Chapter 2:
Alicia waited, she didn't tell Harry about her demands, she didn't have anymore talks about her life with Alex or Portia and Ms Bane was pestering her more, obviously noticing her change in emotional state.
Finally Noel came back a few days later with replies.
Alicia,
Why would you think no one would tell you anything? After all you and Harry should be the first to know really, you're probably in the most danger, as usual.
Dad's been rather busy, Dumbledore's been sending quite a few owls here. Bill's transferred himself to a desk to be here with us all to help, Charlie tried but, Dumbledore thinks it's best we have foreign connections so he's still helping from his end.
Other than that I'm not sure what else has happened. Mum naturally wont tell us anything, says we're too young. It's only been over a week, don't get too suspicious yet. Though I don't blame you for worrying, mum and dad have been on edge ever since we got home. I've been talking to her about when you and Harry can come, so far, no luck. She said we need to trust Dumbledore and you can both come when he think's it's right. I don't know where they got that from after all you've said about those family members…
I'll keep you posted though, you and Harry deserve to know, after all, you'll probably make more sense of all the information then any of us, though I don't think the ministry's making Dumbledore's job any better information wise.
Talk to you soon. Say hi to Harry.
Ron.
Alicia was glad Ron had told her as much, she had been right on them all moving to make plans. Naturally she didn't expect details, knowing Mrs Weasley she'd want to be protecting them all, but she knew something else was going on behind the scenes.
She unfolded Hermione's letter next.
Dear Alicia,
Why are you already so suspicious? Did something happen that would make us not tell you anything? I'd never keep something that important from you. You and Harry of all people deserve to know what You-Know-Who's doing. After all, we wouldn't know he was back without you both.
I don't know very much, Ron's probably got the most insight after all, him and Sirius but what's the luck he'd tell us much? He'd probably want us all safe and out of it. I have been keeping an eye on the daily prophet though, did you see what they're writing about Harry? And how there's no news? I'm guessing Fudge is forcing them all to keep quite. I wonder how long that'll last?
Stay safe and keep me posted, I'm keeping contact with Ron and keeping an eye on the paper. If you can you should try tuning into the WWN and see if anything happens there too, I don't know how possible that'd be for you but it's worth a try.
Say hi to Harry for me and I'll write again soon. I promise to always tell you things so don't worry.
Love Hermione.
Well this made her feel better, as long as all four of them were clueless, it was better than only her and Harry being clueless. It also meant not too much had happened either, if they were lying Ron wouldn't have said anything about his brothers. There was still time though, Ron would be involved thanks to his parents, so something was bound to change within the letters, she just needed to pick up on it.
Alicia opened Sirius' letter next.
I can't tell you much Alicia, you wouldn't understand. Beside's if the letters get intercepted then it'd be a lot of explaining will have to wait until we see you. Rest assured though we are working as hard as we can. You and Harry just need to stay alert and cautious, don't do anything stupid.
If no one tells me anything then I promise to. Alicia thought.
Dumbledore knows what's best, but I can't promise to tell you everything.
I'll figure it out myself then.
Alicia didn't expect anything else useful to be said and so she skimmed it and put it aside, put it towards the trunk for later when she expected to get frustrated and revisited them for some sort of hint.
Still there was no reply from Dumbledore. Alicia expected she'd be able to stand the silence three more times or so before she sent a howler… if she was able to without magic.
She took her quill and wrote replies but left them to be sent later. If someone noticed Noel flying back and forth a lot, the letters were definitely bound to get intercepted. She understood that for that reason Dumbledore might not be answering her, but he had assets, he was bound to know other ways of communicating, even if it's through the apparation of people. He wasn't exactly the kind to be cut off from such things.
She just had to take a deep breath and trust in her friends.
Alicia immediately noticed the differences in the letters over the next week. They were very much more vague and both Hermione and Ron said similar things. Alicia immediately guessed something had changed, it also sounded like they were together almost… Hermione apologised a lot, having told her virtually nothing only the same words of 'we'll tell you when we see you'. Naturally that wasn't good enough. Ron was no different.
It turned out Harry was having the same problem. His anger had come out as Alicia had never seen it as he handed her the letters and let her read them. She told him she was no better. This didn't make him feel any better, their friends were after all keeping important information from them and no one seemed to understand or know of a different way of communicating. Hermione knew how to use a cell phone and the chance that Voldemort and his supporters would look for such things sounded stupid as they were all 'pure-bloods' as they put it and probably didn't even know how to use a phone.
Anthony's letters were helping to keep her calm as they talked about normal things, as Anthony was a half-blood and had a muggle parent he knew a few of the things that were happening in the Muggle world, something they were able to talk about. Alicia did confess some of her frustrations when he asked if the girl had heard anything and he had been surprised by her news.
Two and a half weeks hadn't even gone buy before Alicia had fallen on her self promise of the howler. She sent a rather calm one to Sirius, addressing it to Ron and Hermione as well as the Weasley's, Lupin and who ever else was in the group Dumbledore had asked Sirius to gather and sent it off. The other one she had sent had been to Dumbledore, being a bit less calm but not to the degree of the one Mrs Weasley had sent Ron in their second year after they had stolen his father's magical flying Ford Angelina. She didn't want to anger very many people, just make them understand her frustration as to the silence. And if the letters weren't working then a howler it was.
She felt a little bit of pride in sending a howler for the first time, let alone two.
A few days after sending them Alicia went down for breakfast. Noel had been in her cage since the delivery and she'd had no reply, something she wasn't happy about but not all that surprised. She didn't speak to anyone as she ate, not that many spoke to her anyway, people had gotten bored of trying to get a reaction out of her and Portia and Alex knew where her sharp limit was and when not to push it.
Ms Bane walked in and over to Alicia as a few others sat down.
"Alicia may I have a word?" she asked and the black haired girl looked surprised before nodding.
They walked into the caretaker's office and Alicia paused when she saw who was sitting in the chair.
"Good day Miss Evans." Dumbledore greeted.
"Professor." Alicia nodded her head slightly as she crossed her arms.
"I'll give you both a minute." Ms Bane allowed as she closed the door and walked out. Alicia turned to her headmaster. He stood up and offered her a seat. She took it and waited for an excellent explanation.
"I guess I can understand you'd be frustrated."
"Angry is more the word I'd use, Professor." she said strongly and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow "I don't mean to be rude but I'm not clueless, I know Hermione and Ron are together somewhere, I know you're making plans and getting people together. I'm guessing that's where Ron and Hermione are, probably Sirius too." she admitted "I know Professor Snape is infiltrating the Death Eaters, something that sounds like a death wish really…" she muttered. Saying it out loud seemed to make some of the hate she had for Snape diminish a little. After all, for some reason she didn't believe Snape would be working the other way, spying on Dumbledore and his plans for Voldemort.
"And yet, I've heard nothing all summer." she said frowning "Ron and Hermione are keeping the information they know, no matter how little, from me, and Harry and I are on the outskirts completely swept to the side like we don't matter. Voldemort's bound to come for Harry at some point and if we know nothing of the information you're cumulating we're more vulnerable than ever." she explained.
Dumbledore just stood and watched her.
"We never know enough. We'd have been more prepared if we knew Quirrell was the culprit in our first year, we could have stopped him before he even got past Fluffy. We could have discovered Ginny was under Voldemort's influence in our second year and stopped him and the diary before she ever went down to the chamber. We could have known Peter was alive and captured him long before he pretended to be dead a second time and hid in Hagrid's hut. We could have known Moody was an imposter before he'd bewitched the cup at least!" Alicia took a deep breath "You can't keep us in the dark! It's bound to make something else bad happen."
She paused and looked at Dumbledore, waiting for him to realise she was right and hopefully do as she asked, talked to her, told her what was wrong. She couldn't see the reason as to why they wouldn't tell her or Harry anything.
Dumbledore stared down at her, his eyes calculating what she'd said as she waited. She didn't remove her gaze from him, incase she missed a hidden message that could flash across his face.
Finally he seemed ready to speak.
"Alicia, you are right, I have been working on every angle to try and prevent Voldemort from regaining what he had before." he admitted and Alicia waited for what was coming next. "And I am not alone in the matter." Alicia guessed this already.
"You have a group of people helping." she said with a nod to which he nodded in return "And Hermione and Ron know about it." he hesitated this time but Alicia was giving him a narrowed eyed look that said she knew this and wanted him to confirm it.
"Yes." he said calmly.
"So why are Harry and I exempted?" she wondered "I know we have to stay here, Harry at least as he is protected somehow while with the Dursleys, but I don't understand how that means we have to be clueless, or how that can be at all the right thing to do? It seems to me like it'll only cause trouble?" Dumbledore sighed "We aren't children anymore professor."
Dumbledore opted to sit down in Ms Bane's chair and placed his long finger tips together, looking at her over his half moon spectacles.
"I believe you and Harry, Harry especially, have enough to worry about." Alicia opened her mouth to immediately disagree but Dumbledore raised one of his hands to prevent her from doing so. "You are however correct that Harry is protected with his family, his blood relatives, that is why he must return." Alicia muttered the words again and narrowed her eyebrows thinking.
"Blood relatives?" Alicia muttered "Are you saying that by staying with Aunt Petunia, he's protected by her thanks to the blood from our mother being shared or something?" Alicia asked. Dumbledore nodded
"But, then why am I here?" she questioned "Surely it'd be better if Harry and I were together, we'd be completely protected that way?" She was technically left vulnerable by being separated.
"Because, Voldemort is not after you as he is after Harry. You needed protection, and because of that I placed you closer to Harry than I would have otherwise felt comfortable with. The magic that protects Harry extends towards you and after you met Harry, formed a bond and the Dursley's refused to kick you out of their home, you were just as secured as Harry was. This is why I placed you in the orphanage so close to Harry and yet so secluded from the magical world, so that you would both grow up somewhat normal."
"That doesn't explain why we need to be excluded from information though Professor. Okay we need to return to Little Whinging, but we don't need to be clueless and left as though no one believed we could handle the news." She admitted "Why did you gather a specific number of people together, and how did you know they were the right people to do so, had you all gathered some other time together?" she paused and Dumbledore watched her
"These are the people from before Voldemort's down fall." she muttered and Dumbledore nodded, a slight smile on his face.
"It is known as the Order of the Phoenix." He admitted "A society I myself formed back before Voldemort disappeared. Your parents, Sirius, Lupin, Severus and many others were all a part of it." He then frowned "The reason I have not told you anything is because of the experience you and Harry went through last year." Dumbledore said
"We're fine Professor, really, it's sitting around not knowing anything thats—" but Dumbledore had begun to shake his head causing her to stop.
"I am not referring to what occurred in the graveyard." he admitted. Alicia looked at him confused.
"Now, I am here to offer you a choice of sorts." he said sitting up straight. "You may either come and join Miss Granger and Mr Weasley at headquarters, or you may remain here." Alicia waited
"What's the catch?"
"I do not want Harry knowing anything that is going on as of yet. It is too soon." Alicia looked at him dumbfounded and with disbelief.
"I can't stay here and lie to him!"
"Very well." Dumbledore nodded
"But I can't leave either, he'd definitely know something was up then and you'd have one hell of a storm to deal with later! I'm the one thing that makes returning to Little Whinging worth while! I can't leave him here stuck with the Dursleys, professor you know what they're like to him." She half pleaded.
"This is my decision Alicia." Alicia stared with her mouth open. "If you cannot do as I have asked if you stay then I will make arrangements for your departure. Also note, that no information will be passed to you through owl, it is too risky incase the letters get intercepted."
"There are other ways of sending information though!" she hissed her anger building. Dumbledore however made no move to address this.
Alicia was shocked. Dumbledore had always been so fair, smart, yet now he seemed as though something was getting in the way and completely changing his decision.
"I do not, unfortunately, have time to delegate much more Miss Potter." the name sounded surprising as Alicia had never been addressed by it before.
"So I have to decide now, whether I want to leave my only family member behind in the dark while the most feared wizard of the age is after him, or go and be a part of stopping said wizard that is after my last family member, be cut off from said member and possibly prevent us from being in trouble for this year?" she recapped, using her lips together angrily.
She knew Dumbledore had his reasons and that they were probably good reasons but she couldn't justify either of those choices. Why couldn't he just take Harry and her away or keep them involved? It wasn't like he was leaving the two alone, if she was right in the fact that Dumbledore may have someone watching them.
"Are you having someone tail Harry?" she asked. Dumbledore sighed before he looked at her, contemplating on how to answer.
"You wouldn't leave him alone, unprotected." she said seriously.
"Yes I am keeping an eye on him." he confessed.
Alicia didn't know how that made her feel, whether she felt better or worse. She knew the reason Dumbledore didn't give her more time to choose was because she'd run off and tell Harry everything. Not that she knew very much in the first place, all he'd told her was his reason for leaving Harry here. And that he had someone tailing him.
She knew straight up that she wanted to stay, she wasn't leaving Harry behind. But then if that was an option, she'd tell Harry everything anyway and Dumbledore wouldn't have bothered with making her choose on the spot? He believed she'd choose to go!
Why?
Well, if she left she'd learn things that could help, she'd be able to protect him, she'd be a part of something bigger than just the two of them. Here she was useless and defenceless. If only she could communicate in a way that didn't involve owls, or flow powder, or anything traceable.
Wait… Alicia realised There is. her eyes were still on Dumbledore as she calculated and remembered an inescapable ability. She and Harry were linked, and through an unseeable series of events last year, Alicia had found the deeper parts of such a link. She could use them to her abilities.
Would they work while being so far away? I've always been in the vicinity of Harry… she remembered. But how else would she find out if it did work from far away?
You're still linked either way… Alicia took a deep breath. She could keep Harry involved that way, then neither would be left out or vulnerable. She just had to make it work willingly, every other time Harry had been going through some adrenaline rush.
Was it worth it? Alicia thought so, as much as leaving Harry alone with the Dursleys hurt her, she technically wouldn't leave Harry completely. And if Dumbledore's insistent on keeping this ridiculous arrangement of keeping Harry in the dark and, after telling me things, refusing to let me stay, then it's the only way. Alicia realised.
"I don't really get the choice do I?" she muttered "You don't want Harry to know anything yet you told me things. You know I'd tell him."
"It is in his best interest, it has not even been a month since Voldemort returned. He needs time to cope." he said
"Professor, he'll be fifteen soon. He's not nearly as much of a child as you seem to think. He's also faced more things than most adults." Alicia reminded him "Besides, I've been through everything he has and you told me. You're excuses are invalid." Though he hadn't told her much.
"If you will go upstairs and pack your things then Alicia, I'll have someone down momentarily to transport you. Before hand though I need to speak with Ms Bane if you please." Alicia stood from her chair, slowly and confused.
Dumbledore wasn't acting as he usually did, he was distant and cut off, not as friendly or, even happy, he didn't seem as happy as usual. Though the twinkle could still be seen. Alicia wasn't sure if this was because of Voldemort's return but she had a feeling this knew distance was contributing to Harry's lack of involvement. It was almost as though Dumbledore was afraid… but whether it was for their safety or someone else or some other purpose, she wasn't sure.
Alicia went to find Ms Bane who as soon as she saw her moved back to her office as Alicia moved to walk up the stairs. She'd only gotten halfway before she heard footsteps and turned to see Portia and Alex behind her.
"What's going on?" Alex asked
"I'm leaving." Alicia admitted
"Already?" Portia looked sad
"Apparently." Alicia grumbled
"You don't sound happy about that?"
"I'm happy to be involved and no longer isolated…"
"But," Portia expected
"But Harry isn't coming. He's being excluded." Alicia said
"Why?"
"Of what?" Alex asked at the same time
"You don't want to know."
"I asked didn't I?" Alex said annoyed
"Yeah, but you don't know what it is." Alicia muttered as the girls shared a concerned look.
"Can you tell us why he's being excluded?"
"They think he has enough on his plate." Alicia rolled her eyes as she opened her door
"But you don't think so?"
"I've been through everything Harry has, yet they're letting me in." she admitted. Alicia moved to her trunk and lifted the lid with ease as Alex stared at it open mouthed, having not been able to budge the lid a few days prior.
With the lid open Alicia began to move through her room and pack everything she'd need for the next year, all her school possessions, normal clothes, her broomstick, her parchments, utensils etc. Alex and Portia looked at all the things in the trunk. Curiosity getting the better of her Alex picked up a book when Alicia's back was turned, earning a glare from Portia.
Alicia turned to see the two reading her transfiguration text book. Both were staring open mouthed at the contents.
"Told you she was into this stuff." Alex said to Portia
"What do you mean?"
"Clearly it's a hobby." Alex shrugged
Portia looked at Alicia who nodded, trying to encourage the idea but Portia raised her eyebrows.
"I don't think that's it." Alex looked from the book to Portia and then to Alicia.
"What else would it be?" Alex asked slowly.
Alicia put the things in her hands into the trunk and continued as the two watched. She placed her wand in her pocket and felt the girls' eyes on her.
Portia was looking at everything in the trunk, at Alicia, the owl, the broom. She looked at Alicia scrutinisingly. She knew Alicia had none of these things until she met Harry and went to that school, but she didn't understand why she'd need any of it for a boarding school.
Alicia continued to move, she knew Dumbledore will try and get her out of here before she'd have the chance to run down to Harry's. She also knew Dumbledore would have to explain some situation to Ms Bane and probably give her an alibi to give Harry when he came looking for her. Hopefully that'd give her a little more time if she packed quickly…
She ignored the two girls standing around watching, Alex moving back to the trunk every time her back was turned. She'd given up on bothering to hide it now, there was no point. They didn't know the truth and the suspicions had been there since her third year at least. They were bound to figure it out, and if they worked it out themselves maybe she wouldn't get in trouble. Even if she did, their memories would be wiped and that'd be the end of it.
"You've only been back for like two weeks as if you're leaving already?" Portia muttered as she looked through Alicia's potions book confused "Half this stuff I've never even heard of…" she muttered more to herself.
"I don't actually get the choice." Alicia muttered "And it wouldn't surprise me, remember, different world." she was grabbing clothes from her cupboard to throw into the trunk.
"How do you carry this with this many things in it?" Alex demanded looking at the piling up trunk.
"Practice." Alicia answered.
"This is going to sound really stupid but I have to ask," Portia began looking up from the book worried "Are these really a hobby or…?" Alicia sighed
"They're actually, my text books." she confessed, giving up on the secrecy, she was leaving anyway.
"No they're not." Alex disagreed shaking her head. "How can these be text books? They're gibberish."
"To you." Alicia said, not stopping to look at their faces.
"You're telling me you learn how to change things from one object to another and mix… potions?" Alex laughed slightly
"You wanted to know what the hells going on with me, this is the answer. I'm over bothering to be discreet with you both, you'd figure it out eventually." Alicia moved over to Noel who was sitting quietly in her cage watching the girls. Alicia opened the door and placed her arm in for the owl to hop onto which she did.
"I don't think you want to be cooped up so go to where Hermione and Ron are. I'll meet you there." She said moving over to the window. Alex and Portia looked at one another with a worried look. Alicia was talking to a bird…
The owl nibbled Alicia's ear before spreading her wide wings and taking off through the window. Alicia then turned to clean out Noel's cage.
"You know talking to a bird makes you look crazy right?"
"To me and all my friends, it's normal to own an owl and to talk to it." Alicia said simply as she looked through her trunk. She sighed as she rearranged it making it neat so that the lid would close. She took the books back from Portia and Alex and any other's they'd removed.
"Talking to owls, or even owning one, isn't normal."
"To you lot." Alicia muttered. She sighed as she tried to make everything fit. "This'd be so much easier if I could use Pack." she muttered irritatedly as the two girls rose an eyebrow.
"Come on, as if you haven't figured it out yet." Alicia sighed "I'm not allowed to tell you but you want to know so just hurry up and piece the dots together would you." she moved over to her bedside table and picked up the moving picture frame of her parents as well as all the Daily Prophets which were going on top. She didn't need to keep all the papers but she felt it better for when she'd get frustrated later on and want to go threw them all again, as she knew would happen. Just because she was leaving, doesn't mean she'd be told anything specific. If Mrs Weasley had her way she'd probably disallow all her children plus Hermione and Alicia to be excluded. Alicia wasn't going to stand for that though.
"Alicia it looks like you're obsessed with witchcraft." Alex said with a rise eyebrow
"Not obsessed, it's to do with school." Alicia corrected
"You're saying you're learning witchcraft at school?" Portia wondered, talking slowly
"Yep." The girls looked surprised.
"Ladies." Alicia stopped and turned to them "Harry and I attend Hogwarts School or Witchcraft and Wizardry." she said giving a slight curtsy before returning to her packing.
"But do not tell a single soul or I promise I'll erase you're memories of this." she warned with her back to them as she moved a few more things in her trunk and then closed the lid. It was a tight squeeze and she shuffled her things a bit more before the lid closed with a click and Alicia was able to lock the locks together. She then grabbed Noel's cage and placed it on top.
"Sorry. Are you telling us you're a witch?" Alex asked, she looked as though daring Alicia to say yes. The girl moved her wand from her pocket and held it out for the two to see.
"Yes. I am." she admitted "Hence the wand," she pointed "The broom, the owl, the magic text books, the secrecy, etcetera etcetera." she muttered before crossing her arms and watching them.
Both girls stared.
"All those weird things I did as a child, the fact that I was suddenly taken to a different school no one had heard of, the fact that I found a long lost sibling… all ties back to that."
Still nothing from the girls who were staring.
"I'd show you, but there's a law that underage witches and wizards aren't allowed to do magic outside of school." Alicia sighed "There's also a law that non magic folk, aka Muggles, aren't allowed to know so you can't tell anyone! If they find out you know, they'll wipe your memories and probably arrest me or something."
"For something so trivial?" Alex said, her voice sounded as though she didn't believe a single word of this.
"Our government, known as the Ministry of Magic, isn't very happy with Harry and I at the moment."
"Oh yeah?" Alex asked with a chuckle "What did you do?"
"Told the world something terrible had happened and naturally the Minister of Magic, like the top government guy, decided we were lying because he's too afraid to face the truth."
"And what could be so bad?" Alicia was ignoring Alex's tone as Portia stared, her mouth hanging open.
"The guy who killed my parents, the evilest, darkest wizard of this age, came back to life… sort of, he was never really dead in the first place."
Alex's sarcastic disbelieving tone vanished as the girls looked shocked.
"Your parents were killed?" they both asked
"Murdered." Alicia nodded "And the guy who did it, wants to kill Harry too, that was his intention from the beginning. And don't ask me why cause I still don't know." she said simply as she turned to look at everything and make sure everything she needed was there. Her trunk and Noel's cage sat together and Alicia had her normal carry bag packed with what was left of her money, a jacket, a book, some parchment, ink and quill and the Marauders map which she still possessed from when Mr Crouch's son had handed it to her a few weeks ago. Her wand would go in depending on her means of travel.
"Okay, I think I'm packed." she muttered glancing around the room again. "Right then!" and she moved to the door but as she opened it Dumbledore stood there. Alicia sighed and her face fell. She hoped he hadn't heard any of their conversation but his expression was the same calm distant look had been before.
"I have contacted a few people who will be here within a few minutes to collect you." he explained glancing at Alex and Portia. Alicia saw his usual twinkling smile appear within the crook of his mouth for a minute.
"I have informed Ms Bane of your situation and I will see you next time I'm around." he admitted and Alicia raised an eyebrow almost not believing him. The headmaster nodded his head before turning and leaving.
Alicia believed he'd given her caretaker an excuse or alibi for Harry, he wouldn't explain in detail about Voldemort, she didn't need to be freaked out… but maybe she did need to know, after all, Alicia could be putting all the other kids in danger.
"Who's he?" Alex whispered as they peaked their heads around the door frame to watch the old man leave.
"He's the headmaster, absolutely brilliant, a bit mad though." Alicia admitted
"He looks ancient!"
"How'd he get his beard so long?" Alicia rolled her eyes and turned to pick up her bag and Noel's cage. She walked them down the stairs to the door before returning to grab her trunk. She'd lugged it down these stairs four times already, and she expected to be doing so until she graduated.
Alex and Portia watched her surprised as she instinctively pulled the trunk down the stairs and pulled it up next to the front door.
"Are you going to say good bye to Harry?" Portia wondered
"It has been purposely arranged so that I can't." Alicia sighed
"What do you mean?" Alex's eyebrows furrowed. Alicia held her finger up telling them to wait before speaking in a loud voice.
"Hey Alex, I think I'm going to quickly run down to Harry's and say goodbye." they quickly heard Ms Bane's shoes hitting the floor before she appeared in the hall.
"Alicia, Professor Dumbledore asked that you remain here until your escorts arrive so you don't miss them. He said they wont be long." she informed. Alicia turned to the two girls with an expected look and they looked surprised.
Ms Bane walked away, glancing at the three after Alicia agreed to stay.
"What's that about?"
"Harry's not allowed to know anything for some reason so I'm not allowed to run off and tell him." Alicia said
"Tell him what?" Alex wondered
"I'm being rushed off to a secret place where everything's happening. I can't tell you anything incase someone's listening." she rolled her eyes.
"Why would someone be listening?" Alex wondered
"It's moving into a dark time for our kind." Alicia whispered "The man who murdered Harry and my parents is back and he's evil as evil, kills for fun." Alicia muttered and the girls looked surprised. Alicia nodded
"You watch the news over the next year, unexplained disappearances, killings, mysterious changes in character, or weather." Alicia said "Do me a favour, never go anywhere alone and suspect everyone weird looking." she warned and the girls looked worried "I don't think you're in any trouble if I'm not here but who knows." she bit her lip. "And when Harry comes around to find me and Ms Bane gives him some bullshit explanation," Alicia lowered her voice "tell him Dumbledore came to find me, took me to the headquarters of his operation and doesn't want Harry knowing anything! Hermione and Ron are there too." Alicia said speaking slowly. "Understand?" the girls looked at one another before nodding.
"Great." Alicia hugged them both "If you can do that, it'd mean the world! But be careful, he's going to pissed about it." they nodded again. "And tell him I'm going to try and contact him but it probably wont be by owl."
"Owl?" Portia asked
"We send letters with owls." Alicia nodded "Instead of post." they looked surprised
"Just remember all that, go write it down if you have to, just remember." They nodded again before the door rang.
Alicia moved to open it to find a tall bald man standing before her.
"Alicia I assume?" he asked and Alicia nodded mutely.
"Kingsley Shacklebolt." He introduced and she nodded again. "I'm here to take you to your godfather." Alicia glanced at Portia and Alex who both looked shocked by the news she had a living adult relative other than the Dursleys.
"Thanks, my things are just here." she pointed and Kingsley nodded. He turned around and nodded his head to the door. Alicia followed his glance to see three other people by a car. Was that a ministry car? Alicia wasn't sure how they managed to get one for her as the Ministry didn't like her all that much…
Two men walked forwards as well as a young girl.
"Alicia this is Dedlus Diggle, Sturgus Podmore and Nymphadora Tonks." Nymphadora shuddered and pulled a face as her name was said.
"It's Tonks." she corrected, she had violent violet hair and a heart shaped face.
"Alicia E-Potter." she stumbled and waved to which they all beamed at her.
"Alicia, is that you— ?" Ms Bane paused at the doorway
"I believe it is Ms Bane." Alicia nodded "This is my caretaker." she introduced to the four wizards. Each nodded their heads to her before Sturgis and Dedalus moved to take Alicia's trunk and cage to the car.
Alicia turned to Alex and Portia and pulled them both into a hug.
"Don't forget what I said and look out for one another, I'll see you next summer. Hopefully." she muttered "If you have any questions ask Harry, though, he might not want company so don't push it." she warned and the two nodded. "And try not to ask about what happened at the end of the year, I don't think he'll want to talk about that either." she pulled away from them and smiled.
"Have a good year."
"Write to us?" they asked and Alicia nodded before turning and grabbing her rucksack and walking to the door.
"Be careful." Ms Bane ordered
"I'll try." Alicia sighed before she walked to the car.