Weasleys In America
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction featuring characters in the Harry Potter series of books. I am not affiliated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., Scholastic, or any other large corporation with marketing or licensing rights to the Harry Potter universe.
~~
He cut an odd figure through the feverishly dancing crowd, this tall, handsome man with blazing red hair pulled back into a smooth ponytail. He had a strange fang-shaped earring dangling from his ear. He wore a body-hugging black turtleneck, black pinstriped trousers, interesting black leather boots, and a pair of chromed aviator glasses. He was at least six foot tall, and took obvious care of himself. With a cocky swagger, in time with the bass heavy trance music, he walked among the crowd, where he heard a handful of loud, lustful moans from girls in the club and even a few of the guys.
He held a crumpled looking picture of his target in his hand. The man had a long, narrow face, sallow skin, and dark hair and eyes. "Seen him?" he asked the patrons, all of whom shook their head no and continued to dance. He kept a watch from behind those sleek glasses. He had to find that negligent Squib, and these loud, smoky dance clubs were the best way to do it.
The goblins were counting on Bill Weasley, but he had never let them down before. Seven years ago, he was promoted from curse breaker in Egypt to what Muggles would call a repo man. He finished his training in South Africa, then worked for a year in Scotland before being called to America. Bill's cool nerves under pressure helped him greatly, and his gifted ways with a wand made him a valuable asset for Gringotts' Bank. Able to get even the craftiest of debtors in any situation – even around Muggles – Bill Weasley was the number one man in his department.
This was Bill's second year in the United States, a hotbed of loan delinquency. He was to be in America for three years, and then he would be able to return to England. He maintained an apartment near Gringotts' Headquarters in Boston, MA, but he rarely stayed there. The goblins kept him constantly busy. This was his third trip to the West Coast in as many weeks.
Bill scanned the crowd once more. He knew that his contacts hadn't lied to him – he knew that the Squib, Bargelmesser, was here, but where? He made his way toward the back of the club. Bill took a deep breath, but choked on it. The Muggles in California all smelled of cigarettes and expensive perfume. He couldn't wait until he could get back to his clean, orderly apartment in Boston.
Bill noticed a shifty looking man near the men's bathroom staring in his direction. He locked eyes with him, trying to discern whether this was the Squib he was looking for. The man broke into a run. Bill followed behind, and the two were soon in the alleyway behind the nightclub.
"Bargelmesser! Stop! Stop, you!" Bill yelled.
"No! I know who you are!" The man huffed and puffed and leapt to the roof of the building. Bill was quick to pursue.
"Freeze!" Bill held his wand out and uttered an incantation. The Squib stopped in his tracks. "Now, where was I? Yes…Mr. Armin Bargelmesser, I presume?" The man nodded.
Bill started his polished and rehearsed repossession speech. He sounded peculiarly like his brother Percy. "I must insist, on behalf of the goblins of Gringotts' Bank, that you return the seven hundred and eight-nine Galleons and fifteen Knuts that you borrowed in trust from Gringotts' Bank two years ago, and kindly add one hundred seventy-five Galleons for interest. If you do not, I will be forced to take into possession the magical Volkswagen that you've acquired."
Bargelmesser gulped. "I don't have the gold."
"Where is the vehicle in question?"
"At my home."
"Very well, then…" Bill took hold of Bargelmesser's shoulder. "Let's Apparate there now."
Bargelmesser and Bill appeared in the shabby apartment that the Squib had rented. A rat that looked a lot like Ron's old pet Scabbers nibbled on the carpet. Bill walked around the flat while Bargelmesser searched through piles of dirty laundry for the keys to the car.
"Do you really have to take my car?"
"I'm sorry, but you didn't repay your loan and my bosses don't like deadbeats," Bill lapsed back into his regular tone.
Bargelmesser handed the keys to Bill. "Here," he grumbled.
"Don't feel so bad. If you can repay the gold in forty-eight hours, you'll get your car back." Bill told him.
Bill walked out of the flat and saw the Volkswagen parked on the side of the road. He combed the car over for any hex or jinx that Bargelmesser would have put on it, then slid into the driver's seat and started the car. The car had been modified to turn invisible and to fly, much like his father's old Ford did. Bill couldn't help but smile; he knew that his father would love to be in America, living amongst Muggles and having to find a way to blend in. Bill could imagine the first time that Arthur Weasley walked into a Starbucks.
The Volkswagen began to lift in the air, and Bill switched to Invisibility Mode. Gringotts' had a branch in San Francisco, and the trip would be quick from Bargelmesser's home near Long Beach. Just a few hours and then he could Floo back to Boston and home.
Bill delivered the vehicle to the goblins, who congratulated him on another job well done. Bill jumped into the warm fireplace and appeared in Gringotts' Boston offices, then quickly Apparated to his own cozy living room. It seemed so empty. It was times like this that he missed England. After almost fifteen years away from The Burrow, he still missed the raucous home life that he left behind. Being a goblin's repo man was hard work, and it left no time for starting a family. He wanted to turn back the hands of time, to ask his old girlfriend Fleur to marry him, to have a parcel of Weasleys like his own mum and dad did, but he knew that it was too late.
"I wish I were home," he sighed.
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction featuring characters in the Harry Potter series of books. I am not affiliated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., Scholastic, or any other large corporation with marketing or licensing rights to the Harry Potter universe.
~~
He cut an odd figure through the feverishly dancing crowd, this tall, handsome man with blazing red hair pulled back into a smooth ponytail. He had a strange fang-shaped earring dangling from his ear. He wore a body-hugging black turtleneck, black pinstriped trousers, interesting black leather boots, and a pair of chromed aviator glasses. He was at least six foot tall, and took obvious care of himself. With a cocky swagger, in time with the bass heavy trance music, he walked among the crowd, where he heard a handful of loud, lustful moans from girls in the club and even a few of the guys.
He held a crumpled looking picture of his target in his hand. The man had a long, narrow face, sallow skin, and dark hair and eyes. "Seen him?" he asked the patrons, all of whom shook their head no and continued to dance. He kept a watch from behind those sleek glasses. He had to find that negligent Squib, and these loud, smoky dance clubs were the best way to do it.
The goblins were counting on Bill Weasley, but he had never let them down before. Seven years ago, he was promoted from curse breaker in Egypt to what Muggles would call a repo man. He finished his training in South Africa, then worked for a year in Scotland before being called to America. Bill's cool nerves under pressure helped him greatly, and his gifted ways with a wand made him a valuable asset for Gringotts' Bank. Able to get even the craftiest of debtors in any situation – even around Muggles – Bill Weasley was the number one man in his department.
This was Bill's second year in the United States, a hotbed of loan delinquency. He was to be in America for three years, and then he would be able to return to England. He maintained an apartment near Gringotts' Headquarters in Boston, MA, but he rarely stayed there. The goblins kept him constantly busy. This was his third trip to the West Coast in as many weeks.
Bill scanned the crowd once more. He knew that his contacts hadn't lied to him – he knew that the Squib, Bargelmesser, was here, but where? He made his way toward the back of the club. Bill took a deep breath, but choked on it. The Muggles in California all smelled of cigarettes and expensive perfume. He couldn't wait until he could get back to his clean, orderly apartment in Boston.
Bill noticed a shifty looking man near the men's bathroom staring in his direction. He locked eyes with him, trying to discern whether this was the Squib he was looking for. The man broke into a run. Bill followed behind, and the two were soon in the alleyway behind the nightclub.
"Bargelmesser! Stop! Stop, you!" Bill yelled.
"No! I know who you are!" The man huffed and puffed and leapt to the roof of the building. Bill was quick to pursue.
"Freeze!" Bill held his wand out and uttered an incantation. The Squib stopped in his tracks. "Now, where was I? Yes…Mr. Armin Bargelmesser, I presume?" The man nodded.
Bill started his polished and rehearsed repossession speech. He sounded peculiarly like his brother Percy. "I must insist, on behalf of the goblins of Gringotts' Bank, that you return the seven hundred and eight-nine Galleons and fifteen Knuts that you borrowed in trust from Gringotts' Bank two years ago, and kindly add one hundred seventy-five Galleons for interest. If you do not, I will be forced to take into possession the magical Volkswagen that you've acquired."
Bargelmesser gulped. "I don't have the gold."
"Where is the vehicle in question?"
"At my home."
"Very well, then…" Bill took hold of Bargelmesser's shoulder. "Let's Apparate there now."
Bargelmesser and Bill appeared in the shabby apartment that the Squib had rented. A rat that looked a lot like Ron's old pet Scabbers nibbled on the carpet. Bill walked around the flat while Bargelmesser searched through piles of dirty laundry for the keys to the car.
"Do you really have to take my car?"
"I'm sorry, but you didn't repay your loan and my bosses don't like deadbeats," Bill lapsed back into his regular tone.
Bargelmesser handed the keys to Bill. "Here," he grumbled.
"Don't feel so bad. If you can repay the gold in forty-eight hours, you'll get your car back." Bill told him.
Bill walked out of the flat and saw the Volkswagen parked on the side of the road. He combed the car over for any hex or jinx that Bargelmesser would have put on it, then slid into the driver's seat and started the car. The car had been modified to turn invisible and to fly, much like his father's old Ford did. Bill couldn't help but smile; he knew that his father would love to be in America, living amongst Muggles and having to find a way to blend in. Bill could imagine the first time that Arthur Weasley walked into a Starbucks.
The Volkswagen began to lift in the air, and Bill switched to Invisibility Mode. Gringotts' had a branch in San Francisco, and the trip would be quick from Bargelmesser's home near Long Beach. Just a few hours and then he could Floo back to Boston and home.
Bill delivered the vehicle to the goblins, who congratulated him on another job well done. Bill jumped into the warm fireplace and appeared in Gringotts' Boston offices, then quickly Apparated to his own cozy living room. It seemed so empty. It was times like this that he missed England. After almost fifteen years away from The Burrow, he still missed the raucous home life that he left behind. Being a goblin's repo man was hard work, and it left no time for starting a family. He wanted to turn back the hands of time, to ask his old girlfriend Fleur to marry him, to have a parcel of Weasleys like his own mum and dad did, but he knew that it was too late.
"I wish I were home," he sighed.