Disclaimer: All canon characters, scenery and plot references are the property of J.K. Rowling. I do not own or profit from this story in any way. (Though really, if anyone wants to pay me to write full time….I'd be able to produce more chapters)

Rating: M for language and eventual sexual content

Summary: Dani and Bill have been best friends for as long as anyone can remember. They've also butted heads for as long as anyone can remember. Throw in a lost king, a team of curse breakers and a good mystery, and you've got yourself a story.

Author's Note: This is a shortish chapter, because the next chapter is one long scene that I didn't want to break up, sorry! I'll post that one early to make up for it!

Again, sorry about the slow updating, i'm one of those crazy people who like to spend their summer outside! (I'm strange, i know!)

Under the Desert Sun

ChapterSix: It's a trap!

Dreaming again of a train track ending at the edge of the sea,
Big black cloud was low and rolling our way
No one on the corner had a quarter for the telephone,
Everybody bitching there's nothing on the radio
The devil never sleeps – Iron and Wine

It looks like there are wire traps," Bill told her, looking across the room, "Pressure plates on the floors," He shook his head and scrunched up his nose. "There's probably more that the spells don't reveal." He stepped up behind Dani and set a cautious hand on her shoulder. "Be careful." He urged, not liking the idea of not having her back.

"Careful is my middle name," She replied, stretching her arms over her head and bending over. "Danielle Careful Pierce," She straightened up, glancing over to where Ted was stretching too, and where Jake was giving him a quiet pep talk.

"You're going to need to stay on my Toes Teddy," She took two steps across the chamber to stand ahead of the man. "Step where I step, and watch your balance."

"Aye, Aye chief," Ted smiled at her, looking nervous, but energetic all the same.

Jake looked nervous too, "Are you sure that you don't want Bill to second instead?"

Ted shook his head, he was determined, "No, I've got to get better somehow," He shot Dani a smile, "Besides, Dani's got my back."

"Technically—you've got mine," Dani smiled, reaching up to ruffle Ted's hair. "But we'll take it slow and steady, no sudden movements, no need to get overzealous. There's no rush in this, so take your time."

"I know, I know," Ted said, "Geeze mum."

"Call me mum once more…I dare you," Dani teased, but cut herself short, Ted needed to focus now, and so did she. She glanced back to Bill who nodded. Even he was nervous, which was saying something given how usually unflappable he was.

"Here we go," She turned to face the corridor, "Ready?"

Ted came up behind her, "Ready."

And then, she moved.

It was the same familiar dance, and she'd been told once before that she did it gracefully, especially when it came to traps, so much that she'd gotten the go ahead spot on the team her second week on the job. But it was always nice to have another set of eyes with her, though it was usually Bill, who read her movements like an open book. With Ted, she couldn't fall completely into the dance, she needed to speak to him, to give instructions.

"Wire," She warned, her trained eye catching a beam of magic mid-calf. Ted didn't say anything, but reacted anyway.

"Another one," He called back after half a minute. She nodded.

After the wire there were floor plates, another set of wire traps and a rip line. Later, there was a trick floor, swinging axes, flying curses and then, finally safety.

Ted had faltered twice, but did well overall, and they both made it out completely unscathed. He let out a relieved breath, slumping down against a wall.

"Nice work Teddy," She beamed, looking back down the corridor they'd just cleared. It curved, and so she couldn't see Jake and Bill, but she could hear their voices echoing from down the hall. She sent back a Patronus down the hall, to let them know that they had cleared the other side. "We'll take a short breather and then see about disarming, yeah?" She pointed her wand at her mouth and cast a quick "Agumenti," gulping down an impressive amount of water.

Ted nodded, "You make it look so easy," He told her finally, straightening up against the wall, and then repeating her motions with his own wand. "And usually Bill follows like it's nothing."

"Well you know how Bill and I are," She sold him gently, "We work well together, but so did you Teddy, don't sell yourself short." She squeezed his arm.

"Thanks Dani," Ted smiled warmly at her, "And thanks for letting me try, I'd never intentionally put your safety at risk but…."

"You saw the second wire trap before me," She consoled, "It only gets easier as time passes, you'll be an expert in no time." She smiled at him, he grinned, back, and then glanced warily down the hall.

"Shall we?" He stood, and offered her his hand. She took it and let him pull her up.

"Let's go."

They made quick work of disarming traps and breaking the curses from both sides of the chamber. Sometimes, it was easier to trigger the traps than to break them, but they had been a team for nearly 3 years together. They all had their strengths and weaknesses, trusted each other implicitly, and most importantly, worked well together.

They all relaxed when they met halfway, hours later, teasing each other as they made their way from the cool air of the Pyramid and into the hot desert sun.

"So…you didn't kill anyone?" Bill teased, now that they were out of the woods. He slung an arm over Ted's shoulders. "Nice work."

"Thanks," Ted was usually all jokes, but he just seemed relieved and exhausted at this point.

"Come on," Dani tugged at Ted's arm, "Let me buy you a drink, it's the end of the day anyway."

"I think I might just go home," Ted said scratching at the back of his head. "I'm beat."

"Nope," Jake argued, shooting a conspiratorial grin at Dani, "Were all going out, and you're coming, we're celebrating."

"Alright, alright fine," Ted conceded, with a laugh. "You talked me into it."

"Oh…" Bill trailed off, looking somewhat anxious, "I've…er…sort of got plans," He said sheepishly.

"What? Who've you got plans with?" Jake questioned with a glance to Dani. Dani averted her eyes, arms still linked with Ted. She, as Bill's roommate and best mate was expected to know everything about the man. And sometimes, it annoyed the hell out of her. Bill was his own person, and not her responsibility. Why did everyone always assume that he was?

"Er…I'm sort of seeing someone," He said rubbing at the back of his head, a little sheepishly.

"Oh," Ted was the one who spoke, "Since when?"

"The Gala last week?" Bill replied, "So I'm out tonight."

"You can't….bring her along?" Jake glanced to Dani again, who was doing her utmost to stay out of the conversation to the very best of her ability. "We're celebrating."

"Sorry, I er…we've got a reservation," Bill too, was refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

"We can go out some other time," Ted said gently, trying not to look offended.

"Don't worry about it Teddy," Dani squeezed Ted's arm, "Me, you and Jakie will go out and have a brilliant time, next time we all go out, Bill will buy." She said, in an attempt to lighten the mood. She wasn't sure that it worked, but she for one, felt abandoned.

…

The questions shouldn't have surprised her when she was out with the boys later, and they all had a few drinks in their systems. She had known that they were coming, but all the same, she wasn't entirely sure how to answer them.

"I can't believe he abandoned us for some…girl….no offence Dani," Ted said, taking a large sip of his drink, and ale storm.

"None taken," She said lazily, taking a sip of her own drink and scooping up a handful of nuts.

"So who is she?" Jake asked, watching Dani with narrowed eyes. He really did not like not knowing things.

"I honestly don't have any idea," Dani shrugged, fingering the rim of her cup. "He hasn't told me much about her."

"But you two talk about everything," Ted sidled up to his friend on the bench that she was sitting on, and wrapped an arm around her. "I mean….like everything." He waved a hand for emphasis.

"He's told me that he likes her," Dani shrugged, "A lot, actually, I've never seen him like this about a girl before."

"He was like this with you," Ted continued, and Jake winced.

"Ted, maybe you've had enough," He said warningly, but looked up at Dani all the same. "Are you okay about this?" He asked after a minute of consideration, "He hasn't seriously dated anyone since the last time…."

"He's dated plenty of girls," Dani rolled her eyes, taking a long sip of her drink, and trying not to be obvious about her sudden desire to down the whole thing.

"Not seriously," Ted amended, having no such qualms about his own drink. He downed it in two gulps.

"I'm fine," Dani followed Ted's lead and downing her drink. "I've dated around too, it's not like he's going to stop being my best friend because he's moved on, honestly I'd be worried if he didn't."

Ted and Jake exchanged a glance, but nodded all the same.

"Why are we talking about this anyway?" She asked aloud, "We're supposed to be celebrating Teddy."

"Right," Jake frowned, searching her face and then nodded, "To Teddy then, for not killing anyone today."

"How can we toast to me, when Dani and I are out a drink?"

…

When Dani wasn't up in the morning, Bill was worried. He'd gotten in late himself, and she hadn't been home. He'd assumed that she'd had a late night with the guys, but even when they went out, but even on those nights, she'd always been an early riser.

He found her quickly, when he poked his head in her room, and found her curled up under her covers.

"Dani?" He asked gently, stepping inside the dark room and letting his eyes adjust to the light.

"Mmm," She croaked back in response.

"You okay?" He took another step towards the bed, a suspicious smile on his face.

"Hangover potion?" She pleaded, rolling away from him and the light he brought from the outside hall.

"We're all out," Bill said, sitting down at the edge of the bed.

"You're joking," She groaned, covering her head with her pillow.

"I am actually, here" He pressed a vial into one of her open hands. She sat up and downed the whole thing in one go, before flopping back down. "We'll need to brew more over the weekend, we're nearly out."

"Kill me now," She said as a response.

"Rough night?" He asked with a knowing grin.

"I'm never talking to Jake and Ted again," She said dramatically, already feeling the cool effect of the potion wash through her.

"Well that will make work difficult," Bill teased, "You guys got pretty crazy last night?'

"Just Teddy and I, Jake was our designated apparater, he was paranoid that one of us was going to splinch something." She yawned, sitting up, and pushing her mess of curls from her face

"With good reason," Bill shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "Feeling better?"

"Mhm, she nodded, yawning and casting a tempus spell. She was running a little late, but not too horribly "thanks."

"Hey listen, did you want to grab dinner this week sometime?" Bill asked, carefully, if she wasn't still hung over she might accuse him of being up to something. But for now, she let it go.

"Sure."

….