Chapter Twelve.

Bill had just recently arrived back in England to join his family for the reunion so that they could all attend the Quidditch World Cup. He had been expecting to help his father make preparations for their stay out in Devon, but found that Arthur was strangely insistent about some weird Ministry party. In all honesty, Bill wanted to relax and maybe take a nap, but there was no shutting up his father once he had become this persistent.

"Hurry up, we're going to be running a bit late and I really don't want to be late," Arthur glanced fervently down at his pocket watch before shoving it back into his pocket. He was dressed as nicely as he could afford, which was a brown set of shabby dress robes.

"What is this party even for?" Bill yawned. He had enough money from work to have purchased a nicer set of dress robes and this was the first time he'd gotten all smart and put it on. However, he could imagine his mother shrieking about his earring and long hair had she been given the chance.

"It's like a mingling... between all the departments. Only happens once every five years," Arthur told his son.

"So why do I have to go? It's obviously for Ministry employees," Bill pointed out.

"Just trust me. Plus I bet you'll run into Tonks and Gosling while we're there," Arthur waved him off, not bothering to give him anymore information. While it was slightly infuriating, Bill would be lying if he wasn't curious why his father was so adamant on taking him to this annual party.

Taking his father's arm, he side along disapparated with him, so that they wouldn't get split up. Despite being a warm and clear summer evening, the Ministry was bustling with well dressed witches and wizards. From all appearances, this was a very high caliber event and Bill was actually glad that he had bothered to put his new robes. on.

The entire first level of the Ministry had been opened up for the workers and whomever they chose to bring with them. A security wizard was still keeping an eye on the festivities, but the lifts had all been locked down. Gentle music from a jazz band lilted in the corner, a smooth swing that was mellow enough to create a pleasant atmosphere without being too loud or jarring.

Servers bustled around with trays of h'orderves and sparkling champagne. Witches old and young were bedecked in elegant gowns to gowns that certainly did not suit their aging bodies, to ones that were so old and outdated that Bill was reminded vaguely of the robes he and Charlie had to wear for the Celestial Ball. When a server passed him, he dexterously swiped a flute of champagne and then arched a brow at his father.

"Why didn't you take mum as your plus one? She would have enjoyed getting ready for this," Bill remarked, taking a sip of the champagne and enjoying how the bubbles danced in his mouth.

But when he turned to look at his father, Arthur was missing. Glancing around for his one lifeline among a tide of Ministry employees, Bill spotted him disappearing into a crowd of coworkers that he was more familiar with. Bill frowned, wondering why his father would insist that he come and then abandon him upon arrival.

So Bill began to wander, checking out the youngest and prettiest witches, who snuck glances at him and giggled as they noticed he was giving them attention. He noticed Cornelius Fudge by the back of his head and the awful lime green bowler's hat that he still sported, even when he was in dress robes.

"And this here is a strapping young Auror. She spent four years travelling around the world. Absolutely astounding dedication to her job. How many languages did you learn while you were abroad?" Cornelius beckoned to a slender young woman beside him.

"Only two, sir," she chuckled.

"Only two! Do you hear how modest she is?" he roared, echoed by the laughter of the others conversing with them.

Bill took another look, puzzled by what he overheard. The woman was in a backless black gown that clung to her athletic frame. Thick hair billowed in waves down her back, a pearly white. Her shoulders were freckled, but aside from that, Bill couldn't really see who it was. He circled round casually to try and glimpse her, noticing that there were quite a few young men (and a few older) who were surrounding the Minister, eyeing the woman with smitten expressions.

Finally, Bill managed to get to a spot where he could utilize his height to spy on her. His stomach twisted itself into knots as he saw the woman beside Cornelius Fudge. Her hair was thick and pale, pulled away from her face in intricate and elegant braids, half of it had fallen down her back in the voluminous waves. The dress curved up in a halter, caressing her slender upper body and falling around her hips. She was tall, her lashes long and dark, fluttering against feline-esc hazel eyes. Her rosy lips pulled up in a bemused smile, like a cat playing with a mouse.

At her wrist was a golden bracelet with butterfly pendants, each butterfly separated by a flower with a Japanese kanji symbols pressed within it. Her arms were laced with a few scars, the most prominent of which was on the palm holding a glass of pinot grigio.

He knew why his father had wanted him to come to this party.

"Are you looking to get back in the field anytime soon?" a wizard nearest to her asked, extremely preoccupied with the plunging neckline on the gown, though it was pressed neatly to her skin and did not rustle when she moved.

"No, I think I'm going to remain in London now. It was fun to get experience around the world, but I've been gone for too long and I have friends I must catch up with. I'm afraid I haven't been the best friend since I haven't returned once in those four years," the woman told him.

"Oh, so that means I'll probably see you around here then?" he followed up.

The corner of her lip twitched, which Bill immediately knew that she was beginning to grow irritated with the man's doddering. However, she recovered quickly and gave him a smile that melted him. "Perhaps after I take my leave. I have been given a paid leave of absence for my work over these last few years."

"Of course on my suggestion," Corneilius followed up quickly. "Scrimgeour would have loved to put you on the scent of Black, but we have plenty of other Aurors that are working on that right now."

Bill's heart was hammering in his chest. He was so close, but he also felt so far. He couldn't approach while she was in the limelight, he had to bide his time, hopefully she would notice him standing in the back and break away. She certainly had quite a few admirers trying to garner her attention.

"If you'll excuse me Minister, there are a few other acquaintances that I would like to speak with this evening," she bid courteously.

"Of course, Ms. Hiddleston. Now, about our most recent work on the World Cup-" he started, stirring the attention of some of the listeners, but most of them followed her with their eyes as she stepped away.

One had actually been stupid enough to follow her, as if her sweet words and coy smiles had actually been more than a facade. They were rudely mistaken when she noticed they were tailing her and she shot them a rueful and venomous glare that stopped him in his tracks. Bill slid between throngs of workers, catching snippets of day to day conversation, and keeping his eye on her until he lost her within the ever shifting crowd.

Bill paused, he was thrilled to see her again and following after her also brought a warmth to him. She hadn't even noticed him yet. Had he changed that much? He swapped his flute out for another.

"You know Weasley, I can tell when someone is following me," a drawling voice sneered from behind him, but it wasn't entirely unfriendly.

Bill whirled around to see Bethany standing behind him, her arms crossed and a dark brow arched at him in amusement. "They teach you that in Auror school?"

Bethany chuckled and for a slight moment, the political mask she had been wearing vanished. She recovered quickly. "No, Moody taught me that. Although he's a bit better given that he's got a magical eye to watch his back," she retorted, drawing just a step nearer.

"The Minister has taken quite a liking to you," he observed, unable to take his eyes from her face.

"The Minister is fond of distractions. I was such for a few minutes. Anything he can do to distract from his nerves and the fact that he foolishly put dementors on the Hogwarts Grounds last year," she raised her glass of wine and finished it. Bill spotted a gleam in her eyes, a gleam that drew him a step toward her.

"I must admit that I was taken for a moment. Although... You had quite a few admirers. I was a bit late to the fanclub," Bill smirked.

Bethany snorted, her eyes glancing past him and toward the milling crowd. There was a dull and bored expression reflected in her eyes. "I'd prefer if you didn't count yourself among a number of those oafs. Did you hear that one beside me? Already trying to figure out my schedule so he could intercept me in the hopes of asking me out to coffee. At least in Tokyo their Ministry was considerably more professional."

"Ah, back in London and already making great new friends among coworkers," Bill said lightly.

"Friends? They sent me away for 4 years. I think Scirmgeour was worried that I would get myself into trouble due to what happened to my family. The reason he wouldn't take me back until now was because he thought I needed time to decompress in anger," she informed him tartly.

"Hm, looks like he was mistaken. You sound quite livid," Bill chuckled.

"At him, yes, at the world? No. I was never as angry as he seemed to think I was. But seeing how the other Ministries operated gave me good insight on how terribly we are doing."

Bill had been mid-sip when she said this, snorting into his champagne before he could stop himself. "Really?" he managed hoarsely, the bubbles burning his throat and nose.

Bethany batted her lashes slowly. "Yes. MACUSA is proactive, very fast acting, and does not delay. They entrust their subordinates to get the job done rather than having the head of the department micromanaging and dictating unimportant details that only hinder investigation. On the other hand, in Japan, they are so sharp and organized that I'm astounded how we function. You ever hear about dark wizards rising in their countries?" A wry smirk twisted at her lips again. "It's because they investigate rumors and don't try to pretend there's no salt in the words of others because they fear what the truth might be."

"Wow, sounds like you should quit your job and become a Curse-Breaker instead. I know someone who works as Gringotts and should be able to get you a job there."

"As fun as slaying mummies and disengaging booby traps sounds, I made a promise, Bill," she reminded him, stepping up alongside of him and gazing out into the crowd. "Change starts from within," she glanced up at him and smiled. "I'm going to make Scrimgeour's life a living hell."

"Moody really did hand off the torch to you, didn't he?" Bill asked.

"I can only hope I don't also inherit the eye, but I suppose that is true in some respects... I've been meaning to visit him again, but I heard he's already had an eventful summer. I know he enjoys his solitude," she remarked. "Although... would you still think I was pretty if I had two mad eyes?" she gestured to herself with a wild grin.

"Only if you kept your eyes closed," Bill chuckled.

Beth closed her eyes. "I suppose that'll work. I can still see you with my mad eyes closed. Maybe I'd just wear a blindfold."

"What are your plans now that you're back in London? You said you had some time off?"

"For starters, I'm going to the Quidditch Cup. You know, get a sense of normality back in my life, see all of the Weasley family again, enjoy myself, maybe drink a little too much, and then I suspect I'll go back to work, seeing that I'm a workaholic."

Bill's spirits lifted even higher at the thought of having Beth reunited with all of the family. "And does my dad know about this... Like you've got a space in our tent and all?"

"Your father brought you here because he knew I would be here, didn't he?"

Bill opened his mouth, but closed it and breathed a laugh. "He was so excited to bring me here. You know, I almost didn't come."

"Oh, you would have regretted that for sure."

"Are you certain? I mean, I'm still mad at you that it's been 4 years," Bill said airily.

Bethany rolled her eyes at him, somehow she had acquired another glass of wine. "I'll go find someone who isn't mad at me if you'd rather-" she made to step away, but Bill reached forward and grabbed her free hand.

"No, you think I'm letting you out of my sight now that you're back? Mum will kill me if you slip away and disappear for another few years," Bill insisted lightly.

"Just for your mother then? I would visit her of course, or I think she'd send me a Howler a day," Beth prompted, again raising a brow at him. "If it was Molly I had wanted to see, your father would have just taken her tonight."

The thought of his mother seeing Beth in the crowd was comical. She would have bowled over all the admirers and stolen Beth away from the entire party had she been there. "For me," he raised the hand he held and pressed his lips to the back of it. Her skin was soft beneath his mouth, his eyes on her as he performed the action. His heart burned in his chest and he wondered what her reaction would be.

A different smile creased Beth's face. The shields had been lowered and this was a real smile, a glimmer of the old Beth that he had known from their years at Hogwarts. He released her hand and she drew it back to her chest as if it had been burned. Clearing her throat she glanced into the crowd, a bit of color creeping across her fair freckled cheeks. "Do you wanna ditch this place?"

"And go where?" Bill asked.

She gave him a mischievous smirk. "There's no fun in telling, is there?" Offering her hand again, she drew him through the party, throwing smiles in the direction of those that greeted them. She slid her glass onto a platter and they glided out from the din of the party. Before Bill realized what was happening a loud crack had him tugged away from the Ministry of Magic and he was suddenly beneath a star filled summer sky.

They had apparated underneath the large tree in the backyard of the Burrow. Bill glanced around the trunk of the old tree and saw the lights of the Burrow illuminated in the windows. Beth took a seat on the ground, caring little for her dress as she leaned her back against the trunk and stared up into the sky complacently.

Pulling his eyes and turning his back to the Burrow, he sat down beside her, stretching out his long legs. "This was your great idea?"

"Perfect, right? I haven't seen this place in ages," Beth grinned, winking at him impishly.

"You know what... It is perfect," Bill admitted, reaching over and wrapping his arm around Beth's slender shoulders so that he could pull her close. She eased into him, kicking off her heels so that her slender feet stuck out in the grass dappled by the moonlight. Resting his cheek on the top of the intricate braids crowning her, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, drinking in her smells; rain, old books, wild roses, and a hint of dried lime.

Maybe distance had made the heart grow fonder. It had been back in their 5th year that Bill realized how stupid he had been. Sitting next to him everyday was a brilliant witch and it had taken her putting a dress on for him to realize that. She'd been disappointed in him, that much was obvious. However, with the death of her family and her new found ambition, he understood that Beth didn't want distractions. A part of him had given up, believing that Beth would remain solitary for the remainder of her life. Once they had graduated, exchanging letters had become their only method of contact and he was embarrassed at the fact that he did tell his mother how much he missed her when he was back in Devon.

His mother wanted him to end up with Beth. She was already part of the family, why not make it official? Bill didn't want to fill her head with expectations that might never come to fruition and with each passing year that she was gone, he yearned to see her even more. It was so strange, being around someone nearly everyday for 7 years, to suddenly be a world apart for many years after.

"Bill?" Beth stirred slightly.

"Hm?" he was enjoying how her head rested in the crook of his arm and how she was leaned against him. He'd lost track of time.

"I think we should go inside before everyone goes to bed," Beth told him.

"We could just stay here all night," the counter offered.

"Mm, no. You're not the only Weasley I have to appease. Your mother's fury scares even me," she lifted her head and urged him to get up by upsetting the comfortable balance of how they had been sitting. She bent over and picked up her heels, hooking them on one finger before she got up, extending a hand to him.

Bill was pulled to his feet and they rounded toward the Burrow. Lights shimmered in the windows and Bill was eager to see the reactions of the family as they walked in. He paused, turning to Beth. "Let me go in first," he suggested, reaching for the door. The shadow of his mother in the kitchen made a grin spread across his face.

She arched a brow curiously at him, but nodded.

Bill opened the door to find that his mother was still making preparations for their trip for the World Cup. She had a polka dotted smock on and turned her attention to Bill. "Back already?" she asked. "Where's your father? Is he with you too?" she had a tray of cookies in her hands.

"No actually, I've brought someone else," Bill glanced to the door and Beth waltzed in.

When he glanced back at his mother she was so startled that the cookies went flying over her head along with the tray. A loud clatter stirred the house as she frantically threw herself at the young woman. "Beth!" she screamed, wrapping her arms around Beth's slender form, so tightly that Bill though his mother was going to snap her in half.

"Oi, what's the ruckus in here?" Ginny asked coming from the den to see what had happened. Her eyes widened when she saw who her mother was fretting over. "Beth?" she breathed, as if saying the name would make her vanish.

Molly had only just released Beth. "None other," she smiled.

Ginny was next to fling herself at Beth, though she wasn't as rough as Molly had been. "Ron! Ron get in here!" she shouted, turning her head away from Beth for a moment. "What was it like travelling? Do you have any cool trinkets with you?"

"It's good to be back… I'm afraid I haven't brought anything with me right now, but I do have things in my flat. Bill kidnapped me from a Ministry party," she told Ginny, sneaking a glance over at him.

He couldn't help but smile, even though precisely the opposite had happened.

"I believe it," Ginny snorted, giving him a sideways look that suggested he was up to no good. "You probably had to twist his ear to come here."

"A bit-"

"Ginny what are you hollering about?" Ron was coming down the stairs now, two other silhouettes hidden behind him. "Bloody hell! I thought you were dead or something!" Ron cursed as he set eyes on Beth. "You're all dressed up though. Were you at some sort of event?"

"Nothing too important," Beth waved off nonchalantly. "You've all grown up."

"You've been gone for a long time," Ginny reminded her.

"It's not her fault," Molly piped up, forgetting about the cookies on the floor.

"Na, that'll be the Ministry, right? Harry, this is the Auror I was telling you about," Ron and his friends came down the stairs. The girl had bushy brown hair and warm eyes, which were curious but also perceptive and sharp. The boy was lanky and had a mess of black hair, green eyes flashing beneath his round wire framed glasses; Harry Potter. "Beth these are my best friends, Harry and Hermione."

Beth brushed Ginny on the shoulder before crossing the kitchen to meet new friends. "A pleasure to meet you two..." she paused, glancing between them before a smile unfolded. "Hermione... I've heard a lot about you. Sounds like you're going to give Bill a run for his money when it comes to O.W.L.s. and N.E.W.T.s. achieved."

Hermione's cheeks turned pink as she shook Beth's hand and then glanced at Bill. "Oh, I don't know about that."

"You're the smartest witch in our year, I bet you could," Ron proclaimed.

"Bill got 12 didn't he, though?" Hermione asked quietly.

"It's just a number," Bill took a seat at the table and waved it off. "Beth was always better at Transfiguration and Potions."

"You were taking 12 classes and I was taking 7," she replied dryly, but then devoted her attention to the second friend. "A pleasure to finally meet you Harry. I've heard plenty of good things about you from the family."

Harry smiled at her and Bill rather thought it was because he was admiring how she was dressed and looked. "I remember your letter from over a year ago. Ron told me you were like an older sister to him... And your face is on the Weasley clock too. Are you married to Bill or Charlie?"

It was an innocent enough question, which was met with a slightly awkward silence. "No she's not married to either of them, though I don't think they'd be too nonplussed by the arrangement," Fred and George appeared on the stairs too. "Mum and dad took her in some years ago. After..."

"After my family was killed by Death Eaters," Beth filled in smoothly, unbroken by the truth of her words.

"Tea? Does anyone want tea?" Molly had finished collecting the ruined cookies.

"That sounds lovely," Beth smiled before coming round the table to sit next to Bill.

"Damn Hids, did a ghost spook you? Your hair's gone white," George took a seat across from them.

"Yeah, the ghost was called the Auror Exam," Beth retorted, everyone had begun to fill the table, even Harry and Hermione were interested in her arrival.

"Sounds terrifying," Fred pretended to shudder.

"And I've heard that the two of you have been up to no good," Beth smirked.

"Guilty as charged. You going to throw us into Azkaban for it?" George prompted.

"I might... Afterall, those candies you sent me made me throw up for an hour before I could figure out how to make it stop. That's assault on an Auror you know," Beth's smile grew wider.

"You what!?" Molly rounded nose, her eyes blazing as they fixated on the Twins. "You sent Bethany some of your wretched experiments?"

"We were kind of hoping she'd have to come back to the Burrow to get the antidote. Should have figured that her training in healing magics would have helped her," Fred murmured, but he didn't look apologetic in the slightest.

"So, what are your plans now that you're back in England?" Ginny asked her eagerly.

"I've got some time off and plan to spend some of it at the World Cup with you all before school begins," Bethany informed her, delighted smiles appearing from the Weasleys around the table. "Where's Charlie and Percy?"

"Percy started work in the Department of International Magical Cooperation under Barty Crouch," Molly brimmed with pride as she presented the information.

"Oh, so he's busy helping with the preparations for the World Cup then?"

"Yes he is," Molly smiled. "Charlie should be here in a couple of days."

"I got here before Charlie?" Beth arched a brow, clearly amused by this.

"We saw Charlie just last year, not gonna cut is Hids," Fred told her sharply.

"What am I going to have to do to make it up to you two?" she sighed.

"You shouldn't have asked them that," Bill breathed, watching as the Twins grinned wildly and then turned to each other to confer.

"We heard you acquired Jarvey..." Fred began.

"Why you want him?"

"You'd give him to us?" George asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, he's a wanker," Beth shook her head. "But the Japanese love Jarveys! I really don't know why."

Molly returned with tea for the table, unaware of the transaction that had just occurred. She took a seat and gazed over joyfully at Bethany. "Beth, how were your travels? You must tell us what it was like going to all of these foreign places."

Beth inhaled deeply. "It's a bit of a long story," but when she glanced down the table, everyone was leaning in to hear what she was saying. "But I suppose I'll begin with Dublin-"

She launched into her work in Ireland before being relocated in Transylvania. There was a large vampire population there given the weather and history, which caused a lot of problems. Along with Moody she had been trying to help restore order between wizardkind and the vampires, as many attacks on people were being blamed on the vampires. She left for MACUSA when they seemed to be getting nowhere.

Where she had been the field for over a year, her time in MACUSA was more political. She got to work alongside of American Aurors and handle some cases with them across the country. Otherwise she was in Manhattan, experiencing the vastly different city life when compared to London. Beth got off on a bit of a tangent as she was asked questions about New York and America in general. Because she spent so much time there, the conversation hovered over it for a while.

Eventually, when she moved onto Japan, it was obvious that she had really enjoyed the culture and work ethic. America wasn't too far off from England, but Japan was another world. Her favorite part from Japan aside from the culture was the food. She wasn't given as much freedom in America and did a lot of paperwork with their Ministry and writing reports on what many might consider mundane disturbances.

"So you weren't like... duelling all the time?" Ron asked, a bit disappointed.

"What? Did you think that Aurors are constantly fighting Dark Wizards?" Hermione asked him sharply.

"I dunno, I just expected that if they kept her away so long it was for some super secret mission," Ron shrugged, cheeks burning from the sting of her words.

"It's good that she wasn't constantly fighting Dark Wizards," Harry pointed out lightly. "Though America did present some unique situations."

"Comes with the territory. America is so large that there's bound to be something always happening," Beth reasoned before stifling a yawn.

"Look at the time, I can't believe we've been sitting here for three hours," Molly squeaked when she looked at the clock. "Beth, are you staying here? I might have room-"

"I have my tent for the World Cup back at my flat. I can go there quickly and grab my things and change, then I'll stay outside. You've already got a lot of people staying here, no reason to make anyone uncomfortable," Bethany told her, standing up and stretching.

"Bill, why don't you go with Beth and give her a hand?" Molly suggested.

Bill's lips twitched before he smiled and stood up. He knew what she was suggesting, even if she'd turned around and gone back to cleaning the teacups. She didn't want Beth out of anyone's sight and she also wanted him to spend time with her alone.

"Just give me a moment to change out of my dress robes," Bill told Beth.

"Hermione, I'll grab those magazines for you too while I'm there. I think you'll find them interesting," Beth was saying to Ron's friend as Bill slipped by and hurried to his old bedroom. Whenever he was back in the country, he would utilize this room and share it with Charlie. He traded his dress robes for comfortable trousers and a light coat before glancing in the mirror. Why was he fussing about how he looked? He never really thought much of it. His long red hair was secured back in a low ponytail and he still had his fang earring in. He wondered if Beth thought it was stupid like his mother did.

Bill went back down the stairs and found Beth waiting for him, deep in conversation with Hermione. "Right, the theory is different when it comes to living objects vs inanimate. It's always easier to a living creature into an item, but not the reverse."

"I find conjuration of live animals the most challenging, but I think what you've just told me might help significantly," Hermione smiled broadly. "Will... Would you mind if I talked to you some more about Transfiguration?"

"Of course not, it's my favorite subject," Beth's eyes lifted and she settled on Bill. "Ready to go?"

He nodded.

"Molly we'll be back in a bit," Beth called to her in the Scullery.

"You better!"

Exiting the Burrow, Beth offered her hand to Bill once again. The moment he had securely grabbed onto it he was torn away from his family home, through the darkness of the night, and toward London. When they stopped careening, they were in Diagon Alley, which at night was a completely different place. The streets were illuminated by the lamp posts and the stores were all closed. Even Gringotts was especially imposing as they passed by it and continued further than the alley than he'd ever bothered to venture.

These were all residential buildings.

Beth stopped in front of a building with peeling juniper blue paint and pulled out a key. She unlocked the door, a tendril from the planter reaching toward them before she flicked it away. She lifted her wand and lit the sconces on the walls, revealing the 1st floor flat that she had on Diagon Alley.

"Sorry it's a bit of a mess. I never really got the chance to unpack," she mused.

The entrance had led them into a den area that was open to a small eat in kitchen where boxes were stacked on the counter. She didn't have too many belongings, just some furniture in the living area. Bill sat down on one of the armchairs as she disappeared into the bedroom. There was a leather photo diary on the tea table in front of him.

Bill leaned over and picked it up, blowing off the layer of dust that had claimed it. When he flipped it open he found himself tumbling back through time. Inside of it were newspaper clippings, specifically the pictures with the headings. The first was of a very little Beth standing beside Professor McGonagall with a copy of Transfiguration Today in her hands. Young Beth was smiling, but appeared very nervous and shy. It was when her first articles had been published. Bill continued through the book, quite a few were articles and pictures when there were some, of Beth.

He found a school picture from Beth's 4th year of her and Ford, which was in color. Not too far after that was a picture of him, Charlie, and Beth in their later years at Hogwarts. It was so strange, almost like looking through time as he continued to flip through it

"Oh, you found that old thing?" Beth asked, appearing in a change of clothes.. She had loosened all of the braids in her hair and it fell around her face frizzy and wavy.

"Yeah, I didn't know there were so many pictures of us all," Bill marveled.

"Your mother actually made that for me," Beth said, she was in a loose fitting shirt and trousers, more becoming of pajamas than outside clothes. She took a ribbon and tied back her thick hair in a ponytail. She set a backpack on the counter and rummaged through it. "Alright... I should be all set."

"That's all you're bringing?" Bill inquired, setting the book down. "Unless..."

"It's got an Extension Charm," she filled in. "Perks of working for the Ministry. They did owe me," she muttered grudgingly.

"How long have you had this place for?" he asked her.

"Since I got back so all... a day? And most of that day I spent in debriefs," Beth rolled her eyes. "When I finally get it in order, I'll have you over for tea... Whenever you're around in London."

"I was thinking of taking a desk job," Bill told her as they left the flat, Bethany locking the door behind them.

She gave him a bemused stare. "You? Take a desk job?" The idea sounded hilarious when she repeated it, but he had his reasons.

"If what you think is true... From your letter... I want to be close if something happens," Bill admitted as they walked aimlessly down Diagon Alley at midnight in the summer.

"You're welcome to have lunch at my flat then since it's a short walk," Beth shrugged nonchalantly. "I do admit, it would be nice to see you for more than the span of the World Cup."

"I'd like to see more of you too," Bill said honestly before extending his hand. "My turn?"

"Sure," she took his hand and he focused on the Burrow, the warmth and clutter of the house, and the tall summer grass. They appeared in the garden again and Beth wasted no time pulling out the tent parts from her bag and setting them on the ground. She moved a bit slower, clearly tired from the endeavors of the day.

"Let me help you," Bill offered, beginning to put together the tent. When the pieces had been laid out, he drew his wand and assembled them. Beth had taken up post on the other side so that they could align the parts in tandem.

She murmured an incantation, likely to activate the charms within as the fabric stretched itself along the poles. From all appearances, it was a dark amber Muggle tent. Keeping a light at the end of her wand, she gave Bill a weary smile. He came round the tent to bid her goodnight.

"Night Bill, I'll see you in the morning," she yawned, covering her mouth as she made to enter her tent.

Bill caught her by the arm and turned her back around before she could escape. A part of him was worried that in the morning she wouldn't be there and that this would be the last time for another few years that he'd get to see her. He drank in her features, the freckles on her fair cheeks, the way the moonlight danced in her wavy ivory hair, and her warm hazel eyes. He pulled her in a tight embrace. "You better be here in the morning," he murmured.

"I'm not leaving anytime soon," she promised and he could take her at her word. Beth had never been the type to break oaths. She drew back slightly, reminding him faintly that she was quite tall for a woman. "Good night," she lifted the flap and disappeared within the tent, leaving Bill to stare at it for a few silent moments. He didn't want to leave her, remembering the warmth of her against him when they had been sitting beneath the tree.

He turned to go back into the Burrow.

The fronds of sunlight filtering in through the window caught him in the face and caused him to stir from his slumber. Rubbing his eyes, it took Bill a moment to remember that Beth was here. He hastily got dressed, ran his fingers through his hair, and freshened up before he headed down into the kitchen. He could tell it was going to be a fair day and from the looks of it, some of his siblings were enjoying the morning outside. On the other hand, Beth was in the kitchen with his mother, trying her best at casting house charms and spells, but failing rather miserably.

For all the talent she had in Transfiguration, she couldn't seem to get the sponge to properly scrub the plates. Instead, the sponge was slapping against the plate like a fish out of water, splattering water all over the counter. Beth was trying to fix the broom that was banging against some pots, unaware of the fiasco at the sink.

"Good morning," he smiled.

Beth turned abruptly, her cheeks tinged pink as she tried to get control of the cleaning supplies. She was wearing a loose black tank top tucked into a pair of high waisted jeans, ivory hair pulled up in a high ponytail. A beaded necklace had been wrapped around her forearm a few times, a cross hanging from it. On her opposite forearm was a tattoo of a simple black cross, which Bill assumed was covered while she had worn the dress.

Bill simply gestured in the direction of the sink, watching as she became more frazzled, uncertain of how to remedy the solution. His only assumption for the Muggle attire was that they were going to be off to the campground today. In fact, the noise of his siblings had vanished and he could no longer see them out the window.

His mother reappeared and noticed that Beth was also having trouble. With a whip of her wand, she put everything back into working order and smiled, albeit hopelessly, at Beth who released the broom and allowed it to continue dusting its way through the house.

"Charlie should be here soon," his mother began, glancing out the window. "Your father just brought all the underaged children with him to utilize the Port Key nearby. Once Charlie arrives we can also join them."

"Do you need help with anything else?" Beth offered.

Molly tried to seem as if she couldn't think of anything. However, Bill saw through her stalling. She was trying to let Beth down gently without telling her that her 'help' was making more of a mess. "No, I think I've just about wrapped up," she said finally. "Why don't you two go for a walk? It's a very nice morning."

Bill had been hoping for some food, but because he had woken up late he supposed this was his mother's revenge. He stood up, Beth hovering over his mother before resigning herself to the front door.

"You could take a page or two out of those homemaking books my mother has on the shelves," Bill teased her as they stepped out into mild morning air.

"Shut it or I'll turn you into a frog," Beth muttered sharply, clearly flustered that she hadn't been good at something.

That, he knew she was perfectly capable of.

"Have you given more thought to staying in England?" Beth asked as they began their walk, wandering away from the Burrow.

"Between last night and sleeping?"

"Well, you slept for quite a while."

They crested a hill that overlooked the Burrow, hiding it from view of most Muggles who would have to go past many rolling hills and lush meadows to find it. Beth was looking down at a glade that was in between a few foothills.

"Let's go down there," she suggested, starting toward it without waiting for an answer from him. Beth bent over among a patch of wild flowers and Bill had a sudden urge.

"We should duel," Bill suggested abruptly.

Beth stood, holding a front of marigold between her fingers. "You want to duel?" she asked, to see if she had heard correctly.

All those years ago she had gone to him to help, to learn how to duel better, and he'd guided her in the right direction. Now that she had become an Auror, he wondered if she'd progressed further or still remained beneath his own skill set. The fire in the pit of his stomach was the old rivalry that had always been there, but in the years it had waned with her absence. "Yes."

Beth reached into her pocket and drew her wand, pale teal silk fluttering from the handle. "I warn you, I've learned a few new tricks."

"Tricks from Mad-Eye? I'd like to see them since I taught you everything else you know about duelling," Bill countered, drawing his own wand.

"You have a grand image of yourself, Bill. It'd be a shame if I knocked it and that smile right off of your face," Beth took a duelling stance and waited for him to mirror.

"We'll see about that," Bill smiled, bringing one leg back and raising his arm forward.

For a moment, they both watched each other for the slightest twitch or hint of movement. The wind blew through the grass rippling it like waves, a slight distraction. Bill tested the waters, "Expelliarmus!"

A scarlet light flashed from the end of his wand, but it was readily deflected by Beth's silent shield charm. She gave him an infuriating smirk. "Really now?" she taunted.

"Someone had to make the first move," he shrugged.

"I'm more surprised you had to use the incantation," she jested arrogantly.

Heat flooded to Bill's face, but he wasn't embarrassed. Instead, he was invigorated by her challenge, the idea of a duel without words. His own work never elicited duelling much, so he wondered if he had gotten rusty whereas Beth had kept her skills as sharp as a tack.

Beth struck next, a fiery orange light exploding from the tip of her wand, smashing into the shield that Bill placed in front of him. He was forced backward through the grass from the force of it, looking through the smoke to find yet another explosion hurling at him. Using the cover of the dust and dirt that had been kicked up, Bill sidestepped and aimed a spell at her meant to throw her backward. The force of the blow to her shield charm sent her stumbling back a few steps.

He aimed at the ground in front of her, an area that she wouldn't defending and blasted it open, grass and soil erupted from the spot and Bill tried to come around Beth while she was trying to see through the haze. However, she wasn't there. His head whipped around as he tried to find where he needed to aim. She couldn't have turned herself invisible could she?

A whizzing sound to his right caught his attention. The blades of grass that had been uprooted sailed at him and sliced at his face like tiny razors. He managed to fend off the last of the pieces, but when he looked for Beth again, he found himself turning circles. Something heavy struck him from behind and sent him flying face down into the grass. He twisted, trying to see what it was, but the pressure was steady and resolute.

When he managed to get his head turned just enough he could glimpse a dark form, a creature perched upon him. A low rumble resounded in the back of the animal's throat before it was content with victory. It released him just enough that he could turn over and gaze into the maw of the enormous feline that had pinned him. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and he slowly reached for the wand that he had dropped. Had Beth transfigured something to take the form of this large cat? His fingers had just tightened around the handle of his wand when it relented, drawing back and shifting back into the witch he had been duelling.

Beth was laughing uncontrollably, rolling off him and into the grass beside him so that she could wipe her eyes. "Oh I wish you could have seen your face, Bill."

"You're an Animagus?" he breathed, his heart still hammering in his chest from the sight of a black panther attacking him. "Since when?"

"I have been for years now. I learned during our 5th year," Beth informed him as if this were public knowledge. "I've been using it to move faster in duels. Especially when it's dark, it's difficult to see where I've moved."

"You learned this in our 5th year and you didn't tell me?"

"I sort of had other things on my mind," Beth reminded him. "And I didn't want to go telling everyone. It's best if fewer people know, that way I can utilize the skill to its fullest potential. Just as you saw. You had no idea I was an Animagus, so you weren't expecting an attack of that nature."

It was a clever strategy and had he truly been a Dark Wizard, he could only imagine those enormous claws tearing into his flesh and those fangs sinking into his flesh. When she was that close, she could disengage any wizard before he had the chance to reach for his wand. "What other secrets are you keeping?"

"Perhaps a few more," Beth teased before climbing to her feet and stretching, much like a cat that had finished basking in the sun after a long nap.

For some reason, in light of his defeat, Bill felt as if this might be the right moment. "Let's say I do end up getting a desk job," he began, watching as Beth glanced down a thim. "Would you consider going out with me? I know during school you didn't want any distractions but-" but now they were adults and progressed into their jobs. If she didn't want any distractions she wouldn't have come back to the Burrow and wouldn't have been duelling him for fun.

"You think I'd date someone I just defeated in a duel?" Beth mused, crossing her arms at him.

"I underestimated your growth over the years. In one way or another," she had changed. This wasn't the sweet and naive Beth that he'd grown up with. He had always been fond of her, how easy it was for them to get along and how they could always pick each other's brains about their studies. She was one of the truly scholarly students in attendance at Hogwarts that didn't get annoyed by complex theories or entertaining his thoughts about spell combinations. There had always been a fierce loyalty to her, one that he had admired from the beginning. Be it friends or family, she was just ferocious as any badger could be when they felt their kin were being threatened.

Now, Bill saw more of the badger, feisty and headstrong. Her confidence attracted him as well as her impish comments and clever retorts. He could relax and be himself. One moment they could be duelling another, while another just sitting in the grass in their own individual thought bubbles. For some reason, Bill had always been attracted to strong women and it had just taken Beth more time to blossom into the impeccable Auror that she was today. The treacherous Rakepick had nothing on Hiddleston, because Bill knew that he could always rely upon Beth. Her passion drove her to the point of obsession, and her passion was to help people, to protect them, be they her family or an innocent stranger.

"So you're saying that you didn't use your full strength against me?" she mused, a half grin curving the corners of her lips.

"I might be," he lied smoothly. He hadn't had the chance to experience many duels without using incantations. In truth, he was in much shabbier shape than he would have liked.

"Well, I'll have to think about it," she said airily, waving her wand around in a manner that borderline infuriated him. "Do you think Charlie has made it to the Burrow yet? While I've got the both of you in one place, there's a spell I've been wanting to teach you two."

"Let's find out," he got to his feet and dusted the dirt from off of him.

"Just a moment Weasley," Beth pointed her wand toward him and he froze, wondering what she was going to do. "Your face got a bit cut up from that spell I used to distract you. Episkey!"

He had barely paid any heed to the fine cuts on his cheeks, but their faint stinging resided and when he brushed his fingers against his cheek, he found that there was no blood. "Those healing skills are going to come in handy," he remarked.

"Precisely why I put the time in at St. Mungo's. I must admit, I'm not as talented as some of the mediwizards that have been there for years... I lack the experience. However, when it comes between the point of life and death, I think the extra knowledge will help," she explained as they started back up a hill, leaving the once peaceful glade ravaged and a turned over mess.

It took them a few minutes to get back to the Burrow. Upon entering, they were pleased to find that Charlie had arrived. Bill had seen his brother just a year ago when the family had come to visit him in Egypt. Over the years he had really filled out. Bill was tall, but Charlie was stout and stocky. Bill liked to think he had a lean frame from his constant work in the crypts, but between Quidditch and handling dragons, Charlie's muscles dwarfed his.

"How's Romania been treating you?" he asked his brother who stood up and embraced him. "You've got more scars I see."

"More than I can count now," Charlie chuckled. "Merlin's pants, is that you Beth?"

"White hair a give away?" she drawled sardonically, swinging her ponytail slightly.

"It's quite a bit longer than last I saw it. Wow, I didn't think you'd be back in time for the Cup," Charlie passed by Bill and hugged Beth. She stood at a similar height, no, she was slightly taller than Charlie. "Are you back, back? Not going to be shipped anywhere soon?"

"Yes, got myself a flat in Diagon Alley. I'm staying in London. Scrimgeour will have to curse me before I'll leave again," Beth retorted, a defiant tone in her voice for her superior.

Molly appeared back in the kitchen and gasped with absolute delight. "Oh! Just a minute you three!" she squeaked, hurrying into the other room to go find a very old camera that had been lying around since the last holiday. "I want a picture of you all. Just like when you were back in school. Come on, let's go out in the garden!" She shooed them out the front door before they could continue their conversations and catch up.

Molly was adamant about preserving the timeline of her children growing up, as was evident by all of the pictures around the Burrow. There were a couple of Bill, Charlie, and Beth, but most of them were when they were in their teen years. Gesturing to the largest tree in the yard, Molly put Bill on the right and Charlie on the left.

"Smile for me!" Molly's voice didn't really break the awkwardness of this all.

Instead, it was Beth as she jumped up and hooked her arms around the necks of both of them men with a big smile, drawing them in and causing them to both laugh. The camera flashed, capturing the chuckling trio. Charlie passed Bill a glance and much like they'd done to Ginny when she was little, they grabbed Beth from underneath and hoisted her up into the air as their mother was fanning the picture that had spit out of the camera.