Chapter 22:

Alicia re-bandaged her hand the next morning. Despite being a little sleep deprived she'd awoken after the sun but before all of her dorm mates. She dressed quietly and moved down to the common room, finding that the hats Hermione had hidden were all gone as well as the rubbish she had hidden them under.

A few people were yawning in the common room, either already had breakfast or being a person who didn't eat very early in the morning. Alicia moved off down to the great Hall but came to a stop when she saw Cho.

"Good morning." Alicia smiled

"Morning Alicia, looking forward to Quidditch practice?" Cho smiled

"Am I ever." Alicia moaned and Cho chuckled

"Hey, Harry's not ordering Dungbombs is he?" Alicia blinked in confusion

"No? It's the Weasley twins that'd do that?" she said "Why?"

"Filch just ran into the Owlery blaming Harry for sending a large order of them."

"Filch did?" Alicia said the confusion only growing "Wait…" Alicia said before Cho could speak again "Harry was in the Owlery?" she asked and Cho nodded again.

"I forgot it's my mother's birthday today and went up to send her a parcel to find him there." she blushed slightly. Alicia smiled

"Well, it is best to send owls early before people can ask questions or steal all the good owls." Alicia believed and Cho nodded

"Well, I'll see you Alicia." and she waved before moving on.

Alicia turned for the corridor her expression set.

The owlery huh. she thought. The only reason for Harry to send a letter would be to Sirius and the only reason to do that would be if Harry was worried about something.

Yeah, his scar hurt last night.

"Sending messages when Moody said not to." Alicia grumbled as she moved off towards the Great Hall.

Alicia sat down for her breakfast, pulling a cup of pumpkin juice towards her and moving to find some porridge.

"Morning." Alicia looked up to see Harry sitting down at the table. He was grinning and looked rather pleased about something.

"Morning." Alicia said slowly with a sly grin.

"What?" Harry asked

"You're the one grinning like a mad man." Alicia smirked

"We're playing Quidditch."

"Yeah I know, I'm stoked about it." Alicia nodded as she put some porridge in her mouth.

"Well, so am I."

"Soo… you're mood doesn't have anything to do with, say, a familiar raven haired girl…?" Alicia asked slowly and Harry paused in eating his bacon and eggs to look at her surprised. She just looked at him with sly amusement as she ate her porridge.

"You weren't… I didn't see you…" Alicia chuckled

"I wasn't there Harry." she assured

"Then how'd you…?" Harry questioned

"I saw Cho on my way down here." Alicia shrugged "Asked me if you were ordering dungbombs."

"Yeah, for some reason Filch thought I was." Harry said "Something about a tip."

"Bet it was Malfoy." Alicia rolled her eyes "Or someone who doesn't believe you and wants you in more trouble." she shrugged.

They were silent as Harry contemplated that.

"By the way." Alicia started again and this time when Harry looked at her she was giving him a look full of scrutiny. "The Owlery." Alicia began and Harry just watched her "Sending a letter to our dear friend Snuffles? About a little…" Alicia brushed her hand over her scar on her neck.

Harry turned his expression away.

"Harry what did Moody say?" Alicia asked with a sigh.

"I was smart about it. I didn't say anything that'd make sense to an outsider." Harry admitted "I even reread it several times to check that."

Alicia rolled her eyes but said nothing.

"Still," Alicia grinned "Guess it was a good idea as it got you a morning with Cho." she teased and Harry looked very pleased and yet annoyed she taunted him.

"So what did she say?" Alicia asked excitedly

"Nothing." Harry shrugged

"Bull." Alicia disagreed and Harry looked at her with a raised eyebrow "Come on! Tell you're sister everything!" she beamed. Harry blinked and Alicia continued to watch him in anticipation.

"Don't you have you're own relationship to delve into?" he asked and his expression soured slightly as he turned to glance at the Ravenclaw table were Anthony had sat down with Michael.

"You're the one crushing hard on Cho." Alicia said "It's so much more entertaining so come on! Don't deny me the gossip." she said pouting at her brother with her eyes wide. Harry looked at her surprised.

"Have you ever tried doing that on someone?" Harry wondered

"I'm doing it now." Alicia grumbled and she looked at him with expectation.

"Well…" he muttered "She…" Alicia grinned as she looked at him "She… called me… brave." Harry said smiling slightly.

"Aww!" Alicia beamed "What for?"

"Standing up to Umbridge." Harry shrugged as he turned away from his sister, his face somewhat a little more pink than before. Alicia giggled and glanced at the Ravenclaw table all giddily.

"Well today's been a great day and it's still early!" Alicia beamed. Harry smiled in agreement as Hermione and Ron walked into the Great Hall and down the table towards the two.

"Morning," Harry said brightly to Ron and Hermione, as they joined them at the Gryffindor table.

"What are you looking so pleased about?" said Ron, eyeing Harry in surprise.

"Erm… Quidditch later," said Harry happily, pulling a large platter of bacon and eggs toward him. Alicia giggled and Hermione looked at her with a raised eyebrow before the girl put porridge in her mouth to stop her giggles.

"Oh… yeah…" said Ron. He put down the bit of toast he was eating and took a large swig of pumpkin juice. Then he said, "Listen… you don't fancy going out a bit earlier with me, do you? Just to — er — give me some practice before training? So I can, you know, get my eye in a bit…"

"You mean on the pitch and brooms earlier than usual! Yes!" Alicia beamed after swallowing. "Oh I'm so excited!" she said, and influenced by her emotions her voice rose a few octaves.

"Yeah, okay," said Harry chuckling at his sister's antics

"Look, I don't think you should," said Hermione seriously, "you're both really behind on homework as it —" But she broke off; the morning post was arriving and, as usual, the Daily Prophet was soaring toward her in the beak of a screech owl, which landed perilously close to the sugar bowl and held out a leg; Hermione pushed a Knut into its leather pouch, took the newspaper, and scanned the front page critically as the owl took off again.

"Anything interesting?" said Ron; Harry smiled — he knew Ron was keen to get her off the subject of homework. Alicia chuckled as she looked at Hermione with half expectance, not really expecting anything.

"No," she sighed, "just some guff about the bass player in the Weird Sisters getting married…"

She opened the paper and disappeared behind it. Harry devoted himself to another helping of eggs and bacon; Ron was staring up at the high windows, looking slightly preoccupied and Alicia was glancing at the papers on the other side of Hermione.

"Wait a moment," said Hermione suddenly. "Oh no… Sirius!"

"What's happened?" Alicia and Harry demanded, and he snatched at the paper so violently that it ripped down the middle so that he and Hermione were holding half each. Alicia had Harry's hand in hers as she pulled the paper close, leaning over Harry to read the article.

" 'The Ministry of Magic has received a tip-off from a reliable source that Sirius Black, notorious mass murderer… blah blah blah… is currently hiding in London!' " Hermione read from her half in an anguished whisper.

"Lucius Malfoy, I'll bet anything," said Harry in a low, furious voice. "He did recognise Sirius on the platform…"

"What?" said Ron, looking alarmed. "You didn't say —"

"Shh!" said the other two.

"But Kingsley…" Alicia muttered and looked at Harry before they returned to the paper.

"… 'Ministry warns Wizarding community that Black is very dangerous… killed thirteen people… broke out of Azkaban…' the usual rubbish," Hermione concluded, laying down her half of the paper and looking fearfully at Harry and Ron. "Well, he just won't be able to leave the house again, that's all," she whispered. "Dumbledore did warn him not to."

"Oh…" Alicia mumbled her excited spirit drowned.

Harry looked down glumly at the bit of the Prophet he had torn off.

"Hey!" he said, flattening it down so Hermione and Ron could both see it. "Look at this!"

"I've got all the robes I want," said Ron.

"No," said Harry, "look… this little piece here…"

Alicia, Ron and Hermione bent closer to read it; the item was barely an inch long and placed right at the bottom of a column. It was head-lined:

TRESPASS AT MINISTRY

Sturgis Podmore, 38, of number two, Laburnum Gardens, Clapham, has appeared in front of the Wizengamot charged with trespass and attempted robbery at the Ministry of Magic on 31st August. Podmore was arrested by Ministry of Magic watch-wizard Eric Munch, who found him attempting to force his way through a top-security door at one o'clock in the morning. Podmore, who refused to speak in his own defence, was convicted on both charges and sentenced to six months in Azkaban."

Alicia paused.

"Sturgis Podmore?" said Ron slowly, "but he's that bloke who looks like his head's been thatched, isn't he? He's one of the Ord —"

"Ron, shh!" said Hermione, casting a terrified look around them.

"Six months in Azkaban!" whispered Harry, shocked. "Just for trying to get through a door!"

"Don't be silly, it wasn't just for trying to get through a door — what on earth was he doing at the Ministry of Magic at one o'clock in the morning?" breathed Hermione.

"D'you reckon he was doing something for the Order?" Ron muttered.

"Yes." Alicia said "Maybe the weapon Sirius said is behind that door, after all I still think it's at the Ministry." she said to them in a low voice.

"Wait a moment…" said Harry slowly. "Sturgis was supposed to come and see us off, remember?"

The other two looked at him.

"Yeah, he was supposed to be part of our guard going to King's Cross, remember? And Moody was all annoyed because he didn't turn up, so that doesn't seem like he was supposed to be on a job for them, does it?"

"And that wasn't the first time, Moody said it was the second time he hadn't reported in." Alicia remembered

"Well, maybe they didn't expect him to get caught," said Hermione.

"It could be a frame-up!" Ron exclaimed excitedly. "No — listen!" he went on, dropping his voice dramatically at the threatening look on Hermione's face. "The Ministry suspects he's one of Dumbledore's lot so — I dunno — they lured him to the Ministry, and he wasn't trying to get through a door at all! Maybe they've just made something up to get him!"

There was a pause while Harry and Hermione considered this. Harry thought it seemed far-fetched; Hermione, on the other hand, looked rather impressed and said, "Do you know, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that were true."

"Or, maybe it's not one of the Ministry who set him up…" Alicia mumbled "But a Death Eater instead. After all, they're trying to lay low and they can't get what ever they need while we're in the way." Hermione, Harry and Ron all shared a look with the girl.

Hermione folded up her half of the newspaper thoughtfully. When Harry laid down his knife and fork she seemed to come out of a reverie.

"Right, well, I think we should tackle that essay for Sprout on Self-Fertilising Shrubs first, and if we're lucky we'll be able to start McGonagall's Inanimatus Conjurus before lunch…"

"Hermione…" Alicia began carefully with a pout "Can we do it… later?" she asked slowly "Please?" Hermione looked at Alicia confused. "It's just I've been stuck with Umbridge, and it's been a rather sour week and it's such a nice day and…" Alicia said quickly "Hermione I really need to take a breather and Quidditch practice is exactly what I need to wind down. And then I should be able to fly through my homework afterwards." she grinned "Plus Angelina asked Harry and I to help Ron, a confidence boost is exactly what he needs." Ron started nodding after giving Alicia a scowl at her words. "And we're really rusty seeing as we didn't play last year…"

"Alright!" Hermione cut her off and Alicia beamed "I guess I can make more hats while I'm waiting."

"Hermione don't you dare put your homework aside just so you can do it with us." Alicia said. Hermione rolled her eyes before Alicia pulled the girl into a hug.

"Oh Hermione, you're the best!" Alicia beamed

"But don't you dare blame me when you fail your O. !" Hermione scolded "And don't you dare think you can copy off of me because you chose to go and play on your brooms instead of studying."

"I'll stay up all night to finish it if I have to." Alicia assured before turning to the boys. "Come on! Let's go get our brooms!" Her voice rose a little again as she beamed and Harry and Ron grinned before they followed the girl.

"And this is why it's awesome to have you." Ron grinned at her as they met in the common room with their brooms.

"Why?" she asked as they moved off out of the portrait hole.

"Because you can convince Hermione to let us do fun things instead of homework!" Ron grinned and Alicia chuckled

"Well I do need some down time." Alicia nodded "Especially after this week." she glanced at Harry who nodded. "Plus I haven't been on my broom since our third year! I'm not waiting any longer than I need to."

"I'm just glad you're both happy to help me." Ron said

"Hey we need practice too. And seeing as I'm a chaser, I am you're perfect training buddy." Alicia grinned nudging him.

"But we do have to do our homework." Harry said

"I mean, we can do it tonight," said Ron, as they walked down the sloping lawns toward the Quidditch pitch, their broomsticks over their shoulders. "And we've got tomorrow. She gets too worked up about work, that's her trouble…" There was a pause and he added, in a slightly more anxious tone, "D'you think she meant it when she said we weren't copying from her?"

"Yeah, I do," said Harry. "Still, this is important too, we've got to practice if we want to stay on the Quidditch team…"

"Yeah, that's right," said Ron in a heartened tone. "And we have got plenty of time to do it all…"

"As long as you remember you can't do anything else tomorrow but the homework." Alicia said with a grin. The boys shared a look but Alicia was in too a good mood to worry about it. She was first into the changing rooms where they got the balls out and Alicia took the Quaffle before getting onto her broom and launching off. She zipped all around the pitch laughing before Harry appeared and she dropped the Quaffle in surprise. Harry dove for it as Ron moved to the goal posts and Alicia launched after him.

The girl dove under the ball and grabbed it from between Harry's hands before she zoomed for the goals.

The twins were rather impressed with their friend's capabilities. He blocked three quarters of Harry's goals and got better as they played, managing to stop more of Alicia's as time went by.

The three returned to the Great Hall for lunch where Hermione was waiting for them. The girl scolded the three, making it quite clear that she thought they were irresponsible, then returned to the Quidditch pitch for the real training session. All their teammates but Angelina were already in the changing room when they entered.

"All right, Ron?" said George, winking at him.

"Yeah," said Ron, who had become quieter and quieter all the way down to the pitch.

"Ready to show us all up, Ickle Prefect?" said Fred, emerging tousle-haired from the neck of his Quidditch robes, a slightly malicious grin on his face.

"Shut up," said Ron, stony-faced, pulling on his own team robes for the first time. They fitted him well considering they had been Oliver Wood's, who was rather broader in the shoulder.

"Fred, George, stop." Alicia snapped at them "We need the confidence not the downplay." she said

"Okay everyone," said Angelina, entering from the Captain's office, already changed. "Let's get to it; Alicia and Fred, if you can just bring the ball crate out for us. Oh, and there are a couple of people out there watching but I want you to just ignore them, all right?"

Alicia looked annoyed as she and Fred collected the balls.

"What's the guess they're the Slytherins?"

"High." Fred nodded

"I don't suppose you have some snack box candies you could just throw at them?" Alicia wondered slyly and Fred grinned at her but shook his head.

"Damn." she grumbled.

They exited the changing room in their robes to the sunlit pitch when the storm of catcalls and jeers from the Slytherin Quidditch team and assorted hangers-on, who were grouped halfway up the empty stands and whose voices echoed loudly around the stadium.

"What's that Weasley's riding?" Malfoy called in his sneering drawl. "Why would anyone put a Flying Charm on a mouldy old log like that?"

Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson guffawed and shrieked with laughter. Ron mounted his broom and kicked off from the ground and Alicia and Harry followed him, watching his ears turn red from behind.

"Ignore them," Harry said, accelerating to catch up with Ron. "We'll see who's laughing after we play them…"

"Yeah, we smash their faces to the ground and they can't say shit." Alicia grinned

"Exactly the attitude I want, Harry, Alicia," said Angelina approvingly, soaring around them with the Quaffle under her arm and slowing to hover on the spot in front of her airborne team. "Okay everyone, we're going to start with some passes just to warm up, the whole team please —"

"Hey, Johnson, what's with that hairstyle anyway?" shrieked Pansy Parkinson from below. "Why would anyone want to look like they've got worms coming out of their head?"

Angelina swept her long braided hair out of her face and said calmly, "Spread out, then, and let's see what we can do…"

The team spread out around the pitch, Ron near his goal posts and Alicia next to George. Angelina raised the Quaffle with one hand and threw it to Fred, who passed to George, who passed to Harry, who passed to Ron, who dropped it.

The Slytherins, led by Malfoy, roared and screamed with laughter. Ron, who had pelted toward the ground to catch the Quaffle before it landed, pulled out of the dive untidily, so that he slipped sideways on his broom, and returned to playing height, blushing. Harry saw Fred and George exchange looks, Alicia shot them both a glare but didn't seem to need to, as uncharacteristically neither of them said anything.

"Pass it on, Ron," called Angelina, as though nothing had happened.

Ron threw the Quaffle to Alicia, who passed back to Harry, who passed to George…

"Hey, Potter, how's your scar feeling?" called Malfoy. "Sure you don't need a lie-down? It must be, what, a whole week since you were in the hospital wing, that's a record for you, isn't it?"

Fred passed to Angelina; she reverse passed to Harry, who had not been expecting it, but caught it in the very tips of his fingers and passed it quickly to Ron, who lunged for it and missed by inches.

"Come on now, Ron," said Angelina crossly, as Ron dived for the ground again, chasing the Quaffle. "Pay attention."

Alicia watched Ron with a frown. It wasn't hard to understand what was happening. With just Alicia and Harry watching Ron could do anything, there was no judgment. But as soon as someone else was added to the mix, his confidence was lost, his mind raced and his focus was gone.

It would have been hard to say whether Ron's face or the Quaffle was a deeper scarlet when he returned again to playing height. Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin team were howling with laughter.

On his third attempt, Ron caught the Quaffle; perhaps out of relief he passed it on so enthusiastically that it soared straight through Katie's outstretched hands and hit her hard in the face.

"Sorry!" Ron groaned, zooming forward to see whether he had done any damage.

"Get back in position, she's fine!" barked Angelina. "But as you're passing to a teammate, do try not to knock her off her broom, won't you? We've got Bludgers for that!"

Katie's nose was bleeding. Down below the Slytherins were stamping their feet and jeering. Fred and George converged on Katie.

"Fred, fix her nose wont you." Alicia sighed as she pointed to Katie. The boy looked at her.

"Yeah I know you've got some, you dropped one before." she snapped at him, pointing to the ground below them. She glared slightly and Fred smiled guilty at having lied to her but Alicia guessed he didn't want to waste the money they spent on those sweets, even if it was on the Slytherins.

"Here, take this," Fred told her, handing her something small and purple from out of his pocket. "It'll clear it up in no time."

"All right," called Angelina, "Fred, George, go and get your bats and a Bludger; Ron, get up to the goalposts, Harry, release the Snitch when I say so. We're going to aim for Ron's goal, obviously."

Harry zoomed off after the twins to fetch the Snitch. They returned to the air. When Angelina blew her whistle, Harry released the Snitch and Fred and George let fly the Bludger.

Alicia, Katie and Angelina began to move through the pitch moving the Quaffle between them with fast and coordinated moves. Alicia was glad her skills had returned like clockwork despite the year off and was having a right bit of fun as they practiced.

Alicia ducked under Harry who tumbled as he looked for the snitch while Katie caught the Quaffle, Alicia raced forwards to get the next catch in order to pocket the Quaffle through the goal, only to come to a screeching stop when Angelina's whistle suddenly blew.

"Stop — stop – STOP!" screamed Angelina. "Ron — you're not covering your middle post!"

Alicia turned from Angelina to Ron. She'd been so concentrating on the Quaffle and had gotten onto the habit of only putting a quarter of her concentration on the goalie that she hadn't even noticed where Ron was. He was covering the left hand hoop, leaving the other two completely unprotected.

"You keep shifting around while you're watching the Chasers!" said Angelina. "Either stay in centre position until you have to move to defend a hoop, or else circle the hoops, but don't drift vaguely off to one side, that's how you let in the last three goals!"

"Sorry…" Ron repeated, his red face shining like a beacon against the bright blue sky.

"And Katie, can't you do something about that nosebleed?"

"It's just getting worse!" said Katie thickly, attempting to stem the flow with her sleeve. Alicia looked at her before turning to Fred with a glare.

"Fred!" she snapped. He glanced from her with an anxious look on her face to check his pocket. He pulled out something purple and examined it before looking at Katie horrorstruck.

George was looking at Fred too from beside Alicia.

"Please, please, please, tell me you didn't accidentally colour them the wrong colour." Alicia said to George. He looked a little worried himself as he watched Fred.

Alicia groaned as Angelina continued.

"Well, let's try again," said Angelina. She was ignoring the Slytherins, who had now set up a chant of "Gryffindor are losers, Gryffindor are losers," but there was a certain rigidity about her seat on the broom nevertheless.

This time they had been flying for barely three minutes when Angelina's whistle sounded.

"What now?" Harry said impatiently to Alicia, who was nearest.

"Katie," she said shortly looking both worried and annoyed.

Angelina, Fred, and George all flying as fast as they could toward Katie. Harry and Alicia sped toward her too. It was plain that Angelina had stopped training just in time; Katie was now chalk white and covered in blood.

"She needs the hospital wing," said Angelina.

"We'll take her," said Fred. "She — er — might have swallowed a Blood Blisterpod by mistake —"

"You need to label these!" Alicia snapped "Or actually make sure they're different colours."

"You told me to." Fred muttered

"And since when do you do as you're told!?" Alicia snapped. Fred looked her dead in the face with a peculiar expression.

"Well, there's no point continuing with no Beaters and a Chaser gone," said Angelina glumly, as Fred and George zoomed off toward the castle supporting Katie between them. "Come on, let's go and get changed."

The Slytherins continued to chant as they trailed back into the changing rooms.

Harry and Ron moved from the change rooms first with Alicia in tow before Angelina stopped her.

"Alicia. Ron needs the practice. As a chaser and having a Firebolt, you're a good practicing partner. He needs to be better by our first game…"

"Angelina." Alicia stopped her "There is nothing wrong with Ron's game." Alicia said and Angelina looked ready to argue "The problem is his confidence. Harry and I spent the morning with him, practicing and he only got better. He did a great job." Alicia confessed "Put you guys and the Slytherins in the mix and his nerves just sky rocket."

"Well do something, give him a tonic for the nerves."

"The best thing is to give him more encouragement. Instead of shouting at him what to do in a negative way, try positive reinforcement Angelina. He needs it from his captain and his team just as much as his friends." Angelina looked at her

"You'd make a good captain one day." she thought

"Well, we'll see. Until then, I'll keep working with Ron but you might find his nerves continue to let us down." Alicia sighed before she turned and left the changing room.

Alicia ran to hurry up with Ron and Harry and caught them just before they entered the Entrance Hall.

"What did Angelina want?" Harry asked

"Oh you know, pick up your game, tell off the twins, the usual."

"She told you to help me didn't she." Ron said

"Ron, the only thing you need help with, are your nerves. You get too nervous that you loose your self-confidence and get jumbled up. That's the only thing we need to cure. You're a great keeper if this morning's anything to go by." Alicia said strongly.

"How was practice?" asked Hermione rather coolly as Alicia, Harry and Ron climbed through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room.

"It was —" Harry began.

"Completely lousy," said Ron in a hollow voice, sinking into a chair beside Hermione. She looked up at Ron and her frostiness seemed to melt.

"Well, it was only your first one," she said consolingly, "it's bound to take time to —"

"Who said it was me who made it lousy?" snapped Ron.

"No one," said Hermione, looking taken aback, "I thought —"

"You thought I was bound to be rubbish?"

"No, of course I didn't! Look, you said it was lousy so I just —"

"Ron you say it's lousy usually reflects how you feel within yourself." Alicia snapped "But it wasn't lousy." she told Hermione. "Just a few bugs to work out, which is expected after an entire year without playing." Hermione nodded and glanced at Ron, Harry and Alicia doing the same. He looked at them all and around the common room at those with them before he jumped to his feet.

"I'm going to get started on some homework," said Ron angrily and stomped off to the staircase to the boys' dormitories and vanished from sight. Hermione turned to Harry.

"Was he lousy?"

"No," said Harry loyally.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Well, I suppose he could've played better," Harry muttered, "but it was only the first training session, like you said…"

"There's only one thing wrong and that's Ron's own self confidence. He's actually really good." Alicia nodded. "Now. Homework." she sighed and she got up to go to the dormitory, retrieving her pile and moving back to the common room. Alicia set herself down and absorbed herself into a book to get her brain working properly and help her forget about the training session and remove the Slytherins' chant of "Gryffindor are losers" from her head.

They spent the night working but the two boys couldn't get their head into the game. Alicia got more done that night, ignoring everyone and had time to go down for breakfast and lunch on Sunday.

"Hey Anthony." Alicia sat on the Ravenclaw table beside the boy and he grinned at her, breaking from his conversation with Terry.

"Hey, how'd the Quidditch practice go yesterday?"

"Oh you know, Slytherins turned up and decided to ruin Ron's confidence." Alicia sighed

"He that bad?"

"He's actually rather good. Just, his nerves get in the way." Alicia admitted as she grabbed herself some pork.

"So what happened to all that homework?" Anthony wondered "Few days ago you were buried under it."

"I wasn't buried, I was drowning." Alicia said "Difference." Anthony chuckled "I got quite a bit done yesterday, at least enough to actually take a break unlike my brother and his red haired friend." Alicia shrugged

"They stuck in the common room?" he asked

"Course they are." Alicia sighed "And they'll be there until Monday morning if Hermione doesn't read their essays over and correct them for them."

"Granger does that?"

"She feels bad for them. She also hates to see all the mistakes they've made." Alicia admitted "But she'll never just give them the answers, much to their disappointment." Anthony had begun to look disappointed as Alicia spoke but it turned to surprise. "Hermione really would have done well in Ravenclaw." she smiled before taking a bite of the sandwich she'd made.

"It sounds like it. And she is the top in the school…" Anthony muttered

"I'll ignore that." Alicia decided as she took another bite. Anthony chuckled.