“Yeah, well, we’re here,” Emily said, her voice giving her away even if the blush didn’t. “Shall we get started?”

“I’m thinking that getting started is a good idea,” Alicia said, giving Ron a look, which plainly said shut up or get hexed. “So, I said this was going to be about teamwork, because some people seem to get snarky in the future and we can’t work together, which means that it could bring the future forward, and that- ”

“Is a very bad thing,” Emily finished, her voice quiet. The room fell into a second of awkward silence.

“Exactly,” Alicia said, her voice sharp. “So, teamwork… You’re all thinking this is a waste of time, but I’m not really bothered about what you think. We need to do this- we need to be a team. The concept of teamwork is extremely important to the success of any team. Hopefully, we can look at each other and not just see Emily or Ron, but see a part of us in that person- making us a team.” She glanced round, her gaze lingering on Jamie for half a second. “We have to work as a unit- one brain that can see every angle or answer in seven different ways. A good team can work together with a little amount of effort- a great team can put any selfishness in a cardboard box packed with polystyrene peanuts and leave it there. Teamwork and unselfishness are the core to a team, without them, we’d just be seven teenagers trying to fight. We’re some of the smartest students in our year.” Her eyes locked first on Hermione and then on Emily. “But if we can’t work together, we won’t be successful in our objective. I’ve done a minuscule amount of research into the matter and I know what to look for in a great team…” She turned and walked slowly away from them, across to the other side of the room.

“Alicia…” Jamie began, his tone hard to read. She shook her head at him very slightly and he pulled a face. “Never mind.”

“Do we have a goal that we created as a team?” she said, carrying on as if Jamie hadn’t spoken.

“We’ve got two,” Draco said immediately. “Keeping Emily safe and fighting whatever we’re going to up against.”

“Right… But, no offense, Emily should be the second thing on that list,” Alicia said, shooting Emily a quick smile. “We’re fighting to try and keep Emily safe, so the fight is our top priority… Do we openly support and encourage one another?”

“I’m going to say yes,” Jamie said and Alicia’s eyes flickered to Ron for a half second.

“We’ll need to do it more often… We have open communication with each other, so that’s okay… Is there mutual respect between us?”

“I hope so… Otherwise we’d probably hate each other,” Harry said and Alicia nodded once, moving on as she paced along the far wall.

“We speak like we’re a team, saying ‘we’ and that… A positive team image?”

“If that involves more leather, no thanks,” Emily said, making everyone except Alicia laugh. She was able to crack a smile but that was it. “Sorry- yes, we’ve got a happy team over here.”

“Lastly, in a team, everybody has their own role… We should figure out what they should be, but not right now- team building first,” she said, stopping with a slight sigh. “There are seven main skills to teamwork: listening, sacrifice, sharing, communication, language, hard work and persuasion. Fairly simple really…”

And that’s how roughly four hours passed, Alicia talking and the others listening. They only left when Jamie pointed out that Emily and Draco weren’t staying in the tower with them.

*

Jamie knew something was wrong but Alicia was purposely avoiding the subject, no matter how many times he let the thought cross his mind. He also knew that all this time she was spending talking about teamwork was for another reason than just fighting. A week later, he was starting to lose his patience, so he went to the only other two people who understood Alicia as much as him- Emily and Firenze.

“Yes?” Sir Edgar Stroulger said, looking down at him as he hesitated outside.

“Um… Is Emily in? I need to talk to her about something,” he said, rubbing his neck. The man studied him for a second before leaving out the side of his frame. He returned a few minutes later, resuming what he was doing before Jamie appeared as he swung inwards, revealing Emily standing behind him, a smile on her face.

“Jamie? Come on in,” she said, motioning him inside. He shook his head, biting his lip. “What’s wrong?” she asked, a frown appearing on her face.

“Can you come with me for a bit? I need to talk to you, about- about Alicia,” he said and she immediately stepped beside him, the portrait swinging shut behind her. “Sorry if I’ve interrupted anything… I’m starting to go crazy.”

“I was just doing some homework… What’s happened? Is everything okay? Has something happened to her?” Emily said quickly, walking beside him as they set off down the corridor.

“Let’s talk when we’re there…” he said, glancing about nervously.

“Jamie, what is it? You’re making me nervous,” she said, copying him.

“Sorry… We’re going to see Firenze,” he said, and Emily’s frown deepened. They moved through the school in silence after that, Jamie glancing around as if he was afraid to be seen and Emily becoming more and more nervous. Jamie didn’t knock on the door to Classroom Eleven, just walking in and calling out for the centaur.

“What a surprise- I did not expect to have visitors today,” he said, emerging from his quarters. “But where is Alicia? I rarely see you both without her.”

“I need to talk to you both about Alicia… She’s driving me crazy,” Jamie said, plunking down onto the grass and covering his face with his hands. Emily stared at him before swapping a confused look with Firenze and sitting beside Jamie, putting a hand on his arm. He lowered his hands, his eyes darting from her to Firenze as he spoke. “I know something’s wrong with her- all these meetings about teamwork are a cover for something- and it isn’t just fighting to try and save you,” he said, his gaze falling on Emily. “When she saw your grave… You remember what she was like- then she done that deal…” Jamie flinched at the memory.

“You think she will agree to another deal with the Dark Lord?” Firenze said, freezing as he lowered himself to their level.

“I don’t know… I feel like I don’t know her anymore. She’s hiding something and I don’t want to repeat what happened last time. She won’t even comment on my thoughts about it,” he said, bringing a knee up and leaning his chin on it.

“That’s not like Alicia,” Emily said quietly. “It is a bit strange, all these meetings on teamwork, when we were a perfect team in the first place…”

“Exactly. She’s using these as a distraction for something, I’m sure of it.”

“Or, she is trying to solve the problem before it arises,” Firenze said, making Jamie shrug.

“That does sound like Alicia… The only problem is she won’t talk- at all,” he said and Firenze frowned.

“Emily, can you please go and find Alicia? I think it about time she stopped hiding,” he said and Emily left, throwing a worried look at Jamie.

ALICIA! WHERE ARE YOU? FIRENZE WANTS TO SEE YOU! She let the words echo round her head as she stood at the bottom of the staircase.

I’m in the owlery with America… Tell him I’m on my way. There’s no need to shout, by the way, was the reply she got. She turned and walked back into the classroom, a small frown etched onto her face.

“She’s on her way- she’s in the owlery,” she said, dropping beside Jamie and taking his hand. He’d moved position, sitting with his legs crossed and his hands in his lap, twisting his fingers. “You know, when you knocked, the way you were looking around I thought you were going to proclaim your undying love for me,” Emily said in his ear, trying to make him loosen up. It worked. He started laughing, nudging her shoulder lightly.

“Shame Draco beat me to you, then,” he said and she laughed as he cut off, thinking hard.

“What now?” Emily sighed, watching him. “You know, it’s annoying when Alicia does that with a vision, I don’t need you doing it too.”

“Doing what?” Alicia’s voice asked as she opened the door. “Hey, I thought you were with Ron and Harry today? Pretending to do homework.”

“You are more important, young one,” Firenze said, motioning for her to join them. “Jamie has been worried about you.”

“I know he has,” she said, her eyes narrowing slightly as she stood ram rod straight, refusing to sit. Her hands balled into fists and then un-balled as her hair turned a silvery grey.

“Is there a reason why he should be?” Emily asked, yanking on her hand and forcing her to sit.

“Nope,” she said, far too quickly and happy.

“Try again,” Emily said, glaring at her. Alicia’s smile vanished from her face, leaving a dark look. “That look won’t work either,” Emily said absently and that look vanished too, being replaced by an anxious one.

“Like I said- nothing is wrong,” she said, running a hand nervously through her hair. “And if there was, you know I’d come straight to you three.”

“Well, you see, the last time you were like this, you let Voldemort into your head, caused Emily to self harm herself and then we discovered that you’d seen Emily’s tombstone,” Jamie said, ticking things off with his fingers. Alicia sent a glare in his direction but he returned it.

“Fine!” she said, throwing her hands up. “Fine- and you won’t like what you hear, either!” She glared between Emily and Jamie before turning to look at Firenze. “Dumbledore’s going to die- murdered, actually.” There was three stunned and shocked gasps. “Not finished… Harry’s a witness; Death Eaters get into the school; we’re fighting them; Bill’s scarred really bad… What else? Oh yeah… Blaise decides to take a more, active approach with Emily and me and I’m not sure on the date for this one, so don’t quote me on anything, but Draco turns on us.” Her dark glare focused on Emily’s vacant face.

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