Marriage is Murder

Jim chuckled " true, so true, Margaret is looking forward to having a baby around again, I think her hormones are out of whack " he said and shook his head gently and smiled as Michael headed up to bed " sleep well old friend " he chuckled seeing the ottoman follow him up the stairs. He opened his book and sighed deeply hearing the commotion from up stairs he looked at Robert and moved quickly up pausing at the bedroom door as he knocked then entered quietly. " everything all right?" he asked seeing Brian holding Khaat " thought I heard a commotion from in here " he said softly and began to back out of the room.

"I think she was just dreaming," Brian said, getting up and pulling the covers around her. "I know we've all had fevers where our dreams seem more real. She has reason to have a lot of nightmares. I certainly didn't need them to be more real for her. I don't like using a sleep spell on her, but she just simply needs to rest. I am really starting to hate this stuff already." He went back to the sofa where all the paperwork was scattered. "I need to talk to Rene tomorrow. He just really does have to come out of that guesthouse to deal with me. I can't leave her. Not even to go over there. He is a persnickety old fart. I know its not his way, but if he wants me to pay him, he's going to have to get over himself and meet my terms. Either that or I'll have to hire someone else. And I know Robert doesn't want to do that."

Jim looked at Khaat and her flushed cheeks " ok that's a relief and don't worry about Rene I'll deal with him and make sure it all goes well, just look after that woman of yours Brian " he said and smiled closing the door behind him and heading back down stairs to Robert " Khaat was having nightmares, fever related Brian thinks " he said " I will call into see Rene tomorrow and find out how things for the gardens are coming, after I fed, change and tend to Teresa " he said smiling as he took back up his book " this is going to be one hell of a week Ozzie" he looked at him.

"Might well be," Robert agreed. "But its not completely like her to hvae nightmares from fever. Nightmares from trauma, yes. From fever, no. Something doesn't sound right there to me. I think I'll go up and just check to be sure. I'll be right back." He got up and laid his pipe aside and his paper and went upstairs. "You've made a bloody mess in here, Lad," Robert told Brian quietly.

"I have to do something. I might as well work," Brian said. Robert didn't despute him. He understood how that felt. Rather, he went over to the bed and felt her forehead.

"Her fever has gone up a little bit, but then again, fevers usually go up at night, " Robert said. "Tell me what happened." He listened as Brian told him what happened. He frowned and he removed the sleep spell from her. He woke her and she jolted awake again. "Easy," he said. "Tell me what you saw."

"He doesn't believe me. We have to go!" she said.

"I believe you. What did you see?" her father soothed her.

"Blood. Death. Lots of it," she said.

"Where?" he asked.

"Outside. Its outside..."

"Alright. I'll check it. Stay here. I'll make sure you're safe. You can't fight like this. Stay here. Understand me?" She nodded. "Promise me," he told her. She nodded. He went to the door and Brian followed him.

"You don't seriously think there is something out there, do you?" Brian asked.

"I have no idea," Robert said. "But I'm keeping my word to her. Stay with her." He went back downstairs. He looked at Jim. "Feel like taking a night time walk with me?"

Jim set aside his cup and book and stood up " ow some fresh air sounds good about now Ozzie" he said smiling and moving to Roberts side he patted his pocket to make sure he still had his wand noting it was there. He didn't know why Robert was going out side but he knew it was connected to Khaat's night mare and he would go to make sure nothing was about to harm them. Jack walked down and looked at them.

"Mind if I come too?" he asked pushing his hands into his pockets as he walked over to them both, " I heard Khaat " he said nodding he was ready for anything.

"If you like," Robert said. His stride was determined. "Wands at the ready. Just in case. I'm not necessarily expecting anything, but I want to be certain."

"Robert," Kate said, running outside, in her nightgown and robe and in her barefeet. "You're going after it, arent't you?"

"Kate?" he frowned, turning around. "What do you know?"

"Its not fever," she said, shivering in the night air. Her thin silk didn't protect her from the early spring night time chill. "I was in the nursery. I dozed off. I smelled turkish cologne."

"Where do I look, Kate?" Robert's face was serious now.

"The north sector. But dont' go alone," Kate said.

"I won't. Jim and Jack are with me."

"Dont turn your backs," Kate said.

"We won't. Now go in the house. Wake everyone up who can wield a wand until we know what we have." She nodded and went back inside and followed his orders waking everyone up, relaying them to get up and stand guard immediately. She sent Steven to bring everyone from the other houses into the main house straight away.

Jim saw Kate and turned away looking at the woods in his gentlemanly way, in his mind only a husband should see a woman like she was dressed. Jack did the same as if looking out he heard Kate talking to Robert and made a note, north sector. He raised his head and smelt a change on the wind and this made him frown a little.

" Kate's right, something... doesn't smell right " he said and pointed Northwards. Jim looked at Robert and back to the house.

" Robert we'd better check this out " he said taking out his wand along with Jack who still stood looking north.

"Thats why we're out here," Robert said. He walked with the determination of a general heading into battle. If there was somethign that frightened his daughter, he didn't care what the risk was to himself. He was going out to get it. The farther he crossed the grounds, the more he realized every so often he got just the slightest whiff of turkish cologne.

"Remus, if you have me out here on a wild goose chase, I swear..." he heard himself say under his breath. But then again, when it came to Khaat's safety, Remus never kidded about it. The scent began to change, as if there had been a change in the wiind. And he didn''t like it. The smell was fresh. It was stale whiskey, cheap cigarettes, and fresh blood. "Do you smell that?" he asked them very quietly

Jack moved with Robert and shivered at the change " yeah I do stale whiskey and ..." he pause shivering at the smell he had picked up " blood , old blood " he looked at Jim who frowned at him but he shook his head " I'm fine'" he said looking quickly at Robert.

"Better had be Jackie boy " Jim said holding his wand up as he caught the smell also " could be an old camp" he said and continued to careful move closer to where the smell grew stronger. Jim stopped short waiting for Robert to join them he wasn't one to rush in and so crouched low to the ground he didn't know what to expect though he knew Robert would.

"Not exactly," Robert said. "That blood is fresh. If you haven't taken your wolfsbane now would be an excellent time, Jack."

They came through the woods into a clearing and Robert saw a form on the ground. "Cover me," he ordered. He found the body of a young woman. Her body was still warm but cooling. She was almost unrecognizeable. She had all the characteristic markings of a mauling. A mauling he'd seen too many times. And he already knew. It had been a little calling card from James. Then he saw something shimmer in the starlight. He examined it. A muggle electronic music player and earphones. He found her bag and found a little computer and a phone. A wallet with muggle ID's.

"A muggle," Robert said. "She was young. A teen. And she died a horrible death. Khaat was right. I think James is just taunting us. This has all his trademarks. She can't be more than 16 or 17."