Sorry peeps, I'm a day late because I had to deal with some personal stuff yesterday. Anyways here is the next chapter :)

Chapter four: Double trouble

Fred and George hadn't lied when they said they would throw a big party. There were mountains of cakes and pastries and fountains of pumpkin juice and butterbeer. Someone had set off long lasting fireworks that kept exploding over and over, making the ceiling look like a glittery sky. The Gryffindor common room was once more filled with people. Happy, cheering people who had finally decided Harry did not put his name in the Goblet of Fire.

It was fun to catch up with some old friends. Alicia recognized most people that were present. She had only been gone from Hogwarts for a couple of months, and she had never had a problem to talk with younger students. It was one of those teenager things to only speak with people your exact age, but Alicia hadn't been so short-sighted. It worked out in her favour now, as she went from the one to the other to talk to them.

One of her conversations fell silent and she could hear Charlie say: 'Then she said: you can kiss my biased ass!' The group of people around him laughed heartedly. He caught her eye and she showed him her rudest finger.

'Must be a bit overwhelming, isn't it?' someone said from behind her. She looked around to find Fred, leaning against the wall in what he thought was a seductive stance. He had a glass of butterbeer in his hand.

'What is overwhelming?' she asked with a smile. Throwing all caution overboard, she leaned against the wall too…quite close to Fred.

He swallowed, clearly surprised by her willingness to lean close to him. 'Seeing so many unfamiliar people in here. Do you miss school, your classmates?'

She chuckled. 'I was just thinking that I know a fair share of people in here. I had many friends, not just the ones from my year. I know you, for example, don't I?'

He chuckled too. 'Oh that's right. Famous Nessie. Nessie with the pile of Valentines cards. Nessie with the admirers and followers.'

She raised the hand that was holding her glass and the butterbeer sloshed over the side. She was not sober anymore. 'That is only the general view people got to see. Very unfair. I am a lovely person.'

His expression changed. The smile disappeared and he looked very serious. Very…sensual. He licked his lower lip. 'Yes you are.'

Before she could react, he had reached forward and kissed her. His lips were warm and wet against hers. Somehow he had got rid of the glass he was holding and that hand was currently in her wild, tangled hair. It seemed to go on for a long time, and he only broke away when someone whistled at them.

When she opened her eyes, she could see a satisfied look on his face. He had been planning this. He had heard from Charlie probably that she would be here and he had planned it all. The thought made her stomach flutter. It was sweet.

'I have wanted to do that for a long time,' Fred confessed.

Alicia couldn't help the nervous giggle. She hadn't kissed anyone in…

'I know you have.'

'I hope that was okay,' he said with a wink.

She considered it. 'Yeah. It was okay.'

He relaxed a bit and retrieved his glass to take a big swallow. 'So no boyfriend in Romania? One wonders…you are surrounded by men all the time right?'

This made her laugh. He looked at her and laughed with her. 'Yes, there are many men there but there are no men there. My colleagues are like boys. They joke about sex, also when I'm around, but I wonder if they ever get any. They are quite disgusting and not charming. So, I'll pass.'

'Even my brother?' he asked, looking for and locating Charlie in the crowd. He was talking to Neville excitedly, probably about a dragon. Neville looked pale.

'Charlie is a bit different. Not as…vulgar. But I'm pretty sure he would rather marry a dragon than a woman,' she said with a chuckle. Fred agreed and it made both of them burst out in a set of laughter.

Dean Thomas appeared at that moment. He had a sly look on his face as he greeted them. Alicia was quite sure he had been whistling earlier. He asked if he could borrow Fred and she waved them away. She was going for a bite anyway.

As she stared at all the food on the table there was a nagging idea in the back of her mind. Like something important that she had forgotten…But it was just beyond her reach. She muttered in frustration.

'Talking to the food now, are we?'

She spun around a bit too quickly. Her dizzy brain registered two boys at first, but then she saw only one. Her first thought was that Fred was already claiming her attention again, but after a moment she recognized George.

'George! Do you always have to comment on everything I do?' she said with a laugh. At this point she was sure people could notice she was tipsy.

'What can I say, you do interesting things,' he said with a lowered voice. After that he winked at her, but the movement was slow. So he was tipsy too.

She laughed again. 'Do I?'

He made a grant gesture of placing his arm around her shoulders and pointing up at the ceiling. She was trying to see what he was seeing, but to her it was just the fireworks.

'Saving people from monsters, infatuating half the school with your looks and wits, looking completely badass with those scars and your latest achievement…talking to the FOOD!' he broke out in laughter towards the end of that sentence. Alicia couldn't help but laugh too. It was just too funny!

After a moment of laughing, he turned to face her, holding her still close in his arm. 'Did you know I send you a Valentines card too? Last year.'

She blinked about ten times. 'No. I did not know. Why?'

He leaned in to whisper in her ear. His breath tickled. 'Because Fred was not the only one who liked you. But I never wanted to fight over it,' he told her earnest.

A part of her mind already knew where this was going. But it was hard to think logically. Damn, these twins were too good at getting her drunk. 'Why are you telling me now then?'

She looked up in his eyes. Another mistake. Now it looked like she was inviting him. So what? You are single and you did not initiate this. Have a little fun! But she knew this would cause trouble later.

'Because it is good to see you again and hell I just want to see if I have a chance,' he told her.

She nodded absently.

'So do I?'

'Do you what?'

'Have a chance?'

She looked into his hazel eyes wondering what she needed to say. No, what she wanted to say. She shrugged and chuckled. 'I dunno. Find out for yourself.'

Was that the wrong thing to say? Anyway, it resulted in George leaning in and kissing her. The kiss was similar to the one she had ten minutes ago with his brother. Only George seemed a bit more eager. He pushed his lips fiercer to hers, like he knew this was the only moment he would ever get with her.

Then he drew back and looked at her. Not quite satisfied, but happy nonetheless. 'Damn. That was amazing.'

She laughed again. 'Yeah I guess so. I missed kissing.'

He raised an eyebrow. 'Well if you miss it so much, we could do some more. Let me get Harry real quick. I can borrow the map from him and find us a nice spot.'

She made a sudden erratic movement that scared George and made some people look over. She had flung her hands up in the air and had caught a platter of pastries that were now clattering to the floor.

'Shit! Padfoot!'

The rest seemed to think this was normal behaviour for a drunk person so they turned back to their conversations. Only George looked at her with a startled and confused look. 'What?'

She turned around, transformed a napkin into a bag and shoved some food in it. 'I need to go. Sorry George. Maybe some other time.'

She closed the bag and turned on her heels. George was still there. He took her arms in his hands and looked at her. 'Did you just say Padfoot? Do you know about the map?'

'Yes. Harry showed me last year. Please I need to go. I'm already late.'

'But-,'

'Sorry again!' she said while wiggling herself out of his grasp. She walked through the crowded room to the exit. Along the way she saw Harry, gave him a hair ruffle and said her goodbye quickly. Then she saw Fred. He didn't seem angry. Good, he hadn't seen it. And George hadn't seen it either. That was going to be an uncomfortable conversation one day.

Bye Fred!' she yelled in his direction and darted for the portrait of the Fat Lady. She did not notice that someone followed her.

With the bag slung over her shoulder she stumbled through the Forbidden Forest. Alicia laughed to herself, thinking how 'forbidden' these woods had been to her over the years. In her first year it had felt like a terrible crime to walk among the trees. But that feeling disappeared quickly when Hagrid was encouraging her more than anything. In her third year she could draw out a map of areas to avoid and dangerous natural places like swamps and crevices.

In these woods, she could forget the world. She could forget her painful memories and worries. She felt so at ease that she started to skip and sing the Hogwarts song to herself. After her third verse she heard an unfamiliar crack behind her.

She whirled around with her wand outstretched and had send a stunning spell in two seconds. She might be tipsy, but not careless.

'Bloody hell! You are dangerous, even when you are drunk,' a voice said in the darkness. It was a cloudy night with light drizzle and there was hardly any light around her. But even in the dark, she could tell it was a Weasley by the orange hair.

He decided to make a light himself. It was Charlie.

'Why are you following me?' she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

'Why do you think? You are drunk and skipping in the Forbidden Forest. I want to make sure you find your bed without being eaten,' he said while crossing his arms over his chest.

Alicia threw her head back and laughed so hard that she heard howls in the distance react to her. 'Oh heroic little Weasley! Did you think I needed assistance? Did you think I was not safe? I don't know what you did in those seven years at school, but I got to know the woods like the inside of my pocket!'

He sighed. 'I also followed you because you left very suddenly. Something tells me you are not heading for the camp. Definitely not judging by that bag of food.'

'Midnight snacks,' she said easily.

'Alicia…'

'Ohhh he is using my name again! This must be serious!'

'Are you going somewhere dangerous?' he asked, still sounding like an overprotective brother.

'Pfff. No.' Not dangerous to her, but Charlie wouldn't agree if she told him she was going to meet a still wanted criminal.

He was silent for a moment. He seemed to think about something very hard. Alicia wondered where Charlie thought she was going, but she was not prepared for what he asked next.

'Are you going to see Remus?'

She gaped like a fish at first. Then all the alcohol seemed to vaporize from her system as she got really angry.

'I told you not to speak his name! How dare you?! Get the fuck of my case Charlie! I've had enough Weasleys for one night!'

'What is that supposed to…' Charlie looked around only to notice that she had suddenly sprinted away. With the fog hanging between the trees it was already impossible to see her. Defeated, he walked back to the camp.

With much grumbling and cursing Alicia found her way up the side of the mountain. Sirius stood by the opening to watch her climb over the edge.

'Hey Padfoot,' she panted as she finally reached the top.

'Did you just…climb?'

'No…I started with the lifting spell but my concentration broke so it stopped. I climbed the last part,' she confessed as she got back to her feet. Sirius steadied her and led her away from the edge.

'You are late. And drunk?' he said, sniffing her breath. Alicia pushed him away and sat down.

'Sorry, I got invited to a party. But I did bring food!' she opened the bag and hoped it would be enough of a peace offering.

Sirius snatched a tart from the bag and ate it gratefully. 'Thank you. This is more and better food than I've had in some time. Although your home-made pie was the best I ate in all my life.'

Alicia chuckled at the memory. 'My dad loves to bake. He taught me the family recipe years ago. I am not much of a cook but I do love to make pies. It was a success, wasn't it? You ate half of it!'

Sirius laughed. 'Yes I did. I would have taken the whole thing if you two hadn't claimed a piece.'

A silence stretched between them. This happened all the time when someone mentioned him. Alicia didn't like to talk about it.

'Harry is safe,' Alicia stated.

'I know,' Sirius replied, wiping his hands.

'He summoned his broom and flew around the Horntail.'

'I know. He told me in detail.' Sirius got out a letter from his pocket. 'Although I was supposed to hear it from you. Did you have fun in the castle?'

She thought about what had happened. It was all just so silly. She started to giggle. 'Yeah you could say that.'

Sirius remained silent as he observed her. She was slowly on laughing harder and harder. At first he wanted to calm her down, but her laugh was very contagious.

'Alicia please,' he pleaded, trying to hide his grin.

'My…life,' she tried to say between the giggles, '…is one big…joke!'

He was supposed to see that as a sign she was not okay, but it was just a bit too funny. Also, he felt a similar feeling when he looked back on his own life.

'You are a joke? I'm the one living in a cave and talking to a Hippogriff!'

This set her off into uncontrollable laughter. She fell to the floor and clutched her stomach. 'Stop Sirius! I'm serious!'

'No! I am!' he said as he too fell over onto the floor. They withered around like two maniacs. Every time they caught each other's eye, they started again. It was a good ten minutes before the laughter was subduing.

'I hate the serious jokes,' Alicia said in the end as they were staring up at the roof of the cave.

'No you don't. They are the cheesy, overdone backup jokes that somehow always work,' Sirius told her.

She giggled again and stared ahead. Both of them were silent before Alicia broke it.

'I kissed two boys tonight.'

Sirius rolled over to watch her. 'Way to go sweetheart. You were conscious while this happened?'

She reached out and punched him without looking. The oof she heard was enough indication she had struck him. 'It weren't just two boys. It were the Weasley twins. And I don't think they saw the other kiss me. Meaning that one day they are going to have a brilliant conversation.'

Sirius laughed again. 'Cheeky girl! You are almost the legend I was at school. Did you ever notice we are quite similar?'

It was her turn to laugh. 'You wish! I am so much prettier.'

He took one of the small cakes from the bag and raised it in his hand. 'Take that back.'

'…No.'

Smack! He actually threw the cake in her face. Frosting dripped over her features as she wiped the cake from her eyes. Then she stuck her finger in her mouth. 'Bloody waste of food Padfoot. And also you made me more sweet and delicious than I already am.'

'You are insufferable,' Sirius sighed as he too ran a finger over her face and licked the frosting.

'Well then you finally know how it feels to hang out with you,' she replied quickly. She added a wink for good measure.

They were both wiping the food from her face and eating it. If Alicia had made a mental picture of how this would look like to a bystander they would have burst into laughter again.

'Alicia?'

'Hmm?'

He looked her down long and hard. 'Are you really going back to Romania?'

'Don't ask stupid questions Padfoot,' she said while sitting up and wiping the remains from her face with magic.

'But you had your fun now right? Maybe you can…come home,' Sirius tried. In that moment he sounded years younger. Like a teenage boy who pleaded his friend not to abandon him again.

Alicia rested against the wall and looked at Sirius. 'Sirius, listen to me. There is no home waiting for me. That couple of weeks that the three of us spend together in his house were nice, I will admit that. But that was never going to last. You need to keep out of sight, he needs to change careers every couple of months and I have a job in another country that makes me happy. And you know I didn't just leave because of the dragons, right?'

He raised an eyebrow. 'What? But Re- he told me that you left because you wanted that job.'

That should have made her furious, but she had no energy left to start raging. She suddenly felt tired. Tired from a long day of tension of despair. But also tired in general. Tired since she had had that fight with Remus.

'I left because we didn't agree about the future. Because he wanted to go left where I wanted to go right. We could not see the other's point of view. And to be completely honest, I still can't. It wasn't me who wanted to throw away our happiness. That was him.'

Sirius sat utterly still and listened intently. It was the first time she was speaking about their break-up since she told Charlie.

'It was a heated argument we had. We both said things we regret, I think. But it weren't just words he threw at me…' She fought against the tears in her eyes. 'And I can't even be angry with him, because I know he regrets it. I know he wasn't in his right mind. But Sirius it still hurts-'

Keeping the tears in was just impossible. She clamped her hands over her face and sobbed. She heard Sirius get up and felt him sitting next to her, embracing her tightly.

'I'm sorry. I didn't know. I didn't know enough and I shouldn't have judged without the full truth. I take my words back from yesterday and today. Alicia…I…' he said, feeling rather sentimental himself.

She looked up with red eyes. 'It's alright. I forgive you.' His lip wobbled for a moment before he pulled her in a tight hug. They sat like that for a while. Alicia finally felt a sense of closure. All this time she wanted someone to believe her, to see her side of the story. To most people it felt like she was the coward that ran away. She hated that. If someone like Sirius could see her side, than she had faith that more could.

She wasn't so alone anymore.

After a while she decided to go back to the camp. She wasn't feeling tipsy anymore, she was only very tired. It was time to get some rest.

She hugged Sirius tightly. 'I will see you again, I promise. And hey, if Britain ever becomes too small for a fugitive, you are always welcome at my place.'

He chuckled. 'I'll keep that in mind…what is it they used to call you? Nessie?'

She smiled at that. 'I was Nessie. Now I'm Fata foc. The fire girl.'

'Ha! Even better! Goodbye Fata foc. I'll see you soon.'

Alicia woke up with a headache. She strolled around the camp to look for the potions kit. As she was sent from one tent to the other – everyone was packing already and nobody was really organised – some men who were having breakfast followed her with amused expressions.

When she finally found the right potion against headaches she sat down on a bench and drank it. Everyone was staring.

'What?' she asked the small crowd.

'Had a wild party last night?' Christian asked bemused.

She huffed. 'Nothing I couldn't handle. I've had loads of parties like these over the years.'

Some of them chuckled deeply. 'Rumour goes around you kissed someone at this party you could 'handle',' Daniel said while quoting the last word with his fingers.

Her mouth dropped open. She looked around and was happy to see that Charlie was not present.

'Who started that rumour?' she hissed.

Christian raised his hand with a chuckle. 'I ran into a group of students this morning while we were at the arena. One of the Gryffindor girls was more than happy to tell me what you had been up to. She said: I saw Nessie kissing a ginger boy, probably a Weasley.'

At this, the rest laughed too. Alicia's face turned scarlet. 'Alright, do I have to say out loud not to mention this to Charlie or do you guys have common sense?'

'So it wasn't Charlie then?'

She threw the empty potion bottle at his head. This caused another uproar of laughter.

'Never knew you had a thing for gingers!'

'Oh please God, why does Charlie not notice me?'

'One glass of butterbeer and she is kissing the first man she can find!'

There was no way this was going to stay quiet. It was time to count her blessings. One: the girl didn't know who she had kissed. Two: no one knew she had kissed two Weasleys. Three: and this was the harder one to appreciate right now; the guys were treating her like they would treat one of the boys. Every time they did something annoying and stupid like this she felt a little more integrated in the group.

Of course she was not going to show she secretly appreciated it.

'If you are all quite done,' she started saying, waiting for them to quiet down, 'Yeah I might have drunk a bit more than I should. Charlie already knew one of his brothers fancied me. What can I say? I'm irresistible.'

Of course they grunted their protests at this. Alicia was happy to see they had lost their interest in the topic.

Their work that day was to break down the camp and keep the dragons calm. They were already in the transporting crates so there was no need for transfers now. The plan was to circle the crates with twenty people and disapparate all at the same time. They were far enough from the castle ground for apparition. Everything went smoothly. The tents were already gone and packed. Everyone had gathered around their dragon. Alicia peeked inside to see the Horntail. She was sleeping.

'Oh look we have visitors,' Virgil said. Alicia looked up to see three figures that had appeared in the clearing. It were Madame Maxime, Karkaroff and Dumbledore. A handful of people walked up to them. Alicia stepped closer too.

They were shaking hands with Mihal and thanking him for their services. The giant lady asked to have one more look at the dragons and she was guided in their direction. Alicia just waited. It was a surprise to her when Dumbledore walked in her direction.

'Hello again Alicia. I haven't had the pleasure to talk with you yet,' he said in his usual calm voice.

Alicia smiled shyly. 'I didn't know I was interesting to talk to, Headmaster.'

He smiled. 'In my opinion, everyone is interesting. Everyone has their story. Sometimes hidden. Sometimes in plain sight.' He didn't really gesture at the visible scar on her cheek, but she knew what he was saying. 'I meant to ask you something. Something I should have asked you in person a while ago.'

Alicia smiled but it did not reach her eyes. 'I know what you want to ask me Headmaster. But the answer is no.'

He stared at her for a moment. Maybe he was trying to read her mind. 'Have you considered it?'

She crossed her arms now, a signal to show him she wasn't going to be manipulated. 'I have. And you are not the first to try to get me to stay in Britain. I bet I could be a great asset to you, but that is not who I want to be. I am free to make my own choices.'

The twinkle in his eye dimmed. He knew she wasn't going to bend. 'Very right you are. And what a path you have chosen! Dragons are magnificent. Dangerous to everyone, but I bet you can see the beauty behind the monster.'

She wasn't in the mood for his word games. 'Anything else you wanted to say?'

'Yes. One more thing. I have a little gift for you. Someone told me these are your favourite,' he said while taking out a small colourful box.

'Do you give chocolate frogs to everyone?' she asked while taking the sweet.

'Just the ones that I deem worthy,' he said cheerfully. She shook her head and tucked the box in a pocket. 'Thank you. Goodbye Headmaster.'

'Until next time,' he concluded as he started walking away.

Alicia stood there for a moment. He always seemed so sure of his own case. She knew it was a form of manipulation he was doing. It seemed like he could look into the future and tell you what path to take. Well, he had to be wrong sometimes. He would be wrong about her. She was not coming back.

Definitely not to be a soldier in a war.

She opened the chocolate frog box and ate the creature before it could get away. She expected to see a card at the bottom, but instead there was a small piece of paper.

12 Grimmauld Place

London

End of book II

So this is the end of the second part that is during the Goblet of Fire. Sorry if it's a bit confusing, but this story will continue into part 3. Next chapter will be updated next week as per usual.