Title: Responsibility

Rating: K

Pairing(s): Harry/Ginny (mentioned)

Warnings: None

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.

Summary: Bill thinks about his siblings.

Word Count: 630

Notes: For the Dauntless Competition at the HPFC forum. Stage 1, Round 2: Knife Throwing (Write a friendship or family fic)
For The Twelve Days of Christmas challenge at HPFC forum. Weasley Fic 3/7.

Feedback: Yes

Lot of people said Bill had a hard job being the oldest. He had to be a role model and was constantly an extra pair of eyes for his parents.

Bill relished the responsibility, though. He took his role of big brother very seriously. When it was just Charlie, the two of them were inseparable. They were close in age and were best friends.

Bill was the one Charlie went to if he had a bad dream. Bill kissed the scraped knees when Charlie fell. When Charlie threw his infamous tantrums, only Bill could calm him down.

When Percy joined the family, nothing really changed. Although Bill doted on infant Percy, as he got older, neither Bill nor Charlie could really connect with him. It was like Bill and Charlie had their own club, and Percy wasn't a member. Percy was just too different from the both of them, even from a young age.

Next to come were Fred and George AKA Terrible Twins. Although Bill loved them and was protective of them, sometimes he felt as if he should protect his other brothers from Fred and George once they got older.

No one was safe from their pranks. Bill spent most of his time dodging pranks aimed at him while trying to look out for Charlie and Percy. But if he was perfectly honest with himself, it was every man for himself.

And then there was Ron. Even as a baby, he was the most misbehaved infant compared to the rest of the Weasley sons as babies. His youngest brother was definitely the most immature. It had nothing to do with his age, though. Ron never seemed to grow out of the immaturity.

He never felt as if he was special, and that feeling of inadequacy seemed to fester until he did something stupid, like turning his back on his best friend during his fourth year.

More times than with any of his other brothers Bill was forced to set Ron straight. He had a lot of help in the form of Fred and George, too. While at Hogwarts, it was their job to make sure Ron didn't get out of hand. In some ways, due to Bill being so much older than Ron, it was more Fred and George's job than Bill's to look out for Ron.

When Ron took the coward's way out and left Harry and Hermione alone on whatever mission they were on, Bill made sure Ron saw reason. Being a coward was not the way to a girl's heart.

There were moments where Bill was proud of Ron, but he and the rest of their family definitely had their work cut out for them once he was born.

Ginny was the baby of the family. Like most brothers where they little sister was concerned, Bill was very protective, especially when she started dating. He couldn't watch out for her while she was away at Hogwarts, but he got all the information on the boys she was dating from his brothers.

He was relieved when her and Harry became a couple. Bill knew Harry would treat her right.

Speaking of Harry, due to Ron's friendship, Harry joined their family later on. Like all of his other siblings, Bill took on the duty of watching out for him.

And Harry definitely needed to be looked after. He seemed to be a trouble magnet, but with a megalomaniac after him, one should expect it.

Bill did his best to show Harry his support, even going to the third task during Harry's fourth year. He's glad he did because that was how he met his future wife.

So yes, Bill had a lot of responsibility being the oldest of seven. He wouldn't trade his life for anything, though.