A small crowd of eleven-year-olds tumbled from the carriages onto the shores of Hogwarts' Great Lake.

In the darkening twilight, the water was black with pinpricks of light scattered across the surface. Small waves splashed irregularly against the banks.

"All righ'," called the bushy-haired giant. "Inter the boats now. Three to a boat!"

A short black boy held a boat steady while Fred and George clambered in, then leaped in himself, landing easily on the front bench.

"Been on boats half my life," he said cheerfully. "I'm Lee Jordan. My dad's a fisherman, in Brighton. Couldn't fall out of a boat if I tried," he finished with a grin.

Fred and George looked at each other, then turned back, smiling identical friendly smiles.

"I'm Fred," said Fred.

"And I'm Percy," said George.

"Pleaased to meet you," they said together.

Lee grinned. "I've never met twins before. Don't think I could tell the two of you apart. Are you both exactly the same?" he asked, as the boats began to skim across the lake.

"Well, we're not exactly the same," said Fred.

"Percy here's a bit of a troublemaker. He's good for a laugh, but he just takes it too far sometimes," Fred informed him as George coughed harshly. "You shouldn't really get mixed up with him. I prefer academic pursuits, myself." He raised his head slightly. George coughed again.

"My brother went to Cambridge to study," said Lee. "Came back a right snob."

"Cambridge?" Fred asked, as George exclaimed, "Oh, are your family Muggles? We've never met Muggles before."

"Is it true that you plug yourself into the eckeltricity at night, to eat?"

Lee gaped at them, apparently unable to speak. Fred nudged his brother.

"Doesn't know how he eats! How stupid is that?"

"Keep yer hands in the boat!" Hagrid yelled. "Oy, you, that means you – I've got my eyes on you! Plenty o' creatures in this lake that'd like a few fingers fer a tasty supper!"

The offender pulled her hands back out of the water. She was a chubby blonde girl with red ribbons sewn into the neckline of her robes. She called, "Is it true there's a giant squid in there?"

"Bigger'n all these boats put together."

"Would it really eat a person?" whispered Lee Jordan, forgetting the twins' jabs. "A whole person, not just bits?"

"Sure," said Fred easily. "It sucks you up, and squirts mucus on you – acid mucus, you know, to dissolve all your bones. Then it takes a whole hour to eat you."

"You're most likely dead by then," George reassured him.

Lee scrunched up his face. "I don't believe you."

"Cleverer than he looks, eh Fred?" said George.

"Mind you, we don't know either."

"One way to find out, though."

Fred and George balanced carefully on their seats, and threw themselves at Lee.

The last thing the three boys heard before hitting the water was Hagrid's voice, roaring, "WEASLEY!"