A/N: As always thanks to everybody who has reviewed!

Katy – thanks for looking at this – and sending it back so quickly as well. About the date; I got the wrong year. I wanted it to be 1997 (It's HBP-year!) Thanks though for mentioning it! Oh – and I love the letter!

XXX

February 12th, 1997

"Muggle style or wizard style?" came George's anxious voice from the bathroom.

"What?" said Alicia absently, while trying, with trembling fingers, to untie the roll of parchment from the owl's leg.

"Clothes. What am I supposed to wear to dinner at your parents'?"

"What? Er –" The letter looked very official to Alicia. Could this maybe be the answer she had been waiting for?

"Licia!"

"Oh sorry. Wizard style," called Alicia, finally having untied the letter. Her fingers shook even more when she tried to open it. A moment later she had managed it and greedily her eyes darted over the parchment where it was written in a small, neat writing:

Dear Miss Spinnett,

Following your recent interview, I am writing to offer you a position as a Junior Undersecretary in this Department, to begin on Monday February 24th 1997. The hours of work and remuneration will be as outlined in the attached contract. If you wish to accept this position, please sign the contract, and return it to my Personal Secretary, Miss Rosina Adley, by the 16th February.

Looking forward to welcoming you to the Department.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Delavera, Head of the Department for Magical Transportation

Alicia stared at the writing, her eyes bulging. She couldn't believe it – she had done it! She had got the job! Since the job interview almost a month ago she had had no hope. No matter how many times George had told her that she should not worry, that she had probably done well, Alicia had been unable to believe it. The interview hadn't even gone particularly well in her opinion.

But she had the job. Slowly the message was starting sink in. She had the job! "I got it!" she called out. "George! I got it!"

"Got what?" he called back, sounding annoyed.

"The job I applied for. At the Ministry."

"Oh, hey – that's great!" said George sounding a little happier. "That means your parents will be in a good mood today, after you've told them."

Alicia giggled. "Are you seriously still worried about meeting them? Oh, come one, George – they're no dragons."

"Well, I'd rather take the dragons," said George sheepishly.

"They'll like you. Dad has already asked all sorts of questions about your shop. I'm sure he'll drop by sooner or later anyway."

"Well, now I feel better," came the sarcastic reply from the bathroom. "I bet a hundred Galleons that he manages to get there when I'm out and he'll think that Fred is me – and I really don't need that."

Shaking her head to herself Alicia went into the bathroom, to see what was taking George so long. When she saw him, she couldn't help laughing. He was looking so unlike himself; for one thing he rarely wore wizard robes outside work, for another he had for once managed to make his hair lie flat and tidy, with a neat parting in the middle that his mother would have been proud of.

"What?" he said when he noticed Alicia looking at him with an amused expression.

"Nothing," said Alicia, but she couldn't stop giggling. George glared at her.

"I don't have to go with you, you know," he said, sounding rather irritated now. "I am only doing this because you want me to."

"It won't be that bad," said Alicia. "They're my parents so you'll have to meet them sooner or later anyway. And the sooner, the better, don't you think?"

George shot her a sceptical glance.

"Besides," she added, "there's no way they won't like you – charming and handsome as you are."

At that his expression softened considerably. "I am, aren't I?" he said with a grin. "But I'm still nervous. Here look – I've got sweaty hands –" he held out his palms for her to see,– I never get sweaty hands."

"I think it's cute."

"What – having sweaty hands?"

"No – I think it's cute that you're so nervous."

George sighed deeply. "Better get this over with then."

"Okay, let's go," said Alicia with a grin and ran a hand through her boyfriend's hair, ruffling it up.

"Oi – what're you doing? It took me almost twenty minutes to flatten it."

"And it took me only a second to make it look normal again," giggled Alicia. When she saw his glare she quickly added, "Sorry, love, but that just looked so not like you. This is much better. Come on – or we'll be late."

"Where're we Apparating to?"

"I'll take you."

"You can do Side-Along-Apparition?" said George in a mocking tone, causing Alicia to elbow him in the ribs. "Ouch – that hurt," he complained rubbing his side.

"You deserved it."

Instead of answering Alicia grabbed George's arm and Disapparated, taking them both to the little willow that was not far from where her parents lived in the outskirts of a small town in Yorkshire.

"Gotta walk the last bit," she told George. "My parents' neighbours are very nosy – come to think of it, I'm pretty sure they have suspected our family of being somewhat strange for years now. They've never said anything, of course, but they are always giving us strange looks and whispering behind our backs."

George didn't answer. He looked more nervous than ever, as he walked beside her. She could see that he was clenching and unclenching his fists. It was so uncharacteristic that Alicia almost laughed again. Normally, George was one of the most self-confident people she knew. And he had every reason to be so. He was one of those people who usually managed to achieve whatever they wanted, often even without too much effort.

He was also very good-looking. Not in that perfect, model kind of way – but in his very own, Weasleyish way, George was extremely handsome; tall, a bit lanky, although he was by far not as skinny and out of proportion as his brothers Percy or Ron – thank Merlin for that – with messy red hair and those lively green eyes. And of course she loved his freckles as they gave him that cheeky, boyish looks she adored so much.

Of course, it wasn't so much his looks that Alicia expected to impress her parents. In fact, she hoped that her mother would appreciate his charms as much as she did, and she knew that her father was already impressed by the fact that George, along with Fred, was running his own business. On the other hand – they both had dropped out of school, and there was not much that Alicia's parents considered more important than good education.

"We're there," she said and turning right, she walked through the gate and up the small path that led through the garden up to her parents' house. "Hands still sweaty?"

"No," said George dryly, "but it's below freezing point – so you wouldn't expect them to be."

"It'll be alright," said Alicia and rung the doorbell. She had her own key, but usually rung the bell, because since she moved out her parents considered her a visitor.

George was shifting his weight from one foot to the other while they were waiting. It took several minutes until Alicia's father finally answered the door.

Peter Spinnet was a short, stocky man, with a huge belly and a big bald patch on top of his head. He looked nothing like his daughter; Alicia had inherited her appearance completely from her mother's side of the family. But she preferred her father's family. Most of them were Muggles – sometimes, of course, that made her scared, especially in times like these – but they were much more fun to be with than her mother's narrow-minded, almost pure-blood family.

"Alicia," said Peter and his face lit up at the sight of her daughter, "good to see you, once in a while, my little girl."

Alicia laughed and let her father pull her into an embrace. "Come on, Dad, it's not like you didn't expect me. Are we still on time?"

"Yes, yes! Olivia hasn't even set the table, yet," said Peter, letting go of her and turning to George he said, "and you are, I take it, Mr. Weasley."

George's ears were glowing, they were almost as red as his hair; Alicia saw him trying to inconspicuously wipe his right hand on the fabric of his robes before reaching out to shake Peter's hand.

Peter had noticed it as well. He was grinning broadly. "Don't worry," he said, "I know how you feel. I still remember meeting Alexandra's parents for the time. I was so nervous I could hardly get out a word. But why are you two still standing in the cold? Come in, come in. – Alexandra!" he shouted out loud in to the house.

Not much later, Alicia's mother appeared in a doorway that led from the hall into what looked the living-room. She was wearing elegant purple robes and a lipstick that seemed to be exactly the same colour.

"Well, hello, you two," she said in a rather cool voice. Like Peter she hugged her daughter first before holding out a well-manicured hand to George. "You're a bit late, you know. What held you up? Well, never mind, come on in. I thought we should have an aperitif before we start dinner. What would you like?"

Alicia's looked around and her eyes met George's. He was looking as uncomfortable as ever, and it became very clear soon that Alexandra Spinnet had no intention to make this any easier for him.

George refused to have a drink before dinner. "I don't drink when Apparating."

Alicia knew that it wasn't a hundred percent the truth – he was reasonable, yeah, but not perfect.

Alicia's mother didn't say anything about it but gave him a look that made Alicia fear she would be faced with questions like, why does he refuse a drink? Does your boyfriend have a problem with alcohol? Doesn't seem too unlikely, does it, what with the family he comes from?

Prejudices, prejudices, prejudices. Her mother didn't even know the Weasleys! Hang on – she hasn't said anything, yet. But she's probably going to. Maybe. But then. She's married your father, after all. A Muggle-born.

When Olivia served their food the atmosphere was still as uncomfortable as ever. Alicia noticed that George seemed to have very little appetite, at least by his standards, or maybe he just didn't get to eat because her parents kept asking him too many questions. Her father was only making friendly conversation, which Alicia was grateful for. Her mother, however, seemed sceptical about everything George said and did, and didn't attempt to hide it.

"How many NEWTs did you get again? None? Well that's not much, is it?"

It was after the main dish when George, looking rather disheartened, excused himself to use the bathroom. As soon as he was out the door Alicia threw a vicious glance at her mother.

"Can I have a word with you? In the kitchen."

Alexandra agreed, but had the nerve to look completely innocent.

Alicia shooed Olivia the housemaid out of the kitchen in an uncharacteristically rude manner and turned to her mother to inquire, "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"You know exactly what I mean, mother."

Her mother sighed, "Okay, I admit, I am not terribly fond of your boyfriend."

"But why? You barely even know him! What is it he's done?"

"I know his family. And I've walked past that ridiculous shop of his more often than I can count." She gave her daughter a glance and her expression softened a bit. "Alicia, dear, really, you know I usually respect your decisions – but believe me, this boy isn't right for you."

"He's not a boy," said Alicia. "We're not kids anymore. And it's my decision who I want to be with."

"Of course it is," said Alexandra. "And I wouldn't even object, if I wasn't so worried about you. You're my daughter, Lissy – I would hate to see you get hurt."

"Why would you expect me to get hurt?"

Alexandra didn't answer right away. She was avoiding her daughter's eyes, keeping herself busy by starting to rummage through the contents of their fridge until she found a bottle of Pumpkin juice and poured herself a glass. "As I said, I know his family."

"So?"

"Remember your Auntie Henny?"

Alicia nodded slowly. Her aunt, Henrietta, was her mother's younger sister. She lived in America. Alicia remembered seeing her only a couple of times – and the last time had been at least five years ago, if not more.

"Henrietta was once in love with a young man called Gideon Prewett. He was Molly Weasley's younger brother." She paused but when Alicia didn't say anything she continued, "She was going to marry him, but then he decided that there were more important things. Like fighting in a war." Alexandra stopped again to heave a deep sigh. "The war has killed him. I still remember how it was when Henny received the message that he was dead. Should have seen her face – she couldn't believe it at first, then she cried for days –"

"Mum, I know all that", said Alicia in a desperate tone. She knew what her mother was getting at, but how could she be judging George for something his uncle had done?

"Don't you see, darling? I'm just trying to keep you from making the same experience. And I got a feeling that your George is not so very different from what his uncle was like. He is going to hurt you, Alicia. He may not be doing it on purpose, but believe me, he will."

"Mum –"

"Do you have any idea how deeply involved his family is in the resistance against You-Know-Who?"

Alicia was getting angry. Her mother surely couldn't judge her boyfriend's family for being brave? For wanting to help people? People like her family? "You just don't like them because they are poor," she snapped at her mother, knowing fully well that she was being childish now.

Alexandra shook her head. "It has nothing to do with poverty. I admit, it isn't making me any more sympathetic to them but –"

"George isn't poor, Mum, he's got his own business –"

"Alicia, that's not what this is about. I really would love to tell you something different, but one day, you'll see, there will be a confrontation between You-Know-Who's people and the wizards around Harry Potter – and George and his family will be right in the middle of that."

"And I'll follow him there!" shouted Alicia.

"You will not –"

"Believe me, mother, I will!"

They glared at each other, both breathing heavily. No one said a word until Alicia finally noticed that they weren't alone. George was standing in the doorway, with his hands in his pockets and his expression blank as if nothing was wrong. Still Alicia knew at once that he had heard most of what she and her mother had said.

"George –"

"I think I had better go now," he said. Then he turned around and almost ran into Peter Spinnet who had come to see what was going on the kitchen. Without another word George crossed the room and seconds later they could hear the front door being opened and shut again.

"George, wait," called Alicia. She gave her mother another glare. "There," she spat, "happy now?"

"Alicia, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to –"

"Save it. I'm leaving, too."

"Alicia. Please. Be sensible."

"What? Are you asking me to stay after what has just happened?"

"Yes," said Alexandra in a firm voice, "I would like you to stay. Look, you can talk to him later. I want to get this straight between us."

"Sorry, Mum, I'm not in the mood right now."

"Alicia –"

She didn't want to listen. Tears of anger were streaming down her face and it was all she could do to pull herself together or else she would have done some serious damage to the place. She was almost out the door, when she felt herself calming down enough to turn around once more. Her mother had followed her into the hall, her eyes looking glassy, too. Alicia sighed.

"Mum, I'm sorry – but he's my boyfriend, whether you like it or not, and I love him. And I trust him. And if there ever will be this war you have talked about I will follow him into it. I want to fight, too, Mum. And don't blame George for that – it's my own decision. He'd hate to see me fighting as much as you would."

Alexandra pulled her daughter into a hug. "I know, love. And I'm sorry, too", she whispered. "But I am scared – scared of losing you. Of you getting –"

"– hurt, I know. I can look after myself, Mum. Really. And I'll be careful."

"Promise?"

"Promise. But now I've got go and find George. He's probably pretty upset."

"I'm sorry."

"Tell Dad, I love him."

Alicia practically ran all the way back to the place where she could safely Disapparate, all the time thinking frantically about where George could have gone to.

It was Saturday evening, Alicia knew there was a good chance she would find Fred and Lee at The Old Muggle, a pub in Diagon Alley all made up in Muggle style, offering Muggle drinks and the chance of playing Muggle games such as pool or darts. It used to be very popular among young, modern wizards, most of whom were half-bloods, but lately it didn't have a lot of customers. The pub was where George had wanted to go originally, before Alicia had talked him into coming to her parents' for this disastrous dinner.

Alicia Apparated just outside the pub. It turned out that her suspicion had been right; she spotted George the moment she opened the door, along with his twin brother, Lee, Katie and Angelina.

Quickly, she walked over. She wasn't surprised when Fred glared at her but she ignored him. Meanwhile George was ignoring her; he was engaged in a conversation with Lee, and although Alicia knew he had seen her come in he didn't even look up when she reached the table.

"George."

He looked at her, but didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry."

"Not now, Alicia, okay?"

"No, I have to get this straight now."

George sighed and shook his head. "I don't want to hear it right now."

"Okay, then we maybe we can talk later."

"Not sure. I thought I'd better spent the night in my own flat."

Now this was too much for Alicia. "Why are you punishing me for something my mother said?"

"I'm not punishing you," he said calmly. "I just don't want to discuss this. At least not right now." He turned to Lee to suggest, "How about a game of pool?"

"Sure," said Lee, grabbing his wand from the table.

"Oh no, no wands – you're going to play fair."

Lee grinned, putting his wand back. "Fine. I just thought, allowing wands would give you a chance to win, loser."

Alicia sat down at the table and watched the two for a while and listened to them insulting each other. After that she turned to Katie who was watching Angelina, who was watching Fred who was watching the waitress, a cheeky grin etched on his face.

It was about ten minutes later when Angelina excused herself and said she had to go home. They all knew it was an excuse so she wouldn't have to watch Fred flirting with the waitress. She kept saying that she wasn't interested in more than an occasional shag with Fred, but Alicia wasn't so sure if that was the truth. Fred, however, seemed oblivious.

"She should know by now," said Katie when Angelina had left.

Alicia nodded absently; George had caught her eye. He winked at her and grinned, and she knew he wasn't angry anymore. He had probably never been angry with her in the first place. However, she knew he wasn't going to tell her about it. He would probably spend the night at hers, as it had been planned and everything would be alright. Maybe he might even drop a few hints about her mother's words having hurt him.

He didn't keep things secret from her. He told her straight what he thought. But George Weasley wasn't the kind of person who liked to have lengthy conversations about his feelings. Alicia sighed. Sometimes she wished that he wouldn't be so reluctant to talk about them.

XXX

A/N: Another 'Past' scene … obviously …

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