Disclaimer : I don't own Harry Potter but Alicia is mine.

Chapter 7

"Ali!" He called.

Alicia turned with a sweet smile that immediately faded away.

"Dad?"

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Alicia was shocked to see her father standing in front of her.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" she asked even if she knew the answer.

"Ali, I need to put things right. Your place is not in Slytherin."

Alicia felt the colour rising to her face. How could he come here and tell her something like that?

"Oh, and why is that?"

She tried to stay as calm as possible.

"You have to be in Gryffindor!" Harry cried.

"I don't see why."

"You're my daughter, Ali. From the moment you were born, I knew you simply had to be in Gryffindor!"

"Is that so?"

Elisabeth was watching Alicia and her father.

She had never seen her friend so furious. Alicia was always very calm.

But now the little girl stood in front of Harry Potter and her body was trembling with anger.

"Well then from the moment I was born, Dad, you have been blind!"

Harry felt as if he had been slapped in the face. These words, coming out of Alicia's mouth, hurt him deeply.

Had he really been mistaken?

"Ali, please don't be silly, he tried again, you know Slytherin is not your real house!"

Alicia laughed coldly.

"It's the house I have chosen. Now, leave me alone."

Alicia had never given her father any orders, but as she watched Harry's miserable eyes, she knew he was going to obey.

Harry turned and walked away. He made his way to the gates. Once he was out of Hogwarts' grounds, he disappeared.

He appeared again in the kitchen of their house.

First he checked he was alone.

And then he burst into tears.

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Ginny found Harry sitting in the kitchen, alone.

His face was dry but his red eyes betrayed him.

It was obvious he had been crying.

Ginny asked him what happened.

"I just had a little chat with your daughter." Harry answered.

His voice was so cold Ginny felt the goose bumps on her neck.

"Our daughter you mean," Ginny corrected him automatically.

Harry stared at her for a while. His lips were trembling as he tried to speak.

"I doubt that."

Ginny said nothing. She didn't think words were necessary.

She bent down to hug her husband.

"I love you Harry," she whispered.

"I love you too."

There was a long silence. Then,

"Harry…"

"Yes?"

"I don't know what's happening but I'm scared."

Harry didn't answer.

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Alicia had already forgotten the conversation she had had with her father. She had much more important things on her mind.

"Elisabeth, she hissed, I think I know what Voldemort's weakness was."

Elisabeth smiled. In her opinion Alicia was one of the worst friends she had ever had but the little girl was clever.You couldn't deny that. And Elisabeth found everything Alicia told her very interesting.

"Yeah? What?"

"He has never felt love." Alicia said.

"Yes, but to love someone, that is a weakness. My father told me that."

Alicia's eyes widened and a grin appeared on her angelic face.

"Did he? Wonder where he has learned that …"

Elisabeth frowned.

"My father is not like the Dark Lord, remember that, Alicia."

Alicia shook her head impatiently.

"Whatever. What I'm saying is, love can be a weakness, sure, but it can also give you power."

Elisabeth snorted.

"How?" she asked.

"Love is a bit like magic. You have to know it well before you use it. Voldemort didn't know what love really was. And that is why he failed. Love is a mystery to someone like the Dark Lord."

"How do you know all this?"

Alicia smiled.

"I don't. I'm just guessing. And that is why I need to meet your father, Elisabeth."

Elisabeth looked away. She knew Alicia wasn't going to give up.

"Very well, the blond girl said at last, I'll ask him if you can spend the next holidays with us."

Alicia was pleased with herself once again.

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A few days later, Elisabeth got a response from her father, at breakfast. Her family's owl was big, powerful, and agile.

Alicia stroked the animal's silver feathers and sighed.

Her parents didn't have an owl. Alicia had begged to have one but Harry and Ginny had refused.

They didn't trust their daughter.

For a moment Alicia felt sad for herself. Sometimes she had the feeling she was doing everything wrong.

But Alicia never liked to admit she was wrong.

So she told herself that it was the other's fault.

The other's fault. That was an excuse Alicia had used all her life.

It was always like that.

When she was a kid, she had always pushed the fault to her parents, her cousins, and even the poor muggles living near by.

Alicia liked to think she was perfect. She did not see the pain she was giving her parents.

"Alicia! He said yes!" Elisabeth cried as she read the letter.

"What?" Alicia snapped out of her reverie. She had been stroking the owl silently for a while now.

"Look!"

Alicia looked.

"My dear Elisa,

I'm very proud of you for being sorted into Slytherin. That is the right house for you. I hope you don't find the school work too hard.

You're asking me if your little friend can come over for the holidays and my answer is yes.

I can't refuse the daughter of Potter, can I?

Of course, I'm very surprised she is Slytherin. But again, that is the best house.

I'm glad you have found such a good friend, Elisa.

I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

Love you forever,

Dad"

Alicia stared for a long time at the last words.

She felt jealous.

Elisabeth had the perfect father.

Draco Malfoy respected his daughter's choice, he was even proud of it.

Draco Malfoy loved his daughter very much.

Harry hadn't respected Alicia's choice.

And Alicia doubted her father was going to 'love her forever'.

She felt her eyes starting to burn with tears.

Her lips were very dry. She licked them a dozen times.

It was no use. She was going to cry in front of the whole Slytherins.

Alicia pushed Elisabeth out of her way and ran.

She ran out of the great hall.

She only stopped once she found an empty corridor.

Then the tears came and Alicia began to sob.

"Mum …, she whispered, I need you …"

She didn't notice an old man watching her from a portrait.

Author's note : Sorry for making you waitso much but my computer had a problem. Anyway, I'm going to England for the first time (Yeah!) so I won't be able to update for a long time.

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