After the Triwizard Tournament, the Wizarding World fell into turmoil. Dumbledore decided to revive the 'Order of the Phoenix'. Esme decided to join she wanted the world to be safe for her daughter.
It was now right after her birthday and it was time for the first Order meeting. Esme was finishing up at work. Gretchen wanted to be in the Order too but she decided against it since she was six weeks pregnant.
"Hey Esme," Bill greeted.
She looked up.
"Were you expecting Charlie?"
"A little, but it's not that I'm not happy to see you," she smiled.
He smirked. "I'm hurt, I'm not your favorite Weasley brother anymore."
"I'm almost ready for you to escort me to where the Order meeting is," Esme said finishing up.
"Who's babysitting Jessie?"
"We are," Gretchen said as she walked in.
Bill smiled at his old school friend. "Hey Gretchen."
"It's nice to see you, Bill."
"You too."
"We should get going."
Gretchen nodded and the two of them left.
"So, is Charlie in the Order too?" she asked.
Bill replied. "He is but he's in Romania recruiting foreign witches and wizards."
"Oh, I was hoping I would see him there too."
"You sound so disappointed about not seeing Charlie," Bill teased.
A blush rose on Esme's cheeks as they reached two muggle flats. Bill tapped a loose brick and the two flats sprung apart to reveal #12 Grimmauld Place. Bill led her up to the door.
"Hello Bill and Esme," Molly greeted her son and Esme.
"Hey mum."
Molly asked their security questions and escorted them in. Esme was suddenly startled by the yell of "How dare you bring half bloods, half breeds and mudbloods in my house!"
"What's that noise, Bill?" she asked reaching for his arm.
"I'm not sure, Esme."
A voice said sarcastically. "That would be my wonderful mother."
Esme turned to see a man with long black hair and grey eyes. "Who are you?"
"I'm Sirius Black, who might you be?"
"Can you go a minute without flirting, Sirius?" a woman with bubblegum pink hair teased.
"I wasn't flirting, I was just being polite," he said.
"Esme, this is Dora Tonks. Charlie's best friend," Bill introduced the girl.
"Oh, Charlie's mentioned you a few times, it's nice to meet you."
Dora smiled. "So, you're the famous Esme that Charlie can't shut up about in his letters."
Esme couldn't help but blush as Bill led her to the table. She looked around the table only to recognize McGonagall, Dumbledore, Hagrid and Snape. There was a sandy haired man sitting next to Sirius.
"It's nice to see you again, Miss Abrams," McGonagall greeted.
"You too, Professor."
"I haven't been your Professor in several years, Call me Minerva."
Esme nodded. "I can try."
McGonagall nodded. The meeting began and ended. After the meeting ended, Molly called down her kids.
"So, if I remember correctly you wanted to be a cursebreaker?" McGonagall asked.
Esme smiled. "Yes, I did. I worked in Egypt with Bill until November 1993 since I got pregnant."
"You have a child?"
"I do, her name is Jessica Adara Abrams, She's a year and two months," Esme replied her smile widening.
"Where is Jessie?" Fred asked.
"My co-worker and her husband are babysitting her while I'm here."
Fred nodded disappointed.
"So, tell us about yourself," Remus said.
Esme said. "I was a Ravenclaw a year behind Bill. I'm a muggleborn. I'm a twin, although I haven't seen her since I got pregnant."
"Why?"
Esme sighed. "My family didn't really approve of my pregnancy since my twin had miscarried the year before. My mum kicked me out of the house where I would've stayed during my pregnancy."
"But I convinced her to stay at "The Burrow'," Bill said.
The two of them recited the story.
"I must go pick up, Jessie," Esme said getting up and saying goodbye to Bill.
"Bye."
She left and apparated to Gretchen's house.
"Hey Esme," Gretchen greeted.
"Hey Gretchen."
Gretchen invited her in and escorted her to the living room. She saw Ben playing with Chelsea and Jessica.
"Mummy!" Jessie exclaimed looking up at Esme.
She smiled at her daughter. "Hey sweetie."
"I made a new friend."
"I know."
The mother and daughter stayed for a bit before saying goodbye to the Copper family and going home.
—
It was a few days later, Bill had written to Esme that morning that he wanted to meet her tonight for dinner. She had puttered around the house for a bit before getting dressed. She dropped Jessica off at Lance's so he could babysit. Esme walked into a restaurant where she was meeting Bill. He said it was urgent. She hoped everything was okay. She paced the floor nervously as she waited for Bill to arrive.
"Esme?"
She jumped slightly.
"It's just me, Esme," Charlie's comforting baritone said.
She breathed a sigh of relief and turned to face her best friend's brother. He looked handsome tonight. His usually bushy beard was slightly trimmed though she preferred it the other way.
"I'm sorry if I scared you," he apologized sweetly smiling at her.
"It wasn't that. I'm just worried about Bill," she explained stifling a blush.
He nodded and gave her a hug knowing this would help her relax. She buried her head in his broad chest.
"I feel better, thanks, Charlie."
He smiled still holding her in his arms. "I'm sure Bill is fine. Don't worry about him."
"I suppose it comes from being a mother," she sighed looking up into his blue-grey eyes.
Before Charlie could respond Bill's voice teased. "Did we interrupt something?"
Charlie reluctantly let Esme go before she enthusiastically greeted Bill.
"This is Fleur," he introduced, grinning.
"It's nice to meet you, I'm Esme, Bill's best friend," she introduced herself with a smile.
"You faced the Common Welsh Green at the Triwizard Tournament, didn't you?" Charlie asked fawningly.
"I deed."
"That was amazing, that would've taken four to eight wizards to do that. You must've been a master at Charms at Beauxbatons," he said.
"Esme was the top student in her year in Charms," Bill said noticing Esme's demeanor.
Esme smiled at him in thanks.
"That was the talk of the reserve for weeks," Charlie said. "Did Bill ever get your autograph on your graduate thesis?"
Bill was getting annoyed for two reasons this was his future girlfriend and he could tell Esme was jealous of Charlie fawning over Fleur.
They were led to their table and sat down.
"So, you two met at the Triwizard Tournament?" Esme asked changing the subject.
"Yes. We did." Bill said.
"So, you moved all the way from France for that," Charlie teased his brother.
"He's been giving me English lessons," Fleur said.
"More like snogging lessons," Charlie coughed.
Esme slapped Charlie's arm but she was thinking the same thing. The waitress arrived and they ordered. They chatted while they waited for their food.
"So, how long have you known Bill?" Fleur asked.
"About five years now, I used to work with him in Egypt until I got pregnant with my daughter," Esme smiled.
"You have a daughter?"
"Yes, I do. Her name is Jessica, she's a year and three months now."
Fleur asked. "Who is the father?"
"I rather not talk about him."
Fleur nodded as the food was delivered. The quartet continued eating and chatting until they finished.
"Well, I should go pick up Jessica from Lance's house," Esme said.
Bill nodded. "Who's Lance?"
"He was my best friend at Hogwarts. He's now married and his wife is four months pregnant. So, they need the practice."
"Okay."
She hugged Bill and said goodbye to Charlie.
"Do you want me to escort you to Lance's house, I mean it's late," Charlie offered with a blush.
"I'm a big girl, Charlie," she smiled.
"I suppose so."
She went back to Lance's house.
"Mummy!" Jessica exclaimed toddling towards her mum.
Esme smiled and picked her up. "So, how did she behave?"
"She was an angel," Lance said.
Esme nodded and sat on the couch.
"So, how did it go with Bill?"
Jessie clapped at the mention of Bill.
"Everything is okay, he just wanted Charlie and me to meet his girlfriend."
"I told you not to worry. Bill is a big boy."
"I know but he's my best friend."
Lance teased. "I've been replaced."
"I've known you longer and we were both Ravenclaws."
"And the most important difference is that I don't have a slightly younger brother that you can have feelings for."
Esme blushed at the implication that she had feelings for Charlie.
Lance nodded as he sat on the couch. "So, what's Bill's new girlfriend like?"
"She's practically a blonde bombshell complete with a French accent," Esme said.
Lance asked. "Are you jealous of her and Bill?"
"No, it's not that. I just saw Charlie was fawning over her and her feat at the Triwizard Tournament with a Common Welsh Green. I mean she's his older brother's girlfriend."
"I think you're really pretty and smart. I mean you were nearly Head Girl in our seventh year."
"If I had been Head Girl instead of the Lloyd girl. I would've been his 'boss' since he was a Prefect . I must have a thing for Prefects. I was infatuated with Chester Davies in my second year."
"I remember that you would draw hearts around your names and wanted to be called Mrs. Esme Davies," he teased.
"I was nearly humiliated when my secret was revealed but Chester let me down easy."
"He did."
"I should get home."
"Okay."
She said goodbye to her childhood best friend and left.