Marriage is Murder

John heard Andrew and nodded his head but on feeling Kate's hand on his shoulder he looked back up at her wondering what she had in mind and followed her down to the pool. When she froze it he smiled " come on looks fun" he said and grabbed a pair of skates for himself changing into them he headed out onto the ice only to fall on to his bottom but he got back up and tried again this time he staid on his feet all be it wobbly and unsteadily soon he managed to wiz around the pool " got any hokey things?" he asked always wanting to play ice hockey.

Andrew found himself on skates. "I've sort of skated," he said, knowing that was only somewhat true. He had amused himself when he was younger by trying to slide on the ice in the creek, even though he didn't have blades on his shoes and even thought the surface of the ice was very uneven. Most of the time he'd ended up on his arse. But he'd never been on blades before. He found it took him a wee bit to gain a sense of balance on the single bladed skates, but once he had that, basic skating was easy.

"Hockey?" he frowned. "What's hockey?"

"Its a muggle sport," Kate said. "Robert and I went to a game before we were married. We slipped away from Hogwarts on holiday break and went to a muggle hockey game even though we weren' supposed to. Robert somewhat liked it. it bored me stiff. But once I think you aren't going to break a bone on the ice, then I might conjure you some things. I am not goin to gie you hockey things within your first few minutes on the ice. You can skate forward, but I need you to learn other things too. turns, going backwards, speed, and all of that takes practice. You do not become a hockey player your first few moments on the ice. You know, since we are living in a muggle area, maybe you could find someone who actually enjoys hockey to take you to a game. This part of this country loves winter, so you should be able to even find a local match. It doesn't have to be a professional one." She started out on the ice herself, and made a few trips around the ice and then decided she would try some laps for speed, and then perhaps show them how to skate backwards.

Andrew was a little disappointed she would not let them play just yet though he did still feel wobbly and when he took off he used the wall to stop himself but going back out he lost his footing and fell to the ice and laughed " that was a bruiser " he said and tried to get up unsuccessfully and so ended up sat slowly sliding along on his bottom till he could then he managed to stay up on his feet turning around he found himself going backwards " hey look backwards skating" he said and chuckled.

"Well, that seems to work a bit but if you don't fix your stance, the only thing you'll keep doing is falling on your butt," she said. "Come over here--both of you. Take my hands." She worked with them and started to correct their footwork and their posture and how they moved on the ice so that they had far less risk of falling and could move with speed and grace across the ice. "This honestly does take years to master--just this much. Practice your stance at a normal speed and then as you start to feel more confident you can try to increase your speed. Now--lets talk about falling without hurting yourselves." The next thing she did was to teach them how to fall without causing serious injury. Bruises werent' so bad, but sprains and breaks were not something she wanted.

"Hey!" came the delighted cries of a handful of staff. "Yay! Skating!" They simply conjured blades onto their existing shoes and boots and were soon joining Kate and the boys on the ice.

John chuckled at Kate as she spoke of falling with out hurting themselves " well, I think I go that down " he said rubbing his sore butt as they moved on the ice but he did enjoy now he was not wobbling he chuckled as he saw Jess and Jack skate out to them with no trouble .

"Nice skating rink Kate " Jess said and smiled turning on the ice like an ice skater would Jack smiled watching her spin and move as if the ice was part of her. soon she finished and blushed " sorry couldn't resist its been along time " she said and grinned holding Jack close to her.

"Good. Maybe you can help me get it through these boys' heads that they arent going to be professional figure skaters just because they have some magic skills. One has nothing to do with the other."

"Maybe I should just transfigure them each into a bewitched skate and let them do whatever they want," Robert said, entering the ice with a pair of black leather skates.

"Show off," Kate said to him, casting a look at his transfigured shoes. Most everyone else had merely added blades to their own shoes. Robert insisted on having skates.

"don't be jealous," he said, sweeping his arm around Kate's waist. He looked at the boys. "She clearly hasn't shown you the most important lesson in skating."

"And what exactly would that be?" she frowned at him.

"How to impress a girl on the ice," Robert smiled, kissing her forehead. She laughed. "Let me show you how its done, Boys."

"He can try," Kate laughed as Robert led her away from them on the ice. "Don't hurt yourselves." she called back to them.

Jess chuckled at Robert and held on to John and Andrew " I got them " she said and stood watching wanting to know the moves she could see jack watching as well his eyes fixed on Robert as he moved behind her trying to hold her the same way Robert held Kate. " um... its most likely I'm going to save your butt on the ice " she said and he laughed almost falling as he clung to her a she chuckled . John just wanted to skate but with every one now on the ice he was some what unsure of himself.

"Andrew decided to cling to the sidelines a bit, watching the others It was a bit too crowded for him too. Then a voice came from behidn them both. "Take my hands, you two. You look about as lost as I felt in the shoe section of Khaat's closet the first time I was there." It was Brian, reaching his hands to them. He too had skates. Tan leather ones. Andrew was glad for the personalized attention. He took Brian's hand rather quickly.

"Balance," Brian coached. "If Robert is right, and if impressing the girls is important, lets learn this balance thing fast so you can impress the girls with how much you learned in one lesson. Jess? You take them around when I'm done with them and let them know if you're impressed at what skating virtuosos we have. You two ready?"

John spun around and almost lost his balance and grasped Brian's arm " that was close " he said " and I guess that's exactly how we feel " he said and chuckled still holding Brian tight . Jess chuckled as Jack lead her away from them.

" sure thing Brian" she managed to say before being swept away buy jack how held her close as they skated with the others. John chuckled and looked at Brian now not wanting to fall again or be embarrassing, he looked at Andrew who seem to be doing better than he was as he wobbled again and he sighed.

Brian was watching their stances. "Posture," he said. "Straight back, John. Stop slouching. Straight spine. That's what's throwing your balance off. Andrew, smoother steps. Don't try to walk on the ice. Slide. Glide your feet. I wont' let you fall. I promise. Didn't you ever slide down a hallway in your socks?"

"Sure," Andrew said, thinking of the marble floors, particularly in the lower levels of the Hogwarts castle.

"Khaat and I used to sneak out of Gryffindor and slide down the hallways in the basement--until the portraits ratted us out to Snape. Professor Snape had, well, an attitude. He was difficult to get along with. We almost got detention until Professor McGonnegal granted us a reprieve. Then she admitted that nearly all the professors had done that but were just too proud to admit it."

"That's where I go," Andrew admitted.

"Well, I do think that perhaps Dumbledore had a word with the portraits to remind them that most everyone has done that at some time or another. At any rate, skating is much the same thing as sliding down those hallways. Try more of that and less walking."