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Bill was half-awake as he strolled through Diagon Alley one morning, about an hour before dawn. He would much have preferred to stay in bed with Fleur, but she had pushed him away so he wouldn’t be late.
He might still be late if he didn’t hurry. Bogrod had wanted him to be there to receive a shipment of cursed artefacts, and with the time differences this international Portkey from Australia would arrive in less than 30 mins. Mentally going through the preparations he still needed to make, Bill didn’t register the voices until the curve of the Alley straightened and they came into view.
Four Death Eaters, in full regalia, were grouped around a ball of light in the middle of the Alley. Crouching quickly behind a crate, Bill silently thanked Merlin that he had been too sleepy to use a light and walked in the darkness. They kept talking amongst themselves, unaware that they had company.
“Let’s just blast our way through and grab him,” one of them said. “It’s too early for this shit.”
“Idiot,” another replied. “We’re supposed to grab Olivander too. If we wake up half of the Alley blasting Fortescue’s place, the old fool could have time to escape!”
“Let’s split up then, and get this over with,” the first one scowled.
“Just shut up and listen,” said the one who appeared in charge. “Olivander is an odd guy, and he’s a fucking wandmaker. Who knows what kind of tricks he has in his bag, so we’re doing this as a team. We’re getting Fortescue, in and out without a noise, and once we portkey him in the dungeons, we’re going after Olivander. Silent entrance, we find and restrain the guy and then we’re looting the store. When we’re done, we make as much noise as we can to attract attention, drag him in the street and set the shop ablaze before apparating out of here with him. Our contact at the department of Magical Transportation will lift the Apparition restrictions on the Alley for just a few minutes, so this has to be timed perfectly!”
Bill had heard enough, but he was in a tight spot. If he conjured his Patronus for back-up, he would be discovered immediately. If he left to get help, he would be too late to help Florean. Gritting his teeth, he quickly formulated a plan. If he timed it well, he could possibly save the two wizards, and make it in time for that shipment.
Goblins were not the most understanding of bosses, and life and death situations were not an acceptable excuse for missing work assignments.
Luckily, he was wearing the same robes as the day before, when he had stopped by the twins’ shop to adjust one of the wards after work. They had given him a samplers package with a few of their wares, and he quickly found the one he was looking for.
He used his wand to distribute the small amount of Peruvian Instant Darkness powder he had, then silenced and disillusioned himself. He ran past the group in silence as they tried to figure out why their light had gone dark. He only had a minute to make it inside before the powder dispersed, but it was enough. The shop had standard Gringotts wards on the door, and Bill quickly got inside and shut the door, re-engaging the wards and adding a few of his own to hold the Death Eaters back.
By the time he turned around, Florean Fortescue was in the room and pointing his wands at him.
“What are you doing in here at this time of night, Bill Weasley?” he asked.
“We don’t have time,” he whispered urgently. “Death Eaters in the Alley, they are targeting you and Ollivander. We have to leave, but they have someone in the department of Magical Transportation and I think they are monitoring the Floo.”
“Well, shite. Any ideas?” The man was surprisingly calm considering the circumstances.
“Actually, I do. Your shop is back against the bubble enclosing the Alley, isn’t it? Then I should be able to make a hole in the wards, just enough for us to escape. Lead the way, I just need to send one quick message first.”
“Expecto Patronum. Mr Olivander, this is Bill Weasley. There are Death Eaters in the Alley, they are targeting you. I am helping Mr Fortescue get out and then I’m coming to you. I will be at the back door soon. Ward your front door. If someone breaches it, try to Apparate away but be careful as they can track it.”
“Expecto Patronum. We’ll be there in a few minutes, Garrick. Hold on.”
Bill looked gobsmacked at Mr Fortescue’s patronus.
“What did you think, boy? That I was just an old man not able to use my wand? It was the fastest way to get him to trust your message. Now let’s get cracking on these walls because I can see movement in the Alley and it won't be long before those dunderheads realise the wards are more powerful than usual and something is amiss.”
It took a few minutes for Bill to break through the bubble without shattering the wards on the whole Alley, but he succeeded in creating a passage big enough to let them through. He tried to convince Mr Fortescue to flee but the old man was intransigent.
They made their way down the dark alley behind the muggle road, and buildings later Bill made another passage in the wards. The shopkeeper breezed through and knocked on the back door of the wand shop, greeting silently the older man that appeared.
“I left them a few nasty surprises, Florean,” Olivander grinned as they passed through the passage to the muggle side. “It’s too bad we can’t stay to watch them try to sack my shop, but alas better not tempt fate.”
“Let’s go,” Bill pushed them forward, looking worriedly behind him as he did. “I can take you to the muggle tube, where they won’t follow, and from there we can…”
“Now, you got us out of a sticky situation Mr Weasley, but don’t think I don’t try to convince me the only reason a curse breaker from Gringotts is prowling the Alley before dawn isn’t a time-sensitive assignment. How late are you to work?”
Bill blanched.
“I technically still have 10 minutes, but I can take you…”
“Nonsense,” Mr Fortescue interrupted. He waved his wand in an arc, pointing towards the street. “I told you we weren’t feeble helpless old men. We’ll go spend a few hours with Aberforth at the Hogs Head, and we’ll be in touch later today.”
Just then, a purple triple-decker bus appeared in front of them at the mouth of the Alley. Mr Olivander made a shooing motion, telling Bill to give Bogrod his regards before nodding one last time as the door closed and the Knight Bus disappeared from view.
Hearing angry voices in the alley behind him, Bill apparated back to the Leaky. That would confuse them enough if they tried to track it that he could make it to work on time.
What a morning, he thought, sprinting down Diagon Alley. And all of that before I have my first coffee!