Most people who met the Weasley twins had the same thoughts; the two brothers didn't have a serious bone in their bodies. They knew it. And they embraced it.
Until that entire philosophy was turned around when Fred found something to be serious about.
It started out as most things did in his life; with a prank. He and George had gotten out of bed late at night to sneak down to the dungeons to Snape's office and slather his doorknob in Bubotuber pus they had conveniently borrowed from Professor Sprout.
But when they turned to make their escape, they stopped short at the sight of a lone figure at the end of the hall. Both of them assumed it was a professor, but when she didn't move, they knew it had to be a student.
On a silent agreement, the two of them slowly started towards the girl, but when they got about five feet from her, she collapsed onto the floor of the hall and started to scream.
George covered his ears as her screams echoed through the hall. "Blimey, is she okay?!"
Fred grabbed his brother's wrist and ran towards the girl, who was still screaming, her arms wrapped around her knees as she rocked back and forth like a small infant.
"Does she look familiar to you, Georgie?"
"I think so..."
Yes, she did, Fred realized after a moment. He recognized her, even if he'd never really spoken to her before. She was in his year, a Slytherin, and her name was Sienna Larson. Though he'd never admitted to anyone, not even George, he had always harbored a small crush on the petite black haired girl. What was wrong with her that could make her do this?
"Weasleys!" A voice shouted from behind them, tearing the twins from their thoughts. They turned and saw Snape, looking downright murderous, keeping his right hand in his pocket as he approached the scene.
"Two weeks' detention, you two, for ruining my door, and for being out of bed after curfew. Leave. I will attend to my student." He ordered, and the boys got to their feet, slowly backing away while still watching as the professor knelt beside the girl and started to shake her awake.
They stopped again, halfway down the hall, when she woke with a cry of alarm. They were too far away to make out her expression, but the boys could hear her sobbing while Snape pulled her to her feet and led her back to her common room with his good hand on the small of her back.
The twins exchanged looks before turning and running back up to the Gryffindor Tower.
The next morning, Fred couldn't stop thinking about Sienna, and what had happened the previous night. George didn't mention it, but he could tell it was bothering his brother, as he didn't make any jokes at the breakfast table.
Others sitting there noticed the difference as well. Ron leaned over to George, trying to be discreet, but that was difficult to do while his mouth was full. "What's the matter with Fred? He isn't joking around."
"I don't have a clue what you're talking about, little brother." George told him. "Now, shove off, will you? You're getting food on my robes, and McGonagall will kill me if I show up to her class like that."
Muttering under his breath, Ron moved back to his friends.
"Thanks, Georgie."
"What are brothers for, Freddie?"
The topic of Fred's distracted nature wasn't brought up again, but whispers broke out suddenly at each table when a raven haired girl got up from the Slytherin table and walked over to stand beside the Weasley twins. Sienna Larson didn't sit down, instead stayed silent while she looked the boys over.
Finally, she stood up straight and spoke clearly. "Thank you. For what you did last night."
Her grey-blue eyes flickered towards Fred, and he saw her swallow before spinning on her heel and leaving the Great Hall with a swish of her emerald robes.
After a moment of stunned silence, George whistled. "I think she likes us, Freddie."
Fred stayed distracted for the rest of the day as he went about his classes. During Professor Lupin's class, he was reprimanded at least three times for looking down the aisles toward where Sienna sat next to one of her Slytherin friends.
She never glanced his way, at least that he knew of, but he couldn't help himself. He was intrigued by her after the previous night, and if there was one thing the Weasley twins were, it was determined.
He was determined to find out what could cause her to do such a thing.