Disclaimer: This story is a Lady Silver challange I found on FictionAlley. And by the way; all characters here apart from the ones you don't recognize from before are property of J.K Rowling. That means they don't belong to me, I just borrowed them.
JUST ANOTHER DAY...
"Bill, wake up or you'll miss breakfast!"
Bill slowly opened his eyes, and he suddenly remembered why he didn't like mornings. Especially why he didn't like them when someone woke him up by yelling at him. Groaning he closed his eyes again. No, the only sensible thing to do was to ignore Charlie and go back to sleep.
"Bill, get your lazy ass out of bed! We have to be at Grimmauld Place in half an hour, for the meeting!"
Bill was about to tell Charlie to shut up when his brain registered what he had said. Meeting? Grimmauld Place?
The Order meeting! He had completely forgotten about it! Bill sat up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and tried to disentangle himself from the covers. After a few seconds he emerged victorious from the battle.
"I guess I better get up then. I don't want to be late and receive a howler later today."
Charlie smirked. "Like half a year ago when you missed that meeting?"
"Yeah. It was horrible." Bill still remembered the howler very well.
"WILLIAM ARTHUR WEASLEY!" His mother's voice had filled the room, and he had been sure that everyone within two miles also had been able to hear her. "WHERE WERE YOU THIS MORNING? IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING WE WERE HAVING, AND YOU KNEW THAT! SO WHY DIDN'T YOU SHOW UP? IT WAS VERY IRRESPONSIBLE OF YOU, YOUNG MAN! AND YOUR FATHER IS ALSO DISAPPOINTED!"
"Actually I quite enjoyed it," Charlie said innocently. "Anyway, breakfast's ready, so get dressed and come and have some."
He disappeared into the kitchen, and when Bill had been left alone he figured that there was nothing else to do than to get up and get dressed. He yawned. Staying in bed seemed a much more desirable option, but he put on his clothes and tied back his hair into the usual ponytail. After that he was ready for breakfast, and as he stepped into the small kitchen he found Ron and Charlie by the kitchen table.
"We've got toast, ham, eggs, bacon and juice," Ron informed him, pointing at the food. "Help yourself to whatever you want to eat."
Bill, suddenly feeling hungry, filled his plate with a little of everything. Since there were only twenty minutes left until they would have to be at Grimmauld Place they didn't have time for a long, relaxing breakfast. Then there was the usual fight over who got to use the bathroom first, but a couple of minutes before ten o'clock they were ready to go.
"All right, who's first?" Ron asked. He was standing at the fireplace with a small bag containing floo-powder in his hands.
Bill took a pinch an threw it into the fire. "See you guys soon. Number twelve Grimmauld Place!"
He stepped into the fireplace, and was transported through a colourful nothingness where the wind blew him in the face so hard he had to close his eyes. After a few seconds he landed in the fireplace in the livingroom at number twelve Grimmauld Place. He quickly picked himself off the floor and said hi the ones already there. Auror Nymphadora Tonks greeted him with a big smile.
"Still got your hair dyed? Thought you'd have gotten rid of it by now."
Bill's normally red hair had been dyed black a couple of months ago, when he had worked as a messenger. During the nights it was harder for the enemies to detect those with dark hair, and since Bill had been a messenger he had thought it wise to do something about his haircolour.
"Yeah, I just haven't gotten around to it. And who knows, maybe there are some dark wizards lurking somewhere, ready for revenge," he joked, hoping that he would be wrong.
"Let's hope there's no one left out there," Tonks said and shuddered slightly.
Charlie and Ron arrived, and after them came a couple of other members of the Order. When everyone had arrived they went down to the large room that they used used for meetings, and it was one the most fun and relaxed Order meeting he had been to. Now that the Dark Lord and his followers were defeated the wizarding community needed to be rebuilt again, and that required planning. A far more fun thing to plan than warfare, Bill thought to himself.
When the meeting ended two hours later Bill, Charlie and Ron Apparated back to Ron's apartment.
"I'm really glad it's over," Charlie said as they sat in the livingroom with a glass pumpkin juice each.
"The war? Yeah, me too. I'm only sorry that..." Ron interrupted himself.
"I know," Charlie said quietly. "So am I."
That was the end of that discussion. The rest of the day they just hung out together. As they were sitting there, talking, Bill remembered that he had to send an owl to his boss. In fact he should have sent it yesterday, so it was really time that he did it.
"Ron, have you got a piece of parchment, ink and a quill somewhere?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I have to write to my boss, about my latest assignment. I should've sent it yesterday."
"Hang on, I'll get you the stuff. Want to borrow Pig?"
"Yeah, thanks."
Ron went to get what Bill needed, and after that he went for Pig. When Bill had written the letter Ron tied it to Pigs left leg and carried the little owl to the window.
"Now this is urgent, so behave and deliver it as quickly as possible."
Pig hooted loudly in response, and as Ron let go of him he flew out the window.
"Overexcited as usual," Charlie remarked.
"Yeah, he hasn't changed a bit," Ron said and closed the window. "By the way, what do you think, who's going to win the game tonight?"
"Don't know," Charlie said "The league has just started, and it depends on how much they've been able to practice."
"Yeah. But both teams still have quite a good line-up," Ron said.
The Quidditch discussion continued until it was time to Apparate to the Burrow and the dinner they had been invited to. Bill thought that it was always nice coming home, even though three family members were not alive anymore. The war had taken their father, George and Percy, and even though he missed them and thought about them every single day Bill knew that they had been lucky. Other families had lost more members than that.
When came home they found Fred on the couch in the livingroom. He was reading a book, and looked up from it when he heard the cracks indicating that Bill, Ron and Charlie had Apparated.
"Hey guys!"
"Hey, What're you reading?" Bill asked and sat down beside him on the couch.
Fred held the book so he could see. It was quite thick, and on the cover a green dragon moved gracefully across the silver background The words scribbled across its front were 'Leather Pants And Playing Dirty: How To Win Over A Slytherin'. It was written by someone called Dragon BadFaith
"Still not giving up, are you?" Charlie asked.
"Nope," Fred declared matter-of-factly. "Hogwarts still exists, and as long as it does there'll be a too large amount of Slytherins graduating."
Ron smirked. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Just then the front door swung open, and their mum entered. Her arms were filled with bags, and Charlie and Ron went to help her unpack them.
"So..." Bill said. "How are you? Really?" He hadn't seen his brother in a while, but according to his mum's letters Fred had not been himself since the beginning of the war. Not that Bill was surprised; he too had changed because of it.
Fred hesitated before answering. "I'm holding up. It's tough, but..."
Bill could see that it was hard for him to talk about it. "I know. It's tough for all of us. But at least you've got the joke shop."
Fred looked down at his hands. "I don't even know if I want to rebuild it."
He didn't have to say anything else; Bill knew that he was thinking about George. They had built that joke shop together, and it was probably hard for Fred to go back to it now when George was gone.
"Give it some time," Bill suggested. "I know it's not the same without George, and it probably never will be. But at least you know that you're good at it and that it's something you can go back to when you want to. Even if it you don't think so now I think it would do you good."
He was awarded by a sceptical look from Fred, and it looked as if he was going to say something. He was interrupted by Charlie, however, who announced that dinner was ready.
The family ate in silence, and to Bill it was a strange situation. Normally they were nine when everyone were gathered, but not only their dad, Percy and George were missing. Ginny was away at the moment, so they were even fewer around the table than they would have been otherwise.
When everybody had had enough to eat it was time for the boys to go to the Quidditch game Bill had managed to get tickets to. Tonight's game was Chuldey Canons versus Wimbourne Wasps.
"C'mon!" Ron was waiting in the livingroom, apparently anxious to go.
"We're coming!" Bill called from the kitchen.
Fred, who was in the kitchen as well, shook his head. "You've always been the impatient one, haven't you?"
"So?" Ron retorted. "I hate being late, and you know that."
"Calm down, we're coming."
They said goodbye to their mum, Disapparated and Apparated outside the Quidditch stadium. Everywhere around them people were talking and laughing, and the four brothers joined those who were pushing their way through the entrances. Ten minutes later they found their seats. They were quite good seats too, Bill noticed, and made a mental note to thank Sturgis Podmore who had given him the tickets.
Twenty minutes later the game started. Bill, who was standing beside Ron, grinned and looked at his brother who jumped up and down with excitement and tried to take in everything that happened on the Quidditch field at the same time.
"Come on Canons! You can do it!"
"You've been longing for this, haven't you?" Bill managed to make his voice heard over the loud noise around them, and Ron nodded vigorously.
"Yeah, it's been ages since I watched a game. Thanks for bringing us!"
"No problem, thank Sturgis. It was him who gave me the tickets."
After that they didn't talk much; instead they concentrated on the game. Charlie, Fred and Ron seemed to enjoy themselves, and Bill was glad they did. Of course he liked to watch Quidditch too, but since his brothers had played and still were very interested he guessed that they enjoyed it somewhat more than he did.
After the game, which Canons, much to Ron's deilight, won 350-200, the four brothers decided to go for a drink. The place they chose was biggish, and Bill couldn't help but checking out the women who were there. There were quite a few really good looking ones, and one of them came up to him as he was standing at the bar. Bill eyed her approvingly, and when she had payed the bartender he decided to talk to her. At least it was worth a try.
But before he had time to say something she turned towards him and smiled. "Hi."
"Hi," he replied. "And cheers."
He lifted his Butterbeer bottle, and she lifted her glass.
"Cheers," she said before drinking some of the pink liquid.
Bill noticed that she eyed him over the rim of her glass, and when she had put it down on the bar counter she reached out to touch the fang dangling from his right ear.
"What's that?"
"A fang, from a dragon."
"It suits you."
"Thank you."
She smiled at him. "I'm Merri by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Merri. I'm Bill."
When the introductions were made Bill and Merri continued their conversation. Unfortunately they were interrupted by Charlie, Fred and Ron, but when Bill told them to leave him and Merri alone they went back to their table.
"That's the downside of having brothers," Bill said. "I love them, but sometimes they tend to get annoying."
"Tell me about it. I've got two younger sisters."
After some more talking they decided that it was time to dance. A band was playing on a small stage, and there were already some dancing couples. The music varied from slow to faster songs, and they were joined by Bill's brothers and the friends Merri had gone out with.
When they had had enough dancing they sat down together to have another drink. To Bill it was the oportunity to get to know her better, and he made sure to sit beside her so they could talk to eachother.
A few hours later one of Merri's friends pointed out that the place was closing.
"Oh," Merri said, looking disappointed. "Already?"
"Already? It's three o'clock!" Charlie said, yawning widely.
"I guess we have to go then," Ron said and rose from his chair.
The others followed his example, and the party joined the other guests waiting to get their jackets. As they were standing in line Bill felt a hand in his, and discovered that it was Merri's. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand, and she squeezed it back.
Bill didn't really want to leave her. Not now, when he had found someone he really wanted to get to know. Maybe they could owl eachother. If she wanted to, that was.
When everybody had gotten their jackets and were back on the street outside the club no one seemed to know what to do next.
"Well..." one of Merri's friends said. "I guess I'd better Disapparate home now."
"Yeah, me too," Merri's other friend agreed. "It was nice meeting you guys."
"You too," Charlie said and gave her a hug. "I'll owl you, okay?"
She smiled. "Or I'll owl you."
Then it was Merri's turn to her friends, and she, Bill, Charlie and Ron watched them Disapparate.
"Well I guess it's our turn now," Charlie said. "It was nice meeting you, Merri."
"Ditto." She hugged both Charlie and Ron, who winked at Bill before they Disapparated.
"Well..." Bill said when they had been left alone. "I guess we should say goodbye too."
"Yeah.... Listen, would you like to do something sometimes? Maybe just have a drink or..."
"Yeah, I'd love to!"
She smiled broadly. "How about you owl me, and then we can decide on when and where?"
"Sounds good."
Merri positioned herself right in front of him and wrapped her arms around her waist. She was shorter than him by almost a head, and Bill bent his head so he could rest his forehead against hers.
"Anyway, I should probably get back to Ron's before they come back and wonder where I am. I'll owl you."
"Okay." Merri stretched and kissed Bill lightly on the lips. "I hope you didn't mind me doing that?"
"No, not at all."
Merri answered by entangling her fingers in Bill's ponytail. "Then I just might do it one more time..."
When she kissed him again Bill kissed her back. He didn't know for how long they were standing there, kissing outside the club, but soon they both had to get some air.
Merri hugged him one more time. "I had a great time tonight."
"Me too. But now I'm afraid I really need to get home."
"Me too," Merri said, and yawned. "And I'll be waiting for that owl."
She smiled at him one last time before taking out her wand and Disapparating. Bill looked at the place where she had been standing and took out his own wand. And before Disapparating he mumbled to himself: "Don't worry, Merry. I'll definitely owl you."
THE END
