More Worries

As the days slipped into November, the weather turned cold and it began to sleet. Alicia's worries were mounting and spread in many different directions. Sheworried about her parents, aboutAdrian's classmates trying to find him, and about whateverwas secretly happening at Hogwarts under the rule of Snape and the Death Eaters. Then there were the continued disappearances and murders — whichwere not being reported by the Daily Prophet, but which Lee was reporting on Potterwatch. And of course, that was an added worry — Lee and the twins running an illegal radio broadcast out of Lee's flat to keep people informed about the realities of the war that weren't being reported.

They found out in late October that Voldemort's name was now taboo. He actually put a hex on his own name, so that if someone said it, the word would immediately alert the Snatchers and Death Eaters. Kingsley had nearly been caught and had to go on the run; that was how the Order learned of it.

It was a smart move, Kenneth said soberly at the twins' one evening, despite Fred, George, and Lee ranting about it. Only members of the Order of the Phoenix used Voldemort's name instead of saying You-Know-Who, so it was a good way to catch members of the Order. It made perfect sense. It lowered morale quite a bit, though. Which, of course, was Voldemort's intention.

Alicia also worried about Kenneth, who was still secretly reviewing accounts at Gringotts, and she certainly worried about Chrysanthe and Danny, who were still missing. She worried about her grandmother, who was living alone… and about Oliver, who hadn't seen Katie in months. At least Katie was safe — but Alicia and Angelina couldn't even write to Katie, because it would be too dangerous. She hated feeling cut off from one of her two best friends.

Alicia's own life was stretched thin between helping Fleur with the Order of Mercy and going to class and clinical rotations, but in November, something bizarre happened.

Fleur sent a message to Alicia, Angelina, Oliver, Percy, and Audrey to inform them that the Order of Mercy was temporarily suspending operations.

Alicia had mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, it gave her additional time to study at least two nights a week, but on the other hand, none of them knew what was going on. Something had clearly happened, but when Oliver dropped by that particular evening to ask Alicia and Angelina what they thought, they couldn't figure anything out. He told them that he'd spoken with Percy, but Percy hadn't been compromised, so that wasn't the issue, nor had Percy heard anything from Bill and Fleur.

Alicia and Angelina asked Fred, George, and Kenneth if any of them knew whether Bill and Fleur were okay, but none of them had heard anything unusual, either. Bill hadn't mentioned anything odd to Kenneth at the bank and he was still coming to work regularly (sans taking time off around the full moon), but Fleur had quit her job in October when Scabior and the other Snatchers had attacked her, because Scabior was out for blood after being humiliated. So whatever was going on was definitely private, and Alicia had a feeling Bill and Fleur wouldn't tell them.

Despite all of the worries in her head, Alicia was not so distracted that she forgot to ask Courtney in early November how her date had gone with Heinrich Jugson's son.

Courtney gave her a small, devious smile. "Oh, I got out of that."

"How?" Alicia asked, stunned.

Courtney glanced around before she cast a privacy charm about the empty classroom they were holed up in for lunch, reviewing notes for their upcoming exams. She said quietly, "I cast an Imperius Curse to keep him from doing anything he shouldn't."

Alicia nearly choked on her butterbeer. "What?"

"I told you I could handle things myself, Spinnet." Courtney's eyebrow lifted.

"Yes, but…! That curse… it's illegal!"

"And we're in the middle of a war," Courtney reminded her,sneering slightly. "Salazar's arse, Spinnet. I won't let a wanker like that force me to fuck him! Not for anything!"

Alicia hesitated. Would she, Alicia, cast an Imperius Curse to avoid getting raped? Or would she have cast something else first, to stop them? But Courtney apparently didn't want to upset her father, and she certainly felt some amount of fear towards the man, so hexing a bloke might get her in more trouble. Alicia supposed that Courtney had only protected herself, and Raul was very likely a Death Eater. His father, Heinrich Jugson, was certainly one. But… the Imperius curse was definitely illegal. Did a criminal act justify the use of an illegal curse?

Trying to avoid those thoughts, Alicia stammered, "What ended up happening?"

Courtney shrugged. "I planted a false memory in his head. I made him think he'd shagged me, and that I was a bloody awful shag, and that he had no interest in dating me any further."

Alicia stared at her. "That's pretty advanced."

"Yes, well, just because I wasn't top of everything like you and Adrian doesn't mean I'm not a bloody brilliant witch."

"I didn't mean it that way."

Courtney sighed and leaned her elbow against the desk as she toyed with her spoon and curry. "The annoying thing is, just because I circumventedJugson, doesn't mean my father isn't still determined. Dear old dad will find someone new for me in a week or so. He's been blathering on about Bletchley for the last two days, because Bletchley apparently broke up with Eudora Montague." Courtney's lip curled as she stabbed her curry with unnecessary force.

If Alicia had felt any unease at the idea that Courtney was using an unforgivable curse to protect herself, it evaporated at the mention of Bletchley's name. Alicia despised Bletchley.

"That arse?" she said disparagingly. "Talk about someone who would probably rape you…!"

Courtney gave her a small, grim smile again. "We agree."

"He hexed me in the library seventh-year, right before the Gryffindor-Slytherin match," Alicia growled, remembering that particular incident with sheer fury. What she wouldn't have given to hex him back herself! Except she couldn't see a damned thing because her eyebrows had grown so fast, and Lee'd had to guide her to the damn hospital wing! And then she'd had to put up with Lee hovering at her side for hours, worried about her and making a big fuss over nothing more than a hair-growing hex…!

"I remember," Courtney said. Then, curiously, she asked, "I always wondered… which member of the Gryffindor team hexed him in retaliation? It was a few days after the match, down in the Entrance Hall. I remember it was bloody brilliant; he had spikes all over his tongue and going down his throat. I couldn't show it openly, for obvious reasons, but it actually kind of pissed me off that Umbridge blamed you. Everyone knew you didn't do it, you were upstairs when it happened. I hated that woman."

Alicia blushed. "It… actually wasn't a member of the Gryffindor team."

"No?"

She shook her head. "No. I do know who did it, and it wasn't a Gryffindor. And no, I didn't put them up to it, either. They were angry about it and did it on their own, without telling me."

At that, Courtney's eyebrows went up. "Interesting. Well, Bletchley wasn't well liked, so I can't say it surprises me. He's a fucking thug and he looks like a gorilla."

"With less brains," Alicia said dryly.

Courtney laughed. "Exactly." Then she sobered and said darkly, "Seventh-year, he would hex younger students in the Slytherin common room for kicks. Montague usually helped him."

"That's awful! Why didn't anyone report him?"

"For someone so brilliant, you don't think sometimes," Courtney retorted. "Seriously, Spinnet. If someone had reported him, it would have gotten worse. He would have targeted a person for ratting him out. Most of the older students just tried to avoid him. Or, if you were Adrian, you hexed his arse back. Pretty sure Montague and Bletchley only tried to hex Adrian once during seven years at Hogwarts, and they learned pretty damned fast that Adrian was entirely unforgiving. Neither of them could best him and they didn't try; they just left him alone. But few students could get away with that. And, heaven forbid!" she went on sarcastically. "We lost all of our Quidditch games that year, and Montague and Bletchley blamed Malfoy for every single loss."

Alicia hated Malfoy too, especially knowing Malfoy had likely been the one to curse Katie, so she didn't say anything to that. The bit about Adrian was interesting, though. She could just picture it: him cursing Montague and Bletchley to oblivion. It was a rather nice image, if she were honest, but if she thought on it too much, her cheeks would become warm.

Courtney went on conversationally, "Hopefully it won't be hard to ImperiuseBletchley and plant a false memory, if I'm forced to go on a date with him."

"Is he a Death Eater?"

"No idea. I know Raul is. Most sons take after their fathers when it comes to that,but that arse actually showed me his damn Dark Mark, like he thought it would impress me." She rolled her eyes. "But I have no idea about Bletchley. Wouldn't surprise me, though. He's the sort who would. And I hear the Dark Lord has been recruiting, lately."

Alicia didn't say anything to that, either. She didn't need to call attention to Adrian by admitting she knew Voldemort was trying to find new, younger fighters. All she said was, "Just… be careful. Do you need a safe place if you need to escape?"

"I already told you, Spinnet. I won't put you in danger like that." Courtney glared at her.

"But…"

"No."

Alicia sighed. She hoped Courtney would be okay. She didn't relish the idea of her having to go on a date with Miles Bletchley, and trying to Imperiuse him to avoid being forced to have sex with him.

It was towards the end of November that Alania's patience was put to the test in two different ways, and she didn't appreciate either attempt.

First, during the last week of November, Cassius Warrington stopped by Pucey Villa a second time. Alania had known he would, but it didn't make things any easier.

"I'm afraid Adrian is still on the continent, dear," she said apologetically, the moment he stepped through the gates. "My agent asked if he would like to see certain aspects of the business, and of course he said yes… you know you would, too, if you had the chance to meet gorgeous young models backstage…" She gave him a knowing smile, as if it were perfectly normal for a mother to discuss sex with her son's friends.

Cassius turned a bit pink at the implication, but he did grin back sheepishly. "I can't fault him for that. But do tell him I stopped by again, won't you?"

"I will. Is your mother hosting a Christmas party this year?"

"I… haven't heard," he answered evasively, which Alania took to mean she wouldn't get an invitation. It would probably be Death Eaters and blood purists only, and Alania was on thin ice because she had put Cassius off twice now in his attempts to find Adrian.

As he turned to leave, heglanced back and said, "Oh, and when you speak to Adrian, tell him I have a… er… proposition for him."

"A proposition?" Alania smiled. "Can you be a bit more specific? You know Adrian will ask me."

Cassius's expression was difficult to read, but Alania saw the flash of an image in his mind: the Dark Mark. She rather prided herself on maintaining her own placid, curious expression, and her skills at Legilimency.

"Adrian is extremely skilled at Defense Against the Dark Arts," Cassius said, choosing his words carefully. "I just think it a shame he let those skills go to waste, is all."

"Well, there isn't much need for them in Italy, while he's meeting fashionable models, now is there?" Alania teased.

Cassius turned even more pink, but smiled. "No. I suppose not. Well! It was good to see you, Mrs. Pucey. I won't keep you out in this cold."

She waved him off as he Disapparated, and then she turned to head back into the house. But as she did so, she heard something odd behind her. She didn't turn around; it sounded like a spell hitting the barrier her husband had erected from his watch inside the mansion. That enraged her, but she kept her shoulders straight and didn't make any indication that she had heard anything unusual.

As soon as she was inside the front entry and had locked the front doors, Alexander came down the grand stairs.

"Someone is beyond the gates, Disillusioned or wearing an Invisibility Cloak," he said, frowning at his wife. "When you turned to come inside, they cast a spell, but it hit my barrier."

"I heard," she said darkly. "Do you know what it was?"

"I don't, but my guess is, they were trying to cast Imperius."

"That was my thought, too." She closed her eyes and exhaled. "Salazar, we're going to have to put up a Fidelius Charm soon."

"When do you want to do it?"

"We'll wait until the holidays. When Atticus and Bridget come home, we can make sure they have the address before they return. Atticus can pass it along to my parents."

"Atticus and Bridget can't Apparate in front of the gates, though. It will be too obvious."

She pursed her lips. "No, they can't. However, I'm working out the spells needed to open a small Apparition point within our barriers, at a location that cannot be seen from any point on the perimeter. I'll let Atticus know."

"You have a place in mind?"

Alania smiled. "I do, as a matter of fact. Somewhere the Death Eaters would never guess."

He chuckled. "You are a vindictive creature, ma femme."

But even the complex spellwork it took to set up a secret Apparition point didn't take her mind off the fact that the Death Eaters were definitely searching for Adrian, or that someone had tried to cast Imperius on her. She knew Adrian was still helping Alicia, and she suspected that if they were indeed saving muggle-borns from arrest, Adrian was very likely responsible for stunning, hexing, and cursing several Snatchers who constantly tried to interfere with those types of operations. At some point, the Snatchers and Death Eaters were going to figure out that Alicia wasn't alone when she did those runs, if they hadn't already. As if Alicia didn't have enough to worry about, with things as they were at the hospital…

Just three days after Cassius's second visit, Alania attended a meeting of the Board of Directors for St. Mungo's. She was already in a touchy mood because of Cassius, and Cecil Vanhausen certainly didn't make things better.

Straun MacMillan was reviewing the stats for the trainee Healers as the board made their way through the business session, and when that particular section of the agenda came up for discussion, Straun remarked lightly, "The Spinnet girl has impressive marks."

Cecil turned a snort into a cough. "Yes," he said, giving Straun a thin, fake smile. "Considering her blood status, I'm also impressed."

Alania knew Straun's hackles were about to go back, so she quickly said, "I'm impressed with your daughter's marks as well, chairman. Courtney and Alicia certainly have the highest marks out of any of the trainee Healers, and they're only second-years."

"Thank you, Mrs. Pucey." Cecil turned that thin smile to her instead. "Courtney is a good daughter. She knows what is expected of her."

That was also a slight; one towards Atticus for daring to become engaged to a woman the Death Eaters believed was the daughter of a blood traitor family. Straun gave Alania an annoyed look across the table, but Alania kept her expression placid.

As soon as the meeting was over, Cecil made his way to the two of them as they started to leave.

"Just a moment, Mr. MacMillan," he said unctuously. "I noticed your term does not expire another year and a half, but your family is so large… is it not an inconvenience for you to attend these monthly meetings?"

Straun's eyebrows went up. "Not at all, chairman. My two younger are at Hogwarts, and my oldest works full-time. This gives me something to do outside of my own business interests."

Cecil nodded, his face falling just slightly. "Ah, yes. Well, I'm glad it does not interferewith your family."

Alania and Straun nodded curtly and walked out together, but neither said anything to the other until they were outside in the courtyard.

Alania turned to Straun and smiled. "Give this to your wife, please." She handed him an envelope. "I would love to have her around for tea soon."

"Of course."

With that, they both Disapparated.

When Alania reappeared, she was not standing outside Pucey Villa's main gates, but on top of a grave inside the family cemetery, which was tucked away on the edge of the woods that surrounded the vast estate. The grave in question was the only one not covered in snow. She smiled darkly as she gazed down at the little headstone. The Death Eaters would never suspect she'd placed an Apparition point on top of the grave of a house elf. She stepped off the grave and headed for a marble bench, which was placed beneath a tall oak tree just next to the cemetery. Alania cleared it of snow with a sweep of her wand, cast a warming charm around the bench, and sat down to wait. She did not have to wait long; only five minutes passed before the pop of Apparition was followed by the appearance of Straun MacMillan and his wife, Eleanor Fawley MacMillan.

"You are absolutely ingenious," Straun said, smirking at Alania. "You've never ceased to amaze me with your Charms work. Placing a secret Apparition point on top of a house elf's grave? No one is going to guess that one, Lon."

"I certainly hope not," Alania replied, returning the smile.

Eleanor stepped forward and hugged Alania. "You are definitely brilliant at Charms. You always have been. But, more importantly, I hear Cecil tried to get my husband to resign a few minutes ago." Her face turned stony.

"He did, the great arse," Alania snapped. "Salazar, but I nearly hexed him!"

"Younearly hexed him?" Straun ranted. "How the bloody hell do you think I felt? If you hadn't interrupted, I probably would have hexed him!"

"I'm sure he'll try to get me to resign soon enough, too," Alania said grimly. "The board doesn't meet in December, but he'll be back at it come January, I assure you. Come on up to the house, then. My apologies; it's a bit of a walk and the snow is deep, but I have some brooms." She summoned three brooms, which were stored in an unobtrusive marble structure that was designed to look like a crypt, which Alania had created for the sole purpose of storing brooms to use when one utilized the new Apparition point.

"Oh, I do hate flying," Eleanor grimaced. "I'll ride with Straun, Alania."

Alania sent the third broom back to the fake marble tomb. She knew Eleanor hated flying, but she felt it rude not to at least offer her own broom.

"Never ceases to amaze me that you hate flying," Straun said, rolling his eyes. "Considering how much the kids love playing Quidditch."

"It's all those MacMillan genes," she retorted, gripping the broom handle tightly as her husband swung his leg over the back. "I'm certain mine aren't a factor at all, sometimes!"

Alania was already airborne. "I do wish Atticus had stayed in England and gone professional. He would have been brilliant at it."

"I was hoping Ern would be on the Hufflepuff team this year," Straun complained. "Smith's son isn't nearly as good as Ern."

"Are they even playing Quidditch at Hogwarts this year?" Alania asked darkly, as they soared over the grounds and the main house came into sight.

Eleanor's face looked pinched, but whether from fear of heights or fear of what was happening at Hogwarts, Alania wasn't sure. "I don't know. Whenever we get a letter from Ernie, it's always heavily blacked out."

"Blacked out?" Alania frowned.

Straun nodded as they landed on the rear terrace. "Yes. Georgina's letters, too. It's disturbing. It means the Death Eaters are doing the same to the letters we're sending to our children. They're preventing us from talking to each other, and I don't like it. I'm about to go 'round the twist, if I'm honest. Consider yourself lucky, Lon, that your sons have graduated."

"I would consider myself luckier," she muttered, "if my youngest wasn't putting himself in the line of fire so often."

"That doesn't surprise me." Straun chuckled as he propped his broom against the mansion and followed her into the family parlor. "If he's anything like you…"

"I know." Alania sighed sufferingly. "But he's of age and has a strong sense of justice. I certainly can't stop him."

The elves had tea ready at the small, informal table. Alexander rose to greet their guests as soon as the French doors to the terrace closed behind them, and asked,"What did Vanhausen do today? I figured it must have been something, since Alania sent a Patronus to let me know we would have guests for tea."

Darkly, Straun replied, "He asked if the board meetings didn't interfere with my large family. And that was after he made a slight about one of the trainee Healers —"

"Alicia," Alania clarified, glancing at her husband, as she gestured for Straun and Eleanor to sit. "Vanhausen made note of the fact that she was a half-blood, insinuating that someone of her blood status shouldn't be able to make such high marks."

She saw the ripple of anger in her husband's eyes. But before he could reply, Straun slid his wife's chair to the table and, as he sat down too, he asked curiously, "Do you know her, Lon?"

"I've met her, yes. At Bess and Conall's wedding. You probably saw her that day, too. She's incredibly bright. And such a sweet girl. She was a Gryffindor in Adrian's year, and a prefect. She also played Chaser on the Gryffindor team."

Straun arched an eyebrow, and Alania could tell he was curious to know if there was more to it than Alania was sharing, but she deflected by looking at her husband and adding,"And then Vanhausen made a slight about Atticus."

Eleanor bristled. "What did he say about Atticus?"

Alania replied, "It was veiled. If you weren't aware of it, you wouldn't have picked up on it."

Straun explained, "I commented on the Spinnet girl's impressive marks, and when Cecil made his little comment about her blood status, Lon stepped in and tried tokeep the peace. She complimented Cecil on his daughter's marks, and then the bastard looked Lon right in the eye and had the audacity to say his daughter was a gooddaughter; that she knew what wasexpected of her."

Alexander rolled his eyes — an unusualdisplay of emotion on his part. "For someone who doesn't have the money our families have, he certainly is testing the waters, isn't he?"

"You two must avoid getting on his bad side," Eleanor implored her husband and Alania. "He's going to make certain he removes you from the board otherwise, and we need you both there right now. Things are bad enough as it is."

"I know," Straun said stiffly. "I'm trying, but it is extremely hard to control my temper."

"For both of you, I'm sure," she scolded.

Alania's lip curled. "I did want to hex his arse."

Her husband almost laughed.

"I'm more curious," Straun said suddenly, his gaze turning towards Alania, "as to why you've put a secret Apparition point in the cemetery."

Alania arched an eyebrow and stirred her tea. "It seems certain factions wish to recruit my younger son, and I would rather him not try to come through the main gate. Or even the back gate, though it is fairly unobtrusive and not as well known."

Alexander added, "One of his classmates has stopped by twice, trying to find him. The second time, someone was beyond the gates and attempted to ImperiuseAlania."

Eleanor sucked in a quick breath and Straun's eyes glittered furiously as he swore.

"Fortunately," Alania continued placidly, "Alexander put up a barrier just in front of me to prevent something like that from happening. Not that I can't throw off Imperius, of course. But I'd rather not have to."

"The barrier was a good idea," Straun muttered, glancing at Alexander. "Considering what happened back in '77. Damned lucky you didn't lose your husband that day, Lon."

"Don't I know it," she answered grimly. Straun and his wife were the only other people in the world besides Albus, Alexander, Atticus, and now Adrian, who knew even part of that story. There were parts she doubted she would ever tell anyone, and there were certainly parts her husband did not know and never would, nor Straun, who was her oldest and dearest friend. She and Straun had been in the same year at Hogwarts and had both been Quidditch fanatics. They'd had Charms and Herbology together, and they had taken to studying together despite being in different houses. They had never fancied each other; Alania had considered him her best friend until she met her husband years later. Straun was simply someone she felt comfortable being around, and that had been a rarity at Hogwarts. She had actually been the one to set him up with Eleanor in their sixth-year; Alania had caught the Ravenclaw prefect wistfully watching Straun in the library one day.

"So," Straun said, his eyes darting back to Alania. "When do you plan to cast a Fidelius Charm?"

Alania sipped her tea before answering quietly. "Soon. If I do, I will let you know the address, of course."

"Thank you." His face relaxed. "I would feel off if I couldn't reach you. Keiran is grateful Bridget is in France, but I told him just the other day, if it comes down to an actual fight, you know she'll return home."

Eleanor's face was pinched. "I don't want to think about that. The two of you are far braver than I am. And I'm terrified of Andy, Ernie, and Gina fighting."

"Gina is underaged," Straun reminded her.

His wife snorted. "As if that would stop her?"

He winced. "I'm sorry, dear. They did all get MacMillan genes, didn't they?"

Alania laughed softly. "Last Christmas, Adrian told me he didn't want me to fight. I told him I absolutely would, if my three men did. I finally told him a bit of what happened in '77 a few months ago. I told him right after Albus died."

"I didn't think you wanted him to know. How did he take it?"

"I didn't want him to know, but in my anger, I accidentally said something I shouldn't have." Alania gave her dearest friend a small smile. "You know how that is."

He burst out laughing again. "If that's not just like you!"

"Fortunately, Adrian wasn't too upset." Her face clouded. "But I have a feeling…"

When she trailed off, her husband looked at her curiously.

Unwillingly, Alania elaborated. "I just have a feeling Adrian will end up having to do what I did, back then. I can't explain why I think that, but… I just do."

"What, kill a Death Eater? No loss there." Straun snorted. "The more he takes out, the better. As long as he doesn't get killed himself, of course."

Eleanor gave him an exasperated look. "Really, darling! Not everyone can cast a Killing Curse and flippantly tell Albus Dumbledore to transfigure a Death Eater's body into something else and toss it into the North Atlantic before taking aportkey to the south of France for four years."

Alania smiled over her teacup. "I do wonder if Albus took my advice. And I wish I'd asked him what he transfigured Travers into."

"Bloody hell, Alania," Alexander groaned.

Straun laughed. "She's got gallows humor, Alexander, you know that. She's always been like that."

"Well," Alexander said, meeting his wife's eyes. "If Adrian does end up having to kill someone to save himself, or someone he loves, what will you do?"

Alania smiled softly. "I will love him all the more."

"He'll need it. Like Eleanor said, he doesn't have your ability to be quite so flippant."

As the conversation turned to other matters, Alania fell silent.

Flippant?

On the contrary, she thought bitterly. She wasn't flippant at all. Everything was carefully weighed, carefully thought out. Her gallows humor hid the part of her heart that forever wailed and raged and screamed and sobbed in pain; the part of her that was petrified that Adrian would see battle himself before long. That Adrian would soon know just how difficult it was to compartmentalize the piece of him that would forever worry he had made a mistake in the heat of a moment. Alania would never wish that on either of her sons.

Author's Notes: This story spawned an outtake, which can be found on AO3 under my user name, under the story Stolen Moments: Outtakes, Chapter 6.

~EA