Another week, another chapter.

Chapter fourteen: 1st September

There was a big commotion in the house when the real Hogwarts letters arrived for all the students. Hermione had been made a prefect, which surprised no one. Everyone congratulated her with a knowing smile. The real surprise was that Ron was also prefect. And not Harry.

Alicia learned all this when they threw a little party. A banner was hanging from the ceiling, saying CONGRATULATIONS HERMIONE AND RON HOGWARTS PREFECTS. Ron had gotten a new broom as a gift and he was happily showing it to everyone.

It wasn't hard to notice that Harry was sour about this. He had probably expected to be a prefect himself, not his best friend. Everyone seemed to walk on eggshells around him that evening. Alicia was lounging next to Remus and Sirius, with Harry, Hermione and Ginny in close proximity.

'Were you ever a prefect, Sirius?' Ginny asked him.

Sirius barked a laugh. 'I would be the last person they made prefect. James and me were too busy making trouble. No, it was good boy Remus here that got the badge.'

Alicia looked up at Remus. 'You never told me you were a prefect.' Remus nodded and smiled, his mind probably back at his schooldays. 'Nerd,' Alicia concluded.

Remus chuckled. 'I think Dumbledore made me prefect with the idea to keep my friends in check. I can say I failed terribly.'

'And you Alicia?' Ginny asked. 'I didn't think you were…but I can't remember.'

Alicia chuckled to herself and looked up at Harry. He seemed a bit happier now, maybe because Sirius and his father hadn't been prefects either. 'I think some people cause too much trouble to be considered,' she said with a wink to Harry. He smiled a weak smile back at her.

The conversation continued around them and Alicia took the opportunity to sit next to Harry on a bench that was shoved against the wall.

'I get that you aren't happy about it now,' Alicia started, waving around at the celebration. 'But trust me. Being a prefect is more of a burden than something to celebrate. They get so many responsibilities. You have to tell other students to get back to bed and such. Where would one find the time to do fun stuff, eh?'

Harry wasn't looking at her. 'Yeah, sure. I just…I didn't expect…this.'

It was obvious to her what he meant: his two best friends would be busy with meetings and patrol now, while he would be left behind.

'Yeah, I think no one really did,' Alicia said while taking a sip from her drink. 'But it can be an opportunity too.'

'For what?' he asked, suddenly interested.

Alicia shrugged. 'Well, I'm not saying you should abandon your friends…but if you have more time without them maybe you could get closer with others. Or find new friends. It might shock you, but there are more than just Gryffindors in Hogwarts.' She whispered secretly at the end.

At least it made him chuckle. 'I know. Who knows…maybe. I guess I'm just anxious to go back to school. I miss Quidditch, and my friends, and the castle itself.'

Alicia leaned her head back. 'Now that I can understand. No matter who you are or how old you are…Hogwarts will always be home.'

'Exactly,' Harry whispered with a distant look in his eyes. His lips curled up in a smile. 'Uhm, I am going to get some food.'

He left her there on the couch. Harry was not feeling well. He was having trouble adjusting to the new world he suddenly found himself in. And he still had no idea what that new world was going to throw at him. It made Alicia sad to think so much was going to change. While she had been at Hogwarts, not a lot had happened. Apart from Professor Quirrell being a carrier of Voldemort's soul and the Chamber of Secrets being opened. But she hadn't been personally involved. All of it had been distant. Only her last year had been really eventful.

She sighed and looked around. Both Remus and Sirius had disappeared. She got up to look for them.

'There you are,' Alicia said as she poked her head around the door. They were both in the room that was reserved for Buckbeak. The hippogriff was eating ferrets that Sirius was throwing to him. Remus had kept his distance, leaning against the wall near the door.

'Never knew you would be one to abandon a party, Padfoot,' Alicia joked as she closed the door and leaned close to Remus. Sirius only replied by a grunt. Alicia gave Remus a look, who shrugged.

'How…how are you?' Alicia asked him.

Sirius looked up as if he was uncertain the question was meant for him. 'Dandy. Why do you ask?'

'I get that you want a break from this house, but you must understand how dangerous that is,' Alicia said softly.

He laughed bitterly and turned to give her a nasty look. 'Oh everyone thinks I don't know that. Everyone assumes I'm an idiot. But thank you for telling me again Alicia. You should tell me again tomorrow, I might have already forgotten with my tiny brain.'

She wasn't taking his shit. She strode over, jerked the ferrets from his hands and threw everything at the hippogriff. Then she pushed him until he was sitting in a lone chair.

'Now listen here you little shit,' she said while leaning over him. 'You have been rude, sarcastic and overall unpleasant for a while now. Every time someone tries to help you, you push them away. The closer they can get, the harder you shove. It's childish and unfair. So stop it,' she drew out the last three words to give them more impact.

Sirius just stared at her. Remus shuffled uncomfortably behind her.

'Do you think you are the only one that is having a hard time? How about him!' she pointed behind her at Remus.

'Me?'

'Moony?'

'Yes Moony! Why is it so bad for you to be stuck in a house when you are surrounded by friends, including your best-currently-living-friend? And your godson? You are treating them like trash.'

'Because I hate this house!' Sirius barked.

'I KNOW!' Alicia exclaimed. 'Everyone knows! But it's just a goddamn house! You mother isn't in it anymore…as long as no one shouts near the portraits. In this house are the Weasleys, and Remus and Harry and me. Now is that something you hate too? Do you hate us?'

'Of course not,' Sirius said while he waved her away with his hand. 'That is not the point. Soon this place will be empty again, when they go back to school. And when you two move out together.'

Alicia straightened her back. 'Aha. I think we found it.'

'Found what?' Remus asked, now stepping closer. 'Alicia, maybe you are a bit harsh…'

'You don't hate the house being full. You hate the prospect of being left alone in here,' Alicia said.

A silence stretched between the three. Sirius wasn't looking at them. He slumped in the chair. His silence confirmed her theory.

'That is why you weren't happy when Harry was cleared in the hearing. A part of you hoped he would stay here, so it would feel like you had James back,' she continued ruthlessly.

She didn't think it was possible, but she had done it. She had made Sirius cry.

'Is that so bad?' he whispered so silently they had nearly missed it.

Remus sighed and got on his knees in front of his friend. 'Sirius…I understand. I miss him too. I have missed them both all these years. And seeing Harry is…confusing. I keep seeing Lily's face when he looks at me. But you can't make the mistake that Harry is James. We owe it to him to treat him like himself.'

'Don't think I don't know that,' he grumbled, wiping angrily at his tears. 'I just don't want to be alone in this hellhole.'

'You won't be,' Remus assured him.

Sirius laughed sarcastically. 'Aren't you two moving back to your own house then?'

'I'm moving out, but Remus will stay with you.'

Both of them looked up at the witch. Sirius seemed confused first, but then scared. 'You aren't fighting again, are you? I can't take more of your drama.'

'I have been offered a job as professor at Hogwarts. I'm moving to Scotland in a week, but Remus will stay here,' Alicia explained.

'I will?' Remus said confused and amused at the same time.

'Obviously. Neither of you are good at being alone,' she stated.

'A…a professor?' Sirius asked, bewildered.

Remus looked from Sirius to Alicia. 'Are you sure you want to tell him?'

Alicia smiled. 'Yeah. Dumbledore could guess I was going to tell you, but he didn't know me well enough to know I wanted to tell Sirius too. Besides, in a week everyone will know.'

'But this will not tear you two apart, right?' Sirius asked, still looking scared.

It was hard to resist, so Alicia didn't. She threw her arms around Sirius. 'Very sweet of you to be so concerned. But no, I will not allow that to happen.' She winked at Remus. 'You guys are free to visit me all the time. Private chambers should be good enough to hide the escapee of Azkaban.'

Remus rubbed his temple. 'Are you sure? It is an extra risk.'

'One I am willing to take,' Sirius said as he rubbed Alicia's arms quickly. She released him. 'If only it is to see the castle again.'

'I don't see the problem. No one monitors the Floo Network. And professors have the privilege to use it whenever they want. I'll stock up on powder and then you guys can come over whenever you miss me, or want a different view.'

Sirius wiggled his eyebrows. 'A good view?'

Both of them hit him. 'I meant through the windows, pervert.'

The one looked to the other, and within a second all three were laughing.

'So, did we ease your suffering a bit?' Alicia asked as she looked at Sirius.

He sighed deeply. 'Of course you do. What would I do without you two?'

'Die, probably,' Alicia said jokingly, but the smile he showed her was deeper than a joke. Alicia suddenly got the idea that that was exactly what he would do.

Remus got back on his feet. 'Well, I think we should go back down again. I'm sure there was more treacle tart.'

Alicia was on her way to follow him when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Before she could turn around Sirius had pulled her close in a hug.

'Sometimes I hate how right you are. But thank you for making an effort,' Sirius whispered.

'Of course. I would do anything for you,' Alicia told him honestly.

He pulled back a bit so he could look at her. 'I would die for you, Nessie.' Then he strode past her back downstairs. Alicia stared after him for a moment, hoping it would never come to that.

Alicia woke up early on September 1st. She had been restless all night, despite Remus' effort to tire her down yesterday evening. It felt surreal. A part of her irrational brain thought she would go back as a student. Oh boy! We are going to see Michelle, Sarah and Elena again! How much I have to tell them. I wonder who our DADA teacher is this year? She smiled at her own thoughts.

She was the teacher now.

She moved quietly around as she took a shower and collected her stuff. Remus was still snoring softly, but Charles was awake now. He looked excited at all the movement of things around the room. In the last days she had done her best to read up on all the creatures she remembered seeing in class over the years. But Alicia had the impression that this year was going to be different. Easier, probably. She couldn't imagine the ministry being a supporter of riding hippogriffs and fighting off fire crabs.

Alicia was pressing down on her suitcase to close the straps when she heard Remus getting up. He appeared next to her and helped her close the case.

'Thanks,' Alicia breathed. She looked up and was in a moment struck by how beautiful he was. His tousled hair, his sleepy eyes and his big grin, but also his high cheekbones and the curve of his jaw. The scars running diagonally over his face, the many others decorating his bare torso and the defined muscles he had but never showed.

'Are you staring?' he asked as he regarded the way she looked at him. Instead of replying, she leaned forward and kissed him with fiery passion. She couldn't stop herself from kissing him over and over again.

'Hmm, that feels good,' Remus mused. 'Maybe I can seduce you for ten more minutes in bed?'

Alicia smiled. 'I wish I had the time. Sorry sweetheart, got a train to catch.'

They embraced each other. 'Funny. It was only two years ago when I was catching that train. I was wondering whether I would be any good at teaching.'

'Oh so you know how unqualified I feel then?' Alicia said nervously.

Remus looked at her. 'You'll do fine. If you're anything like me, you will just go with the flow.'

She smiled coyly. 'If I'm anything like you, I'll have myself a student boyfriend in no time.'

He couldn't help laughing at that. 'Don't you dare. I'll come in to check on you.'

The reality of it all started to crash on her. She fought the tears forming, making herself believe this wasn't a real goodbye. They would see each other soon.

'Be careful,' she said, hoping her voice sounded steady, 'and take care of our man-child.'

'I will, and I have done that since I was eleven,' Remus said with a smile. 'Don't worry about us.'

'I will still worry. I don't know how good the decision is to leave you two alone,' Alicia said while she got her bags. Charles was at her side, ready to follow.

Remus reached out to stroke her hair. 'Focus on your own work first. You have enough to think about. We will be here when you return at the end of the year.' He kissed her once more. 'I love you.'

'Love you too,' she whispered, at the brink of tears.

She stepped out of the room and down the stairs. No one else was up yet. She had wanted to go to the train by herself. Let the secret last a bit longer, she told herself. She was about to open the front door when she noticed someone was standing in front of it.

'Were you leaving without saying goodbye to me?'

Alicia chuckled. 'I wouldn't dare.' She crashed her body against Sirius. 'Be careful okay? And take care of my werewolf boyfriend.'

'I have been taking care of him since we were tiny children,' he mimicked Remus without knowing it. 'You know, I think this whole deal is a blessing in disguise. At least someone will be close to Harry to help him out.'

Alicia sighed. Oh yes, she would be there for Harry. If only I didn't have to report everything he will trust me with.

'Now, you go be the most awesome professor they have ever seen,' Sirius added cheerfully as he kissed her cheek.

She smiled weakly. There was a chance she would not be allowed to be awesome. Maybe she had to be just like a ministry official. 'I will try. At least I have to be cooler than Moony.'

He rolled his eyes. 'How hard will that be, miss Fata foc? Go slay them.'

'Aye captain.'