The next day Alli woke still tired, but determined to focus on nothing else but the Quidditch match. She barely ate any breakfast, and followed Fred and George to the pitch. They were the first three in the in the locker room. After they changed into their robes, they sat on the bench to wait for the others, and Alli laid her head on Fred's shoulder to try and rest for a bit. It did not last long since the rest of the team came in bursting with energy and jittery nerves. Alli tried to pay attention to Wood 's pep talk, but with Fred and George mocking it on either side her and her desire to fall asleep, it was nearly impossible. She looked across the room and saw Potter clutching the handle of his Nimbus 2000. Since she had a Nimbus 1700, she knew it was a good broom and looked forward to seeing how the new model performed.
Alli was unsure how she was going to be able to focus; but when they kicked off the ground and she heard the roar of the crowd, a burst of adrenaline rushed through her. She barely noticed anything else but the movements of the Quaffle. Thankfully Fred would never let her get hurt because she did not see any of the Bludgers heading in her direction till one of the twins hit it away. Gryffindor was dominating at the beginning of the game, despite certain members of the Slytherin team trying to play unfairly. One of the other chasers had already scored twice and Alli scored once. But just as they were going in to score again, everyone stopped and hovered, and were looking up. Alli followed their gazes and saw their Seeker fighting g with his broom. It looked as if his broom was attempting to throw him off, but Harry was holding on as tight as he could. Fred and George tried to come to his aid, but as they got close the broom would just shoot up higher. Of course while the Gryffindors worried about their teammate, the Slytherins took full advantage and managed to score twice. Fred came over to hover next to Alli, "Can you try and help him? With your broom, you may stand a better chance then George and I. Plus you are a better flyer." Alli was emotionally torn. On one hand, she enjoyed seeing being tossed around like a rag doll. On the other hand, he was her teammate and she had decided to give him a chance. But, in the end Alli decided it would be just more of a risk. "I don't think it would make a difference. As soon as I get close, the broom will just shoot up higher like it did for you guys." Alli flew off and attempted to get the Quaffel. Wood was doing a good job of defending the goals while worrying about Harry, but someone needed to help him. As Alli flew near the teachers' stands, there was some commotion and adults were all watching one man whose cloak seemed to be on fire. After another failed attempted at scoring, Alli looked up to check on Harry and noticed that her had regained control of his broom.
The game continued on as normal, till Harry could be seen nosediving towards the ground.
Alli was speeding alongside Angela incase she needed to pass the Quaffle, but she was able to dodge the opponents and score again. Then there was an uproar in the stand and Alli heard Lee, the announcer, proclaim that Harry Potter had caught the Snitch. There was a grand celebration that lasted late into the night. Fred and George lifted Harry onto their shoulders and Wood gave a speech on how they actually had a chance of winning the Quidditch Cup this year thanks to their new Seeker. Hermione stayed close to Ron and Harry most of the night, and Alli got sick of hearing from the other teammates talk about how wonderful Harry was. So she stepped out of the portrait hole and sat on the steps watching the staircases change direction. Her arm began to itch so she rolled up her sleeve. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the portrait hole open again. Hermione sat down next to her but stared straight ahead as well. "It must be very annoying to have to hide who you really are all the time." Hermione looked over at Alli's mark. The snake looked as if it were moving as her arm muscles convulsed. Alli went to pull her sleeve down again, but Hermione stopped her. Hermione held her wrist with one hand and caressed the mark with her other. "Why don't you just tell people? I mean I know there would be some people that would treat you differently. But, I'm sure your true friends would stay by you. I did and so did Fred. You being in Gryffindor proves that you are not like your parents." Alli couldn't think of how to explain it. All Hermione knew about her family was only what she read in books. Because she grew up in the Muggle world and this being her first time in the Wizard world, she did not completely understand the fear of Voldamort. Hermione and Fred didn't even know the whole story; but Hermione was right, she was tired of hiding and being careful all the time. Maybe if Alli slowly started telling people it would be okay. It wasn't like she could keep this secret forever. It was bound to come out eventually, and if some if her friends already knew then at least she wouldn't be completely shunned.
Hermione was watching Alli closely as all this went through her head. The expression on Hermione's face told Alli that her sister knew she had already won and was just waiting for the explanation. "I haven't just been lying to the others. I have been partially lying to you and Fred as well. You two do know much more than any of our other friends, but you still don't know the whole truth. And you are right, I am tired of hiding it." Alli then told Hermione everything. She told her who her father was, what happened to her family, how it affected her, and why she ultimately feared telling people. "My father hurt so many people and most of them have a relative here right now. Even if Voldemort didn't do anything to the person's family himself, he was the one who ordered the attack on their family. I am ashamed that I cannot make amends for his cruelty. I mean, my saying I'm sorry my biological father destroyed your parents is not going to bring Potter's mum and dad back." Alli finally pulled her sleeve back because it was making her sick looking at it. And it was just in time too, because seconds later the portrait whole opened and Nevelle walked out. "Bit crowded in there. Couldn't even make it up to the dormitories. So I thought I'd just step out here to get some air." He sat down next to Hermione, but Alli had to look away at that point. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. Alli had learned from one of her trips in the Penseeve that on the night the LeStranges were arrested, her mother had been out torturing Nevelle's parents for information. She felt terrible about what her mother did, but she also couldn't face him because it brought back the memory of that terrible night. Hermione and Nevelle had struck up a conversation about a test they were to be getting soon in Charms class, so Alli excused herself saying that Fred was probably wondering where she was.
She wasn't completely wrong, Fred did seem to be looking for her. But, she just went by him quickly to tell him she was heading up to bed. Alli changed into her pajamas, crawled into bed, and pulled her curtains closed. She wasn't tired, so she rolled up her sleeve and stared more at her mark. In her head she started making a pros and cons list on whether to tell her close friends the whol truth or not. Alli was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even hear Hermione come into the room until she was right outside her curtains. "Alli, if you're still awake I'd like to talk with you some more." Alli pulled the curtain open enough for Hermione to crawl in. "There is something wrong in the castle this year. It is very different from last year." Alli said as her sister snuggled closed to her. Alli wanted to tell her everything, but the sound of footsteps told her that more girls were coming to bed. "Can you meet me tomorrow in the back of the library?"
Hermione agreed to the meeting. She know that she should go to her own bed now, but Hermione could tell by the way Alli held her that her sister needed some comfort but didn't want to say it. Hermione always wished that Alli would be more open about what she was feeling so she didn't have to guess. But, Hermione had gotten to be an expert at decoding Alli slight emotional ques. She knew she was the only one Alli felt comfortable enough to completely open up too because Alli never had to say everything; Hermione just knew. Fred didn't even know her that well, which was the cause of several of their small arguments; but those only lasted as long as a class. Then when they saw each other again in the halls, it was like the fight never happened. So, Hermione pulled the blankets over both of them, and whispered goodnight to her sister.
Movement next to her woke Hermione abruptly. It was so dark in the dormitory that Hermione could barely see Alli thrashing around next to her. Alli seemed to be in pain as she tore at her pajama sleeve, she was also mumbling. "No, Papa! I don't want to take your place. I'm not like you, I'm not evil! I won't lead them!" Alli yelled this last line, and shot up in bed wide awake. Hermione waited till Alli had caught her breath to say anything. Alli's cries had awaken the whole room. Katie pulled back the curtain of Alli's bed to make she was okay, but looked shocked when she saw Hermione already next to her. Katie did not say a word, and just let the curtain close and returned to her bed. Alli calmed down and flopped back onto her pillow. Hermione laid next to her. "Are you alright?" Alli continued to stare at the top of her canopy. "Yeah, just a bad dream. I didn't hurt you or throw anything did I?"
"No, you were just yelling. Do you want to tell me about your dream?" Alli rolled over away from. Hermione. "Tomorrow." Hermione rolled on her side facing away from Alli, but she felt Alli turn over again and drape her arm over Hermione's s side. Hermione fell back to sleep quickly, but All remained awake for a bit thinking about her dream.
The room was empty when they woke the next morning. The sun was shining brightly through the window, and Alli felt well rested even with the disruption last night. Hermione went to her bed to change, while Alli got ready to meet Fred and George in the Common Room. But they weren't there. It was strange because the twins almost always waited for her so they could enjoy breakfast together. Maybe they just weren't ready yet Alli thought, so she sat on the couch and waited to see if they would come down. Hermione eventually came down followed by Harry and Ron, who said that Fred and Goerge were already gone. Puzzled, Alli decided to the first years for breakfast. It was odd because Harry and Ron spent most of the meal asking her questions about certain parts of the castle. "Was the third floor corridor restricted last year?" "What do you know about Snape?" "Why does he hate Gryffindors?" The questions kept flowing out of their mouths, so Alli only had time to give simple, pratically one word answers. But, she was also aware for something else peculiar happening at their house's table. Every so often, Alli caught some students looking at their group and whispering. She didn't know what was so interesting about them this morning, but she assumed it had something to do with the events of yesterday's Quiditch match.
When they finished eating, they invited Alli to join them on their visit to Hagrid's, but Alli declined since she wanted to find Fred and George and see what was going on. She looked all over the castle, in all their favorite hiding spots, but the boys were nowhere to be found. They had not returned to Common Room, and according to Prof. McGonnagal they were not being punished for anything. She took the grounds, looking in the Owlery, around the lake, and on the Quidditch pitch. They weren't at any of those places either. Alli was beginning to worry, why were they so hard to find today. Were they hiding from her, or avoiding her. She began asking other students if they had seen the twins, and finally someone pointed her in the direction of one of the towers. It was one of the higher towers of the castle that many students went to for secret meeting or to send secret messages by owl. But Fred and George were just sitting on floor playing a game of Exploding Snaps. "There you two are, I've been looking all over this bloody castle for you." Neither one looked up from their game, but Fred spoke in a meloncoly tone. "Really? We figured you'd be too busy with your girlfriend to worry about what we were doing." Alli didn't understand what Fred was getting at. " What are you talking about?" With that Fred threw down his cards and stood up abruptly. "You know it's rather hard to hide something, especially a relationship and cheating, in this place. There is always someone around, watching. But, it doesn't even seem like you were trying to hide it. And what was I? Just someone to use as diversion, so people wouldn't see what you were? If you are into girls, you should just accept it and stop stinging me along." Fred was panting with anger, and Alli stood there shocked. She still didn't quite understand what was happening. "You're mental. I don't even know what you are talking about? What wasn't I hiding, and what made you think I was into girls?" George had remained sitting on the floor just watching; but, as Alli seemed to grow angered, he rose and stood protectively behind his brother. "Oh don't give me that clueless act. We heard from several of the girls in your dormatory that last night you had a special friend spend the night in your bed." It finally all can together for Alli which made her even more furious. "Are you really accusing me of being in a relationship with Hermione? The girl I refer to as my sister. You are even more mental than I thought. Yes she spent the night in my bed last night, but that is because I was upset and she knew it."
"What did you have to be upset about? We had just beaten Slytherin, there was a party going on! And even if this was true, why didn't you come to me for comfort? It's obvious whose arms you'd rather be in!"
"You don't get it! I am not ready to talk about some of the things that upset me yet. And I didn't want to ruin anyone's good time at the party. I didn't have to tell Hermione that I was upset, she just knew. We've known each other most of our lives, so I didn't need to say anything. She just knew I needed someone there. I didn't even tell her why I was upset. I didn't go to you for comfort because you were having such a good time, and you deserved to celebrate with everyone."
Fred didn't say anything. His fists were still clenched, but his facial expression was hard to read. His anger seemed diminished, but it was still there and was mixed with a look of bewilderment. Alli didn't want to talk to him any further. "Maybe next time you will just ask me about whether a rumor is true or not before you go making ridiculous accusations that lead to the end of your relationship." With that Alli turned in her heels and stormed out.
Alli planned on finding and talk to Hermione so that she had someone to laugh with at how absurd Fred's idea was. Unfortunately, Hermione was busy in the library with Harry and Ron. Knowing Ron, Alli was curious as to what brought on this random interest in studying, so she slithered along the bookshelves and ease-dropped on them from behind the books. She know Hermione would never be involved in something against the rules, but with Ron involved there had to be something mischievous going on. For a while they just sat in silence each flipping through the pages of a book, but then Hermione closed her book forcefully. "Anything?" The boys looked up from their books, Ron yawned and Harry removed his glasses to rub his eyes. "Nothing." Ron answered disappointedly. "Yeah, there is not one mention of Flamel in any of these history books." Harry added as he added his book to a rather large stack. Hermione seemed exasperated, "Well there has to be some record of him somewhere. You two put these books back, and I'll see what others one I can find that might contain something that can help us." With that they all scattered. Alli figured they were looking up this person as extra credit for a class, so she headed for the Common Room to try and do some damage control.
There were only a few people in the room since the weather was quite nice that morning, but those that were in there stared at Alli as walked through the portrait hole. She knew what they were thinking. She did not care. They all knew her, and had seen her with Fred on many occasions. So, this rumor would not last long, especially since Alli had decided to start referring to Hermione as her sister again. Then everyone would understand, along with Fred.