HI!
1) This one is really long just to warn you! I couldn't find a good spot to stop. 2) I apologize here and now if there are some inaccuracies in the next couple of chapters. I've been working on them without the books to refer to so I have to go by memory and the use of some lovely search engines. For example my timeline (i.e. when Harry started the DA) and some technically specific scenes (quidditch games) are going to be altered but I tried my best to keep them accurate. With that said, here is year 7! Part one… hehehe
Details in the Fabric
The summer after their sixth year didn't exactly go as well as they all had planned. Newspaper headlines were getting more and more foreboding of a troublesome future for the magical world. Visits between the friends were limited because of the twins taking up residence with their family at Grimmauld Place (which of course none of the friends were allowed to know). Alicia was locked at home in an entirely muggle world where her parents believed she would be safest, and her return to Hogwarts looked uncertain. Angelina's family took her abroad for the summer for "family time" and Katie went to visit her muggle relatives on her father's side in Italy. Thankfully it was also the year they were allowed to apparate, much to the Weasley family's annoyance.
"BAM! GOTCHYA!" shouted Fred as he apparated into his room with George unannounced. "Damn. I was really hoping to catch you doing something embarrassing." said Fred with remorse. George didn't laugh.
"Why the long face brother-man?" he asked.
"This." George said, indicating a messily written letter. "It's from Alicia."
"Wow. I'm sorry man. She has really terrible handwriting." Fred said consolingly. George shot him a glare. Noticing his brother's serious demeanor he sat down beside him.
"Ok. Serious twin to twin talk time. Go." said Fred. George sighed.
"Ali's parents have been reading the magic newspapers…they don't want her to go back to school. They want to send her to the states to enroll in a muggle high school with her cousins or something." George told his brother.
"That's total madness! Hogwarts is the safest place on Earth! Plus she'll be with us! And the team!" Fred ranted. He had jumped up to his feet in rage at the thought of not returning to Hogwarts.
"I think that's part of the problem." said George. "They think she's wasting her time with magic and quidditch and 'silly flings' to quote her mum all while putting her life in danger. What she actually wants doesn't matter. Not that it ever has with her."
Fred flinched, knowing too well the tension in the Spinnet family.
"So what are you going to do about it?" Fred asked.
"Do?" asked George.
"You're a Weasley man! Start acting like it and rescue that damsel in distress!"
Alicia Spinnet sat alone in her room, her quill hovering above her journal. It was an awkward sort of room that blended childhood nostalgia with a teenager's interests. Motionless photographs of a young muggle child and trinkets such as ceramic handprints hung beside more moving pictures of a teenage witch, quidditch medals, and the like. Despite having her own room and a particularly comfortable bed, she held no special attachment to the peachy painted room. She was longing instead for a room with four-poster beds, a fireplace, absolutely no privacy, and the people she really considered family.
A loud *CRACK* shook her from her currently useless journal and she ran to her window to find the cause. Just catching his balance was a proud looking, red-haired man. Alicia's heart jumped. Without considering the option of going through the house to the front door she promptly opened the window and jumped out and into the arms of the beaming George Weasley.
"George! What are you doing here?!" she shouted as he kissed her between each word.
"Saving you of course pretty girl." He said, flashing that Weasley crooked grin. She knew what he was referring to and lowered her eyes.
"Oh George. I don't think there's anything I can do. They won't listen to me. They think it's unsafe. My dad he…he says he loves me and that I need to trust that he knows what's best. They want to take me out of the magical world all together …" she trailed off.
"Is that what you want?" he asked her slowly as he tried to register what she was saying.
"No." she said quietly, shaking her head. She was still avoiding eye contact and speaking more to their feet than to George. "No of course not. I finally found somewhere that I belong, somewhere that I fit. I've never had that since….since my mum died. And now they want to take that away from me too!" Tears were starting to spring up in her eyes. George curled her into his arms and held her close, partly to comfort her and partly so he didn't have to see those tears.
"Ali, you can't let them dictate your life anymore." He said into her hair. Technically she was 17, and therefore in the magical world an adult.
"I have to George. In my family nobody else knows I'm a witch except my sister…without them I have no one. They're my family, whether I like it or not. I can't just…I can't…." her voice disappeared into silent sobs again.
"Can't let them what Ali?" George pulled her away from him to look at her. "Family is supposed to stand by you no matter what. And if they don't, well I'll stand by you for…for as long as you'll let me." he finished smiling. He wiped a tear off her cheek and she leaned in to kiss him sweetly.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She took his hand firmly and led him around to the front door of the house. Alicia Spinnet was going back to Hogwarts.
*****The Gryffindor common room held a myriad of emotions the first night back. The new year was already looking up, for the most part. The awkwardness of Alicia and George being a couple had finally worn off, thankfully. Alicia didn't have to put up with any more bimbos eyeing George and waiting for him to cast off his new girl like he usually would, and George didn't have the urge to sock any guy that looked her way (as often). Katie had survived her O. and was looking forward to a slightly less stressful school load, for the time being. The twins' plans for a joke-shop were actually taking place and they had found a mysterious backer. But most important of all, what made this year stand out compared to the rest, what had Angelina nearly tearing her braids out with stress and excitement, was that quidditch was back. And she was captain.
Despite all of these happy feelings there was an unspoken tension hanging in the atmosphere that night. As the 7th years relaxed around their rightfully claimed common room fireplace anticipating Keeper tryouts, nobody could quite feel at ease. The sorting hat's message had left them with a lingering feeling of discontent.
"Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
the warning history shows,
for our Hogwarts is in danger
from external, deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you..."
And to top it off, as per norm, Alicia and George had landed themselves in detention. However, this time it was completely unintentional…and with a professor that made Alicia's stomach turn.
Alicia sat leaning against George's chest on the couch in front of the fire. She was rapping her fingers incessantly against her kneecap. George had both of his arms wrapped around the girl and an ugly scowl across his face. "How dare that woman give us detention, for, for, for that." He thought. It was unheard of.
"*ehem* And what do we have here dears? A little hand holding hmmm?" a high pitched, squeaky voice piped out as George had been walking Alicia to class.
"Five points from Gryffindor." She then chimed.
"That's bloody ridiculous! Five points for holding hands? It's not like I'm snogging her for Merlin's sake!" George had yelled.
"I'm sorry" she giggled, "I meant five points each. And a week's worth of detention…for both of you." The pudgy toad turned with a smug smile on her ghastly, squat face.
"A week! Hold on she didn't do anything!"George had complained. Alicia stood with her mouth open by the classroom door silent with shock. Alicia, though known for standing up for herself, wasn't one to cross a professor. Professor Umbridge turned slowly on her heels. Her snakelike smile had increased.
"Well that is why she will simply be doing lines with me. You, young man, I'm sure I can find something much more…appropriate for." George joined Alicia in a look of shock.
"You didn't think I would let you two serve your punishments together after that little display, did you? See you both tonight."
George was still fuming with anger, and guilt. He couldn't believe he had gotten Alicia detention. And it wasn't even while doing something fun or story-worthy. The clock in the common room chimed and Alicia's fingers stopped moving. With a heavy sigh she detangled herself from George's arms and both climbed off of the couch. With faked smiles and waves to their friends they headed to meet their newest professor.
"I'm so sorry Ali I-"
"George stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong; we both know that." Alicia reassured him. George reached for her hand but stopped himself, not sure where Umbridge might pop up. He looked sidelong at her and saw an emotion that was rare to show itself on her face. It was one he recognized nonetheless.
"Leesh it will be fine. I know it's not ideal, and we won't be together-"
"George it's not just that." Alicia interrupted. She stopped walking and glanced over her shoulders.
"George there's something about her. I don't feel…safe around her. I know you think I'm crazy when I say I can read people well but I'm serious; there's something…not good about her." she said quietly. In that moment George had never found her less-crazy in his life. There wasn't something "not good" about that woman as Alicia so sweetly put it. There was something downright demonic about her. But he couldn't say that to her now, not as she was about to face detention alone with her. He checked corridor for any onlookers and gently kissed her on the forehead.
"You're not crazy Ali. But you're going to be fine. I know it." he lied. "It's just detention, just writing some lines. I'll probably be stuck helping Snape wash his delicates and begging to be in your place." George said, trying to laugh for her sake. He could tell she didn't buy his lie.
"It's more than that George. You remember what the sorting hat said? Something about…if we are divided we will crumble from within. It's like…something's starting. I just can't put my finger on it but-" she was cut off when door down the hall suddenly creaked open. The two jumped apart.
"*Ehem*" a shrill voice coughed. "Miss Spinnet you may enter my classroom now. Mr. Weasley you will be joining Professor Snape in the dungeons."
"See?" smiled George. "It will all be fine."
Despite the tumultuous school beginning, the group at least had quidditch tryouts to look forward to. That is, they had keeper tryouts to look forward to being that there was only one position open.
The day of tryouts was a pleasant enough one. The sun was shining, the team was eager to be on their broomsticks again, and Coach Angelina was chewing her fingernails down to her nail-beds.
"But Alicia without a solid keeper we are nothing, NOTHING do you hear me?!" she yelled in the locker rooms. Alicia breathed deeply and held back her temper for her best friend.
"Ange, please stop yelling it's not going to help. And, are you kidding me? We're nothing? Look around you! Oliver said it himself; we're the best team this school's seen in years! Just now…we have to be the best team without Oliver…" Alicia said. Her voice trailed off as she realized how weak her argument sounded.
"It's fine Angel! You have Gred!" a twin piped up.
"And Forge!" chimed the other.
"Oh Merlin save me." moaned their captain. "I know you all think I'm overreacting but you know how important this is to me-to all of us. I just want to graduate with a winning season. So let's go find our perfect keeper!" cheered Angelina as she marched out to the pitch, followed by Katie and Harry carrying the balls. Laughing at her sudden mood change the twins each swung their clubs over one shoulder and slung a free arm around Alicia.
"Ready for another year of playing our captain's personal therapist Leesh?" asked Fred. Alicia smiled.
"At least Angelina doesn't cry as often as Wood does." she laughed.
"Yeah, my girl's pretty tough huh?" said Fred as he watched Angelina kick a few confused Hufflepuffs out of the pitch. Fred shook his head.
"Every year…" he mumbled and ran to catch up with the team. George pulled Alicia closer and pressed his lips to her ear.
"Now you have to promise me you won't go chasing after my little brother once he makes the team ok? I know how you get around Weasley men in uniform." He whispered, kissing her lightly on the cheek. She stopped walking and turned to face him with a grin.
"Oh don't you worry George Weasley. I only have eyes for one Weasley…"
"Is that so?" asked George, leaning towards her.
"Mmmmhhhmmmm," she answered, "and his name is Charlie."
"WHAT?" cried George. Alicia laughed and tried to run but he caught her around the waist and his fingers immediately went for her ribs.
"Who? WHO?" He asked her as she trashed in his arms.
"Ok! Oh—oh-kkaaaay-it's you! Only-y-you!" she gasped as she crumpled to the ground. He fell with her but looked thoroughly satisfied.
"That's what I thought." He said kissing her on the lips. He hopped up and grabbed Alicia's hand to pull her to her feet.
"Aahh!" she cried out, yanking her hand back. George's brow furrowed. He looked down at his girlfriend and saw guilt flash across her face. It was gone in an instant.
"I thought you said that burn was almost healed." He said, indicating the bandage across her right hand.
"It is…it's just still sensitive, ok?" she snapped back as she stood up by herself.
"Are you two done playing grab-arse or do I have to find Umbridge to split you two up?!" yelled Angelina. Alicia's breath caught in her throat upon hearing Umbridge's name.
"Ali what is it?" asked George, stopping her by her good hand.
"Nothing," she mumbled, "I said it's nothing".
"I really hope Ron doesn't blow it as keeper." said Fred shortly after tryouts. The group was walking back to the common room mulling over Ron's rather surprising success as keeper. "Yeah, it would really bum out mum if we had to kick lil Ronnie out of the family because he can't play quidditch and ruined the family name." said George. Angelina glared daggers at them, still unsure of her keeper decision.
"Listen up you two," she said to the twins, "You're going to be nice to your little brother, give him confidence, and do NOTHING that may negatively affect MY team!" with that she spun on her heel and stomped off ahead. Fred flashed a Weasley grin of confidence at George and Alicia before jogging off after her. Once they were out of sight George stepped in front of Alicia, cutting her off. She looked up at him defiantly, but the fight quickly drained out of her eyes once she saw the concern in his.
"Ok" she exhaled. "But not here." She whispered, checking the hallway. She took George's elbow and guided him into the nearest broom closet. George desperately fought the urge to make a comment referencing a memorable time the year before when she had pulled him into a broom closet; the moment didn't seem appropriate for such nostalgia.
"Lumos." Alicia said, and handed her wand George so she could unwrap the bandage from her hand. George recoiled sharply at the sight of her swollen, red skin.
"Ali! What the hell?" he gasped. He looked down to see tears in her eyes.
"Read it." she breathed. He leaned towards her to shine the light upon her hand.
"I will not disrespect authority" was scarred across her enflamed hand.
"Umbridge?" George asked in a gruff voice. She nodded as she folded herself into his arms.
*****The year progressed as naturally as it could, given the circumstances. Quidditch practices were always sure to lift spirits, until Ron's nervous performance brought them crashing down. The hallways were a dangerous place to walk for any signs of affection were severely punished. Alicia found that she was not the only student to bandage up her hand after detention, and the twins were clearly growing restless under the strict new command of High Inquisitor Umbridge. Thankfully, as usual, Harry Potter came to the rescue.
The creation of the DA, Dumbledore's army, had the effect of solidifying the students. With a common goal and a common enemy they all found comfort in the weekly meetings. And although not all sessions were especially productive, and not all students especially successful (Neville more often than not disarmed himself, and Ron had sent Hermione to the Hospital Wing on accident the week before) for Alicia at least, it was a safe haven.
Currently the DA was stuck on creating a substantial patronus. Had the Defense against the Dark Arts department actually been preparing students on, well, defending themselves against the dark arts, many of the students should have already been comfortable with the patronus charm. However, most of them were struggling just causing silver steam to form. Katie was swearing under her breath after every attempt. The seventh years, for the most part, had already learned this charm and were enjoying watching their animals swirl through the fog of the younger students' attempts. Two exceedingly frisky silver foxes were darting around their ankles and popping up in students faces. As they launched themselves through Angelina and Alicia for the fifth time that evening the girls spun on their heels and screamed in unison:
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
Their respective animals, a horse and a wolf, erupted from their wands and stormed through the irritating foxes on the route to the twins. They evaporated in sync just before reaching the flabbergasted red heads.
"That was…brilliant" said the twins in unison. Alicia felt a surge of excitement flood her veins. Never had she had so much control, so much power, outside of the pitch. For the first time since she was fourteen and a giant murderous snake had begun haunting her nightmares, she felt like she might just have what it would take to protect herself one day. A shrill squeak of happiness disrupted her thoughts. She and Angelina turned to find Katie jumping up and down with joy. A faint, yet well-formed, dolphin was slinking out from the end of her wand.
"I DID IT!" she cried out, hugging Lee excitedly. Lee cursed when their hug was disturbed by a flash of red and gold sparks and two loud *thuds* against the wall. The twins had somehow sent each other flying across the room.
"Excellent." They said in unison. Alicia rolled her eyes as she went to pull George to his feet.
"What's that look for love?" asked George fluttering his eyelashes.
"Thanks to Hermione we can't experiment on first years anymore, so now we need to utilize this safe space for some trial and error." he explained. The smile across his face that he used when pretending innocence was so winning that Alicia forgot her frustrations and let herself laugh. It felt good to laugh openly; she could always count on George for that. Fred jogged up to the couple and began whispering in George's ear. His face went from beaming, to concerned, to ecstatic in about seven seconds.
"You're brilliant brotherman." George said.
"Excuse us ladies, we have some work to do." announced Fred. The girls gladly let the boys leave ahead of them and walked slowly back towards the dorm.
"Alright Ange, spill it." said Katie once the guys were out of an audible range.
"Spill what?" she asked with annoyance.
"Oh come on," said Alicia, "you barely spoke throughout the whole meeting. What's eating you up?" Angelina stopped walking and stared at her two best friends. A look of shock and revulsion crossed her face.
"Are you SERIOUS?!" she yelled. Alicia and Katie exchanged a mutual glance of surprise. "We play SLYTHERIN tomorrow and we're wasting our time with silly charms while the twins blow each other up instead of discussing plays and figuring out what the hell to do with our keeper?! It's completely ridiculous!" she shouted. Katie and Alicia vaguely heard a handful of other rather insulting comments as Angelina stormed off.
"Wow." Said Katie quietly.
"Seriously….I can't believe it." replied Alicia.
"Yeah I mean I know Ange has a temper but—" started Katie, "no," interrupted Alicia, "I can't believe we let our priorities get all mixed up. We were actually practicing defensive magic against dark arts when You-Know-Who could resurface at any moment instead of discussing quidditch….what were we thinking?" Alicia asked. Both girls giggled together. "I really wish just convince you to put on a short skirt and then all hang out near Oliver to distract him like we used to. It was so much simpler then." Alicia said and sighed nostalgically. Katie laughed for a moment but halted abruptly in the hallway.
"Wait, WHAT?!"
.*****
(AN I had to take some creative liberties here with the quidditch game and the following fight. I don't have the books with me because I'm moving so I googled some facts/quotes and had to fill in other parts with imagination. P.S some quotes in this scene are directly from the book so don't knock me for plagiarizing either)
"Captains, shake hands!" ordered Madam Hooch as Angelina and Montague walked towards each other. Montague's monstrous hands attempted to crush Angelina's but she did not wince. The fourteen players ascended into the air and the balls were released. Lee's voice boomed over the already rambunctious crowd.
"And it's Johnson! Johnson with the quaffle! What a player that girl is. I've been saying it for years but she still won't go out with me!"
"Johnson!" cried McGonagall.
"Just a fun fact professor…."
Angelina 's early possession of the quaffle was ruined by a sudden bludger to the back of her head by Crab. Alicia darted for the falling ball but was beaten to it by Montague. George immediately sent a bludger crashing into Montague who promptly dropped to ball to a waiting Katie. Alicia let Katie zoom passed her and fell into position behind her.
"Bell reverse passes to Alicia and Spinnet's away!" Lee cheered into the megaphone. "She dodges Warrington, avoids a Bludger, close call Alicia, and the crowds are loving it! What's that they're saying?"
Alicia held the quaffle close to her chest but was distracted. Lee was right; the crowd was all saying something. Or, singing something?
"Weasley cannot save a thing,
He can't block a single ring.
That's why Slytherins all sing,
Weasley is our king!..."
Alicia gasped in shock, only then realizing she had tuned out of the game a second too long. She was almost at the Slytherin hoops but Warrington was too close for comfort. Without bothering to look she dropped the quaffle below her where she knew Angelina would be.
"And Alicia passes back to Angelina!" Screamed Lee, plainly trying to drown out the chorus of Slytherin voices. Angelina threw a desperate shot but missed by a few feet. Clearly Alicia wasn't the only one distracted. Blechley saved the quaffle and possession was back to Slytherin. Warrington sped across the pitch, motivated by the increasing volume of the song.
"Weasley is our king!"
Katie was tailing Warrington, but he had a good lead on her. The other two chasers were places strategically in case of Katie's success, but Warrington had already reached the goals. Watching Ron's attempt to defend the hoops was like watching a train wreck; Katie, Angelina, Alicia, and even Harry all wished to avert their eyes but couldn't miss the catastrophe. Ron dived wildly, and Warrington's shot sailed through his open arms into the center ring.
"Ten points Slytherin" announced Lee although rather pointlessly considering the singing was overpowering his megaphone. Snapping out of her reverie Katie zoomed back into action. She saw Alicia in position, but something was wrong. She couldn't see Angelina.
"And it's Katie Bell with the ball and she's really tearing up the pitch!" Hollered a desperate Lee.
"HARRY! What are you doing?!" heard Katie. Angelina was behind her chewing out Harry. The entire match was a mess. From somewhere above she heard a high-pitched falsetto voice joining in with the audience
"Weasley was born in a bin!" sang out Draco. Angelina was back in position and Katie passed quickly to her. The song was more than just disrespectful; it was downright cruel. Katie and Alicia silently prayed for Harry to hurry up and find the snitch and end the horror.
"Come on Angelina you can take him!" yelled Lee as Warrington snatched the ball from her
. "Err turns out you can't…nice bludger from George Weasley! Or Fred Weasley…Well it doesn't matter, and Warrington drops the quaffle and Katie Bell…drops it too… and it's Montague with the quaffle!"
The Gryffindor chasers were not playing as a team for the first time in their life as a team. No one could think straight.
"Weasley cannot save a thing" sang out the Slytherin keeper. Alicia's head whipped around instinctively to Blechley. Hearing the song from the ground was bad enough but up in the air it was infuriating. Pucey sped past her while her head was turned and made a bee-line for Ron.
There was a terrible groan from the Gryffindor end and a simultaneous cry of delight from Slytherin.
"Only 20-0; a few goals and we could take the lead again" encouraged Angelina to her chasers, but Ron soon let in two more…
Katie took possession and begun winding her way through the Slytherin team. She was nearing Blechley and found all three chasers surrounding her. Alicia was directly beside her but with Crab uncomfortably close. Katie suddenly shot straight up into the air and used her broom to swat the quaffle across the pitch to Angelina.
"Bell sends a powerful pass to Angelina, Angelina dodges Pucey…..and Angelina Johnson scores!" Lee cheered triumphantly. From the stands the team could hear Luna's enormous lion hat roaring deafeningly. The roar of the lion and the cheers from their red and gold clad classmates sent a surge of hope through the Gryffindor team. Though the song still was pulsing through the Slytherin stands the Gryffindors felt united.
Alicia suddenly swerved severely and nearly knocked into Fred as Harry went flying on a wild dive though Alicia's position. All eyes were on the young seekers as they flew neck and neck after the glimmering little ball of gold. Trying to keep the game moving the chasers tossed the quaffle amongst themselves, but chances were the game was about to end in a matter of seconds.
Harry took one hand off his broom, and then the other, stretching his body towards the snitch. Suddenly a loud WHAM was heard, even by the still actively playing team members, and Harry then plummeted from his broom landing hard on his back onto the frozen grass. Angelina gasped and soared to the ground. The rest of the team had only the cheers of the Gryffindors to tell them that despite this turn of events, they had miraculously won.
The Gryffindor spectators scream their approval. Ron's goals didn't matter anymore.
"Are you all right?" asked Angelina frantically while she pulled him to his feet.
"Of course I am" he said briskly. Harry's face read otherwise. From the start to finish, singing to post-game bludger, the Slytherins had played dirty. The remaining Gryffindors gradually landed in the pitch, confusion and anger smothering their excitement of winning. Alicia touched a consoling hand to Harry who simply nodded his head in assurance that he was all right and shrugged away from her. Katie consoled Ron with her sweet smiles while Angelina desperately tried to calm the twins down. Somehow Alicia had missed it but George and his brother were positively fuming. She started to make her way towards him in hopes of helping Angelina cool them off when she heard more feet touching ground; the Slytherins had joined them on the field. The entire Gryffindor team tensed in unison. The twins stepped forward in front of their brother protectively. Malfoy had a sick snicker painted across his face that was making their blood boil. Harry was already making straight for Malfoy before Angelina could stop him.
"We wanted to write another couple of verses," started Malfoy, "But we couldn't find rhymes for fat and ugly — we wanted to sing about his mother, see…we couldn't fit in useless loser either — for his father, you know… " as Malfoy spoke the twins were clenching and unclenching their fists in sync. Alicia felt torn from pulling the boys back and punching the little blond prat in the mouth.
"But you like the Weasleys, don't you, Potter?" Draco continued. "Spend holidays there and everything, don't you? Can't see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up by Muggles, even the Weasley's hovel smells okay… " Alicia and Katie both took a step forward instinctively but Angelina caught them by their robes. At least she could keep half her team out of a fight. "Or perhaps, you can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it —" WHAM! In a flurry of red, gold, and green, Malfoy's speech was cut short. Both the twins and Harry had dived into the sea of green and silver with furious punches. Angelina watched helplessly as her team members blurred before her eyes. Her first victory as captain would be forever burned into her memory as a hurricane of robes, fists, high pitched whistles and a horrible, horrible song.
Enough time couldn't seem to pass to reset the group to normal. With the twins and Harry officially off the team Angelina was constantly torn between fury at both them and Umbridge, and the terror of finding a new team. The twins had been distracted beyond normality and spent almost all of their time planning something or in top secret meetings with Harry. On this particular night however, the entire group sat together around the common room fire. The scene looked and felt surprisingly similar to their first night in the common room that year. Alicia sat with George's arms around her, and had the exact same inexplicable sick feeling in her stomach. It was so quiet (Angelina was currently giving the silent treatment to the twins) that they could hear the fireplace crackle and the inconsistent scratching of Katie's quill. The sound of Lee's snoring abruptly ruined the silence and even mustered a small laugh from Katie and Fred. Fred stood up, stretched his long freckled arms above his head and let out a long yawning yelp. He then kissed a nonresponsive Angelina on the top of the head and hauled Lee to his feet. With a groan Angelina began collecting her scratched out play sheets.
"This is ridiculous I'm going to bed," she announced, "Katie?" she asked. Katie, who had been nodding in and out of sleep onto her potions assignment, perked up at the word 'bed'.
"Oh…yep I'm coming" she slurred sleepily and carefully peeled her parchment off of her face before heading upstairs.
When the two had left Alicia sat up and turned on the couch to face George. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. George wished she hadn't. She looked so adorable when she did that. Those damn eyes could break him every time, and there was so much to tell her. But how? Now should be the time.
"George, " she started, "I don't like this." He furrowed his brow. Only Fred was supposed to read his mind. Could she know what they were planning? Only if Angelina knew and had—
"With the team broken up, and you and Fred so bloody distant lately, and the houses even more divided than ever it feels like…." Well at least she can't read my mind yet
"…it feels like the sorting hat's warning is coming true." George certainly hadn't expected that to be what was upsetting her. His sweet, sensitive, Alicia, worried about a song from the mouth of an old, musty, rotting hat. He smiled at her but stayed quiet, quite sure that she wasn't finished. She shook her head.
"I don't know. I just have that feeling again. Sort of like when I had to do Umbridge's detentions alone. That feeling that…something is just wrong." She said quietly. Unaware of herself she had starting rubbing the back of her hand where the scar was just barely visible. This was definitely not the time to tell her George decided. He caressed her calf softly and bent down to kiss her knee. He desperately wanted to able to tell her that she was wrong. The problem was, she probably wasn't. Her eyes were asking him to disagree. Instead he leaned over her knees and kissed her. They both held onto the kiss for longer than intended, she because she wanted that feeling of safety, and he because he wanted to give it to her.
"Right now I wish we were 12 again." Alicia said. "You'd tell me I was wrong anyway."
Alicia was pacing back and forth across the grass. She couldn't remember being this nervous in ages, not even before a quidditch match. He had said to meet here after class, under the tree by the lake; it was one of her favorite places. But he had sounded strange when he asked it; it wasn't a prank type of tone, it wasn't a romantic tone, and it certainly wasn't a good-news sort either. That pain in her gut was returning and she was sure that this conversation was about to forever taint her favorite reading spot.
George watched her from afar. The breeze kept tossing flower petals into her hair but she didn't notice. This was it; he had to tell her the plan. He had put it off for weeks not being sure how to approach it. She had become so sensitive lately with that damn hat's warning along with everything else that he couldn't possibly bring himself to tell her. This pretty girl with the flowers in her hair and those killer eyes had gone from his childhood rival, to boyhood crush, to his best friend in what felt like a day and now….he had completely fallen for her and was about to royally piss her off. What the hell had he done?
"Hey Ali" he said as he approached the tree. She felt her heart skip. She didn't say a word, didn't even smile. Before beginning he kissed her swiftly, catching her off guard. She let the kiss linger and gave way to momentary freedom.
"Sorry," he said as they broke apart, "I just wanted one more kiss before I ruin everything." Alicia looked up at him stunned.
"Ali, I'm leaving. I mean, we're leaving. Fred and I are." He told her. As much as he wanted to fast forward through this conversation he found his words coming out slow.
"Wha-what do you mean leaving? You're leaving…Hogwarts?" she asked. She took a step away from him and he reluctantly dropped his hands from her waist. Confusion was attempting to mask her other emotions.
George nodded. "Tomorrow." he said. Alicia's jaw dropped.
"It's time for us. We're going to open our own shop finally, with Harry as our backer." He said. Anger was now fighting with confusion across Alicia's features.
"It's time, now? Why not at the end of the year?" she demanded.
"Ali, Umbridge is on the warpath to have us kicked out anyway. And without quidditch, what else is keeping us here?" George mentally kicked himself as soon as the words were out of his mouth. The hurt was instantaneously visible on Alicia's face.
"Licia I didn't mean that—"
"What else is there?" she said quietly and he direly wished for her to just yell. "Just me, here, with that wicked woman," she continued. Tears were starting to well in her eyes.
"Ali—"
"How could you!?" she cried out. George winced, the yelling turned out to be just as bad. "How could you not tell me earlier?" she asked. George hesitated; it was the one thing he couldn't answer. He couldn't articulate why he had waited so long. Alicia finally looked away from him, turning her back and facing her once favorite tree. She concentrated on the pink petals that had fallen to try and stop her tears. The familiar feeling of being let down and let go of ravaged her.
"How could you…leave me with her here?" she nearly whispered. That George did have an answer to.
"Alicia Spinnet you are the strongest girl I have ever met. You've dealt with things in your life that I couldn't imagine. You're going to be fine without me." he told her. She still didn't turn, afraid that the tears would spill out again and show her to be less brave than he so believed.
"You'll be done with school soon and then…, "
'please turn around' he mentally begged her,
"and then we can be us again,"
' Good Godric turn around and just let me kiss you and make this go away,'
"And it'll be like before—"
"George just stop, please" begged Alicia. Her voice shook. George stopped; this was not ending how he had planned it. She was supposed to understand; she was supposed to kiss him and tell him everything would be all right. Instead she was…well she was reacting exactly as he subconsciously knew she would: hurt, scared, and angry.
"I don't understand how you could not tell me sooner. I don't understand how you could just up and leave like this—" She started, still talking more to the tree than to him.
"—Ali turn around!" George demanded. "I need to talk to you face to face." She spun around to look at him.
"and I don't understand how you could just think everything would be "like before."" She finished. George gritted his teeth. He knew she would be upset but her anger was rubbing off on him. The urge to comfort her was suddenly faced with the urge to prove to her that he was doing the right thing. It was right for the business, right to prove a point to the students and to Umbridge, and even right for her in a sense.
"George I don't know if I can do that. I don't know if I want it to be "like before" if that means you keeping enormous secrets from me and me standing around looking and feeling like an idiot!" That one hit him hard. She was right, he had been keeping things from her all year. But this coming from the girl who kept everything bottled up!? Frustrated, tired, and altogether unprepared for this, George desperately wanted to end the fight.
"Alicia, you need to trust me. I love you but trust that I know what's best ok?" He yelled back. Alicia suddenly started to laugh. An airy, giggling, and somehow angry laugh spilled out.
"I've heard that one before George."
The end! I know I know awful way to end it but I had to! It was too good of a moment to ruin with more after it. Sorry it was so stinking long but I had a lot of ideas to get out! The next shouldn't be AS long because of it.
R&R please and thank you!