Maledictus

Ch.35 - Voices

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

"NO KIDDING"

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Weeks went by, and Ron was finally released from the Hospital Wing, but Alice didn't even get a chance to talk to him, to explain herself, before Harry and Hermione filled him in on everything.

"Explain to me again, why we're mad at Alice?" Ron asked, rubbing his temples lightly.

"She laced those chocolates with Love Potion and told no one" Harry replied, eyeing the small Gryffindor at breakfast as she bit into an apple. "She caused it Ron"

"Alice?" Ron repeated. "No, it can't be right"

Hermione sighed. "She admitted Ron, in the hallway"

"Why though? What did I do wrong?"

Harry shrugged, biting into his toast. "She also wrote all those awful letters, she can't be trusted anymore"

"No kidding"

Alice slammed her glass onto the oak table, tears burning the backs of her eyes as she ran out of the Great Hall, her satchel slung over her shoulder.

Harry was right, she couldn't be trusted nor could she trust anyone.

She needed James.

She ran until she found an empty classroom and locked the door behind her.
Alice sat in the corner, her right knee held tightly to her chest as she flicked through the photo album.

What was so different about her family?
What did they do wrong?

Alice.

The voice rattled her thoughts.
It was so clear, so pristine.

"No Alice" she mumbled. "He's dead, Henry is dead"

Alice.

She heard it again.
It echoed inside her head.

Things like that don't happen twice.
That was Henry's voice, she couldn't mistake it, you couldn't mistake it.

This wasn't her going crazy.
Henry was trying to reach her.

Henry? That was you, wasn't it?

The voice she had longed to hear was there, inside her head, she heard it, it was Henry's voice.

She jumped to her feet, the warm, soft tone of his voice still lingering in her mind.

What if he didn't answer bacn?
What if he was in trouble?

She had to tell someone.

Her first thought was Hermione, but then why would she believe Alice? Why would she even listen to her.

She quickly unlocked the door, her heart hammering behind her ribcage, a smile spreading across her face.

She ran through the hallways, her satchel hitting her legs, but it didn't matter.
Something had finally gone her way.

She stopped outside McGonagall's office, catching her breath, wondering if it was the lack of water she drank.

That she really was going crazy.

She curled her fingers into a fist and gently knocked on the door in front of her.

I'm going to find you Henry, dont worry.

"Come in"

Alice took a deep breath and turned the brass handle, opening the door slowly, trying not to seem eager.

McGonagall looked over her glasses at the Gryffindor, hanging her head low. "Ah Alice, what can I do for you?"

"I need to see Mr. Lupin"

"Why?"

"It's about Henry" her voice shook slightly. "I think he's still alive"