Title: Coming of Age

Author: Ceresi

Rating: R

Summary: Bill's leaving for Egypt. His friends and younger brother decide to pull a prank . . . but something happens.

Author's Notes: Happy Christmas, Misty!

***

It had been very unfair of Charlie and Bill's friends to leave him blindfolded and in the middle of the woods. Of course, pranks rarely involved fairness.

"It's an old tradition," Todd Fawcett insisted before flying off, taking Bill's broom with him. "Before a wizard becomes a man, he has to show that he's 'in tune' with his magical senses."

Bill glanced darkly at his brother. "Dad never mentioned this."

Charlie shrugged angelically. "Dad's a bit forgetful, really."

"Besides," Todd said, hovering a few feet from the ground. "You're not scared, are you?" He pointed his wand at Bill and thought a moment, struggling to recall the blindfold spell.

Bill gave it to him. "Try not to mess it up," he added wryly. "You're drunk."

"And I notice you're not!" Todd said, momentarily distracted. "What d'you think you're getting at, not getting drunk on your last before leaving?"

"I'm avoiding a hangover before Apparating to Egypt," Bill said glumly. "I'd hate to wind up in, say, Romania."

"Nothing wrong with Romania," Charlie said. "Cast the spell, Todd," he added, already sounding bored.

Bill silently sent a thankful prayer heavenwards. If Charlie was bored, it meant he hadn't been involved in planning the prank -- Charlie's pranks were vicious.

"Oh, yeah." Todd cast the spell. Bill's hands flew to the cloth covering his eyes, tugging ineffectually. Todd sniggered. "Let's see how in tune you are with your magical sense, eh, Bill?"

Bill rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said, exasperated and amused. "Charlie, for the love of Merlin, if you're whoever's supposed to stay behind and keep an eye on me . . ."

There was a rustle as Charlie mounted his broom. "I've no idea what you're talking about."

". . . right. Please don't let me walk into the ravine."

"That's what your magical sense is for," Todd said helpfully.

"Yes, Todd, and my magical sense is telling me that the others are already gone, now." Charlie's voice faded as he took to the air -- he pitched it loudly so that Bill could hear. "We'd better catch up . . ."

That last had been just for show, Bill figured. His friends wouldn't really blindfold him and leave him in the woods. Charlie wouldn't let them. Besides, they had to have warned his parents so that Molly and Arthur wouldn't think he'd gone missing or something . . . actually, they had to have warned his dad, Mum would never agree . . .and his dad would have insisted that someone stay behind.

Was it Charlie or Todd? Charlie was a better flier, even when he was drunk, but Todd usually liked to witness his pranks first-hand.

Bill started feeling his way along, paying close attention to the feel of the trees beneath his hands and the night-sounds. He was probably going to wind up walking in circles. How long was Todd and/or Charlie going to leave him to wander? He did have to Apparate to Egypt tomorrow . . . .

His foot hit something that clinked. Bill paused to feel around blindly until he touched something cool and metal -- he straightened, the necklace pooling in his palms.

As far as he could tell, it was a pair of dog tags. They felt oddly familiar in his hands . . . .

He straightened, eyes widening behind his blindfold. These were his. He'd gotten them made in Hogsmeade during his last trip there!

They'd gone missing a few weeks ago, after he said he would be leaving for Egypt. Charlie had wryly suggested that an admiring female might have stolen them to remember him by. But it looked like Charlie had been wrong. Todd must have taken them.

But why? Another prank? A pretty stupid one, then . . . . Maybe Charlie had taken them. It was the sort of thing he'd do, snitch something small and then mail it to him three years later with a snarky letter.

Shrugging, Bill shoved the tags into his back pocket. At least he had them back.

He paused when he heard the sound of someone settling a few feet away. He smiled faintly. "That was fast. Guess you decided to give it up, huh?"

His visitor said nothing. Quickly, Bill stopped smiling, realizing that clearly, this was going to turn into a prank. He listened hard, trying to be ready.

He was expecting a spell -- what he didn't expect was someone to shoving their hand into his left pocket. He yelped and tried to get away. "What the hell are you doing?"

The person - male, and about his height - didn't answer. He apparently didn't find what he was looking for in that pocket, so he moved on to the right one.

Irritated, Bill tried to push him away -- he stumbled a little, but kept his hand in Bill's pocket.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bill tried again, a little more patiently. He could feel his body reacting to the hand in his pants, and that was really too bad. Whoever this guy was would have to deal. It was their fault, after all.

The guy paused, perhaps sensing Bill's hard-on. A little embarrassed, Bill crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his blindfold. "How about you get the hell off of me?"

The hand in his pocket moved, brushing his cock. Bill sucked in a gasp and thrust automatically, even as he tried to hit . . . whoever it was. "Who the fuck are you?"

He received no response -- instead, an arm wrapped around his chest and a body pressed against his back. A large hand traveled down his stomach and pressed against his cock. Even through two layers of clothing, it still felt damn good.

Bill restrained a groan and tried to elbow the pair of ribs to his left. "Get off of me."

But even he could hear the weakness in his voice. Another arm went around his left and pinned him securely. Something rustled the leaves to their left -- he turned his ear to the sound, but the body behind him didn't even falter. It must not be important, then . . . .

Bill struggled for a moment, but the hand on his cock was working him skillfully, rubbing just heard enough to leave his knees weak. He automatically spread his legs, sinking against the body at his back, even as he gave another struggle.

He might as well give up, and after a moment, he did. The minute his 'friend' sensed him relaxing, he moved away.

Bill stiffened, furious. "What the hell are you playing at?" he demanded. He threw his hand out and swung blindly -- his hand connected with something warm and solid. He grabbed a fistful of shirt. As calmly as possible, he asked, "Who are you?"

No answer. Bill trailed his hand up a broad chest, prompting a shiver, and started to trace the lines of a face -- instead, a warm mouth closed around his fingers. Bill shuddered and moved forward helplessly, jeans uncomfortably tight.

His mysterious friend took Bill's hand from his mouth and brought their lips together, just long enough to suck Bill's tongue into his mouth. A quick push to Bill's chest sent him stumbling back, his sense of direction totally shot. And then silence.

Bill stood still for a moment, and then groaned loudly. He thought he heard another rustle to his left, but when he listen again there was nothing.

~

"Oh, Bill, sweetie, I just don't know what we're going to do without you." Molly Weasely paused briefly in her motherly fluttering to clasp her hands to her chest and tear up -- and then she was off again, speaking sternly about fresh underwear and socks and food besides QuickSpell!Meals.

Bill yawned hugely, his thoughts still sleep-scattered. Footsteps sounded behind him -- in spite of himself, he jumped.

His father put his hand on Bill's shoulder. "All right, Bill?" he asked quietly.

Bill nodded, forced himself to relax. "I'm fine."

Charlie started to come down the stairs and say good bye to his brother, caught the look his father aimed at him, and went back to his room. Bill rolled his eyes.

It was a secret between the three of them -- and Todd, of course -- that something had gone wrong with the prank and Bill had been left in the woods almost all night. But Arthur didn't know why.

And Bill didn't really know why either. Why had Charlie left him in the woods? Had he seen what Todd was doing and gotten embarrassed? But that wasn't like Charlie even a little.

"And Bill, make sure you write, Ron and Ginny already miss you and you haven't even left . . ."

In spite of himself, he couldn't help but be glad that he was.