By the time the three girls arrived at the stand, the group of Slytherins (and bizarrely one mean-faced Gryffindor) were already leaving. They were talking amongst themselves which only made Aubrey's blood boil as the word 'Weasley' was tossed about rather a lot. She'd heard bad things about Slytherins before but having kept a reasonably low profile most of the time, had never really witnessed it first hand. However, now she was starting to see the ugly side of the house and had no problem taking actions.

Two of them were leading the group, a platinum blonde one talking in a leisurely drawl whilst a sly looking brown haired boy walked next to him, listening but not replying.

" - with that team, they've practically doomed themselves anyway, it's pathetic really..."

Lexy instantly jutted forward, her foot snapping a twig alerting the groups' attention but Aubrey held her back. A few of the Slytherins came to a stop, curious as to why a group of Hufflepuffs were suddenly gritting their teeth at them but most carried on walking, completely unfazed.

"Yes?" A thin-lipped girl with long, luxurious dark hair said.

"Morag, leave them..." Her friend murmured but Aubrey remained steadfast.

"I'm curious which one of you was heckling the team," She asked.

Morag stiffened, "Wasn't heckling, just telling the truth."

"It wasn't us really," Her friend cut in, her eyes gleaming as she snitched, "It was mostly them..." She pointed towards a group of Fourth years, including the platinum-haired boy and the silent dark-haired one, " ... I wasn't really chanting that much ..."

"Such a fucking pushover, Winnie," Morag huffed as the two girls quickly exited the scene.

"Oh, I recognise him!" Saskia murmured pointing at the blond, "He was the one asking all those nice questions."

"What are you going to do?" Lexy asked, "He's getting further away."

"Lexy, get your protection charms ready," Aubrey grinned, "And distance really doesn't matter for a silencing charm..." Aubrey held her hand out, carefully reciting, "Silencio!"

The charm hit the target and the boy's drawling voice came to an abrupt stop, his hands leaping to his throat. Aubrey didn't get any satisfaction from doing it really (unlike Lexy who's lips had twisted into a mischeivous smile) but she only hoped that perhaps he'd think more carefully about his actions next time. She turned on her heel to walk back to the stands but Saskia was now rooted to the spot, howling with laughter. The blonde boy turned around, his friend quickly following suit.

"It wasn't her, Draco," A girl with short dark haired crooned, "It was that one with those ugly curls, I saw her. It looks like she has a bird's nest on your head, worse than Angelina's worms."

"Oh my God, are you blind," Lexy retorted, "They're fabulous and you can hardly talk, your bob makes you look like one of those lego men."

"What?" All of them looked somewhat confused and Lexy rolled her eyes.

"Urgh, Purebloods."

The platinum boy was still unable to talk, as evidenced by his wide eyes and dramatic display of anguish. His dark-haired friend curiously did nothing but the two burly boys on either side stepped forward. 

"Don't fight, that's how people get hurt, Aubrey!" Saskia whimpered.

Lexy and Aubrey drew their wands, intending to defend not attack but it appeared they didn't have to do either. One of the henchmen dropped his wand in the tall grass whilst the other one seemed to be having trouble remembering any spells. Draco sunk into the arms of a tall, dark-skinned boy as if on the verge of death. 

"Oh for the love of Merlin, you two are useless," The girl with the bob huffed.

"Pansy, leave them," The Dark haired boy finally spoke.

"Oh, will you just be quiet, Theo," For a moment, Pansy hesitated, her fingers grazing the tip of her wand, her eyes fixated on Aubrey and Lexy. Within seconds, it was out, a curse sent their way which Lexy effortlessly blocked. They readied themselves for another attack but Pansy had something different in mind. 

"Take this, you vile bitch!" Pansy stepped forward, her fist colliding with Aubrey's face before she could even react. Everyone stood stunned, even the gasping Draco fell silent. Aubrey staggered back a little, her hands gripping her now bleeding nose.

"Oh my God, I am literally going to - " Lexy began before there was a shriek and Pansy fell to the floor, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. She gasped as she landed before her mouth opened, letting out a strange, unearthly scream. The two burly boys rushed forward, confused to see Pansy in such sudden, genuine pain.

"My legs! My legs, it feels like they've been shattered!" Unlike Draco, she wasn't faking it, tears welling up in her eyes as she howled, "It's like someone hit them ... I can't stand up, help me please, I can't stand!"

Aubrey backed away in horror, expecting to be accused but nobody did. Pansy simply wailed in agony as one of the boys picked her up in his strong arms and began to carry her towards the castle.

"Okay, what the hell was that?" Lexy asked as the group of Slytherins clustered after her.

"It looked like a couple of broken legs to me," Saskia shrugged, "It happens sometimes, human skin is strong but bones are so fragile."

Lexy paled, her eyes widening as Saskia approached Aubrey, who was too far away to have heard the last remark, "Come on, we need to get you to the hospital wing right away. Broken noses can lead to nasty things if left untreated."

• • •

Unaware of the fight, Fred and George were also in the hospital wing but for a very different reason. After Katie Bell had been hit in the face with a Quaffle, rather than give her something to quench the bleeding, Fred had given her a blood blisterpod by mistake and were frantically ensuring she was okay.

"I'm really alright," Katie assurred them, "Look the bleeding's stopped and I said I wouldn't tell your girlfriends, okay?"

"Phew," Fred grinned, "But we'll stay to keep you company - "

"Alicia and Angelina will be here soon, I'm fine!"

"Alright if you - " George began but was cut off by an ear-piercing wail. Madam Pomfrey had been on her way over with a tonic but hastily left it on the countertop, rushing over to the new arrival. The twins remained rooted to the spot as Madam Pomfrey cleared the crowd, gesturing for the girl to be placed on the bed next to Katie.

"My legs! Please help me!" The girl managed between breathy wails.

"Merlin's beard..." Madam Pomfrey murmured after a quick examination, "How did you break both legs?"

"We don't know it just happened," Somebody said from behind them.

"How does something like this just happen?" Madam Pomfrey asked, her eyes still fixated on the girl. Fred's eyes however had drifted over towards three figures entering the Hospital wing behind the scene: Aubrey, with her hands clutching her nose, Lexy and Saskia on either side. Aubrey and Lexy broke off towards a bed whilst Saskia oddly ran over to the medical supply room, grabbing a bottle from the side and rushing over. Fred and George quickly dashed over just as Angelina and Alicia came in, rushing towards Katie as the two left her side.

"Aubrey, are you okay?" Fred asked, getting close but Saskia swatted him back.

"Hold on, you can hug her in just a moment!" Saskia snapped, "Here take this - "

"Excuse me, put that back!" The group turned around to see Madam Pomfrey staring at them in exasperation, "I'll get to you in a minute!"

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing - "

"No, put it back!"

Saskia sighed, rushing over. They all saw her put the bottle back and yet curiously, she returned with yet another one, pulling it out of her cloak like a shady dealer, "Don't worry, I have extra..."

"Why?" Aubrey whispered back, "Saskia, let's just wait until Madam Pomfrey gets here."

Fred and George made their way over towards Lexy who was stood a little way back.

"What happened here?" George asked Lexy who looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Um ... there was a fight and Aubrey got punched - "

"What?" Fred instantly stepped forward a little, "By who?"

"Woah, calm down, Fred!" Lexy gestured her head towards Pansy and her broken legs, "I think she's already been punished enough..."

Within a few days, the news of Pansy's spontaneous leg breaking was all over the school although nobody, not even Pansy herself could pin down the culprit. Feeling guilty, Aubrey went and apologised and was surprised when Pansy murmured one back. Perhaps the sudden knowledge that her legs could break at any time had made her turn over a new leaf, Aubrey wasn't sure. After hearing the story, Fred couldn't be more proud of his girlfriend, amused to see that last year's Charms lessons had done more than just embarrassing Lexy in front of her then crush.

The incident also gave Fred and George some new targets to work with, Draco and the Slytherins. They'd heard bad things about them from Harry and Ron already but the incident at the Quidditch match only sealed it. Tricking Draco into eating things would be near impossible given his clear intelligence so they instead decided to go for his slightly more stupid lackeys.

"Do you really think this would work?" George sniggered as Fred laced two of the cakes with a tonic that caused uncontrollable body tremors.

"Well, Harry mentioned they once managed ate floating cupcakes a few years back so yeah, I reckon we have a shot," Fred grinned, placing the cakes down.

"We're truly blessed to have such stupid people in our ranks," George laughed as the two boys sat down on the steps, "And now we wait - "

"For what?"

Instantly both of their moods soured as Saskia called to them from the top of the steps. George pouted, "Bloody brilliant, 'course she's here."

"Don't you have lessons now?" Fred called up to her.

"No, I have a free!" She rushed down the steps in a childish fashion, "So I thought I'd come and join you ... ooh, cakes..."

She leant towards them but froze after a chorus of: "No, no! Don't eat that!" from the twins.

"They're laced with a potion that causes tremors," George said and Saskia instantly sat down.

"Oh ... good thing I didn't eat it then," She beamed up at them, "So who are they for?"

"Crabbe and Goyle, they usually come this way," Fred explained.

"Okay. I shall sit with you then," She giggled to herself, "Crabbe and Goyle ... what stupid names those are."

They didn't have to wait too long before footsteps approached but were dismayed to see it wasn't the two boys.

"False alarm," George murmured, the three sitting back down again in silence.

Suddenly Saskia's eyes widened, squealing, "Oh no!" before diving behind the twins. Fred looked up, his heart sinking as Umbridge approached, a clipboard in her hand and a frown on her face. 

"These are stairs not seats, dear so please get up otherwise I might be late to my inspection. And we don't want that now, do we?" Her eyes narrowed as she realised who they were, the softness in her tone fading, "What are you two up to? You're planning something troublesome, aren't you."

"Quite the opposite actually," George said, with mock disbelief, "We've been sitting here all this time just to wish you a good morning."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Good morning, Professor," Fred grinned, "You look amazing today, pink is your colour."

She blinked a few times, evidently taken aback by the turn of events just as her eyes came to fall on the cakes, "You were planning something, awful children ... this has to do with Miss Jackson doesn't it."

The twins almost choked on air with laughter. Fred shook his head, "Professor, it really doesn't - 

"She no doubt planned this, a punch in the face really did nothing to make her realise the error in her ways - "

Behind George, a sudden scuffling sound was heard and Saskia rose her up, her eyes narrowed. Even in standing, she was barely taller than the tiny Umbridge but there was a sudden power radiating from her which unnerved even the twins. 

The effects were instantaneous, Umbridge's clipboard clattering to the ground before Saskia had even uttered a word. The twins watched curiously, expecting Umbridge to get pushed over the side or a torrent of insults to come out of the girl's mouth.

"Go away, Dolly," Saskia sneered, "You're not welcome here."

Fumbling around, Umbridge picked up the clipboard and dashed downstairs, unable to say a word. After she was gone, Fred and George turned to Saskia once more. The malice had subsided, replaced by the wide-eyed innocence once more.

"That's funny, she said she had an inspection to make," Saskia sat back down again on the steps once more, "People are so weird. Now, shall we get back to waiting?"

• • •

In only a few chapters time, you guys will know enough for me to publish the prequel and I am hyped as fuck for it. I adore prequels more than the real thing - E x