A/N: Huge thanks to everyone who has reviewed the last chapter: mustardgirl1128, x.o.gossipgirl.x.o, S0phia.weasley, FunkyFiction, Evenstar606, bubblegumpinktonks, hondagirl, Kerichi, Bad Mum - it's good to know you're enjoying to read this story!

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Capter 19 January 25th, 2000

It started like any usual day at work. Alicia was busy putting away some old files when there was a knock on the door and in came the Minister for Magic himself, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Alicia could feel her heart beat a little faster; she had never really met the Minister. Of course, he had been at the battle of Hogwarts, like she had, but Alicia had never spoken to him. The man intimidated her and even more so now since he had become Minister for Magic.

It turned out, however, that Kingsley Shacklebolt was a very friendly person. He smiled at her and reached out his hand. "Miss Spinnet?"

"Yes, er, sir?" said Alicia, shaking the boss' hand shyly.

Shacklebolt laughed. "I'm not going to bite your head off or anything," he informed her kindly. "May I take a seat?"

"Of course, sir."

The minister sat down and took a look around the tiny, crowded office Alicia shared with a colleague who was on holiday. It wasn't much of a place, but it was the only place available for the two of them. Their job was to work through old files, decide which to keep and order them alphabetically. More often than not Alicia wished she had her old job back, the one she had started on before the war had begun. But a lot of things had had to be rearranged at the Ministryand Alicia knew she should be happy to have a job here at all.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked the minister who was still regarding the place, curiously.

He smiled. "Ah, no, thanks. I don't have much time, but I was talking to Arthur Weasley this morning. I understand you're in a relationship with his son, George?"

Alicia nodded, curiously. What was this visit all about?

"As you may know, I have been friends with the Weasley family for a while now and the news Arthur told me about George has shocked me a bit. I suppose you know that, well, that he's in some trouble?"

Alicia nodded again.

"Arthur asked me to look into it, and so I went down to the Aurors' office to find out about the latest developments and it seems that I have some good news."

"Then, er, you might want to tell them to George," Alicia suggested. "Or do you want me to pass it on?"

"I'm invited to dinner to the Weasleys' tonight. Maybe George wants to come, too, so I can tell him in person?"

"I'll ask him, sir."

"Thank you," said Shacklebolt, getting up from his seat. He took one last look around then he smiled at Alicia and winked. "And between the two of us – my name is Kingsley." And with those words he was gone, leaving an excited Alicia behind.

By the time Alicia and George arrived at The Burrow that evening, Kingsley was already there, sitting with Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry at the table in the lounge, empty plates in front of them. The Minister for Magic smiled and stood up to shake both their hands. Alicia had known that George and his family knew Kingsley in person, but she was surprised to see they were almost like old friends.

"How's the shop?" asked Kingsley when they had all taken a seat again.

George grinned. "Hasn't Ron already told you all about it?"

The older wizard grinned back at him. "Yes, but I wanted to hear it from the boss."

Ron pulled a face and seemed ready to protest (he considered himself second boss at WWW by now) but at the moment Molly came out of the kitchen, her face lightening up at the sight of her second youngest son and his girlfriend. "George! You're here – finally."

"Yeah, sorry we're late." He grinned. "Licia had to get dressed up!"

Alicia stuck her tongue out at him, but he was right. She had taken quite long to decide what to wear. It wasn't a special event, but she felt like she had to look nice what with her boss being there and the woman who may some day be her mother-in-law.

"We finished dinner already, but I'll just heat something for you two. You must be hungry," said Molly now.

"Mum, we just –" George started but Molly had disappeared into the kitchen already.

"Don't even try," said Ginny to George in a slightly sarcastic tone. "She's absolutely thrilled every time you're here. One might think you're her only child."

"Now Ginny, that is not true," said Harry in a gentle tone, and the hint of a smile on Ginny's face made it clear that she hadn't been a hundred percent serious. On the other hand there was something to what she had said, but Alicia doubted that Ginny was jealous of the attention her older brother was receiving from their mother lately. George had been absent from his family for a long time, at least emotionally, and Ginny was the last to not enjoy a little bit of catching up on the lost time.

Molly came back bustling into the room, carrying two steaming plates of pork and mashed potatoes which she put down in front of Alicia and George.

"Mum – we already ate dinner," said George, raising his eyebrows.

"So then you're just going to eat again. It won't harm you," replied Molly airily, and ruffled up her son's short red hair before disappearing into the kitchen again. George stared after her for a moment, clearly annoyed by the way his mother was fussing over him in front of everybody. To make things worse, Ron snickered behind his hand.

George shot his little brother a nasty glare but before they could start arguing, Kingsley rose to speak, "So, you may wonder why I wanted to talk to you."

"Yes, but do we have to, you know … can't we talk in private?" asked George with a sideways glance at Ron and Ginny.

"Well, we all know what this is about, I'm afraid."

"We all?"

"That was sort of an accident," Harry explained quickly. "When Kingsley arrived, he had no idea that Ron and Ginny didn't know anything about, er, the Lethe, yet."

"And when your sister Ginny asked me, what this was all about, I told her that it was about the Aurors' investigation on a Lethe dealer you were involved with."

"And since you know how bloody stubborn Ginny can be, Kingsley had to tell us the whole story," said Ron.

"Yeah, like you did not want to know," Ginny replied.

"Now, now, don't argue, you two," said Kingsley calmly before turning to George again. "I'm sorry, George. I know it was your story to tell, but it was already too late."

"I can really not understand why everybody knew except for us," Ginny barged in now. "I mean, everyone. Including Harry and Hermione. Why not us?"

George sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Long story," he mumbled. "I'll tell you later, okay?"

"No, it's not okay."

Harry took his girlfriend's hand to calm her down. "He'll tell you –"

But George interrupted him, his gaze directed at his sister. "I was embarrassed, Ginny. Okay? That's why I didn't want you to know. I'm older so I'm supposed to set a good example to the two of you."

"But you never used mind whether you set a good or bad example to us, did you?"

"Yeah, but that was before," said George sharply and nobody dared to reply. For a very long moment there was an uncomfortable silence between them, but again it was Kingsley who broke it.

"I got some good news for you, George."

George simply raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Today I learned that young Harry came by your place the other day, telling you that Aurors were unable to find the dealer, is that right?"

"Yeah, he did. So what's the news? They found her?"

Kingsley shook his head. "No, not yet. But they will, especially since they have that bartender under arrest now. You don't have to fear anything. Besides, you never really had to."

"What? – But Harry said that if they didn't find her I'll be the one to be blamed."

"Yeah, that is sort of an Auror trick. I'm not very fond of those methods, myself. But I know Conrad Mollowiddle who's Head of the Aurors' office now, and to him any method is good enough if there're results."

"What are you talking about?"

"What Harry told you was just to intimidate you. To make sure you tell them everything you know."

"Harry was trying to intimidate me?" asked George disbelievingly.

Everybody turned their heads to Harry, who had gone red, holding his hands up defensively. "I didn't, George, I swear. I was just passing on the information Auror Mollowiddle gave me. I'm still in my first year as an Auror trainee and I haven't got much experience –"

"So you really had no idea?" repeated George, suddenly grinning.

Harry shook his head, fervently. "No, none at all."

"They tricked you, too? Their own man?"

Harry blushed, clearly embarrassed.

Across the table Hermione shook her head. "Honestly, you two! If only you'd start thinking about things before you expect the worst. Men!" Next to her Ron snickered and Hermione rounded her head on him. "That goes for you, too, Ronald."

That made Ron shut up.

"So, does this mean that George won't have to fear any punishment at all?" asked Alicia who hadn't said much since they had arrived.

"Well, there'll be a file," said Kingsley, "but unless he gets in trouble with law again within the next couple of years, he'll be okay." He turned to George. "So, if I were you," he added seriously, "I'd be a little more careful from now on. Stay away from all sort of illegal doings. And I mean any illegalities."

"I will," promised George, who sounded genuinely relieved. "Thanks, Kingsley."

"Any time, George," said the older wizard. Then he turned to Alicia. "Before I forget, I met Evan Delavera today. I believe you used to work in his father's department before the war?"

Shooting a sideways glance at George who was scowling Alicia nodded. "Yeah, I did."

"Well, it seems that young Evan has managed to take his father's place. Old man's going to retire next month. I heard Evan say that he had a job for another assistant and that his father used to be rather fond of your work. Maybe you should apply for the job. You'll be managing international transportation security, get to travel a bit, maybe."

"I, er, I don't know, sir," Alicia stuttered, too taken aback to think of anything better to say. But then, it did sound great. A little more of a challenge than the boring task of ordering dusty old files alphabetically.

"It's Kingsley. And you don't have to, Alicia. Just some advice from a friend." Kingsley got up from the table. "Okay, I had better go now, got some work still on my desk. Now, I just need to thank Molly for that marvellous dinner." He rubbed his stomach. "Can't come here, too often, won't fit into my robes anymore …" he mumbled, making his way to the kitchen.

Soon after Kingsley had left Alicia and George got ready to go, too. When the said their good nights to everybody Alicia had a feeling that once they got home a discussion would come up. And it turned out that she was right. The minute they were alone George said, "You're not thinking about applying for that job, are you?"

Alicia hadn't decided that yet, but she remembered her conversation with Katie two days ago and it was simple stubbornness that made her say, "As a matter of fact I am thinking about it."

"I don't like it."

"Obviously. But isn't it my decision?"

"He would hire you just because he fancies you."

"I don't think so. Maybe he wouldn't hire me at all."

George rolled his eyes. "Sure he would."

"So what if he does?"

"I don't like the thought of you working with him."

"You can't always have it your way, George," said Alicia angrily. She was surprised by her own behaviour. George, on the other hand, was behaving exactly like he had expected him to. He had always been a bit jealous and possessive but Alicia had never really minded. Now, however, it was annoying her, and she certainly wasn't going to give in. "This is a good opportunity for me –"

"Opportunity to do what?"

"To get a job that's a little more interesting."

"What's wrong with the job you have right now?"

"It's boring!"

"So? I mean it's work, Licia. It's not necessarily supposed to be fun."

"Says the man who has his own joke shop and enjoys his work there so much that it would never cross his mind to work anywhere else!"

"That's different."

"No, it isn't."

George didn't reply. Instead he started pacing up and down the room, looking angry and guilty at the same time. Alicia had a feeling that he knew exactly that she was right but wasn't ready to admit that, yet.

When the silence got too much for Alicia, she said, carefully, "You do trust me, George, don't you?"

He gave her a look through narrowed eyes.

"Because if you do, you know you won't have to worry about Evan. He's a very nice person, but I love you."

The tiniest hint of a smile appeared on George's face. "You do?"

"I do."

"How much?"

Alicia giggled. "Quite a lot."

George, who was grinning now, asked, "Enough to go to bed with me this instant?"

"Depending …"

"Depending on what?"

"Kiss me," said Alicia.

He did. Although they did go to bed right after the kiss, it was an hour and a half until they were ready to fall asleep. After the light was turned out, Alicia lay awake for a little while, thinking about their earlier argument. It hadn't been the end of it yet and they both knew it. But for the moment, she told herself, it was better they hadn't discussed it any further. She wouldn't have been able to get to sleep if they had gone to bed angry with each other.

At least, she thought, they would no longer have to worry about possible consequences George might face for buying Lethe. And she was sure that they would overcome the trouble about Evan, too. She was in any case going to apply for the job and that was the last thing on her mind when she fell asleep as well.

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A/N: Oh-oh, trouble coming up again? Please leave a review!

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