Chapter 1 - The job

The sun was shining brightly on that day in august. Diagon alley was at it? busiest as crowds of people littered the streets. Ron and Harry were there shopping for school. Their 4th year had been very intense but even so, they still had to attend school and as far as Harry was concerned it was a very good thing, especially with Dumbledore around. Harry and Ron had to get their supplies but this year, Ron? mother or father didn? accompany them. They had important work to do after the possibility of Voldermort returning. So this time, Bill, Ron? eldest brother, was helping them with their school supplies.

?limey, why is it more crowded here than usual??asked Ron to no one in particular.

? don? know. But everyone is sure acting tense? said Harry after being carelessly bumped into by an elderly witch.

?ell?after knowing what they know about ?ou-know-who?they?e just stocking up on supplies,?said Bill.

?nd they can get it nice and cheep around this time of year.?

Bill was a young man of 23 years old. He had the Weasley fiery-red hair and had honey-brown eyes. He and Ron looked very much alike with their tall, slim built and faces. Bill worked at the Wizard Bank called Gringotts and travelled far and wide to retrieve forgotten gold and artefacts. This time, however, he was relieved from work as the bank had to re-sort all of their stocks and bonds and make sure that, with the rumoured crisis going on, their money would be safe.

? do, enjoy a holiday, but this is nuts!?said Bill as everyone rushed the streets in a hurry.

?eah! These people are MAD!?cried Ron as they past Olivander?.

? need a new, strong wand Mr. Olivander!?cried a lady.

?o, I need mine repaired first!?shouted an old wizard.

?y daughter needs one in case of danger! Please! She?l be going to school this year and she needs a new one!?cried a witch in black robes.

?ettle DOWN everyone! I will serve people buying wands for Hogwarts students FIRST! Then everyone else will have his or her turn! Show me your list as you enter! I don? want any more problems!?cried Mr. Olivander as he pushed out of his shop the frantic buyers and let some younger students in.

?ee?Everyone? MENTAL!?said Ron as they walked away.

?eah?Oh, hey I wonder how they?e doing at the bank,?said Bill as he began to walk towards it but Ron has grabbed him by his red ponytail preventing him to move anymore.

?uch! Hey, stop that squirt!?

?orry, Bill but Ron? right! You?e here to be with us,?said Harry smiling.

Bill gave out a sigh and continued to walk with them. He had negotiated with the boys to stop by there quickly so he could see his friend, Michael, who worked as the bonds keeper. They continued down the road, against the current of people. Bill looked about and saw nothing but a blur until one person in particular caught his eye. It was a beautiful, dark haired girl talking to a little one. She was fair, had ice blue eyes and was wearing a grape coloured robe. He stared at her for a moment or two noticing that she was holding a bunch of books in her hands and giving some back to the little witch. Harry had to shake Bill out if it cause he was holing back a crowd of people wanting to pass.

?ey, Bill?snap out of it. What are you looking at anyways??asked Harry.

?n angel? he whispered but then was pushed back by a very large warlock.

?hat did you say??asked Ron as he tried to look at the spot where Bill had brought his gaze.

Sadly there was no one there. Bill turned about and they continued to buy all of their things for the New Year. After getting all sorts of books, ingredients, blank parchments and quills, the boys walked back to Gringotts. The tiny goblins were running around frantically pushing miniature carts and carrying small loads of treasure bags. Bill was stopped by a little goblin with a tuff of white hair sprouting out of his head.

?ill. It? good thing you?e here?Godmik wants to see you,?he said

?e? But you said I was on holiday Rumgum,?said Bill.

?e says that he has a task for you?I was about to send you an owl. Now get! I have things to fill out and deliver. I shutter at the thought that I might only be done 1 month in advance! Quite last minute if you ask me!?said Rumgum very quickly.

?ey, you goblins need a good break I think,?said Bill laughing as all 3 of them headed off to the main office.

Godmik, the head goblin of Gringotts, was very stern-faced, not that there were many goblins that looked cheerful, and headed the Wizard bank department in Britain. His office was very small and all three had to duck to enter through the door. The office couldn? have had a spec of dust on it. The marble floor was so shiny that one could clearly see their face on it. There were bookshelves piled high with files but in a very neat and tidy way. And there were many interesting charms and relics on the desks; most of them were solid gold.

?ou wanted to see me sir,?said Bill as he tried to squeeze into armchair.

Bill was a bit big for it but the boys slipped nicely into theirs. Godmik looked very surprise at Bill? sudden arrival yet seemed very content.

?ell Mr.Weasley, your punctuality has always been one of your greatest assets but I must say that this is quickest response I?e ever gotten!?he said in a bit of a pompous voice.

?nything to do a good job sir,?said Bill with a bit of a smirk.

The boys snickered, they knew that Bill was a smooth talker and was quite talented in making himself look good. The goblin gazed at the two young boys and cleared his throat roughly. He then, took some papers and placed them in front of Bill.

?ell, Mr. Weasley, these are your documents and background information on the job that has been requested. You?l find everything in order,?

?? never expect less of you sir,?said Bill as he grabbed the stack of papers and gave a signal to the boys that they should leave.

Everyone stood up and bent down to exit the room. Ron looked up at Bill with a bit drab expression.

? guess no holiday for you hunh??he said.

?eah?well, according to this I won? be going very far,?said Bill as he suddenly broke out in a smile.

?hat do you mean??asked Harry.

?ell?according to this?? stationed?at Hogwarts!?

?HAT???both boys shouted so loudly that their voices echoed in the halls.

The goblins that scurried about stopped completely and looked at the two stunned wizards questionably. Bill laughed wildly after seeing two goblins ram into each other with their carts. They all walked out of the bank and proceeded to go back to the Burrow where Harry had stayed for the last two days. Their bags of school things weighed heavily on them so Bill decided to make them levitate for the last bit of the journey there as they left the Port-Key.

?ow are any of you two going to get big and strong if you both wimp out??said Bill smiling. ?he girls won? be impressed at all.?

? don? see you carrying these things Bill,?said Ron tiered.

? don? need to. Got all the muscle I need. I?l never be as big as Charlie but I? good with what I?e got?But don? you two have girlfriends to impress back at Hogwarts??

?o we don?!?said Harry wishing to change the conversation, especially after what happened between him and Cho Chang the year before.

?h come on! What about Hermione Ron? Didn? you say that?

?O BILL! I DIDN?!?said Ron turning beat red.

?k! Ok! Calm down! Oh look! We?e here!?said Bill gazing at the Weasley residence.

They were all welcome by Molly Weasley with many hugs and kisses. The way she was acting, it was like they had been gone for years! The day passed and it was time for dinner. As everyone (with the exception of Charlie who was away) sat at the table, Bill had announced his job at Hogwarts.

?ell, they had told me that I? be stationed there for the first few months so I can have some more regular meetings with the client?eh, I think her name was Belladona Nightshade,?he said.

?h. Nightshade! That? the name of our new ?efence Against the Dark Arts?teacher? said Ron.

?es. Moody couldn? keep the job because of what happened to him. He went really loony after he was healthy?rr?at least physically,?said Percy in a very know-it-all tone.

?his is creepy!?said Ginny. ?very ?efence Against the Dark Arts?teacher we?e gotten has been nothing but trouble. I do hope you?l be careful with this one Bill,?

?o problems Ginny?to start with, she? a woman?nd that? nothing for a man like me!?he said jokingly.

?eah, right!?said Percy drinking some tea.

?ell, I?l find out in 3 days Perce. I?l be making an appearance outside of the Hogwarts grounds and I?l be heading straight for Dumbledore? office. I should be there at noon during the fist day of classes. I hope you boys will come and see me then,?he said smiling.

?eah, we will. I can? wait to see you there, Bill. Hopefully things won? go too bad this time around. All our school years there have been nothing but first hand survival courses!?said Ron.

? hope that they?e also been about studying and learning Ronald,?said Mrs. Weasley as she gave Ron the evil eye.

?f course it has been dearest,?said Arthur Weasley.

?e expect many O.W.L.s out of you Ron,?

?ell, wittle Ronikins now has to match up to us hunh George??

?mm?that? very hard to live up to isn? it Fred??

?ND you two will have to better then last year!?added Molly as the twins decided to stop while they were ahead.

The day was tiring and everyone went to sleep. Bill had decided to go out for a bit and review his files on Nightshade. He went out and decided to head for the pub near the Burrow called: ?ight Alley?where he knew he could find some peace. He had on his favourite leather jacket and sported his fang-earring on his way to the pub. He walked for about 20 minutes taking in the night air until he reached the ?ight Alley? He entered and sat down on a stool near the bar.

?he usual??asked the barkeep.

?eah. Don? trick me into buying a double Grey,?he said as he began to layout his papers.

?oming up!?said Grey as he fixed Bill an interesting bluish mixture.

Soon after, a man had walked up to Bill and sat next to him. He ordered a drink: ??itches Brew?please.?Bill turned around to see that the young man who ordered was none but his friend Michael whom he had wanted to see at the bank. Michael had a pleasant face and dirty blonde hair. Bill gabbed his hand in a sportive style as Michael stared with his brown eyes.

?itches?brew? Are you going soft on me Mike??said Bill as his drink was delivered to him.

?ell, at least I didn? order a margarita,?he said smiling.

?hat? that??said Bill puzzled.

?ever mind! Muggle drinks you know?I guess I need to take you out a bit more. They?e actually really good,?

?hanks. I wish I could go now, but good old Godmik has given me an assignment,?said Bill as he turned to the file.

?eally? We?l that? too bad but I still envy you a bit. What ever it is, it must be more exciting than the loads of bonds I have to file,?

?ell?according to this, I have to go and retrieve a certain artefact in some caves near Hogwarts that belong to the Nightshade family,?

?eally? Wow! Well, at least you?l be getting your pays worth,?

?hat do you mean??asked Bill puzzled.

?h?don? tell me you?e never heard of the Nightshades??

?orry Mike. No. Are they an important family??

?ell?not so much as important?but more like filthy rich,?

Bill was surprised by the big reaction that Michael had made about the Nightshades. The man had drunk some of his Witches?Brew and continued tell him what he knew about that family.

?ell, these people own tons of secret silver mines around Britain but they?e mostly known to wizards, and even muggles, because of the success that they?e had in?fortune telling.?he said as he grinned.

?ortune telling?? You can? be serious??

?h yeah. The head of the family, Orlando Nightshade, has been selling his books all over the world to wizards and muggles alike. I think it? called: ?he book of the mind? Apparently he? doing really well?I guess he should, considering the fact that he really can tell the future?

?h now come Mike. Don? tell me you believe in such rubbish??said Bill while lifting an eyebrow.

?his isn? my opinion Bill. It? been proven! The whole family line can do it. They have a charm that let? them truly see the future. It? pretty impressive.?

?ell?then this? Bill looked pointedly at his papers.

?elladona, will have another sceptic to deal with,?he said smirking.

?elladona?yeah. I think she? the last heir if I remember?

?ell,?he began after finishing his drink. ?? stationed at Hogwarts to meet up with her so she can tell me about the caves and the thing she wants me to dig up from them. My little brother told me she? the new ?art Arts?teacher there,?

?ark Arts?why does that seem familiar?

?aybe cause she looks like a troll!?said Bill laughing as another drink was given to him.

The boys continued to talk until the wee hours of the morning. Bill departed before Michael did and headed back to the Burrow. Three days passed and it was the 1st of September. It was time for the children to go to school. So Bill, George, Fred, Ron, Ginny and Harry left for platform 9 ?

When they got there Hermione was waiting with her cart at the barrier between 9 and 10 at ?ing? Cross? She looked at the boys and ran up to both of them and gave them big hugs. Ron blushed a little as Bill looked attentively at his brother? reaction. Hermione had begun to tell them about how sorry she was for not sending any of them any owls during the holidays. She handed Harry a be-lated birthday present with a huge smile and another hug. Bill looked at this and said:

?ow Hermione. Don? go giving Harry more hugs than Ron. He?l get jealous!?

?hat was that Bill??she asked as Ron looked at him acidly.

?o?what have you been doing all this summer that you couldn? say hello??said Harry.

?ell?I?e?I?e been visiting Victor? she said as she rolled her eyes.

?HAT? The entire time you?e been with him instead of with m?err?us??said Ron with a bit of a stagger.

?ell, he did invite me. He? really nice you know, but I? not really sure he?... well?my type,?she continued. ?h. Now you have a type Herm??said Harry laughing.

?top that Harry! Don? make fun of me! I know what type you like!?she said winking.

This shut Harry up right away.

?ell, I? just glad that everyone? still safe, after all the commotion that happened last year? she added with a sigh.

?eah,?said Harry sadly.

?ell, I hate to interrupt you but if we don? get a move on you?l all miss your train,?said Bill pointing to the hour.

Everyone ran into the barrier and got all their things onto the train. Bill waved from the ground to the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione. He shouted from his spot:

??l be seeing you soon!?all the while waving. ?hat? What does he mean by that??asked Hermione. ?e?l tell you about it in the train Hermione,?said Ron grinning as the train left the station completely.

Bill had to prepare to leave for the following day so he did his usual routine packing that he had become so used to. He put in his clothes and things like toothbrushes and combs, and then proceeded to add a little medallion with and Egyptian eye on it. The symbol was the ?ye of Horus? It was a little something he dug up in Egypt and that the bank had let him keep. He looked at the golden medallion and said:

?ell, old friend. I hope you bring me luck yet again?and protection too. I don? want to be the victim of the next Dark Arts teacher,?