Marriage is Murder

She picked up the pen and wrote to her father. "Who spoke when I picked up the wand?"

"No one," he said to her. "No one did." She frowned. No one? She knew she had heard something. "Did you hear something?" he asked. She decided quickly it had to be a mistake. "Did you hear something?" he asked again. She shook her head no. He looked at her, doubtful. She laid the wand down on the table, not wanting it anymore.

Brian knew too that something wasn't entirely right, but he wasn't going to push it. "You've done more than you should. The tea will help. Here," he said quietly. "Thank you, Jess." He picked up the mug and helped her with it. "You're probably just tired," he smiled. "The tea will help." She nodded slightly and directed her focus to the tea. Kate said nothing. She merely watched. She had not heard anything either, but then again, sometimes Remus only intended to talk to Khaat. And how did one reassure soeone else that hearing the voice of a dead man was better than losing one's mind? If in fact, that was what it had been.

Jess smiled and looked to Jack holding his hand in her own. Cassidy sat back and drank her coffee with Steven gently massaging her shoulders as out side the window the snow fell silently. " I like this time of year the snow and warm fires makes it feel more like Christmas " Cassidy said as Jack moved to do his afternoon patrol with Steven both taking their coats as they moved out into the cold. Jess and cassidy moved back to their game each hoping to finish it first but both knowing one had to win and one had to loose. Jim placed down his book then stood up licking it up he walked over to a book case placing it inside and taking another.

Michael and Angus served dinner, but Khaat wasnt' hungry. The tea had been enough to satisfy her by the time she finished.

"You can skip dinner," Robert told her. "If--and only if--you agree to try some tea or fruit later. Promise me you'll try, and I'll let you slide tonight." She nodded. "Very well," he smiled. "Will you be alright for a short time until Brian has a chance to eat?" She nodded. "Brian, take her upstairs, then. She's done more than enough for one day. Far more than I expected." He looked back at her. "Take your wand if you like. Just dont do a lot of fiddling with it until you remember how to use it properly."

She picked up her wand--not the older one. Brian took her upstairs to bed while Michael and Angus set dinner on the table. Robert and Kate went to the playroom to get the kids. Most of the kids were at least able to walk now, so it was starting to not take a small army to get them all to the dinner table.

Jess watched as Alex and Catlin walked down the stairs then ran to her with their arms open Jess picked Catlin and placed her into her high chair while jack did Alex, cassidy and Steven lifted their children into their highchairs as Andrew climbed into his on his own and sat down waiting for his food. Jack sat with him as did Jess as she gave him his food and the others. "Thanks Robert " Jess said and smiled as Andrew started to eat as he looked at Abby opposite him.

"You're welcome," Robert said, helping the children up to the table. When Brian had finished helping Khaat into bed, he came back down to the table. "Is she resting?" Robert asked.

"Yes," Brian said. "Studying her wand, but I gave her a few cautions. She has no intention of doing anything with it."

"Good," Robert said. "She might as well get acquainted with it. Roast beef. Looks superb. Your recipe, Angus?"

"Michael's," Angus smiled. "I prefer his gravy, so I asked him to make it."

"The gravy is probably my favorite part too," Robert laughed.

Khaat smelled the food even from her room upstairs. It smelled good, but she didn't think her stomach would take it yet.

"The wand doesn't bite, you know," a voice said. She jumped. It was the same voice she'd heard in her head. Only now it was speaking. She looked around and didn't find anyone. "Up here," it called. "Look up." She looked up to see a man in the portrait above the bedroom fireplace. He seemed to be walking around in the portrait. When he saw her, he smiled and waved. "Hello," he said in a friendly tone. It took her a moment to realize the portrait was moving and speaking. She wondered if it was some sort of trick. "Beautiful wand. It was a gift a couple of Christmases ago from that smitten husband of yours," he said. "I don't expect you remember me, do you?" She shook her head no. "I'm your uncle. My name is Remus. I can't hang up here forever and not speak to you." He was Remus? Was he a ghost? What was this?

"Alright," he said, in a rather instructive tone. "I am not a ghost. I'm just a portrait. A reflection of the man. Your real uncle passed away. You've forgotten that in this world, portraits can walk and talk and move from one portrait to another. Its fairly simple magic. But magic nonetheless. All of this magic must be leaving you pretty confused." She nodded. "I am sorry about that. But you really are a very talented witch. " She didn't believe him. He laughed warmly. "I bet you can do simple spells even now." She shook her head. "Look around you. Isn't there something you'd like to take a closer look at? Something you haven't been able to see because of being there in that bed?" She thought a moment and nodded. "Well, then, it should be quite simple. Concentrate on what it is you'd like to get that closer look at and then simply make a flick of the wand. Its all in the wrist. Just concentrate and flick."

She thought about it, closed her eyes, and gave the wand a flick. A moment later, she'd vanished from the bed altogether.

"Oh, dear," Remus sighed, talking to himself. "I should have told her to bring it to her. I wonder where she's sent herself."

The next thing Khaat knew she was face down in a mound of straw. It smelled like animals. There was a dim light on. She looked up. There was some sort of winged horse but it looked like it had a bird's head. It was a mottled gray color and had rather furry feathers. She seemed to be in the back corner of its barn stall. It looked at her with it's golden eyes, cocked its head at her. It seemed huge to her from where she was sitting. She cowered, scooting back against the stall wall, and noticing that she needed to adjust her nightgown a bit. She pulled the hem of it down over her knees to her ankles. Afraid, she lifted her head slowly to look at the beast. It bowed its head respectfully to her. She did not move. It walked over to her, and she lifted her hand slowly. It nudged it to allow her to pet it.

She was surprised at how gentle this massive beast was. As she petted it, it raised its head, pulling her small form with it. She was on her feet, but supported by having her hands around his neck. She petted its wing, and it raised it. As it lifted its wing, it scooped her up unintentionally and she slid down onto the beast's back.

He kicked open the stall door and she had to grab hold for dear life. He ran at the barn door at a charging speed, kicking it open as well, and continuing outside into the snowy night. The next thing she realize was that his hooves were no longer touching the ground. He had taken to flight, and she was, not by her own choice, on his back. He screeched with utter delight at being able to fly again.

"Uh oh," Robert heard the distinctive cry of his hippogryff. He dropped his fork, and he and Brian bolted to look outside. The hippogryff was not only out of the stall but out of the barn and airborn.

"He'll come back," Brian sighed, not entirely happy.

"He'd better," Robert said, accio'ing his coat. "Because somehow he has Khaat with him." He flung open the door and ran out of the house.

"What!" Brian ran after Robert, without his coat.

"Oh God," Kate panicked, dashing after them, with Michael right on her heels.

Jess covered her mouth in chock as she watched the hypogriff take of " she'll freeze in this cold weather dressed like that" she said cassidy looked at Robert as she spoke softly.

" Now what, go after her?" she asked " or wait and see if he'll bring her back " Jack and Steven stood up and walked over watching also out the window jack hummed and Steven rubbed his chin.

"hes a bit of a wild one but hes sensible I hope he realizes what hes done, that shes not herself and brings her back " he told them as he dove out the door to the barn to make sure nothing else had got out.

Khaat was hunkered down tight against the hippogryff's neck, her face buried in his feathers to brace against the bitter cold. She couldn't help but look down and when it did, it frightened her. After a moment, her curiousity took over and she took a better look at the ground below in the moonlight, the streetlights from a village, lights in houses and lights from muggle cars. The moonlight reflected off the snow, and off the water off the coast. It was truly beautiful. She began to lose her fear. She began to truly enjoy it. She found herself not needing to hide her face in the beast's feathers and able to sit up and look around.

"Do you see him?" Kate asked Robert.

"No," Robert said quietly. "Michael, bring some blankets and take them to the barn. Have Angus make some hot cider. We need to warm her when she gets back. Jess, go draw a warm bath. Not hot. We need to not warm her too quickly. We shall treat this as hypothermia. Kate, bring that beast back as soon as you see it."

"He won't go far. He has that regular flight path that he takes," Kate said.

"He has two," Robert corrected. "He has one that he uses when he's behaving. He has another when he's been too cooped up for too long, and that flight path is longer. Let us hope that he wasn't just overly eager to go flying. If that's the case, he will use the longer path."

"He would not have left the barn in this cold weather if he hadn't been eager to fly!" Kate was irked. "And Khaat surely would never have taken him out if she had known how to fly him. The only reason he's out is because no one has been paying any bloody attention to him!"

"Kate," Robert drew in his emotions, knowing she was angry because she was fearful for what might happen to Khaat. "I know you're right. And I know you're frightened, but..."

"Don't you patronize me, Robert thomas Lupin!" she was even angrier now.

"I'm not," he said. "I'm not, Sweetheart. Let's just get her back, alright? Keep an eye out for the first sight of him. She uses command whistles with him. She can bring him back when we see him. You might also consider getting out some fresh meat for him and laying it out inside the barn and open the doors. If you warm it to room temperature, he will smell it from quite a distance. It might help encourage his return. Use the wild game in the freezer. There's duck and rabbit and pheasant, and some wild fish. The fish will have a stronger smell."

"That will also attract Archangel," Kate said.

"Take that bloody bird in the house," he said.

"No," Kate said, whistling for the bird. "I'm sending to go be with her, to protect her." She gave the bird a command and launched him into the night. The eagle took off like a shot after the hippogryff when Kate gave him the command to go protect his mistress. He was unfailingly loyal to her.

Cassidy accioed some venison and tied a string to it grabbing her warm winter jacket she dove out side whistling as she went and swinging the meat in the air. hoping he would hear Jack and Steven joined them as Jess had dove up to run the warm bath for Khaat when she came back. Cassidy moved pout into the middle of the garden her whistle now high pitched like that of a dog whistle as she swung the meat higher and higher hoping the scent would draw him back to them.

"He won't hear you to he's almost within our eyesight," Kate repeated to Cassidy. She appreciated Cassidy's efforts but until the hippogryff got a bit closer to home, he would not see her.

The flight was beautiful, but when the creature landed, he landed in a spot where there were no lights. It was dark. She could see outlines of buildings in the moonlight. But there were no lights on inside. He walked to a building and when he found he could not go in, he went around to the side of the building. Khaat realized it was a barn. He glided over the corral fence and waked to a sort of side porch to the barn, and laid down on the cold snowy ground. Khaat could see that right beside him were bales of fresh straw. She managed to slide off the beast and huddle between the straw and the body of the beast for warmth.

She heard wings. More wings. And then a screech. Perched on the bale of straw was a huge bird. An eagle. He just sat for a bit and then seemed to take off again.

It was now drawing on almost 45 minutes that she had been gone, and Robert was getting worried. And then he saw Archangel come back. His first act was to swipe the venison that Cassidy was swinging. He snatched it, stole it away from her and returned to Kate.

"Where is she?" Kate asked. He had brought back in his claws an empty bag. She took the bag from him and looked at it. She handed the bag to Robert. Robert read the label on the bag.

"I know where she is. She's safe or he would not have left her," Robert said. "No one around here buys bags of hippogryff feed from Diagon Alley except me. He's returned home. To what his home has always been. He's gone to my farm. But the barn has been secured with agical security spells. He won't be able to get in. He's got her outside someplace near the barn. Try under that overhang on the corral side. That's where I tossed some empty feed bags before we shut it down."

"I'll go," Kate said. "We don't know what sort of mood he's in, and he'll know me."

"Steven," Robert said, "I think it should be you that goes along. Another who might reassure the hippogryff that all is well might be important. I don't think he meant any harm. He's a proud and sensitive animal. He will need to be treated as if all is well." Brian went inside and brought Khaat's heaviest winter coat and a pair of fur lined boots an some thick gloves, along with a winter scarf.

"You'll need these," Brian said quietly.

Cassidy swore under her breath as she let Archangel take the meat from her. she glanced at Steven who just nodded as he walked back over to h er leading hr back to the house just as arch returned and was now munching on the meat she'd wanted the hypogriff to have. Steven looked at Robert as he spoke and accioed the coat and other things to his hand. " I'll make sure she wears them " he said and ported to the farm walking around he saw the overhang on the corral side and walked over " Khaat?" he called softly " Khaat you here, I got warm clothes for you to wear?" he found the hippogriff and looked at round at first he didn't see her then he caught sight of a foot pocking out and moved a bail of hay " Khaat" he slipped on the coat and boots to warm her up.