Chapter 4:

Alicia tucked into her breakfast quietly as people came and went from around her. She hadn't seen Sirius yet that morning, nor the twins, Ginny, Ron or Hermione. All seemed to be sleeping. That was what she wanted, Mrs Weasley was cooking, Lupin, who was staying in the house with Sirius, was reading the daily prophet and Tonks, who'd been here before Alicia, was eating her breakfast as she stared off thinking about something.

"Alicia!" she looked up to see Mr Weasley walking in "I heard you arrived yesterday."

"Hello Mr Weasley, how are you?" Alicia wondered

"Good good, well you know, under the circumstances." he sighed and Alicia nodded in understanding.

"Would you like some more Alicia?" Mrs Weasley asked as Alicia finished her last mouthful.

"No." she said simply before getting up and leaving the kitchen. She could feel everyone's eyes on her but didn't turn.

Alicia made her way up the stairs slowly, actually taking a look of the surroundings around her. Up the stairs were a heap of sunken elf heads mounted on the walls. A few of the doorknobs looked like serpent heads and Alicia quickly got the impression that all of Sirius' family were Slytherins but him. They were probably on Voldemort's side as well.

Well there's a black sheep in every family. Alicia muttered.

She moved to the second landing in which Harry and Ron were sharing a room, or would be she assumed when Harry arrived. There were three more doors beside this, one of which had a bathroom sign. Alicia assumed the girls were in one of the rooms and Lupin or the Weasley's parents would be in one.

She moved upstairs further were her room was, the twins were in one of the others and Alicia guessed one of which would be Sirius' mother's room. By the clicking of a beak she heard she guessed this was right as Buckbeak was in this room.

Alicia moved up the stairs some more to find the top of the building where two doors only stood. One read Sirius and the other Regulus Arcturus Black, though there was more to the sign.

Do not enter

Without the Express Permission of

And then the name was underneath. Alicia didn't know Sirius had a brother, at least she guessed that was who he was.

Alicia moved to Sirius' door and knocked, there was no noise from the other side so she opened the door. Sirius was snoring inside and Alicia chuckled. She contemplated for a second before she walked in and closed the door behind her. She'd never had a parent she could wake up in the morning without getting in a shit load of trouble before.

The room was rather handsome, more so than the bedrooms Alicia had seen. There was a large bed with a carved wooden headboard, a tall window obscured by long velvet curtains, and a chandelier with candles resting in its sockets, solid wax beginning to hang in frostlike drips.

She stood by the door quietly wondering of which way she wanted to do this most before she grinned, ran and jumped onto the bed. Sirius jumped awake after she'd hit him round the middle and seemed to automatically pull her arm to get her off as a reflex. Her back hit the floor and all she could do was laugh.

"Alicia?" Sirius questioned as she took a deep breath in

"Got ya." she managed to say before she laughed some more.

"Jeez." he grumbled as she poked her tongue out at him. "Just like your father." he grumbled but there was a grin on his face.

"Hey you want to sleep in, you suffer the consequences." she said before standing up with a grin. Sirius just groaned and rolled over.

"Don't make me pull those blankets off." she warned as she moved to the vanity. There were pictures and posters over the walls, something Alicia assumed had been there from when Sirius was a teenager. There was several Gryffindor banners, something Alicia was sure had Permanent Sticking Charms on them to annoy his Slytherin parents. There were quite a few pictures of muggle motorcycles and even some muggle girls in bikinis. Alicia couldn't help but smirk, the only reason she knew they were muggles was because the pictures didn't move. Amongst these were pictures of four Hogwarts students standing arm in arm and laughing, these pictures moved.

Alicia grinned as she noticed Harry's untidy black hair upon their father's head, a pair of glasses on his nose just like his son. Beside him was Sirius, carelessly handsome, his slightly arrogant face so much younger and happier than Alicia had yet to see. To Sirius's right stood Pettigrew, more than a head shorter, plump and watery-eyed, flushed with pleasure at his inclusion in this coolest of gangs, with the much-admired rebels that James and Sirius had been. On James's left was Lupin, even then a little shabby-looking, but he had the same air of delighted surprise at finding himself liked and included. Alicia chuckled as they all waved at her and she waved back.

"Those were the days." Sirius grinned from behind her.

"Let me guess, it's stuck to the wall as well?" she asked

"I wasn't allowing my mother to remove any of it, even if I was't coming back." Sirius smirked. Alicia sighed with a frown.

"That's unfortunate."

"Why?" Sirius wondered

"Because. I want it." she said simply and Sirius chuckled. "To bad there isn't…" Alicia grinned "Where are those twins?" she wondered

"Alicia?" Sirius stopped her as she moved to the door "What are you doing?"

"The gemini spell." Alicia grinned "I can't use magic but they can, so I'll just borrow one of their wands."

"You can't use magic," Sirius said "The ministry will know—"

"If magic was done in the vicinity, there are several of age wizards in this house and my wand isn't the one being used. Anyway, this place is probably too protected to give exact details, maybe just vague ones." she shrugged "Besides, if I can cause a little more trouble to Dumbledore, I'm taking that." but Sirius still didn't let her leave.

"Alicia,"

"I'm sorry are you going to save him from dealing with me and tell me what the Order is up to… or am I too childish like Mrs Weasley said? Can I not handle it?" Sirius looked at her annoyed for thinking he'd think this.

"You know I'll figure it all out anyway, whether it be in a month or a few weeks. I already know Snape's infiltrating the Death Eaters, that Hagrid's out persuading the giants, that Mr Weasley and the other Ministry employees in the Order are going to try and persuade and group other people to join us and believe Voldemort's back as Fudge is against it. I know about Percy and how Mr Weasley is suspected. I know Dumbledore's having Harry followed, I know you're being forced to stay in the house because Wormtail knows about your animal so Voldemort will know. I know Voldemort's laying low in order to maintain his secret uprising and that's why there's been no news, or at least I'm guessing thats the plan, but I also know that Voldemort wont sit around doing nothing, especially as Dumbledore knows, and that with Snape you'll know what he's up to." Alicia took a deep breath as she finished and had counted a few of the facts on her fingers as she spoke.

"What I do not know are the finer details, like what Snape will probably tell you all about what he's doing and about Voldemort's plans." she huffed.

Sirius looked at her surprised.

"I was there when Voldemort announced his plans and I was there when Dumbledore ordered you and Snape to your assignments." she rolled her eyes. "I am keeping a very fine ear out for any news because I know that you all will treat me like I'm six and can't handle it and therefore wont tell me anything."

"Which is why I've been trying to persuade Dumbledore to tell you and Harry at least." Alicia looked at her godfather surprised.

"Really?" she asked crossing her arms.

"You and Harry are the reason we know Voldemort's back and have been through a lot more hardship than most of us in the order." Alicia couldn't deny that "Besides, you're not going to sit around and you'll probably have the answers before us anyway." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Or, I wont get the answer and Harry and I will either end up in the hospital wing again, dead, or someone else will be instead." Alicia worried "I already bargained this case to Dumbledore and it didn't really change his mind." Alicia sighed

"Did you talk to him about Harry knowing?" Sirius asked

"Yes, and he disagreed, well he only told me about why Harry has to stay in Little Whinging but didn't have a legible reason as to why Harry isn't allowed to know. Or at least he wouldn't tell it to me." she grumbled annoyed

"Guess that explains why you're irritated with him." Sirius smirked

"You are too. He's keeping you cooped in this house." Sirius grimaced and looked around his room.

"Something I never thought would happen again."

"Was it terrible to live here then?"

"Well you've probably noticed how the house looks."

"Like it was inhabited by dark wizards." Alicia nodded. Sirius sighed

"My dear mother and father, both Slytherins, my brother as well. He went on to join Voldemort of course, got himself killed for it." Sirius sighed and Alicia looked at him slightly surprised. "My parents were all about their pure blood mania,"

"Not unlike the Malfoy's then." Alicia sighed

"Who I happen to be related to through marriage." Sirius admitted

"With so little pure bloods left that doesn't surprise me. I guess when you were put into Gryffindor your parents weren't very happy?"

"I hadn't liked it here even before then." Sirius confessed "Even Kreacher was terrible to me."

"Black sheep in every bunch." Alicia grinned. "Sort of surprising how much like Harry you are." Sirius raised an eyebrow "Within a family that hates you, always looking forward to going back to your real home and family within Hogwarts." Alicia listed "Great friends, slight fortune…" she grinned and Sirius chuckled.

"I guess that's a good point." he nodded.

"Besides, it's in the past now, you're the only Black left and Harry's here to carry on your legacy. Which might be needed if you get hurt or…" Alicia trailed off and Sirius placed a hand under her chin as she lowered her gaze.

"Don't you worry about me, alright. Let's just focus on stopping Voldemort."

"Sirius I've already lost both my parents, you can't help me for having a slight worry at loosing you, or Harry or any of the Weasley's as well." Sirius sighed

"I guess not." he agreed "Just like I worry of loosing you or Harry… it'd be like…"

"Like loosing Lily and James all over again…?" she wondered. Sirius sighed but nodded.

Alicia pursed her lips.

"Sirius, are you seriously going to keep me excluded from all this?"

"Alicia, there are only certain things you need to know."

"No there's not." Alicia said sternly, to Sirius' slight surprise. "Because everything Voldemort does leads somehow back to Harry who I refuse to leave alone and therefore it involves me as well." she explained "I may not have been the reason Voldemort came to our house but I was involved either way."

Sirius sighed.

"I still don't know why Voldemort wanted to kill Harry in the first place though?" Alicia admitted softly, looking at Sirius slightly hopeful.

"Unfortunately Alicia, that is something only Dumbledore can tell you." he admitted

"Why?"

"Because he's the only one who knows the full story."

"So basically I'm never gonna find out." Alicia huffed.

"Now come on, Dumbledore has his reasons." Sirius reminded her, but he had a scowl on his face.

"If you're going to say that to me at least believe they're good reasons or it doesn't make me feel any better." Sirius chuckled slightly.

"Come on, let's go have some breakfast."

"I've already had breakfast." Alicia smirked and Sirius raised an eyebrow before taking her hand and leading her down stairs anyway. Alicia just rolled her eyes with a groan.

Mrs Weasley handed her some baked beans, scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, despite her protests earlier of being full. Alicia therefore sat chatting comfortably to Sirius as the Weasley boys, Ginny and Hermione finally emerged.

"I'm glad you lot finally decided to get up." Mrs Weasley sighed

"We're on holidays mum." Fred yawned

"Give us a break." George said. Alicia however raised an eyebrow at them and earned a wink when they caught her expression. Alicia highly doubted they'd been sleeping all morning, either that or they slept in from being up late last night. She knew without needing the explosions or constant whispering between the two.

"Right today, we're going to clean out the room Alicia's in." Mrs Weasley claimed. She paused

"You mean you haven't already?" Alicia questioned

"Well it took us about four days to clean the kitchen here, which was of utmost importance." Ron admitted

"Then we cleaned our room." Ginny said

"Our room." the twins added

"And mine." Ron shrugged

"Only because they were complaining." Mrs Weasley sighed

"Better that than getting bitten in the night." George muttered

"I didn't get bitten last night?" Alicia smirked slightly and the twins rolled their eyes.

"After that we move onto your father and my room, then Sirius' and Lupins. We can take the rest of the bedrooms in turn from there and then the dinning, drawing and lounge are last." Mrs Weasley decided. "Good knows what's been growing there though."

"I'll help clean my room out, but that's it." Alicia said strongly and Mrs Weasley looked surprised.

"I'm sorry dear?" she asked as the twins shared a look and Hermione looked worried. Sirius looked surprised also.

"I'll help," Alicia shrugged "As long as I'm not treated as a child and I can be included in the Order meetings." she said before spooning some toast, bacon and eggs into her mouth. Mrs Weasley's eyes widened and everyone turned to her to see her reaction.

"Otherwise I have homework and other more important matters to attend to, whether I'm locked in this house or not." Alicia concluded.

"If you have time to sit within the meetings you have time to help make this house liveable." Mrs Weasley scolded

"Mrs Weasley," Alicia's voice was still calm as she stood up with her empty plate "As much as I am thrilled for your care of me and my happiness and thankfulness for all the times you looked after Harry and me, you are not my mother and therefore I do not feel obliged to listen." Everyone looked surprised at her words, Mrs Weasley especially. "I do thank you for caring about me but I'm not a child and either I find out straight from you all, or I find out the hard way which I promise will probably put me in more danger than I've been in yet, considering Voldemort is heavily involved." Alicia had moved to the sink and was washing her dishes as silence rang in the room.

"That is my only purpose for being in this house honestly. If I'm being excluded and treated like a six year old who can't clean her own dishes or make her bed then I don't see how I'm able to participate in cleaning the house either." she turned to everyone's surprised faces.

"Thanks for breakfast Mrs Weasley." and Alicia left the room.

She paused up the stairs however to hear the room had exploded as the twins fought for their right to be a part of the order and Ron, Hermione and Ginny tried the same. She heard them all say they wanted to help and Mrs Weasley said, very sternly, that they could by helping clean up. This didn't help or make the others feel any better but Mrs Weasley's stern voice cut through everything and silence fell. Hermione was under her care after all and the rest were her children and therefore her decision.

Alicia wasn't going to let any of that be her downfall. As far as she was aware, Sirius was her caretaker here and he had said nothing except that within his room earlier, which had been before she'd opened her mouth as to her reason for being allowed to know. Perhaps she could persuade him… She was definitely going to try.

Alicia spent the day helping everyone clean out the weird little creatures and mould within her room which she hadn't noticed the day before. Mrs Weasley said she'd done the sheets when she learned Alicia was coming so she'd have something clean and safe to sleep in at least. The curtains, carpet, wardrobe, vanity and any other furniture however needed a serious clean. Things ran and put up a fight for them. Sirius found a few things in the draws and took them to throw them out and several things Alicia took back.

"They're junk." Sirius grumbled

"Only because you hate this house. Now considering I have no family heirlooms other than a map and a cloak, of which I share with Harry, I'm not letting you throw some of it out. It can go in my vault and stay there for eternity, as long as I can keep some things." she scolded to which Sirius rolled his eyes and muttered profanities under his breath.

"What do you mean a map?" Fred asked having been listening as Alicia put a goblet in her trunk along with some photographs and other random objects she'd store away for eternity.

Sirius and Alicia paused as well as Ron and Hermione. Mrs Weasley was at some Bundimun hiding behind the wardrobe in the corner. Alicia noticed she'd seen quite a bit of it through the house.

"Didn't we tell you?" Alicia asked and the twins shared a confused look as Alicia grinned. "Remember the Marauders Map?" she asked and they nodded "Well, Lupin, Sirius, Wormtail and my dad, James, are the ones who wrote it." Fred and George stared open mouthed at Sirius. "Fred and George are the ones who found the map in Filch's office. They gave it to Harry and I in our third year. The year you escaped in fact." Alicia explained to Sirius.

Sirius laughed.

"Why does that not surprise me."

Fred and George tried to question Sirius about it and how they made the map and all sorts of other questions until Mrs Weasley told them all to get to work again.

They didn't stop other than for lunch otherwise but by mid afternoon the room was clean and decontaminated.

"Well, I'd say that's a job well done." Mrs Weasley said wiping her brow.

"Well I say have fun with the rest of the house." Alicia muttered, earning scowls from the others as Sirius laughed. Mrs Weasley turned and left without a word of it. Everyone watched her go.

"I'm surprised she isn't making you help." Fred confessed

"It's because she knows of Alicia's stubbornness." Sirius admitted "She doesn't want Alicia involved anymore than the rest of you so she's putting up with Alicia's terms instead of giving in to them."

"It's a good thing she's not the one who's in charge of me then isn't it." Alicia said with a raised eyebrow and Sirius looked at her seriously.

"Alicia…"

"Don't 'Alicia' me, I'll beat it out of you if I have to but you will tell me everything." she said strongly

"And you'll tell us." Fred grinned

"That depends," Alicia shrugged

"On what?"

"How detrimental it is to your health, life and need to know basis." Alicia said and the twins looked at her irritated as Ginny and Ron snickered. Hermione however looked disapprovingly at her.

"Oh by the way," she said to Fred and George. "Can I borrow one of your wands?" she wondered and they raised an eyebrow

"Why?"

"There's a picture upstairs I want to duplicate." Alicia confessed "Someone," she gave Sirius a pointed look "Stuck it to the wall so I can't have it."

"Why do you need our wand?"

"Well so I don't need to use my own." Alicia said with a roll of her eyes. "Kind of cant remember."

"Alright,"

"On one condition,"

"I don't need to tell you anything you'll be listening in anyway." Alicia cut them off and the twins grinned.

Once Alicia's room was decontaminated everyone left to do another bedroom, Alicia however stayed. She shut the door behind everyone and waited to make sure they were all out of ear shot before she moved and sat at the end of one of the beds.

I have no idea what I'm doing… she thought "But I've got to try." she breathed before taking a deep breath.

She closed her eyes and remembered the times she'd had her ghost experiences. Every time, Harry had been in some distress or trouble. All but one Alicia had been asleep. Then there were the times she felt Harry's pain as her own, when he hurt his leg in the maze a few weeks ago, when Voldemort had tormented him with the Cruciatus Curse. She'd felt it as her own.

Dumbledore had said they were linked, in a way different from ordinary twins, their curse allowed them to have this connection. The mark left by both Voldemort and by their mother, Voldemort's mark being more visible, but their mother's having a more positive effect.

This didn't help Alicia decide how to access their bond. So far Harry hadn't been effected by it, at least, he hadn't as far as she was aware. Who knows, if it had happened to Harry since they left Hogwarts it would have had to happen the day she was picked up. That day, more than any she wished he was with her, wished to talk to him. She didn't want him left out of this, no matter what Dumbledore said.

Which is why we need to make this work… she reminded herself.

She shook her head, removing all the thoughts and concentrating on Harry. She had to start somewhere, she was working blind and this was her only idea.

She could picture her twin, the day they met, their first day in Diagon Alley, their first day on the train. All the times Alicia read their books to him before they even went to school, her fascination and Harry's interest in a different world exisiting, one they happened to be part of. She remembered when she first saw their parents in the Mirror of Erised. And then when Dumbledore explained it to them at the end of the year, or told them some things.

Alicia opened her eyes confused. Dumbledore hadn't told them very much… he'd explained that Voldemort couldn't kill them because their mother died to save them, but the old headmaster denied in telling them why Voldemort wanted to kill Harry in the first place. The question hadn't come up again, to be fair there hadn't been time to really think about it. But why had Voldemort wanted to kill Harry…? What could the darkest wizard of the age have gained by killing a baby…?

Alicia shook her head, she could think about it some other time. She was trying to contact Harry. She couldn't send an owl, well she could but it wouldn't do any good, so this was her only option.

She closed her eyes again and thought over her previous ghost experiences again. She remembered the feeling. She felt whole but something was missing. She hadn't been able to touch anything so a sense of weightlessness overcame her in that moment, despite being able to walk and having to swim properly through water. Her hands were transparent, she was see through, but she could touch Harry. She saw things from his point of view…

"Alicia!" Alicia jumped and looked up to see Ron standing before her. He was looking at her confused

"What?" she demanded annoyed and Ron shied away slightly

"Uh… Sirius wanted to have a word with you…" he confessed slowly.

Alicia huffed and stood up before leaving the room without a glance at Ron. She'd felt something, she'd been thinking deeply, she hadn't been alone that long why on earth was Sirius already bothering her?

Maybe he's agreed to tell you things… said a voice in her head.

After a few hours, yeah right. Alicia muttered.

Alicia headed down to the kitchen and then up to Sirius' mother's room when her Godfather wasn't there. She found him attending to Buckbeak, the hippogriff Sirius had escaped on just over a year ago.

"Alright," she shut the door and Sirius looked up at her "What on earth was so important you made Ron play errand boy?"

"I know you Alicia," Sirius began as he stroked Buckbeak's nose. "And you taking a stand and not participating in helping without something in return is not the only thing you're up to. You're not going to sit here and leave Harry in the dark."

"The man's a genius. But I'm pretty sure everyone knows that. I at least told the twins, Ginny, Ron and Hermione."

"But they don't all know what I know." Sirius raised an eyebrow and turned to her. "Alicia when was the last time you had one of your… ghost moments?"

"I don't know." Alicia shrugged "When Mr Crouch was killed." she didn't mention how she'd been feeling Harry's pain long after that. "Besides what does that matter?" she asked casually, trying to look confused "It's not like I know how it works?" Sirius raised an eyebrow at her and she just did the same.

"So you're not going to tell me whether you're going to use this new found free time to figure that out?" he asked

"Personally I have no idea where I'd even start. And so what if I did? Would you stop me? Are you seriously okay with Harry not knowing?" Alicia questioned

"No. I feel if anyone's going to be allowed any information it should be you and Harry." Sirius admitted

"But you don't feel brave enough to go against Dumbledore?" Alicia asked and Sirius looked at her annoyed.

"Look, I am going to try and send him any kind of message I can. I do not care what Dumbledore thinks, as he was unable to give me a proper reason for not telling Harry, I will not comply." Alicia said strongly.

"Alicia, just because Dumbledore doesn't tell us doesn't mean he isn't right or doesn't have a good reason." Sirius explained

"Yeah and he's keeping you locked in a house you hate to the depths of hell. You are unable to convince me of anything." Alicia admitted

"Now, I was busy and you interrupted me, so if you'll excuse me." Alicia turned and left before Sirius could try and convince her to listen to Dumbledore or get out of her whether she was planning on controlling the connection she had with Harry or not.

"Alicia, dear." Alicia sighed and looked down the staircase to see Mrs Weasley smiling up at her "I don't suppose you have a minute to give me a hand?" Alicia replied by walking down the rest of the stairs.

"You don't seem happy?" Fred had apparated next to her.

"I'd think irritated is a better word." the faint pop of George appearing sounded from her other side.

"It's really simple, people don't know how to leave me alone." Alicia said simply as she walked down to the kitchen. Mrs Weasley had a heap of plates and cutlery on the table.

"Could you set the table for me?"

Alicia did so without question. Mrs Weasley proceeded to make her help with dinner, in which Alicia didn't argue. As much as she'd rather be upstairs figuring herself out, she had to eat as well, so she couldn't back out of helping. Sirius didn't seem the type to blab to Mrs Weasley of all people about his hunches but that didn't mean the women wasn't suspicious as to Alicia's actions.

She helped serve the food out and everyone was called down. The entire Weasley family minus Percy and Charlie, plus Alicia, Hermione, Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Kingsley had dropped in, a small man by the name of Mundungus Fletcher made an appearance as well as the two that had helped Tonks pick Alicia up, Dedalus and Sturgis. It seemed like the kitchen was completely filled more than usual.

Alicia was engaged into several conversations. Mrs Weasley continued to push her to people, Alicia assumed this was to keep her from wondering off on her own.

"Alicia," Sirius was the one to drag her off to someone else this time, she was standing before Mundungus Fletcher. "Dung here is helping follow Harry."

"Oh yeah, he still stealing papers and trying to listen to the news?" Alicia wondered casually. Sirius raised an eyebrow as Mundungus sighed.

"I'll take that as a yes." Alicia smirked.

By the time Alicia lugged herself up the stairs she crashed onto her bed and stayed there.

"God." she breathed feeling tired and exhausted. "Mrs Weasley better not do this every day." Alicia muttered annoyed.