A/N - Here is my next entry. :) This was also written for the Potions Comp - Doxycide and the Greenhouses Comp - Orchid. Hope you enjoy!

Bittersweet

July 1989

Bill sat nervously finishing his dinner, the roll of parchment he had received that day tucked into the back pocket of his jeans. He knew that his mother wasn't going to like what it said, but Bill didn't think he had ever been more excited, not even when he'd been made Head Boy. He glanced at Charlie who nodded. He was the only one that Bill had told so far.

Once they had finished pudding, Molly looked at her son in concern. He had been awfully quiet all afternoon.

"Bill, dear, is everything all right?" she asked and Bill's head whipped up to look at her, a bit of what looked like fear in his eyes. Her brow furrowed in confusion. Had he done something that he shouldn't have? She watched as he swallowed visibly and then pulled in a breath.

"Actually Mum, there's something I wanted to talk to you and Dad about," he finally said. He glanced at Charlie who rose and motioned to Percy. Percy stood as well and moved to stand between Ron and the twins.

"How about a fly?" Charlie asked his younger siblings who all grinned and leapt from their chairs, nearly knocking Percy over in their haste to get outside. "Come on Gin-Gin," Charlie said to his sister as he moved to her chair. "I'll give you a ride." She happily scrambled onto his back and Charlie galloped out of the house, Ginny shrieking in delight. Molly watched them fondly, then waved her wand and directed the plates to the kitchen. She made to stand in order to start the dishes to washing, but Bill put a hand on her arm.

"Let those wait a minute, Mum," he said. She looked at him suspiciously, but nodded all the same and sat back down.

"What's going on son?" Arthur asked and Bill pulled in another breath.

"I know I haven't gotten my N.E.W.T. scores yet, but I've had a few conditional offers," he began and Molly and Arthur both beamed with pride. "I wasn't really sure they were what I was looking for though. Until the letter I got today, that is." He paused and glanced at his parents. They were smiling at him encouragingly.

"It was from Gringott's," he continued. "They want me to be a curse-breaker."

"Oh Bill," Molly gushed, her smile taking up her entire face. She rose and rounded the table, pulling him into a fierce hug. Arthur rose as well, patting his son on the back. "We're so proud of you." Bill returned his mother's hug, relishing it while he could. He knew that once she'd heard everything, she wouldn't be so excited.

"And Gringott's is just in London, so you can still live at home," she went on, releasing him from her embrace, but still holding onto his arm.

"Mum," Bill said, but Molly continued to talk over him.

"It will be wonderful having you back full-time. I did miss you so when you were at school," she said.

"Mum," Bill tried again, but Molly continued prattling on about how wonderful it would be to have him at home. "Mum!" he finally exclaimed.

"What is it dear?" she asked.

"I won't be working in London," he said.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. Arthur's brow furrowed as well.

"The job is with a different Gringott's branch," he said. He paused and bit his lip. "The one in Egypt." There was a stunned silence in the kitchen as his parents both stared at him.

"I'm sorry dear, but I thought you said Egypt," Molly finally said.

"I did," Bill replied, pulling the parchment from the pocket of his jeans and handing it wordlessly to his father. Arthur opened it and read it through, then passed it to his wife. Molly read the letter as well, sitting down heavily in her chair.

"Egypt," she whispered.

"I know it's far away," Bill said quickly. "But there are portkeys and even international apparition. I'll visit, I swear it."

"Egypt," Molly said again and Bill looked to his father for help. Arthur managed a smile, although it didn't reach his eyes. He clapped his son on the shoulder.

"We're very proud of you son," he said. Bill nodded gratefully and looked back at his mother who had been shocked into silence it seemed.

"Mum?" he said tentatively and she finally looked up at him. Her eyes were full of tears and Bill's heart nearly shattered.

"No," she said. Bill looked at her in confusion.

"Sorry?" he asked.

"I said no," she repeated more firmly this time. "I won't allow it." Bill stared at her in astonishment.

"Molly," Arthur said warningly, putting a hand on her shoulder, but she shook him off, standing once again.

"No," she said forcefully. "You cannot possibly go so far away from home."

"I am an adult, Mum," he said quietly, keeping a tight rein on the anger that had begun to build.

"I don't care," she snapped. "We've just gotten you back." Bill opened his mouth to retort, but Arthur held up a hand.

"Why don't you go and join your brothers and sister," he said. "Let your mother and I talk." Bill's eyes were flashing in anger, but he nodded curtly to his father and left the kitchen, letting the door slam behind him. Arthur turned to his wife.

"Don't even bother Arthur," Molly said tightly and Arthur sighed.

"Molly," he began, but before he could say anything else, his wife had put her head in her hands and started to cry. Arthur bit back another sigh and pulled her into his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. "Don't cry Mollywobbles," he whispered. "It's not like we won't ever see him again."

"But it's so far," she wailed and he tightened his hold on her.

"Love, you knew this would happen," he said. "Children grow up and move on to lives of their own. It's what they're supposed to do." She sniffed into his neck, but her cries had quieted. She pulled back from him a bit.

"Well I don't like it," she pouted. Arthur chuckled and kissed her.

"I don't like it much either," he admitted. "But it is the way of things." She lay her head back down and sighed.

"I just can't believe how quickly they are all growing up," she said. "Charlie took his O.W.L.S. and the twins will be starting at Hogwarts next year. Where does the time go Arthur?"

"I don't know, sweetheart," he said, resting his cheek on top of her head. They stood there for a few minutes, both of them remembering earlier times when all of their children were small. It had been difficult, having so many little ones, but Molly wouldn't have traded it for all the gold in Gringott's.

"I need to talk to him don't I?" she finally asked and Arthur smiled into her hair.

"Yes," he simply said. She looked up at him and he kissed her again. "I'll take care of the dishes." She squeezed his hand and then left the house, walking towards the meadow where the children flew. She came across Bill before she reached it, sitting on the ground, leaning against the large oak tree that the old swing was hung in. Molly sat down on the swing, pushing it slowly with her foot and stared at her oldest son.

She had been so nervous when he was born that she would do something wrong. The first time he cried for more than a few minutes she had been nearly beside herself trying to discover what the problem was. It had taken a floo-call to her mother to calm her down, her mother reminding her that sometimes babies just cried. He had always been the one to bear the brunt of her childrearing mistakes, his younger siblings benefitting from things she realized didn't work. But he had never complained. It just wasn't in his nature.

He had always been such a sweet boy, happy and loving. He had gotten into his share of mischief, but he it had never been malicious. He had always been well-behaved and polite. He had been so helpful with his younger siblings, especially George and Fred after Ron and then Ginny were born. Molly realized that she had relied on him more than she probably should have for one so young.

She looked at him again and realized that his hair was getting longer, the ends curling over his collar. Molly reached out a hand and carded her fingers through it. He looked up at her and she smiled.

"I think I owe you an apology," she said. He shrugged, but maintained eye contact with her. "It's hard for me to remember sometimes that you're a grown man now." She sniffled a little, but didn't allow the tears that were gathering to fall. "To me, you're still just that little boy who used to bring me flowers that you picked from the garden and give me sloppy kisses." Bill grinned sheepishly and his face colored a bit. "I am so very proud of the man you've become." He looked up at her again and this time, she let the tears run, but the smile stayed on her face.

"Mum," he said, standing and taking her hand, pulling her up from the swing and wrapping his arms around her. She could remember when he would bury his face in her stomach, but now her head only reached his chest. She pulled away after a few moments and put a hand to his cheek.

"You realize that you'll always be my little boy," she said.

"Yes, Mum," he replied, giving her a cheeky grin. She nodded and felt a hitch in her chest.

"Gringott's doesn't realize how lucky they are," she said. He hugged her again and kissed her cheek.

"I love you Mum," he whispered and she merely gripped him tighter, saying her own silent good-bye. The first of many she knew, but she wouldn't think about that now. There would be more than enough time for that and for now, she just wanted to enjoy holding her child in her arms.