Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter.

AN: I've come to realise how much I love this story. I love exploring Skylar's character, I find it difficult to come across stories with shy characters and, as an incredibly shy individual, it's a delight to write. I see a lot of myself in Skylar so I'm hoping to explore her characters a lot more throughout the story.

I really hope you enjoy this chapter!

"Fancy skipping out on Defence Against the Dark Arts?" Fred asked nonchalantly. It was the last week before term ended for Christmas and Skylar was focusing on finishing all homework that had been assigned. Fred and George had decide to tag along with Skylar to the library one afternoon, no doubt to make sure no Slytherins disturbed her again, and the Weasley twins had yet to be quiet.

"No," Skylar muttered, wary of Madam Pince and her dislike of noise and conversation in her library.

"Why not?" George interrogated, not even bothering to lower his tone down a decimal.

Skylar looked up from her Arithmancy essay with an irritated expression, "I don't want Umbridge to force me to crave words into the back of my hand again."

"Defence Against the Dark Arts is a waste of time," said George, pushing aside Skylar's comment with an airy wave of his hand, "not allowed to use magic in a practical subject in our seventh year? That's a T waiting to happen if you ask me."

Skylar gulped nervously, she didn't want to get a Troll in her NEWTs, the thought of receiving a T in any of her classes made her feel rather nauseous. But she couldn't miss out on a lesson, especially one with Umbridge, though she couldn't deny that she wanted to spend her time elsewhere than in Umbridge's rather gloomy classroom.

"She's thinking about it," Fred sang, noticing Skylar's furrowed brows.

"Am not!" Skylar protested, much more loudly than she had anticipated. She glowed scarlet and buried her head back into her book.

"You were," George mused. "Think about it, no Umbridge, a blissful afternoon with your favourite gingers instead!"

Skylar raised an eyebrow unconvincingly, "I don't think blissful and you two belong in the same sentence."

"Besides the point," said Fred. "Try a Fever Fudge and you'll be too ill to go, simple!"

"I'd rather not resort to having one of your Skiving Snackboxes to skip out on a lesson," Skylar replied, her eyes returning to her Arithmancy essay.

"You'll crack one day Sky," Fred murmured, "Once NEWTs roll around and Umbridge's lessons and more and more unhelpful, you'll be begging on your knees for one of our Skiving Snackboxes."

Skylar was quite certain she wouldn't be begging Fred and George Weasley for anything any time soon.

They had not been at all successful in convincing Skylar to skive Defence Against the Dark Arts and walked alongside her grudgingly to the third-floor classroom. The closer Skylar came to the classroom the more she wished she could skip out on the lesson; she was wasting her time in that classroom, Umbridge's lessons consisted of silence, rereading The Standard Book of Spells Grade 7 by Miranda Goshawk and more silence. Skylar could be spending her time doing something productive, translating her long list of Runes, her nasty Alchemy essay or perhaps even practising the various spells and jinxes she needed to perfect for the next DA meeting.

"Are you having second thoughts Sky?" Fred smirked, noticing Skylar's displeased expression as they reached Serpentine Corridor where Umbridge's classroom was located.

"Hmm?"

"How about a Nosebleed Nougat?" George asked, waving a brightly coloured sweet in front of her face.

"Tempting," Skylar mused as she stared at the door to Classroom C, her hopes of wand work had evaporated a month ago, though she loved reading she fully believed Umbridge's lessons were purely a waste of her time. "But I'll pass."

The classroom was silent as all its occupants read their books, or at least pretended to read their books. Umbridge sat at the very front of the class, her toad-like face looked thrilled as her students read themselves to complete and utter boredom. Skylar looked up from the chapter she had no interest in rereading to quickly cast a look at Umbridge; she had an obnoxiously pink bow perched on the mousy brown hair to match her equally obnoxious pink cardigan.

Skylar made to look down back at her book but Fred caught her eye. He was grinning madly at her, concealed by his book. She bit back at smile, trying her best to focus back on her book (though she had read its contents so many times she couldn't bring herself to do so) but once again Fred caught her eye. He was winking at her and waving his hand. She frowned, noticing that in he held a small sweet in between his forefinger and thumb, one of the infamous Skiving Snackboxes.

"Mister Weasley," called Umbridge in her shrill, sing-song voice. Fred rolled his eyes before looking up from his book to the grin at Professor Umbridge, not a shred of fear in his expression.

"Yes?"

"No, no, no," simpered Umbridge, tutting at Fred as she did so. "I think you mean 'yes, Professor Umbridge."

Fred raised an eyebrow, leaning back lazily in his chair, "No, I didn't."

Skylar groaned inwardly, she did not want Fred to get into trouble because of her, especially after learning about Umbridge's torturous detentions; Skylar instinctively looked down at her hand where 'I must not talk during class' was etched painfully into her skin.

Fred's rather bold reply made Umbridge smile in a sort of sickening way, it was a smile that left Skylar feeling uneasy.

"You and Miss Harrison seemed to be conversing," she said, her attention now turning to Skylar who turned beetroot red, the blood in her body running cold as Umbridge smiled at her.

"I was trying to get her attention," Fred said quickly, noticing Skylar's panicked expression. "She was just confused as to–"

"And why were you trying to get her attention?"

"Because," Fred seemed to be thinking at a million miles an hour, his expression however remained calm and collected, Skylar was awfully impressed that Fred was not panicking as much as she was. Umbridge turned her attention back to Fred as he added, "I didn't understand something in the chapter and Skylar knows that book like the back of her hand so–"

"I think you're lying Mister Weasley."

"I'm not lying," Fred said coolly, "I'm Fred."

Skylar was torn between laughter and an absolute state of shock, she was terribly close to choosing laughter.

"For that Mister Weasley," whispered Umbridge in a quiet, dangerous, voice. "Consider yourself and Miss Harrison in detention tonight."

"NO!" Fred and George shouted together, looking thunderstruck.

"Skylar did nothing wrong!" said George.

"She was conversing with you," Umbridge countered, her sickeningly sweet voice returning. She turned, her eyes on Skylar's brightly coloured face, her watery eyes. "And I don't believe she's learnt her lesson that one cannot talk during class."

"I'm so sorry, Skylar."

"Fred, you don't have to keep apologising!"

"But it's my ruddy fault that she's stuck you in detention again," said Fred, his tone sounded tense, angry and it made Skylar recoil slightly. "I'm sorry."

"For one last time," Skylar began, looking sideways at Fred. "Stop apologising!"

"You didn't even do anything wrong," George quipped, "I think she's determined to mess with you Sky."

"But why?" Skylar looked desperately between the twins. "Why does everyone pick on me? Why does everyone want to upset and mess with me? I haven't done anything wrong!"

The three of them sat in the Gryffindor common room after their rather eventful Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Skylar's homework lay forgotten as she fussed and fretted over her upcoming detention with Dolores, Fred and George had been attempting to calm her nerves but to no avail, she was not looking forward to having the skin on the back of her hand being ripped open again.

"She sees a weakness in you," said George. "She sees that you're timid and scared and she uses that to her advantage."

"I believe she sees your prefect grades and sees a threat," Fred spoke thoughtfully.

"Why would my grades be a threat?" question Skylar as Wilfred gave a loud meow, nuzzling his body into Skylar's calf.

"Because you clearly know your magic," explained Fred. "She's Fudge's spy."

"What's that got to do with it?"

"Cornelius Fudge is scared that Dumbledore is attempting to overpower him as Minister," said George.

Skylar could not help but laugh, "Albus Dumbledore? As Minister? He would never–"

"Exactly," Fred interrupted. "He's scared of Dumbledore. He doesn't want Dumbledore to be teaching his students magic that could be used against him. Remember Hermione saying that Fudge doesn't want us trained in combat?"

"He'd risk us all failing our exams instead?" Skylar shook her head, aghast at the disaster that was the Ministry of Magic. "We have a practical part to our Defence Against the Dark Arts exam that counts towards more than half of our NEWT grade!"

"That's not all," Fred began in a dark undertone. "With You-Know-Who back, we're going to need to learn more advanced defence magic and, unfortunately, the Ministry is not allowing us to do so."

"It's bullshit!" Skylar exclaimed.

Fred and George shared a fleeting look, smiles pulled at their lips as they looked back at Skylar.

"Preach it Sky."

"Well it is!" She proclaimed, starching Wilfred behind the ears to ease her anger. "This is my NEWT year and Umbridge is fucking about with the same old book every lesson. She's setting us up for failure and, I for one am not a failure! I refuse to fail!"

"This is your year Skylar," grinned Fred. "I can tell."

The timing of Fred and Skylar's detention meant they were forced to miss dinner. Students ran down the grand suitcase to their delicious evening meal, but Fred and Skylar walked up the staircase, towards Umbridge's disgustingly pink office. Skylar's stomach rumbled and grumbled as she thought about missing her favourite potato and leek pie.

"I still can't believe this," said Fred, he looked rather downcast, his brows furrowed as he became immensely interested in his scruffy shoes. "I wanted to get you out of the detention. I didn't want you to go through that torture again."

"I know you did," Skylar whispered, nudging his arm. "I know you Fred Weasley. You are surprisingly caring–"

"–don't get used to it–"

"–I trust you, I know you wouldn't wish a Blood Quill on your worst enemy!"

"Well," Fred grimaced, "Expect Grimstone. Merlin, the way he made you cry and was so, so proud about it! And when he touched you–" his voice turned into a snarl at the memory, "I wanted to curse him into oblivion."

"I could tell," Skylar grimaced as she remembered Fred vividly, lifting Malcom, slamming him against the wall and growling dangerously at him.

"Well," said Fred as they neared Umbridge's office. "Here we are."

Skylar felt apprehensive, the back of her hand seemed to be tingling already as she thought about that damned blood quill. She looked at Fred one last time before saying, "I'll take one of those Nosebleed Nougats now."

"Good evening Mister Weasley, Miss Harrison."

"Good evening Professor Umbridge," murmured Fred and Skylar together.

"No, no, no," tutted Umbridge, Skylar noticed that the desk set up for herself and Fred already had two slender, thin, black quills placed upon them, lying nearby pieces of parchment. The sight of the quills made Skylar's stomach turn and she wondered just how many blood quills Umbridge was secretly storing. "That simply will not do."

Fred glared at Umbridge and Skylar shifted uncomfortably.

"Good evening Professor Umbridge," Skylar intoned, her eyes focused on one of the many kitten plates that hung around her perfectly pink office.

"Mister Weasley?"

Skylar met Fred's eye briefly but it was a look that plainly told Fred not to try and be smart with Umbridge. She wanted this detention to be as quick and easy as humanely possible.

"Good evening Professor Umbridge," said Fred, his tone overly polite.

"Much better," Umbridge smiled. "You both are going to be doing some lines for me today, take a sit."

They obliged, Fred much more reluctantly than Skylar.

"I want you both to write: I must not cause trouble."

The sharp point of the quill touched the parchment in front of Skylar, her hand shook as she wrote the words down. She stared at the words on the parchment, written in her own blood, before she looked at the back of her right hand. The barely healed words 'I must not talk during class' were ripped open, it throbbed painfully. The news words mixed with the old and made the pain much greater than last time, the wound gaping.

She wrote a few more lines, her right hand gripping the seat of her chair as she did, forcing herself not to cry out in pain. When she felt as though she could, she stole a look at Fred. He was clenching his left hand, his jaw set as spats of blood trickled from the open wound on the back of his hand.

The pain was great. Skylar continued to slice her hand open again and again with the quill. Her wrists were screaming in protest, her eyes welling up with tears as she continued to write over and over again in her own blood.

Skylar could feel her hand shaking as she looked up from her blood covered parchment what felt like hours later. There was complete and utter darkness outside. Fred appeared to be fighting through the pain as he scribbled away, casting furtive and concerned looks over at Skylar every now and then. Umbridge smiled and sipped her tea, she had been staring at them both for however long they had been writing. Probably smiling wickedly at their pain, Skylar thought.

She was quickly running out of parchment, tentatively she raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Harrison?"

"I'm," her voice was weak and hoarse, her raised arm shaking, she felt blood trickle down to her wrist. "I'm out of parchment."

"Oh," Umbridge giggled, she stood from her seat behind her desk and made her way over to the terrified Gryffindor. "Lovely Miss Harrison, you may leave."

Skylar looked quickly at Fred, rather lost for words. She didn't want to leave Fred, she couldn't leave Fred with that evil witch!

"But–"

"You may leave Miss Harrison."

She couldn't move. She simply stared at Fred, hoping, wishing he would say something. The thought of leaving Fred here, for Merlin knew how long, didn't sit right with her at all. Fred looked determinedly back at her, he was not going to let her stay, let her risk another detention for his sake.

Skylar wiped her hand, wincing as she caught the skin of her cuts. She grabbed her bag shakily, not daring to look at Umbridge as she left the office, she could only look at Fred as guilt and worry consumed her.

She did not want to return to Gryffindor tower without Fred. Her wound was throbbing painfully, she dabbed it carefully with a spare tissue she found in the bottom of her bag, but it did not ease the pain. Skylar choose to wait for Fred outside Umbridge's office, well, hide outside her office. She concealed herself behind a nearby tapestry, murmuring a Disillusionment Charm as she slid down to the floor, cradling her hand.

It was unclear to Skylar how long Umbridge would keep Fred in that office. To pass time she silently pulled out her copy of The Dueler's Art and read, holding her breath every now and then as a prefect or a teacher strolled past.

Midnight must have past, Skylar's eyes were growing awfully heavy, the book in her hands slid into her lap. She had to keep shaking her head, forcing herself to stay awake and wait for Fred, but her body was beginning to fail her.

A yawn escaped her lips just as the door to Umbridge's office opened and Fred Weasley exited.

In her rush to meet Fred, she tripped, falling ungracefully out of the tapestry, her book flying to Fred's feet. She groaned in pain, standing up wobblily.

"Skylar?"

"Who else would it be?" Skylar yawned in reply, lifting the Disillusionment charm and picking up her book, stuffing it back into her bag.

"You've been waiting for me for over an hour," Fred uttered in disbelief. "You're crazy!"

"I was worried," Skylar exclaimed, she grabbed his hand in hers and inspected the back of his hand. His cut looked much worse than Skylar's did, the skin around the words was red and irritated, Umbridge had evidently wanted to drive the punishment into Fred a lot more.

"You didn't have to wait for me," murmured Fred, looking rather sheepish, Skylar never either Weasley twins look even remotely bashful. "But I really appreciate it Sky."

"It's no problem," Skylar shot him a quick smile before grabbing his robes and dragging him along the corridor. "Now hurry, we don't want to get caught out this late!"

"Wait!"

"What?" Skylar asked impatiently, stopping to look back at Fred who was smiling serenely at her.

"Congratulations," he said to an awfully perplexed Skylar. "You have just completed number ten on the list."

"I thought this evening we should just go over the things we've done so far, because it's the last meeting before the holidays and there's no point starting anything new right before a three-week break–"

"We're not doing anything new?" a rather irritated Zacharias Smith muttered to Ernie Macmillan. "If I'd known that, I wouldn't have come."

"We're all really sorry Harry didn't tell you, then," Fred called back, folding his arms over his chest and observing Zacharias' face closely.

It was the last DA meeting before the end of term, Skylar had been looking forward to it. Especially after her previous lesson (and detention) with Umbridge. Skylar was bored of reading the same book repeatedly without actual wand practise and to finally get some wand practise made her very happy.

They went over the Impediment Jinx for the first part of the meeting before summoning cushions so to practise Stunning once again.

Skylar was thankful she had chosen to pair with Angelina rather than one of the twins, as they were making each other fly across the room with the power of their stunning spells.

"Stupefy!"

Skylar's spell hit Angelina squarely in the chest, forcing her backwards and into the cushions behind her. She apologised quickly to the Quidditch captain, once she regained consciousness, which only made Angelina laugh and shrug off the apology.

"You know what I've noticed?" said Angelina as she stood up, brushing her robes down gently.

"What?"

"You and the twins," grinned Angelina. "You lot are rather close."

Skylar blushed, she could not stop herself.

"Fred seems especially protective of you," observed Angelina, the corners of her lips twitching.

"I think he believes I can't take care of myself," said Skylar, casting a look over at Fred, who had just collided into Alicia and Katie Bell. "Which is true."

"Seems very un-Fred-like," said Angelina, her eyebrows raised. Skylar could not read Angelina's expression; she did not know whether Angelina felt rather left out by Skylar's newfound friendship with the twins or if it had something to do with the fact that she and Fred had attended the Yule Ball together last year.

"Is… is that a bad thing?" Skylar asked nervously.

"No, of course not!" Angelina laughed. "It's just odd, I'm impressed! I'm just wondering how on earth you got the twins under your spell."

"I don't consider them to be under my so called 'spell'," mused Skylar thoughtfully. "I think they just enjoy teasing me."

Angelina shrugged, shaking her wand arm, "Probably, they are Fred and George Weasley after all."

"You're getting really good," Harry called after signalling the end of the lesson with a blow of his whistle. "When we get back from the holidays we can start doing some of the big stuff – maybe even Patronuses."

Skylar let out a squeal of excitement, which made her blush when the twins began to laugh and mimic her. But she couldn't help it, she was ridiculously excited; Patronuses were what they were meant to be covering in their Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons and Skylar had waited years to finally study them, even perform the spell itself. To be presented the chance to be taught by Harry Potter – whom she heard had mastered the spell during his third year – was a thrilling concept.

The members of the DA shared wishes of a Merry Christmas with one another before leaving the Room of Requirements in the usual twos and threes; Skylar left with the twins in typical fashion.

"I heard you and Angelina gossiping about us," grinned George, looping his arm around Skylar's neck whilst they walked back towards Gryffindor tower.

"We weren't gossiping!" said Skylar, her cheeks flushed. "We were just chatting!"

"About us," said George, "Now spill!"

"Angelina was just saying how close that I am with the two of you," explained Skylar. "She mentioned Fred being protective of me."

Fred shrugged, "So what if I am?"

"She was just questioning me about it," said Skylar. "I suppose our friendship looked as though it came out of nowhere."

"She must have heard the rumours," mused George, the corners of his lips tugged into a smile.

Skylar turned to George immediately, her eyes wide. "What rumours?!"

"Haven't you heard?" Fred smirked. "Apparently, you pleasure us to no end and we pay you back in friendship."

"What?!" Skylar shrieked, her face so pale she could have passed as Gryffindor's new ghost.

Fred and George burst into laughter.

"You're too easy Sky," grinned Fred.

"We were pulling your leg."

"You two are demons!" Skylar mumbled, shoving the twins away from her, attempting to conceal a large grin.

The following morning was awfully quiet. Almost too quiet. Skylar frowned as she sat down at Gryffindor table for breakfast. Fred and George would always join her for breakfast; Fred would have a mountain of toast and marmalade while George would pill scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon and fried mushrooms onto his plate. But this morning, neither Fred or George were anywhere in sight.

She presumed that they had simply overslept and, ignoring the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, went to her first Alchemy lesson.

But when Skylar arrived to her Herbology class, the class that herself and George shared, George did not arrive. Skylar felt her stomach heart sink, as she worked on her own, tending to the Venomous Tentacula that she and George had been working with for the past month.

She had spent so much time with the twins over the past two months that she almost forgot what it felt to be alone. A few months prior it's all that she wanted to be; Skylar Harrison had always been an introvert, someone who kept herself to herself, reading quietly in the corner of the Gryffindor common room, avoiding attention at all costs. Before she had been alone and content, happy to be in the background, but now, all she felt was loneliness. And there was a rather magnificent difference between alone and lonely.

Skylar peered down the Gryffindor table at dinner, wondering whether she could ask the twins brother, Ron, or their sister Ginny where the twins could be, but there was not a redhead in sight.

Skylar couldn't help but feel rather… upset. She didn't like the feeling of being lonely, it reminded her of the times where she had been picked on, where she cried alone in her dormitory, when she looked on enviously at Angelina and Alicia who had always been much better friends with one another. Skylar reminisced of the times when she had no one to talk to, how her feelings would bottle up to the point of explosion, how she spent her Hogsmeade trips hiding in Tomes and Scrolls.

She never really thought about how much the twins had managed to take her from her comfort zone, well, more forced her out of her comfort zone. She had never laughed so much in her life being around Fred and George Weasley. She had never felt appreciated before Fred and George, she had never even considered standing up for herself before the twins. They had made her realise that Skylar Harrison had a lot more to her than her grades.

The Hogwarts Express steamed past fields of pure white, frozen lakes and tiny little villages where the cottages were scattered with brightly coloured Christmas lights. Skylar exhaled, her breath hitting the frozen glass, fogging up window. The thought of returning home for the Christmas holidays was not as welcoming as it usually was. She still had not heard word from the twins as to why they had departed so abruptly from Hogwarts and she could not help but grow awfully worried about their whereabouts.

She waited on the platform for Lewis, Wilfred resting on her shoulder, purring softly in her ear. Though she knew they wouldn't, she still hoped that Fred and George would clumber out of the train, cackling madly with a toilet seat in hand or grinning as a flock of Canaries followed them. But instead students poured out of the Hogwarts' express, all bubbling happily about the holidays and seeing their families again.

Lewis grinned at Skylar as he swaggered off the train, waving goodbye to his school friends before he met his sister.

"Ready for Christmas, Sky?" he asked, giving Wilfred a swift scratch behind the ear.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she mused, collecting a luggage trolley and using her wand to lift both hers and Lewis' Hogwarts trunks onto the trolley.

Eleanor Harrison stood outside Kings Cross station as she waited for her two children while Edgar sat in the car. Driving in London always left Eleanor feeling rather stressed and she longed to stretch her legs before the journey back home.

"I can always try and charm the car to drive itself," Edgar mused from the passenger seat.

Eleanor leaned down to glare at her husband through the car window. "Would the car figure out what right of way is? Or what traffic lights are?"

"Alright, alright," said Edgar, "Just a suggest– ah, there they are!"

Skylar waved at her mother, who had the same brilliant blue eyes as her daughter. Eleanor was awfully pretty, she had short ginger hair, her face covered in freckles and dark, bold eyebrows that framed her round face. She hugged her mother before lugging her and Lewis' trunk into the boot of her mother's Mini Cooper.

Thrilled barks sounded from the back seats of the car and Skylar smiled at Penny, the family's four-year-old Beagle, through the window before carefully opening the door to the back of the car and sitting down comfortably.

"Mum seems rather stressed out," Skylar said to her father.

"Driving in London does that to her," her father replied, running his hand through his daughter's hair. "Driving for three hours does that to her also, I would advise you and Lewis Apparate to Kings Cross when you return to Hogwarts."

The journey from London back to their family home in Caerphilly was more three hours long, made even longer by Lewis' constant moans and groans about needing the loo. Darkness had fallen outside as they crossed over the Welsh boarder, Penny and Wilfred were both sound asleep beside Skylar as they drove past Welsh country-side and various towns.

Skylar had always been rather interested in the Muggle world and thoroughly enjoyed living in it. She especially enjoyed the music, Skylar hummed along to Billy Joel as her mother reserved carefully into their driveway. She grinned as she noticed how brilliantly decorated their home was for Christmas; brightly coloured lights hung from the gutters, lit up reindeers and Father Christmases stood tall on the snow-covered lawn.

"Really, Mum?" Lewis exclaimed in exasperation as he got out of the car.

"It was your Father's doing!" Her mother stated with a grin. "He's in the Christmas spirit this year."

Penny barked happily at the prospect of being out of the car and back home, Wilfred following, meowing as though to try and mimic his friend. Their relationship had always rather amused Skylar, Wilfred was two years younger than Penny and seemed to have taken to the Beagle rather well, he had become Penny's little shadow and Penny was more than happy to let him follow her about.

They ate a quick Chinese takeout around the oak dinner table before they all said goodnight to one another, Eleanor beaming at the prospect at having her children home and Edgar yawning idly at the idea of getting up at four in the morning for a long, early shift at St. Mungo's.

Skylar waved her wand and followed her Hogwarts trunk as it moved itself to her bedroom. Merlin, she was tired.

Her bedroom was as it always had been; neat and organised, just how she liked things. Skylar kicked off her boots, took off her clothes and got ready for bed.

She finally collapsed, letting out a long sigh at the comfort and warmth that consumed her.

Wilfred purred, rubbing himself against Skylar's stomach lovingly.

"Ah Winnie," Skylar grinned, remembering Fred's nickname for her cat. "I miss the twins – don't tell them I said that." Wilfred meowed in agreement.

Christmas morning was what it always had been in the Harrison household; quiet and uneventful. Edgar had to work on Christmas Day and Eleanor left early in the morning to walk Penny (usually with Wilfred following closely behind).

Lunch was delicious however. As well as being an incredibly talented artist, Eleanor Harrison was also a wonderful cook. Skylar's stomach was full of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon as she and Lewis opened their small pile of presents – they weren't a large family, both sets of grandparents had sadly passed away over their years at Hogwarts and neither Edgar and Eleanor had had siblings so any occasion always included only immediate family. Skylar had received some Muggle books and some comfy jumpers and skirts from her mother and a beautiful set of multi-coloured ink and a heavy Potions book from her father. Even Lewis had branched out and gifted her several pairs of odd socks, which Skylar loved as she had a penchant for wearing odd socks (which contrasted against her love for everything being perfectly organised).

Skylar was carefully placing her new books onto her well-organised book shelf when something knocked softly at her window.

She pulled out her wand instinctively, her heart rate increasing. What in the name of Merlin was tapping on her window? She opened it carefully and a large, fluffy, (rather clumsy), grey owl soared in, looking rather exhausted.

"Bloody hell," Skylar exclaimed as the bewildered owl collapsed on her desk. "Wilfred," she warned as her black cat came sniffing the owl.

Not entirely sure what to do, Skylar conjured a large bowl and filled it with clear, fresh water. Carefully she placed it close to the owl and helped it to regain its composure to drink. The owl gave a grateful hoot, holding out its leg before it began to drink.

Skylar frowned at the letter and parcel tied to the owl's leg but she grinned widely as she recognised Fred and George's neat scroll.

To our dearest Skylar,

We hope that our dear family owl, Errol, manages to get this to you before Christmas.

We would also like to formally apologise for our rather abrupt exit from the school, our father is in St. Mungo's and rather ill (he's going to be ok, just needs some rest before you fret!) so we had to leave in the middle of the night. We knew you would worry when you realised we weren't at school.

Well, Merry Christmas Sky! We think the present we found is rather appropriate.

Can't wait to see you in the New Year,

Yours faithfully,

Fred and George Weasley.

Ps. Fred is the better looking one.

Skylar tore the package's wrapping apart eagerly. She hadn't gotten a present from any of her friends in what felt like forever, she could not contain her excitement.

"Fourteen Full Proof Ways To Kiss Your Wizard," Skylar's lips tugged into a smile. "They are unbelievable."

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