Chapter 34

Disclaimer: George, Alicia, Ron, Hermione, Lupin, Tonks, Ginny, Harry, etc. do not belong to me. Nor does Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, Beauxbatons, or Durmstrang. These all belong to the wonderful JKR. God bless her for creating such addictive stories. So addictive, that I am writing this fanfic, with a plot that is all that I own. Well, except for offspring of the aforementioned characters.

A/N: Well, I was thinking with my beta and realized I can't completely explicate the artifact as of yet. She pointed out that I hadn't done the George/Alicia chapter yet. Then I dug up my latest outline (the third one, sigh, for things keep changing) and found that I had actually planned George/Alicia for 34. For 35 I planned Harry/Ginny/Mr. Weasley and some of the artifact. However, I'll put a little of the artifact explanation in here, just because I want to keep all of my lovely reviewers/readers and not receive so many flames that my computer crashes. : D

88888888888888888888888888888

George liked working in solitude. It was the only time he could actually get things done. He was testing some new products he and Fred had come up with and whistling "God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs" under his breath. Christmas might be over, but he loved that song. It had so many memories…

Since Fred had come back, business had picked up quite a bit at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. People came to ogle Fred, eager to see the man so many had thought dead. Of course, some of their friends (Katie Bell and Oliver Wood included) had come to see George actually working in the shop. Not that they had ever stopped buying things, mind you, for they wanted to support the Weasley clan, but now they came more frequently and bought more. The sore throat sucker Fred had come up with was flying off the shelves every time the Hogwarts students came to visit.

Ron was very impressed with the books and had actually whistled while inspecting them. Then he had slapped George on the back, congratulated him, and gone off to pick up the twins from day care. Ron had to watch after them, since Hermione was still working.

George had snorted when Hermione had asked him and suggested she ask Ginny instead. It wasn't as if Ginny had anything to do; after Fred went bonkers, she had been released from her secretarial job. She was contemplating looking for a job in muggle London. Ron thought it was a good idea, after all, her doctor was a muggle, and it would be much easier to pay him if they had muggle money on hand more frequently.

Hermione, however, insisted that the twin's father be the one to babysit them, and Ron hadn't seemed too upset with the fact. In fact, George thought he looked rather pleased. He smiled, wondering if Ron knew what he was getting into. He remembered the stunts he and Fred had pulled on Dad when they were younger…It was amazing George could sit down after all the spankings he'd received over the years.

George was so engrossed in reminiscing that he didn't hear someone enter the shop. He didn't hear them come up behind him, either.

"George?"

He jumped. And screamed. He groaned. Since when had he been so girlish?

He spun around. "Why did you—oh, hi, Alicia."

She smiled. "I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you heard me come in and were just ignoring me."

"Why would I do that?" George asked, though he knew that was exactly what he would have done.

She sighed heavily. "George, don't play innocent with me. I know you've been avoiding me. That's why I couldn't pass by this chance to catch you alone. When Fred told me…"

"Fred told you! That git! I can't believe he had the gumption to write you…"

"You told him to," Alicia laughed. "Remember? You told him I would know where Angelina was. So I did. And he told me where and when I could corner you and force some answers out of you."

George looked away. "Alicia, I'm tired of going over all of this again and again. You're lovely and young and well, happy." He looked at her haggard expression and sighed. "Or you were. I'm ruining you. We have to end this. I'm dragging you down with me into depression. I couldn't forgive myself if you lost your job or your mind because of me. I'm only doing this because I care for you."

"Bull shit. You're a horrible liar, George Weasley. You're just afraid. Afraid to take a chance with me. Typical commitment-phobic male." She shook her head. "Really, George, I expected better from you."

She turned to leave, but stopped and faced George once more. "I'll give you some time to think, George. You have three months. Either stay with me forever or let me go for good. I can't take the insecurity of never knowing where I stand with you." She came over and kissed him full on the lips. "Take care of yourself, George."

And then she disapparated.

And all George could do was stand there.

88888888888888888888888888888

In its vault, the artifact sat waiting. The crown was now clean and sparkling with all the renown of its original self. Except for the engravings on the left side. They were ugly runes, not hieroglyphics like the rest of the markings on it, an ugly scar on the otherwise beautiful object.

But the only reason this crown, this artifact, was important was the scar on it. The coded runes were a puzzle, waiting for someone to solve them, someone to discover what secret had been left there three years ago by a desperate young man trying to preserve the information he had discovered.

The artifact glittered again, as if it knew its own self importance. Yes, it had finally been found by someone worthy of it. Someone who could discover the secret of its disfigurement. And that someone was none other than Hermione Jane Granger.

88888888888888888888888888888888888

A/N: I love being evil. I don't know why, because normally I'm such a nice person. I'm sorry. I warn you, next chapter will be annoying too. Okay, this will be the last chapter you see until at least Sunday, though probably more along the lines of Monday. I'm going home this weekend for my birthday! Yay me! I hope you enjoyed the George/Alicia. I thought the artifact bit was a bit weird, but hey, that's what I was going for. I decided to tell a piece of the story from its point of view. PLEASE REVIEW!

Thanks to my beta jwoods471 for reminding me to do the George/Alicia chapter. George and Alicia would not have liked to been forgotten. Also thanks to JohnCardy87 for relinquishing my computer. FINALLY. Just kidding. Check out both their stories, Forgotten Memory and Harry Potter and the Heir of Gryffindor. Toodles!