George said that the best things in life came easy, but this was coming so easy that Aubrey was terrified. The secret passages were as real as George claimed and thanks to floo powder, they soon found themselves in a small, magical pub in the South of England.

"I don't know this village too well but I know it's near enough that my parents can get a car here but near enough to London too that we won't be too long," Lexy whispered as they stepped out of the pub, rubbing her arms to keep her warm, "Can anyone see a phone box ... you three do know what that looks like, right?"

Aubrey and George exchanged a look before raising their eyebrows as if to say really?

Lexy raised her hands, "Okay, okay, just checking! You know you act all defensive now but in First Year, Aubrey didn't know what shampoo was - "

"Yeah, because I used potions! And to be fair, hon, you didn't know what they were either," Aubrey snapped back before sighing, "Sorry, point is we know what they look like and I think I can see one over there."

Lexy spun around before giving her friend a thumbs up, "Nice one ... you three wait here, I'll be right back."

With that, she rushed off, whilst George shook his head, "Is that just a regular muggle thing to order a car or a rich muggle thing?"

"A rich muggle thing," Aubrey confirmed, "Usually her parents would just come and pick her up but after a certain point they just order a car for her ... I don't really understand it but luckily she does. Lexy's good with rich people things ... she has a pool."

"Wicked," George grinned, "Can't imagine what that's like to be honest, just having your own swimming pool whenever you want... must be nice."

The conversation vered into small talk so they were all pleased when Lexy rushed out, a grin on her face, "Thanks to my letter, my Dad essentially had the number already pre-dialled. And I hope the driver's one of the ones who likes me. Then we can ask to make a stop on the way."

"Won't your parents be worried?"

Lexy shrugged, "Probably but I'll just explain in the morning that it was urgent. They won't be angry either way, they can never stay angry with me for long. The car should be about twenty minutes ... could we maybe wait inside?"

It was a little awkward the four of them just sitting in silence in the Wizard pub especially since only George had got something and even that was just a free tap water so they couldn't technically be kicked out.

"Are you going to order anything else?" The gruff man behind the bar asked every once in a while to which they would all awkward nod and promise in a little bit before hopefully looking out the window for a car.

It definitely felt like more than half an hour but at last, Lexy leapt up, "I see it! I see it!"

The other three followed suit, Saskia almost tripping over two table legs in a row out of excitement. The girls all made a beeline for the door but George decided to take a little detour over to the man behind the bar.

"You run a fine establishment, sir, have this ..." George fished around in his pocket, gritting his teeth as all he found was one bronze coin, "Knut as a token of thanks."

With that, he dashed out as Lexy giggled, "Well, that was - "

"Incredibly awkward, I know, let's just go," He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the car. Lexy stuck her head in the window, her voice suddenly becoming a million times posher.

Eventually, she straightened up, "It's the right car, get in!"

Lexy clearly knew what she was doing, expertly convincing the driver that her parents were up in London for a charity ball or something whilst the other three just sat in the back, feeling far too peasant-like for such a fancy car.

"Are these seats velvet?" George whispered to Aubrey.

"Um ... maybe. They're probably just that expensive fabric rich people use but I wouldn't put it past them."

"Shall I ask Lexy?" George asked before his cheeks went a little pink, "Wait ... actually, nevermind, she'd probably laugh. Wish Fred was here ... it's a very nice car."

Thinking of this clearly unlocked some deeper emotions in George as he suddenly looked away, gazing out the window with his chin resting on his palm. Lexy was making cheerful conversation with the driver, her voice high and ladylike so Aubrey decided to turn her attention to Saskia instead who looked like a startled deer.

"Saskia, hon, are you alright?"

"... I feel like my brain is sparking."

"Me too," Aubrey laughed softly.

"That Jinn you saw with the blue hair ... did he ... did he seem like a mean one? Or a nice one?"

"I can't really remember if I'm honest," Aubrey admitted, "You did a far better job at acting human than him though."

"Thank you!" Saskia beamed.

"He didn't seem mean but he did seem a bit ... off. Now that I think of it, he did put intonation on weird words, one that's you usually wouldn't," Aubrey admitted, "Will you really be able to sense if he's near to us?"

Saskia nodded, "Not the one exactly ... what I mean is, I won't be able to see sort of see him but I'll sense his nearness and how powerful he is."

"Oh, that's helpful then," Aubrey replied. The conversation seemed to come to a natural end but Aubrey still had some things playing on her mind, questions which she wouldn't have dared ask before but now that the truth was out, was willing to give a go again, "Saskia... or Khora ... which do you prefer?"

"Saskia Cyrus," She confirmed instantly, "It's the name I chose and it's the name you call me ... and you're my favourite."

"Oh, right, hon ... anyway, you said I was your third human."

"That's right."

"And Gil was your second ... that you were watching over her," Aubrey took a deep breath, "Do you know what my Dad was talking about? Because if you were with her and such a deep connection, surely you must have some idea - "

Suddenly, Saskia's voice was hoarse again, her eyes enlarged wider than they'd ever been before, "The ... the memories are very hazy ... I don't remember loads, I have to work hard to get them back - "

"You really don't have any idea?"

Saskia shook her head, squirming down on the seat like a six year old child who'd just been refused a lollypop, "I ... I don't have a clear idea," She mumbled, not meeting Aubrey's gaze.

Realising this was a dead end, Aubrey sighed, "Sorry, hon, it's just the way you looked when we saw Umbridge using the Meminissum Charm, you looked shocked but sort of knowing ... I just thought ... nevermind."

"Aubreyyy ..." Saskia squirmed even more to the point where the driver had to tell her off for kicking his chair. After this, she sat up but remained uncomfortable, "It's just ... Jasper and Gil ... I loved Gil unconditionally, she was my master. I loved the way she talked to me, she really was incredible, Aubrey but ... I didn't always love the way she felt about other people and what she did. She did ... a lot of very bad things, very bad things indeed and could always justify it with the whirly chaos in her head. Seeing Dolly - Umbridge talk about her like she was ... perfect just makes me feel all twitchy inside because ... Gil would have hated that and I have to as well."

"What about my Dad?" Aubrey asked although she wasn't sure whether she wanted to hear at this point, "Did he do ... bad things too? That's what you said before..."

The look on Saskia's face seemed to change from torn love to complete blankness, "Aubrey ... I can feel how much you love Jasper. He's your Dad, he took care of you ... you'll always love him. And I can still feel how much she loved him too, the sense of completion she got around him like two minds making one but ... I cannot love him."

"Why not?" Aubrey asked persistently.

Saskia suddenly looked away just like George had done before, "I can't!"

"Why can't you? What's he done - "

"He's done so many bad things ... Gil knows but loved him anyway but I'm not Gil..." Saskia whispered, "And I can't love him."

With that, she squeezed her eyes and lips shut leading Aubrey to realise this conversation was, well and truly over.

"Lexy, how long until London?"

"Huh? Oh, you were talking to me," Lexy poked her head around, "About forty minutes ... are they asleep?"

Aubrey glanced on either side of her, "Um ... yeah, I think so."

"Might follow suit," Lexy giggled, "Lack of sleep is catching up on me."

"Not a bad idea," Aubrey admitted although she knew for a fact that even the soothing motion of the car wouldn't be enough to tame her restless mind.

• • •

Even though she didn't sleep, Aubrey did allow herself to shut her eyes and when she wasn't constantly watching the car clock, time did seem to pass a lot faster. London was quite quiet given the late hour to the point where the usually bustling city was actually quite relaxing. Usually, London was a bit too much for Aubrey given how big it seemed compared to the quiet serenity of Gloucestershire. Yet today, it was actually quite bearable.

However, the calmness she was feeling quickly vanished when she saw the driver go straight past the Leaky Cauldron. Instantly, Aubrey was bolt upright, her mouth opening in preparation to object before she saw Lexy subtly shake her head.

She remained silent as Lexy let them go a few blocks away, pulling up outside a very decadent hotel, "Right here, thank you! Aubrey, could you please wake the others up? Thank you!"

Aubrey obliged, the four of them stepping out of the car as Lexy waved the car off, pretending to walk towards the doors until the car was out of sight before dramatically spinning on her heel, "Sorry about that, Pierce might have been suspicious if I'd asked him to pull up outside of an abandoned building. Muggles can't see the Leaky Cauldron. We stay at the Corinthia a lot which he knows so I figured it would fit with my story."

"Oh ... that makes sense," Aubrey replied, "Quick thinking."

"They don't call me Sher-lex Holmes for nothing," Lexy giggled, before linking George's arm in hers, "Come on this way! We've stayed her quite a bit so I know my way, my parents can't get enough of the Corinthia ..." She sighed wistfully as she looked at the grand facade, "Sort of wish I was staying there now ... nevermind, we need to get going. Diagon Alley's only about ten minutes away."

The four of them set off eagerly and were there in no time, pleased to see the Leaky Cauldron was rather empty. Unlike the last pub, the innkeepers there were more than used to people just using the pub as a bypass so there was no awkward tapwater/tipping situation.

"It's so odd seeing Diagon Alley this quiet..." Lexy observed as they stepped out into the familiar road, "It's usually so bustling."

George's grip tightened around his girlfriend as a scruffy looking wizard walked past a few meters away, giving the girls a slightly leering look, "It's still busy I suppose ... just with a different crowd."

"You've got that right..."

The people were creepy but right now, Aubrey didn't care, turning to Saskia, "Alright, can you sense the Jinn, Saskia?"

All eyes turned to her as Saskia winced and looked away before softly replying, "... yes but I don't think he's nice ... he's more powerful - "

"Which is a good thing because then he can get Fred back," Aubrey finished for her, unwilling to take any delays now that they were so close, "Okay then, where do we go?"

Again there was silence before Saskia slowly lifted her hand up down the road, shaking her head slowly. Lexy winced, "It looks so dodgy ... look at that grimy man sitting on the corner, how grim!"

"Probably just on the potions, reckon he's more dangerous to himself than us," George shrugged his shoulders, "Anyway, could be worse ... could be Nocturn Alley - "

Aubrey turned back with a warning look, "Do not jinx it, George Weasley. Saskia, lead the way."

The four of them began to walk uncertainly through no fault of their own - Saskia kept stopping and starting, shaking her head and all round being a bit of an annoying tracker.

"Is he close?" George bugged.

"Um ... I think so - "

"How close?" He continued, looking around, "Like arms' reach ... a George's width away - "

"A George's width?" Lexy giggled.

"I'm not sure if Saskia's knows feet and inches," George replied, "Is he close - "

"It's not an exact tracker!" Saskia suddenly wailed frantically. Her outburst made George back up a little, a guilty look on his face.

"Sorry ... I just want Fred back at this point," He looked up, "I am sorry."

Saskia ignored this, suddenly walking forwards quickly before stopping. Quickly, Aubrey followed suit, looking up at the buildings around her for any signs of the pesky Jinn. To one side was a bizarre flower shop with all it's shutters closed whereas on the other, the building was quiet clearly abandoned. Sadly, it didn't matter what they were, both options were as lifeless as the other.

"Saskia, what is it?"

"He's close..." She balled up her fists, abruptly turning to the flower shop, "He's so very close."

"But where?"

"It's no exact, I can't - " Her voice seemed to catch in her throat, whirling around to the abandoned building like a compass needle as her eyes widened.

"Saskia, what is it ..." Aubrey's voice trailed off as she followed suit, a sinister sight meeting her eyes. Leant on the doorway of the abandoned building with an eery elegance was the blue haired man from before. Last time, he hadn't scared her that much but that was in the day and in the night, his most inhuman feature was suddenly clear: a pair of large, golden eyes that glowed in the dark.

His smile widened, taking up too much of his face before it gave way to a purring voice, the sound not quite in time with the movement of his lips, "Hello Khora..."

• • •

Wish I was staying at the Corinthia right now. Look it up, it's bloody lovely and a few nights there would take up my entire student loan basically :/ - E x