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Disclaimer: Everything you recognize in this story belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Anything and anyone whom you do not recognize has been created by me.

I couldconquer the worldwith one hand,as long as you're holding the other.

Chapter Nine: Scars of Body and Soul

As the party began to die down, Fred, George, Alicia, and Lee crept out of the portrait hole and down the long, empty corridor that would take them to the staircases. The passageway that Fred and George had seen on the Map was a few floors below, directly outside of the trophy room.

Lee held the Map in the dim light of his wand, guiding them around hallways roamed by teachers or prefects and adding his ever-present adventure music to the background of their expedition.

"Do we know how to get into the passage?" Alicia whispered, glancing over Lee's shoulder. "The Map says the entrance is in the statue of the sphinx outside the trophy room."

The twins glanced at each other briefly. "I'm sure we can figure it out once we get there," Fred told her confidently.

Thanks to the Marauders, the four first years found their way safely down three flights of stairs, with no encounters with teachers (and luckily, no exploding Dungbombs). When they found the statue they were looking for, Lee stood guard a little ways down the hall while Fred, George, and Alicia poked and prodded the thing with their wands, muttering any opening spells they knew and hoping that they could find their way in.

"Any luck?" Lee asked, joining them momentarily.

The three of them shook their heads, causing Lee to groan. "It can't be that hard. Here, Alicia, take the Map. Let me try."

Alicia took it and glanced down, only to find herself unable to tear her eyes away. "Fred," she breathed. "George, come look at this."

For the tiny dot labeled Alicia Spinnet had taken out a miniscule wand and tapped the statue three times, while an incantation appeared beside it.

Alicia glanced at the other two and drew her wand, going to stand next to Lee, who was trying to poke the sphinx in the eye. She tapped it three times, just as the Map had instructed, and muttered "Ut silva."

The statue sprang to life, crouching down and opening its mouth so wide that the first years could easily fit inside.

Alicia gulped. "We're actually supposed to go in its mouth?"

Fred shrugged. "Looks like it. Come on."

He strode right up to the sphinx and stepped into its mouth, and the statue simply swallowed him right up.

"Fred!" Alicia squeaked, rushing to where he had disappeared and repeating the spell that would allow them inside. The sphinx once more opened its mouth and Alicia glanced around at George and Lee. "Looks like we have to go in now."

The boys nodded and George climbed in next, followed by Lee, and Alicia brought up the rear with the Marauder's Map. It felt strange to be swallowed by a stone statue, but once inside, Alicia found herself sliding down a cold, hard ramp. She held back a scream, unsure who would be able to hear, and suddenly found herself launched into midair, where she collided with Lee. The two of them fell to the ground, landing hard on George, who had just been standing up.

"Ow," George groaned, crawling out from underneath them and climbing gingerly to his feet. "Where are we?"

"Probably somewhere beneath the school," Alicia reasoned, judging by the earth walls and the compacted dirt path that they stood on. "But where's Fred?"

"I'm here!" called the redhead, rumpling his hair as he entered their sphere of wand light. "This is bloody brilliant!"

Lee chuckled, lighting his own wand and changing his music to sound more mysterious. "So we just follow the tunnel."

"That's what it looks like," George told him, looking at the Map with Alicia. "But this says that it branches off up ahead."

"Where do the paths go?"

"The both go into the Forest," Alicia answered. "But they come up in different places, two separate clearings a little ways apart."

"Which one should we take?" Lee asked.

Alicia shrugged, looking at Fred and George.

"Why don't we split up?" Fred suggested. "Lee and I will take the left, and Alicia and George take the right. If they come out close to each other, we should be fine."

"Sounds good to me," Lee said immediately, leading the way with his new song echoing off the walls.

Once they came to the fork in the tunnel, they split, Fred and Lee's taking them down and George and Alicia's slanting up.

Fred winked as they parted ways. "See you on the other side."

After the party had finally died down, Mae hurried up to her dormitory and changed into her favorite old jeans and pulled on a jacket to fight off the chill of the drafty castle corridors. She had patrol duty to attend to, though she imagined that Charlie – who usually took the shift with her – would be busy doing other things.

Sure enough, when she reached the bottom of the staircase, Charlie and Tia were nowhere to be found, but Evan was suddenly at her side.

"I figured I'd let Charlie have his fun for tonight," he told her, winking one of his grey eyes and brushing the shaggy brown hair from his face. "I'll take patrol with you."

Mae smiled up at him, glad that she had other friends she could count on. "Thanks, Evan. It shouldn't take too long tonight, the other houses will have gotten a head start."

They climbed out of the portrait hole and set off down the familiar corridor, opening closets and classroom doors along the way to ensure that they were still vacant. It was silent for a few moments before Mae worked up the courage to ask Evan something that had been troubling her since that morning.

"Evan?" she began, her voice quiet. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Mae. What's up?"

Mae stared at the ground as she walked, unable to meet his eyes. "This morning at breakfast, you said Tia was the 'hottest girl in the school.' Is that really true?"

"Sure," Evan answered as though it was obvious. "Everyone knows that. Tia's the hottest, Harper Debbs from Ravenclaw is the cutest, Evelyn Grey from Slytherin is the prettiest, and you're the most beautiful."

Mae felt a hot blush creep into her cheeks at this statement, but Evan just continued as though he was talking about something as simple as the weather. "Why?" he asked, looking down at her and raising an eyebrow. "Surprised that one of the four most gorgeous girls in Hogwarts actually went for Charlie?"

Mae tried to laugh as though it was as crazy as Evan seemed to think it was, but if she and Tia were really two of the four that he was talking about, than Charlie had half of them at least. She decided to change the subject before she gave herself away, so in doing so, she decided to give Evan a little nudge in a certain girl's direction.

"What about Victoria?"she asked in what she hoped was an off-handed voice, and then hastily added, "and Emily? Where do they fall?"

"Em's the individual. And Vic…"

"Yes?" Mae prompted, hoping that she was interpreting the light that had entered his eyes correctly.

Evan gave her a suspicious glance and Mae snapped her mouth shut. "She's innocent," he told her. "And a little naïve, but that's part of her charm. It makes her cute."

Mae raised an eyebrow. "She wouldn't be cute if she wasn't innocent?

"She would be," Evan said with a shrug. "I mean, a lot of guys think she's adorable when she actually tries - you know, when she fixes herself up."

"But what's your opinion?"

"I think she's fine the way she is," he answered, a faint blush creeping into his cheeks. "If she doesn't like makeup why should she wear it?" He paused, giving her an inquiring look. "Why do you ask?"

Mae shrugged and gave him an innocent smile. "I'm just curious, that's all."

Evan looked as though he wanted to say more, but the two of them had reached another broom closet. Soft moans and whimpers were escaped through the closed door.

"I'll bet you ten sickles it's those two fifth years that are always all over each other in the common room."

Mae grinned. "My money's on Ed Poppy."

"You are so on," Evan agreed, shaking her outstretched hand.

The two of them crept up to the door, silently counting to three, and Evan yanked the door open. When the light of their wands illuminated the two half-clothed figures in the corner, Mae gasped aloud and Evan gave a low whistle.

"Charlie?" Mae breathed, trying desperately to mask the hurt in her voice as Tia clumsily clasped her bra and pulled her shirt back over her head. Logically, there was only one reason why Mae should be mad at him, so she used it so as not to give her feelings away. "You are a prefect! You should know better than that! What were you thinking?"

"Oh please," said Tia, getting to her feet and striding up to Mae. They were about the same height, so it was not difficult for her to get in the blonde's face. "We all know that the only reason you're angry is because you're jealous."

The brunette gave her a smug look and crossed her arms, but Mae was too furious to be embarrassed. "You daft little…" but she refrained from calling Tia many of the names that came to mind. Instead, she pressed her lips together firmly and rubbed her temples, trying desperately to calm down. "He's my best friend, nothing more," she lied through her teeth. "Besides," she continued, sending Charlie an icy glare. "I personally would never date someone who respects me so little that he would try to shag me in a broom cupboard.

Tia looked enraged. "Charlie respects me plenty! I told him that broom cupboards were some of the best places in the school, he was simply respecting my wishes."

Mae snorted. "You are so incredibly thick," she said, shaking her head in mild amazement. "I just hope Charlie's as idiotic as you are. Then you might just have a shot at being happy."

With that, Mae turned on her heal and started walking back down the long corridor that would take her to Gryffindor tower.

"Don't worry about hiding behind your hangings tonight!" Tia called after her in a sickly sweet voice. "I'll just spend the night with Charlie."

Mae turned around and glared at her best friend, knowing that he was better than that, but Charlie just glared right back. "Of course you will, Tia. But we'll have to try to keep it down. My roommates will be asleep."

Tia giggled and Mae bit her lip, going back to her dormitory as quickly as she could as tears welled up in her eyes. She heard Evan mutter something to Charlie before his footsteps echoed behind her, quickly catching up.

"Hey, Mae," he began gently. "Listen, you know as well as I do that Charlie can be a prat sometimes, but give him a break. This is the first real shot he's had at a girlfriend all year; he probably just doesn't want to mess it up."

She nodded, biting back tears and swallowing the lump in her throat. "I don't even know if I'm mad at him for being such an idiot or at her for being able to get whatever she wants." Or at myself, she added silently. For falling for my daft best friend who's never been able to see what's right in front of him.

"I think after what he said it's him you should be mad at," Evan told her reasonably, glancing back over his shoulder to where Mae knew Charlie and Tia had probably fallen back into the broom cupboard. "And you said some things that surely made him angry as well. But don't forget that you guys are best friends, all right?" He wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, but Mae could not help but think that it did not give her the same blissful, soaring feeling that Charlie's would have. "You two have known each other longer than anyone, and even you have your fights. In fact, I would be worried if you didn't argue."

Mae looked up at him, confused. "Why?"

"It would be like you didn't care," he answered. "You've got to fight about some things, because it shows that you two are willing to fight for each other."

Brushing hair from her eyes, Mae began chewing furiously on her lip, which she did often when she was thinking. "I suppose. But what happens when we go too far?"

"How far is too far?" Evan countered. "The more you care about each other, the farther you'll be able to go and still be all right in the end. And I don't think either of you would be the same without the other. Which says that you care a lot."

They had reached the portrait hole and Evan gave the password. Once in the empty common room, Mae gave Evan a quick hug. "Thanks," she said quietly. "I don't think it made me any less angry with him. But it's good to think that we can get over it."

Evan grinned at her and ruffled her blonde curls before they parted ways and climbed the stairs to their dormitories.

Alicia and George climbed for what seemed like hours up a steep slope that would bring them to the Forest.

"We're almost there," she told him softly, watching their dots on the Map. "That's strange. It says we should be at the exit, but the tunnel just keeps going."

George looked around them, his blue eyes shimmering in the faint wand light. "Up there," he said, pointing to the ceiling, where, sure enough, a wooden trap door was allowing a stream of pale moonlight to illuminate the passageway.

Alicia groaned. Standing on George's shoulders, she might be able to reach the handle, but there was little chance that either of them could pull themselves through. "What do we do?"

"We could keep following the tunnel," he suggested after a moment's thought. "Does the Map say where it leads?"

Alicia studied the old piece of parchment. "No, it goes off the edge, but it looks like it's still in the Forest."

"Well, let's go," said George, grabbing her wrist and pulling her along. "We can't go back, Fred and Lee will think we're cowards."

"We are not going to let that happen," Alicia assured him, hurrying to keep up.

The tunnel was silent except for their soft footsteps, but soon the two of them could hear heavy breathing coming from a little ways up the path.

Alicia and George froze, for they found themselves face-to-face with a fully grown sphinx, crouching down as if ready to pounce.

"Well, well, well," she began, her voice like a purr. "Two young adventurers? You will never get past me."

"Um," Alicia said in a feeble, high-pitched voice. "That's okay. We'll just be going now."

"Oh, I think not," claimed the sphinx, circling Alicia and George like a vulture would its prey. "Not until you answer my riddle."

"Riddle?" repeated George. "Couldn't we do something else? We're not Ravenclaws."

"It matters not what you are, young one," she continued. "My challenge is an ancient riddle, one that we have been asking for centuries."

"And if we don't solve it?" Alicia asked, dread welling up in the pit of her stomach as she and George pressed their backs against the cold tunnel wall.

The sphinx grinned, her teeth razor sharp. "Then I shall finally get to eat."

Alicia heard George gulp beside her and she subconsciously slipped her hand into his own.

"Well," he said, his voice sounding a bit firmer. "Give us the riddle then."

The sphinx sat down in front of them, her long tail swishing back and forth as she repeated something she must have said a thousand times before. "What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?"

Alicia racked her brain, trying desperately to think of an answer, but as George had said, they weren't Ravenclaws.

"Any ideas?" she breathed in his ear, hoping the sphinx could not hear her.

"Just one," he muttered back, and Alicia could feel him tense beside her. "RUN!"

She didn't need telling twice, the two of them sprinted back the way they had come, but Alicia had a bad feeling that they were nowhere near fast enough to escape. Luckily, they seemed to have taken the sphinx by surprise, and managed to get a small head start.

"What are we going to do?" Alicia panted, running as quickly as she could, though she already had a stitch in her side.

"The trapdoor," George answered, his breathing almost as shallow as her own as the two of them tried to stay balanced on the uneven ground. "I'll give you a boost and you'll have to pull me up."

Alicia was about to respond when a searing pain shot through her back and she stumbled forward.

The sphinx had caught up with her.

Its claws had raked across her back, leaving deep gashes. Blood was soaking her shirt and she was beginning to see spots, but she continued to run, knowing that if she stopped, there would be no hope at all.

There was a harsh laugh from directly behind her. "Give up now, young one, and save yourself a little pain."

Alicia was sure she was about to pass out, but George continued to pull her forward. "It's okay, Ally," he insisted, though he sounded desperate. "We're almost there."

She chanced a glance over her shoulder to see the sphinx licking up the blood that had fallen from the gashes in her back, seemingly savoring every drop.

"Now's our chance," George hissed, and without waiting for a response, he had grabbed Alicia around the knees and propelled her towards the wooden door.

Alicia knew that the only thing keeping her going was adrenaline, but she stood on her best friend's shoulders and pushed the trapdoor open, struggling to pull herself through. "Come on, George," she called, fighting against the darkness pressing in on her as she lowered her arm back into the tunnel. "Jump!"

He did so and she grabbed his hand, nearly toppling back down into the hole, when suddenly, someone was at her side, reaching down and helping her haul George out into the moonlight.

"NO!" the sphinx screamed, lunging at the three of them, but as soon as George cleared the doorway, someone was there to slam it shut on the monster's face and slide the lock firmly into place.

"Fred?" Alicia moaned lying back in the grass, feeling the blood flowing out of her and the adrenaline wearing off. The redhead leaned over her, his face panic-stricken.

"Yeah, it's me, Jack-Jack," he murmured. "We're going to get you back to the castle."

"Fred?" Lee's voice sounded miles away. "George's hurt too."

And that was the last thing Alicia heard before she blacked out completely.

Mae woke early the next morning, long before her other roommates, and quickly washed her face to rid it of the dried tears she must have shed sometime during the night. She wanted to have an early breakfast, so as to avoid seeing Charlie and Tia together, though she doubted they would be awake for a while – Tia's bed was empty, still made from the day before, meaning that she must have spent the night with Charlie. Seeing the open curtains caused Mae's stomach to lurch, but she bit her lip and pulled on jeans and a sweater, grabbing a book before she hurried out of the dormitory and through the portrait hole. Perhaps she could spend the day outside, away from Charlie or Tia or Evan, or any of the girls that knew her secret and would spend their time shooting her pitying looks.

The Great Hall was nearly deserted, save for a few Ravenclaw students who liked to have a Sunday morning study group, and a couple of professors enjoying a quiet breakfast.

Mae slid onto the bench at the long, empty Gryffindor table and spread peanut butter on a piece of toast. Even this simple task reminded her of her best friend – she thought about him every time she ate, for it had been Charlie who had convinced her to become a vegetarian when the two of them were eight years old. She sighed, taking an angry bite and hoping that the peanut butter worked the wonders it usually did on her nerves. Her hopes, however, proved to be in vain, so Mae flipped open a book she had checked out from the library as extra reading for her Healing class and tried to focus on the most effective ways to treat Kappa bites.

She was almost completely absorbed when someone plopped down on the bench beside her.

"Ann?" asked Mae, turning to see Tia's best friend anxiously twirling a strand of long auburn hair around her finger. "What are you doing here?"

The girl sighed, taking a blueberry muffin off a plate and picking at it. "I know I'm probably not the first person you would want to see," Ann told her, her sea green eyes searching Mae's face. "But, I just wanted you to know that I don't really approve of what Tia's doing either."

Mae tried to hide her surprise. "Really? But she's always been like this."

"No," said Ann, shaking her head. "She's a flirt – I am too, I'll admit – but she isn't a whore. I don't know what got into her last night."

"Charlie isn't the first person I would have expected it of either," Mae told her coldly. "But maybe we don't know people as well as we'd like to think we do."

Ann bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't want to lose Tia. She's the only real friend I've got. And I know you and Charlie have been best friends for ages. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Mae said softly, feeling slightly helpless. "Perhaps we should just let them run their course. They're bad for each other, we can see that already. Maybe they just need a little time to realize it for themselves."

The other girl nodded, popping the last bit of muffin into her mouth. "I'd better go. Thanks, Mae."

"Of course," said Mae, giving her a small smile. "Just keep hoping for the best – whatever that may be."

Sunlight was streaming through high windows when Alicia opened her eyes. She held up a hand to shield them from the light, and hissed as the movement sent pain through her back. Memories flooded her mind from the night before and she sat up hastily, ignoring her throbbing cuts as she looked around for her other friends.

George was sitting up on the bed next to her in the hospital wing, having his leg examined by Madam Pomfrey. Fred and Lee stood nearby with Professor McGonagall, who looked beyond enraged. Alicia had never seen her so infuriated.

"What do you think you were doing?" McGonagall demanded, her eyes narrow and her lips thin. "I don't know how you four found your way into that tunnel, but mark my words, you will be severely punished. Surely you realize that your friends very likely could have died! This is very serious you two. And I hope that you have learned your lesson from this experience. It does not do to wander the Forest. There are many reasons it is off limits to students."

She looked as if she was going to say more, but if she did, Alicia could not hear it, for at that moment, Madam Pomfrey shoved a goblet into her face.

"Drink," the nurse ordered.

Alicia did, and nearly gagged as the potion seared her throat.

"I know it hurts, but it will heal the cuts. However, I am afraid that you are going to have scars from the attack." She pulled a screen in front of Alicia's bed so she could unwrap the bandages that engulfed her torso. "You lost a good deal of blood, Miss Spinnet, you'll have to stay here and continue to take replenishing potion for at least a few more days."

Alicia only nodded, finally noticing the dizziness she felt at even simple movements. She hissed again as the final strip of gauze was taken away, and knew that the sphinx had done more damage than she had originally thought.

"Personally I am amazed that you did not pass out as soon as the thing attacked you," Madam Pomfrey continued, applying some sort of salve that lessoned the pain. "Mr. Weasley must mean quite a lot to you to have had to will to stay conscious long enough to save him as well."

Alicia nodded again, not trusting her voice as her back continued to sting. When the nurse was finished, she wrapped clean bandages around Alicia's body and handed her a pair a pajamas that looked to be a few sizes too big to wear over them. Once the screen was removed, Alicia found Fred, Lee, and Professor McGonagall waiting for her, and George leaning in from his own bed a few feet away.

"I shall not ask you what happened, Spinnet," McGonagall told her, as though she was doing her some great service. "Weasley and Jordan have given me their side of the story, and George has filled me in on the rest."

Alicia nodded again, wondering what her punishment was going to be.

"Now," McGonagall continued. "You were in that tunnel against school rules, and I have every reason to expel you for such behavior." Alicia flinched. "However, in light of the bravery you showed in the face of such danger, and the lengths you went to to help a friend, I believe that a detention will suffice."

Alicia's jaw dropped in surprise. "That's it?" she choked out. "Thank you, professor, I –"

"I believe the injury will serve as a lasting reminder of your misbehavior," McGonagall cut her off. "Do not forget what happens to those who venture into forbidden places. I shall inform Mae, Charlie, Percy, and Miss Johnson of your whereabouts, I am sure they are wondering where you could be."

With that, she turned on her heel and marched out the door, leaving the four Gryffindors alone with Madam Pomfrey.

"I must pay a visit to Professor Snape," the nurse informed them. "My stock of blood replenishing potion is now drastically low. I trust that you will behave yourselves in my absence. Oh, and Miss Spinnet and Mr. Weasley – you are not to leave your beds."

And she left the room as well.

Alicia immediately turned to George. "What happened to you?"

"It got my leg," he told her, pointing to his left calf, which was wrapped in bandages. "Looks like we're going to have matching scars."

Alicia pushed her curly brown hair from her eyes and grinned at her best friend. "At least we'll never forget our adventures." She turned to Fred and Lee. "When did you guys get there? I don't know what we would have done without you."

"Well," Lee began, looking a little shaken. "There wasn't anything in the clearing where our tunnel ended, so we decided to see if we could find yours, thinking it might be more interesting."

"We were almost there when we heard George yell, and we ran into the clearing just as you came out of the trapdoor," Fred continued, pale beneath his freckles. "You were bleeding everywhere –"

"It was terrifying," Lee admitted, shivering involuntarily. "By the time we got there, you were trying to get George out, but you looked ready to faint, so Fred grabbed him, but the sphinx was too quick. She got his leg, and she just about pulled him back into the tunnel, but I was able to get the door shut before she could."

"In other words," Fred went on, putting a cocky smile back onto his face. "You both owe us big time."

Alicia laughed and sank back into her pillows. "Next time, you can take the path that goes off the Map."

The others laughed softly as Alicia drifted slowly back to sleep.

On her way out of the Great Hall, Mae ran into the very last people she wanted to see.

"Oh, Mae," Tia said, looking surprised to see her. "Um, I didn't think you'd be down here so early."

"Funny," Mae replied, trying to keep the loathing out of her voice. "I came down early in the hopes that I wouldn't see you."

Tia flinched. "Look, about last night – no hard, feelings, okay?"

Mae had no idea how to respond. No hard feelings? How could Tia ever think that? Luckily, she was saved the trouble of saying anything by McGonagall, who hurried up to the three of them, looking slightly flustered.

"Miss Spinnet, Mr. Weasley," she began, ignoring Tia completely. "You both should pay a visit to the hospital wing immediately."

Mae felt her throat constrict with worry. "Why? What's going on? Who –"

"Alicia and George had a little… incident in the Forest last night."

The blonde gasped, horrorstruck, she shot an involuntary glance at Charlie who was looking back, equally terrified.

"Are they all right?" The two of them asked together.

"They will both be fine," the professor answered. "However, I believe that you should hear their story firsthand, rather than through the rumors that will surely have circulated by noon."

Mae nodded and immediately began to make her way to the grand staircase, but she stopped when two sets of footsteps followed her.

"What do you think you're doing?" she spat at Tia, the anger in her voice surprising all three of them.

"She's my girlfriend now," Charlie shot back. "She has every right to come to the hospital wing with me to visit my brother."

Mae tried to ignore the pieces breaking off her heart at the tone of his voice and instead used her sadness to fuel her anger. "Oh please, I bet she doesn't even know who George is."

"He's the tall one with the short hair and glasses, right?" Tia asked, and Mae shot Charlie a look that clearly said See?

"Does it really matter, Mae? Who cares if she doesn't know who he is? She'll learn," Charlie snapped.

Mae walked back to them and stood on her toes, mere inches from Charlie. "It matters to me," she hissed. "I've been your best friend for years and you're taking her side! It's ridiculous!"

"You're the one that's being ridiculous!" he shot back, leaning down to glare at her. "As my best friend you should have supported me, not taken every opportunity to get in a fight with my girlfriend."

"But you could do so much better, Charlie!" Mae cried, earning many curious looks from students in the Entrance Hall. "You know that Tia only goes for popular guys, and you know that she only took interest in you when your team started doing so well. You are so blind!"

"Blind to what, Mae?" he growled, and she was surprised to hear him call her by her proper name. "Who do you suggest I go for? You? Is that what you want?"

She gave a cold laugh, pushing away the small voice in her heart that was saying that that was exactly what she wanted. "You wish, Charlie. But I would never date you. In fact, now that I think about it, Tia's the one I should feel sorry for. She has to put up with you!"

"And I feel sorry for any bloke that ever tries to get a chance with you! All those guys that think you're so great – they're just setting themselves up for disappointment."

There was now a good sized crowd surrounding the three of them, and Mae could see Evan, Victoria, Emily, and Roxanne standing right at the front, all looking horrified.

"Yeah?" Mae's voice was bordering on hysteric. "Then why have you been my best friend for so many years?"

"Good question," Charlie replied, narrowing his eyes. "I don't know how I've put up with you for so long."

"And I have no idea what I ever saw in you that made me want to be your friend at all," Mae said quietly, feeling her anger ebbing away as sadness took over. "I'm going to see my sister, and I suggest you two stay away from the hospital wing for a while."

"My brother's up there too," Charlie argued. "I'm coming."

"You really want them to see us tearing each other apart?"

"Surely we can pretend to be civil for one more hour."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Charlie's a jerk, isn't he? XD But I suppose that all of the Weasley men are like that, but he'll realize his mistake eventually. Mae's no angel either. And don't judge Charlie too harshly, remember that you're seeing Tia solely through Mae's POV, meaning that her opinion could be slightly worse than what Tia actually deserves.

As for Alicia and George's matching scars, for some reason I was thinking about Percy Jackson and how he and Annabeth have matching grey streaks in their hair, and I just thought it would be a neat idea. :P

PLEASE REVIEW!

Love Always,

Kayla

Girl: I have to ask you a question. It's a good one so think about it. If two people love each other, but they can't seem to get together, when do you get to that point of enough is enough.

Boy: Never.