Marriage is Murder

Jack and Jess agreed along with Steven and Cassidy " sounds a good idea " Jess said " we have a nanny that's got the children but I'm sure we can bring them here to play with Abby and Dakota " she said Steven thought for a moment be fore he spoke.

" yeah, I'd be happier if ours were here too. " he said cassidy nodded and looked at them " guess we have got use to being with you guys that we don't feel right not being with you" he said Cassidy moved and picked up a cookie and ate it nodding as she did.

"Well, then, I suggest we dress to go see Angus and his family. Khaat and Brian, you two go dress. Jack an Jess, why on't you go dress and then bring back the kids. I think we'll leave Daniella's aurors with the kids, but you're welcome to bring the nannies if you choose, so long as they know there will be aurors here who will have the final say simply because they're providing protection," Robert said.

Khaat nodded. She went upstairs and found an appropriate little black dress. It was form fitting and stylish. She purposely selected one that was high style to draw the attention to the dress and away from her face. She chose beautifully elegant heels and black onyx jewelry. Italians were very traditional. To wear another color just would not do, she knew. She used the best glamour spell she knew and her makeup and a touch of perfume--the one Brian favored.

Brian selected a very sharp, elegantly tailored black suit, a white shirt and a black slim tie. He dressed as elegantly as she did to help her reduce the focus that others might have on her face. He looked at the sleeveless dress she had on and got out a black silk shawl that was embroidered with shimmering black thread and some black beading.

"I can't hide all this," she said, sighing and looking at her face. Her left cheek was coal black and her eye above it looked like Brian had given her a shiner that would never heal. No amount of wizardry was going to hide that.

"dont worry. They're interested in you. Not your bruise. You're lucky to be alive. You look beautiful. Come on. Come with me." He reached for her hand and led her downstairs.

All of them ported back to their homes can changed returning with the kids in tow all looking refreshed and happy as the twins crawled over to Khaat and pulled themselves to there feet giggling as they looked at her then crawled to a pile of toys Jess had brought with her. Cassidy stood with the twins in a holder on her chest and on Stevens she placed them down on a blanket and they giggled happily. Cassidy moved to the kitchen and made a fresh pot of coffee for every one as she needed a cup of coffee and she knew that Khaat always liked a fresh cup of french roast.

Robert had sent Kate home for clothes for them and he had stayed behind to be able to keep an eye on security. She had only been gone a moment and returned. Her dress was black with silver trim and piping and her jewelry was platinum. She paired it wth black shoes with silver trim. It was a dress that Robert loved to see her in. It made her silver hair shine and brought out her natural beauty. Kate had brought his best black suit--one of the ones that she and Khaat both liked the most. When he saw which one kate had selected it made him laugh. "I knew it. I just knew it," he laughed.

The two of them changed and they took time for a bit of coffee while Robert and Brian went over instructions over the care of the kids while they were gone. They carefully instructed the aurors on how to reach them if they needed to.

"Are we ready to go?" Robert finally asked, turning to them. These were never pleasant affairs but at least it wasnt the funerals for the two dead aurors that they would need to do. And by the looks of it, there would be Angus's grandmother's funeral to attend that both of the funerals of the aurors all to do on the same day. He was hopoing that wasnt going to necessarily add up with them all right away. That much unpleasantness could be a bit much.

Jess , jack and Cassidy gathered their coats and nodded " yeah we're ready and waiting " she said and stood looking at them waiting for every one else to be ready Jess gathered all the cups and moved them threw to the kitchen and returned hoping everything now would settle and they could all relax again. Jack walked out and checked the perimeter with Steven cassidy looked at Jess who smiled at her reassuringly. " Cassidy they will be fine so relax " she said " its time to unwind and just be your self " her mind thinking on the same lines of Cassidy would their children be safe.

"Then, let's go. Join hands and we'll apparate," Robert said. "Its not far." When they joined hands, Robert and Brian apparated them to what actually was four separate houses that were built right against each other and which all opened up to a center courtyard. They had apparated everyone into the center courtyard that was all done with beautiful flowers and a rustic elegance that Khaat had only ever seen here. Angus's family was just all sitting quietly over bottles of wine and they seemed to just all be in their own separate thoughts. Angus noticed them and got up and came over to them.

"How are you holding up?" Brian asked, as they embraced warmly.

"I'm fine," Angus said. "Thank you, all of you. For so very much. "

"Is there anything that you need?" Robert asked.

"Brian has just...well, he paid for everything. My family can remember her in the way they want to now. And that means everything to us. Thank you so very much. Come join us. We're just having a bottle of my grandfather's wine to celebrate her life with. Its...just something we do."

"I think its a fine tradition," Robert said. "We'd love to join you."

Jack , Jess and Cassidy joined hands Steven took Cassidys hand he smiled as they aperated to a courtyard witch he thought was beautiful with the flowers. On hearing Robert say they could enjoy a glass of wine. Cassidy passed around the glasses even though she was not keen ok wine she had a sip and found it to be nice even for her. Jess took hr glass and stood with it she liked the courtyard and thought when she was home she would paint it from her memory she smiled at Robert, Angus and Khaat she could hear the eerie silence that filled the yard with them.

Robert and Kate sat with Angus's mother consoling her and extending sympathies. And then he saw a figure in the kitchen doorway of one of the houses. A very elderly wizard. A man clearly who once was proud and tall and somehow been broken and now was fining himself at the end of his life and facing not being able to leave the legacy for his children that he wanted to leave. A man who had given up most of the purpose to his life, and now with the death of his wife, seemed to have given up altogether and was just marking time until his time to pass.

"Excuse me," Robert said very gently. Kate engaged Angus's mother in conversation while robert got up and went over the the fragile elderly man. Robert reached out his hand and realized the man hadn't come outside because he wasn't able to negotiate the steps alone. Robert helped him come downstairs and greeted him.

"Buon Giorno," Robert said to him.

"English?" he asked Robert, a clear British accent in the man's voice.

"Indeed," Robert smiled.

"You are the employer of my grandson, then?"

"I am," Robert said.

"I felt your power the moment you apparated in," he said. "He speaks very well of you and your family..all of you. It would take a man truly dedicated to family to impress my grandson."

"He impresses me," Robert said. "You aren't so powerless yourself."

"Eh," the old man waved Robert's impressions away. "Ghosts of the past. That was a long time ago. "

"Well, then," Robert said. "Let us go talk of ghosts of the past for awhile."

"I would like that," the old man said. "The kids,...they don't understand that."

"Of course they dont. Shall I bring the wine?"

"Wine is for children. Let us drink like men," the old man said. "Angus!"

"Yes, Grandfather," Angus sprang up and went to him.

"Bring the good bottle and the box."

"Of course." Angus went into the house and brought out a bottle of what looked like water, two glasses, and a wooden chest. He put them on a table under a tree in the courtyard. Robert and the old man went over and sat down. The old man poured a shot of the clear liquid into each glass and gave one to Robert.

"Cin Cin," the old man toasted them both.

"Cin cin," Robert agreed. He took a sip of the clear liquid. It surprised him a bit. It made firewhiskey seem like mere soda. "Wow," Robert laughed. The old man laughed.

"This is how a man drinks," the old man said, taking a sip, with no reaction. He opened the chest to reveal the finest cigars Robert had ever seen. "Join me. One last smoke for my wife. She liked the smell of these, believe it or not."

"And so, we smoke," Robert smiled.

Brian watched Robert paying tribute to Angus's grandfather in the way the old man wanted. He sat with Khaat as other family members came out an introduced themselves to Brian, Khaat, Jack, Steven, Cassidy and Jess. Angus's brothers and sister in laws and their adolescent children. They were anxious to meet the people that Angus had given up running the boating business for.

Jess smiled at Angus " this is a beautiful place Angus " she said and looked at the flowers around them " those flowers are beautiful I like how they contrast against the white wall she said looking at them she could smell a sweet scent that came from them and smiled as they reminded her of her garden back in England. Cassidy looked around the court yard it was similar to one they had at the villa but the flowers were more established on the walls around them. Steven held Cassidy around her waist as he looked at all the people around them the children playing and the teens just sat of to one side he watched Robert with the old man knowing he would have done the same thing.

As the sun started to go down, the old man Robert was with had invited them to stay for an early dinner. Robert agreed. He got up and went over to the others.

"Our host, Edward Donohue, says his grandson's family is his family. He has asked us to stay for dinner," Robert said. "He promises simple but edible fare. I suggest we stay."

"Fine," Brian said. Khaat nodded. It was appropriate. When the others agreed, Edward got up an headed to the house to tell the women to begin dinner. As he walked, with Robert beside him just to be sure Edward didn't fall, Edward seemed strangely drawn to Khaat. He walked over to her and his hand caressed her cheek. Khaat felt enormous power in the deceptively old looking hand.

"He was a big one, wasn't he, Child?" Edward asked.

"What?" Khaat asked.

"The werewolf. He was a big one, wasn't he? Powerful. Must have felt unstoppable to you." His hand moved to her necklace and he took the stone in his hand and smiled. "So, he managed to make it after all, did he?"

"What?" Khaat asked again.

"Your stone," he said. "Flamel's work. He'd been working on that formula a long time. I wasnt sure he'd mastered it. Its good to see he finally managed it. Don't lose that."

"I..won't," she said.

"Good."

"Edward, how do you know?" Robert asked.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" Edward laughed. "And you're the minister? In my day, aurors didn't just hunt dark arts practitioners. We were commissioned to hunt werewolves. Times have changed, thank goodness, but..."

"Edward Donohue!" Robert's brain engaged. "The werewolf hunter. Healer. seer..."

"As I said, that was years ago," Edward said. "But this one. The one that hurt this child, he was a big one, wasn't he? Well over 7 feet transformed."

"Yes," Robert said.

"Doesnt' look like you're gaining ground with him."

"Not yet. But we're working on it."

"No. You're failing miserably We do need to talk. For a Minister, you do still need some education, don't you?" Edward looked at Robert.