A/N: Thank you for your reviews! I was really pleased so I decided to update as soon as possible.

Chapter 20

Alicia was humming loudly as she went back home. She had never felt this happy and nervous in her life. For the first time she didn't plan her days ahead. She let Mitch surprise her almost every morning.

It was strange how a single person could make her so cheerful. Alicia felt as if she was sick. But, somehow, her strange sickness was not unpleasant.

As soon as she stepped into the house, Alicia felt something odd. There was silence. Since Emma's birth the house was almost never quiet.

"Alicia."

It was Emma. She was sitting on the floor, playing with a puzzle.

"Oh, here you are. I thought nobody was here." Alicia said approaching her sister.

Emma did not look up at her sister. There was a troubled frown on her face and she was sticking out her tongue in concentration.

"I never saw you play with a puzzle, Alicia remarked, isn't it a boring game?"

"It's good, Emma retorted, it's better than walk in the park with a boy."

Alicia said nothing and watched her sister stick the pieces together. Emma often said weird things, but now she was acting really odd. She was the kind of girl who was always full of energy and who could never sit down still.

"What do you mean?" Alicia asked.

Emma grinned.

"Look at the puzzle," Emma ordered.

"Okay." Alicia sat down on the floor next to her sister.

"Now imagine that this puzzle is your life. Every single piece of this puzzle is something that you have learned in your life."

"I don't understand what you're trying to tell me." Alicia said feeling extremely stupid near the obvious maturity of her baby sister.

"You can only understand the picture of the puzzle when it's finished." Emma said patiently.

"Yeah, sure."

"You will only understand your life once you've stuck all the pieces together."

Alicia nodded. In a strange sort of way it was starting to make sense although it seemed a bit complicated.

"But there's something else," Emma added.

"What?"

"Look at these two pieces. It looks as if they can stick together but when I try it …"

Emma forced on the two pieces. They broke.

"It doesn't work, Emma went on, you have to stick the pieces of your life carefully. A single mistake can mess up the whole puzzle."

"My little genius." Alicia said laughing. She did not touch her sister, she couldn't, but she smiled fondly.

"Now the real question is how many pieces have you actually managed to stuck together in your life? And how many pieces are missing?" Emma asked.

Alicia did not find the answer. She got up again and left her sister alone.

But that night she sneaked into Emma's room and stole the puzzle. Back in her room, she started to do the puzzle all over again.

How many pieces are missing in your life?

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It was a Saturday afternoon. Alicia had spent her whole day in the company of Mitch. But now she was starting to get seriously nervous. In a few hours she would be on her way to a party where she knew no one and nothing.

But help came from an unexpected source.

Alicia was biting her nails in front of the TV when the bell rang. She stood up and opened the door.

"Surprise!"

It was Beverly.

Alicia felt like she was going to get sick. Why her? Why now? Beverly was going to destroy everything Alicia was sure of that. Mitch would fall in love with her all over again and the same nightmare would start.

Alicia felt an intense hate for her cousin and she did not hug her back.

"How come you're not at Hogwarts?" Alicia asked grumpily.

"What a nice way to welcome your favourite cousin!" Beverly cried indignantly. She instantly made herself at home in the Potters' house. She got herself a drink in the kitchen and sat down in the cosiest armchair of the living-room.

"Why aren't you at school?" Alicia insisted.

"Jeez, calm down. We've got a week's holiday, have you forgotten?"

Alicia racked her brain. She had lost track of time. Finally she had to agree that Beverly was not lying.

She sighed.

"Are you planning on spending the holidays here?" she asked. She crossed her fingers behind her back.

"Only two nights. And then I'm off to Paris with Liam's family. You know Liam is my boyfriend. He's a cute guy." Beverly said. She smiled proudly. It was true that her boyfriend was good-looking. Alicia had got a glimpse of him a few times.

"Then it means you're not single!" Alicia cried cheerfully.

Beverly frowned. Why did Alicia care if she was single or not?

"Why would that be important?" Beverly asked perplexed.

"Oh, no reason." Alicia said innocently. She grinned at her cousin. Things were not that bad after all.

Beverly sipped at her drink. She wondered what Alicia was thinking. And then her face cleared as she began to understand.

"Are you still friends with Mitch?" Beverly asked.

"Well, yes, of course."

"Ah, that explains it all." Beverly said simply.

Alicia decided to ignore that remark. Why deny something that was true? Alicia had learned a lot with Emma's puzzle.

"Anyway, if it doesn't bother you I have to get ready." Alicia said.

"What for?"

"Mitch has invited me to a party tonight." Alicia said and blushed.

Beverly stood up and grinned.

"Want me to give you a hand?" She offered.

Alicia hesitated for a while. She didn't want Beverly to be involved in her life and especially in the life she was leading at home.

But then she remembered that Beverly was known for her style and for her good taste in clothes. Beverly had been to all kind of parties, maybe she would be able to help.

And Alicia needed help. Very much. She heaved a big sigh and hoped that she was not going to regret what she was about to say.

"Sure." She said.

The two cousins went into Alicia's room.

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Mitch was anxious. He had never been so nervous in his life. His hands were sweating horribly and he was very aware of the fact that his shoes were an inch too small for him.

He shook his head as if to clear his mind.

"It's just a party." He said out loud.

He had been to many parties. Why would that one be different from the others?

Mitch sighed and went over Alicia's house. They had agreed that Mitch would come to her house and they would walk to the party.

Mitch glanced at his watch. He was a bit early. He hoped he would not seem too eager.

He knocked on the door.

He expected to see Alicia or one of her parents, or even the little Emma, but it was none of them.

It was Beverly. She was back: the reason why Alicia had never talked to him for three years, the girl who had destroyed their sacred friendship.

There was an awkward silence. Beverly had changed a lot. She looked very sure of herself. Mitch could see that by the way she was holding herself and the way she was smirking.

"Surprised to see me again?" Beverly said mockingly.

She was pretty but her smile did not have the same affect as Alicia's.

"Where's Alicia?" Mitch asked looking behind Beverly.

Beverly laughed.

"Don't worry; your little princess is coming."

Beverly let Mitch come in. They heard someone calling from upstairs.

And then the stairs began to creak. Mitch turned around. His mouth fell open.

He did not recognize the woman before him.

As she descended the stairs, with the most charming smile, she looked so elegant, so feminine; she looked like everything Mitch had ever dreamed of.

"You should see your face." The woman laughed. It was Alicia. She had the same laugh.

Mitch looked away but he couldn't control himself: a few seconds later he looked back at Alicia and grinned foolishly.

"How do I look?" Alicia said twirling around. Mitch smirked. Alicia knew exactly the affect she was having on Mitch and she was enjoying it.

"You look beautiful, kid." Mitch said truthfully.

Alicia mouthed 'thank you' at Beverly and then waved as she walked away with Mitch.

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It was full of people. That was the first thought that came to Alicia's mind.

There was loud music and people were dancing in the middle of the room. Alicia knew no one so she held on to Mitch's arm tightly.

Mitch, on the other side, seemed to know every single person. They all came to greet him. The girls especially annoyed Alicia. They were all so much older than her, and they all seemed to know how to dance.

Alicia was lost.

She stayed with Mitch the whole time but after a while a friend of his called him and he had to leave her alone for a while.

Alicia sat down on one of the benches at the end of the room and watched the muggles in front of her. She felt so young near them.

A few people stared her, probably wondering what she was doing there. Alicia felt like a stranger, it was obvious she did not belong there.

"Having fun," Someone tapped Alicia's shoulder from behind. She whirled around hoping it was Mitch but it wasn't. It was a young man of about sixteen years old.

"Not really." Alicia said. It was no use pretending anyway. Everyone could see she was bored out of her mind.

"I saw you a few minutes ago but I didn't know if I had courage enough to come see you. Tell me, Alicia, what are you doing in a party like this?" The guy asked.

"How do you know my name?"

The guy smiled and took her hand.

"Come on outside. We'll have more privacy to talk."

Alicia was so lost she let the guy lead her into the garden.

They sat down on a bench. The guy bent down and whispered in Alicia's ear.

"I'm from Hogwarts as well and everybody knows you there, Alicia Potter."

Alicia gasped. So she was not the only stranger. She looked at the boy more closely. It was true that his face was vaguely familiar to her.

"What house are you in?" Alicia asked automatically.

"Gryffindor." The boy answered. Alicia twitched. She knew it was silly, but she had learned in the Slytherin house to distrust the Gryffindors.

And then Alicia remembered the letter she had thrown away.

Why don't you remind people that Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin used to be friends?

Alicia decided to forget the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin, just for one night.

"It's useless to ask what house you're in. I reckon everyone knows you in Hogwarts."

Alicia grinned. It was nice that someone other than Mitch knew her name at the party.

"Since you know my name, I think it's fair for me to know yours." Alicia said.

"Oh, sorry, I'm Alan Smith," The boy said handing out his hand. Alicia shook it.

"That sounds like a muggle name." Alicia said frowning.

"Yeah, well, I'm a muggle-born." The boy said.

Alicia had not known that. If she had, Alan would probably have been one of her victims.

"Didn't the monster attack you as well?" Alicia said in a sweet voice.

"No, thank god. But didn't you hear? The monster is gone! People say Harry Potter, I mean your father, has killed it! But I expect you would have known if your father got rid of the monster."

Alicia licked her lips. Soon Dumbledore's story would be out. It was best to lie to Alan as well.

"Well, there's a matter of fact, I'm the one who killed the monster."

Alan gasped. He looked impressed. But he had no time to add anything because Mitch had joined them.

"Hey, Alan!" Mitch said.

"Hi, Mitch, how are you doing? It's a long time since I've seen you."

"I was busy." Mitch said grinning at Alicia. He had spent most of his free time with her instead of hanging out with his friends.

Alan looked from Alicia to Mitch.

"Do you two know each other?" he asked.

"Eh, yeah." Mitch said.

They talked for a while and then Alan left them alone.

"How do you know Alan?" Mitch asked.

"I don't really know him but he recognized me because we go to the same school."

There was silence again. It was getting dark outside but Alicia could still make out Mitch's face. He seemed to be hesitating. And then he finally spoke:

"Why don't you come and dance with me?"

Alicia could not say no.