Is you ready?

As the sound of slamming echoed down the stairs, Draco stood up. Jamie mirrored him, both wearing a look of confusion and fear.

“Sit down” They turned to see Alicia rise slowly from her chair, her hair short and black. Jamie did immediately. “Now, Draco” Her voice was deadly as she stared through the ceiling. Draco looked at her and then glanced at Jamie, who nodded. With a sigh, he threw himself back into his chair.

“Alicia-” Sirius started but she turned to glare at him.

“I’ll be back later… No one comes upstairs, I mean that” She added, glancing at Jamie and Draco. Before anyone could stop her, she left the room. She kicked the door open with a bang.

“Alicia…” Harry muttered as he sat up, his wand in his hand. A snap of her fingers made the wand fly out of his hands. “Hey-”

“Why would you do that? She blew Draco off to come up here to talk to you! She told him that you were her brother… My brothers don’t act like that-”
She snapped, throwing his wand onto Ron’s bed.

“Are your brothers being possessed by Voldemort? No” Harry said, turning back on his side.

“You’re right- they’re not. But neither is Emily’s brother! Harry, you’re hiding from us when there’s no reason to!” She said, her voice turning soft. She summoned Harry’s wand and sat on the edge of his bed.

“How can you say that? You don’t know-” Harry started, his face hidden from her.

“Harry, you’re talking to the only mind- reader in the house… Every thought has been your own… Every action, you thought about by yourself… Nobody has been controlling you- or using you to see inside the Order” She added, putting her hand on his leg. He moved his leg and it thudded onto the mattress.

“Alicia…” He started but she picked up his pillow and put it over his head.

“Listen-” She started slowly but Harry spoke over her.

“Bit hard to do with a pillow…” He murmured and she laughed, pulling it away.

“As I was saying… I know everyone better than they know themselves… I can tell you your biggest secret because I can pick it out of your head- I could even use it against you” He turned over to look at her as she spoke. She was staring at the empty frame of Phineas’ painting. “You’re not the only one Voldemort will go after, Harry… He doesn’t need my powers but he wants them,” He sat up and stared at her. “Can you imagine knowing that you’re either going to join the one thing you’re fighting against or die trying to fight it?”

“Alicia… When did you see that?” Harry whispered as he stared into the side of her head.

“This morning, while everyone was asleep… Right,” She shook her head and smiled at him, her eyes a dull blue. “If you want to stay up here, I’ll tell them you’re going to sleep- Hermione’s coming over soon too so I’d be careful if I were you” She stood up and smiled again, it still not touching her eyes. “I’ll check up on you later… And I want you to apologise to Emily, soon” She dropped his wand onto the bedside table. She then bent to kiss his cheek before leaving the room. She closed the door behind her and sighed silently. She stared at the ceiling before heading towards her and Emily’s room.

The next morning, the Christmas decorations went up as Harry continued to hide in various rooms of the house. Alicia would vanish for several minutes while sandwiches would disappear from the table. Jamie assumed that she was trying to get Harry to eat. Six o’clock rolled through and Mrs Black started screaming. Harry, who was hiding in Buckbeak’s room, jumped when someone hammered on the door.

“I know you’re in there… Will you please come out? I want to talk to you” Hermione said through the door. Harry pulled it open and stared at her. “Alicia told me where you were… Can we go to your room? Mrs Weasley’s lit a fire there and she’s sent up sandwiches”

The day ended with Harry apologising to everyone and Alicia hugging him tightly. She told the others about the vision from that morning but demanded that they didn’t fret over it, although she kept catching Jamie staring at her every now and then.


TTAAGG EEMMSS!!