The Queen of Vipers || Fred Weasley

II.XX

There was no doubt in Fred's mind; something was very wrong.

George couldn't really argue with him, he too felt something off. Not like Electra's ominous parting wasn't a massive red flag or anything. Especially when one remembers the last time she'd run off like that she was nearly attacked by their teacher-turned-werewolf.

Though, now they're penpals, so he supposed it could have gone far worse. But what are the chances something like that'll happen twice? Mad-Eye didn't seem the penpal type in George's opinion.

He hurried behind Fred as they weaved through the thicket of the Forbidden Forest, following between the outside of the maze's hedges. The longer they searched the more he noticed Fred's body tensing. George could practically feel the anxiety rolling off him.

"We should have followed her," griped Fred for the dozenth time. He cursed under his breath and swatted a branch out of his face.

George had to agree, but it was too late now.

Krum had been brought back from within the labyrinth, stunned like Fleur had been, floating behind Flitwick like a sack of potatoes —which George found rather funny. It was after Krum was revived from his stunned state, that he and Fred had overheard something the Bulgarian said that made them leave in search of Electra. He'd told Karkaroff that he didn't remember anything that had happened in the maze, it had felt like he was in a dream. They'd left not a second later.

George just barely dodged the branch Fred let swing back into place. He straightened up with an annoyed huff. "Relax," he said, trying his best to ease his brother's nerves (and perhaps his as well). "She couldn't have gone much further." They've already searched half the perimeter of the hedges, and so far they'd already dodged Hagrid patrolling the edge, which truthfully wasn't that difficult —Hagrid was easy to sneak past, especially if he was humming loudly to a bowtruckle he'd found in the hedges —but Electra had left before any professors returned with Champions, and as brilliant as she was, she couldn't have evaded all four professors. No one was that lucky, not even her.

George stepped over a tree root before he tripped over it. "You know, it's been half an hour already, she may already be back at the stadium and—"

"I am not going back without her." George blinked in the light of his wand. There had only been a handful of times he had ever heard Fred sound so... adamant.

He must really believe something is wrong.

"Right," murmured George, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "You're right. We'll keep looking until we find—"

"Electra?" Fred suddenly froze in his tracks.

George had to back up before he crashed into his brother's back. "Yes, Electra. Are you winding me up?" He peered over Fred's shoulders to see what stopped him. "Who else— AGH!"

A banshee.

Or... he thought it was a banshee at first glance.

"Merlin," he breathed. It was Electra. A bloodied, pale and hardly conscious Electra. She was leaning against a tree, her hair falling around her and sticking to the side of her face with fresh blood. She pushed off the tree trunk, wobbling and unsteady on her feet. Fred moved as she stumbled forward and fell. He caught her against his chest before she hit her knees.

George hurried to their side as Fred gently set her into a kneeling position. "Fuckin' hell, Lexi. What happened to you?"

Electra didn't seem to notice George had spoken. "Where is he?" she asked, her voice shaking. She turned her head, eyes darting around the forest.