A/N: This took a while ... I'm sorry. I'm having a stressfull time at the moment, and it makes writing a little more difficult than it used to be.

Anyway, on to the story!

As always I'm loving your reviews! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!

XXX

March 24th, 1998

Fred walking in on her and George making out passionately on George's bed in the twins' tiny bedroom was the one moment Alicia would forever remember as the most embarrassing moment of her life, especially since Fred's gaze landed on her naked breast, and like any men, he stared for a moment.

It was also the only occasion Alicia ever saw Fred going slightly red with embarrassment himself. "Blimey," he said, looking at them with large eyes, "I must have come at the worst possible moment."

George, whose face had turned a brighter shade of red than his hair, grabbed for a blanket to cover Alicia but was too late anyway. "Merlin's bollocks, Fred," he got out, "can't you bloody knock?"

"I would have," Fred tried to defend himself, "but there's not much time for that right now."

"What the hell is going on?"

"They know about Ron."

"Bloody damn hell, they know?"

All that swearing from George would usually have annoyed Alicia but she barely realised it now. She was fighting tears because she felt so humiliated by the whole situation.

"And they're probably on their way here," Fred continued. He looked furious now. "They've already been to The Burrow. Mum, Dad and Ginny just managed to escape in time."

"And you think they'll be after us?"

"Of course they will, you idiot. I suggest you'd get dressed and take Alicia home before you pull her into this as well. And afterwards we'll have to do something about the shop."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we can't very well keep working here if Death Eaters are looking for us to question us on the whereabouts of our stupid little brother, can we?"

"Wait a minute, are you saying we have to abandon the shop?"

Fred let out a deep sigh of regret. "I'm afraid so. I don't know what else we're supposed to do. But we might be able to activate a couple of our protective charms before we leave."

George let out a couple more nasty curses then he told his brother to get out of the room. When Fred was gone he crawled out from under the blanket and picked up his clothes. "Better hurry," he said to Alicia. "I don't want the wrong people seeing us together. It'll put you in danger, too."

"But what are you going to do?" asked Alicia who was reaching for her own clothes.

"I don't know to be honest. First of all I'm going to take you home to your parents'. You'll be safe there, at least that's what I hope."

"And what about you?"

"I really have no idea. Right now I'm totally relying on Fred knowing what to do."

"Will you two have to go into hiding?"

"The whole family will have to, I suppose." He was buttoning his shirt all wrong but Alicia didn't get to say anything. "Blimey, hope somebody will have told Charlie in Romania by now."

"Will they go all the way to Romania?"

"If they think there's a chance to catch Harry through one of us, I'm afraid they will."

Alicia was crying in earnest now and it didn't help a lot when George wrapped his arms around her. "Licia, there's no time –" he said gently, but she just held on tightly to him.

There was an impatient knock on the door. "What in the name of Merlin are you two doing in there? There is no time for romantic togetherness right now!"

There was another very loud noise that seemed to come from farther away.

"Stop bashing the bloody door in, will you, Fred?" shouted George angrily. "We'll be right there –"

"That wasn't me! It came from downstairs."

"Are they here already?"

A moment later Fred was back in the room. "Didn't think they would be so quick," he panted. "What are we going to do?"

"Take the Floo?" George suggested.

"Where to? Can't go to The Burrow that's for sure."

George was looking around wildly as if looking for a solution printed to the wall or something. "Where's Mum and Dad?"

"Muriel's."

"Then let's go there too."

"And Alicia?"

"I'm taking her home from Muriel's later."

"We can't take the Floo," said Alicia, "the Ministry's controlling it, remember? They'll find you at once."

"She's right," said Fred. "But we can Apparate."

George shook his head, lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm not leaving the shop unprotected. We've made preparations, Fred, all we'll have to do is go downstairs and activate our protection charms."

"It's too late, George. Let's just leave," said Alicia her hand closing around his wrist to keep him from going. But both twins shook their heads.

"He's right, Alicia. We built up this shop because it's all we ever wanted. We can't just leave it behind." Fred said, looked grim, eyebrows drawn together as he pulled out his wand. He disillusioned himself, and so did George.

"George – please don't –" Alicia pleaded.

"You stay here, Alicia. We'll be back in five minutes."

"No," she said determinedly. "If you're going down there, then so am I. I can watch your back."

"Alicia –"

"I've had DADA lessons, too, George, and I was in the DA. I can help you."

The twins looked at each other. It was Fred who said, after a few seconds, "Good, disillusion yourself and then we'll go."

The crept down the stairs silently. The Disillusionment Charm made them difficult to be seen but not invisible. When they were almost down in the shop there was another loud rapping noise on the door and a voice shouting, "Open up! It's the Magical Law Enforcement!"

"You wish," mumbled Fred grimly. "Try your luck with the door then –"

George turned to Alicia. "Fred and I will have to get into the front of the shop to activate our safety charms. If the Ministry bastards break through the door before we're done there, I want you to run up the stairs and get help, okay? "

Alicia was determined to not go anywhere without George – and Fred, of course. But she knew better than to argue with them about this now.

Fred was already busy in the front room, pointing his wand here and there, mumbling spells and causing all sorts of different light effects. Alicia watched George move over to the counter which was positioned directly next to the door.

There was a huge blow and the shop door was blasted away, revealing two wizards, one of whom Alicia recognised as Lucius Malfoy. The other seemed vaguely familiar, too. They stepped into the shop, their wands out, looking around carefully. Standing completely still the twins were both invisible to anybody who didn't know they were there. But Alicia could see Fred who had frozen next to a shelf and George who was standing motionless behind the counter. They all barely dared to breathe.

Malfoy stepped around the room a sneer on his face. "Look at all that stuff," he said to his companion. "Who would want to buy all that crap?"

"Word is that they're quite successful with their shop," said the other one, and suddenly Alicia realised that he reminded her of Gregory Goyle from Slytherin Quidditch team. Maybe he was his father.

Malfoy turned up his nose and sneered, "Can't believe it, that's where the Wizarding community has come to. It's about time we take it into our hand to open the people's eyes and make the wizard community what it once has been. Right, Goyle?"

So Alicia had been right about the other wizard who was nodding fervently at Malfoy's words.

"And we will start with wrecking this place here," said Malfoy. He pointed his wand at the shelf right next to Fred, mumbled something and a flash of violent red light shot out of the tip of his wand. Alicia held her breath – hoping that the curse hadn't hit Fred. But instead it was repelled and shot right back at Malfoy who swore.

"Protection Charms – those dirty little bastards," he mumbled. "So, they think they can compete with me, do they? I am going to destroy this place and when I'm done with it nothing will be left, not even one of those –" He pointed at a Skiving Snackbox, "– those things."

"But shouldn't we be concentrating of finding them like the Dark Lord wants us to?"

"Not until I'm done here." He shot another few curses around the shop. Some of them were repelled like the first but others hit their aim and shelves were blown up and fell over.

There was no way out for the twins. Malfoy had made it clear that he wasn't going to leave until the shop was in shambles. Still they were both standing motionless, but Alicia had feeling that they weren't going to watch it much longer. This was their shop, their dream. They had worked so hard to make it what it was. But not even the twins were reckless enough to take on a wizard like Malfoy who didn't hesitate to use dark magic, the Unforgivables even, without some sort of plan. They always stated that they could communicate through telepathy, and Alicia hoped they were using it at this moment.

Malfoy had now moved behind the counter; he was only inches away from George now. It was time for George to make his move and he certainly knew it.

Even though he had the advantage of surprise George didn't manage to stun his opponent. A Shield Charm threw the curse right back at him and he had to duck in order to not be stunned himself. In the heat of the moment he lost concentration and the Disillusionment Charm fell. Both, Malfoy's and Goyle's, attention was now on George who wouldn't have stood a chance if it hadn't been for Alicia and Fred, who both gave up the cover as well.

"Expelliarmus!" Alicia shouted, pointing her wand at Goyle, and it worked perfectly – the man's wand came flying her way. She tried to catch and missed it. It landed on the ground but she managed to pick it up.

Meanwhile Fred had practically jumped on Malfoy. There was no way they could harm him magically with that shield charm around him, so the only option was to wrestle him down and disarm him that way. Alicia wasn't having an easy time with Goyle, either. Her plan was to stun him but the big man was already coming towards her and her hands were shaking so much she couldn't aim properly. Both twins were busy with Malfoy so they had no chance to help her.

"Give me my wand back, you filthy little traitor," growled Goyle.

"Stupefy!" Alicia shouted, but she missed him. Backing away from the man she tried to figure out what else to do. Goyle picked a box from a shelf and threw it at her. The box hit the ground and at the same moment it was pitch black in the room. It must have been the Darkness Powder. Carefully as to not be heard Alicia retreated further in to the shop and cowered behind a shelf, hoping that Goyle would walk past her in the dark. From the counter she could still hear the sound of wrestling, panting and cursing.

Then there was Malfoy's voice, "You little bastards, wait until – there – I gotcha – Crucio!"

There was a yelp then somebody cried out in pain. Alicia's heart seemed to stop. She couldn't say for sure whether it was Fred or George who had cried out.

There was a thud and the crying stopped. Then somebody mumbled, "Lumos!"

For a short moment there was complete silence then Alicia heard George's voice. "Fred? You alright?"

Alicia felt relief run through her. The twins must have somehow managed to knock Malfoy out. She heard Fred grumble something, and then another wand light was lit.

"What are we going to do with him?"

"Tie him up and then I'll knock every bloody tooth out of his big, ugly mouth. Ouch – George! You're standing on my hand –"

"Sorry, mate. Can you get up?"

"Of course I can bloody get up. It was just a little a second he cursed me."

"Where is the other Death Eater?"

"I am still here!" said Goyle's voice. "Now you are not so clever, are you? I might have lost my wand in the dark, but here's one of yours –" Next thing there was the quacking sound of a fake wand turning into a rubber chicken, and Alicia heard the twins laugh. She couldn't help smiling to herself, as she was still holding Goyle's wand in her hands.

"Stupefy!" said George and there was a thud. Goyle must have fallen to the ground. "Blimey, that was almost too easy."

"Yeah, he could at least have put up a little bit of a fight."

Slowly the darkness faded and Alicia could see the outlines of shelves. Carefully she came out of her hiding place. She found the twins tying up their two opponents and went to hug George, who seemed taken aback that she was still there.

"I told you to get away if –"

"I couldn't just leave you behind."

"But –"

"Give her some credit, brother. She disarmed Goyle," Fred chimed in.

"What are you going to do with them?" asked Alicia pointing at the two unconscious Death Eaters.

"Take them back to where they've probably come from," said Fred who was still a bit pale. He turned to George. "How about leaving them in front of the Ministry's doors?"

"Yeah, and let them know they shouldn't mess with us," George agreed. "I mean, they'll be after us, anyway, why not make them a little angrier first?"

"If they can't find us anyway." Fred grinned.

The two Death Eaters were tied up and Apparated to the Ministry. Before that, though, George pulled a hand full of hair from each of their heads.

"Yuck, George, what are you planning to do with those greasy strands?"

George gave his twin a look. "You can't figure it out? Think closely, brother. We're going into hiding – no chance to do even such things as flying on a broom fot a bit unless we having the appearance of somebody else."

Fred's face lit up. "Polyjuiced into Malfoy, George, this is a disgustingly good idea."

"If not to say brilliant!"

"Excellent."

"A-hem," said Alicia.

They both looked at her.

"Let's get away from here, see if your mother and father are alright."

George put his hand gently on her shoulder. "You're right," he said, "we'll just activate some more of our protective charms to save what's left of this place." He took a look around with a frown on his face. "Come on Fred."

When they arrived at the twins' aunt's house ten minutes later, Molly, Arthur and Ginny were already there. Molly let out a noise between a yell and a groan when she saw her sons and came to pull them into her arms, both at once. Tears were running down her cheeks. "There you are," she cried. "I was so worried. What took you so long?"

After disentangling themselves from their mother's embrace the twins looked at each other and obviously they both knew what the other thought. Alicia hadn't expected them to tell their mother what had happened and as it turned out she was right.

Later the three of them sat in Aunt Muriel's garden, drinking pumpkin juice. There was still one thing left to decide.

"What are you going to do, now?" George asked Alicia. His arm was around her shoulder and she couldn't think of any place she would rather be. "I mean, Goyle has seen you. Could he have recognised you?"

"I don't think so. He doesn't know me. But I can't go back to work at the ministry, that's for sure," said Alicia, snuggling a little closer. "I wish I could just stay here with you."

"Why can't she just stay then?" Fred suggested.

Alicia was surprised. She hadn't expected a suggestion like that from Fred of all people. But then maybe it was just having around as many people his age as possible, while he had stay here with his aunt and couldn't get out.

"What about your parents?" asked George. "Won't they miss you after some time? And what if they get in trouble because of us? Or because you don't turn up at work anymore?"

Alicia shrugged. "I can call in sick for some time. And I'm pretty sure the Ministry will leave our family alone. We'll get half-blood-status, but my Mum is from an influential enough family. They're almost Pure-Blood. We're respected – or so I hope. I'm just scared, if I leave you, I can't come back here, you know."

"Why?"

"Somebody could follow me."

"Follow you if you Apparate?" said George. "Impossible."

Alicia sighed. George was right – nobody could follow her if she Apparated. The problem was just that she was worried – worried to leave him alone, worried what might happen, if the Death Eaters found him and his family, worried that one day she might Apparate here and the Weasleys were gone. The thought almost made her cry again but she gave in. She was going to stay with her parents.

XXX

A/N: Twins going into hiding – from Alicia's POV. Hope you enjoyed!