Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K, Warner Bros., Bloomsbury, and Scholastic…just about everyone except me, actually.

A/N: I'm back! I'm now the new and improved, reinspired-Alicia! Yay! I don't know how long this sudden inspiration will actually last but we'll see. My invisible muse I have fondly named Hubert has returned! Yay for Hubert. Let's pray he sticks around.

We'll see how this chapter goes. Hopefully better than the last. It jumps to the Christmas holidays just so you know.

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Chapter 13

The Gryffindor second year girls stepped off the Hogwarts Express. The trio was especially excited because Katie and Angelina were staying at Alicia's house for the next few days.

"There's my mum and dad!" Alicia pointed excitedly.

The three girls rushed over to the couple. Angelina was looking over her shoulder for Fred or Cedric. Both of them seemed to be avoiding her and it was only making her decision regarding them harder.

"You must be Katie." David extended his hand towards the short blonde and she shook it daintily.

"Yeah, I'm Katie Bell. It's very nice to meet you."

"And you've met Angelina before."

"Hello again, dear. Looking forward to your stay with us?"

Angelina nodded emphatically. Apparently her mother had a new boyfriend. She had never taken to any of her mother's past boyfriends and she was sure this bloke would be no different.

"Well, let's get going then. Erica and Jasmine can't wait to see you."

The three girls followed the Spinnets back into the Muggle world. Angelina and Katie, not having much experience with Muggles, were fascinated by everything.

"Do you own a T.P?" Katie asked as they began their journey to the Spinnet house.

"A teepee? Isn't that what Native American's live in?" David questioned.

"I think she means a T.V," Alicia giggled.

"Oh, yes, we do own a television," he said. He still couldn't comprehend how anyone could survive without television.

"You girls can meet Luke!" Alicia said excitedly.

"Who's he?"

"My next door neighbour. He's a Muggle. We went to the same Muggle school, he was my best friend."

"A Muggle boy? Haven't met any before," Angelina admitted.

"You're likely to meet lots of Muggles over the next few days. Most of our neighbours are Muggles so you girls will have to be careful what you say."

"I think we'll be able to blend in as Muggles, Mrs Spinnet," Katie said cheerfully.

"Not if you start talking about teepees again. I'll give you a few lessons when we get to my house," Alicia promised.

For the rest of the trip Alicia was pointing things out to the girls. She took a full twenty minutes to describe the function of traffic lights to them.

"Here we are!"

They pulled into the driveway and the girls jumped excitedly out of the car. Angelina and Katie surveyed the Spinnet house with awe. It was a modest, two-story brick house. There was nothing exceptional about it in Muggle terms but the young witches were fascinated.

"What's that thing on the roof?"

"That's a satellite dish. It's for the T.V so we can get extra channels," Alicia explained.

Both of the girls nodded even though they didn't really understand its purpose. When they entered the house their mouths literally hung open.

Natalie smiled at their fascinated expressions. "You're both obviously from old wizarding families."

"Oh, you're home!" Erica poked her head around the kitchen door.

"Come meet my big sister!"

The girls left their bags for David to take up to Alicia's room and walked through to the kitchen. A wonderful aroma met their nostrils.

"Hi." Alicia hugged her sister briefly.

"Welcome home, having a good year at Hogwarts so far?"

"Yep. Erica, this is Angelina and Katie."

"Nice to finally meet you. I have to admit when Alicia told me she had made some female friends I was a little doubtful, frankly I didn't think she was capable of having female friends."

"Of course I'm capable of having female friends but that's very hypocritical coming from you. You're best friends with Charlie."

"Correction, Leeshy, I was best friends with Charlie. He obviously thought dragons were more important than our friendship," Erica's voice began to get a dangerous edge to it as she tended to the roast chicken.

"Come on, we should go before she starts ranting about Charlie's 'idiosyncrasies' and such," Alicia advised.

The girls headed upstairs and Alicia knocked on a door labeled 'Jasmine'.

"Who is it?"

"It's Alicia, Jas, open up."

The door flew open immediately. Jasmine ran at Alicia in a flurry of tears. She was violently sobbing into her sister's shirt.

"What's wrong?"

Jasmine tried to speak but she was too hysterical. All she could do was sob incoherently and hiccup.

"Beauxbatons…mum…Hogwarts."

"I can't understand you, calm down."

Katie turned to Angelina and she shrugged. Neither had any younger siblings so it was a new situation for both of them. They all entered Jasmine's overly pink room.

"Mum has put my name down for Beauxbatons, she won't let me go to Hogwarts!" Jasmine cried.

"What? No way! You have to come to Hogwarts!"

"Mum says she doesn't want me to associate with anyone at Hogwarts!"

"What's wrong with Hogwarts?" Angelina asked seriously.

"I don't know what's going on, Erica did fine at Hogwarts and I'm doing fine so far," Alicia pointed out, feeling the need to defend her school. "Don't worry, mum will come around eventually. Just calm down, we'll be in my room if you need me."

Jasmine nodded then buried her face in her pillow. Alicia sighed and led the girls back into the hall where they literally ran into Natalie.

"Mum! I just talked to Jas. What's been going on around here? Why won't you let her go to Hogwarts?" Alicia demanded angrily. She had been looking forward to having her little sister at Hogwarts with her.

"I don't appreciate your tone. Hogwarts simply isn't the place for her. Now, I will not discuss the matter any further and I suggest you drop it."

Alicia watched her mother walk off. Something was definitely up but it would have to wait for now. She had guests to entertain.

"Sorry about that. We're not exactly the Brady Bunch."

"What?"

Alicia sighed heavily. They would never pass as Muggles at this rate. The girls proceeded down the hall and into the very last room.

"This is your bedroom?" Katie exclaimed.

It was a medium sized room with baby blue walls and pictures of Muggle sportsmen adorned the wall. It was a sharp contrast to the pink and frills in Jasmine's room.

"Yeah, this is it." Alicia spread her arms proudly.

"Well, it's not very, erm…feminine, is it?" Angelina looked around.

"That's the whole point of it."

"Right," Katie said. In fact, the only sign that the room belonged to a girl was the teddy bear on the bed.

"Who's he?" Angelina pointed urgently to a poster on the wall.

"Him? That's Michael Owen. He's a Muggle footballer. Bit of a good sort, if I do say so myself."

"Blimey! If all footballers look like him I may just have to watch a game!" Angelina exclaimed.

"You have no Quidditch pictures though," Katie pointed out.

"Yeah, I'd love to have some but I think Luke and my other Muggle friends would find the moving players a bit unnerving."

They spent two hours or so examining everything in Alicia's room, from her CD player to her computer. Then Alicia ducked under her bed and pulled out a photo album. She opened it and the Angelina and Katie peered over her shoulders.

"Oh, is that you as a baby?"

"No." Alicia blushed and quickly turned the page to avoid any further embarrassment.

"Is that you and the twins?" Angelina gasped.

"Yeah, we were about eight or nine then. They put a spider on my head and told me it had laid eggs in my brain. I cried for an hour. Then I got a headache from the crying and Fred told me that the eggs were hatching, I screamed and screamed."

Katie giggled quietly. Alicia scowled at her and turned the page again.

"Sorry, I know it's not funny…but…well, it is funny actually," Katie laughed loudly.

"Well, it certainly wasn't funny at the time. Oh, this is my Muggle football team and I. We played for the local club. I was the only girl in the team," Alicia said.

They went through the rest of the photos then it was time for dinner. The girls helped set the table. Jasmine was still up in her room, refusing to eat.

"Oh, that reminds me. Fred and George are coming to stay for a few days," Natalie announced casually.

The plate that Angelina was carrying to the table slipped from her grasp and smashed on the floor.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!"

"No need to worry," Natalie pulled her wand out of her pocket and pointed it at the shattered plate. "Reparo!"

The pieces once again formed a plate and Angelina gingerly picked it up. She was incredibly embarrassed. It was only Fred after all.

"The twins are staying here?"

"That's what I just said, Alicia. They're staying for two nights while Molly and Arthur visit Bill for Christmas. They're coming tomorrow afternoon."

"What about Percy, Ron and Ginny? Where will they stay."

"They're staying with their grandparents. Molly decided that it was best for the twins to come here instead. We do owe them after last summer."

"This will prove to be interesting," Katie whispered to Alicia.

Alicia had to agree. Fred and Angelina had barely talked to each other since the disputed kiss. Angelina was still denying that it ever happened and Fred had become very frustrated.

They all ate dinner in silence. Alicia and Katie were taking surreptitious glances at Angelina who was looking particularly sullen.

Alicia apologised once they were safely inside her room. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know they'd be coming. Honestly."

"It's all right, I guess. I don't have a problem with Fred. He is the one with the problem. Ever since that kiss he's been - oh, wait," Angelina stammered.

"Kiss? Oh no…you didn't, did you?" Katie gasped.

Angelina looked at her hands awkwardly.

"You did!" Alicia's already large eyes became even wider.

"It was an accident," she mumbled.

"So you tripped and your lips happened to land on his?"

"It was purposely by accident, I guess."

"So, what was it like?"

"It was nice," Angelina giggled.

"Even though I don't know what you see in Fred I am happy for the both of you," Alicia said earnestly.

"Hold on, it was just a kiss. There's still Cedric," Angelina said quickly.

"I wish I had two guys to choose from. Hell, even one will do," Katie sighed.

"What about Lee?"

Alicia ducked quickly as Katie hurled a pillow at her. Alicia threw it back at her and soon the air was thick with flying pillows, teddies and socks. They didn't get to sleep till the early hours of the next morning.

As a result they didn't wake till midday. They were eventually woken by Erica banging on the door.

"Alicia Maree Spinnet! Get up this instant!"

"Stop banging!" Alicia clambered out of bed and nearly stepped on Angelina's head.

She opened the door just as Erica brought her fist up again. Standing next to her sister was a tall boy with blonde spiky hair. Alicia failed to recognise him and rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"What's going on?"

"You have a visitor." Erica nodded her head towards the boy and walked off briskly.

He smiled brightly and said, "How's life?"

There was no mistaking that smile. "Luke!"

"Welcome back."

She threw her arms around his neck. "I didn't recognise you!"

"Yeah, I just wanted to find out if blondes really did have more fun."

"And the verdict is?"

"Well, they certainly pick up a lot more."

Alicia giggled. He was still the same.

"I can't wait to introduce you to my friends. Wait out here and we'll get changed."

About twenty minutes later the girls emerged and Luke was sitting in the hall patiently.

"You took your time. I remember the days when you only took five minutes to get ready," he nudged Alicia.

"Well, things change, honey. This is Angelina and Katie; they go to Hog - boarding school with me," Alicia corrected herself quickly.

"Hi there. You've certainly had an influence on Alicia here." Luke surveyed her hipster jeans and her black top that said 'Magic Happens' across the front of it. "I guess the days of the Liverpool jersey, track pants and bare feet are gone."

Alicia shrugged. "I guess my hormones are beginning to catch up with me."

"About time is all I can say. So, do you girls play football?" Luke asked as they headed out into the backyard.

"Yes," Katie said, at the same time Angelina said, "No."

"They play a little," Alicia supplied quickly.

"Who's your favourite team, Katie?"

"Umm…well-"

"Don't you like Leeds, Katie?"

"Oh, yeah, yes I do. Love them. Can't get enough of them," Katie said with a smile.

"Who's your favourite Leeds player?"

"Michael Owen," Katie said confidently. She had remembered something.

Luke just gave her a strange look and Alicia came to the rescue again.

"She meant Harry Kewell. She always gets them two mixed up. Silly Katie."

"Yeah, silly me." She laughed nervously and decided she'd get away before she was forced to answer anymore question.

So Angelina and Katie sat and watched Alicia and Luke kick a football around. He had tried to get them to play as well but they both flatly refused.

Luke was trying to teach Alicia how to juggle the ball and Katie and Angelina were discussing Fred and Cedric.

"You know what would be prefect? A mix of the both of them. Fred's personality and Cedric's looks," Angelina said wistfully.

"Where's Alicia?" a familiar voice drifted from inside the house.

Alicia let the ball drop to the ground. She ran back inside and emerged dragging Fred and George with her.

"Hi," George greeted Katie and Angelina.

Fred refused to acknowledge them at all. Being angry with Angelina was easier if he didn't have to look at her.

"What is he doing here?" George whispered to Alicia as he eyed Luke.

"Even if you don't like him he's still me friend. Do try and be civil though, I don't feel like breaking up any fights."

"I'll be civil."

"Thank you."

"I better get home," Luke announced quickly. The sight of Fred and George had changed his mood dramatically. He had never got along with them for some unknown reason.

Alicia waved as he jumped the fence that separated their yards. "Say hi to your parents for me!"


"Can we go up to your room?" Angelina asked quietly.

George asked, "Can we come?"

Alicia hesitated. She didn't want to shut the twins out but she also didn't want to upset Angelina either.

Fred glanced at Angelina, who was looking determinedly away from him. "It doesn't matter, we're obviously not wanted."

"It's not like that," she insisted.

"Can we just forget about all that for now?"

"Sure," Angelina sighed with relief.

"Alicia!"

They went inside to see Natalie pulling on her cloak. David was beside her with a small velvet pouch in his hand.

"Where are you going?"

"Your father and I are taking Jasmine to Beauxbatons for an interview."

"So you're serious about this thing?"

"Of course I'm serious. Now Erica has had to go into work for a while but she should be back in a few hours. I've told Marcia that we're going out so she'll keep an eye on you."

"You don't have to get Luke's mum to keep an eye on us," Alicia said, rolling her brown eyes.

"It makes me feel better about leaving you here. Jasmine! Come on!"

The scowling girl came stomping down the stairs. She snatched some powder tossed it into the fire.

"Beauxbatons!"

David and Natalie shared a look and followed her. The house was suddenly quiet.

"So, we have the house to ourselves then," Katie said.

"Yeah." Fred looked at George and smiled.

"No! Don't even think about it! You are not going to trash my house! I'm sure we can find something nice and safe and clean to do," Alicia said firmly.

"You're no fun, Leesh."

"I know, let's watch some television."

The group watched a Muggle football game. Liverpool v Manchester United. It took them a while to grasp the rules ("why don't they just pick it up?") but they began to enjoy it.

"Foul! Are you blind, ref? He nearly took his head off!" Alicia yelled. She got rather carried away and no one sat next to her because she threw her arms around a lot.

"Did you hear that?" George asked just before the game ended.

"Hear what?" Alicia asked absently.

"If you stopped calling David Beckham a tosser you would have heard someone knocking on the front door."

"Can you be a sweetie and go see who it is?"

"Sure," George stood up.

"Thanks-OFFSIDE!"

George smiled and went to open the door. Whoever it was had given up but had left something on the doorstep.

George picked up the brightly wrapped parcel and carried it back inside to everyone.

"Who was it?" Alicia asked without taking her eyes off the screen.

"Don't know. They left this though."

But Alicia didn't hear him because she was yelling at the ref who had just awarded a free kick to Manchester United.

"You idiot! He took a dive! If you pulled your head out of your arse you might have seen that!"

David Beckham scored one of his trademark goals and Alicia turned the T.V off abruptly.

"You calm now?" Katie asked.

"Yeah, so who was at the door?"

"No one, but this was on the doorstep." George handed her the parcel.

Alicia took it and examined the green wrapping paper curiously. There was a card tucked under the bow.

"Were you expecting a present or anything?" Angelina asked.

"No." She unfolded the card. It read:

To my beautiful baby,

You can't begin to comprehend how much I love you. I want you to have this as a sign of my undying love for you. I haven't stopped thinking about you and I never will.

From someone who loves you very much.

"That's odd," George said once he had read it.

"Is this is another one of your stupid pranks?"

"No, why would we proclaim our love for you?"

"I don't know, Fred, I stopped trying to predict your logic years ago. So you don't have anything to do with this?"

"Absolutely not."

Alicia watched George carefully. She could tell when he was lying and he happened to be telling the truth this time.

"Maybe it's a bomb," Katie suggested casually.

"Don't say that!" Alicia held the package away from herself.

Angelina put her ear up to the side of it. "It's not ticking."


"Open it," Fred urged.

"No, we should probably leave it for my parents to deal with."

"It could be for Erica. From Charlie?" George shrugged.

"Well, it's addressed to 'my beautiful baby' so I doubt it. Perhaps you have a secret admirer," Fred winked.

"Open it!" Angelina clapped her hands together.

"Ok, but if it explodes…"

Alicia undid the bow and threw it to the ground. Then she carefully removed the wrapping paper and handed it to George.

"Come on, Spinnet."

"Don't rush me."

Alicia opened the lid and pulled out a mound of pink tissue paper, which she also handed to George. She was incredibly relieved when nothing blew up in her face.

"What is it?" Katie asked anxiously.

"It's…a cloak?" Alicia pulled out the navy blue cloak.

"A cloak?" the twins said in unison.

The girls all gasped as Alicia held it up for everyone to see.

"Dantini!"

"Dantini? As in the famous designer?"

"Yes!" the girls chorused.

"Do you think it's genuine?" Angelina asked.

"It's genuine all right," Katie said, peering at the tag. It had the unique 'D' marking which was on all Dantini designs.

"They cost a fortune!" George exclaimed.

"Who would send you a designer cloak?"

"It might not be for me though," Alicia carefully folded the cloak and placed it back in the box.

"Well, is it your size?"

"All Dantini works have self-adjusting sizes. Really, don't you boys know anything?"

"Obviously not."

Alicia folded the cloak and placed it back into the box. Sure, it was beautiful but she couldn't shake the odd feeling that something strange was going on.

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A/N: Sorry to leave it when things were just getting interesting. I hope that chapter was better than the last, at least more intriguing anyway. No idea when the next chapter will be out.

So who sent the cloak? Who is it for?

These questions won't be answered for quite a while but feel free to take a guess.