Marriage is Murder

"They do get worse," Kate laughed. "Don't dare them to do it. And dont add Khaat to the mix. She only amps them up. She was trained by Remus after all." Brian laughed, remembering one of her stories.

"Did she ever tell you what she did to the house elves?" Brian laughed.

"No," Kate said. "Do I want to know?"

"They had doomed us with the worst oatmeal known to man one winter. So, she got it into her head to fix that."

"Oh no," Kate shook her head.

"Well, yeah. She went downstairs and tripled the sugar in oatmeal mix. It was so sweet that even Dumbledore couldn't eat it," he laughed. "And his sweet tooth was just never ending."

"Did he figure out it was her?"

"He wouldnt' have, but her friends began laughing out loud at the sour look on Dumbledore's face. And then it was all out in the open."

"Why didn't she get detention?"

"Because he congratulated her on being able to get past the house elves into the pantry to actually to do it. He saaw how much strategy it took to do it," Brian laughed.

"Just like a Lupin," Angus laughed.

Jess , cassidy and Jack all laughed Steven smirked as he worked on the fish " I bet she was even I couldn't get past those elves " Jess said smiling at Jack.

" they were relentless but I am looking forward to seeing the jelly bean catching contest" he said smiling as he sat back from the table. Cassidy finished a pile in front of her as did Jess and Steven the bowl that once held lots of fish now sat empty and a pile of gutted and filleted fish now lay in it.

" that ok for you Angus?" Steven asked as he walked over and cleaned his knife off placing it in the draw once it was dry.

"Yes. Thank you," Angus said. "Oh, and look. The potatoes peeled themselves while we were fixing fish. He put the potatoes in cold water in the fridge and soake the fillets in buttermilk to make the flavor of the fish more gentle an less fishy until he got ready to batter them and fry them. Alright. Thats enough for now, folks. I'll clean up the fish mess and get onto dessert. The rest of the afternoon is yours."

He cleaned the kitchen and then set about making the dessert. It make the whole house smell insanely good. When he had the dessert made and plated for dinner, he battered the fish and seasoned the chips. Just about then, Robert arrived back with Kieran and Fi and Khaat. Brian immediately noticed that the women carried brightly colored beach bags and they all had wet hair. Brian could smell the sea, sand, and the distinctive aroma of suntan lotion. They all had several hours of suntan on their skin. And Fi and Kieran looked dramatically better.

"Oh, now that's just mean," Brian laughed. "Where did you go?"

"Just a little stretch of beach on the Riviera," Robert shrugged.

"You owe the rest of us a trip," Brian said

"Not at the moment. We've been swimming, and we're starving. Where are those fish and chips?"

"Working on them right now," Angus said, already frying them.

Jess smiled feeling the relaxing state of Fiona and the others she also liked th4e smell that was coming from the kitchen. Cassidy sat with a cook book that detailed where things came from and what they tasted like but she knew the only way to truly know was to try for her self. Jack looked up and smiled.

"Bet that beach was warm " he said and smiled glad to see them relaxing for once rather than all glum and depressed as they had been when they left. Cassidy smiled as she looked up.

" Hay, looking good " she said smiling as she saw their tans and beach bags.

"It was lovely," Khaat said. "And Daniella showed up with an experimental ointment for Daddy's hands. It finished healing his fingers. He was good enough to be able to swim with us."

"I knew she had to be good for something," Kate said.

"Still jealous, Kate?" Robert laughed.

"No. She lost, remember?" Kate looked directly at him. Robert laughed.

Dinner was about the best fish and chips that any of them could remember. When the dinner dishes were cleaned up, Angus served coffee and tea and broke out a wonderful plate of the most beautiful delicate butter cookies that were stuffed with handmade fresh fruit jellies and jams, in a variety of flavors. They were beautiful enough to have been in any cookbook or magazine. Khaat thought they looked more like pastry sculptures. She didn't even want to eat one. It was too pretty. He laughed at her and encouraged her to try one. It was a little taste of heaven. And with the top notch gourmet coffee, sitting together with their closest friends and family. This was what it was all about. This was worth fighting for.

Jack looked at jess and smiled knowing jess had a similer problem with him but she won outright. Jess chuckled and stood up " well its good to se you both smiling again " she said smiling herself to them.

All sat and ate dinner the food was great even casidy didn't complain but just ate it she even tried some tatar sauce, it was a bit vinagry but she determined to try new things again. Jim loved the fish it had been a while since he had eaten fish and chips.

" you know if margaret hears I had fish and chips she will put me on a diet quick smart" he said and chuckled, jack loked at him and smirked.

" your not that big " he said as he finished his food and sat back " as usual wonderful Angus " he said

The evening went quietly, and there was an odd mix in the air of sadness and a strange peace. Jeffrey and Sarah arrived late, having been detained by a problem with a patient. Angus made sure they had dinner and then showed them to their room. Once settled, Jeffrey and Sarah and Fi and Kieran went up to Kierans room to discuss her need to go to Switzerland. Khaat could feel that Fi felt resolved and felt like there was hope in her making this trip. there was no need to interfere.

After a long talk, Jeffrey came down and asked for Brian and Robert to talk with him. Brian motioned to Khaat. "You're part of me. You come too," he said. She got up and went with them. Jeffrey told them that Fi was doing exceptionally well due to the care they'd given her. He intended to let her work through her grief. She wanted to do that in private and that Kieran had affirmed it was Fi's nature. Brian knew that. Jeffrey also affirmed that Fi was firm on getting rid of the farm and everything in it. Robert tol Jeffry he had already agreed to handle it for her. Jeffrey told Robert he was going to assume Fi's care himself so that Fi got used to him. Robert agreed.

Morning brought brilliant sunshine. So sharply contrasting for the task ahead. The funeral of a father and four children. 5 caskets at once. It was what Fi and Kieran had wanted. Brian skipped breakfast, unable to eat. He an Khaat dressed quietly, and she concentrated on trying to provide him with support.

Jack dressed and helped Jess dressed also, Both cassidy and Steven walked down in their suits to stand waiting all not eating breakfast till they got back. Even though Jack had seen and felt death before he still felt uneasy. Moving to the fire place he took out his small bottle and took his dose of wolfsbane. Sliping it back in his insie pocket he looked at Robert and nodded that he had taken it. Jess stood with a cup of tea to calm her nerves down along with Steven he'd done several funerals but this one felt different more solum and not wanted. He stood with cassidy as they waited for the time to slip by. All wnting the funerals to be over.

Khaat went downstairs with Brian and found people gathering. Kieran and Fi came downstairs with Jeffrey and Sarah. There wasn't much talking. There never did seem to be on these days. And then Kate came downstairs followed lastly by Robert. Khaat noticed immediatlely the power that just seemed to resonate from her father. He was making himself powerful and larger than life on purpose today. He wanted them all to know that he had things under control, and that it was safe for them to see to their own personal needs because he "had this." She didn't see himself making himself that powerful on purpose, except on very rare occasions. He didn't need to flaunt who he was. But he was doing it today, and she felt the safety in his power. The security in knowing that he had this as under control as it could be.

"Angus," he said, "have you heard from Lizzie?"

"Yes, Sir." Angus said, putting on his suitcoat. "She'll be here in about 30 minutes to set up for lunch for us."

"Good. Very good," Robert said. "Is everyone ready? If so, we should really go."

Jess nodded and took Jacks arm as Casidy took stevens and they waited porting just after Robert to where they were to hold the service and things. Each sat quiet and listened and looked at Fiona but jess knew that Robert had her as did Jeffery and sarah the all sat quiet as the ulagy was read out , Soon it was over and they stood at the grave side jess , jack , steven and Cassidy droped a single rose each and stepped back away from the grave edge quietly. Jess watched Fiona closly making sure she was allright along with Khaat hoping any drop in her energy Robert or Brian would catch.