A/N: Written for the "Going Away" challenge at the Sober Universe forum.
Disclaimer: Do I even need this? It's obviously not mine.
She was a superstitious girl, where good luck charms and ways to avoid bad luck took over her thoughts. Bad luck was the ultimate punishment in life and she strived to achieve good luck when ever possible. She believed in ritual and routine, always using the same good luck charms before she dove into anything like tests or dates.
Before Quidditch matches, for example, she showered beforehand with her favorite strawberry scented shampoo. Gryffindor played matches better when she used it. She had a habit of beating herself up emotionally if she did not use her scented shampoo before a match, feeling as if the result of the match depended on her shampoo.
She constantly wore a gold star on a silver chain for good luck. The girl never took it off because it was a supremely special necklace. It was a birthday present from her mother when she turned seven.
She even wore it on her first date with the red haired prankster George Weasley. Because of that one event, she trusted that star for as long as she was alive and could wear that star.
At nineteen and barely out of Hogwarts, she knew of the war that was going on. But honestly, who hasn't heard of it by now? She had to know because she was a member of the Order of the Phoenix, a revolutionary organization created by the late Albus Dumbledore to defeat the Death Eaters. She was requited to join as soon as she graduated Hogwarts and knew that she had a part to play in this upcoming war. For good luck and for the sake of routine, she kissed her gold star, hoping for fortune to shine its light upon her.
Battles can be won with some luck as well as skill and, importantly, perseverance. If you lose yourself to negative thoughts, it will take over your head and ruin your life.
She remained painfully optimistic as she threw hexes, curses and jinxes at Death Eaters as the war raged on. The woman could not let herself think that they would loose. Not after what has happened in the past years. It would be tragic if all was lost now. The light side just had to win!
…But she put so much energy into fighting to protect her life and others she forgot one vital item.
Alicia Spinnet forgot to wear her lucky gold star necklace.
