Ned loved Hogsmeade in the summer. Despite the hustle and bustle from those who'd funneled in for the Quidditch World Cup, there were still a good amount of quiet spaces to be found. A walk along the shore of The Black Lake was a favored outing.

With his hands lazily taking up residence in his pockets, Ned allowed his thoughts to quietly collect themselves. The sounds of the wind and children distantly playing were not intrusive enough to keep him from much needed decompressing. He decided an hour would be sufficient before he returned home.

However, a splash and a subsequent scream jarred him from his easy thoughts. At first, he tried to pretend as if he hadn't heard. It wasn't odd for shrieking children to leap into the lake to cool off. A second scream had him reconsidering. It didn't sound like a shout of joy.

Ned hurried around a tree that extended from the shore into the lake and spotted a girl, flailing about in the water. Her cries became garbled each time her head threatened to bob under. It didn't take long for young Gryffindor to conclude that she needed help.

"Keep moving your arms and legs! I'm coming!"

Barely loosening his laces, the teen tugged his boots and socks off and chucked them to the ground. He didn't need them weighing him down. He could swim well, but footwear could impede even the most practiced of swimmers.