I've just realised I forgot my disclaimer: I have absolutely no affiliation with Ms. Rowling, Bloomsbury, Warner Brothers, or Scholastic. There is no financial profit being made from this story.
In response to some questions: Sand needle inhalation (in addition to the characters Aldebaran Shipley, Luther Kent, Mark Dalgliesh, etc) is an invention of mine from my other two stories. It is rather like a cross between Wizarding snuff and cigarettes but with a somewhat 'dangerous' reputation. It has the effect of calming emotions, for which it is chiefly used by (1) wizards whose emotions/consciences might otherwise impede them from being involved with the darker brands of magic or (2) wizards who have done and/or witnessed more than they wish to remember (sadly becoming more common). Hence the risque associations. It is quite legal, but not encouraged socially - a sand needle user would be viewed rather like a serious chain smoker.
"Your mother is very concerned about you, son."
Bill lifted his eyes with surprise from the small grove of trees at which he had been staring for the last ten minutes. Moving over slightly so that his father could join him, Bill said gruffly, "I know she is."
"Should I be concerned too, Bill?"
Bill shook his head and ran one freckled hand though his hair. After a moment he said, "No, I can do this or not by myself. I think that I have to."
Arthur Weasley's face fell. "I see. You know, it is alright to ask for help sometimes, son. I know that you loved her, Bill, but you are allowed to have another chance."
Bill's expression was slightly angry for a moment and then he laughed shortly. "You are the second person in 24 hours to tell me that I am incredibly obvious."
Arthur placed a hand briefly on his son's shoulder as he answered, "I have watched six sons tumble in and out of love, Bill. You have each been different, but I am familiar with the signs by now. I remember Anastasia Huxley and I remember Estelle Charmwood and I especially remember the hopeless look you wore for weeks before you finally took Fleur to dinner the first time."
Bill's face scrunched up in an expression of wordless pain and he looked away towards the grove of trees again. He stared away from his father until finally he said, "She once asked me what I would do if something happened to her. I tried to refuse to answer, but she got insistent. You know how she could be. I finally admitted that I couldn't imagine doing anything if she died. But she told me that was ridiculous and that naturally she would marry someone else very quickly if I was to die."
Arthur watched his son in silence as Bill stood up and continued to stare into the dark circle beyond the trees. Bill raised his wand and absently shot a bolt of golden light in between the two trees in front of him. "I told her that was what I would want, of course. She told me that she knew it, since I would never want her to be lonely. I was furious with her at the time, hating the idea of her remarrying and all the same knowing how unreasonable it was to expect anything else. Of course I didn't realise until the next morning that she was actually trying to tell me not to give up if something happened to her. How did she know what was going to happen?"
Arthur waited a moment before answering, "She merely knew what the risks were for both of you. I don't think she was aware what would actually happen, but she knew you well enough to understand that you needed to be reassured that she would want you to move on."
"I know and she was right. She always was right about me."
Arthur waited quietly for his son, who was continuing to send short bursts of golden light arcing into the grove. Bill finally slumped against the large gnarled tree at the opening of the circle and stared into the dark silence.
"Would you tell Mum that I am fine? Ask her to hold out some of the pudding for me."
Arthur stood up from the small stone bench and replied, "I will, but of course she'll have already done so."
"Yes, but she likes when I ask for some." Bill turned round to face his father and Arthur could see that his son's expression was very calm and determined. "I'll escort Ginny into Scotland next week. Mum won't worry about her as much if I'm with her and I have something I want to do."
Arthur nodded and watched as Bill marched away from him into the grove towards the row of small white headstones.
"You are very accommodating recently, Bill."
"Mm? Would you rather I wasn't?"
Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "No, it has been nice to have you about more."
Bill smiled fondly at Ginny and then turned back to watch where they were walking. "You haven't been talking as much to me lately though, Gin. Are you worrying about NEWTs?"
"Not really. I suppose that I should be, but I don't care as much as I used to do. It seems so much less important than it did two years ago." Ginny looked sideways at her brother as she appeared to debate something for a moment. "Harry has been funny lately."
Bill did not say anything for several moments as he waited for Ginny to continue speaking. When it became clear to him that she was not sure what to say he asked, "Do you understand how important you are to him, Ginny?"
Ginny looked nervously up at Bill. "Yes. I think that it might have been frightening once, but I understand that need a little now."
"Perhaps you have some sense of it after our losses, but Harry has always lost the people he most cares about, Ginny. His personality has been shaped by his losses, Gin. Yours was shaped by the love of our family. He lost Sirius and eventually Remus. He lost Dumbledore. He still has Ron, but he lost Hermione. Even his muggle aunt is gone, Ginny. Regardless of how reasonable it is he is going to both blame himself and be terrified that he will lose what is left to him. He has lost someone at a rate of at least one a year for some time. He's telling himself that it is time for it to happen again."
"I think you are right, but if I ask him about it then he pulls away from me. He is scared for us to get married because he fears that he is signing a death warrant for me if we do."
Bill sighed harshly. "I know, Gin. You just have to convince him that the time together is worth the cost. He believes that it is, but he is afraid to make that choice for you. You're going to have to make it."
Ginny blinked her tear-filled eyes and admitted with difficulty, "We had a horrible row about a month ago, Bill. We haven't really recovered from it. He is afraid to do or say anything now for fear that I will break off the engagement again."
Bill blanched slightly. "So you did break it off. We wondered. Harry looked like death for almost four days."
Ginny gulped slightly and asked guiltily, "You saw him?"
"Yes, Gin."
Looking away again, Ginny explained, "It was because I found out that he has passed three warlockry exams and is a full member of the Andromeda Society."
Bill grimly said, "Yes and I was his patron, Ginny."
Ginny screeched, "You! I don't believe it. Gwen said that her father had told her you were a member, but I wouldn't believe it."
"I have been a full member since the year after I left Hogwarts, Ginny. Dumbledore recommended me for entrance at the end of my seventh year and arranged a patron for me. I became a Master five years ago."
Waving her hands angrily in front of her, Ginny asked, "What do you want to join that lot for? I don't understand."
"Clearly not, Ginny, but I'm not going to explain it to you. You're making a mistake if you believe that Harry was wrong to do it."
Ginny continued to look determinedly away from her brother as they turned the last corner on the small cobblestone street. "Elisabeth's family lives at the end of the lane up there."
Bill asked in a concerned tone, "You are sure that Hogwarts understands that there will be three of you to be collected?"
Ginny unhappily responded, "Yes. Elisabeth's mother has added Gwen and me to the number to be collected in Hogsmeade. Elisabeth says there are usually ten other Scots students who come to Hogsmeade instead of using the Hogwarts Express, so we won't be alone there. The stagecoaches will collect us about noon."
"I'm still not sure I like it, Gin. There is much more security in taking the Hogwarts Express."
"I'll be fine, Bill. They have aurors patrolling the area where we'll be waiting anyway and they have extra people when students are being collected. That's why we have to come a day early, so they can handle our security properly."
Looking extremely serious, Bill replied, "Yes, I've asked Anders to look into it specially."
"I don't need a personal bodyguard, Bill."
"I hope not, Ginny, but I am not the only person who has an interest in your safety and wants to be sure you get back to school without incident."
"Harry asked you to look out for me, didn't he?"
Bill looked at his sister from the corner of his eye and saw Ginny's expression was only slightly accusing. "Yes, he did, but I would have done so in any case."
"That's why he asked you. I should owl him…no maybe I ought to floo him when we get to Elisabeth's."
"That is one of the better ideas you've had today. You will find him at the Burrow. He is waiting there for an owl from me saying you got here safely."
"He is? I had no idea he was so worried."
Bill placed a hand on his sister's back soothingly as they walked up to the front door of the MacLeod house and said, "He's always worried about you, but if you don't think that both George and Ron are waiting for an owl, too…"
Ginny smiled weakly and placed her hand on the door knocker.
As soon as he heard the clang of the knocker, Bill's attention suddenly became focussed on whether his robes were straight, his hair had fallen out of the hair elastic, or anything else about his appearance was amiss. However, before he had enough time to do anything beyond get quite sickeningly nervous, the large oak door opened. A sour-faced house elf wearing a dark blue jacket stood resolutely in front of Ginny and Bill. The elf bowed slightly and spoke in an unpleasant, high pitched voice, "Please enter."
Ginny said kindly, "Hello, Badger. Which way? Down the hall?"
Bill stepped inside the large hall and heard what sounded like a small stampede coming towards them.
"Ginny! You're finally here!" Elisabeth MacLeod and Gwenaëlle Gurley burst through the doorway and into the hall, followed by another girl whom Bill didn't recognise.
Ginny exclaimed excitedly, "Astrid! What are you doing here? I thought you were off training." As Ginny first gave Elisabeth a hug and then flung herself towards the unfamiliar witch, who seemed to be every bit as excited to see Ginny, Bill tried his best not to stare or look particularly obvious about anything.
"Thank you for bringing Ginny, Bill. You will stay to tea, won't you? Mother wanted me to ask, but we all want you to stay, don't we Gwen?"
Gwen, who had just finished being hugged happily by Ginny, said quietly, "Of course we do. It is very nice to see you again, Bill."
Bill carefully replied, "Nice to see you, as well, Gwenaëlle. Thank you, Elisabeth. I would be happy to stay."
"Oh, Astrid, do you know Ginny's brother, Bill Weasley? He was a Gryffindor a few years before you. He works for Gringott's Bank like Theseus."
The slender, blond witch gave Bill a friendly smile and said, "Everyone has read about Bill Weasley, of course. It's nice to meet you. My name is Astrid Holcombe."
Bill courteously shook the young woman's hand and looked over at his sister, who was peeling off her cloak and handing it to the house elf. As he did the same, Bill was fully conscious of being watched with interest by Astrid Holcombe and strained his mind to think whether he had seen her before and who Theseus might be.
When he turned back from handing his cloak to the disgruntled house elf, Bill saw that Gwen and Ginny were walking towards the door and Elisabeth was politely waiting for him with the other witch.
"Did you know someone else who works at Gringott's, Miss Holcombe?"
The witch laughed lightly and said, "Theseus Brown, Elisabeth's and my cousin."
Bill, who knew Brown as a stuffy, somewhat egotistical clerk in another department, smiled and said, "Yes, I have met your cousin."
The blond witch replied, "Dreadful bore, Theseus, but dependable. He's mentioned you and your reputation before."
Unsure what to say, Bill smiled and tried to catch up with Elisabeth, who was leading them down the corridor. As he hurried along he heard a light, musical laugh come out of the room at the far end. His features relaxed involuntarily into a smile and he wondered how long he would be able to stay before his presence was too obvious.
