The pair of them sprinted down to the edge of the forest, Aubrey frantically in and yelling, "Hello? Where are you?"

This was met by another scream and the two ran towards the sound. It took all of Fred's effort not to outwardly groan when they saw Saskia hanging from one of the branches above them. However, whilst he could suppress a groan, he couldn't suppress laughter. Despite muffling his mouth with his sleeve, a small snigger still escaped but Aubrey was far too distracted to notice.

"Saskia ... how in Merlin's name did you get up there?" Aubrey asked with horror.

"I ... I don't know!"

"Probably not the best time for this question but how can you not know?" Fred couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know!"

"Thought so," Fred muttered under his breath. He knew the girl was in trouble and couldn't help interrupting the date they'd planned to get away from her. Well, his head did anyway, the rest was annoyed and was now starting to wonder if she'd planned this. Usually, she just spent her time in the library so for her to be outside just when they were felt a little oddly coincidental.

"Fred, we need to get her down ... wait," She turned back up to the hanging girl, "Can you climb down Saskia?"

Her question was answered as both noticed the distinct lack of branches surrounding her, making it all the weirder that she got up there in the first place.

"We could levitate her down..." Aubrey suggested, looking somewhat terrified, "No, no, if we broke focus for even a second, she could hurt herself!"

"Wait, hold on," He turned in the direction of the Quidditch pitches, "Here's hoping my Cleansweep's as durable as that bloody awful book was," Holding out his wand, he clearly recited the incantation, "Accio Cleansweep Five."

Both held their breath as Fred readied himself to catch it, Aubrey quickly casting a cushioning charm to prevent Fred from being impaled. His summoning charms were powerful, there was no doubt about it but it's precision left much to be desired.

"Saskia, hon, hold on, don't go anywhere!" Aubrey called up.

Fred raised an eyebrow, "Where would she go?"

"The ground?"

"Oh, right," Fred quickly turned back towards the pitches as she saw something zooming towards them through the air. Aubrey jumped back as the broom came hurtling into him, only mildly winding him rather than breaking ribs due to Aubrey's charm this time.

"Are you okay doing this?" Aubrey asked and he nodded.

"Aubs, I was born ready," He replied with a grin before mounting his broom, feeling like a Knight on his fierce steed. He'd be lying if seeing Aubrey watch him with awe as he flew up wasn't one of the best feelings in the world but like a true hero, he didn't do it for the attention and forced himself to look at Saskia. As he flew up with incredible ease, he noticed a stump by where her feet had been, answering at least some of his questions.

"Okay, Saskia, have you ever rode a broom before?"

Oddly she instantly perked up, "They used to be far more comfortable but I think I remember the luxury ones and in Russia, they use trees as brooms! Trees!"

"Not really relevant to my question..."

"No."

"Okay..." He scratched his head as he sat there making Aubrey squeal from the ground. With the utmost care he moved closer, "Do you think you can mount it from here?"

"How? My legs are dangling!"

It was pretty clear that this would go nowhere as Saskia still didn't understand after a few more attempts at explaining. She'd probably get it eventually but he didn't really want to leave her hanging for that long.

"Okay ... I think I know what to do," He floated upwards so the broom was level with Saskia's fingers, "Try and hold onto the broom and hang from it. I'll lower you down," She looked up uncertainly, "Come on, it will be fine."

After a moment, she tentatively let go of the branch, making Aubrey grasp from below. Saskia quickly transferred her hands to the wand and Fred felt himself chaotically veer down with the sudden extra weight.

Aubrey squealed from below before practically shouting the levitation charm, stabilising them somewhat.

"Um, Aubrey..."

"Yes?"

"Can you remove the charm?" Fred asked, looking down with a smile, "It's so good that we're actually unable to get down."

"Oh whoops!"

"Than - WOAH!" Without the charm, the pair dropped down sharply, Fred catching them quickly and lowering them calmly the rest of the way. The moment Saskia's feet touched the ground, she let go, rushing into Aubrey's arms and gripping her tightly.

"I was so scared, I forgot that ... that I couldn't do that anymore, I'm WEAK!" She wailed, "I thought you'd never find me, that I'd be alone forever!"

Aubrey and Fred shared a slightly frightened glance as Aubrey cooed, "Now, now, I'm sure someone else would have found you," They both glanced over the desolate, rainy hillside, "... eventually. The point is we did and Fred saved you, you're alright now!"

Saskia calmed down, stepping back, "You're right I am."

"What were you doing climbing a tree anyway?" Fred asked, leaning casually against his broom.

"I was ..." She rubbed her eyes, "Trying to remember something but ... it failed."

"Why didn't you just levitate yourself down?" Aubrey asked.

After a moment, Saskia shrugged, "I ... um ... don't know the spell."

"How?" Aubrey asked, "Nevermind I'll teach you sometime - "

"Oh thank you!" Aubrey was practically winded as Saskia ran into her with a barrel hug, clinging to her tightly. The three parted ways, Fred to the broomstick cupboard which would no doubt have a hole in now and Aubrey and Saskia to the Hufflepuff dorms.

"Thank you for saving my life, Fred," Saskia said genuinely but all Fred could muster was a vague smile of gratitude mainly because Saskia hadn't stopped clinging to Aubrey since they'd started walking.

Upon returning the broomstick, Fred's irritation was only intensified further when he realised that not only was there was a hole in the door, the entire thing had been splintered. He could use some help and more importantly company so called George to come and help him.

"Good first date?" George asked, his smile only widening when he saw the door, "I take it you two went for a romantic broomstick ride?"

"Not exactly ..." Fred replied with gritted teeth, "I did go for one but it was far from romantic mainly 'cos Saskia was on it."

George's face fell, "Oh ... oh, that's not fun."

After they'd managed to fix the door to escape Angelina's wrath, the twins sat on the grass, which ironically could have made her even more annoyed. Still, tonight, mischief was the last thing on their minds as they discussed the events of the evening.

"Is it stupid to hate her?"

To this, Georgie shrugged, "Nah, I probably would, it's not like you can help it. Plus, it is really irritating that she wouldn't let go of Aubrey."

"And we were having such a nice time until she got here, it just ... sucks. I hate it," Fred said, slumping down as George patted him on the back, "I don't want to investigate her anymore, she's driving me mental."

"Then don't."

Fred balled up his fist before releasing it again, "Maybe I won't. Me and Aubrey had such a nice time today, it was bloody brilliant and Saskia just ... she'll give me a heart attack one of these days, probably on purpose."

"Lexy would agree with you there and Pansy for that matter. Apparently, she actually came and spoke to Lexy the other day, it was ... surreal."

"Our whole lives have been surreal," Fred pointed out, "But this more than usual. I think I'll talk to her, maybe present my own new theories on Saskia, even if Aubrey doesn't want to hear it..."

• • •

It was rather late when Fred arrived outside the Hufflepuff dorms but Aubrey was still there, leant against the wall, her hair pushed back from her face as she read over a book.

"Aubrey," He whispered and she looked up, her face illuminated by the soft orange light from the candles.

"Hi, I was beginning to think you weren't coming," She smiled kindly, dog-earing the book before placing it on the floor behind her. 

" 'Course I was coming," He grinned, "What sort of boyfriend do you think I am?"

"A surprisingly chivalrous one," She replied, looping her arms around his neck and kissing him softly. He didn't want to break apart, his fingers entangled in her curls but eventually, she did, "Thank you for saving, Saskia, you were brilliant today."

"I know," He replied, angling for another kiss but she let go, rushing towards her book, "What have you got there?"

"I'm glad you asked," She smiled, showing him the cover, "The next step in our investigation. So the Umbridge route was a dead end but I figured, people would know her so we should ask around with regards to her - she's not important enough to be in any of the books."

"Harsh."

"It's Umbridge, nothing is harsh anymore," She pointed out seriously, "And as for Saskia, I'm looking at government experimentations and ministry employees. She clearly didn't go to a normal school, that much is obvious. Fred, we're going to have a busy few weeks ahead of us - "

"Aubrey, stop," He cut in suddenly, "I ... I don't want to spend all my time investigating Saskia this year."

She blinked, clearly not expecting this, "But you were the one who suggested we start this sort of thing again..."

"Yeah, to stop you from worrying but you're just worrying even more now," He replied.

"No more than last year."

"But last year we were in danger, our bodies were swapped and we had a Deatheater chasing us," Fred pointed out, "This year we have an odd classmate who makes weird things happen but she might not be life-threatening... "

"But she's linked to old magic, to Umbridge... it's all connected, this is our thing!"

"If you want to learn about magic and get back at Umbridge, there are other ways that books," He said, suddenly remembering one of his reasons for initiating the date, "Look, there's a secret Defensive spells organisation being started and it goes against both those things, come with me. It will be nice, you can get what you want and I can get what I want - "

"What do you want?"

He paused for a moment, his mouth opening and closing before he sheepishly replied, "To spend time with you, I guess and not when we're in the awful investigation. Look, Saskia's been driving me up the wall, my theory is just that she's obsessed with you because you met beforehand and you're well ... sort of blowing this out of proportion."

Aubrey's eyes momentarily narrowed, "A girl's legs got broken, things appear out of nowhere, it's a mystery, Fred. We solve mysteries, if we don't, who will?"

"Look, I just ... I'm not saying there's something up there but maybe it's not our ... place."

"Last year, we spied, we broke boundaries of personal space, it was our place then!"

"I know, I know but it was a different situation," Words were usually his strong point, "We did stuff but books make you so ... absorbed."

"Fred, we're the mystery couple, we solve stuff, that's our thing! This is important!"

"So is ... other stuff."

"How articulate," They fell silent briefly before she sternly continued, "You suggested we do this, not me. The very least you could do is see it through."

With that, she turned and after tapping out the rhythm, disappeared down the Hufflepuff corridor. 

• • •

Apologies for delays, I was uninspired and then in the deep countryside where WiFi doesn't exist. I'm still in the countryside but I at least have internet now - E x