Marriage is Murder

"Hallie is a very capable young auror," Robert said. "Hallie is married to Hogwarts' former headmaster Theodore Rookwood. Hallie lost her leg the night Thaor died. He had breeched the school gates. Hallie was one of the aurors who responded, and when Thaor set the school on fire, Hallie responded and fell out of an upper window. Her leg was badly damaged and was later amputated.

"Halie has been working to regain her life and is determined to continue her career as an auror. Amelia was the only professor who responded the night the school gates were breeched and she took her own life in her hands in trying to protect the students from both Thaor and from James and his pack. Amelia is not a shrinking violet. You're not going to scare her away that easily, but she is very dedicated to both her family and to her students. If she's not contacted you, there is certainly a very good reason."

Tobias loaded up several shopping bags filled with tons of shrunken purchases. Brian had so many shopping bags he could barely carry them all. Khaat had several messenger bags--all of them hanging off her good shoulder--some done in crossbody style and some hanging straight--that were also filed with shrunken packages. Brian had spent thousands and hadn't so much as blinked. It didn't bother him a bit.

They left Tobias's, made one last stop down the street at the chocolatier's, despite the heavy rain, and then finally ported back together.

Robert looked at them frowning. "Rain?" he asked. "You look like a pair of drowned rats."

"Venice has heavy rains today," Brian grinned. "It was glorious. Did you leave anything at all in Tobias's shop?"

"It seems Tobias buys things with us in mind and keeps them set back for us," Brian said. "He has exceptional taste." Marcus went over to Khaat.

"Let me take those for you," he said to her quietly. "And then we'll find you some dry clothing."

Brant sat and listened to Robert tell him about Amelia's daughter. " she sounds like a very dedicated woman her daughter, guess she takes after her mother and yeah she's probably deep in marking papers or something" He said turning to see two very wet people appear in the room. He accioed two towels and walked over to them.

"Here let me. " he said walking over he dried their clothes off. " you should feel better now. Turning back to Robert he simply nodded and headed to his lab. Cassidy added some touches to the table and her gift and stepped back.

"Now thats a table ready for the food" she said placing a large number four in the center of the table.

"Its very nice, Cassidy," Robert said. Angus called from the kitchen.

"Where's my box?"

"Oh," Brian said. "Here." He picked up a white cardboard cube shaped box and floated it out to the kitchen.

Michael took a break from helping with the secret birthday cake to serve the evening meal. He began filling up plates with battered chicken fingers, battered pieces of fried fish, crispy chips, and bowls of mixed berries and crème. It wasn't necessarily healthy, but it was what the kids--especially Abbey--liked. Birthdays didn't have to be so healthy, after all.

"You could get the kids," Michael told them. "I think Angus and Kate are going to be awhile yet. We need to start without them."

Cassidy and Steven headed up to get the kids Jim went with them and together they brought them all down including Abby. "Okay Robert, were ready" Cassidy called out knowing as soon as Abby saw the table she would know what was going on. Even Cassidy could not stop smiling at how the place looked.

"Awe, but they will miss the big present opening" Steven said chuckling as he placed his down knowing what Cassidy had got her he had bought something that matched hers. Jack watched the kids as they ooed and ahed at the balloons and decorations all around them.

Everyone sat down at the table except Kate and Angus, who came and joined them when dinner was about halfway through. They didn't bring the cake out. They left it hidden in the kitchen.

The kids were delighted in having crunchy pieces of chicken and fish and chips for dinner. It never disappointed them. And it was one of the rare times Kate didn't protest Robert eating unhealthy deep fried foods.

Abbey preferred the fish, and but most of the kids preferred the chicken. In fact, she left most of her chips in order to have more fish and more berries.

"Do you know how old you are, Abs?" Brian asked.

"Four," she beamed. "I'm all grown up!"

"Almost," Brian laughed. "What do you want for your birthday?"

"Cake!" she said.

"I'll see what I can do about that," Angus laughed, not wanting to blow the surprise.

Cassidy smiled hearing how proud Abby was at turn four. she chuckled as she heard her ask for cake she helped the others eat as did Brant who chuckled as he gave Catlin some fish and she ate it asking for more.

"Well at least they like the food " he said and Cassidy smiled at him.

"They always do" she said " Angus is the only one I know to get all the kid eating" she chuckled and smiled seeing Abby take more Fish and berries. Brant and the others continued to eat as did the children Jack glanced at Robert knowing he knew of Jess and her departure.

"Well, do you want cake or presents?" Robert asked her.

"Yes!" Abbey nodded, wanting both. "Lots!"

"What if we don't have cake?" Robert teased.

"Aggie won't forget cake," Abbey said confidently.

"You're right," Angus smiled at her. "And I didn't. You want to see it?" She nodded, excited. "Okay," he said. He and Michael went to the kitchen, and Michael got a tray with dishes of homemade strawberry ice cream.

Angus got the cake. It was a large cake with a sculpture of a picture from her favorite storybook--the mouse's tea party. It was elegantly done, all in fondant and handblown sugar. The only thing that wasn't edible was the tiny tea set itself. It was a tea set of pure crystal that Robert and Kate had bought for Abbey. Normally full sized, the enchanted tea set was purposely shrunken to fit on the cake.

Four little tea cups on the table were magical candles that lit up at Angus's command. Angus brought out the cake and set it on the table.

"That has to be the finest cake I've ever seen you do," Brian told Angus. "I don't know if we can cut that. Its a masterpiece--a real piece of art."

"You'd better cut it," Kate said. "It certainly won't keep."

"Then we'd better at least get pictures before we cut it," Khaat said.

Cassidy stood up and accioed her camera to her hand knowing they would want a memory of the day. " I have that covered Kate" she said and smiled taking shots as Angus placed the cake down on the table for Abby to cut. "Thats a beautiful cake Abby" she said smiling as the others all happily giggled. Cassidy kept taking photos of the cake and Abby.

Brant smiled seeing Abby's face light up when she saw the cake " wow you out did your self " he said and chuckled " is that a real set?" he asked seeing how it glinted in the sunlight. " nice touch" he added Steven nodded he agreed

"Its my mousie book!" Abbey was delighted. "Can I keep it?"

"I think, if you ask, Cassidy might give you one of those pictures she's taking," Angus said. "You can't keep it and eat it both."

"Your mousie is candy," Kate said. "We can keep them and you can eat them one at a time whenever you want."

"It is a real tea set," Robert said. "That's a one of a kind set from Kate and I."

"Allow me," Kate said. "Make a wish and blow out the candles, Abbey." Abbey closed her eyes, made a wish and then stood up on her chair and blew out the candles. Marcus had been right behind her to make sure she didn't fall. He helped her to sit back down in her chair. Kate began removing the tiny items from the tea set one at a time. First, the cups and saucers, then the creamer and the sugar bowl, and finally the tea pot itself. She resized them to their full size.

"She can use it as a tea set, if she chooses," Robert said. "And while she's young, each piece will tell a different story. Like this." He touched the rim of one of the tea cups, and a white mist swirled in the cup and then began to form a scene. It was a children's story, playing out inside the cup that was visible to anyone looking through the crystal. The charm worked on every piece of the tea set.

"But the tea pot itself is very special," Robert said. "The storybook charm is just a charm. The teapot is really Abbey's first palantir. She'll be able to use it as she develops her seer's abilities as she gets older."

"And its a wonderful quality palantir," Kate said. "My first one was a rather shabby thing. I've asked the maker to make me a palatir of that quality for myself."

Cassidy nodded "Of course the birthday girl gets a pick." she said and smiled. She looked at the tea pot and smiled " its perfect for her Kate" she said taking a picture of it. " okay give me a moment " she said and left the room Steven tended to the other kids while she was gone.

Cassidy went to the next room and took out a photo album with the number four on and images of he mouse's tea party through it. She slipped the pictures in it and one into a silver frame for Khaat to keep as a momento of the day. Wrapping both she walked back and placed one on the table with the others the second she walked over to Khaat " this is for you" she said and placed it in front of her to open.