Note: Italics= flashback. Allie, Keila, Fred, Roxanne, and James are seventh years, Albus and Molly and Rose and Scorpius are sixth years, and Lily is a fifth year.
"Hey, Al," a voice said. I turned to the source, which was my window.
Once again, my boyfriend Fred Weasley had climbed into my bedroom window.
"What's with you and you're need to come in through the window when I'm not paying attention?" I ask him with a sigh.
"You know me, Allie," Fred says, grinning his troublemaker smile that some teachers were used to from his father and deceased uncle. The Weasley twins were the best pranksters Hogwarts had ever seen, but Fred and his older sister Roxanne gave them a run for their money. "I'm unconventional. Doors are overrated." He is joking around, but it's not up to his usual par. I an skeptical of him, but continue.
"Overrated," I say. "Right. You just don't want to have to deal woth my parents or Keila."
Keila doesn't know I have a boyfriend. I haven't told her yet, because… well, because when we were eleven, we made a pact to never let a guy get between us.
"He's so annoying," I said, nodding my head towards Fred Weasley. We'd been in school for barely a month and he'd been in detention for a week of that. That had to be a record that even his father wouldn't approve of, despite his own record of troublemaking that was famous at Hogwarts.
"I don't ever want to date," Keila said. "Guys make us forget who we really are."
"Let's swear," I say.
"All right," she said, turning to me, pinky out. "Let's swear… a guy will never ever get between our sistership."
"Yeah," I say. "Sisters before misters."
"Only because you don't want Keila to find out because that would be a break of pact," Fred surmises. He has a way of getting to the point that is sometimes annoying but usually kind of great. One of the many things I like about him.
"You're right," I say. You're always right. Now why did you come?"
"Rose and Lily need your help," he answers. "Well, Rose. Molly, Lily and I need you and Keila to help them rescue James and Albus."
"From what?" I ask. "Homework problems again?"
"No," Fred says. "They've been kidnapped and Rose and Lily and Molly and I are going to get them. Lily thought we could use you."
"Why didn't you say that straight off?" I ask incredulously. "And why didn't you just owl me?"
"I'm sorry, all right," he says. "I wasn't thinking right, because Roxanne only just told me that the others were going and I said I was going and then they said they would need you and Keila and they said to tell you. So here I am."
"Fine," I say. "Go on, and I'll tell Keila."
He jumps onto the windowsill and jumps off onto the grass below, then spins to Apparate away.
"Well, then," I say. I walk down the hall to Keila's room. She's working on a Transfiguration essay from Biddix and doesn't notice me at first.
"Keila," I say. She turns to look at me.
"Hey, sis," she says. She notices my demeanor. "Something up?"
"I just got a letter from Fred," I lie. "He said that James and Albus have been kidnapped and Rose, Lily, Molly, and him are going to get them. He said they want us to help, and he said to hurry."
"All right," Keila says. "Where do we go?"
"Number 12," I answer. That would be the most likely place because that's where Lily lives. "Get some comfortable clothes on ASAP and meet me in my room in five minutes.
I go back to my room and change into a pair of my most comfortable jeans, an old faded t-shirt, and my old jean jacket.
A few minutes later, Keila enters wearing nearly the same thing I am, minus the jacket.
"Ready to go?" she asks. I nod. We grab hands and Apparate.
As we land, I race for the door of Number 12. We were told the location a few years ago, when we came over for Easter.
"Fred!" I yell. "Lily, Rose! Molly!"
Molly races down the corridor, her brown hair flying behind her. She's one of three Weasleys without red hair. Fleur Weasley's daughter Dominique has blonde hair, Fred has dark hair and skin, and Molly herself. "Thank Merlin you got here! Come on, we're about to leave!"
We follow Molly to where the others are waiting. "Quite a party you mustered up." I say. "Does anybody know where we're going and who actually took James and Al?"
"It was a Death Eater, we know that for sure," Lily says. "Rose and I did some digging and think we know where they are."
"It's a cave," Rose says. "Uncle Harry and one of the old Headmasters, Dumbledore, went there to try and find one of Voldemort's horcruxes when he was the same age as me. I'm sure that's where they are."
"That's good enough for me," Keila says. "Who's in control of Apparating?"
I'll do it," Fred says. "I'm the only one old enough who knows exactly where we're going."
We all grab hands and spin on the spot, Apparating to the mysterious island Rose mentioned.
When we land, we're on a large rock, large waves crashing all around the rock. There's barely enough room for us all.
"What a place," I mutter. "Not really my style."
"Shut up, Allie," Lily says.
"Good one, kid," Fred grins. I punch him on the arm before we all enter the cave.
About twenty feet into the cave, we come to a dead end.
"This can't be right," Rose says. "They have to be here."
I look around for anything that might provide a clue. My eyes land on a small knife. There's some dried blood on it that looks about twenty or so years old.
"I get it now," I say. "Only someone stupid would do this, but it's effective."
"What?" Molly wonders. In answer, I take the knife and grimace before pressing the blade into my hand. Blood comes, and I rub my hand against the rock in front of us.
"Why didn't you let one of us?" Rose demands.
"I saw it," I said. "It made sense. And you all are younger than me. If I'd have let anyone else besides me, it would have been Fred or Keila. We're coming out of this, so help me Merlin."
The rock has disappeared, revealing another path to follow. We follow this one to a rocky and desolate shore. All that's on it besides rocks is a chain. I can see the shore just barely through the fog that has cropped up.
"Help me pull this, guys," Lily says, struggling to pull on the chain. We all go over and pull on the chain. Attatched to the end is a small boat.
"I don't think six of us will fit." I say.
"Three and three," Fred says. "Molly, Lily, and Rose go first, then Keila, Allie, and me."
Molly, Lily, and Rose go across, and Keila, Fred, and I follow.
"Lumos Maxima," I say. I shoot the light, and it flies out of sight, settling some distance away.
"Let's go," I say. We all walk along the shore, wands drawn in case they posted guards.
Finally, we reach a small hill with a basin atop. When we reach the top, we see our objective.
A small stone slab has been placed near the water, where a man stands. Two boys, both with black hair, are tied up and gagged, thrown like sacks of flour next to the table. Al notices us, and nudges James, who holds his hands to his mouth. To help, I put my finger by my mouth, the universal shhhh signal.
"That's them," Lily says.
"We've got to be quiet," I warn her. "What's the plan?"
"That guy seems occupied with something," Molly notices. "Let's cut their ropes and then take the guy out."
"Good plan," Fred says. "What if he notices?"
"Then we battle him and then free James and Al." Rose says. "Allie, you're the quietest, you go free them."
"All right," I say. "Here I go."
I walk down, wand drawn, finger by mouth, until I reach them.
"Incarcerous," I whisper, loud as I dare, pointing at James's hands.. Not quiet enough. The guy turns.
"Aha!" he says. "Trying to pull off a rescue mission, eh? I'd say you failed, missy."
"No she hasn't!" Lily says. "Let my brother's be!"
"Ah, some heroines," he says. "Oh, and one hero. Sorry, kiddo."
"Don't apologize," Fred says. "You won't live to have it accepted."
"James, help Al," I say. "We've got this guy."
"Aye aye, Allie," he grins. Glad to see he's normal.
"Do you now?" the guy says. "Do you even know who I am?"
"No," Molly says. "And we don't really care."
"Stupefy," Keila says. The guy falls backwards into the water. At first nothing happens. Then, bony hands come out of the water and start to drag him in. He can't do much against them, and he is dragged under.
"Thank Merlin you guys came," Albus said. "I don't know what he was planning to do"
"It's what friends do," I say.