Author's Note: The end of this chapter is NSFW.
~EA
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Family Matters
December 19, 1997
"Alicia!"
Angelina Johnson bolted from the kitchen, through the sitting room and down the tiny hall to Alicia's bedroom.
"Alicia!"
It was still early in the morning, not even light outside, and Alicia had taking to sleeping in mornings since her final exams had ended three days earlier. But Angelina couldn't be bothered to respect her best friend's sleep at the moment, or even Alicia and Adrian's modesty. She just hoped they weren't shagging as she waved her wand and the door flew open.
Thankfully, they weren't; Adrian was at least wearing pants and was putting his jeans on (it seemed that, in the very short time it took for Angelina to get from the kitchen to Alicia's bedroom, Adrian never could quite manage to get his jeans fully on), and Alicia had sat up in bed, fortunately wearing a baggy cotton sleep-shirt.
Angelina bypassed an indignant Adrian and thrust the Daily Prophetat her best friend. Tersely, she said, "Your dad. His name came up."
Alicia grabbed the paper from her with panic in her eyes and Angelina sensed Adrian freeze behind her.
As soon as she saw her dad's name on the list of upcoming muggle-borns, Alicia wordlessly threw the counterpane back and summoned a pair of corduroyslacks and a thick jumper from her closet, and thick socks from her dresser. She dressed without speaking, while Adrian snatched the paper up and read the names on the list with his eyes narrowed.
"I'll go with you," he started, but Alicia shook her head.
"No. Absolutely not. Not even Disillusioned," she added sharply, tugging her socks on. When he started to protest, Alicia snapped, "Cassius Warrington is trying to find you, damn it. If he's really a Death Eater and sees this list of muggle-borns, he's absolutely going to make the connection that Leslie Spinnet and I are related —"
"All the more reason I need to go with you," Adrian grit out.
Angelina wondered if they had argued about this already, though it was hard to tell. Alicia had been very firm on not taking Adrian to meet her parents. It was strange — Angelina knew Alicia had met Adrian's parents at least three times now, and Adrian's mother had even told Alicia about a secret Apparition point on the Pucey estate in case she needed to visit them.
"They aren't listening to reason," Alicia answered, grabbing her jumper. "And if Warrington, Bletchley, and Montague realize Leslie Spinnet is my father, I wouldn't be the first bit surprised if they show up to arrest him personally."
"Knowing Umbridge," Angelina threw in bitterly, "she would probably put them up to it." She well remembered how the hateful woman had targeted Alicia so unfairly in their seventh-year.
Adrian looked murderous. "That's exactly whyI need to go, damn it. I know how those arseholes think! I roomed with them for seven bloody years!"
"We were in Defense with them; I know what they're like, too," Alicia reminded him quickly, lacing up her boots.
"No," Adrian protested. "You don't really know —"
"Adrian!" Alicia stood up, wand in her hand and fire flashing in her eyes along with the faint shimmer of tears. Her voice rose in pitch. "I'm very likely going to lose my father! I'm not losing you, too! I promise, I'll be careful! Dory will meet me there!"
"I'd feel better if I could at least watch from across the street," he argued. "I don't want to lose you, either!"
For a moment, the two of them stood off against each other, hardly aware that Angelina was still in the room. If not for the seriousness of the situation, Angelina probably would have smiled. Adrian was shirtless and his hair was sticking up in different directions from sleep; Alicia wasn't wearing the first stitch of make-up while her long hair was in tangles.
"Fine," Alicia finally fumed. "But you have to stay across the streetand you have to remain Disillusioned the entire time, damn it! Do notcome into the house or anywhere near it! Don't let anyone see you!"
"As if I would," he retorted.
A crow Patronus suddenly appeared before Alicia, and Angelina recognized Doreen Sharpe's voice.
Your father's name came up on the Commission. I'm Apparating over there at 7:30. Meet me there, please.
Alicia cast a Patronus back and shoved past Adrian for the hall.
"Oh no you don't," he ranted, quickly dodging Angelina as he stormed after Alicia. "Let me in the loo first, you take too long with your hair!"
"I do not!" Alicia yelled.
Angelina heard the bathroom door slam seconds later, followed by Alicia's howl of indignation, and Ang finally allowed herself a tiny smile. At least Alicia and Adrian were both human; Angelina had started to wonder if the two of them ever argued about anything. No one's relationship could be thatperfect.
At 7:25 am, Alicia found herself in front of her parents' house instead of in the backyard, because she would not have Adrian that close to the house if all hell broke loose. He needed to have a different vantage point.
Doreen was waiting for her on the pavement; Alicia's feeble excuse was that maybe her parents would listen better if they went in the front door instead of the kitchen door.
"Let's go," Dory said grimly, looping her arm into Alicia's.
The Spinnets were not happy to see the two of them, especially that early in the morning. They didn't take the Daily Prophet, and Leslie hadn't even opened the envelope he'd received from the Ministry of Magic the day before because he'd just thought it was junk mail. Despite Dory and Alicia's attempts to persuade them to leave the country, Leslie and Patricia refused to listen and told them they were both being too dramatic. Patricia finally chivvied them back outside and closed the door behind them.
"Don't give up yet, Cinnamon," Dory said wearily. "We'll keep trying."
"He's scheduled to appear three days before Christmas," Alicia whispered.
Doreen snorted. "I'd bet anything Dolores Umbridge did it on purpose, hoping to ruin some folks' holiday."
Alicia wasn't going to take that bet.
Adrian went with Alicia back to her parents' house on Saturday and Sunday that weekend, but by Sunday, her mother wouldn't even let her inside.
"Alicia! Stop harping on this," she'd snapped. "Your father and I refuse to buy into these lies. We'll be fine. We're keeping our heads' down. No one is going to show up here to find us. We don't have any interaction with the wizarding world, except with you and mum! Go on back to Angelina's! And when we visit your grandmother on Christmas Day, I insistyou not talk about this topic! No! I don't want to hear anymore about it!"
Alicia was crying by the time Adrian grasped her arm and Apparated them back to Angelina's apartment.
"Listen," he said grimly, as soon as they were inside. "I think it's best if I take some of your things to my parents' house, Alicia."
"Why?" Angelina asked, narrowing her eyes at him. She had met them at the door and let them in, and she didn't look remotely surprised that Alicia had tears running down her face.
"Because." He met Johnson's gaze without flinching. "When Alicia's dad doesn't show up for his appointment, and Snatchers go around for him, they may come here next, looking for Alicia to harass her."
Angelina was quiet for a moment, before she finally inhaled deeply and said, "Adrian makes a good point, Alicia. If they find your things here, they'll turn your room upside down and inside out just to bully you."
Alicia rose without a word and went back to her room. Adrian didn't follow. He leaned against the counter and sighed.
"She's not really angry at you," Angelina said quietly.
"I know," he muttered.
"Still doesn't make it easy when she takes her temper out on you though, does it?"
He felt bitter and sullen, but he didn't voice that aloud. Of course, he didn't have to. Johnson knew, somehow.
All he said was, "I don't think she should go over there for Christmas. Not even to her grandmother's place."
Adrian knew this would be a very unpopular opinion with the two Chasers and he braced himself for Johnson's fury.
But it didn't come.
Instead, she murmured, "It might be the last chance she has to see them, if the Snatchers don't get them first."
"I know that. And the Snatchers might also be waiting for Alicia to show up, so they can attack all three of them at once. That could be Umbridge's plan. I would hate Alicia's holiday to be ruined forever because of Umbridge."
Angelina didn't answer that. She didn't have to; Adrian knew she secretly agreed with him. And he hated that more than anything else.
Alicia packed her trunk, probably with a bit more vigor than necessary, but she couldn't help throwing stuff inside.
Adrian was right, damn it, and she knew that. She didknow that!But she didn't like it. She didn't want to move her things to Pucey Villa; she wanted to stand and fight against this injustice!
On the other hand, she also didn't want Angelina to get in trouble if the Snatchers came around toTansley Alley. Lee or George could bunk with Angelina for a couple of weeks as a precaution, but Alicia hated that, too.
She supposed she should be grateful she'd have a place to stay during the holidays if her father was arrested; at least Alania and Alexander Pucey would welcome her. She hoped.
Adrian didn't say anything else about the issue, though. When Monday the 22nd dawned, Angelina went to Holyhead and Alicia paced the kitchen for two hours with a perpetual cup of tea in her hands, while Adrian watched her nervously. At ten that morning, she received an owl from the Healer Institute, saying she had passed all of her exams with perfect scores, which meant she would retain her scholarship. That was a relief; Winter 1998 would be her last term before entering residency.
Around eleven, Adrian called his personal house elf to take her trunk of things to his parents' house, which included all of her framed pictures and his Slytherin tie, her Healing textbooks, and all but a couple of changes of clothes.
Other than that, their day was rather uneventful. The house elf returned that afternoon with a small, two-foot Christmas tree (at Adrian's request, apparently…) They placed it on the tea table in the sitting room, but it didn't take more than five minutes for Alicia to decorate it with conjured tiny silver and blue glass baubles and white candles lit with bluebell flames. She thought blue, white, and silver rather fitted her mood, if she were perfectly honest. It made her think of that old Elvis song, Blue Christmas.
Another five minutes later and she had conjured blue and silver garlands over the window behind the sofa and along the little mantel. She admired her wand work for all of two minutes before she remembered that she was supposed to be waiting for news.
Angelina returned at 5:30, having stopped to pick up take-out on her way home so Alicia wouldn't have to leave the flat for any reason. As they were eating, Doreen's Patronus showed up, informing Alicia that no one had arrived on the Spinnets' doorstep all day. But Alicia didn't relax. Today had only been the day her dad had been called to appear. The Ministry would have realized during the proceedings that he wasn't there, but they may not have sent someone yet. They would probably wait until the next day.
But the next morning passed uneventfully, too. Alicia got tired of listening to Christmas music on the Wireless and Adrian got tired of her pacing. Tempers were running thin and she hated that, too. She didn't like fighting with Adrian; it didn't feel right. She knew he was just as worried as she was, and inaction didn't suit him any better than it suited her, but it didn't stop them from sniping at each other.
And then, during lunch, the twins and Lee showed up.
Adrian hurried to hide in Alicia's bedroom as soon as Fred announced who was on the other side of the door, and Alicia reluctantly allowed her old classmates inside Angelina's kitchen after a round of security questions.
Without preamble, Fred said angrily, "Well, the Death Eaters strike again."
Lee bitched, "I'll have to do another Potterwatch soon."
Alicia's anxiety spiked. Had the twins and Lee heard news of her parents before she did?Sinking into a chair at the kitchen table, she asked shakily, "What happened?"
"They stopped the Hogwarts Express on its way back to London this weekend," George said darkly.
At that, Alicia felt her stomach sink. It had nothing to do with her parents, after all. Though, it was just as bad.
"They kidnapped Luna Lovegood. Because her father's been supportive of Harry," Fred explained, conjuring a couple of chairs for himself and George. Lee took the chair across from Alicia at the tiny kitchen table.
Alicia, however, was suddenly too angry to stay seated. She swore angrily and rose to her feet, and stormed around the kitchen inan attempt to burn off some of her steam. If that wasn't just likethe damn Death Eaters: kidnapping an innocent young girl to make her father stop printing the truth…!
"Ginny was really upset," George said gloomily.
Fred sighed. "We stopped by last night to check on them."
"Apparently she and Neville tried to stand up to the Death Eaters to protect Luna, but they both got hexed, cursed, and knocked around a bit," George growled.
"They wouldn't actually kill Ginny or Neville, of course," Fred sneered. "The Longbottoms and Weasleys are members of the fucking Sacred Twenty-Eight, after all."
"But Ginny was still angry she couldn't do anything. And she's been pretty quiet since she got home."
At that, Alicia stopped herpacing and looked at them in surprise. "Ginny? Quiet?"
Fred and George exchanged another dark look before George elaborated, "Well… we don't think she's told us exactly what's going on."
"Strike that. We know she hasn't told us exactly what's going on."
"But we can read between the lines."
"She and Neville weren't just hexed and knocked around a bit for trying to stop Death Eaters from taking Luna. We're certain they were treated much worse."
"But she won't say what actuallyhappened."
"Even more disturbing, she won't say a word about anything going on at Hogwarts itself. She wouldn't even comment on the fact that her letters were blacked out."
Seeing Alicia's expression, George added, "When we showed her the letters, her eyes just went really blank and her face became expressionless."
"We wondered if she had been Imperiused, but the more I think about it, I don't think so," Fred said hollowly.
"We think whatever's happening at Hogwarts is so fucking awful that she's terrified to talk about it. Or she doesn't want to worry us."
"Or both," Lee reminded them.
Alicia nodded. "I think Lee's right. She knows you two would want to storm up there and fight."
"What about me?" Lee retorted indignantly.
Alicia smiled. "You, too."
"Anyways," Fred frowned. "Have your parents left the country, yet?"
Alicia's anxiety spiked again. "No. Dory and I have tried to talk theminto leaving every day since last Friday, but they won't even open the door for us anymore. They just keep telling us they're tired of us being dramatic, and —"
Lee swore, stood up, and started pacing. "Damn it, Al! Maybe we should stun them and drag them out. Or Imperiuse them and convince them to leave the country?"
"You could Oblivate their memories and make them forget you," Fred suggested. "Make them think they've always wanted to move to the Peruvian Alps, or something."
Alicia stared at both of them before she snarled,"That's despicable, you two. I will not erase myself from my parents' memories or use an Unforgivable Curse on them. How could you even suggest that?"
"I'm just saying," Fred answered in a terse voice. "If it would keep them alive…"
"Alive, yes, but they wouldn't even know me!"
"You could reverse the charm when the war ends."
"They would hate me." Alicia knew her voice was low and furious. "No, Fred. I won't do that. I can't."
The twins and Lee exchanged dark looks, and Alicia knew what they weren't saying: that her parents were going to end up arrested or dead, otherwise. She shoved that thought aside. Fortunately, the twins' lunch hour was nearly up, so they excused themselves a few minutes later and told her to contact them if she needed them. She told Lee she wanted to be alone so he would leave, too.
Despite the fact that she didn't want to think about her parents getting killed, Lee and twins' visit did have one positive effect: it gave Alicia and Adrian something to talk about that afternoon for several hours, instead of lashing out at each other. By debating what on earth could be happening at Hogwarts that would cause Ginny Weasley to clam up and become docile, it kept them from fighting, and Alicia would much rather discuss theories with Adrian than argue with him about her parents.
She was damned grateful when Angelina returned from Holyhead, though. Angelina's return meant they could discuss Ginny even more, but no sooner had Angelina walked in the door than Dory sent another Patronus to say no one had shown up to arrest Leslie Spinnet that day, either.
"That's odd," Angelina remarked, dropping her Quidditch gear by the door. "Why hasn't anyone shown up to arrest him, yet?"
"I don't know," Alicia admitted,biting her lower lip a bit. "Do you think they misplaced his file or something?"
Adrian snorted. "Not bloody likely. Umbridge, misplace a file?"
"I agree," Angelina said darkly, before Alicia could snap at him forbeing sarcastic. "Umbridge hasn't misplaced shite. She's waiting, biding her time. The question is, why?"
But before Alicia or Adrian could suggest any ideas, Kenneth and Karen showed up with dinner, in an effort to support Alicia and what she was going through, because Karen knew the feeling all too well. Kenneth's girlfriend had cooked bangers and mash, and there was plenty, so they all grabbed something to drink, conjured extra chairs, and gathered around the little Christmas tree in the sitting room.
The trouble was, Kenneth wasn't in any better of a mood than anyone else. Glaring at the tree, he said sourly, "Depressing colors on that. Whose bloody idea was it to make it blue and silver?"
"I thought it fit the mood." Alicia glowered. "What's your problem tonight?"
Kenneth looked cagey as he raked a hand into his hair, but after a moment, he muttered darkly, "I don't know, that's just it. Mum sent me an owl this afternoon. She said something's wrong with Luke, but she doesn't know what, exactly. It's got me all in knots, I guess."
Angelina and Alicia exchanged glances, and Alicia swallowed her irritation and asked in concern, "Is he ill? Does he need to go to St. Mungo's?"
"No, nothing like that," Kenneth said, shaking his head. "She said he's not his usual self. He hasn't hardly spoken two words since he got home Saturday."
And all of sudden, it hit Alicia. "Oh, damn," she sputtered. "The twins said the same thing about Ginny. The way you phrased it at first made me think maybe he was sick, but…"
Seeing Kenneth's confusion, Adrian explained, "Something's going on at Hogwarts. Not that we didn't already know that, but… this confirms it."
Angelina sighed heavily and poked at her food. "The twins said Death Eaters stopped the Hogwarts Express to kidnap Luna Lovegood in retaliation for her father openly siding with Harry in The Quibbler."
Kenneth swore angrily.
"I suspect that's only the tip of the iceberg," Adrian said darkly. "Whatever's actually happening at Hogwarts isn't something Ginny or Luke or anyone else wants to share. And it's far more than just Lovegood getting kidnapped on the train."
Karen asked falteringly, "What do you mean?"
Adrian wouldn't meet anyone's eyes. After a long moment, he said distantly, "See… in the Slytherin common room… hexing and hazing were pretty common. It happened every week, sometimes every day. Usually older students hexing younger ones to remind them of their place in the hierarchy, but sometimes younger ones against each other —"
Angelina stared at him in horror. "That's sick."
Adrian kept looking at a spot on the floor. "I didn't say it was pretty. I'm just telling you what happened."
Alicia said quietly, "Courtney told me the same thing, not long ago." She reached over and placed her hand on top of Adrian's fist, which was curled up against his leg.
They all turned and looked at her, even Adrian.
Alicia swallowed. "It was when her father was forcing her to go on dates with Death Eaters. She managed to evade Raul Jugson, but then she said her father wanted her to go out with Miles Bletchley —"
Angelina swore. "That arse?!"
"— and she told me Bletchley was notorious for hexing people in the common room, especially during our seventh-year."
Adrian nodded. "He was. Malfoy was his and Montague's personal favorite to abuse that year. I know it sounds odd,because everyone else thought Malfoy was the golden boy of Slytherin — popular,rich, well-connected, probably always holding court in the common room. And all of that was true when he first came to Hogwarts. No one would have dared hex him back then; his father was a member of the Board of Governors and Lucius Malfoy liked to throw his money around to make a point. I mean, that's how the whole team got bloody Nimbus 2001's." Adrian hesitated, then went on, "But by Draco's fifth-year, his dad was falling out of favor. Lucius Malfoy had been sacked from the Board of Governors and he was a known Death Eater. He'd been claiming for years that he'd been Imperiused, but it wasn't true. To make matters worse, Slytherin lost all three of their Quidditch games that year. Montague blamed Malfoy openly for the losses."
"Courtney told me the same thing," Alicia said.
Adrian explained, "He lost the Snitch to Potter, Summerby, and Chang. So Montague and Bletchley bullied and hexed him in the common room after each game to set an example: that it wasn't acceptable to lose. He was only on the team because his father had bought his way on by buying everyone those Nimbus 2001's back in our fourth-year. The fact that he'd lost the Snitch in all three games in '95 and '96 pissed Montague off like you wouldn't believe. It suddenly became evident that pureblood Malfoy wasn't as talented as other Seekers in the school, two of which were half-bloods, and maybe Slytherin should have found a different Seeker that year instead of continuously catering to Lucius Malfoy."
Everyone stared at him in horror. Angelina and Karen seemed to have no words at all, and Alicia knew how they felt. She had no idea what to say, either. She hated Malfoy, but the idea that he had been beaten and attacked just for losing a Quidditch game? It was almost incomprehensible! No Gryffindor captain would have done anything like that!
After an extremely long, awkward pause, Kenneth finallycoughed. "Well, if I'm being honest, I feel way more sympathetic towards Vanhausen for being forced to go on a date with Bletchley than I do for Malfoy getting hexed by Montague."
Alicia almost laughed at the absurdity of Kenneth's notorious dry sarcasm; Angelina actually snorted into her drink. Even Karen gave a tiny smile.
"Oh, believe me," Adrian said, glancing at him. "I would much rather Malfoy get his arse hexed than Vanhausen get raped. No girl deserves that. But my point is, that's how many Slytherins treated their own."
And at that, everyone tensed again. Suddenly, Adrian's point became very clear, and it made Alicia instantly sick to her stomach.
After another pause, Karen whispered, "Which means, they're hazing and bullying everyone else, now."
"I don't know that I would call it hazing and bullying anymore," Adrian said slowly. He was looking at the floor again, his expression anxious. "Did anyone else go to the World Cup back in '94?"
At that, Kenneth's sarcasm came out again; he drawled, "Despite the fact that you are the most minted arse in this room, and possibly all of England, I did happen to go to that game, too. Dad had damned good seats, actually — right next to the Diggorys. We only had to spend one night. Gilbert was in a private box with his family though, so he didn't sit with us."
"Alicia, Katie, and I all went," Angelina remembered fondly. "My dad scored our tickets, but we had to go a week in advance. We all camped out and had a great time. Our seats weren't the best, but still…"
"Yeah, it was still worth it," Alicia agreed,smiling at her.
"I did not go." Karen laughed. "My dad tried to get tickets, but they were a bit too pricey for a low-ranking Ministry employee from Bristol, and Mum wasn't interested at all. She never did like Quidditch. Chrysanthe didn't go, either."
At that, the mood became somber again; Karen's face abruptly fell as she thought of her mother, imprisoned in Azkaban, and Chrysanthe, who was still missing. The others noticed her expression immediately.
After a few seconds, Adrian cleared his throat. "Well, you'll all remember that, after the game, Death Eaters showed up and started torturing muggles."
Alicia gripped her hands tightly. She well-remembered that night; she and Angelina had rushed to get Katie into the woods, and by sheer luck, they ran into Oliver on their way. Thank Merlinfor Oliver. Without second thought, he had shepherded them into the woods with his brother Alex, while his father and two older brothers rushed back to fight the Death Eaters.
Angelina said as much. "Alicia, Katie, and I ran into the woods to hide. We happened to run into Ollie and his little brother, and we all stuck together. Katie was muggle-born; we had to protect her."
Kenneth's expression was sobering, too. "Gilbert and his family Apparated home right after the game. Cedric and I were both purebloods, so we weren't concerned for ourselves… but our fathers went back to help fight the crowd. The two of us took Luke and went into the woods to wait. I remember how anxious we were. I didn't want Luke to get hurt, he was only twelve and he was terrified."
"Atticus and Bridget came home just for that game," Adrian explained. My dad had no interest in going, but he got the tickets for us and Mum. We had a private box like the Royles did —"
"Your dad isn't interested in Quidditch?" Angelina looked surprised. "But you played Chaser!"
Adrian almost laughed. "Dad's the only one in our family who didn't play Quidditch. I was a Chaser, Atticus was a Keeper, and Mum was a Seeker. And Bridget, my brother's fiancée, was a Chaser for Hufflepuff. So yeah, the four of us went to the World Cup, and Dad stayed home. Thank Salazar we didn't have to spend the night, though. We Apparated out right after the game, so we weren't there when the Death Eaters started attacking the muggles. But what I wanted to say was this: if you remember that night, and combine it with what I just told you about the Slytherin common room, that will give you a better idea of what might be happening at Hogwarts. They aren't bullying or hazing. I suspect they're outright torturing people. Anyone who disagrees with them, anyone who steps out of line, anyone who argues…"
Kenneth sucked in a sharp breath through his nose and looked horrified; Karen wrapped her arms around herself and bit her lip, and Alicia and Angelina's anger was evident.
"I didn't say it to upset any of you," Adrian sighed, looking around at them all. "I only said it so you would understand that it's much worse than you thought. Ginny and Luke are back home and they aren't talking, when they're both normally very outspoken, right? Well, that's because there's probably more to it than just a few kids getting hexed."
Alicia felt sick, but it made sense. "You're right. If Miles Bletchley wasn't afraid to hex me in public our seventh-year in the library, some of those Slytherins wouldn't be afraid to use curses like… Cruciatus… on kids now that Snape is in charge."
Karen stood up and started to pace, while Angelina crossed her arms and her legs, her foot bobbing in her anger. Kenneth, however, was very quiet and looked unnerved.
"I know what you're thinking," Angelina finally said to him.
Kenneth glared at her. "I doubt it."
Angelina arched an eyebrow. "It's killing you that Luke could be being tortured. I have a younger sister too, you know. She might be my half-sister and no, she's not at Hogwarts, but I can tell you this — if she was, I'd be losing my mind."
He looked away, his fists clenching, and didn't say anything.
Alicia turned to Adrian. "Were you ever bullied?" she asked softly.
Adrian blinked in surprise, then smiled sarcastically. "The one time Bletchley tried to hex me, I cursed him so badly in retaliation that he never tried again. I was far better at Defense and dueling than any of my dorm mates, and I kept my head down. The older students didn't bother me much, either. It helped that my family was so wealthy. In Slytherin, if you were extremely wealthy or extremely skilled, the bullies tended to leave you alone. I was both, and I was a loner. No one bothered me after that."
Alicia nodded. "I remember when you hexed Bletchley in seventh-year."
Kenneth glanced up. "Hexed Bletchley?"
Adrian almost laughed. "Remember November 1996? When Umbridge took over the prefect meetings?"
"Of course I do," Kenneth snapped. "It was because Harry and Fred beat the shit out of Malfoy and then someone hexed Bletch—" He broke off and his eyes suddenly got wide.
Even Angelina and Karen looked at Adrian in surprise.
Indignantly, Kenneth sputtered, "Wait, youhexed Bletchley in the Entrance Hall?"
Adrian gave him a slightly wicked smile. "The spikes on his tongue; that's my variation of the Horned-Tongue Hex, actually. I can even make them grow down a person's throat. The second hex I hit him with was an added bonus to make the pus come out of his nose."
Kenneth's mouth fell open. "You mean, Umbridge took over the prefect meetings because of you?"
At that, Adrian rolled his eyes. "A side effect I had not anticipated, I assure you. She was in a meeting with Fudge when I hexed Bletchley, and I made sure the entire Gryffindor team wasn't around before I did it. But Umbridge still felt like blaming Alicia. That's why I worked so hard to partner with Alicia all year, to protect her. It was my fault," he said hollowly.
"It wasn't your fault," Alicia replied, sliding her hand along his and linking their fingers. "Umbridge would have eventually taken over the prefect meetings anyways, you know she would have. She didn't like anyone to have power that she didn't."
"That is true," Kenneth said, frowning thoughtfully. "Godric, when I first heard about it, I was sure Fred and George were the ones behind it, but they said they weren't. And they would have absolutely claimed credit for something like that if they'd really done it. So I knew it wasn't them, but I couldn't imagine who had done it."
"If Umbridge hadn't honed in on Alicia," Adrian admitted, "I probably would have hexed Bletchley more often that year. That night was the quietest I ever had in the library."
Kenneth glanced up at Adrian. "You're pretty fucking vindictive, Pucey. I got roped into helping investigate because I was Head Boy, and the spikes weregoing down his throat. Took Madam Pomfrey two hours to find a counter-curse and put him straight, because it was a variation."
"Well," Angelina shrugged, "Pucey was the best in our year at Defense."
"Is there an incantation, or is it just something you do intuitively?" Kenneth asked curiously.
Adrian blinked. "Both. A lot of what I do with Defense is intuitive, though."
"I might want to learn that one for later."
"Well, it's not as if you could practice on someone," Adrian joked.
"No, but it would be useful if a real battle broke out. I wouldn't mind having something like that up my sleeve."
In the end, Adrian agreed to write down some notes for the hex variation for both Kenneth and Angelina, who was also interested in learning it. By the time Kenneth and Karen left, Alicia was exhausted. She twisted her hair up and jumped in the shower while Adrian sat at the desk in her room and made notes, and then he got in the shower while she curled up in bed.
Ten minutes later, he came in the room wearing a pair of blue-and-black plaid pyjama bottoms but no shirt, and he tossed the damp towel in the laundry as he cast a drying charm on his hair. For a moment, Alicia merely stared at him and forgot the previous discussion in the sitting room. The bottoms were the same ones he had been wearing in the prefects' bath during seventh-year, when Chrysanthe tricked her into walking in on Adrian a few days after Valentine's Day. She swallowed and pressed her legs together. That had been the first time she'd seen him shirtless; she'd had to sneak the glance in and was lucky he hadn't noticed.
Suddenly, she realized he was looking at her. His smile was a bit crooked and a little boyish, and she bit her lip.
"What's that look for?" he asked, his voice low and deep.
Alicia shifted her hips,trying to relieve the ache in her center. "I was just thinking," she said shyly, her fingers curling around the counterpane. "Those were the pyjamas you put on the night I accidentally stumbled in on you in the prefects' bath. It was the first time I saw you shirtless."
He blushed a bit, but the smile deepened. "I still owe Hayden a hexing for that."
She laughed. "I wanted to hex her so badly for trying to interfere. Merlin, she was a mess." Then, suddenly, the laughter died and she swallowed and curled up tighter. "I miss her. God, I hope she's safe."
Adrian sat on the edge of the bed and put his wand on the nightstand next to it. He swung his legs in and shifted until he was comfortable, and Alicia moved with him so she could curl into his side. His arm went around her back and pulled her close, and Alicia trailed her hand up his chest.
"I'm sorry I've been so moody lately," she admitted quietly.
"You've every reason to be. I'm sorry I haven't made it easy on you."
Alicia didn't quite know how to respond to that. Adrian may have been touchy with her the past few days, but it came from his concern for her parents and her, and his frustration at being unable to help them — not because he was angry at her.
He went on, "Angelina said the two of you went to your parents' house on Christmas Day last year. I'm worried Death Eaters are going to show up on the actual holiday this year."
"I know," she said in a small voice. "Doreen thought so, too. That's why she invited us to her place on Christmas Day instead."
Adrian didn't say anything for a moment. "That may be a bit safer, but I'm sure the Ministry knows who your parents' immediate relatives are."
"Probably so, but I can't notgo. And you can't go at all."
Startled, he glanced at her. "What?"
Alicia swallowed and buried her face in the side of his chest. "Don't get me wrong. I would love to introduce you to them. But if they meet you and talk to you, they would have a memory of you. And if either are captured by Death Eaters, that memory could be accessed through Legilimency, couldn't it?"
He tensed beneath her, and didn't speak. Alicia knew it was because she was right. Pressing closer, she mumbled, "Angelina will be with me, though. And I'll send you a Patronus as soon as we arrive and just before we leave. We'll only stay a couple of hours."
After a long moment, he finally muttered, "Pleasebe careful."
"I don't like this anymore than you do," she said, trying to ignore the anger that wanted to flicker in her gut.
"I know. Listen… I normally spend Christmas Eve with my family, and Mum sent a Patronus earlier when the twins were over. It's a good thing I have privacy barriers up — thankfully, they didn't hear her voice. She wants you to join us Wednesday and she wants us there by nine in the morning. I hadn't had a chance to tell you yet."
Alicia nearly stopped breathing. Alania Pucey wanted her to join the Pucey family for Christmas Eve? Oh, fuck…
"Adrian, I don't have gifts for your parents," she gasped, nearly sitting up.
He stared at her for a second, but then laughed softly. "Alicia, my parents don't expect you to get them a gift!"
"Yes, but that isn't proper, damn it! If your mum is asking me to visit for Christmas with your family, I should at least bring something—"
He pulled her right down on top of his chest. "Alicia. Stop. Mum will enjoy you being there. She doesn't want a gift. And as for Dad… you could join him in the stillroom for an hour and brew with him, and he'd be just as pleased. He can buy whatever he wants and he doesn't need anything. Neither of them do."
"I'm going to feel awkward, though. And most of my things are there! I don't have anything nice to wear —"
His hands slid under her pyjama top. "Mum won't care about that, either."
"Adri—" Alicia's breath caught in her chest as his fingers skimmed her breasts and pinched her nipples.
"Mm?" He smiled up at her, silky and a bit sleepy, as he rolled her nipples between his fingers expertly.
Unconsciously, Alicia pressed her hands over his and ground her hips against him. She could feel his cock, rigid against her mons and inner thighs, despite his pyjama bottoms. Her breath came out shaky and she whimpered.
"You're so predictable," he murmured, kneading her breasts.
"Adrian…" She laid down on top of him and buried her face against his neck. His hands finally slid out from under her top and cupped her arse.
She couldn't help but smile as he froze slightly when he realized something. After a moment, he choked out, "You aren't wearing knickers…!"
"Mm. I'm not," she admitted, kissing his throat gently. "Thought I'd surprise you."
His fingers flirted into her slick folds as he slid his hands between the backs of her thighs, and he swallowed and kissed her again. "Fuck, Alicia… Get that shirt off, love. I need to take care of you before we fall asleep."
She rubbed herself against him again and heard his breathing hitch.
"Maybe I should take care of you," Alicia whispered.
"I'd appreciate that," he gasped.
Alicia smiled as she sat up, shifted down his body, and began to work the pyjama bottoms down over his hips. "Do you know I almost kissed you in the prefects' bath?"
Adrian's breathing was slightly fractured. "D-did you? I nearly kissed you that night, too."
"You did kiss me. On the forehead," she teased, easing the hem over his erection.
He closed his eyes and drew a long, shaky breath. "I meant, I almost kissed you on the mouth, Alicia."
She brushed her knuckles against him as she worked the bottoms down his thighs, and Adrian moaned. His hips bucked instinctively and Alicia let out a breath of amusement. "I wish I'd had the courage to just get in the bath withyou. We could have shagged on that marble floor…"
"Would have been a bit hard against your body," he stammered.
"Or you could have taken me up against the side of the bath," she breathed, leaning down and licking the head of his cock.
Adrian thrust again and groaned as he reached blindly to grasp the pillow under his head. "Fuck, Alicia…! I won't last if you go down on me tonight!"
She swiped her tongue over him again and took the head between her lips; she hadn't even gotten the pyjamas to his knees yet. She had gotten a bit better at going down on Adrian over the past six months, though. It had taken some practice, but Alicia didn't mind, and he sure as hell didn't seem to, either.
"I'm not kidding," Adrian gasped again. "Alicia! I won't be able to —"
She took a bit more of him in, curling her tongue around him as she gently pumped her hand along the part of his shaft she couldn't get in her mouth. Adrian groaned indecently, and Alicia traced her tongue along the veins and ridges before going back down and carefully dragging her teeth along him.
That was all it took; Adrian yelled harshly and his hips jerked upward uncontrollably. Alicia didn't much like swallowing but there was also something dirty and naughty and powerful about it that made her suck him down even as he thrust blindly into her mouth. She loved undoing him like that.
As he sagged against the mattress a few moments later with an arm over his eyes, Alicia smiled and grabbed his wand from the bedside table to clean both of them off. She'd only used Adrian's wand a few times; it wasn't the same as her own, but it was warm and solid, and it made her arm tingle in a slightly different way from her wand.
As she moved to put it back on the little table beside the bed however, Adrian grabbed her hips and hauled her right up over him — with surprising strength considering she'd just sucked him off.
"Adrian! What are you —?!"
But her words died as her hands grabbed the headboard to steady herself from the unexpected, weird change in position. And then, Adrian pulled her down and thrust his tongue into her. Alicia's knuckles turned white on the headboard and she cried out softly as her thighs clenched. Oh, God. He'd never had her like thisbefore! Not kneeling over his face…!
The gasps and cries turned to soft screams; Adrian was relentless as his tongue and lips attacked her clit, and Alicia supposed dimly that she deserved it for going down on him despite him telling her he wouldn't last. Her knees were about to give out, damn it, and then suddenly he slid a couple of fingers into her, too. She really did scream at that. She came so hard she had to grip the headboard to keep from collapsing on top of him!
It took a few moments for the tremors to fade. Then, sagging and gulping air, Alicia shakily edged back down his body in hopes of laying on top of him. But to her surprise, Adrian grasped her hips and grinned at her, her slickness smeared all over his mouth and chin and nose.
"Oh, you're not done, love. Winding me up like that…? Get on me. I want to watch you ride me."
"Adrian, I can barely stay on my knees!" she protested weakly.
Adrian laughed softly, sat up and propped against the headboard, then pulled her into his lap. In fact, without letting her hardly catch her breath, he pulled her right down on him, ripped her shirt over her head, and started thrusting. Alicia gasped and rolled her hips unconsciously into his. Bloody fucking hell, he felt so good inside her.
"Come on," he whispered in her ear, sliding his hands under her arse and thighs and pistoning hard into her again and again.
She whimpered his name and clung to him as he helped her move up and down on his cock, his stomach rippling against her, the hard ridges in his abs brushing her belly. Alicia's mouth was open, sucking in air as she dropped and he filled her again. She didn't think she would come a second time, but it didn't matter; each time his cock brushed her clitoris she couldn't help but groan and dig her fingernails sharply into his shoulders. His thrusts became faster, harder, and Alicia pressed up against him to feel more of him.
"So good," she whispered brokenly, and Adrian grunted in her ear and surged against her several more times before he yelled hoarsely and came again. Alicia groaned and clung to him as he finished.
They sat like that for a long time; Alicia was almost about to drift to sleep as she nuzzled against him, still straddling his lap, his soft cock still trapped between her wet thighs. But finally, Adrian sighed deeply and kissed her.
"Come on, love. We should clean up and go to sleep."
Alicia nodded and sleepily moved off of him. She groped on the bedside table for her wand and nonverbally cleaned herself while Adrian got his wand and took care of himself and the bedsheets. When Alicia crawled back in and her head hit the pillow, everything was warm and dry and clean. Adrian's arm went over her waist, she felt perfectly content, and she was asleep within seconds.
Author's Note: The discussion between Adrian, Alicia, Angelina, Kenneth, and Karen came as a direct result of a conversation Mandy and I had on Slytherin house politics.