Hey !

I know I took a very long time to update and I'm sorry about that, but from now I'm starting to write again, so I'll probably update faster than usual. I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's very short but I had to stop there at the end, you'll see why.

Please, leave a lot of reviews! it always makes me so happy, I don't know why

Chapter 27

Alicia was humming as she walked to the office the next day. She couldn't stop thinking about her little sister. Emma had looked so mature, so beautiful. Alicia couldn't help feeling proud. She couldn't help thinking that at least one of the Potter girls wasn't turning into a complete disaster. It comforted Alicia to think her parents had at least one daughter like Emma.

Alicia pushed the big door that lead to the Department with both her hands. The doors flew open and Alicia entered the room beyond it. People turned their heads to stare at her. Alicia felt a part of her old self coming back. She felt powerful again. It had been a long time since Alicia had felt like that.

But Alicia's joy was quickly stamped on. William Jones walked over to her briskly a pile of documents in his arms.

"We're going to have a busy day today, Mrs Wilford," he said and grinned. Something strange happened to Alicia when William smiled at her. It left a weird taste on her tongue as if she had just eaten a very bitter orange. Alicia felt her legs shiver as memories flooded back to her: the memory of a smell, a touch, a smile …

Alicia shook her head to push these thoughts back into a dark corner of her mind. She tried to give William her best false smile.

"And why is that Mr Jones?" She said in her most charming voice. As Alicia felt William step closer to her, new sensations came to her. Alicia suddenly remembered what it was like to be admired by men, to be beautiful and popular, to be the centre of attention. She shivered involuntarily.

"We have received a call from Mrs Nathalie Rosie Perkins last night. Well, technically she called the non-magical police and they passed the information on to us. She says she saw Alicia Potter herself yesterday!"

Alicia felt her heat turn to stone once again and she forgot all about her youth.

"What?!" She snapped.

"I know, imagine! After all these years, the Potter girl is finally reappearing! And at the strangest place too."

"Who gave you permission to open the case? I certainly didn't!" Alicia cried furiously. She couldn't believe it! She had thought that, being Head of the Department, she had the power to decide which cases could be opened.

"Well, somebody did, because the whole Department is working on this case!"

"This can't be true!" Alicia shouted and pushed William out of the way. She ran into her office, banging the door closed behind her, and grabbed the phone. She was going to call Mr Tuyandis for an explanation.

"I'm behind you, Anastasia."

Alicia whirled around and glared. The Minister of Magic was leaning against a corner of her office. He was looking at her thoughtfully.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're really good for the job," he murmured to himself.

"What do you mean, Alicia said angrily, I'm the best detective in this Department and you know that!"

Mr Tuyandis nodded.

"You are, but the Head of the Department isn't supposed to be a detective. You're supposed to be the kind of person who knows what's right from wrong so you can tell exactly what case is supposed to be opened."

"I don't understand," Alicia whispered shaking.

"Stop pretending, Ana. You and I both know why you got the job." Mr Tuyandis approached Alicia slowly.

There was silence. Alicia looked at Robert Tuyandis for a second. She still remembered the day she had met him and how easily she had seduced him.

Alicia sighed. She could feel that Robert was slowly beginning to realise what a mistake he had made in letting Alicia into his life.

"Are you the one who ordered to open the Alan Smith case?" Alicia asked.

"There's a matter of fact, yes, I did." Robert answered calmly.

"But why? Are you sure Mrs Perkins isn't lying?"

"Absolutely sure. Our experts have already tested her to various tests and the answer is positive. She's telling the truth."

"I refuse to believe that. Surely you can't decide which case to open without my agreement!"

"I'm afraid I can. And if I were you, Ana, I wouldn't protest."

Alicia frowned.

"Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"Because Mrs Perkins mentioned in her description that Alicia has dyed her hair blond. And I can't just help thinking that you are blond too, Ana …"

Alicia stared at Robert with her mouth open. Had he discovered her? Alicia had a strong feeling that Robert had known all along who she really was.

Mr Tuyandis smiled with satisfaction at Alicia's stunned face.

"Well, I will see you in a meeting this evening. Good day, Mrs Wilford."

And then he left.

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Alicia knew she had no choice. She had to accept the fact that she was trapped and she had to work on the case just like everybody else. Only of course Alicia had no intention to do any real research. She already knew the story better than anybody else.

Instead, Alicia dedicated her whole time to find anything related to Emma Potter. She could read for hours and hours every single piece of information she could grab on her little sister. She discovered that her sister had been quite famous for the last years. It seemed that the doctors had declared Emma was a non-magical person. But one mysterious day, Emma had found her power again. So Emma had started to go to Hogwarts at the age of thirteen, and she had been going to particular classes since then to catch up on the other students of her age.

But what really caught Alicia's attention was the date when Emma had found her magic again. It was written on an article of a very famous newspaper:

Emma Potter, the youngest of the Potter family, 13 years old, has just mysteriously recovered her magical power today, 1st November

That day, Alicia had drunk the potion that had changed her DNA forever.

That day, Alicia had given up on the real colour of her blood. And at that same moment, Emma had gotten her magic back.

Alicia had felt that day that she had lost something very important, a huge piece of herself; and meanwhile Emma had been gaining a piece that had been missing.

Somehow these two events were linked, Alicia could feel it.

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William Jones suddenly interrupted Alicia's research.

"We have news," he said.

"Good, Alicia smiled falsely again, what is it?"

"The Potters have contacted us. They told us that at the same moment when we believe Alicia has left Mrs Perkins' house, Emma Potter was on her way to the supermarket. Back home, Emma told her parents she had met a very beautiful blond woman. We believe that the blond woman Emma saw is Alicia herself. Alicia Potter probably wanted to take a closer look of her sister. Ginny and Harry Potter are bringing Emma to the office in half an hour."

Alicia closed her eyes. She was dreaming. It couldn't be true. This had to be a nightmare.

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Alicia couldn't stop it. Her parents were coming and she couldn't do anything to prevent it.

Alicia knew it was over for her. Everyone would find out, and her new built life would be taken away from her.

The young woman locked her door after William had left and burst into tears. She started to sob without being able to control herself.

Alicia knocked down everything on her office. She tore all the papers and threw them on the floor. She banged her head against the wall violently. Nobody heard her, her office was sound-proof.

Alicia stayed a while like that, her head leaning against the thick wall, her hands sweating, her face wet with tears.

Then she glanced at the watch on her wrist.

She had already lost time. She only had ten minutes to prepare herself. But, as she washed the running mascara of her face, Alicia realised she had no idea how to prepare herself for what was coming. This was going to be, after all, the end for her. Who cared whether or not she was prepared for it?

Alicia knew she could run once again, make up a new identity, a new life, but she didn't have the strength anymore. She felt tired of running away from the truth.

And so, with that thought, Alicia unlocked her door and walked out.

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They were here. So close to her. Alicia was watching them. The three of them, her entire family, were only a few steps away from her. Of course they didn't see her. A glass separated them. Alicia could see them but they couldn't see her.

Ginny Potter still looked like the young woman she used to be. The small wrinkles and lines on her face showed determination and character. Her hair was still the colour of red. Alicia stroked her own hair. They seemed so ugly and broken next to the fire of hair on Ginny's head.

Harry Potter hadn't changed much either. He was older, and on his face you could count the years of hard work and battle against the dark lord. But his eyes still shone bright green and his back hair was as messy as ever.

Alicia wished she was a little girl. She longed to take her mother in her arms', smell her perfume, hear her reassuring voice. She felt like walking up to Harry and combing his hair the way she did when she was younger. She wanted to hear him laugh again and say "my little Ali, one day you will become a famous hairdresser".

And in between, there was Emma. She kept tossing her long shiny black hair and making big gestures. Alicia wondered what the young girl was saying. Emma looked seriously annoyed.

David Abbots and William Jones were interrogating the Potter family. They didn't look very pleased. Apparently it wasn't going as planned.

In a few minutes, it would Alicia's turn to interrogate Emma.

"Mrs Wilford, it's your turn," William said getting out of the room.

Alicia could only nod. She didn't care anymore. She could do nothing and she had accepted that. She glanced at her family once again and wondered if they were ever going to forgive her one day.

Alicia took in a deep breath and walked into the room where the Potters were waiting.

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Alicia felt her heart stop when Ginny and Harry looked up at her.

They stared at her round mouth, her perfect skin, her fake blond hair, her stern glasses, her shy green eyes, her long legs, her suit …

Ginny smiled.

"You must be Anastasia Wilford. We've heard a lot about you."

Alicia didn't react. Wait. Something was wrong. Ginny, her own mother, hadn't recognized her.

Harry smiled as well. He looked tired and sad. Alicia spotted a necklace hanging from his neck. It was a heart with a big A on it.

"Yes, if the rumours are true, you are the best detective of the Department. We really hope you can help us here, Mrs Wilford." Harry said.

Alicia stared at Emma. The young teenager hadn't even glanced in her direction. Her face was buried in her mother's arms.

"You don't have to believe everything people say," Alicia said feebly. She tried to sound normal and cool. She couldn't help wondering whether or not her parents were going to recognize her voice.

But they didn't. Emma, however, looked up and stared.

She didn't show any sign of recognition.

Alicia sat down at the desk in front of them. There was silence. Ginny was still smiling eagerly and Harry was still pleading her with his sad eyes. Emma wasn't reacting.

Alicia couldn't stop it. She burst into tears again.

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"Ana! Are you all right?"

Alicia felt William's strong hand on her shoulder. She quickly swallowed her tears.

She didn't know what had happened to her. Her parents didn't even recognize her!

Alicia knew this wasn't the moment to break. She still had a chance and she had to grab it before it was too late.

"I'm sorry, Alicia apologized, I'm kind of having a bad day."

Ginny said nothing, but she nodded as if she understood.

William cleared his throat to signal that Alicia was supposed to go on with the interview.

"So, Emma, what can you tell us about the meeting you had with the mysterious woman?" Alicia said grabbing her note book to pretend taking notes.

Emma was smiling. She looked as if she was enjoying this.

"Well, I was just going to buy some vegetables for mum, when I bumped into this really beautiful woman in her twenties. She was tall and thin with blond hair and black sunglasses. I think she was wearing a suit but I'm not sure. We had a very short conversation; I don't remember what she said."

"Do you think it really was Alicia, your older sister?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sure."

There was a pause. Alicia hid behind her notebook and took in a deep breath. This was really strange. Emma couldn't have possibly recognized her that day! And if she had, why wasn't she giving any sign of recognizing her now?

"How can you be so sure? After all, you were really young when she disappeared. Maybe you don't remember her well."

Emma grinned and stroked her cheek slowly. She leaned against the desk and spoke again.

"Don't you read the newspapers, Mrs Wilford?" She asked.

"Not much."

Emma smiled and opened her eyes even wider. Alicia could see that she had carefully underlined them with a black pen. It brought out her green eyes in a very scary-and yet sexy- way.

"They say I can read minds." Emma whispered, pushing her hair once again out of her face so her white face was revealed to the world.

Alicia shivered. She felt cold although it was a very warm sunny day.

"Emma! We are not here to talk about this!" Ginny snapped.

Emma leaned back again on the end of her chair. She looked very satisfied.

Alicia swallowed. She felt lost. If only she could get a grip and get this interrogation behind her!

"But if you can read minds that means you probably know where she is right now!"

"Maybe, Emma shrugged, but even if I did, do you really think I would tell you?"

Alicia didn't know what to answer.

"Excuse us for our daughter's behaviour. She's been acting very strangely lately." Ginny said.

"No, it's all right, really, Alicia assured her, now Emma, let's try again. What else can you tell us about Alicia Potter?"

"She's a very different person now and she doesn't live very far from here. She took a new identity and she's on her way to success. But she's afraid to advance because part of her doesn't want to. She wishes she was still a small girl so she can hug my mother and brush my father's hair."

Harry stared at his hands. He looked as if he was going to start crying.

Alicia, however, was shocked. Maybe Emma could really read minds.

"That will be all," Alicia said standing up suddenly.

They shook hands. Alicia escorted the family back to the exit.

But before they left, Emma turned around, her magical hair flying in the wind. She looked straight at Alicia and spoke:

"And, please, Mrs Wilford, if you do find my sister, tell her I love her. And I forgive her."

Author's note : Please tell me what you think of Emma!