A/N: I've never got as many reviews as I got for the last chapter! I really want to thank you: Bad Mum, uniquegrl7, boopotter, Kerichi, respitechristopher, MBP, Evenstar606, Tina101, ScarletLuna, mustardgirl1128, hondagirl, satelliteblues21, S0phia.weasley, trustsnape38, x.o.gossipgirl.x.o & hannahannah – I LOVED every one of those reviews!

Also very special thanks to Bad Mum for betaing!

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Chapter 13 January 19th, 2000

The clock on the kitchen wall told Alicia that it was ten minutes to six. She yawned and picked up the two cups she had just filled with coffee. When she entered the bedroom, George still hadn't moved at all. Alicia smiled to herself – she should have known that getting him out of bed at this time in the morning wasn't going to be an easy task. But they were meeting Hermione at half past six.

They had chosen to meet very early in the morning so they would have enough time to talk before they all had to start working. They were going to meet in Hermione's office because Hermione had insisted that maybe she would need the help of her books for any advice she might give. She shared the office with two other trainees in the Department for Magical Law which was another reason to meet early, because they didn't want to be overheard.

Alicia put the coffee down on the bedside table and sat on the edge of the bed, grabbing George's shoulder to shake him gently. When he didn't react Alicia pinched his upper arm, which she knew was a failsafe way to wake him up.

It worked of course.

"Ow … whadda hell diya dozat for?"

Alicia giggled. "You have to get up now, sleepyhead, we're meeting Hermione in forty minutes."

George rolled over onto his other side and groaned into his pillow. Alicia smiled to herself and went back into the kitchen. She was preparing breakfast when a tapping noise on the window interrupted her. It was still dark outside but she could see a dark brown owl sitting on the window still with a roll of parchment tied to her leg.

Alicia went to open the window, but only for a second, so the owl could get in. It was still very cold outside. Alicia untied the parchment and started reading.

Alicia,

I may not be your favourite person at the moment but I would really like to talk to you and explain a few things. I know I've done you wrong and I hope that you can give me a chance to put things right. If you agree, please just write a short message and send it back to me.

Charlie

Alicia stared at Charlie's untidy scrawl for a moment. She remembered the look Charlie had given her at the Hogwarts reunion but she also thought of what George had told her a couple of days ago. Charlie had had his reasons for his behaviour. She grabbed a pen from the kitchen table and wrote the word 'Okay' on the backside of the parchment and send the owl back. As soon as the bird was out of sight she remembered that she should have made a suggestion to when and where to meet – but it was too late. It was up to Charlie now.

"Something interesting out there?"

Alicia, who had been staring out the window, turned around to see George standing in the doorway. She smiled and shook her head. "No, nothing."

George gave her a sceptical glance but obviously decided to not ask any further questions. "I'm going in the shower now, we can eat breakfast after that and then take the Floo to the Ministry.

"Ministry Floo connection won't be activated until seven," said Alicia. "We'll have to take the Muggle way in. But we can Apparate there."

George nodded, "Okay."

When they arrived, just on time, Hermione offered them a cup of coffee, which George accepted gratefully. Alicia refused, telling Hermione, "I've had experience of the coffee they sell here."

Hermione laughed and nodded. "Me and the other trainees buy our own coffee, the stuff they offer in the cafeteria is really undrinkable," she said.

"Do you like your job here?" asked Alicia.

Hermione beamed. "Yes, it's great. Our head of department, Professor Scholes, lets us do a lot of work on our own and I get to read dozens of interesting books and case studies. Professor Scholes gives lectures in the International Magical Law Schools in Prague and Stockholm. He invited me to one."

George grinned. "This must be heaven for you."

"Oh yes."

"Ron must be very proud of you," said Alicia.

Hermione's expression darkened. "Actually he's not happy about it."

George wasn't surprised, but Alicia could see that he pretended to be. "How come? It's a real good opportunity for you!"

"I'll be away for a couple of days – in Sweden. And I accepted the offer without discussing it with him first."

"But it's your decision not his."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You know what he's like."

"I can talk to him," offered George.

Hermione shook her head. "No, please don't. I'd rather keep you out of this. Anyway, on to your question. What do you need my help for?"

Neither George nor Alicia answered at once. Hermione looked from one to the other, expectantly, but all of a sudden neither of them knew how or where to start.

"Well," George finally began, hesitantly. "I sort of have done something … er, stupid."

"Something illegal," added Alicia carefully.

"And now I don't know, whether I should go to the Authorities or not."

Hermione regarded them both for a while with a deep frown on her face. "Well," she said finally, "it depends on what exactly you've done."

"I have –" George started to say but Hermione cut him off.

"Before you tell me let me explain something. If it's something really bad you have done I will have to report it. I can't afford to keep it secret. If somebody finds out, I'll lose my job, and this is what I've always wanted."

"What do you consider as really bad?" asked Alicia.

"Well," said Hermione, drawing her eyebrows together and looking at George. "You haven't hurt any other wizard or attacked a Muggle or something, have you?"

"No, of course not."

"Stolen something?"

"No."

Hermione crossed her arms and gave George an expectant look. "So? What did you do?"

"I've taken Lethe."

"That's not illegal."

"No, but selling it is."

"Have you sold it?"

"No, but I bought it and I didn't report it."

Hermione gave George and Alicia a puzzled look. "But that's exactly what you are doing right now."

"It wasn't the first time."

Hermione sighed. "Okay, so fill me in then – how long as it been going on?"

"One and a half years. Since Fred's funeral."

"Oh," said Hermione who was obviously completely taken aback. "That is a long time." For a moment she was silent, obviously thinking, then she added, "Well, thinking back – that explains a lot."

Alicia noticed that George looked guilty.

"It makes the whole business a little more complicated, of course," Hermione went on, "if you've been taking it for such a long time and have never reported it –" At that moment she interrupted herself and gave George a very worried look. "Do you still take it?"

"No."

"Good," said Hermione relieved. "Sorry, but I had to ask. But then, you probably wouldn't be here if you were still addicted to it, would you?"

Neither George nor Alicia answered this. Hermione looked from one to the other, then she realised her mistake. "You will … probably be addicted to it for the rest of you life, won't you?"

"Sort of," said George hesitantly. "It's not something you can switch on and off just like that."

"I know," said Hermione quietly. She took a deep breath and continued, "Let's get back to your question. I think you have no other choice but to go to the Authorities. We need to catch that wizard –"

"Witch."

"What?"

"A witch sold me the potion."

"Oh. Well, okay. We need to catch her then, make sure she won't sell anymore in the future."

"Will she go to Azkaban?" asked Alicia.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I think so." She turned to George. "You will probably have to give testimony at her trial. At least that's what think is the best way for you to get out of this."

"I won't get punished?"

Hermione sighed. "I haven't been working here for long, as you know. But I've already followed interesting cases during school time. Sometimes a wizard or a witch that helps put away somebody who's much worse than them can get away with what they've done. I'm not even sure that I like it that way, but that's the way it is."

Alicia felt relieved but George frowned at those words and sighed. "Okay, thanks Hermione," he said.

Hermione gave a small smile. "That's about all I can do. But, to give you one more piece of advice; if I were you, I'd report it. It is always better to admit to your mistakes and take the heat."

"I'll think about it," said George.

It was past seven o'clock now and George took the Floo to his shop. When she was on her way to her own office Alicia suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Why, Alicia! Hello!"

She turned around and found herself face to face with Evan Delavera. "Evan."

He grinned. "Long time, no see." He glanced at his watch. "You're in early today."

Alicia didn't know what to say so she simply smiled and shrugged.

"You, I saw you in the corridor earlier. You and Arthur Weasley's son. Which one was he again?"

Alicia tried to keep her face level. Evan couldn't have forgotten, but she answered patiently, "George."

"Ah, yes," said Evan. "What were the two of you doing here so early?"

Damn. There was no way she could tell Evan. "Oh, er, George wanted to talk to his father about something."

"Really? But Arthur usually doesn't come in until half past seven. Doesn't his son know that?"

"No," said Alicia in a confident tone that surprised herself. "He lives with me, and I don't think he has ever asked his father what time he goes to work these days."

Evan regarded Alicia for a moment with a sceptical expression but then he smiled. "However," he said, "it was good to see you again."

"Yes, you too," mumbled Alicia.

"Shall we meet during lunch hour? For a coffee or something?"

"Oh, er, sorry, but I'm meeting with George."

Evan grinned. "You two are inseparable, aren't you? How long have you two been back together?"

Alicia smirked. "Almost two weeks."

"And already living together?"

"Not officially. But he stays at my place for most of the time."

"I hope he appreciates it that you let him."

"He does. Listen, Evan, I'm sorry, but there's a stack of files on my desk and –"

"It's okay, I need to get going, too," said Evan.

Alicia was almost inside the lift when he called after her. "Hey, Alicia!"

"Yes?"

"You look happy!"

Alicia beamed. "I am!" she called back.

Evan laughed. "And I'm happy for you."

"Thanks."

All morning Alicia couldn't help thinking about her and George's conversation with Hermione. The thought that George would get away without any punishment at all was good, but what if the Aurors didn't find the witch? George had told her, that she lived in a house that was guarded by all sorts of spells. In the end it was his decision. All she would do was stick by him whatever he decided to do.

When the two met in the Saucy Saucepan for lunch, George hadn't decided anything, yet. "There was so much to do at the shop, I hardly had time to breathe," he said around a mouthful of mashed potato.

Alicia couldn't help smiling. She enjoyed watching her boyfriend eat. It was good to see he had his appetite back. During the time he had taken the Lethe he hadn't been hungry most of the time. After lunch they walked back to the shop and Alicia took the Floo back to the Ministry from there. When she arrived at her office she was surprised to find two people outside, waiting. Two vividly red-haired persons.

"Hello, Alicia," said Percy Weasley.

Next to him was Charlie, smiling at Alicia.

Alicia smiled back at him, taken aback. "What are you two doing here?"

"Oh, I just showed Charlie the way," Percy explained. "He paid me a visit and –"

"Since I wanted to talk to you, anyway," Charlie continued, "I thought I'd come and see if you've got time right now."

"Well, actually my lunch break is over just now."

"Only for a few minutes? I'd like to apologise to you and explain something."

Alicia sighed. "Okay, come on in. What about you, Percy?"

"I'll get back to my own work," said Percy. "See you later, Charlie." He winked and walked off towards the lift.

For a long while Charlie and Alicia sat in her office regarding each other. Finally Charlie inhaled deeply and started speaking, "I really thought, you were the reason George started taking that stuff."

"I wasn't," said Alicia matter-of-factly.

"I know that now," said Charlie.

"Well, at least this explains the way you acted at the reunion," Alicia smirked.

Charlie nodded. "I know it wasn't right, but I really thought it was your fault, and when I saw you at the reunion – with that other bloke – I dunno. I just couldn't bear it."

"George told me you nearly caught him taking Lethe."

"Yes, that was last summer."

"We broke up in January last year."

"I didn't really realise how long you two hadn't been together. Nobody talked about it, least of all George of course. When I caught him, he simply told me that he was a bit down and didn't know what to do. I made him promise he wouldn't drink that stuff, and I really was foolish enough to believe him. I had no idea he had been taking it for months before that."

"A year."

"What?" asked Charlie, raising his eyebrows.

Alicia sighed. "He'd been taking it for a year. It started the night before Fred's funeral. He told me."

"Merlin," groaned Charlie, running a hand through his hair. "A year? And I never realised it."

"Don't beat yourself up over this, Charlie," Alicia tried to comfort him. "I didn't realise what was going on, either, and I was his girlfriend at the time. He hid it very well."

"This would never have happened if Fred was still alive. George would have never had any chance to hide it from him."

Thinking about Fred made Alicia sad. "Had he still been around George would never have started taking it."

"So it was really all about losing Fred?"

"Yes. I 'spose it was."

There was a long moment of silence after this, but then Charlie sighed, "I should have known."

"Charlie, there wasn't much you could have done."

"I should have known. I almost caught him. That's when I should have recognised the signs."

"How?"

"I've seen it before. A friend of mine. In Romania. We worked together, but one day he turned his back on a dragon and it caught him. Burned three quarters of his skin. The healers could save his life, but the pain never stopped. He couldn't continue working. Then, half a year later, he suddenly comes back and applies for his old job. Our boss knew it at once."

"What are those signs you're talking about?"

"Behaving like a stranger even towards his best friends. Hardly speaking. Being distant and showing no emotion. Having no appetite. I should have realised something was up; it's not like George to be like that."

Against her will Alicia laughed. "No, not at all. But we all assumed it was still because of Fred."

Charlie shook his head. "No, in fact I simply assumed that he was ill or something. He didn't look well that day, but I guessed that it was going to be okay. I am so stupid, really. But I was just home for a couple of days from Romania and I had a lot on my mind and –"

"Stop blaming yourself," said Alicia. "I think you can be proud of yourself – you helped him through this. It must have been hard, but you were there for him. He owes you his life, Charlie."

Charlie, who been staring down at his hands on the table in front of him lifted his head to look Alicia in the eyes. "That was the least I could do. And I didn't really do it all by myself."

"You got help?" asked Alicia surprised.

"Yes," said Charlie hesitantly.

"From who?"

"Your friend Katie Bell. She's a Healer, I thought she could help me best."

Alicia could hardly believe her ears. "Katie?"

Charlie nodded. "I was worried; George seemed to be getting sicker and sicker, and in the end I sent her an owl."

"So Katie knew about the Lethe and all?"

Charlie nodded again. "I think she had even suspected it before for a while. She told me that she had offered George help a couple of times but he denied that anything was wrong and refused her help."

Alicia suddenly started feeling faint as she took in the news. "So … d'you think … does Katie … does she blame me, too?"

"No, of course not. We argued about that."

Alicia was speechless for a moment. She could feel Charlie's stare on her as she looked past him, tears forming in her eyes. "Why didn't Katie ever tell me about all that?"

Charlie sighed. "I don't know."

XXX

A/N: Looks as if Katie's got a few things to explain … After the next 'Past' chapter!

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