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"I'LL DO IT!"
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Alice spent the next week, avoiding everyone, trying to figure out if Lupin was really telling the truth.
I mean, would Rue really have the guts to kill her best friend? Would she betray him?
As much as Alice thought about it, the more complicatated it seemed to get.
"Alice, lunch is ready" said Hermione, knocking lightly on her door.
"I think you know my answer by now" Alice replied, and Hermione walked off knowing Alice was never going to come down.
She sat in front of the window, swinging her legs.
She still hadn't heard from Henry since, and Lupin had come back with no further news.
But Alice was positive that Rue would never kill anybody, and especially not Henry.
"Goodnight Alice" called Ms. Weasley, pulling the door half shut, and she listened to her footsteps descend down the creaky stairs.
Tonight was one of the first nights Alice could see the stars.
There wasn't one cloud in the sky, not one drop of rain.
She hopped off the bed with a light thump, heading towards the window, a small smile creeping along her face.
She stared and she stared and she stared, all night long.
Her hope bubble had formed again, this time, bigger and more sturdier then ever.
Henry? I just want to let you know that the stars are bright tonight. I know you're still mad at me, but if you can see them, just watch the stars.
They're beautiful.
Suddenly, her eyes focused on the Apple tree she hid in just a week before, as she saw an odd shadow.
Her heart thumping in her chest, she looked closer and harder as the shadow grew, revealing a masked man or woman.
She hid behind the curtain, knowing he or she couldn't see her, but she could see them.
But they saw her.
She/he looked at her, and dragged his/her index finger across their neck and then pointed to her.
Her chest rose and fell with short, shallow breaths and as her lungs failed to gather the much needed oxygen, she began to panic.
"Help me!" she cried, her voice breaking as the tears fell and she watched the figure disappear into darkness.
Bill was brushing his teeth when he heard the odd cries coming from the end of the hallway.
As he headed closer to the door, he realised it was Alice's and was hesitant before walking any further.
But then he heard this, and it changed her mind completely.
"I need help! I can't breath! They're outside!"
He rushed in, finding her with her knees tight to her chest and rocking back and forth, and back and forth.
"Alice? Alice, are you alright?" he asked, sitting down on the bed, waving a hand in front of her face.
No response.
Her breaths quickening.
"Alice, calm down. Whatever happened is over"
She suddenly stopped and looked at him, before flinging her arms around his neck and the fresh tears streamed down her face.
The embrace took Bill by surprise, but he hugged back and he felt her breathing slow down to a normal beat.
Alice didn't speak.
Bill asked no questions.
After she broke apart from the hug, she stared out the window.
"Would you like me to leave?" he asked, breaking the silence, and Alice looked at him worridly.
He knew immediately that she wanted him to stay.
She didn't have to say anything.
He just knew.
"I'm sorry" she mumbled after another period of silence passed. "I didn't mean to scare you the first night you came, I should've said something"
"Alice, you are the last person who needs to apologise" he said kindly, turning slightly so he could see her face. "I'm sorry"
"Apology accepted"
She hugged him again, before trying yet again to remeber things.
She doesn't know when, but at some point in the night, Bill fell asleep, still with the protective arm around her.
For once she felt safe.
~*~
Over the coming days, the Burrow was as busy as ever.
Bill and Fleur still couldn't decide on wedding arrangements, and the Weasleys and others were busy packing for Hogwarts.
"Come on, I want the trunks ready tonight!" said Ms. Weasley annoyed, shaking her head. "We can't have that last minute scramble like we always do!"
And in fact, their departure the following morning was smoother than usual. The ministry cars glided up to the front of the Burrow to find them waiting.
Everyone had a trunk by there side, well all but Alice.
Before James took her, she hadn't prepared for a kidnapping so obviously didn't get her trunk.
She just hoped that it was still in Hogwarts, because she had nothing.
Much to her surprise, no one noticed.
"Au revoir, Alice" said Fleur throatily, kissing her goodbye.
Alice tensed up slightly, smiling weakly as she followed the others to the car.
There was no cheerful Hagrid awaiting them at the station. Instead, two grim-faced, new red Aurors in dark muggle suits moved forward the moment the cars stopped.
"Come on, quickly through the barrier" hurried Mrs. Weasley. "Harry, you go through first"
Alice gripped to Ron's shirt again, and watched as the bearded men guided Harry to the barrier.
He pushed his trolley directly at the solid wall, ignoring his silent companions and found himself a second later, standing on platform 9 3/4, where the scarlet Hogwarts Express stood, belching steam over the crowd.
Alice and the others joined him immediately after.
They said a few quick goodbyes to Ms. Weasley and she begged them not to die on her now and to make sure Alice at least eats an apple a day.
"Coming then to the usual compartment?" asked Harry, gesturing towards the last one.
"We can't Harry" said Hermione, looking apologetic. "Ron and I've got to to go to the prefect carriage first and then patrol the corridors for a bit"
"Oh yeah, I forgot" said Harry.
Alice was still huddled around Ron, her hands over her ears.
The noise was deafening and the laughter was ringing in her ears.
"Do take care of Alice" muttered Hermione before walking off in the direction of the carriage.
Alice looked around as Harry opened the door to his regular compartment and Alice climbed up onto the seat beside the window.
"Hi Harry!" said a familiar voice, as he opened the door, and stepping inside.
"Neville!" said Harry, with slight relief, turning to see a round faced boy struggling towards the seat.
"Hello Harry" said a girl with long blonde hair and misty eyes, who was just behind Neville.
"Hi Luna, how are you?" asked Harry.
"Very well thank you" answered Luna. She was clutching a magazine to her chest; large letters on the front announced that there was a pair of free Spectrespecs inside.
"The Quibbler still going strong then?" asked Harry, who felt a certain fondness for the magazine, having given it an exclusive interview the previous year.
"Oh yes, circulations well up" said Luna happily.
Neville and Luna were still sitting up, weary of the small girl sitting across from Harry.
Neville gave him a look and Harry gestured towards the two remaining seats.
They sat down carefully. Neville knew about Alice's sudden freak outs, and was cautious about everything he said or did.
Luna on the other hand was her normal crazy self and was blabbing on about Nargles and Wackspurts. Things Alice found very interesting but was too scared to mutter a word.
"Are we still doing the DA meetings this year Harry?" asked Luna, breaking away from the previous conversation much to Neville's relief.
"No point now we've got rid of Umbridge, is there?" said Harry, eyeing Alice every so often.
"But I liked the DA!" exclaimed Neville a little too loudly, making Alice jump slightly.
"I enjoyed the meetings too" said Luna serenely. "It was like having friends"
This was one of those uncomfortable things Luna often said which made Harry feel a squirming mixture of pity and embarrassment. Before he could respond, however, there was a disturbance outside their compartment door; a group of girls were whispering and giggling together on the other side of the glass.
"You ask him!"
"No, you!"
"I'll do it!"
And one of them, a good-looking girl with dark eyes, a prominent chin and long brown hair, pushed her way through the door.
Alice jumped and spun around suddenly feeling nervous again, her heart pounding in her chest.
The girl glared at her, and her lips curled into an odd smirk.
"Hi Harry, I'm Romilda Vane" she said loudly, still shooting looks at Alice. "Why don't you join us in our compartment? You won't have to sit here with her, jumpy mcjumpy face!"
She pointed at Alice, her face turning red and slumped lower into her chair.
"She-"
"It's alright, Mr. Potter, I'll leave" said Alice, her voice cracking slightly as tears stung the backs of her eyes.
And before anyone could say anything, Alice slipped through the group of girls and disappeared from sight.
"So, is that a yes?" said Romilda, ignoring the fact she had hurt Alice.
"What do you think!?" shouted Harry angrily. "I'd keep my mouth shut next time!"
"Aw, cute!" she said mockingly. "Anything else, chosen one?"
"Yeah, stay away from me and don't ever talk to Alice again!"
Romilda scoffed, and walked off, her group following like ducklings.
"Will she be alright Harry?" asked Luna, trying on her spectrospecs.
"Just leave her for now, there's no point in trying, she'll just freak out and not speak. It's best if we leave her for a while"
Soon enough they began talking about their summer's and their OWL results.
~*~
Alice rushed into the bathroom, and slammed the door behind her before sitting on the ground, and trying to control her breathing.
But it wasn't working.
Tears streamed down her face, and she took the scarf from around her neck and held it close to her face.
Henry? If you're still alive, I need you to tell me something. Why does Rue want to kill you?
Knowing she wouldn't here an answer, she was left alone with her thoughts, as she stopped crying, and her breathing returned to normal.
After a while, she stood back up and headed back out into the busy corridors of the Hogwarts Express.
Her innitional intention was to go straight back to Harry, Luna and Neville, but she sorta forgot where the compartment was located.
Stopping for a moment, She saw a head of platinum blonde hair, and she hurried towards him.
Not many people trusted Draco, but Alice did and she needed to talk to him.
Draco walked into a compartment, which Alice knocked on moments later.
He looked up and excused himself from the very boring looking conversation with his friends.
"What?" he asked annoyed, taking Alice by surprise.
"I need to talk to you about something" she said quietly, her voice quivering. "In privet"
"Get over yourself Alice! I'm done helping you" he snapped.
"Excuse me?" she asked, braver and louder than before.
"I'm done. D-O-N-E, done!"
The anger was bubbling inside her, making her blood reach temperatures that no one knew existed.
Last year she was the only one she trusted, the only one who truly helped her. Now she was beginning to believe that he had more secrets than he was letting on.
"Draco-"
"It's Mr. Malfoy to you!"
"Since when!?" she shouted back. He was testing her limits and he would soon regret it, or in the end, Alice would. "You don't own me. You never have, and never will!"
"Oh really?" he laughed. "When's the last time you looked at your shoulder?"
Alice had no idea what he was on about.
Her shoulder?
What about her shoulder?
She was afraid to look at it.
The only thing she didn't want was a location monitor, she would rather have no arm.
You may think that that's going a bit to far, but really, I'm not.
Number one, they are uncomfortable and painful.
Number two, whoever put them on you, knows exactly where you are, which means it's very hard to get some alone time.......not to mention escaping.
"Cut it out, this isn't funny" she said, weary of his constant glare. "What has gotten into you?"
"You know very well" he sneered, before heading back into his compartment.
Alice kept a gentle hand on her shoulder, not moving the jumper she was wearing.
He was lying.
She would've noticed if something was on her arm, wouldn't she?
I mean, she got dressed as quickly as possible each morning, not looking at the scar covered skin.
Still breathing heavily, Draco shot her a glare and began talking to his friends again.
She took this as her cue to get the hell out of there.
After much effort, she finally found and Luna.
But Harry and Neville wasn't there.
But Ginny had joined them.
"You alright Alice?" asked Luna, as she helped her up onto the seat.
"I'm fine, thank you Ms. Lovegood"
Alice gazed out the window, mesmerized by the passing bushes and animals.
She was bursting to ask them questions, but something told her it would end up a lot like last year.
People thinking she was a freak.
"Where's Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom?" she asked.
"Don't know, he had to see Slughorn or something" Luna replied, picking up her magazine.
Alice didn't bother asking.
She didn't feel like listening.
She felt like, knowing the truth, and for the truth not to be as bad as it may seem.
But then she would be lying to herself.
The truth was worse than it was made out to be.
The rest of the journey was silent.
Glorious silence.
Towards the end, Alice's eyes began to flutter shut, but she pinched herself just in time.
"Would you like some help to get your trunk down?" asked Ginny kindly, who joined them a while ago. "Hang on, there's no more luggage. Did you forget it?"
"It's hard to forget something you never had" Alice replied, staring at the ground, hearing Ginny sigh.
"You can borrow mine for the time being" she said. "Next time, speak up. We want to help Alice, I'll ask mum to get you some stuff next time she heads out"
Alice tried to protest, but Ginny wasn't having it and simply ignored her.
Just as they hopped off the gleaming red steam engine, Alice realised that she had left her scarf in the compartment.
She slipped away from the others and headed back in, not knowing what she was about to walk in on.
~*~
After Harry had met with Slughorn, he thought it would be a brilliant idea if he went to spy on Draco, using his invisability cloak.
I know, he's an idiot.
At Diagon Alley, Draco was acting weird.
Something about that evening wasn't right, and Harry believes Draco has replaced his father as a death eater.
One slight problem with Harry's 'brilliant' plan, Draco saw him.
Worst. Thing. Ever.
"You guys go on ahead" said Draco, taking down his trunk. "I want to check something"
One slight problem with Draco's plan.
Alice was watching.
Without warning, Draco pointed his wand at Harry, who was instantly paralyzed. As though in slow motion, he toppled out of the luggage rack and fell, with a an agonising, floor-shaking crash at Draco's feet, the invisability cloak trapped beneath him, his body seeable.
Alice let out a small gasp and covered her mouth in fear.
For a moment, She thought Draco didn't hear her.
For a moment, She thought she could run and he would never know she was there.
But, if Draco coulf find an invisible boy, he could hear Alice, and he turned his wand on her next.
"Great. Now I can kill two birds with one stone!" he sneered, walking towards her.
"Please Dr- Mr. Malfoy, I swear, I saw nothing!" she cried, shielding her face.
He grabbed her arms, forcing her to look at him.
She tried her best to break away, but he only tightened his grip.
"Let me go!"
"You will pay for what you did, you mark my word Alice, mark my word!" he threatened, slapping her hard, her cheek becoming red with the force of the hit.
Pain shot through her face, her brain not realising what had happened, so she stood there.
In shock and in pain.
"Please excuse me" she managed to say. "I left something on the train"
"What was it?" he asked innocently.
"None of your business!" she spat, earning another hit.
But Draco knew what it was.
It was the only thing she owned, and he noticed it wasn't around her neck.
"Accio scarf!" he shouted, and within seconds, Henry's scarf was in Draco's hand.
"Please, I need that!" she cried, jumping, trying to reach it.
"All the better to keep it!"
He tucked it into his pocket, and walked back over to Harry, leaving Alice for the time being.
"You didn't hear anything I care about Potter. But while I've got you here......"
And he stamped on Harry's face. He felt his nose break; blood spurred everywhere.
"HARRY!" Alice shouted, rushing over to him, only to be shoved into the nearest compartment by Draco, a large gash opening on her forehead.
He held up his wand again, pointing it towards Alice, and glued her hands to the floor before throwing the invisability cloak over her.
"I don't reckon they'll find either of you until the trains back in London!" he laughed. "See you round........or not"
And with that, Draco left the compartment.
Alice could feel the blood oozing down her face, and her head was throbbing.
She couldn't understand why Draco would do something like that.
Last year, he acted as a stand in brother for Henry, now he was a stand in for Lucius.
She wanted to shout and scream for help, in the hope someone would hear her.
But she didn't bother.
She was already weak and low on energy, She couldn't lose anymore.
The train lurched, and Alice wobbled while Harry fell onto his side.
The floor began to vibrate as the engine roared into life. The express was leaving and nobody noticed that they were still on it.
Alice saw a flash of red and Harry's body unfroze; he was able to push himself into a sitting position, hastily wiping the blood off his face.
"Wotcher Harry!" said Tonks, smiling brightly. "We better get off quick. We'll have to jump"
"Hang on, Alice was here too!" said Harry, getting to his feet.
"Who?"
"I'll explain later. Malfoy threw the invisability cloak on her"
"Quick then"
They both crawled along the floor on their hands and knees until Harry felt Alice and Tonks freed her hands.
Harry hurried after Tonks, Alice in his arms, her face pale and blood still falling down her her face.
Tonks pulled open the train door and lept onto the platform, which seemed to be sliding underneath them as the train gathered speed. Harry followed her, staggered a little on the landing, then straightened up in time to see the gleaming red steam engine pick up more speed and turn the corner.