Written for:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Insane House
Character: Bill Weasley

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Library Lovers
Floor 4 - Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Prompts - (dialogue) "Books have to be heavy because the whole world's inside them." / (setting) Bookshop / (relationship) Father

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Fairytale Event
Beauty in the Beast - Trait: Arrogant / Word: Enchantress / AU: Inventor

Lesser Means

xXx

Bill smiled from his perch on the couch as his father strode into the schematics section of the bookshop.

"There you are, Son." Arthur Weasley bellowed. "Give me a hand with these books. They're heavy!"

Bill quickly moved to assist him. "Books have to be heavy because the whole world's inside them."

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm very much aware of your love for them."

When the books became scattered on the table, Arthur had curiously looked at what Bill had been working on.

Bill blushed and moved to hide his papers from prying eyes.

"Plans for a new invention?" Arthur knowingly asked.

"Yes, I'm not sure why I bother, though."

"Because you don't give up."

Bill rolled his eyes and looked as someone new came into his little hideaway. "Here's someone else that doesn't give up," he muttered angrily.

Arthur looked at what caught Bill's attention. Fleur Delacour. Most called her an enchantress, but Bill hadn't yet been enchanted. And his son was right. Fleur wasn't used to being rejected, so Bill's consent refusal to give in to her made her want him even more.

"Hello, Bill. Hard at work with your little hobby?" she asked in what she thought was a cute way.

In fact, Bill found the question arrogant and condescending. "It's not a hobby. I'm an inventor by trade."

"But do you make any money with it?" she asked. She didn't wait for an answer. She knew he didn't. "If you married me, you'd never have to worry about money again. You could invent for your whole life. Isn't that attractive to someone of your lesser means."

Arthur never felt so angry at a woman before, but he hated the way she spoke to his oldest son. Thankfully, Bill never suffered from low self-esteem, and he knew how to stand up for himself.

"I may not have a lot of money or come from a family that's well off, but I don't consider myself from lesser means. I think I have it good. I learned the value of hard work instead of things just being handed to me. I knew love my whole life from wonderful parents, brothers, a sister, and friends. I don't fall under your charm because I'm happy with my life, and I know I have it good. You should leave because my dad looks like he's about ten seconds away from losing his temper, and you really don't want a tongue-lashing from him."

She glared at the two of them and stomped away in a huff. Bill didn't know if that was the end of it, but at least she was gone for now.

Arthur clapped a hand on Bill's shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

Bill nodded. "Dad, maybe you can help me with my invention. Maybe you'll see what I'm missing to make it work."

"Let's take a look at it."

And as quickly as Fleur came into the bookshop, she was quickly forgotten.

xXx

(word count: 492)