A/N: Here's the last part; this is now a complete story! Please review when you're done reading this; I welcome all feedback!
Part 3: Honesty
The next day was a Sunday, so there were no classes. Alice woke up at around nine, got dressed, and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. She didn't want to spend much time there, since it was difficult to bear the complements that Gryffindors continued to bestow upon her, but she did not want any more to do what she needed to do next.
After a while, she got up from her seat to moans of her fellow Gryffindors, protesting that she needed to study for the upcoming exams. In reality, she had to do something that she was dreading even more than studying.
On the second floor landing, she came across just the person—well, spirit, technically—that she had been looking for. "Hey, Nick," she said to the pearly, semi-transparent figure before her. "Do you have a minute?"
"Of course," he said in his usual sorrowful tone. "How may I be of assistance?"
Alice took a deep breath, looked around to make sure no one else was near, and asked, "Do you know how I can get to the Headmaster's office?" Nick looked like he was going to ask for her reason, so Alice said, "I need to talk to him."
Apparently satisfied, Nick replied, "Yes, I've been there before. I'll show you the way, if you'd like."
"That would be wonderful," Alice said, though her stomach wasn't so sure about this sentiment.
She followed the ghost through the castle, up flights of stairs and through the occasional secret passage. Once, Nick floated right through a wall, and Alice had to wait a minute for him to return when he remembered that she couldn't follow him. At long last, he stopped in front of a particularly large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.
"His office is through here," Nick explained. "I don't know the password; I'll go and tell him you're down here, and then be off." Then he disappeared through the gargoyle and Alice was left to wait.
It felt like the longest wait she had ever endured, including the time when she had been waiting to find out if she had made seeker for the Quidditch team. Though she stood by the gargoyle for barely a minute, each second felt like another hour. Part of her brain was screaming at her to run, but she held her ground. She was a Gryffindor. She could do this.
An age later, Nick floated back through the gargoyle seconds before it came alive and leapt to one side as the wall parted. Alice was faced with a long spiral staircase. Taking a deep breath, she started up. At the top was a wooden door with a brass knocker, shaped like a griffin. Alice took a deep breath and entered.
Had she been in her usual frame of mind, the contents of Dumbledore's office would have astounded her. As it was, she barely noticed the intricate silver and gold instruments, elaborate portraits of previous Headmasters, or the numerous books that filled the office. The only thing that she was able to take in was the Headmaster, sitting behind his desk, and managing to look older than his years. Unable to speak, she just stared.
"Ah, Miss Elliot," the Headmaster said. "Nick said you wanted to talk. Please, have a seat." He motioned to a chair on the other side of his desk, and Alice reluctantly sat. "What did you need to discuss with me?"
Alice did not know where to start. "Do you remember what I was asking you about yesterday?" she said finally.
"Yes; you were curious about snitchip, if I recall correctly," he said.
Alice nodded, not really wanting to speak, but knowing that she had to or she would never be able to live with herself. "Professor…" she began, and paused, looking at him across the desk. His green eyes now looked slightly sad, and Alice wondered if it was an illusion or if he had suspected what she was going to tell him. She lowered her eyes, and spoke to her lap. "Justin committed snitchip, at yesterday's match." There, she'd said it. But the hardest part was yet to come. In a voice barely above a whisper, she said, "And he helped me to catch the snitch."
She had been expecting him to be angry with her. She knew that if she was him, she would be. But instead, she merely heard him say, in an oddly curt tone, "I would have expected a higher level of play from you, Miss Elliot." The disappointment in his voice hit harder than any anger would have, and Alice had to fight back her tears. The Headmaster did not seem to notice, and continued. "Very well. You know the consequences; they will be implemented immediately. You may go now." And he went back to the paperwork that was strewn across his desk. Shaking, Alice stood up and walked back down the spiraling stairs. The wall shut behind her.
The days until Alice left Hogwarts were some of the longest she had lived. All the school had seen the points lost, and somehow knew that she had had something to do with it. She suspected that Justin had dropped a few remarks here and there in his fury of knowing Alice had fessed up. She had thought that at least the team would find it in their hearts to forgive her, but she had been wrong. Even Ann wouldn't talk to her. So when it came time for the End-of-Year feast, Alice had never been happier.
She came own early and sat in solitude at the Gryffindor table, pondering her thoughts. She had sat for only a few minutes when she heard footsteps in the Great Hall, and soon after a shadow fell across her. Then it was gone as the person sat down next to her. She turned to see Ann sitting there. Behind her was the whole Gryffindor Quidditch team.
"We've come to say we're sorry," said Ann. Alice looked into her eyes and knew that she meant it.
"Why?" asked Alice.
"We heard Justin hinting at his part in the match," said Scott, sitting down on her other side. "We were able to…coax…the truth out of him. Needless to say, he won't be showing his face around Gryffindor for a bit. We're sorry we didn't talk to you and hear your side of the story."
"Thanks," was all that Alice could manage, but the wide grin on her face spoke louder than words.
The rest of the team sat down at the table, and they made small talk as all around them, students filed into the hall. When everyone was present, the Headmaster stood up.
"Before we eat this delicious feast," he said, "the house cup needs awarding. Ravenclaw is currently in the lead with four hundred ninety-six points, followed by Slytherin with four hundred thirty-two, Gryffindor with three hundred ninety-seven, and Hufflepuff with three hundred fifty four.
"However, there are some things that must be taken into account. I am sure all of you are aware that the Quidditch Cup had been awarded to Ravenclaw. However, only eight of you know why.
"Gryffindor has been awarded the Quidditch Cup because a member of the Gryffindor team, who is to remain unnamed, helped the Seeker catch the snitch."
A hush ran through the Great Hall. All eyes were on the Gryffindor team.
"However," continued Harry, "I would not have known this unless one of the members of the Quidditch team had confessed it to me."
If Alice had thought the Great Hall silent before, that was nothing to how it was now.
"She did not have to. The referee of the match did not notice, nor did I. The only people aware of this transgression were her and the player that aided her. For her outstanding courage and honesty even when she knew the great amount that was at stake, I award Alice Elliot of Gryffindor fifty points."
The stunned silence was broken by the cheering of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The whole house was soon applauding Alice, and the other tables soon joined in.
Alice sat at the middle of it all, stunned. She might not have won the Quidditch Cup or the House Cup for Gryffindor, but the story of her chivalry would be passed along at Hogwarts for years to come.
"You were awesome!" Ann said beside her before giving her a hug. Over Ann's shoulder, Alice looked up at Harry Potter. She could have sworn she saw him wink.