Chapter 37 - Bill Weasley
GN
Lee had decided to sit with us on the train ride back to London a few days after the attack. When I stepped off the train with my trunk in hand, I dropped it the moment I saw the recently engaged pair waiting for me on the platform. In normal circumstances I would hug my brother first, but now my arms flew around Charlie's neck.
"I'm so sorry." I whispered in his neck. Charlie's arm went around my waist and hugged me close. "How is he?" I asked when I finally pulled back.
"Good. It was touch and go for a moment, but he pulled through. He's coming home tomorrow."
I sighed out a breath of relief. "That's great, Charlie."
"She's been in a frenzy for the past few days." Cedric chuckled dryly as he dropped my trunk next to me.
"I was not!" I chastised him and slapped his chest, but he just smiled softly. I turned back and hugged Bash. "Hey, you."
"Hey, little one. I missed you."
"I missed you too." I mumbled in his chest before turning to Cedric. "I'll see you next week. I'll just pop over around noon, okay?"
"Perfect!" Cedric grinned and pulled me out of Bash's arms and hugged me himself. "See you, Winnie." He winked and kissed my cheek before apparating home.
"Let's get going." Bash looped his arm through mine.
"Where are we staying?" I asked looking between the pair.
"You'll see." Charlie said with a grin, and we disappeared.
We landed in a spacious flat, decorated by muggles by the looks of it. A large leather couch was standing in front of a tv. The large bookcase against the wall was filled with books with a first glance it wasn't something unusual but when you looked closer you could see books on curse breaking, runes and much more on the magical world. I put my trunk on the floor and walked around the room. A quick glance out the window confirmed my suspicion that we were in muggle London. I took a book on curses of the Middle Ages from the bookcase and flipped it open.
"Already raiding my stuff, Northon?" A familiar voice came from behind me. I closed the book while I turned to the sound of the voice. Standing next to Charlie and Bash was none other than Bill Weasley.
"This is your place then?" I asked, placing the book back.
"It is. Just moved in last month." He stepped closer. "Took a job at Gringotts." He waved his wand, and my trunk flew out of the room.
"It's beautiful." I kissed his cheek. "You don't mind housing all three of us?"
"Not at all." He waved his hand. "Let me give you a quick tour." He offered his arm and led me to the hallway. The hallway was divided with four doors. One led to Bill's room, one to the bathroom and the other two to the guestrooms. "You can kip in here." He said opening the second guestroom. Her trunk already placed on the bed. "So, I hear you and George are a couple now."
"We are." I said slowly as I looked around the room. "Almost a year. In two days, actually. I'm sorry about your dad, Bill."
"S okay. He's a strong man."
"That he is." I agreed.
"So, did Charlie tell you I'm the best man at the wedding?" He asked as we walked back to the living room.
"He did." I answered. I could hear Bash and Charlie talk from the door at the other end of the living room.
"Let's go to the kitchen." He gestured to the door. Charlie and Bash were sitting at the kitchen island with four cups of tea in front of them. "So, wedding plans." Bill grinned as we sat down in front of the couple and shook of my coat. "Gwen and I need to match as we walk the isle together." He said as he shot me a wink.
"I was thinking we could all head out to Muggle London after Christmas. Tomorrow the shops close early and on Christmas day everything is closed. So, maybe after?"
"I'm free." I grinned. "William?" I turned to Bill, who glared at me.
"I'm free too. I start working after new year's."
"Brilliant."
"Why muggle London?" Bill asked curious.
"Better clothes." The three of us chimed.
"Well." Bill chuckled. "Can't argue with the three of you, can I?"
"No, you can't." We chimed again and we started laughing.
That evening Charlie and Bill made us dinner. Like Fred and George, and even Ron and Ginny, Bill and Charlie worked well together. You could see they grew up side-by-side and were incredibly close. It wasn't as flawless as the twins, but it was nice to see their dynamic. That night we didn't even turn on the tv, we just talked all night. I talked about Umbridge and what happened to the twins at Quidditch pitch. Charlie and Bash talked about the plans they had already made for the wedding and informed me on the dragons I had worked with last summer. Bill explained why he moved back to England and how it all went. About how excited his mother was when he told her the news. It was late when I finally went to the room Bill had set up for me specifically, and I fell asleep the moment my head found the pillow.
GN
"Morning, sunshine." Bill said happily when I emerged from the guestroom.
"Morning, is that green tea?" I asked when I saw the large kettle on the table.
"Help yourself." He grinned as he sat down across from me with his own cup.
"Thanks again for letting me stay here, Bill." I said as I put the hot cup of tea in my hands.
"And once again, don't worry about it."
"I can't help myself." I chuckled. "You just moved in and now the three of us are crashing here for a week."
"With Charlie and me living in different countries, we didn't see each other much the past years, so I enjoy that he's here."
"Seeing you two work together yesterday, I can see you have a close bond." I sipped my tea.
"We have. Ginny and Ron were always so young. The twins had each other and Percy..."
"Is Percy." We both said with a grin. And Bill continued. "And I was the only one who knew about Charlie. And then about Bash."
"Charlie said you met him a few months after they got together?"
"Yeah, I had a meeting in Romania and stayed with him a few days, so I got to meet him, but didn't have much chance to talk to him. But that's why I'm glad you two are here. So, we can get to know each other better. Because the both of you are becoming family in a few months."
"I would like that." I smiled. "And like you said we'll be walking down the aisle soon; I would like the know the man on my arm."
"Why don't we go out for breakfast. Let the two lovebirds have a lie-in." Bill suggested.
"It's a date."
"Don't let George hear that." Bill chuckled as he summoned our coats, and I rolled my eyes playfully. Once we both had our coats on, Bill looped his arm through mine. "Muggle of Wizarding?"
"You choose." I said and with a pop we were gone.
GN
Bill apparated us to an empty alley, so muggle London then. He didn't let go of my arm and we walked together to a little bistro around the corner. The street was still pretty empty, and the sun was just starting to rise when we settled us in the corner of the bistro. After placing our order, we began talking in the quiet bistro.
"So, what do your parents do? The twins informed me you can resist Veritaserum."
"I can. I don't know if Bash had mentioned anything about them, but they travel all year round. They work with unusual and ancient artifacts. They travel the world to precure them. I think it was when I turned five, that they stopped dealing them. Now they hunt them down and place them in our secure family vault or hand them over to the right ministry. When Bash started school, they took me with them on their trips when they couldn't find a sitter. So, I was trained early on to resist it, to keep the secrets from Dead Eather's and whoever wants to use them for evil."
"Did Bash learn?"
"No, he never went with us. He doesn't know the things I know, the things I've seen." I shuddered.
"I'm sorry. I can't imagine." He placed his hand on mine.
"Being a curse breaker, I'm pretty sure you've seen your fair share yourself."
"Maybe." He shrugged, accepting his breakfast plate with a flirtatious smile as the waitress brought it over. The waitress blushed before walking back to the register. "But I wasn't as young as you were when you witnessed those things."
"I learned to compartmentalize." I said as I cut my pancake. "Can you tell me more about curse breaking? I'm really interested in that." I quickly changed the subject, Bill picked up on that of course and jumped in.
"I thought you were more like Charlie, working with creatures and such."
"Can't I do both?" I raised an eyebrow with a small smile. "I love working with animals and creatures, but I'm also fascinated by curses and alchemy."
"Bash mentioned something about alchemy. You can apprentice in Africa."
"Yeah, Abbo offered me one. But I thought I redirected the conversation to you." I pointed my fork at him with a grin.
"Fine, fine." Bill chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "The first time I thought about working as a curse breaker was in my fourth year -" Bill started, and I listened intently. I listened to why he became so interested in it, to his first job and moving to another country. I listened to the adventures he had since leaving school, which he pointed out was very dangerous. Was he trying to talk me out of the world of curse breaking? I don't know, but it was funny how he threw it into the conversation.
GN
After breakfast Bill told me that he had to pick up a few of his last-minute Christmas presents and asked me to tag along. Since it was fun hanging around Bill, I agreed to go with him. We stopped at an old-fashioned electro store and picked up a gift for his dad, before he apparated us to Diagon Alley. I was standing outside of the bakery, waiting for Bill to retrieve a present when I spotted a for lease/for sale sign. I glanced back through the window and saw Bill chatting with the store clerk. The street was getting crowded with people buying their last-last-minute Christmas presents. I pushed myself through the people to the other side of the road and walked to the abandoned shop. The building was two floors high. I placed my hands on the window and looked inside. The store was dusty and dark, but it was roomy, and I saw a spiral staircase led upstairs. I pulled back and looked at the sign on the window.
For Lease – For Sale
Shop with two floors, a workroom and a large storage space.
Within price: a flat behind the shop on the first floor. 2 bedrooms, 1-bathroom, open kitchen and a storage room.
If you are interested, please owl to: Harley Wilkes, Wilkes Farm on Waterbridge, Nothern England.
I read the text two times before I copied the note. Just when I was folding it, Bill appeared next to me.
"Don't disappear on me like that, it's not safe."
"I can take care of myself, Bill." I said putting the note in my pocket. "But I'm sorry, I'll stick by your side from now on, okay?" I smiled and looped my arm through his.
"You better." He said with a smile. "So, window shopping for a shop?"
"It's not for me." I shook my head, laughing softly.
"The twins?" He asked. "They told me. They asked for advice on how to tell mum about not following in dad's footsteps."
"And how did that go?" I chuckle.
"Well, I told them to hold on to their hats." He grinned. "That wasn't going to be easy. Oh, I want to go in the quidditch shop." Bill said excitedly.
"You Weasleys are all the same." I rolled my eyes laughing as we walked in the shop.