Author's Notes: This isn't my favorite chapter, but Chapter Eleven will be pretty action packed. The curse finally begins to take effect.

Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

Chapter Ten

Albus Dumbledore sat on the queen sized bed that he shared with Minerva. He had in his lap a book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but he could not focus on it. Whenever he tried to read his mind wandered to a different subject: the past. While he tried to read about creatures mentioned in his book, memories kept coming to him. These memories were of days long ago when Aberforth, Ariana, and he had been children.

Minerva entered the bedroom, sat down at the vanity, and let her hair down from its bun, "You're up late."

"The same could be said of you, my dear."

Minerva yawned, "Never again will I assign essays for all my classes that are due on the same day. Really, Albus, what was I thinking? I've been grading since just after supper. I'm still not done, and it's nearly two a.m."

Albus looked surprise, "Is it really that late? Or rather, is it really that early?"

Minerva nodded, "We both lost track of time, I suppose."

She got into bed and stole the book's place in his lap. He put his arms around her.

"Two of our children are in love," Minerva said softly.

Albus smiled, "I know. I had a feeling our Jacob and Gideon would end up together."

"I'm glad they found their way to each other," Minerva's face suddenly held a worried expression, "I worry about Alice, though."

"Why's that?"

Minerva sighed, "I don't know if it's the fact that I'm protective of my little girl or it's Duke that makes me worry. Gideon and Jacob…they've always gotten along so easily. Duke and Alice…I don't know what it is, Albus, but something makes me worry that their relationship will have a good amount of drama in it."

"Love isn't always easy," Albus changed the subject, "I'm going to go see Aberforth tomorrow."

"Oh," Minerva said, "Albus, is it still bothering you? The past?"

He nodded, "I've got to try to make it right."

"You will," Minerva reassured him, snuggling under the blankets.

"I hope you're right. Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight, Albus."

"Alice?" Arthur asked in a hopeful manner the next day when they were walking down the corridors. It was a rare moment when Molly was not with him and Duke was not with her.

"Yes?"

"Are you busy tonight? I was going to hang out under the big tree near the lake, presuming it doesn't rain. Want to come?"

"Sure," Alice smiled at him.

"Really?" Arthur asked, pleasantly surprised. He hated that the two of them and Molly seemed to be splitting apart. They had been best friends since they were eleven, and Arthur thought it was silly that they were letting arguments ruin five years of friendship. He wanted the three of them to spend time together as a group again.

"Really," Alice confirmed. She missed spending time with Arthur.

"Great," Arthur said, grinning.

"Good morning, Aberforth," Albus said as he entered The Hog's Head. Once again, he was the only person in the building, save for his brother.

"Hello, Albus," the bartender greeted his brother, "Can I get you anything?"

"No thank you," Albus replied. He hesitated, "Aberforth? Do you remember the day we went to the lake?"

Aberforth smiled, "With Ari and our parents? How could I forget? That was such a fun day, Albus. We were all swimming, even Mum and Dad."

"Ariana made herself a necklace out of daisies ," Albus recollected.

"That was a good day. Remember Mother's Day that year?"

Albus smiled, "The one where Ari and I tried to knit Mum a scarf and you attempted to cook dinner?"

Aberforth laughed. "That was a disaster if there ever way one!"

The two brothers continued smiling and recalling days past for a long time. They both knew that the rift between the two of them was not quite fixed, but was not as large as it once had been.

That evening, Alice was the first one to get to the tree. She sat down, grateful for the lack of rain. Given that it was an evening at start of October, the nice weather really was lucky. She wondered what she and Arthur would talk about. Muggle music, maybe. The Rolling Stones had released a new album a few weeks ago.

Molly and Arthur had just exited the common room. Molly wore the scarf that Arthur had given to her. She carried her Transfiguration book in one hand, and held Arthur's hand with the other.

"Now, Molly," Arthur began nervously, "If I tell you something, do you promise not to be angry?"

"Alright," Molly said good-naturedly as they stepped outside. She glanced around and saw Alice under the tree. She frowned, "What's she doing there?"

"That's that I was going to tell you," Arthur said, "I invited Alice along."

"Oh, Arthur Weasley, you didn't!"

Arthur nodded, "I thought that if we had an evening, we could fix whatever it is that's driving us apart. She is our friend, Molly."

Molly agreed, seeing how much it meant to Arthur.

"Fine," She muttered, "She can make herself useful and help us with this Transfiguration homework."

Arthur smiled, "Hi Alice!"

Alice looked up, "Hey Arth -"

Alice stopped mid-reply upon seeing Molly.

What was she doing here? Arthur didn't say anything about Molly coming. Alice wondered, Did he?

Wonderful, Molly thought bitterly.

Lovely, Alice thought bitterly.

Arthur sat down next to Alice, oblivious to the tension that the air held.

Alice stole a glance at Molly. She was looking straight ahead, making it clear that she wouldn't be talking to Alice anytime soon.

Fine, Alice thought to herself.

Out loud, she said, "Have you heard the new Stones album, Arthur?

"Out of Our Heads? Yeah. 'I'm Free' is my favorite."

"That's a good one, but I like 'Heart of Stone' best."

"Alice, if you're going to be here all night, could you explain this to me?" Molly interrupted angrily, pointing at her Transfiguration book.

"Why is it," Alice replied with a fury that matched Molly's, "That every time we're together, I have to play teacher?"

"I never said -"

"Does it ever occur to you that there are things I would rather do than reiterate things my mother has already explained in class? I would much rather be with Duke or at The Slug Club. Or with Duke at The Slug Club!"

"You obviously would, seeing as it caused you to bail out on your two best friends!" Molly shouted.

"Well," Alice said through clenched teeth, "I suppose that means you and Arthur will have to find a new Transfiguration tutor!"

"Fine! You were never very good at explaining things, anyway!" Molly spat.

Alice angrily stomped away, leaving behind a furious Molly and a forlorn Arthur. She entered the Great Hall to find Duke reading. Upon seeing her, Duke smiled, until he saw the upset look on her face. She sat down next to him.

"Alice," he asked, "What's bothering you?"

"You were right," Alice told Duke, "About Molly and Arthur. I just argued with Molly, who was being ridiculously crabby, and that helped me to come to a realization. Do you remember what you told me that day?"

"You and I could take the universe apart and put it together again."

Alice nodded, "I can't be friends with them for awhile, but I'm finally ready to do that. Reinvent the universe with you, I mean."

Duke took her hand and kissed it, "I'm glad."

An hour later, after they had finished patrolling, Duke and Alice entered the Gryffindor common room. Duke headed towards the boy's dormitories and Alice took a seat next to Jacob.

"Hi," Jacob greeted her, "You know, Molly was pretty mad at you earlier."

Alice sighed, "Well, I'm not too happy with her, either."

"You've been friends for so long," Jacob advised, "Don't let some trivial argument ruin that."

"It's not trivial," Alice said sullenly.

"Well, I'm sure it's not worth losing each other's friendship over."

"Have you always been such a know-it-all, or am I just noticing it now?" Alice demanded.

Jacob shook his head, "You haven't always been this unpleasant. That's all Duke's doing."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You were a nice person and a loyal friend before you started going out with him," Jacob shook his head, "I can't stand him, Alice. He's like Iago from that Shakespeare play he's reading."

"He is not! Iago is a vile and cunning toe rag."

"You just described your boyfriend. He's vile and unpleasant to anyone who isn't in The Slug Club. And Merlin knows he's cunning. He's probably only going out with you since he thinks it'll increase his chances of being Head Boy in a few years!"

Alice looked as if she had been slapped in the face. She turned and went up to the girl's dormitories, leaving Jacob alone in the common room.