thus Alice simply told her politely that she was too old and unhealthy to have another child.

Severus Snape was the next one to ask a question. "You are a well-trained Auror. Do you intend to take an active part in the defence of our country once more?"

Alice instinctively wanted to take a step backwards. Defend her country? Work as an Auror or something like that in Bellatrix' department? The other witch's eyes were on her as well. That was impossible.

"I was an Auror but those times are long gone," she said carefully. "I'm still not very well and I don't think I would be much of an asset here. When I go back to work, I'd rather do something less dangerous and precarious. Working with plants for example." She wondered if Montague still considered her suitable to work for him.

"I see," Snape said his expression unreadable.

A woman from the other side of the circle spoke to Alice next. She had never seen her before which was surprising because she seemed to be from her own generation. The woman had pulled her hood down over her face which was almost completely hidden in the shadows. Unlike many others she obviously didn't want to be recognised by an outsider.

Her introduction answered a few of Alice's questions. "I am one of the leading Death Eaters from Germany," she said with a very slight accent. "First of all, I'd like to tell you that I'm quite impressed by your courage. Your Opferbereitschaft, how do you say it in English, the way you're prepared to sacrifice so much to keep other people safe is admirable. Every country wants to have people like you to protect it."

"Thank you," Alice said giving her a slight smile. This was really unexpected. Voldemort had meant to humiliate her and she had expected people do despise her for the way she had acted back then but so far, they didn't seem to do so at all.

"I have to admit that I wouldn't have expected this kind of brutality from a wizard like Mr Lestrange but I understood that it is obviously expected," the German witch said.

Oho, Alice thought. Voldemort certainly hadn't foreseen this. The things he had made them witness were actually causing some amount of friction among the Death Eaters; this alone made her choice to come here this evening worth something.

"That's why I need to ask you: Why have you chosen to remain here rather than emigrate like many other former opponents of the Dark Lord have done?"

"Well, my son and my grandchildren live here," Alice said. "And it's my home. I have to admit that I know little about other countries and I don't speak any foreign language."

"Another important question," Voldemort said. "I do not wish you to question our way of dealing with our enemies though. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, I do, Meister," she said.

"Very well. Any other questions?"

Alice quickly glanced into the Lestranges' direction but they didn't ask anything. She was relieved. The less she was forced to interact with them the better.

When no one else spoke up, Voldemort told Alice to return to the spot before him, flanked by Theodore and Mulciber.

"What do you think Death Eaters? Does this woman, Alice Longbottom deserve mercy from us? Does she deserve to become a citizen of our land without suffering punishment for the deeds she committed against us in the past?"

Alice looked around. Now the time of decision had come. She might walk away free or she might be imprisoned or killed or tortured once more. Her heart clenched in fear on. She wasn't able to face it all again. If only they'd kill her quickly if they decided that she wasn't "worthy".

There was some muttering among the Death Eaters but Alice didn't really understand what they were saying. Voldemort however seemed to recognise his supporter's voices. "Nott?"

Alice expected Theodore to say something but it was his elderly father. "I believe that she has been punished enough," he said in a very hoarse voice. "I'm sure my son feels the same way, don't you Theo?"

"Yes, father. I wouldn't be here with her if I didn't."

"Thank you. Lucius?"

"We agree with Nott. She is from a noble pure-blood family and she has realised the foolishness of the Blood's Traitor beliefs she held in the past." His son as well as the Flints agreed.

"I think we should grant her mercy as well," Severus Snape said. "In addition to everything else we also have to take into account that it's not only her life and loyalty that depends on it. I'm sure Rodolphus wouldn't want to lose Neville Longbottoms helping hand to some ill-fated attempt at revenge Longbottom's Gryffindor nature would undoubtedly guide him into if we decided against his mother."

Alice wasn't sure if this was a very good argument. Did Snape say that with the intention to help her or did he want to achieve something different? She knew that he had been Dumbledore's spy for many years but in the end, he had killed the Headmaster and proved his allegiance to Voldemort. Alice still had trouble understanding how Dumbledore could have been foolish enough to put so much trust into someone who didn't deserve it. He normally never judged people wrongly.

"Thank you for your opinions," Voldemort said. "Bella, would you like to give us yours as well?"

"Certainly, if you wish me to do so, my Lord. I was sure that she has realised her mistakes when she made her speech at the beginning. When were watching her memories, I started to have doubts again however. I remembered that night myself and I remember how determined she was to oppose us. Her husband would actually have told us where to find you Master, twice, if it hadn't been for her interference. Speaking from experience I can assure you that if you really believe in something, nothing anyone else does can make you change your mind. You have to choose to do so yourself. If she has done so or not, I cannot tell. The memories from the present days didn't really make me sure one way or the other."

Alice's heart sank. She had not believed that Bellatrix could be capable of such insights. At this moment she wished she wasn't. They were highly inconvenient for her case.

"It is possible that she has simply accepted reality as it presents itself and feeling unable to leave as she told our German friend does the only thing she can," Bellatrix continued. "I did notice of course how willingly and trustingly she submitted to your probing of her mind, Master, a form of behaviour I'd never expect from someone who still opposes you. We have all noticed I'm sure the stark contrast between this and the mixture of fear and disgust she feels towards any attempts at magic coming from Rodolphus."

Alice felt ashamed because all the Death Eaters knew about this now but it had been unavoidable.

"If she still felt about you the way she did in the past, I'm sure she would have reacted to your magic the same way."

Alice thought that she had a point. It had really been rather strange. She had been alright with Voldemort using magic on her. This had to do with her preparation of course but she was quite sure that nothing she could have done beforehand would have allowed her to do the same with Rodolphus. She trusted Voldemort more than she trusted him. Did that make him proud?

"I'm glad to see that you've observed this so thoroughly, Bella," Voldemort said. "I've noticed these differences in her reaction to Rodolphus' magic and my own as well of course. I'm also glad to hear that no one has ever been able to make your devotion to me waver. I have to tell you though, I'm not sure this would be the case if your husband had been on the side of our enemies."

This remark finally gave Voldemort Rodolphus' attention. He looked at him intently, obviously trying to figure out what he was supposed to make of this statement.

"I have to confess that I'm quite impressed by what he did there. I haven't seen anything quite like it before. He did cause more than pain as we all could see I believe."

Alice wished she was still supposed to kneel. Listening to this impassively while standing was much harder. Voldemort was right, she knew that but it still hurt to have it spoken aloud like that and she was certain he was aware of that.

Voldemort didn't intent to stop there.

"Those agonizing years at the hospital that followed and once again, she depended on Rodolphus' skills to get her out of there. I do think that is enough to make anyone truthfully admit defeat even you, Bella. Anyway, Rodolphus, we've only been talking about you so far. Now I'm talking to you. What do you think?"

Hearing what he thought about the situation was really the last thing Alice wanted at the moment. How long was this supposed to take? Since when did he listen to the Death Eaters' advice anyway? Rodolphus knew that it was all masquerade. Voldemort wasn't completely wrong though. She wasn't really the same person anymore.

"Alice Longbottom has been living peacefully with her son and grandchildren for more than eight years," Rodolphus said. "When she taught them, she didn't attempt to make them hate you, Master. She informed them about the lies they've been feeding the students in the past. We've all seen that in her memories you shared with us. She encouraged them to socialise with Death Eater children like Theo's daughters. Her granddaughter Deborah is friends with our Roxana and will visit her next week. In the course of the last eight years, she has made no attempt to cause trouble and I see no reason why she would do so in future. I'm sure you all agree with me that she won't be able to form a dangerous rebel group on her. The worst thing she could do is leave the country legally now and if that's what she wants, why not? She wouldn't be the first."

So he was actually attempting to defend her. Alice wasn't really surprised. It fit the theory about his motives she had formed when Neville had told her that he knew about the Order. Rodolphus wasn't really wrong anyway. Starting a rebel group was impossible and so far, Alice didn't know of anything else she could do even though she would if the opportunity presented itself.

"No offense Bella but I don't think speculations about what you would think, feel and do in her position will lead us anywhere. There's no evidence that she's lying whatsoever and I deem it extremely unlikely that anyone is able to lie to you, Master. Especially not in her condition."

"Thank you, Rodolphus," Voldemort said. "Alice, you've heard what my Death Eaters have to say about you. Most of them think that you deserve my mercy. You will be glad to hear I'm sure that I feel inclined to grant it. As you probably know new citizens who've played an active role on the other side of the war have to go through a period of probation before they're fully admitted."

Alice hadn't known that. Neville didn't mention it either. They had all assumed that the eight years under Neville's guardianship had been enough. It had been foolish to think so as Alice realised now. The freedom she had longed for wouldn't be granted to her, at least not yet. They weren't going to kill or torture her either though. It could have been worse.

"Rodolphus, you have watched over Neville, will you watch over his mother as well?" Voldemort was smiling once more.

"Whatever you wish, Master," Rodolphus said impassively.

Alice stared into Snape's cold dark eyes. She couldn't look at either Voldemort or the Lestranges. Her legs were shaking but she had to keep standing. Keep standing; pretend that everything was fine that was all she could do. How could she have been so foolish? Of course, Voldemort wouldn't simply let her go. Not someone who had once been a high-profile enemy of his. He wanted to cherish his victory and cause her as much suffering and distress as possible. She should have known it. She knew what Voldemort was like but she had been as naive as Hannah.

"She will work as your assistant during that first year," Voldemort said. "Properly paid and everything of course, we want to do this correctly." If Voldemort's expression was anything to go by, he found his idea highly amusing.

Theodore Nott and Dylan Mulciber shared a long look. None of them dared to protest, no Death Eater would ever raise his voice against his master. No one was going to help her. She was still trapped in this nightmare and if there had been a chance to escape she had forfeit it herself by this stupid decision to come here.

"Rabastan, will you hand me the book and the quill?" Voldemort asked.

Rodolphus' brother handed the Dark Lord a very thick book and a quill with a sharp point.

"Come here, Alice," Voldemort said.

She obeyed, numbly.

"This is the Book of British Witches and Wizards," Voldemort told her. "It contains the name of all our citizens."

He tipped the book with his wand and it opened. Alice saw the names of Frank's cousin Fingal with his family and of Neville, Hannah and the children. Above Neville, there were two free spaces.

"I understand that you know how a Blood Quill works," Voldemort said.

Alice simply nodded. She didn't like the idea of writing her name in her own blood in this book but Neville had done it as well and she wasn't going to back out now. It would only make everything worse. She touched the parchment with the quill and wrote her name: Longbottom, Alice née Fawley.

"Very well. That was all," Voldemort said. "I hope you will hold yourself well, Alice."

"I'll do my best, my Lord," she forced herself to say.

"It is done," Voldemort called to the group at large. "The meeting is over, you may go. I wish you a pleasant night."

The well-ordered circle broke as the Death Eaters started to gather in groups of their choice. Conversations ensued everywhere. Alice didn't even want to know what they were saying.

"We'll take you home now," Mulciber said. "You need your rest."

Rodolphus walked over to her. Alice thought that she wasn't able to hold any conversation with him this evening.

"I'll schedule a meeting with Neville at our place and you accompany him so we can discuss this arrangement," he said.

"Yes," Alice said. She didn't really want to drag Neville into this. He had warned her right away. This wasn't up to her choice though, Rodolphus would probably tell him anyway.

"Alright. We really need to get going now," Mulciber said. "Good night."

Alice's witnesses saw Rodolphus off with the Death Eater greeting and he walked back to his wife and brother. Alice barely felt any relief. She knew now that this hadn't been their last meeting.

"Come on," Theo said to her and they took her hands to disapparate with her back to the Longbottoms' house. Alice felt extremely dizzy after the apparition. She probably wouldn't have managed it alone.

"Shall we accompany you inside?" Theodore asked giving her a concerned look.

Alice took a deep breath. "I think Neville has put up the wards again. Don't worry. I'll make it in. I'm sure he's still awake. Thank you."

"No problem," Theodore said. "We're sorry that we couldn't get you anything different but I'm sure you'll be able to find some solution if Neville is involved as well."

"Yes, surely." Alice didn't believe that but she wasn't going to argue.

When the two Death Eaters had left, Alice did not enter the Longbottoms' grounds. She knew that Neville would be awake and waiting for her. She didn't want him to see her in this state. Her stupidity was to blame for this mess and she didn't want to upset him. She needed to be alone now, completely alone.

She stumbled away from the gate and into the night. She was finally on her own, no need for masks and lies and displays of courage. At first, the tears didn't want to come because she still felt as if she had to play her game. When she could cry, she thought it might make her feel better but tears weren't going to help her and she knew it.

Blinded by her tears she stumbled through the night, barely strong enough to continue walking but unable to rest. She could not escape and had even helped build the walls of her own prison. She had been stupid enough to believe that Voldemort would act like a legitimate leader now and had of course been proven wrong. All he did was play with her.

She should have known better.