Marriage is Murder

Jess looked to the portrait and smiled " that's good news , I didn't expect her to move till tomorrow after the dose Robert gave her" she said she heard the bellow and saw Marcus run out battle ready and wand up to fire quickly she caught his arm and stopped him going any further " wow stand down that's just Brian. " she said and saw him half dressed " go finish showering, or dry off your dripping all over the floor I'll find out what's up." she told him as she saw him drip on the floor making it wet where he stood.

Steven heard Brian and ran up to see what was wrong he stooped at a skid on the stairs " what's up" he said but saw for himself and frowned " that's...that's Brant's mouse, or was he's bigger" he said stopping it in its tracks and picking it up the mouse squeaked to him and he shook his head. " One of the kids had him in a box under their bed and they fed him scraps and been giving him this strange liquid to drink" Steven said turning to look at Brian.

Marcus lowered his wand. He didn't know why Brian was yelling but Jess sounded like this wasn't all that strange of a thing here. And she was right--he was wet.

When Jess went out into the hall, he turned to go back to the bathroom and saw Khaat was waking, having to work at pulling herself up out of the potion's effects. He went over to her.

"Does he do that often?" he asked her softly, trying to make light of it.

"Sometimes," she said sleepily. "Its alright?"

"Yes," he said, even though he didn't really know.

"Have you had a chance to sleep?"

"Not yet," he smiled. "I did find your bourbon, though. Your artwork told me."

"Oh good," she yawned. "That's good. He'll take good care of you. Are you wet?"

"A little," he laughed. "Do you need anything?"

"No," she said, getting very sleepy again. "Thank you."

"Go back to sleep," he said, brushing the hair off her face. She wanted to say something else, he saw, but the potion had other ideas. She slipped back into sleep. He glanced out the window again, ever watchful, and then headed back to the bathroom to finish dressing. Maybe he would figure out how to fit in here after all. He did rather like it.

Jess walked back in and saw Khaat still sleeping and heard Marcus in the bath room again she smiled and shook her head as she checked Khaat. Steven gathered the mouse and made his way down to Edward " okay what potion can do this to a mouse , this was Brant's mouse now its the size of a rat" he asked and showed them it . Jim looked over and looked puzzled at the overly large brown mouse.

Jess sat down and waited in the room " I am guessing he did as I suggested and is dressing ?" she asked the picture on the wall knowing he was anyway. Jack looked at the mouse and chuckled .

" looks like a wear mouse what did they fed it?" he asked looking from one to the other and back.

"Yes," Remus said. "He's dressing. He hovers a bit, but that will wear off soon enough. I'm betting there's more water from where he went over to check on her before he went to dress. Don't slip on it."

Edward picked up the mouse and looked at it, frowning. "Well, I haven't seen this sort of business in awhile," Edward said. "Looks like a growth potion. Looks like the one that we use on our magical herbs. Harmless to the mouse, but depending on when he had the potion last, he could continue to get bigger over the next couple of hours. Perhaps to the size of a small housecat."

Then Edward got a mischievous look on his face. "I think Brant needs to develop more of a sense of humor, don't you think?" He looked at Jack, who was usually up for a harmless prank. "Why don't you take the mouse to Brant just as he is? Let's see how he fares."

Jess chuckled and nodded " I saw it thank you" she said and cast a drying spell on it to make sure nobody else slipped on it. Then sat back in the chair to wait for some one to take over from her. Jack laughed and nodded grinning.

" ow too right " he said grinning like a Cheshire cat at Edward " and you his uncle too " he said but grinned " let me get a box to put it in" he moved to the kitchen placing it back in Stevens hands for the time being. Jack returned moments later with an old cake box opening it he placed the mouse in it sealing it with tape but leaving holes for it to breath.

" better get moving before it gets too big for that box Jack " Steven said and chuckled knowing Brant would be stunned to see his mouse so big now, Steven knew Brant would know what potion would counter the one that had been fed to it." I'l go and check the kids room for the bottle of potion" he said and left watching as Jack left laughing as he did so.

"I'd hurry that up," Edward said, pointing that to the tail that was already growing out of one of the holes in the box. "Its growing again, and that box isn't going to hold it more than another couple of moments. Go, if you're going, Jack."

"Hey," Angus called from the kitchen, "I'm ready to set lunch on the table. Are either of them ready for a mid-day meal upstairs, or will they both sleep through it?"

It didn't take Marcus long to finish dressing. He finished the bourbon in the glass and brought the glass back out and set it aside, out of the way, on the dresser. He was dry now and presentable--for work at home. The only thing that was still damp was his hair. He had towel dried it and combed it into shape. He had cleaned up the towels and the soiled clothes, folded them neatly and sent them into his room to the hamper in his own bathroom. Not a trace remained that he had ever even thought of using her bathroom.

"Thank you, Jess," he told her, prepared to resume his task.

"Better?" the portrait asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Belby said.

"Your professionalism is admirable, but hardly necessary to this extent. You'll fit in better if you learn how to, at least consider the people here friends and not merely allies or clients," Remus told him. "You're used to keeping it professional because it was expected of you. Or because it protected you."

Marcus froze for a brief instant before he responded to the portrait. "Thank you, Doctor Whatever-Your-Name-Is, but I've actually passed all my requirements for my post."

"And there it is. The hard exterior that is your armor," Remus said with a wise smile.

"I'm sure there is a closet big enough for both you and your ego," Marcus said flatly.

"Oooh, touchy, touchy," Remus laughed, seeing he'd apparently struck a nerve.

Jess saw Marcus walk out and stood up she could not help chuckle at the banter between them both " that Marcus is a portrait of Remus lupin, Khaat Uncle and Roberts Brother " she told him , " but he's right were all friends here, you could say were like family in a way our children play and live all together and our lives run all together" she said to him. Jack saw the tail growing and ported away to Paris as Steven chuckled.

" so what's the bet its the size of a small cat by the time he gets it " he said and chuckled again. as he went and pored some tea for himself and added a little whiskey into it. Jim saw all and just chuckled softly at their prank but he knew Brant would take it or if he didn't he would not return. He also knew lee would see the funny side to it too.

"Ah, the professor himself," Marcus said. "Well, that does explain a lot. "

"It explains only that I understand how to protect myself against dark arts, little more."

"You are too modest, Professor Lupin. Your lycanthropy explains you too."

"Not as much as you might think," Remus laughed. "But if you can try to work up a mental profile of me, do let me know. I do enjoy a good conversation."

"Remus," Khaat groaned sleepily. "Be nice. He's not our enemy. He's one of us."

"Oh, but my Sweetheart, that's precisely what I have been telling him," Remus laughed.

"My apologies, Khaat," Marcus said. "I did allow myself to be baited into it."

"We all do," Khaat said, "Don't we, Jess?" She tried to shift and found she was getting stiff.

"You should rest," Belby said. "You're bruising."

"Big deal," she said. "That's not new. I'm really thirsty."

"What would you like?"

"I don't care. I'd like a pleasant surprise today after the morning we've had. So somebody surprise me." Marcus looked at Jess and shrugged. Surprising someone he didn't know very well wasn't exactly easy.

"That thing might not be quite so easy for Brant to undo, potion or not. Some of those potions take time to neutralize. He might well have to put the thing on a dog leash for several hours while he tries to wait it out," Edward laughed. "He might not be so pleased with whichever one of us he blames this on."

Jess stood and listened then nodded " I'm afraid so " she said softly walking over with a glass of water for Khaat " here drink this its just water " she said and offered it to her lips to drink. she glanced at Marcus and Remus and smiled she looked at Marcus when he spoke to Khaat " I see your bruising too Marcus " she said " and don't deny it, I saw that earlier when you had your shirt off, Brandy isn't going to help." she said " rest and sleep will" she told him.

Jim laughed out loud and nodded " ow too right I'm guessing he blames Jack for that. " he said and sipped his tea quietly " he'll get over it , right Edward?" he said looking over to where he stood close by.

Khaat took a drink.  There had been a moment this morning when she had been utterly positive there would be nothing more. Her only comfort had been in believing that it would be over in an instant. But it hadn't come.  Her staff had seen to that.  No, her friends had seen to that.  They were all friends.  And she had a feeling that Belby was going to end up liking his coworkers and his new assignment.  

"Thanks," she said, when she was done.

Jess had been right. He had had every intention of merely keeping his shirt on and feeling it would hide the bruises he was getting.  But, of course, that hadn't worked out the way he'd planned either.  

"You're right, of course," Belby smiled. "I promise I won't overdo it."

"Jess," Khaat said. "There is a reason why they were in London. We need to know what it was."

"It wasn't the route you use, was it?" Belby asked.

"In good weather, I use it at least half the time," she said. "I don't get a chance to work out like I used to."  

"Then they had even odds of finding you if they waited you out," he said.  He turned to Jess. "Do you walk or port?"

"He'll get over it," Angus said, setting a large salad on the table, with bowls of homemade soup that used the broth that Khaat liked so well, baskets of crusty bread, and bottles of his homemade soda.  "Somebody get the kids. We need to have them eat, or at their age, they'll be eating all sorts of inedible things before their afternoon naps."