Just to get you all invested again, I will start by posting three chapters! After that it is going to be a weekly wait again. But it will be worth it!

Chapter two: Old friends

Alicia woke up the next morning in her tent. She yawned and stretched, feeling her muscles ache from the hard work yesterday. In that moment with the Horntail she had pushed her body further than she thought capable. It was true then, that in life or death situations one was capable of more.

She stood in front of her floor length mirror. All she was wearing was her underwear; comfortable black panties and a sports bra. She turned around to watch her calf, where an angry red line stood out between the other faded scars. The Horntail must have scratched her, and she hadn't noticed until now. But that didn't surprise her. She had many lines, puncture holes and burns that were hard to backtrack to their origin. She looked her body over completely. It had only been a couple of months ago when the only scar she had was one on her ankle. Now they were everywhere. She could only hope that with time she became better at her job and would score less injuries. However, if she looked at her colleagues, that was a feeble hope.

After her examination she dressed quickly in her fire repellent robes and leather boots. She combed through her long blonde hair and decided to make a new braid today. It was an old tradition among dragon handlers that braids represented their victories. She felt that she deserved a braid after yesterday.

When she left her tent she found some others already out, eating breakfast or doing tasks. They all greeted her with her nickname and some noticed the braid. No one seemed to doubt whether she deserved it. She finally spotted Charlie, who was just done talking with someone.

'Morning Fata foc. I see you are adopting my tradition. It suits you,' he said while touching her hair lightly. A faint blush crept to her cheeks. 'Figured my action yesterday counts as a victory.'

'Of course it did! You were brilliant. Anyway, some of us are going to Hogsmeade today to buy supplies and spend some private time. Unfortunately we can't go into the castle or else people will know what we are doing here. Do you want to come? Or…are you afraid to run into…,'

Charlie cleared his throat in unease. Alicia rolled her eyes. 'I told you before. He is not working at Hogwarts anymore. But I'm not coming today. I still have some work to do and afterwards I wanted to take a stroll. I missed these woods.'

He held up his hands. 'Okay, suit yourself. I'll see you for dinner than. Just be careful out there. Don't run into any w- oh well you know.'

Alicia was angry at this point, but she let it slide. Charlie did not mean to hurt her, he was just tactless sometimes. There were many days in which she had regretted telling Charlie the truth. The whole truth. She really missed having the chance to talk to people. The only one coming close was Charlie. So naturally he became her new best friend.

After a busy morning of preparing stuff and helping to calm down the dragons she went into the woods by herself. She didn't doubt that she was safe. The centaurs still roamed here and she was on good terms with them. She actually became a bit of a legend after she rescued their camp. Sure, the forest was still full with dangerous creatures, but nothing came close to the dangerous creatures she had brought there.

After dealing with werewolves and dragons, one could deal with everything.

She had been walking for nearly an hour when she heard voices. Drawn like a moth to light, she steered in the direction. The dense forest opened up to the edge of the lake, where two students were walking. It didn't take long for Alicia to recognize them.

As she stepped out of the trees and into plain sight, the two looked up, slightly startled. Alicia smiled a radiant smile. 'Hello Hermione. Harry.'

'Blimey! Alicia is that you?' Hermione asked startled. Harry didn't seem to doubt that it was her. The Boy Who Lived walked up to her and hugged her. Alicia welcomed the gesture. Hugging was not something she often did these days.

'Hi Alicia. It's good to see you again. Are you well?' Harry asked politely. Hermione was next to hug her, ever so hesitant.

'I'm great! Having the time of my life,' she told them with a big smile. 'But I can't tell too much about it. On second thought, you shouldn't even know I'm here…'

'It's okay. I know about the dragons for the first task,' Harry told her.

Her expression dropped. 'You do?'

'I…I heard,' Harry said, running a hand through his untidy hair. He was in need of a haircut.

Alicia crossed her arms and laughed. 'Hagrid. No wonder he was at the camp yesterday. Well, at least I don't have to worry about that.' Her smile disappeared again. 'What I do worry about, is that you are one of the champions, against all rules.'

Harry sighed. 'For the last time, I did not put my name in the Goblet of Fire!'

'I never said you did. I just wish to know who did it for you,' Alicia replied calmly.

'You and everyone else. That is, everyone that believes Harry didn't do it,' Hermione said with a sad expression. It seemed like a sensitive subject, so Alicia didn't press it.

'So you are working in Romania now, right? With Charlie Weasley?' Hermione asked, changing the subject.

Alicia nodded and had a distant look in her eyes. 'It's a dream job for me, really. Never a dull day.'

Hermione looked her up and down. 'I can see that. You have a couple of scars there.'

Alicia chuckled and rolled her sleeves up a bit further. 'Many. And I'm sure it's only the beginning. But I don't mind. This is my life now. Anyone that can't handle scars better stay away from me.'

Hermione looked like she wanted to ask another question, but thought better of it. Then Alicia diverted the conversation quickly. 'So have you spoken to Sirius lately? Is he still free?'

Harry beamed at this. It was clear to her how fond he had grown of his godfather. 'Yesterday I spoke to him. He is free, yes, but on the run. He wanted to help me out with the dragon. Now we are trying to figure out what he tried to tell me. Something about an easy spell. I don't suppose you…'

'Nope,' Alicia stated firmly.

Harry looked down. 'Yeah. I thought so.'

'Hey, you will figure it out. If it is any consolation, I will be close during the first task. I will be on standby when something happens. You just worry about getting past the dragon, then I will worry about your safety.'

This seemed to brighten Harry's spirits a bit.

'So you don't know where Sirius is right now?' Alicia asked, crossing her arms again and biting her lip.

Both shook their heads. 'But you can contact him?'

Harry shrugged. 'The owls can find him.'

'Of course,' Alicia breathed. Hermione raised an eyebrow. 'Do you need to talk to him?'

Alicia shook her head from her thoughts. 'Well, I'm just curious how he's doing. See if I can help. Anyway, it was good to see you two again. Please be careful. Not just in the Tournament. There are a lot of strangers here now, a lot of stories we don't know. Just please watch your backs.'

'I always do,' Harry said with a wink. Hermione punched him in the arm. 'I always watch your back.'

They laughed at that and said their goodbyes. Alicia watched them walk around the lake when an idea rose to the surface.

There were a lot of people here. Harry was in danger. Sirius would want to get close so he could help. Something told her that Sirius wasn't far away.

Alicia hardly remembered eating dinner. After her run-in with Hermione and Harry she had been lost in thought. The urge to find Sirius was strong. It was like her own Sherlock Holmes mystery to solve; she inquired with the centaurs – who were happy to see her again – she used tracking spells and studied a map of the area. While she had been eating the vegetable stew one of her colleagues had prepared, she had an epiphany. She had walked back to her tent to test her theory and was quite sure she could find him. She prepared for her journey that would take place in the night.

She was in the process of lacing up her calf length boots when Charlie's face appeared through the flap of the tent. She looked up and smiled at her mentor. 'Charles! To what do I own the pleasure?'

He chuckled and closed the tent behind him. He picked a chair and made himself comfortable. Alicia wasn't worried; her venture would have to wait until after midnight anyway. Also, Charlie wasn't much of a talker.

'Just wanted to bring you this. Bought it in Hogsmeade today. You told me how you missed them,' he said while throwing a small bag across the room. She caught it without effort in one hand. Inside were multiple chocolate frog packages.

A smile appeared on her face. 'Thanks! I do miss those!'

'So what did you do today? Take a stroll?' he asked while raising an eyebrow. He slung his long legs over another chair, resting his dirty boots on the seat.

Alicia shrugged. 'Mostly. I ran into Harry and Hermione. Old friends.'

Charlie sighed. 'Must I remind you that our presence is strictly secret?'

It was her time to raise an eyebrow. 'You do remember how strict secrets at Hogwarts work right?'

He stared at her for a moment, blinked and laughed. 'Everyone knows?'

She shrugged. 'Don't know. But Harry already knew. I bet it was Hagrid. So the French girl will know too, because of Madame Maxime. Also I thought I saw someone at the camp later that night. I bet all champions will know before it starts. And it is not my fault.'

Charlie nodded. He stared out ahead of him. It was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. 'I'm scared for Harry. Even if he gets past the dragon, who knows what the other two challenges will be? Not to mention that someone out there wants him to participate. Someone wants to hurt him. My brother often talks about him. He is an extraordinary boy, but he is still a boy.'

Alicia sighed and dropped her head in her hands. 'I worry too. We can't interfere. We can't make it easier. And we are supposed to leave again after the first task. I should have my mind more on the dragons, but there is just so much happening…'

Charlie nodded again. 'Maybe there are more important things than dragons.'

Alicia made a loud gasping noise. He looked up, a bit startled. 'How dare you? Who are you and what have you done with Charlie Weasley, dragon enthusiast since the day he was born?!'

This made him laugh. He got up from the chair. Alicia knew he wouldn't stay long. It wasn't his style. 'You are right. Who am I to say such things. Thanks for the wake-up call. And hey, I'm sure Harry will be fine. He has more than enough protection without us.'

Alicia nodded, simply because she didn't want to argue at this point. Charlie said goodnight and left her tent. When she was alone again, her smile dropped. Yeah, Harry was supposed to have protection. He was supposed to be safe. Supposed to have been stopped from participating in this dangerous Tournament. But maybe she could find someone that would stay behind when she left. Someone that could help him in the challenges to come.

Dressed in black and covered up to the nose, Alicia stepped out of her tent. The fires were out and only in the distance were people still walking around. Every night they needed guards to keep an eye on the dragons and stop onlookers from getting too close. What they weren't concerned with however, was anyone leaving the camp.

Within a couple of minutes Alicia was far enough in the woods to not be seen anymore. She produced a new tracking spell that would lead her where she needed to be. A tiny light was floating before her, and it was moving forward rapidly. She jogged to keep up with the light. It led her through the back of the woods, were the ground was rising to form the beginning of the mountains. The ground was uneven and littered with rocks. She watched her step carefully. A sprained ankle was the last thing she needed right now.

After walking along the foot of the mountain for half an hour, the light stopped, hovered and then shot up a hundred meters. She bend backwards to see the light, which was no bigger now than the stars in the sky. But she spotted it right before it faded out.

'Right. Luckily I'm a witch,' she said to no one. She decided to use a method she hadn't used in a while; she lifted a big flat rock from the ground and let it lift her up. It slowed down as she could see a small ridge and a narrow passageway in the rock wall. She stepped carefully on the ridge and trudged forward.

'Lumos,' she whispered as the tip of her wand started to shine. She walked deeper into the cave, her eyes watching every corner and nook. Then she heard a sound, like a screech. A second later a big animal changed her.

She yelled and ducked. Above her head two large paws like an eagles were grasping at nothing. She rolled sideways and realised what had charged her. Before he could do it again, she was standing and holding up a hand.

'Buckbeak! Stop!' she ordered which a shaking hand. The Hippogriff stopped, but eyed her suspiciously. She bowed deeply, hoping to calm the animal down. After a long moment he bowed back and got closer. He examined her face. The shawl she wore around her head was lowered and the beast sniffed her hair. It recognized the scent as she had fed him many times last year.

'That's it. I'm no enemy,' she said softly, finally daring to stroke his feathers.

'Aren't you?'

Her head and wand snapped up in the direction from which the voice had come. However, because of the echoes of the cave it was hard to pinpoint.

'Sirius?' she asked. She tried to see in the dark but her eyes had not adjusted yet.

There was a soft murmur, then a crack and then ropes were binding her arms and legs together. She struggled to keep standing. 'Hey!'

Finally he stepped out of the shadows. Sirius Black looked not too different from the first time she saw him. He still had a gaunt narrow face and limps so lean he resembled a skeleton. However he had a haircut not too long ago and the circles under his eyes were not as bad. He wore dark clothes, with a dark purple coat that suited him much better than the Azkaban rags. His eyes, however looked as dark as last time. He was not happy to see her.

'Oh come on. There is no need to bind me,' she protested, hoping a small joke would break the tension.

'Oh I don't know what is necessary with you anymore. You are capable of anything.' It didn't break the tension.

She sighed deeply and wondered for the first time why she had wanted to find Sirius so badly. She kept telling herself it was because of Harry. But was it…really? You are just looking for something familiar, aren't you?

'Shh,' she said. It was meant for her inner dialogue but she had said it out loud. Sirius gave her a funny look. 'Okay Sirius. You are right. I am a horrible human being. But I am not here for you or me. I'm here because of Harry.'

He bellowed a laugh. 'Like you care!'

'I do! I care about Harry,' she said defiantly. 'And he is in danger.'

The former prisoner of Azkaban stepped closer. She could see his features better now. He looked like a starving man once more. 'If you cared, you would have stayed.'

It was hard to look him in the eye. She cast her glance down, but he grabbed her chin and forced her to keep looking. 'You betrayed us.'

'Oh now you are just being dramatic. I didn't betray anyone! I just…chose a different path. I am entitled to do so.'

It was unfair how he was treating her. The heat was rising between the both of them. Two hot headed people in one room…uh cave was not a good combination.

'Did you really feel good about it then? Did you really feel like you were doing the right thing when you walked out that door?!' Sirius yelled back at her. She knew he was yelling because he was hurt, but she didn't care. She didn't care about anyone else right now.

'Look at me! Look me in the face, and ask again why I left!' she spat back. Her cheeks were flushing, but the rest of her skin was stark white in contrast. It made the scar on her jawbone stand out. Her eyes were burning flames, staring Sirius down. Loose strands of hair were plastered to her sweating forehead and cheeks.

He looked. He actually looked and started to realise what she was saying. The flame within him started to cool down. Different emotions were flickering in his expression.

'Oh…I didn't…I hadn't…' he tried, not knowing where he wanted to go. She looked away. Tears welled in her eyes. Sirius quietly untied her and stood there. Both of them were quiet for a long moment.

Alicia took a shaky breath. 'No, it never felt good to make that call, but I had to. I had already made my decision when that final act tipped the scales. I shouldn't have left angry…but deep down I still am. Angry with you, with him…'

Sirius sighed. 'Alright. Maybe we should leave the past in the past then. Move forward from here, right? You came here because of Harry? You know he is a champion?'

Alicia was happy he could let it slide. The both of them finally took the time to sit down on an outcrop of stone. Alicia leaned forward as she told him about her encounter with the young Potter. They discussed possible suspects who had put his name in the goblet. They speculated about what the other tasks could be and what Harry would need to learn before each of them happened. They talked for hours, as they had once done before in the Shrieking Shack. Back then Sirius had done all the talking and she had listened. Now they had a conversation. She felt more like his equal now. Even though he was still quite a bit older than her, she had knowledge to share too.

When the conversation had circled back to the dragons, Sirius asked: 'Can't you just tell him how to get past the dragon?'

She shook her head as she was twirling a loose thread from her sleeve around her finger. 'I signed a magical contract. One that was written by Dumbledore. I'm not risking that.'

He huffed. 'Hmm. But you can control the dragons when stuff gets out of hand?'

'Control is a big word. One does not simply control a dragon. But yes, I can distract it and get Harry or one of the others to safety. If you ask me, I think this entire 'use dragons for entertainment' business is a terrible idea. But I guess people, and mostly magical people, will always be thrill-seekers. I cannot guarantee no one is in danger of getting their hair scorched, even the spectators.'

That made him laugh. 'I would pay good money to see Snape running around with his filthy hair on fire.'

That mental picture made her laugh too. It had been a long time since she and Sirius had laughed together. What had it been about last time? Oh yeah, when she had to explain to him how a television worked. He had jumped back when the image sprung to life. He had nearly crashed into Remus who was carrying a platter of cakes-

The laughter died in her throat. She cleared it quickly and looked away. Sirius noticed this, obviously.

'Do you still think about him?' he asked in the end.

'Sirius. Please don't,' she replied with a small voice.

He adjusted his position so he was facing her more. She turned away. 'You do. I still don't understand. Do dragons mean so much to you? So much that you give up the happiness that you had?'

She stood up and turned her back to him. He didn't follow her. He was waiting for her answer. For a moment she considered leaving without another word. But the injustice of it was killing her. Of course Padfoot would never choose just a girl over Moony, but she wanted him to stop thinking of Moony as a god who never did anything wrong.

'He gave it up first,' she said in the end. She wiped a tear away, angry at her body for producing it. She wasn't sad. She was still very, very angry.

'Alicia-,'

'I will come back with some food. The evening after the first task. I will tell you what happened and we will share a meal and then I will leave with my crew. It is good to see you again Sirius,' she said. A small smile was on her lips as she looked at him.

'Okay. Good luck and see you soon. And…sorry for binding you.'

She chuckled and jumped back on the rock that brought her back down.