'Shove over!'

'You shove over!'

'Get your big fat elbow out of the way!'

'My big fat elbow? Your big fat stomach, you mean!'

'Shhhh!' Tonks hissed furiously, 'you'll give us away!'

'Sorry', muttered Fred and George in unison, looking at each other and trying to supress snorts of laughter.

Nymphadora Tonks, Fred Weasley and George Weasley were perched in a tree beside the entrance to the Malfoy Mansion. They were quite high up in it, and were able to see into the 'Conference Room', as they christened it, which was on the second floor. Tonks was squinting through a Magically Magnifying Monacle, keeping watch on the room. It was almost dark.

'I can't believe we got such a good first assignment!' Fred murmured.

'You were lucky to get any assignments at all, the way you two carried on at the Initiation Ceremony', Tonks whispered back, 'singing that rude song, in front of the whole Order!'

'Don't worry Tonks', George replied with a grimace, 'we paid for it in Howlers and the howling of Mum.'

'They're just filing out now', Tonks hissed, removing the monacle, 'that meeting must be over. Grab one of the Extendable Ears, Fred!'

Fred pulled one out of the rucksack that was perched on the branch next to him. Tonks beckoned to him and George to lean in closer. 'Now', she breathed, 'you're going to hold my ankles, and I'm going to lean forwards, and put the ear right up against the window-we should at least hear most of what they're saying next time they come in.'

Fred looked terrified. 'What if we drop you?' He asked worriedly, while George chuckled so hard that he nearly fell off his branch.

'It'd be best if you tried not to drop me', Tonks replied calmly, 'but if you do, well I'll just jump back up and climb up here again, and pray that those flying dogs Lucius employed are fast asleep.'

The flying dogs, which they spotted when crawling through the grounds using a Disillusionment Charm, were hideous: They were sort of barrel- shaped, white dogs, with red gleaming eyes, black, razor-sharp teeth and the wings of an eagle. The twins looked at each other, and nodded determinedly.

'Right', Tonks hissed. Taking the ear from Fred, she lay down on her stomach, and began to wriggle forwards, stretching out her arm. She was only a few feet from the windowsill. Fred and George held her ankles tightly.

'I didn't say "cut off the blood supply to my ankles", she grunted, slithering forwards another few inches. She was almost there. Fred shifted uncomfortably, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.

Two more inches...

Her fingers closed around the edge of the windowsill, and the twins breathed a sigh of relief. Removing a piece of chewing gum from her mouth with the other hand, she stuck it to the windowsill, and then attached the ear to the gum.

There was a horrenduous, harsh barking right in George's ear. He jumped, letting go of Tonks' ankle at the same time. She slipped, and let out a small squeal. Fred was pulled forwards as all her weight now rested on his arm. George, meanwhile, was busy sending Stunner after Stunner shooting at the flying dog, who eventually, after many blasts, went cross-eyed, and fell like a stone to the ground.

But he wasn't the only flying dog who had spotted them.

Four more were coming zooming towards their tree, barking and howling with delight-they would have supper tonight.

'George', Fred grunted, desperately hanging on to Tonks' leg, 'd'you think you might be able to gimme a hand?'

'There's more dogs coming!' George whispered frantically, lunging forwards and making a swipe to catch Tonks' ankle and pull her back up, 'AAAAARRGGH!!!!!!'

A dog had landed squarely on George's back, and sank its teeth into the side of his neck. George, waving his arms around to try and keep his balance, hit Fred, who was so precariously balanced on his branch that he was tipped off it, taking Tonks with him.

Horrified, George slammed his back into the trunk of the tree, squashing all the breath out of the monstrous dog, who fell off his back with a whimper. The other three were hovering, unsure as to whether to go for him, or the falling duo. Fred had managed to catch hold of a branch just below his brother, and was groaning.

'Gimme your hand Fred!' George hissed, reaching down. Fred shot him a withering look.

'And which of my hands do you propose I give you, George?' He asked sarcastically, 'the one that's stopping Tonks from landing on the ground with a splat, or the one that's keeping me in this tree?'

George rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand again-but something snatched it out of his hand; another of the flying dogs had come up behind him and plucked it from his hand. 'No!' He moaned, 'Tonks, you're going to have to do a spell', he called down softly, 'my wand's been taken!'

So Tonks, with a sigh, began to search in her pockets for her wand.

'WHAT THE-! LUCIUUUUUUS!'

George looked down, and saw that Narcissa Malfoy had appeared at the window of the dining room, on the first floor, and had found herself looking straight at Tonks. She looked both terrified and furious. A split second later, Lucius Malfoy arrived at the window.

It all happened so fast; Lucius shot a Stunner at Tonks and knocked her out; a flying dog started to attack Fred, who had to let go of Tonks to stop it clawing his eyes out. George lunged forwards and Fred caught his hand and climbed up into the tree;and Tonks fell some twenty feet to the ground, where she landed in a gorse bush. Immediately, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy apparated outside. Lucius pulled Tonks roughly out of the bush, while Narcissa peered suspiciously up into the tree. But Fred and George were well hidden by the thick branches, and Fred had a tight grip around the throat of the only flying dog left in a condition to attack (the one with the wand had flown away, ecstatic with his prize).

'They must have disapparated', Narcissa said angrily, 'I TOLD you to get a charm put on this place to stop that from happening, Lucius!'

Lucius ignored his wife, and began to drag Tonks into the house. George made to jumo out of the tree onto his head, but Fred stopped him. 'Are you mad?' He hissed, 'there are about twenty Death Eaters in there-we'll never beat them!'

'Well we can't go back without her', George whispered back, clenching his fists.

'Then we'll just have to wait and come up with a plan', Fred replied anxiously, 'you know, I'm beginning to understand why Mum didn't want us joining.'