THC, Year 7, Round 1 - Introducing me.

Slytherin - HoH - Bonus/Standard.

Prompts: [Character] Bill Weasley; [Location] Under a/the bed.

Word Count (1000-3000): 1641.

Betas: Glowstar826, CupCakeyyy, Fires of Eden red rose Aurora, Butterflies765.

Of Tears and Tea

A cold breeze grazed over the empty bed of the young boy's room. Crying could be heard beyond the door of this safe haven, which had the four-year-old feel like it wasn't safe anymore. It was a disconcerting feeling, one he didn't like. Clutching his pillow, he hid where he hoped he could stay protected; no crying, no frustrations, no nasty smells.

What had happened to the blissful attention he had been given merely a month ago, where he and Charlie would play without an issue? Why had his life turned upside down in a matter of moments? Would it ever go back to normal?

Bill clasped at his comforting pillow and rested his head onto it. Here he was safe, here he was protected. The sound was dampened and he was left alone. Always left alone now.

A shiver left the young boy as he adjusted to the lack of his quilt and warm bed around him - it had been a wise decision to sleep under it; he would feel better rested in the morning and he didn't mind the odd bruise he would get from rolling over on the rough floor, hitting the wooden frame when he moved.

Eyes half-closed, heart steady, and breath constant, Bill almost let himself fall into a restful sleep — for the third time this week under his bed — when the unimaginable occurred. Light streamed into the room, the sound of his father coo-ing at his most recent brother, and footsteps entering.

"Bill?" came the concerned voice of his mama.

His reply of "Yes" was barely louder than a whisper without any real strength to it as his teeth chattered.

His mama's head appeared under the bed for a mere second.

Curious at his mama's actions, he watched intently as her feet stepped over to the window and he heard her closing it before she stepped back and sat on the ground. He couldn't see her face but desperately wished he could. He missed her. "Why are you under the bed, honey?"

Bill felt himself sniffle as his eyes welled up against his will. "I'm tired, Mama."

"Then let's tuck you into bed," she replied, her tone gentle, reassuring.

However, her logic fell on deaf ears. "I can't, Mama, I can't! It's too loud! And too sad!" he cried, the tears freely falling down his cheeks. "I want to, but I can't!"

There was a second of silence before he heard his mama shuffle before her head appeared again and she laid next to his bed. "Is Percy keeping you up?"

"Why is he so sad?"

Looking into his mama's soft and warm eyes reminded him why he loved her so much. But that didn't stop the tears from wetting his cheeks, or the shivers from running down his spine.

She reached out and pulled him closer to her, effortlessly pulling up a blanket and sliding it over him. "Why do you think he's sad?"

Bill sniffled in confusion as he laid his head on her lap, enjoying having her all to himself. "He's crying a lot. You cry when you're sad."

"That's not always true, Billy, you can cry for many reasons. Percy cannot speak yet, so he cries when he's hungry, tired, or needs his nappy changing. And it takes Mama and Dada a while to figure out how to help him."

Nodding along to her soft and calm words, Bill felt his eyelids closing and his limbs relaxing. He didn't care that he was only half under the bed now; he was in the arms of his mama and he couldn't be any more protected than that.

"One day, you'll understand."

Bill believed that. He believed everything his mother told him; she knew everything after all.

A cry. Bill gasped and knee'd the bed frame. He looked up at his mama, who waved her wand, and silence filled the room once more.

"There we go, Billy. No more noises will disrupt you, I promise."

Bill nodded slowly. He looked towards the open door and realised that he couldn't hear anything. No sadness, no crying, no frustrations, just pure silence. His mama had fixed his safe haven; she had brought back his bedroom.

Looking back up at her, he took a deep breath and pulled himself out from under the bed, and stood up. "I think I can sleep in my bed now, Mama!"

His mama picked him up into her arms and laid him down on his bed gently. Bill instantly wiggled into it happily, still clasping his pillow and allowing himself to be covered with his quilt and blanket. "Will you stay with me, Mama?"

The seconds that he had to wait for were agonising. Would his younger brother, Charlie, need her? Was he sad too? Or did his baby brother Percy need to be fed?

One second.

Two seconds.

"I'm tired. You can go," he said instead of waiting for her to break his heart. Bill would be brave for his mama and strong in a time when he felt weak. He would be the big brother his little brothers deserved and wouldn't add more hassle to his parents. He was William Weasley, and he had this!

He was William Weasley, but he most definitely did not have this!

Where was Fleur when he needed her? How was he supposed to deal with his youngest daughter hiding under her bed for hours on end? Surely this wasn't normal?

Checking the time, Bill sighed. How long did shopping take? Why couldn't Dominique steal a broom and go flying without permission? That was something Bill would be able to handle. But hiding under her bed? He wasn't equipped for that.

A cry interrupted his thoughts suddenly and he quickly moved over to his young son. "Hey there, Louis. What's wrong?"

The three-year-old hit his chubby fists on the ground as he continued to cry out.

Instantly, Bill dropped down and picked up the little lad. "It's okay, little fella," he said, smoothing his son's hair from his forehead. "Let's get you some more medicine."

That, unfortunately, made the knowing Louis scream out even more.

"You have to, Louis. You've got a cold and it'll make you feel better!" he explained, knowing the three-year-old didn't care. Bill continued on, still wondering why on earth he had convinced Fleur that he could actually handle both children on his own when Louis wasn't well. He had been deluded, that much he believed. He smoothly got the pre-made potion ready and then looked up in confusion. One, two, three, four, five… when Louis finally looked up to see what his Daddy was looking at, Bill quickly poured it into his mouth and managed to get him to drink most of it!

That's one accomplishment.

"Time to put you to bed," he whispered, listening to his whines get weaker as sleep started to take over.

Stepping up the stairs smoothly and walking quietly down the corridor, Bill walked into the smallest room in the house and placed Louis down in his bed.

With a sigh of relief, he stepped out and he couldn't help but wish that this cold would leave his son soon, as he actually missed the constant, unrelenting blabbering on.

However, he couldn't rest yet. He still had one mission left: his daughter. And now he knew exactly how to handle it!

With each step to his daughter's door, he thought back to that fateful night when his mum had made the crying finally stop. He remembered being curled up under the bed, unable to deal with the crying, and then how his mother had taken all of the problems away. He would be that parent for his daughter now!

Confidence filled Bill as he pushed the door open and softly walked to the bed, slipped down, and laid on the cold ground to look at his obviously distraught daughter. The second his eyes gazed upon her face, he froze.

He wished he could back away instantly. Oh, where was Fleur?

But he couldn't move at all.

There in front of him was his little girl, nearly six years old, with his mother's finest china having a tea party.

"Hi Daddy!" she happily greeted him as she pretended to pour him tea. "You're just in time for the party! Would you like a scone?"

Bill looked at the empty plate she was offering and pretended to pick one up. "Thank you."

"You're welcome!"

He watched for nearly a full minute as Dominique poured more tea for all of her teddy bears and two of Louis' — the young boy had been looking for them for days. Now he knew where they had vanished to. Eventually, Bill spoke up. "Why are you having a tea party under the bed?"

She smiled innocently. "We're in my castle, Daddy!"

His head bobbed up and down. "Of course we are, how did I not know that?"

A giggle filled the small space. "That's okay. This is your first time here! Usually, Vic plays with me but she went shopping. I couldn't let the bears down though, they were excited!"

"That is very thoughtful of you, Dom, I'm glad you were here for them," Bill replied. Even though it was all pretend, he couldn't help but feel incredibly proud of his daughter right now. "How about after your tea party, we go flying together?" he asked.

Dominique's face completely lightened up in absolute joy and slid out from under the bed within two seconds. "Race you there, Daddy!"

Bill moved to chase her and caught his head on the bed. "Ouch! Every time!" he muttered before running after her.

At least he accomplished getting her out from under the bed. However, he wished he had worked out that she wasn't actually upset in the first place.