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Chapter Two, Part Three- A Bad Mistake

I dropped onto the floor at the mouth of the tent, huffing angrily.

“Alicia, look-” Jamie said as he walked up to me, vanishing the footsteps in the snow behind him.

“I don’t want to talk about it- get in the damn tent and leave me alone” I said through gritted teeth. He stood there for another second before stepping past me, sighing. I glared at a patch of snow as he bustled round behind me, making annoying tinkling noises. I heard the sound of Harry and Hermione Apparating and huffed again. Jamie paused for a moment before the irritating noise started again.

I’m perfectly able to look after myself like any other person- maybe even better because I get a warning first... So why am I staying behind with Mr Kill-Joy while the other two go to Godric’s Hollow? I pulled out my compact mirror that Dumbledore had left and turned it round in my finger. I closed my eyes and raised it to my lips, flicking it open.

“I want to see Ginny” I whispered, so low Jamie didn’t hear me. I lowered it again and watched as my reflection became fuzzy and an image replaced it. I saw Ginny laying across her bed, staring at a photograph on her bedside table.

“Here...” I snapped the mirror shut as Jamie’s voice sounded above me. He was holding out a cup of tea. I turned away from him, not taking it. “Alicia- why are you mad at me?” He said, setting the cup down by my knee.

“I said leave me alone” I muttered and he sat beside me. I rolled my eyes and glared at the snow again.

“Is it because you have to stay here?” He said and I half-glanced at him, giving myself away. “I’d rather you stayed with the tent, Alicia... It makes it easier for the others-”

“Who are on their own and probably walking into a trap! But they wouldn’t know because I’m here! How does that make life easier? We shouldn’t split up anymore!” I snapped and I saw Jamie’s eyes tighten. That usually happened whenever the conversation steered towards Ron.

“Even without my cousin we can split, Alicia, there’s four of us” He said sharply and I looked at him, laughing slightly.

“Oh, so you think that because there’s four of us it’s okay to split up?” I said, glaring. He nodded once and I stood up, knocking the cup over so that it stained and melted the white snow. “Right then, I’m going to get some food then. I don’t know how long I’m going to be- don’t wait up” I said as I grabbed my long, black button-up coat from the chair and stormed off through the thick snow- he didn’t try to stop me.

I Apparated in an alley beside the supermarket. “Idiot...” I snarled, kicking a bin in frustration. I pulled a large rucksack from thin air and pulled out the mirror again. I kept the chocolate brown wavy hair and changed my black eyes to blue. Putting the mirror away again, I stepped out into the street. I was taking a big risk, coming to this supermarket- my family done their shopping here because it was always open. I walked through the sliding doors and strolled towards the canned foods, grabbing a basket on the way.

I got lost in my own little world as I walked up and down the aisle, picking up things like baked beans and meat balls. As I reached for a can of spaghetti letters, so did someone else.

"Oh- sorry!” I said quickly, pulling my hand back. I looked up and then straight back down again.

“Don’t worry- I don’t know why I went to get them... My sister loves them...” Emmett said, his eyes still on me.

“I do, too” I mumbled to his knees, worried that he would recognise me. “I like to write messages in them”

“That’s exactly what she does” Emmett laughed, dropping a can into his basket. “I don’t know why though- it’s just one of those things that make her Alicia, I guess” From that statement, I could hear the pain in his voice.

“It sounds like you miss her a lot” I said without thinking. His eyes darted to my face immediately.

“Do I know you?” He asked quietly, staring into my face. I could read the hope forming in his head. I couldn’t look away from his frowning face. “You look real familiar...”

“Erm, no- I don’t think so” I said in a nervous voice. He was suddenly grinning at me.

“I know who you are” He said, hugging me tightly. I dropped my shopping and hugged him back.

“How did you know?” I whispered, refusing to let him go. He laughed quietly in my ear.

“I’d know you anywhere- if you’re eyes were to change to green all the time” I laughed with him.

“I missed you so much” I whispered as we walked round together. He had tipped both baskets into a trolley by now.

“We missed you too, Al” He said as we passed a shelf crammed with chocolate. He threw a couple of selection boxes into the mess of tins. “They’re yours by the way”

“Em, I haven’t got that much money and I need to get stuff that will last” I said as he added a large chocolate cake too.

“Alicia, it’s Christmas Eve- you five deserve a treat!” he said, adding fruit and bread.

“Christmas Eve? Really?” I said, amazed as I stared up at him. He nodded and laughed.

“Have you been living under a rock or something?” He joked and I pulled a face.

“Nearly... We’re in the middle of Snow-ville No-where right now, freezing our ar-”

“What do you mean, right now?” He asked, throwing a couple of cards into the trolley. I shrugged.

“We move around a lot... So we’re not caught, you know” I said, blowing it off with a wave of my hand. “We should go pay for that lot now... Jamie will probably be going spare” I said, nodding towards the till.

“I’ll get this for you... As a present to the others” He said, his face vacant from the smile for the first time. We both knew it was time to say goodbye.

“Okay, can I have that in writing for future reference please?” I said, trying to lighten the mood. It worked- he laughed loudly and tousled my hair, which was longer than I had started with. I bagged the shopping and he handed over the money. I walked to the car with him, where we split the shopping. I pulled out a few cards from my inside pocket, making him frown. “You get used to it if that’s the only way you can survive...” I muttered, grabbing the pen out of the glove box.

“What are you doing?” He said, peering over my shoulder.

“All the owls are being searched, Em... Can you take these to the Burrow for me? There’s one for Ginny, Fred and George and Mr and Mrs Weasley- oh, and Jamie’s parents... This one is for you lot at home” I said, sealing them all. “Tell them that I miss them and I love them” I whispered, duplicating my bag and packing the food away quickly.

“Will you come round?” He asked, hugging me tightly. My head was filled with his pain.

“I can’t Em- the house is probably being watched...” I said, tears pooling in my eyes. I stepped back and smiled at him. “Love you” I turned on the spot- Emmett’s face being the last thing I saw. At first, I thought I was still with Emmett- it was so dark but then I heard Jamie’s voice.

“You’ve been gone ages... Alicia, I’m sorry for shouting at you” He said, taking one of the bags off me. “From now on, no more splitting up... Where have you been?” I frowned slightly as I told him what had happened. He didn’t seem angry- he was happy to know that I was happy after seeing my brother. I put my hand into my bag and pulled out another Christmas card.

“Here- Emmett wrote it...” I said as he opened it. We started to unpack the bags, sorting it into two piles- Emmett’s last gift in the middle of the table. We left the fruit and bread out on the table and packed everything else away- apart from my chocolates, which we shared as we sat on the couch, staring out into the darkness.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew I was in my bunk. Someone swore loudly and I sat bolt upright, cracking my head on the higher bunk, making me swear too.

“What’s going on?” I said, blinking at the shapes round me. Jamie was standing by my head.

“The others are back... Hermione’s sorting Harry out” His voice was scared, making me frown.

TaDa