Chapter 4 - The Fidelity Gem of Min

Summer, 2003

George kept his eyes fixedly on Bill, all anger having disappeared to be replaced by fear. Each time he looked the girl in the eye, it was more difficult to look away. He could feel her descend the stairs to join them, though he was sure she made no sound. Then her hand found his and he squeezed her fingers, though he wasn't sure why. Bill watched this in silence before leading the way to his room and unlocking the door. He held it open for them to enter ahead of him, each of them purposely looking away from each other, though their hands were still clasped.

"What's your name?" he asked her casually as he turned on the nearest lamp. He knew this was going to have to be handled very carefully. He watched her sit down on the bed, George standing uncomfortably beside her, unwilling to let her go, but unwilling to join her on the bed either. Perhaps his little brother was wiser than he'd expected.

"Jamila," she whispered.

"Jamila," George echoed. Before he could help himself, he'd looked down at her. She was looking at him as well, and an instant later, he found himself on his knees, still holding her hand as she leaned down slowly, far too slowly for him. He put a hand behind her head, pulling her lips into his. Distantly he heard Bill cough from the direction of the door, but it didn't quite register until his brother was pulling him up by his free arm and sitting him roughly in a chair on the other side of the room. George closed his eyes, far more frightened now than he'd been earlier. He hadn't meant to do that. For Merlin's sake he was a Weasley! He wasn't into GIRLS, he was into PRANKS!

Jamila had jumped up from the bed as soon as the kiss was broken, breathing heavily with her back to them. She threw the satchel she carried heavily onto the bed. "Take it and go, please," she whispered, willing to give up her dreams of escaping Cairo if it meant regaining control of herself. What had she meant by kissing the boy? He must be at least two years younger than she was! Surely he couldn't have any interest in such things yet. Of course, he'd certainly seemed interested. She could feel his presence in the room. The wall before her was tinged a deep purple and the tacky flowers of the wallpaper seemed to swim, making her feel dizzy.

She heard Bill's intake of breath as he took the gem out of the old pillowcase in which she'd wrapped it. "The Fidelity Gem of Min," he whispered in awe. "That explains it."

"Put it away," George said hoarsely. Bill glanced over at him and saw the source of his brother's discomfort clearly. With a wry smile, he wrapped it up and put it back in the satchel.

"You both touched it, I suppose?" Bill asked quietly. They nodded, Jamila still facing the wall. He turned to her anyway. "Stay here until tomorrow. I'll give you 600,000 Egyptian pounds for it."

George was looking incredulously at his brother, who grinned back at him. "Gringotts has had me looking for this for the last two years," he said, answering the unspoken question. "They'll be willing to pay her handsomely for it."

"Please take it away," Jamila whispered again. George looked past Bill and caught the sheen of her black hair reflecting the lamplight. Her hair was cut into a pretty curve that fell just to her shoulder blades at the longest point. It looked like pure spun silk and he ached to run his fingers through it. To comfort the fear he heard in her voice.

But Bill had his arm again and was pulling him toward the door. Bill cast a sealing charm on the door to prevent the girl from bolting in the night. It was obvious that both she and George were frightened of the magical artifact that had so unexpectedly caught them in its thrall. But she deserved the money Gringotts would give her for it, and he intended to make sure she got it.

Jamila cried into the pillow for hours that night, not knowing what had come over her or how. She couldn't think enough to wonder at the magic that had suddenly overtaken her mundane world. All she knew was that she was purely, deeply in love with George Weasley. And it was the most frightening thing she'd ever experienced.