Marriage is Murder

"Throw out that bottle of whore repellant, Jack!" Remus said, following that with a flurry of obscenitiies. "I'll come back after you air out the room. Better do it soon before you poison that bloody bird!" He left the portrait and went to the picnic painting in the living room and sat down on the edge of a red gingham picnic blanket and picked up an apple and started to eat.

Kate was passing through the living room to put some new books by Robert's chair when she looked up and saw Remus's image in the living room painting. She frowned.

"Bored, are we?" she asked.

"No. I got fumigated out of my portrait," he said. "I am not going back to that room. Not like that."

Jack chuckled and moved to Khaat taking her hand he took the bottle gently from it " Khaat hes all around you don't need an out of date cologne " he told her and put the top back on placing it in his pocket he looked around . " Remus has good taste " he said and picked up a book that lay next to her. Steven now finished in the kitchen heard remus and chuckled.

" one guess cologne?" he asked " can smell it in here" he said softly as he placed the last batch of scones on the counter.

"Is that what this is about?" Kate frowned. "I can fix that." She went to her room and got into Robert's things. She found a fresh bottle of turkish cologne and a wooden box, and she took it to Khaat. "Your father bought this because he believed that at some point you'd come and not like it until it started to feel like home in every way. Try this." She handed Khaat the new bottle. Khaat opened it and smelled it.

That was it. That was the smell she remembered every day of her life as a child.

"I'm sorry," Khaat said softly, looking at the bottle of cologne. "But its not right unless its all back. All of it."

"In that case, you'll want the tobacco and leather smells too," Kate said. She opened the box and got out two bottles of potion. One was the scent of Remus's tobacco. He smoked rarely but the smell of the tobacco that was waiting for those very rare occasions had always been in the room. Her father had made a potion--to recreate the smell of the tobacco that had always been present in the room. The second bottle smelled like fresh leather. Khaat nodded, overwhelmed at having the smells back again. Kate put all three bottles on the large bookcase out of the way.

"He knew?" Khaat asked in almost a whisper.

"He's your father. What part of this would he not already know?" Kate smiled. "He's been holding them since we rebuit the house--just in case. Better?" Khaat nodded. Kate smiled and left her alone. She went back to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"I think that little mini crisis is over," Kate told them.

Steven smiled as Jack followed Kate and dropped the old bottle into an outside bin before returning to the living room and sitting down " trust Robert to know about the small things" he said smiling he looked at Remus in the photo " I think its safe to return now" he said an smiled smelling the leather and tobacco. He looked at Kate " do you think Remus was near the dark forest , I remember as a boy smelling those things and I meant to ask?" he asked her.

"Frequently," Kate nodded. "Remember, Remus spent most of his life feeling like an outsider because of his curse. And where does one go who doesn't fit in with humans because of magical reasons? The dark forest. He hated it, but as students started to think the Shrieking Shack was haunted, Remus found he couldn't use it to keep himself or others safe during the full moon. So he started trying to hide, from time to time in the dark forest. Especially during the years Khaat and Brian were in Hogwarts. He wanted to be close to her. I dont' know if she ever knew he was there, but he was."

Robert arrived, yawning, very tired. His sleep deprivation was hitting him hard now. And he hadn't had a chance to eat. He was hungry. He'd stopped at Sparks and brought lunch home. Sparks new Autumn Chef Salad.

"Lunch," he announced, putting the take out bags on the kitchen counter.

"Thank you, Dear," Kate kissed him, and poured him a mug of french roast coffee.

"You don't have anything stronger than that?" he sighed. She opened a kitchen cabinet and got out a tiny potions bottle that was gold gilded. She put a few drops in his coffee, and put the bottle back in the cabinet. "Thank you," he said. He headed towards the living room.

"You don't want to eat?" she asked.

"Coffee first, before I fall asleep in my plate,' he said to her. She nodded, understandingly.

Jack sat and listened the more she said the more he wondered it Remus had saved him from greyback all those years ago he never figured out how had done it or why. He gave a sigh and drank his coffee he knew who or what had saved him he was right where he was supposed to be and he also knew it would all be revealed in time. He saw Robert return and he saw how disheveled he was. He staid sat as he watched Robert head to His and Kate's room. " don't worry robert we'll stay and patrol tonight" he said knowing the others could take care of Brians ranch.

"He'll be back when he finishes his coffee," Kate said. "I presume he will work in the barn this afternoon but he may find he goes to bed early tonight. I will set the table for lunch. And then after I clean up from lunch, I'll start to fix something for dinner. I presume Angus is handling both lunch and dinner for the ones at the ranch."

Kate set the table for the Autumn chef salad and glasses of iced cinnamon tea, a loaf of crusty bread and some fresh creamery butter.

Robert finished his coffee and showered and shaved and changed clothes. He felt more refreshed. He went to Khaat's rooms.

"I brought lunch home," he told her softly. "Come eat."

"You did this for me?" she asked.

"We'll talk later," he said. "Come eat." He took her to the kitchen so they could have a bite of food.

"How is Alette?" Khaat asked, as her father set her at the table.

"The same," her father said. "But she's stable. She'll recover but its going to take a bit. I'm hoping that by the time we get to dinner time tonight, Michael will be able to tear himself away. but thats hours from now, so we'll see. You lot going to eat lunch?" he asked.

Steven dished up the food for everyone and nodded to Kate as she spoke" he runs himself to the edge, I guess Angus will do that Kate." He said softly as he gave Kate her plate and sat down with his own knowing Robert would be back from seeing Khaat soon Jack had his own as he ate.

"This is good got to get the recipe" Jack said and smiled at Steven who rolled his eyes " ok Jess will love this " he looked around and finished his food.

Robert brought her to the table, and they ate quietly.

"So what's on your afternoon?" Kate asked Robert.

"New potions formulations for the antitoxin," Robert sighed. "Calculations to do."

"Robert, you could take an afternoon off," Kate said.

"Oh, right. I'll just stride down Diagon Alley, have a seat at the ice cream parlor and have a good time and see how the citizens respond at seeing their minister out having a lark when they're all sick and miserable. Or when they think I'm slacking from my duties as minister. Somehow they expect me to do both," he said.

"Daddy," Khaat said. "You need me back at work."

"I do. But I do need you well first. Give it a couple of days and then you'll be back. We can hide the bruises with glamour charms but we can't do that until the worst of the healing happens for the surgery. Why don't you help your mother fix dinner tonight if you're up to it?"

"Cook?" she asked.

"You are an excellent cook," he reminded her. "And it doesn't require your face."

"What?" she asked.

"Let her eat, Robert," Kate said. "If you want to help me, Khaat, you're welcome to. If not, that's fine too."

Jack and Steven looked at each other as Robert spoke sharply to Khaat each eating quietly not wanting to speak for hearing Robert they couldn't say much of anything " I could help too Kate" Steven offered , if Khaat doesn't want to but I have to say your cooking is good Khaat " he looked at her hoping she would accept and it would be a start to stop her thinking about how she looked for now. Jack sighed and ate his food once done he left the house and walked around the house then down to the barn. Steven gathered all the plates and began washing them.