Breaking the Curse
No Weasley had left Britain in over three centuries. All the other old Pureblood families from the Potters to the Malfoys had seen at least one member leave the isles for somewhere new and exciting. Bill Weasley was going to change all this. His parents had no idea, but Bill was too caught up with wanting to go to Egypt to work with the goblins to even realise this fact.
Ever since he finished at Hogwarts a week prior, that was all he could think about. He had his things in order, all of the necessary items packed, but there was something missing. Charlie sat on Bill's bed as his older brother paced, trying to figure out what he still needed to do.
"I've got all of my equipment, I've got my international Apparition License, and I've got the papers regarding who I'm supposed to meet where," he ruminated, having stated these facts for the thirteenth time that afternoon. "And I'm leaving tomorrow. Charlie, what else do I need to do?"
Bill turned to his brother, who was reading an old Quidditch magazine. Charlie looked up, nonplussed, and raised an eyebrow to his brother. "Have you told Mum and Dad yet?"
Bill's face blanched. Of course. If his parents didn't know, they would not take well to his sudden disappearance. And he doubted a note would be good enough to discourage his mother from sending him a Howler every week for the rest of his life. "How should I tell them, Charlie? I'm leaving tomorrow, and I completely forgot to mention it."
Putting the magazine down, Charlie got off the bed to lay a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Just tell them at supper tonight," he said. "That way the whole family will be there. If you don't make it, then I'll have learned what not to do in two years when I bring up going to work with dragons."
"Still set on not being a professional Quidditch player, then, eh?" Bill taunted.
"As set on it as you are at being a Curse-Breaker. Really, I think you ought to be more worried about how Ronnie and Ginny take it. They're still little, you know, and they might not take to it very well," Charlie replied
"I suppose. I'm glad I have you, Charlie. If I didn't, I'd have to talk to Percy, and I'd go mad," Bill stated, and both brothers broke into laughter as a knock sounded through their door.
Percy Weasley opened the door a crack and slid into the room when he heard Bill's grunt of assent. Drawing himself up to his full height, and with as authoritative a voice as a thirteen-year old boy can muster, he spoke. "Mother requests your presences at the table for supper, William and Charles. She expects you to arrive in five minutes, so might I suggest that you prepare yourselves in the interim?"
Percy left, and it was with great difficulty that Bill and Charlie refrained from breaking into raucous laughter at their younger brother's pompous bearing. They descended he staircase and settled at the table in their usual spots nearest to their parents.
After Fred and George arrived, no less than five minutes late and covered in some sort of dust, the Weasley family started eating Mrs. Weasley's carefully prepared pot roast. No one questioned the twins, as it had become commonplace to simply dismiss the various explosions and puffs of smoke that seemed to emerge from their room on a daily basis. The meal, like anything Bill's mother prepared, was absolutely delicious, and silence befell the table for a few minutes as everyone ate.
Bill took just two bites before setting his fork down, trying to determine how best to say this. He had always made his decisions alone or with Charlie, and then let his parents know, but aside from the trip to Brazil he was never refused. He was unsure, though, if he would simply get refusal this time around. He decided to start out on something they would consider good news.
"Mum, Dad, I have something to say," he stated simply.
All eyes at the table turned toward Bill, and not a word was said. They all seemed to expect him to continue. He cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Today, I got my N.E.W.T. results and Charlie got his O.W.L.s. I got twelve N.E.W.T.s, all Outstanding."
"That's wonderful, Bill!" his mother exclaimed as Mr. Weasley clapped his eldest son on the shoulder in approval. "Charlie, how many O.W.L.s did you get, dear?"
"I got nine, Mum. Outstanding in Charms and Care of Magical Creatures, Exceeds Expectation in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Potions, and Muggle Studies," he smiled at his father after that one. "I also got Acceptable in History of Magic, Astronomy, and Arithmancy."
"Congratulations, Charlie! With grades like those you'll be able to go into the Ministry like your father and Bill," Mrs. Weasley said excitedly. "Speaking of which, have you put in your application, Bill? And have you decided what department you would like to work in?"
There it was. Bill knew that his mother had assumed he was going to work in the Ministry, ever since he had gone to work with his father that one day when he was five. He did not ever think to correct this notion, and now he knew that he would be doing it at the worst possible time.
"Actually, Mum, there's more that I wanted to say than my N.E.W.T. scores," he said, bracing himself for the reaction they would give him when he dropped the news. "I really wanted to let you know –"
"Who is she?" Mrs. Weasley asked, evidently assuming Bill meant he had a new girlfriend.
"There is no 'she', Mum. I wanted to tell you that I won't be going into the Ministry."
"Come again?" Mrs. Weasley had a mildly confused look on her face. Mr. Weasley simply looked impassive. Charlie was just waiting, and all of the other children watched with great interest.
"I'm not going into the Ministry. I'm going to Egypt, to break curses and raid tombs for Gringotts," Bill explained in as casual a manner as possible.
"Isn't that a bit dangerous, dear?" his mother asked, earning a mild laugh from Charlie.
"Only as dangerous as me playing Quidditch. Or the twins, for that matter. They'll probably make the team next year, what with our old beaters graduating with Bill."
A stern look from Mrs. Weasley silenced him, and she turned back toward Bill, clearly waiting for his answer.
"It's as dangerous a job as what Uncle Gideon and Uncle Fabian did," Bill said. He immediately regretted it when he saw the look on his mother's face. She looked to be on the verge of tears, and Bill tried to remedy this, but failed most spectacularly when he said "I just want to do something new, exciting, and dangerous. I just want to do what I want to do, instead of what you want me to do."
Mrs. Weasley stared blankly at her eldest son for a moment before abruptly leaving the table. Mr. Weasley looked to his son and simply said "You could have phrased that much better, you know."
"I know, Dad."
"When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow."
"You would have done well to tell us before today."
"I know, Dad."
"You know, but did you think? Surely it would have occurred to you that we would like to know before now," Mr. Weasley responded, not condescendingly, but in a fatherly manner.
"I didn't think it really mattered that much," Bill mumbled, ashamed. He would have to apologise to his mother before he left, and he didn't know how it would go. Thinking it best to write it in a note for her, so he wouldn't make any mistakes in his apology, he ran upstairs to compose it.
The next morning, Bill walked to his parents' room and silently slipped in. He left the note on his mother's bedside table, hoping she would see it and understand. Returning to his room, he shrunk his trunk and pocketed it before heading back downstairs. He was about to head out the front door when he heard two small voices behind him.
"Bill?" He turned around to see Ginny and Ronnie looking up at him, tears threatening to fall from each of their eyes.
"What are you two doing up so early?" he inquired despite knowing how much these two cared about him.
"We just wanted to see you before you left, Bill," Ginny said, her voice trembling.
"Yeah. You're going to Egypt, Bill. We might not see you again for a long time," little Ronnie noted, his hand on his sister's shoulder.
"Don't worry. I'll always be an owl away if you need me," Bill assured them, kneeling down to their level.
"You don't hate us, do you? That's not why you're going to Egypt, right?" Ginny asked, clearly terrified of the idea that he might.
"Of course I don't hate you. No one could hate either of you," Bill replied, giving them each a hug in turn. "Ron, Ginny, could you do me a favour while I'm in Egypt? Just remind Mum how much I love her, okay?"
"We can do that!" Ron said, while his sister nodded in agreement.
"Well, get back to bed, then. I've got to go. I love you guys."
"We love you, too," Bill heard as he stepped out the door and Apparated to Egypt. His world was changing, but he knew that his family's love would remain constant.