Fred nodded, threw his leg over his broom, and kicked off. Beside him, George flew. Fred watched his twin, wondering how much direction Blinky was giving him.
Enough, apparently.
"I think I see them," George said.
Fred squinted upwards. There was some sort of shape above him, silhouetted against the night sky. He flew towards it. George, with Blinky directing him, got there first.
"I think it's Ginny!" George shouted. "And there's some bloke on top of her."
"How are they?" Fred shouted.
"They're both unconscious, but breathing. And I can't see any other problems. Wonder how they got off the ground?" In a more thoughtful tone, George continued, "Good broomstick. I heard these new ones have charms on them so if you pass out, they stay under you and sort of drift down."
Fred nodded. "Lucky for them, huh? I hope-"
He stopped as he pulled up along the broomstick's other side.
"Fred?" George asked. "What's wrong?"
Fred swallowed and looked at the broom next to him. Shiny new broom. Unconscious Ginny draped over the front of it-at least, George said it was Ginny. He could only see the back of her head. Slumped over her was another person. Pale hair, nice robes, probably looked fine from the other side, but from here-
"George," Fred squeaked. He cleared his throat and tried again. "George. The other one, the one who isn't Ginny. He's not fine. He's got a broken arm."
"Are you sure?" George asked.
"Yes, I'm sure. I can see the bloody bone!"
There was a pause. "Oh," said George.
"Yes," said Fred.
"We've got to get them-"
"-to St. Mungo's. Do you remember-"
"-what Madame Pomfrey told us-"
"-about moving hurt people? Yes, I do," Fred replied. He swallowed, suddenly very grateful that George was there. He could always think better with his twin nearby. He pulled his wand out. "Petrificus totallus!" he said, pointing at the broken blond figure.
"Better get Ginny-" George began.
"-just in case-"
"-she has an injury-"
"-we can't see." Fred nodded and waited as George cast the spell again. "Now we just-"
"-need to get them-"
"-down."
Fred swallowed. Three people was a bit many to put on a broomstick-but they weren't going anywhere but straight down. And someone had to steer Ginny's broomstick, and there was no way they could separate the two. Not when the top one so clearly needed to be petrified. "Spot me?" he asked his twin.
George's broom dropped. Fred inhaled, reached over, grabbed the broom handle just in front of Ginny, and threw his leg across the back of the other broom. He almost slipped-
George's hands came up, pushing him back. "Down," Fred commanded.
The broom dropped, faster than Fred might have liked, but slower than his broom would have. Good broom, Fred thought irrelevantly. He shivered. His left side was all wet. Fred looked down at the dark streaks across his left arm. Oh, no, he thought. So much blood loss. I hope the hospital can help him.
The ground bumped against his feet. Fred lowered himself to his knees, and the broomstick to the ground, as George and Blinky landed, holding his broom.
"Now-" said Fred.
"-we just untangle them-"
"-and then Apparate to the hospital." Fred leaned sideways. "Let's get him onto his back."
It took all three of them to get the broom away from the hurt man and to get Ginny out of his arms. Fred slid his arms under the stranger and stood. George already held Ginny. "Blinky, do you know-"
"-where St. Mungo's is?"
"Because I don't think-"
"-that I can Apparate me, and Ginny, and you."
"Can you get there-"
"-on your own?"
"Yes, sirs!" Blinky said. "Blinky will meet the Wheezies at the hospital door!"
Fred nodded and Disapparated.
