Chapter 70:

Ron and Hermione left the hospital wing completely cured three days before the end of term. Hermione showed signs of wanting to talk about Sirius, but Ron tended to make hushing noises every time she mentioned his name. Alicia was grateful for this, she still needed a little time to process everything, it seemed her mind had somehow gone numb for a bit. Not only that, but they were once again leaving Hogwarts. Alicia didn't know if this made her feel either. She knew she had to obviously, and Harry too, but whether it would help… They'd be away from everything for a bit, and maybe that would be good for her to process through everything and find out what it was she needed to do now, but also, was the isolation a good thing as well?

Professor Umbridge left Hogwarts the day before the end of term. It seemed that she had crept out of the hospital wing during dinner-time, evidently hoping to depart undetected, but unfortunately for her, she met Peeves on the way, who seized his last chance to do as Fred had instructed and chased her gleefully from the premises, whacking her alternately with a walking stick and a sock full of chalk. Many students ran out into the entrance hall to watch her running away down the path, and the Heads of Houses tried only halfheartedly to restrain their pupils. Indeed, Professor McGonagall sank back into her chair at the staff table after a few feeble remonstrances and was clearly heard to express a regret that she could not run cheering after Umbridge herself, because Peeves had borrowed her walking stick.

Their last evening at school arrived; most people had finished packing and were already heading down to the end-of-term feast, Alicia sat before her trunk, looking at it and all her stuff.

Hermione kneeled beside her.

"Don't ask me." Alicia whispered as the girl placed a hand on her shoulder. Hermione paused.

"You can do it tomorrow." she offered, changing her mind on what to say.

"It's alright, Dumbledore always speaks to the school at the end of the year," Alicia whispered as she picked up one of her many books. "I'd rather not hear what he has to say." she admitted "You go without me, I'm going to do this." Hermione watched her sadly before she got up and left, listening to the girl's wishes.

Alicia went through her things, placing them in the trunk slowly. There were her robes, her books, her cauldron, telescope, so many objects in which she'd had since her first trip to Diagon Alley on her and Harry's eleventh birthday. It was so long ago, even if it was only five years now. Alicia found it strange how much had happened, and how much had changed in such a time.

She picked up some of her thicker winter robes and from it dropped the very familiar thick old folded parchment. The girl picked it up frowning.

Alicia removed her wand from her pocket and touched it to the paper.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." she whispered. Ink lines spread from the tip of her wand across the parchment before the usual words had sprang forth from it and the very familiar names lit up the top.

This was not just the only thing she had of her father, it was the only thing she had of Sirius now as well.

Not true. Alicia moved to her trunk and moved through its contents until she found the package with her mirrors in it. She'd never even looked at them since she'd first opened it. The only person she could think to give it to, was Harry, and he'd been with her all year.

Alicia put the map down and her wand with it and tipped the parcel upside down. The two mirrors fell out. Unlike the one Sirius gave Harry, which was rather dirty, her's were pristine. She didn't want to touch them with her fingers and leave marks.

Both mirrors were identical and Alicia had to remember to give one to Harry, but she wouldn't do it now and she put them back in the package. No Harry had one that reminded him of Sirius, he didn't need another doing the same, not yet.

She turned back to the map and opened it, looking at all the dots in the Great Hall. And then she noticed Harry was outside the Gryffindor porthole. Alicia couldn't fathom why he was there, she doubted very much he'd want to go to the feast. He wasn't alone either, he was with Luna.

"Mischief Managed." she tapped the paper, which was erased, and stored it in her trunk before moving from the dormitory and down the stairs. Harry entered the common room almost as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

He paused when he saw her and he smiled ever so slightly. Alicia was surprised and he moved forwards to hug her.

"You know, I went to find Nick."

"Nick?" she asked as he released her

"The ghost."

"Why?"

"I thought… well I figured… there was a chance, he'd come back." Harry admitted sadly. Alicia sighed.

"No, I doubt Sirius would come back as a ghost. He was first never afraid of death…" Harry looked at her when she paused. "What happens to a ghost when those they love, have moved on themselves?" she asked him

"I dunno? Nothing?" he asked

"Harry, if Sirius came back a ghost, would you be happy that he'd be left here, by himself and stuck to this world when we were gone, years from now?" she asked him. Harry watched her as she looked down.

"To be honest, even if it'd make me happy now, in the long run, it's be wrong to wish for such a thing. He'd be stuck here, for years and years. He'd be so alone." Harry turned his gaze away.

"I met Luna outside." he said "She said something… interesting." she looked at him waiting.

"She lost her mother, that's why she can see the Thestrals." Alicia frowned. "But she feels she'll see her again."

"Well, no one knows what happens when you die…" Alicia mumbled "Like I said, like Dumbledore once said, it's like another adventure. Although no one knows if you really go to the same place your loved ones did." she thought

"But we heard those voices," Harry reminded her "Those that had past were beyond that archway, I think they are together."

Alicia smiled and her eyes welled up slightly before she blinked them away.

"Then Sirius, will be with mum and dad." Harry looked at her surprised as a tear let slip and she wiped it away immediately "God, I've been doing that much too often. I feel like such a girl."

"I never thought about it like that." Harry mumbled and Alicia nodded.

"Bet the first thing Sirius does, is apologise for getting them to use Peter as their Secret keeper." she said chuckling slightly "And then, he'll tell them all about us and what we've become." Harry nodded, smiling slightly at the idea as well. "God I hope he tells dad about how we saw him torture Snape, and how disappointed we were. Wouldn't it have been interesting to scold him myself." Harry laughed and Alicia couldn't help it, doing the same.

"We'll get the chance." he said and Alicia nodded. She then frowned and lowered her gaze.

"Hopefully, not for many, many years." she said and Harry nodded before he hugged her again.

"Alicia, I'm not going to leave you here." he mumbled as she hugged him back.

"As much as I appreciate it, you can't really make that promise. But, I am going to do my best to make that hope a reality."

"Well, like you said, what would I do without you?" he wondered and she chuckled

"Let's be honest, what would I do without you, it's not like I'd be in any less trouble with my temper." he laughed at her and she couldn't help to the same.

"Are we going to be alright?" she asked when they stopped.

"Well, we still have each other." he promised and she nodded, trying not to think about whether that would last or not.

"You know, you seem to be the one with the curse, and yet I end up being the one with the most frightening future." she mumbled

"I thought… I'd have the most frightening…" Harry mumbled, and she could feel his fear.

"I believe what Dumbledore said, death isn't the worst there is… and after what we've just gone through… that's got to be so much worse than feeling death…" Alicia mumbled "So although it's frightening yes, my outcome, unless I go down with you of course, scares me more."

"I'd much rather if you didn't…"

"You don't think I feel the same." Alicia looked at him "Harry, I'll admit, I'd gladly take a curse if it was to protect you."

"Yeah, I'd do the same." he agreed. Alicia took a deep breath and Harry looked at her as she straightened up, releasing him, determined now and not seeming so fragile all of a sudden.

"And it's that that'll help us win." she decided "Because you have a power stronger than Voldemort can even dream of." she grinned "And me." he chuckled and he nodded.

"Now, have you packed, cause I haven't." Alicia mumbled and he shook his head

"Want some help?" he paused and looked at the girls staircase. "If I can even get up the stairs."

"I'll levitate you up." Alicia decided and they grinned "Let's do yours first just in case." and they headed up the boys staircase and into the dormitory. Harry's trunk was open and a mess. Alicia looked at it annoyed.

Together they began to pull out the things he'd chucked in before Alicia stopped. Glass covered the bottom of the trunk. No, not glass, mirror shards. She frowned as she picked one up and Harry watched her.

Alicia knew it was Sirius' mirror, and it saddened her deeply to think Harry had destroyed the last thing he had of his Godfather. But she also couldn't blame him, she felt his grief and she sighed before she simply folded some robes and put them on top of the mess. She refused to clean it up, and she felt that it was useless to try and repair a broken, magical, mirror.

Harry said nothing and they continued in silence together.

Hermione, Alicia, Ginny, Neville, Ron and Harry found a compartment together on the Hogwarts Express home. Neville had his Mimbulus mimbletonia which had grown a great deal over the year, and now made odd crooning noises when touched. Hermione had her morning addition of the Daily Prophet, Alicia had a book in her hands and Ginny started with a quiz in The Quibbler.

Turned out Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle attempted to ambush Harry on the train as he made his way back from the bathroom but had tried in front of Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Anthony Goldstein, and Terry Boot. Apparently the three turned out to look like slugs in uniforms when the six of them had finished using spells taught to them by the Potter twins. Many had heard the commotion along the train and Ron had gotten up to investigate, Hermione had prodded him to do so by reminding him he was a prefect.

The trolly had arrived just as he'd left and the group bought a load of Cauldron cakes and pumpkin pasties which they spent the trip home eating.

Harry and Ron whiled away most of the journey playing wizard chess while Hermione read out snippets from the Prophet. It was now full of articles about how to repel dementors, attempts by the Ministry to track down Death Eaters, and hysterical letters claiming that the writer had seen Lord Voldemort walking past their house that very morning…

"It hasn't really started yet," sighed Hermione gloomily, folding up the newspaper again. "But it won't be long now…"

"Hey, Harry," said Ron, nodding toward the glass window onto the corridor.

Harry looked around. Cho was passing, accompanied by Marietta Edgecombe, who was wearing a balaclava. His and Cho's eyes met for a moment. Cho blushed and kept walking. Harry looked back down at the chessboard just in time to see one of his pawns chased off its square by Ron's knight.

"What's — er — going on with you and her anyway?" Ron asked quietly.

"Nothing," said Harry truthfully.

"I — er — heard she's going out with someone else now," said Hermione tentatively.

Alicia waited to see if Harry felt any jealously, but there was no reaction from the boy besides a little surprise. The girl could tell it was due to his lack of response to the news.

"You're well out of it, mate," said Ron forcefully. "I mean, she's quite good-looking and all that, but you want someone a bit more cheerful."

"I said so months ago. Don't need a cry baby." Alicia mumbled and Harry looked at her pointedly, reminding her how much she'd cried the last few weeks.

"Shut up." she snapped and he smirked slightly before turning back to the game.

"She's probably cheerful enough with someone else," said Harry, shrugging.

"Who's she with now anyway?" Ron asked Hermione, but it was Ginny who answered.

"Michael Corner," she said.

"Michael — but —" said Ron, craning around in his seat to stare at her. "But you were going out with him!"

"Not anymore," said Ginny resolutely. "He didn't like Gryffindor beating Ravenclaw at Quidditch and got really sulky, so I ditched him and he ran off to comfort Cho instead. He even brought your treatment of Anthony into it Alicia. Said you were unfair to him." She scratched her nose absently with the end of her quill, turned The Quibbler upside down, and began marking her answers.

"Can't dump someone I wasn't dating." Alicia shrugged "He had a year to ask me and waiting too long had it's consequences." Ron looked highly delighted at the news of Ginny being single.

"Well, I always thought he was a bit of an idiot," he said, prodding his queen forward toward Harry's quivering castle. "Good for you. Just choose someone — better — next time."

He cast Harry an oddly furtive look as he said it.

"Well, I've chosen Dean Thomas, would you say he's better?" asked Ginny vaguely.

"WHAT?" shouted Ron, upending the chessboard. Crookshanks went plunging after the pieces and Hedwig, Noel and Pigwidgeon twittered and hooted angrily from overhead.

"Ron, no need to over react." Alicia sighed

"Over react?" Ron asked

"Well you don't see Harry getting angry at the idea of me dating people do you?" Ron looked at Harry as if trying to get some support but he shrugged.

"To be honest Alicia's probably more capable of dealing with it than me." Harry confessed

"Let's be honest Ginny's the same." Alicia said, causing the girls to all giggled and Ron to look annoyed as Harry and Neville smirked slightly.

The train began to slow in it's approach to King's Cross and Alicia could feel Harry's dread. She felt what he did and sighed.

"Harry, you can't stay here till September." she said and everyone looked at him. "First off, you've got no food here." she said and Harry huffed as the train pulled to a standstill.

The boy gave up and lifted Hedwig's cage and prepared his trunk with the others to lug it from the train like usual.

"Not like there's anything waiting." he mumbled

"Well I feel you there."

When the ticket inspector signalled to Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione that it was safe to walk through the magical barrier between platforms nine and ten, however, they found a surprise awaiting them on the other side: a group of people standing there to greet the two whom neither had expected at all.

There was Mad-Eye Moody, looking quite as sinister with his bowler hat pulled low over his magical eye as he would have done without it, his gnarled hands clutching a long staff, his body wrapped in a voluminous traveling cloak. Tonks stood just behind him, her bright bubble-gum-pink hair gleaming in the sunlight filtering through the dirty glass station ceiling, wearing heavily patched jeans and a bright purple T-shirt bearing the legend the weird sisters. Next to Tonks was Lupin, his face pale, his hair greying, a long and threadbare overcoat covering a shabby jumper and trousers. At the front of the group stood Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, dressed in their Muggle best, and Fred and George, who were both wearing brand-new jackets in some lurid green, scaly material.

"Ron, Ginny!" called Mrs. Weasley, hurrying forward and hugging her children tightly. "Oh, and Harry, Alicia dear — how are you?"

Alicia, didn't answer Mrs Weasley, but moved forwards and right to Fred who pulled her into a very large and warming hug. She sighed with content, like it was exactly what she needed.

"How are you?" he asked as he brushed her hair and George looked at her concerned.

"I'd rather not talk about it yet." she mumbled. The twins looked at her before George joined in hugging her as well.

"We should have been there." George said

"No, you have a business to run and most importantly, I didn't need to add you to the trouble. I wouldn't be able to face Mrs Weasley if something had happened." she admitted and she watched the women worried as she was embracing Harry. Ron was staring at his twin brother's, goggling.

"What are they supposed to be?" he asked, pointing at the jackets.

"Finest dragon skin, little bro," said Fred, giving his zip a little tweak. "Business is booming and we thought we'd treat ourselves." he turned to Alicia "Not just us of course." he grinned at her

"What ever it is, it can wait till my birthday." Alicia decided as she turned to look at everyone else who had joined them.

"Hello, Harry," said Lupin, as Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry and turned to greet Hermione.

"Hi," said Harry. "I didn't expect… what are you all doing here?"

"We weren't expecting a parade." Alicia agreed as she smiled at Fred.

"Well," said Lupin with a slight smile, "we thought we might have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before letting them take you home."

The Potter twins shared a look.

"I dunno if that's a good idea," said Harry at once.

"Oh, I think it is," growled Moody, who had limped a little closer. "That'll be them, will it, Potter?"

He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder; his magical eye was evidently peering through the back of his head and his bowler hat. Harry leaned an inch or so to the left to see where Mad-Eye was pointing and Alicia peered around Fred. Sure enough, there were the three Dursleys, who looked positively appalled to see Harry's reception committee.

"Ah, Harry! Good to see you Alicia." said Mr. Weasley, turning from Hermione's parents, whom he had been greeting enthusiastically, and who were taking it in turns to hug Hermione. "Well — shall we do it, then?"

"Yeah, I reckon so, Arthur," said Moody.

He and Mr. Weasley took the lead across the station toward the place where the Dursleys stood, apparently rooted to the floor. Hermione disengaged herself gently from her mother to join the group.

"This'll be interesting." Alicia said and Fred and George looked amused as Harry nodded.

"Good afternoon," said Mr. Weasley pleasantly to Uncle Vernon, coming to a halt right in front of him. "You might remember me, my name's Arthur Weasley."

As Mr. Weasley had singlehandedly demolished most of the Dursleys' living room two years previously, it would have been very surprising if Uncle Vernon had forgotten him. Sure enough, Uncle Vernon turned a deeper shade of puce and glared at Mr. Weasley, but chose not to say anything, partly, perhaps, because the Dursleys were outnumbered two to one. Aunt Petunia looked both frightened and embarrassed. She kept glancing around, as though terrified somebody she knew would see her in such company. Dudley, meanwhile, seemed to be trying to look small and insignificant, a feat at which he was failing extravagantly.

"We thought we'd just have a few words with you about Harry," said Mr. Weasley, still smiling.

"Yeah," growled Moody. "About how he, and even Alicia, are treated when they're at your place." Alicia looked surprised.

Uncle Vernon's moustache seemed to bristle with indignation. Possibly because the bowler hat gave him the entirely mistaken impression that he was dealing with a kindred spirit, he addressed himself to Moody.

"I am not aware that it is any of your business what goes on in my house —"

"I expect what you're not aware of would fill several books, Dursley," growled Moody.

"Anyway, that's not the point," interjected Tonks, whose pink hair seemed to offend Aunt Petunia more than all the rest put together, for she closed her eyes rather than look at her. "The point is, if we find out you've been horrible to Harry —"

"— and make no mistake, we'll hear about it," added Lupin pleasantly.

"Yes," said Mr. Weasley, "even if you won't let Harry use the fellytone —"

"Telephone," whispered Hermione.

"Yeah, if we get any hint that Potter's been mistreated in any way, you'll have us to answer to," said Moody.

Uncle Vernon swelled ominously. His sense of outrage seemed to outweigh even his fear of this bunch of oddballs.

"Are you threatening me, sir?" he said, so loudly that passersby actually turned to stare.

"Yes, I am," said Mad-Eye, who seemed rather pleased that Uncle Vernon had grasped this fact so quickly.

"And do I look like the kind of man who can be intimidated?" barked Uncle Vernon.

"Well…" said Moody, pushing back his bowler hat to reveal his sinisterly revolving magical eye. Uncle Vernon leapt backward in horror and collided painfully with a luggage trolley. "Yes, I'd have to say you do, Dursley."

He turned from Uncle Vernon to Harry and Alicia. "So, Potter… give us a shout if you need us. If we don't hear from you for three days in a row, we'll send someone along…"

Aunt Petunia whimpered piteously. It could not have been plainer that she was thinking of what the neighbours would say if they caught sight of these people marching up the garden path.

" 'Bye, then, Potter, Potter," said Moody, grasping Harry's shoulder for a moment with a gnarled hand and then patting Alicia's. She smiled at him.

"Take care, Harry, Alicia," said Lupin quietly. "Keep in touch."

"Harry, we'll have you away from there as soon as we can," Mrs. Weasley whispered, hugging him again and then turning to hug Alicia.

"We'll see you soon, mate," said Ron anxiously, shaking Harry's hand.

"Really soon, Harry," said Hermione earnestly. "We promise."

"Sooner then we can anticipate I hope." Alicia smiled and they nodded.

It was strange, seeing all these people here to help them, coming to see them and doing what they could to make little things better.

Fred pulled Alicia into a hug again and George stroked the top of her hair before the twin released her and kissed the back of her hand. She smiled and kissed him properly.

"Come visit?" he asked

"I'll do my best." she promised nodding. "Feel free to find me though, too." he grinned and Alicia gave George a proper hug.

Alicia and Harry shared a smile and they both raised a hand in farewell as the group turned to walk away from them both.

"What was that all about?" Alicia turned to find Ms Bane behind her. But what surprised her was that Alex and Portia were there too.

"Alex! Portia!" she beamed and pulled them both into a hug.

"Who's the guy?" Alex demanded watching him go. Fred must've heard for he turned and saluted to the two, causing Alicia to chuckle.

"What are you two doing here?" she asked

"Well, Ms Bane sorta found out what we knew…" Portia sighed

"And after a lot of scolding she decided to let us come to collect you." Alex grinned. Alicia beamed and hugged them both again.

"Thanks." she grinned

"Well come on then." Ms Bane said, almost impatiently. Alicia nodded and she turned to hug Harry.

"See you tomorrow." she said and he nodded.

Harry turned around, and led the way out of the station toward the sunlit street, with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley hurrying along in his wake.

Alicia smiled at her caretaker, Alex took her owl's cage and Portia helped her lug her trunk before they followed suit after them.

70 Chapters! How extensive is that! Took me all afternoon and evening to upload them because Fanfiction stuffed up the formatting so I had to add all the Italics in again!

Anyway I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think! And I'll put up when I finish the next one. No promises on when that'll be though. I haven't even thought to start yet so we'll see.