Chapter 1: The unknown trap
"Be careful everyone, there are some hidden traps down here" Bills deep voice called out into the darkness as he used his wolf senses to find a way along the small cramped tunnel as the darkness surrounded the group.
It had been two full years since the fall of the evil Lord Voldemort who had been defeated by the great and mighty Harry Potter, Harry along with Hermione and the Weasley's were currently visiting Bill and Fleur in the always hot and sunny Egypt having the much needed holiday they desired. In the two years since Voldemorts fall the many witches and wizards who survived had been working none stop to rebuild the once proud Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry where the final battle took place, sadly most of the school had been destroyed in the fight.
Once the school had been rebuilt Molly declared it was time for a holiday but Bill had unfortunately not been able to take time off work, not wanting her oldest son to miss out Molly organised a trip to Egypt. It was nearing the end of the fun packed holiday when Bill took them into the tomb of the last pharaoh to rule over Egypt.
"Ow…that was my foot" Someone shouted into the silent darkness around them, the call echoed down the long walls of the cramped tunnel.
"Bill said to watch out you bozo…" A twin insulted
"…yer you bozo, watch out" The other twin finished, their voices were so similar that in the dark it was hard to tell who called out first, stupid twin thing.
"I'm not a bozo…" Ron defended "…you're the bozo"
"Stop it boys" Molly scolded stopping the argument in it's tracks before it got out of hand.
"They started it" Ron muttered under his breath as the group made slow progress in the dark tunnels.
"It's times like this that I'm glad I don't have kids yet" Bill joked to his dad who followed behind his oldest son.
"But not for long my dear brother…" Charlie called from the back "…Fleur is six months is she not" Bill just laughed as he carried on walking in the cramped tunnel. It felt like a lifetime of scampering though the too small tunnel but finally Bill's deep voice joined the sound of many shuffling feet in the pitch black darkness.
"We're here…" Bill called pulling his wand out of his pocket and pointing it upwards "…but be careful when you…" Bill was interrupted by a loud dull thud as it echoed around them.
"Who was that?" Molly asked worried hoping all of her many children were alright, she make her way though the darkness trying to find her hurt child.
"I'm alright mum…" A voice answered after a deep groan "…thought I was fully out of the tunnel, bashed my head is all"
"Lumos" Bill muttered as the tip of his wand lit up basking the whole chamber with blinding light. Hermione had to cover her dark chocolate eyes from the sudden brightness from the wand; her eyes being used to the darkness did not welcome the sudden brightness, once Hermione's eyes had adjusted to the now brightly lit room she looked round.
The big group were standing in a large open chamber all four walls were brightly and beautifully painted each one telling a different story, one showed a story of a crop season without rain and how a famine took the lives of many innocent people, another showed the day the Pharaoh took power over Egypt and how he ruled with an unforgiving fist. Pushed up against the walls were two ornate golden statues, one of the pharaoh himself and one of what Hermione thought was his wife, over by the far wall there were two beautifully crafted gold coffins with Osiris visibly standing out at the base; Hermione shivered at the thought of the mummified bodies that lay wrapped up inside.
The Pharaohs many treasures and prized belongings were scattered around the tomb, all ready to take them into the afterlife with him; even the mummified remains of his much loved cat.
"Be careful…" Bill warned as he stepped around a loose tile on the floor "…there are traps around here" Bill's eyes focused onto the troublesome twins Fred and George who had congregated around one of the coffins.
It wasn't every day that you got smuggled into a resting place of a king so Hermione took this chance to slowly look around the tomb, amassment dancing in her brown orbs. Hermione moved closer to one particular part of the wall when it caught her attention with its bright and amazing colours, it showed the pharaoh with his wife and their many children, as she took a step forward a shout made her freeze her in her tracks.
"Fred, George. What did Bill just say?" Molly shrieked at the twins as she thundered towards them, Hermione's vision followed Molly's angry gaze until her eyes fell upon the two troublemakers of the family both looking rather sheepish. Fred and George had been examining one statue in particular, the arm of the statue was sticking out in front of it in a salute fashion with George's hand hovering just over it. Both of them turned hastily when their mother called and tried to portray the most innocent looks they could onto their faces, it did not work.
"We were only looking mum" Fred said reassuring his mother
"Yer, we wouldn't touch anything that would be stupid" George informed Molly taking a step away from the statue and the temptation it gave him. Hermione giggled when she noticed what could only be Ron's boot mark on George's foot; the poor boy had such big feet and still hadn't got the knack of not standing on people's feet.
While Molly informed her sons that looking means with their eyes not with their hands Hermione heard a fast sharp intake of breath from behind her, it was almost like a gasp but faster and with a slight hiss. Her brown wavy hair flipped when the brown eyed beauty span around to look at what had made the sudden noise. Charlie was standing with one foot in front of him as if he was walking over; the foot in front was on a stone slap which looked slightly lower then the ones surrounding it. He had a shocked look plastered to his already ghostly pale face; this made his flame red hair stand out more along with the few freckles he had on his nose and cheeks. Charlie's normally bright green eyes were dull, unfocused and glazed over, Hermione took a hesitant step forward, concern shining in her eyes.
"Charlie, are you ok?" She asked, her voice thick with worry. Over the last two years they had formed a strong friendship, many a time working on the same part of Hogwarts together; Charlie had even helped Hermione over come her fear of heights and the two would regularly go flying for the fun of it, he was even teaching her the basic rules of Quidditch.
Hermione lunged forward when Charlie's legs gave way from under his own body weight and his large frame fell towards the floor. Hermione's wand landed on the floor with a dull clunk, she had dropped it in her hast to prevent Charlie from falling onto his face possibly doing even more damage.
"Charlie" Bill cried running over to help Hermione support his younger brother, Bill had been alerted to the sudden change when Hermiones wand hit the floor with a clatter and hurried right over. With Bills much needed help Hermione was able to gently lower Charlie onto the cold and dusty floor where no more damage could be done, Hermione supported Charlie's neck as they lowered him to the ground preventing his head from hitting floor and splitting open. Hermione removed her supporting hand when something knocked against it, with a gentle caress she lifted his head once more to see there was something there that should be.
"Bill…" Hermione said in a panic as she took a loser look "…there's something in the back of Charlie's neck" With the help of Harry and Ron the four of them lifted Charlie's upper body so it looked like he was sitting up, Bill brushed off as much dust as possible before he could get a proper look at the back of Charlie's neck. Bills careful hands pulled the mystery object from Charlie's neck to inspected it in his hand, when he couldn't work out what it ment he pocketed the object.
"We need to get him out…" Bill said as he lowered Charlie down again, this time his mother Molly rushed forward and rested her sons head in her lap "…and quickly" Molly sat there looking at her son, her gentle fingers brushing his hair from his face
"Will my baby be ok?" She asked with tears of worry running down her face, they had been so lucky not to lose any family in the war but many had lost everything; had they really come this far only to lose a son here. Charlie was now shivering in his mothers lap as his hair stuck to his face, beads of sweat followed the contours of his skin as the salty liquid ran down his face, his body was drenched in a cold sweat as everyone watched on worried.
"He is not a baby mum" Fred joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yer mum, he is 28" George joined in. Their father gave both boys a stern look before moving over to his worried wife.
Hermione was frozen with shock and fear as she looked down at Charlie, one of her closest friends was laying on the floor of an old tomb as his lie ebbed away. She couldn't, she wouldn't let him die here, after everything that's happened it can't end here, it won't end here. She looked round at the other faces in the room; taking the time to look closely at each one, all of them were filled with concern and worry, Ginny and Molly both had tears in their eyes as they looked down at the second eldest Weasley son.
Hermione's brain kicked into over drive thinking up all the possible ways she could help, when an idea came into her head; also known as a light bulb moment she leaped into action with no time to waste. Hermione laid on the floor beside Charlie her clothes getting dusty in the process, resting her head onto his chest she snuggled up to him as she wrapped his arm around her. Everyone looked down confused when she wrapped her arms as tight as she could around him.
"Bill…" The brother in question looked to Hermione, seeing the determination blaze in her eyes "…you said only two people can apparate out of a tomb due to the wards and charms" Bill nodded still looking confused.
"Yes but it's still highly dangerous you can't be…" Bill exclaimed when Hermione fixed him with the most intense stare he had ever seen "...you are"
"See you at the hotel" Hermione called as she got ready to apparate.
"WAIT…" Molly shouted before the two could leave. Hermione turned to the older women and watched as she hesitated what to say, the words stuck to the tip of Mollys tongue as her mouth open and closed a few times "…please take care, I don't want to loose you to"
Hermione offered the mother like figure a small smile as she clung tightly to Charlie's body and with a pop she apparated from the hard dusty floor of the tomb onto the soft bed in Charlie's hotel room.