1981

Donovan ran out of the barn, while his eldest son rode out. His chest felt tight, because he couldn't stop thinking his children were about to become orphans. He didn't consider the possibility of Isaac dying or that his other two children would either, as long as Isaac was with them.

Then, it occurred to him how the owner of the horse Isaac was using might feel, if he or she woke up and find it missing. He hoped he would live long enough to give the owner a personal apology.

That thought only lasted a few seconds until he was in front of Rodulphus and Rebastan, who had reclaimed their wands, and he instantly regretted that he and his son hadn't focused to make the disarming spell give them their wands. They had let the shock of Lily and James's corpses cloud their thinking, but it hadn't turned out so bad. Isaac was fine after all, so everything would turn out alright, even if Donovan wasn't alive to see it.

Donovan made himself think more clearly, but that wasn't at all apparent to the Lestrange brothers because they only saw a-rabbit-facing-a-hugny-wolf alarm in his eyes.

He pointed his wand at them, but allowed himself to be disarmed by Rodulphus, who caught his wand, while Rebastan waved his wand to make Donovan's arms go numb and locked to his sides, as he was dragged over to them, through the air.

They caught him by his shoulders and then apparated inside a black carriage, with the back doors opened, that had a charm on it to fly. It was on the ground now, though. Rodulphus kept a tight hold on Donovan's shoulder and jumped out with him.

Donovan took in his surroundings, a silky river, with a bridge at both ends cars could drive over, with a park on one side, a small forest on the other.

Another death eater, who he would later discover was Barty Crouch Jr., was gazing into the water, as if he was contemplating whether or not to jump in and let the water fill his lungs. Despite what he was, Donovan yelled, firmly, "You don't need to kill yourself!"

Rabastan grabbed his other shoulder, even though his arms were pinned to his sides, while Rodulphus glanced at Barty Crouch Jr., then remarked, as they marched Donovan over, "You know he wasn't going to jump. You won't make friends out of us."

Donovan was going to hold his tongue, but then realized how, if they were focused on him, they wouldn't be thinking of his children or the Longbottoms. So he retorted, "I wasn't trying too. I don't need swine for friends."

Rabastan called over to the other death eater, as if it was a great joke, "Did you hear that? A mudblood lover calling us swine!"

Rodolphus snickered with his brother, but the other man didn't laugh. He just pointed his wand at Donovan and red light hit his leg.

Donovan didn't bother to stifle his scream. He knew that torturing him could be a fun distraction to them. He had felt bones snap and crack, when the spell hit is left leg. It really made him understand the difference between the times he fractured it, as oppose to now, actually breaking it. Pain shot up his leg, afterward, as he was forced to keep walking.

When he was just a few inches from Barty Crouch Jr., he informed him, coldly, "Harry Potter survived your master's curse. How does it feel? You followed a man who failed to kill a two year old. He might as well be a muggle."

The Lestranges punched his ears, which left them ringing, as Barty Crouch Jr. used the spell that broke his leg again. Donovan screamed. Every bone must have snapped, by now. He screamed again, when he got another dose of it too. And so on, as Barty Crouch kept going.

Donavan's vision was blurred with tears and he lost count of how many times Barty Crouch Jr. cast the spell at his leg. He looked up at the sky, dotted with stars, and heard the Lestranges laugh and say things like, "Break both of them! His arms too!"

Eventually, Donovan couldn't scream, just cry. Not only because of the pain, but because it didn't seem possible that his children wouldn't be orphans. He wouldn't get to comfort Warren and Argus, who, no doubt, would feel like their souls were hit by the same curse used on his leg, all the bones cracking, because they hadn't seen him.

Not seeing the men he considered a brother and a son again. Not being able to tell them, in person, as he held them in his arms and kissed them on the cheek, that it was ok. He forgave them for leaving. It made him ache in his heart and soul.

Barty Crouch Jr. delivered his last shot, at the same time Rodulphus pulled out a knife and cut into his chest, deeply. Donovan gasped and whimpered, which made the death eaters laugh.

Barty Crouch Jr. ripped his shirt open to reveal more of his chest and they all took turns digging into him.

When Donovan passed out, they stopped and Barty Crouch Jr. studied their work and said, "It's too bad Severus isn't here. He would have loved it."

"We can let him finish him off, after we find the dark lord." Rabastan suggested.

Rodolphus added, "Yes, but, now, let's get to my wife. Bella's good, but it's her against Isaac. We can use his father as a distraction, if things aren't going well."

The others agreed and they apparated to Hogsmeade.