It was strange for the world to feel back to normal. Rose didn't hear of any death eater attacks anymore, she wasn't afraid of going outside. The news was finally shifting away from Voldemort and now refocusing on other things in the Wizarding world.
Of course, there was the odd paper titled "Harry Potter; Where Is He Now?" and "Rose Evans, Does She Have Anything To Do With The Chosen One?"
She usually threw the newspapers out, she didn't need to read gossip about her and Harry.
Christmas was quickly approaching and it wasn't as fun as Rose remembered. She usually celebrated it with Lily, with everyone.
But this year it was just her and Harry. Alice and Frank were visiting his parents and Remus wasn't responding to letters.
So Rose sucked it up. She got a tree and ornaments, lights and other decorations. Harry helped her put the star on top of the tree and they laughed as they made a gingerbread house.
She took her first picture with Harry, they posed next to their destroyed house and laughed as the camera flashed and it printed the photo.
On Christmas Eve, Rose watched as Harry struggled to open the wrapping paper of his present. He giggled happily when he finally got it open, seeing a shiny new toddler quidditch broom.
The cat began playing with the wrapping paper and Harry chased him. Rose watched the small boy contently, leaving her own presents from Alice unopened.
In January, Rose hadn't heard from Remus in months. She had written multiple times and tried to arrange a visit but she had no luck.
He was stubborn. He felt lost and alone, so he stayed that way. And now he had to face all of his full moons alone again.
It was a different kind of hurt when her birthday came around. This was a day she always shared with Lily, they had never not been together on their birthday.
So Rose spent the day reminiscing. She talked to Lily's grave as if she was standing there, updating her on how Harry was doing.
And then she went back home. Alone.
***
On Harry's second birthday, she took him to see his parents in the morning, letting him say hello to mum and dad.
Neville, Alice, and Frank came to celebrate, Remus didn't respond to the invite.
They played with the little boy and after dinner, Rose brought out two cakes.
One was for Harry to smash, as he liked doing things like that, and the other was to eat.
As soon as she placed the cake in front of Harry, he dug in, placing his whole face into the icing.
Rose laughed loudly as she watched the baby play in the cake.
"Rose, your hair!" Alice exclaimed after a moment. Rose, fearing something was wrong, grabbed a piece of her red hair. When she pulled it in front of her face, she realized it was lavender.
Rose was shocked. She hadn't been able to change anything about her appearance in a year. But Harry helped her.
The small boy giggled when he saw the hair change, so Rose tried multiple different colours, making Harry and Neville giggle.
She was happy. They both were.
***
Rose was very bored. Of course Harry was a handful, now that he was getting older. He could run and talk and tell her no. He had tantrums and screaming fits but she could handle it, even when his tantrums resulted in a burst of magic.
She had a gentle approach to parenting Harry. Rose didn't believe in hitting him or yelling at him to teach him a lesson. Just because he was a child didn't make him any less of a person.
And she babysat Neville lots, letting the two young boys play together, though Neville was quite a clumsy child.
But Harry was her whole life. Remus hadn't been in contact with Rose in a year at that point, Alice and Frank worked around the clock at the ministry, and Rose was still being told to keep Harry away from the Wizarding world.
Sometimes she would read the Quidditch daily news, just to see how the Holyhead Harpies were doing. She longed to play again, play professionally. But she couldn't, not if she wanted to protect Harry.
So that's what she did. She became a full time caregiver who made potions on the side. It was one of the only things that took her mind off of her unusual situation.
***
Things were slightly more exciting when Harry turned five. Rose found a muggle primary school and enrolled him into the school, to let him get a hood foundation of basic skills.
He knew about magic, he watched Rose do magic everyday. She told him he couldn't tell anybody, that it was their secret.
Of course, Rose got a call from his teacher explaining that Harry continually tried to say that they got their mail by owl. She laughed it off and told the teacher that he had a wild imagination.
She had to have a talk with him after that.
Rose also had to try and explain the concept that she wasn't his biological mom. She was his mother figure but Rose wasn't the one who gave birth to him. Lily was his mother.
As any small child would, he didn't understand.
"Don't touch that!" Rose said loudly as the small boy took hold of the scrapbook. She yanked it out of his hands as he started to cry.
Rose was afraid he would ruin it. It was one of the only things she had left of Lily, Marlene, and James.
But as he cried, Rose realized it wasn't only hers. Harry deserved to see his mom when she was young, when she played with him.
So she sat him down on her lap and went through the entire album with him. She explained who each person was while also keeping Sirius a secret.
Harry looked at the pictures in wonder as they moved. He even recognized himself in a picture of Lily and James dancing around with him.
It was then that a Patronus appeared in the living room. It was a Phoenix and only one person Rose knew who had that Patronus was Dumbledore.
"Your presence is required at the Longbottom residence."
Rose stood immediately and put the album down. She took Harry outside immediately and strapped him into his child seat on her broom.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked as he giggled, he loved flying on the broom.
"To go see Auntie Alice and Neville. Come on," Rose said in as calm a voice as she could muster.
Harry enjoyed flying in the air, he almost fell asleep as they flew over multiple cities and towns.
When they landed outside of the Longbottom house, Rose pulled Harry out of his seat and left the broom discarded on the ground. There were multiple aurors and other people standing outside of the house talking.
"What's happened?" Rose asked hurriedly as she carried Harry in her arms. He looked around at the people and waved to a few of them.
"Alice and Frank Longbottom were attacked by rogue deatheaters, demanding to know where Voldemort was. They aren't dead but they were tortured viscously by the cruciatus curse. We've heard you have extensive knowledge on said curse," one of the aurors outside said to Rose.
Panic set in as she realized what that meant. Rose put Harry on the ground. "Stay with these nice gentlemen, Harry. I'll be right back," she said with a smile, nodding to one of the aurors.
She burst inside and saw more aurors and even Dumbledore. One of them was holding a teary eyed Neville while the rest looked at two figures on the ground.
Alice and Frank were shaking on the floor. They were sweaty and dishevelled, groaning. Alice seemed to be mumbling something while Frank had his arms wrapped around his legs, rocking back and forth.
Rose immediately kneeled down I'm front of the two adults. They were twitching as Rose began to treat them.
"Alice, Frank? Hey, it's me. It's Rose. Can you say something? Tell me where it hurts?" Rose questioned as she took her wand out of her waistband.
Neither of the injured parties responded. Instead, Alice began ranting about the flowers outside of the house, how pretty they were this time of year.
Rose used her wand to cast the same diagnostic spell she learned in Italy. She waved it and said the incantation, the results of the spell showing up in the air.
And just like that, Rose had lost another person she cared about.
The results were the same as the patient in Italy. Her brain was horrifically fried. The
neurons responsible for memory and capacity to learn were completely destroyed.
She tried to hold out hope but it was no use, as Frank was the absolute same.
Both Alice and Frank were incompetent. They had been tortured into insanity. There were treatments to help the other nerves in their body but nothing could fix the nerves in their mind.
With a heavy sigh, Rose stood and turned to face Dumbledore and the other aurors. "I'm afraid the damage has been done. The part of their brain that controls memory and capacity to learn, have been completely destroyed. Simply put... Frank and Alice have been tortured into insanity," she explained as the others looked horrified.
"I'd advise taking them to the hospital. The other nerves in their body can be treated. They'll need round the clock care, they're a danger to themselves," Rose explained, keeping her composure by remaining professional.
Dumbledore nodded and the other aurors got to work, helping Alice and Frank off the ground as they looked on in pity.
"Who did this, Albus? Why now? Voldemort has been gone for years!" Rose exclaimed. She thought it was over. That Voldemort couldn't hurt her anymore.
"Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Rabastan Lestrange, and Bartemius Crouch Jr. They were caught in the act," Dumbledore said as Rose shook her head. The very same people that had a hand in killing Marlene.
"We were supposed to be safe. And now after five years, we have to be afraid again. What about Neville?" Rose questioned, looking up at the old man.
"He'll be cared for by his grandparents. They have legal custody of him now that Alice and Frank have been deemed unfit to care for him," Albus said in response to Rose's question.
Without a response, she left the house and walked outside to take Harry from the aurors. Alice and Frank had to be flown to St. Mungo's. In their state, they would surely splinch.
Neville was flown off with another Auror, his big tears rolling down his face, he couldn't understand what was happening.
"Where's Neville going? And auntie Alice?" Harry asked curiously.
"They have to go get taken care of by some nice doctors. Come on, let's go home," Rose said with sad smile, placing Harry back in his seat on the broom.
***
As soon as Harry and Rose returned to their house, the latter wrote a letter.
She let Harry play with his toys in the living room while she got to work on her letter to Remus.
It would have to be her to tell him what happened to Alice and Frank. Considering she didn't even know where the man lived anymore.
The letter was simple. Frankly, Rose was fed up with Lupin. She had to do this alone. She had to grieve and cry and raise Harry alone, with the help of Alice occasionally.
Everyone hurt when it happened. Every single person. But Remus cut himself off and ran away from it, from the responsibilities. And now he would never be able to speak meaningfully to Alice again.
She handed the letter to Apollo and let him fly. Somehow, he always knew where Remus lived. Owls had that special talent.
It was almost worse what happened to Alice. Rose felt like she couldn't grieve because she was still alive. But it wasn't the same. The alice Rose knew for her entire life was gone.
Instead, what remained was an empty shell. Someone who couldn't do anything for themselves. Couldn't respond, reminisce about shared memories.
And Rose put on a happy face for Harry.
***
It was a week after the attack Rose plucked up the courage to see Alice and Frank. They had been permanently admitted into the long term magical maladies ward of the hospital.
She walked into the building and asked for directions, her hair and face completely different from her normal look. She was trying to keep her identity hidden.
Rose knew the inside of the hospital, she had been there before. She only needed to check in with the nurse at the long term ward before she was allowed entry.
The ward wasn't flattering. It was filled with patients who most times weren't aware of where they were.
Nonetheless, Rose navigated through it to find her friend. With the help of a nurse, she finally found the Longbottom's.
They were lounging in the shared community space, with a safe game of wizards chess and newspapers strewn about.
Alice was muttering something and Frank was looking off into the room, like the white paint was very interesting.
Rose sat down across from Alice and took in her appearance. Her hair was still the seam shape and colour but her skin was gaunt, she had yellowing eye bags and seemed very thin.
"Hey, Al. How are you?" Rose asked, actually expecting a response.
Alice didn't respond, though. She looked up and hummed a tune, smiling at something.
Rose tried a few more times to get the girl to talk but was met with nothing but silence. She gave up after an hour and said her goodbyes.
But before she could leave, Alice have her something. A bubblegum wrapper. That was all.
Rose put it in her pocket and left.