Iuga Sortis (Bound By Destiny)

Twenty

She was flaming mad.

Her hands were on her jutted hips, and her eyebrows were in a frown. Her lips were curled in disgust, and her foot tapped impatiently on the ground. Her hair was void of the usual bow, falling across her shoulders and her eyes as the dying rays of the sun reflected off it.

Dear Merlin, she's gorgeous!

"Do you know what your mother will have to say about this? Heck! Does she even know about the lifetime Quidditch ban you and George have?" she asked heatedly.

Fred shook his head out of its daze and grinned at her.

"Of course Mum doesn't know about that! And of course we fully expect Howlers at our shop when we get there! We're not daft, woman!"

"And yet you did it anyway?"

"Better a Howler from Mum than to stay in the castle with Umbridge as the Headmistress. You know she makes you carve lines in the back of your hand!"

She shuddered. "That woman is bloody awful!"

"Exactly. Good thing we left, or Hogwarts would've been a tropical rainforest!"

"Complete with venomous creatures?"

"We already have a venomous creature there as it is--Bitchus umbridge."

She giggled. "That's not nice, Fred. True, but not nice . . ."

Fred grinned and sat down against a tree. "Angel, sit with me a moment." He patted a space next to him.

She hesitated a moment before complying. "You shouldn't even be here anymore. What if you get caught?"

"Don't you think George and I thought of that? Peeves is working diversions for us; Lee is as well."

"You had this whole dropping out of school thing planned?"

"Yes."

Angelina snorted again. "Should've known that . . ."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, love; it had to be top secret."

"So now what are you going to do about school? Are you going to take your N.E.W.T.s some kind of way?"

"What for? You don't have to graduate Hogwarts to be in the Order! Look at Hagrid . . .Figg . . . your mum!"

"Oh yes, that's right, but my mum is not an official Order member."

"So? You just want to punish me for leaving you here all alone, don't you?" he teased, bumping his elbow against hers.

"I should, shouldn't I? You are leaving me all alone . . ."

He immediately sobered, and his heart plummeted into his stomach. "Dear Merlin!"

"Didn't think that far into your plans, did you? I wonder how George let you talk him into that. He and Alicia have been inseparable since last year."

Fred wasn't listening, though. He leaned his head against the tree and closed his eyes as he wondered what possessed him to leave the one thing that had been his constant joy throughout his time at Hogwarts.

"Angelina . . .I didn't think--"

"That's right, Frederick Weasley! You didn't think!" Angelina stood up again and began to pace. "How could you?! You're the only one I can talk to; you're the only one who understands! And now that you're gone . . ."

"Angel . . . believe me . . ."

"I was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe you meant what you said to me on New Year's Eve, that maybe you did--"

"I do."

"That maybe what I felt for you had a small chance of being reciprocated. But oh no! Frederick Weasley will always only be about fun and games."

Fred was certain that his heart stopped beating. Reciprocated?

"Angel?"

"I knew you were only being nice to me," she muttered, still not paying attention to the man before her.

Fred stood slowly and walked towards her in a daze. She'd stop pacing then, her back to him, with her arms hugging herself. He gently put his arms around her, and she leaned her head against his shoulder. Fred saw her eyes were closed, yet tears streamed down. She was trying not to cry, her face tight with effort, but it was to no avail. Instead of saying something, he bent his head and kissed her cheeks, tasting the salt of her tears. Angelina let out a sigh, and her face tightened even more, as if trying to ward off the feeling his kiss elicited from her.

That will not do at all . . .

Fred moved one of his hands from around her to cradle her cheek, brining her face closer to his mouth. His lips trailed over her eyelids, eyebrows, and eyes, whisper soft. She trembled at his kisses, and he tightened his arm around her. His nose rubbed against hers before he moved his head to her cheeks again, less in a kiss than a caress. Angelina whimpered, growing heavy against him. Fred welcomed the weight. He moved his hand from her face to tangle in her braids, and he pulled them gently before sinking his hand to her scalp. He massaged lightly, exerting just enough pressure to be calming. Her face was finally relaxing. He smiled a little, and his hand left her hair to cup her neck as his mouth moved to her ear. He merely breathed.

"Fred?" she asked, her voice husky yet uncertain.

"I'm in love with you."

"Oh dear God . . ."

Fred laughed lowly in her ear, her growled exclamation breaking the tension he felt. She turned fully toward him and put her hands on his cheeks.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, her eyes wide and full of tears.

"No, love," he said, a boyish grin on his face.

Angelina frowned, and her eyes hardened. Her hands moved from his cheeks to the collar of his robes, bringing him down so they were eye to eye.

"Do not play with me, Frederick Weasley! I am in no state for games, and I'm liable to hex you where the sun doesn't shine!"

Fred laughed again and closed the space between them. Her lips still tasted of tears, but they were soft and pliant beneath his. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer to her. He opened her mouth with his, and his tongue slipped inside, feeling the texture of her tongue with his. Angelina closed her mouth and sucked on it. Fred groaned. He brought her flush against him, his hands traveling up and down her back as if to memorize the curves of her body. After a few more moments, Angelina broke the kiss, yet kept her lips to his.

"I'm only going to ask this one more time, Fred. Are you kidding me?"

Fred saw desperation, longing and hope in those brown eyes, and he looked at her seriously. "I am not kidding you, Angel. I love you. I am in love with you. I will love you. Always."

And then she smiled.

Fred thought he'd been blinded by the brilliance of such a smile, and he couldn't contain his own. She let out a very un-Angelina like squeal and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Fred laughed and lifted her from the ground, his arms a vice around her waist.

"You're serious! Oh Fred!"

He didn't know if she was laughing or crying; he guessed it was a bit of both. He chuckled. "Yes, I'm serious. I love you, woman!"

"Oh baby," she murmured, pulling away to look into his eyes. Her fingers ran lightly over his cheeks and his lips before pressing hers against them. It was a soft kiss, yet full of love. "I'm ready now. I'm ready to accept it. I didn't want to before; I thought you were just being Fred. But you were being Fred; just the serious side you show so rarely. Oh baby, I love you, too." She kissed him again, and Fred smiled under her lips.

"I'll bet you're still mad at me for leaving school though, aren't you, love?"

"Hell yes!"

They both laughed at her declaration.

"But I understand that there are bigger things for you, Fred. You and George are brilliant businessmen and highly creative. Your products will bring joy in a time where it's a precious commodity. I'm glad you're doing this, even if I am a bit selfish and want you to stay here with me . . ."

Fred closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. He kissed her forehead tenderly. "I'm so going to miss you, my Angel."

"It's only until June, love. Then we'll be together, and you'll wish I'd stop nagging at you all the time!"

"That's what I'm going to miss most!" She pinched his side. "And that as well!"

"Silly git . . ." she muttered.

He laughed and hugged her. They just stood there hugging, neither saying a word.

"I'd better get going, love. It'll be dinner soon, and we can't have you getting caught with me," he said reluctantly. Her arms just tightened around him. "I know, love, I know. But you must go."

She laughed shortly. "Never thought there'd be a day when you're the voice of reason!"

"Never thought there'd be a day when you loved me in return, so never say never . . ."

She pulled out of his embrace and framed his face with her hands. Her gaze met his, and they didn't say anything. She kissed him, a chaste, closed-mouth kiss so full of promise, before she pulled away and began to run back to the castle.

Fred watched her go and thought June couldn't come soon enough.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you almost done, my boy?"

Bill Weasley wiped his brow before answering. "Almost, though I will say it's a very intricate and complex charm . . ."

"But you are the very best, my boy. Why else would I seek you out?"

"Perhaps because I was on leave from my job, and I'm the only one in the Order?" The redhead smirked.

"And this is why you were Head Boy . . ."

"Exactly, Professor!"

"Why don't you call me Albus, my boy?"

Bill gave him a lopsided smile. "My entire life you've been Professor Dumbledore. I may be in my twenties, but there's nothing that will make me say your first name--not the name of a great wizard such as you."

"Still the brownnoser, I see."

Bill laughed. "Where do you think Percy learned it?" He immediately sobered. "How is he doing?"

"I don't know. I haven't spoken to him since I left."

"I hope he's all right. He has one of the biggest assignments of all of us."

"And no one suspects a thing--not even your parents."

"Apparently they are taking it hard. I know the twins are thinking less-than-pleasant thoughts about him."

"When have the twins ever had a pleasant thought about your brother?"

Bill chuckled slightly. "I guess you're right. It's just hard being so much older than them and so far away. I missed their childhoods . . ."

"My boy, you were away ensuring they would have a childhood--they and so many more children. Now your work is more important than ever."

"I hear you, Professor." Bill huffed and narrowed his eyes, working his wand over the seal of an ebony box. Dumbledore watched the younger man's intricate maneuvers with bated breath.

If this is what I think it is, it could help the Order significantly.

Dumbledore's eyes widened as if he were trying to pry the box open with them. The box glowed gold.

"Well?" Dumbledore asked, cutting his eyes from the man to the chest.

"Got it." Bill opened it gingerly, revealing two papyrus scrolls.

Dumbledore exhaled a shaky breath. "I think we've got it, my boy! I think we've got it!"

"Dear Merlin, I'm glad! I would not have been pleased if all that work was for naught!" Bill laughed in relief.

Dumbledore clapped Bill's shoulder in appreciation. "Fine work, that is. I really appreciate it."

"No problem. Any excuse to get away from the desk . . . and the goblins," Bill said with a smirk.

"You asked for the Gringotts desk job, remember?"

"Yes, and now I remember exactly why I asked for a field job in the first place. I'm bored to tears!"

Dumbledore looked at him gravely. "You should be so lucky, Mr. Weasley. Pretty soon things will be anything but boring."

Bill looked grave. "I know this."

"But these scrolls . . . these scrolls could hold the answer to many of our questions, especially how to deal with Voldemort."

"Do you really think he's the reincarnate of some Egyptian god?" Bill asked incredulously.

"Yes I do. My wife Saw these events happening; she knew they would have some sort of connection to the Battle of the Gods that happened many millennia ago."

"Your wife? I didn't know you were married," Bill said with a small frown.

"Not many people know, my boy."

"Did you have any kids?"

"Yes."

"Whatever happened to them?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "Life."

Bill nodded, knowing he probably asked too much as it was. There was a moment of easy silence before Dumbledore spoke again.

"She was actually from here, Aswan that is. She was a priestess at this temple. Many cannot see it--Muggles and wizards alike, so when they moved the main Temple of Isis, this one remained. It is submerged under water like this for most of the year, as is the rest of the village, because of the dam. Lucky for us, we had magic on our side, so we could get to it."

"The government allowed this to happen? To flood an entire village?"

"I don't know. Personally I think wizards used some Unforgivables to force the dam and flood the village, probably to destroy these scrolls. Though they could not see it, they knew it was here."

"But they didn't know about the charm to keep the temple dry, did they?"

"No, my boy. Asenath Saw this would happen, so she convinced the High Priests and Priestesses to put the Bubble Charm around it. Ingenious, my Asenath was," Dumbledore said with a smile.

Bill hesitated, his mouth opening and closing as if struggling to say something.

"Ask your question, my boy. How did I manage to meet her?"

Bill nodded mutely.

"Purely by accident, really. I'd been taking a tour of the world because I wanted to see how witches and wizards lived outside of England. I spent ten years in each country, exploring it--China and India were first--and then I was in Egypt. By then I was a spry forty, and I realized how rich in magic Egypt was. It's practically the birthplace of magic, and I was in awe."

"How I know; Egypt is a wonder," Bill agreed with a nod.

"Yes, it is. As I was saying, I went to Alexandria, Cairo, Memphis, Thebes--all were wonderful, but it was in Aswan that my breath was really taken away."

"Because of the magic?"

"You could call it that, my boy, for there was something magical about Asenath."

Bill smiled, mildly surprised at the joy that all but radiated from the older man.

"As I said before, few can see this temple, so when I did, I left the tour group and went to it. It was a beautiful temple, but not nearly as beautiful as the woman who greeted me."

"I wish I could've seen her," Bill mused. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at the comment.

"She had the darkest skin I've ever seen--smooth, the color of a chocolate frog--"

"That explains a lot!" Bill teased.

Dumbledore chuckled. "You've found my secret then."

"It is safe with me."

Dumbledore grinned. "Yes, and her eyes were as golden as the sun. She wore the traditional Egyptian wig, and it fell straight past her shoulders. When she spoke, her voice flowed over me like warm honey. It was deep and soothing. I'm sure I stood there drooling like an idiot, but I did not care. I fell in love at that very moment, and something told me she did, as well. I knew when she smiled that soft smile of hers. I knew she was affected as deeply as I. But I was afraid."

"Never thought I'd hear Dumbledore admit he was afraid of something," Bill said in surprise.

"Love can scare the mightiest of wizards, my boy."

"But it makes you stronger, no?"

Dumbledore smiled softly. "Yes. It does." He cleared his throat. "Yes, my fear; I feared I was projecting, that perhaps she didn't feel as I did. She was half my age when I met her! Surely a young woman as her could find a young Nubian warrior to marry. But then another thought came upon me--what if she wasn't allowed to marry? I knew I wanted to be with her the rest of my life; I knew she was the woman for me. But I was unfamiliar with priests, temples, and the like."

"But you did marry her . . ."

"She left with me when it was time for me to leave. I didn't want her to do anything she didn't want, but she told me 'Fate brought you here to me, and She wants me to go with you. My destiny is bound to yours, All-boos.' I loved how she said my name . . ."

"And what happened? Is she still alive?"

"We went to Brazil, then New Orleans in the States."

"Why there?"

"We were on a hunt for Set by then. Asenath alerted me to the history of the Egyptian gods while I was there, and his path led us to those places."

"What happened?"

"My beloved died," Dumbledore said, his voice no louder than a whisper.

Bill could only blink for a few moments before he could speak. "Set?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Eliza. My daughter. Asenath died in childbirth." Though a hundred years had passed, the pain of that day was still fresh to him.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I should've never asked . . ."

"No, my boy, it is fine. As it is, we should get this back to my private quarters and read the scrolls quickly. I have a feeling I'll be returning to England soon."