Bollixed

He smiled, and the longer he thought about it, he laughed. "I'm not exactly well polished at knowing what the heck I'm doing after the first date. But, you knew that already.  I don't know what exactly we're doing, but...I sorta like it," he grinned.



"As for the Lupins, they aren't going to mind. They'll understand, and they surely would rather have you safe. It's all good," he smiled.  "Besides, Rose will probably love the kids. The outdoor pool is open now, and so is the play castle for the kids.  Yeah, Brian got a wild notion last year to build a playhouse for the girls, but then his ideas morphed into a play castle so the boys could play too. It'll be fun."

He saw her fear when he said he'd handle the landlord.  "Is he bigger than a werewolf?" Angus asked, trying to lighten her up just a little bit. "Look, I hear you. But to break the lease, I have to see him. If it makes you feel better, I won't go alone. Why don't you tell me what's going on that makes you afraid?"

Bella smiled hearing him laugh, she thought he had a nice laugh. "Well I can't say anything better, I'm out of practice when it comes to to dates." She smiled shyly at him, "I don't know what we're doing either. I like it as well," she flushed slightly when she said those words. It was not out of embarrassment that she said them but because when it came to him she was shy.

"I don't want to be a burden to them. I'll go though but I insist on helping around the house as much as I can. We will stay long enough to secure a better place to live. I don't want to wear out my welcome with the Lupins. They are wonderful people," She said hoping he would understand her reasoning. "Rose will love being able to play with the children. She's missed them especially Julia and she would love the play castle."

Bella laughed softly when he asked if her landlord was bigger than a werewolf. Shaking her head no to the question as she heard him say that he wouldn't go alone. She felt herself relax at those words even as she walked over and threw her arms around him. "Thank you Angus." She said before breaking the hug and going to the counter next to him. She rested her hip against the side as she thought about everything. "Well at first it wasn't something I noticed until it started happening more and more. When I get home from work his door would be cracked enough that you could see him in his sitting room. It was creepy because every time he would be sitting in his arm chair with the lamp on. Then it went to him always leaving close to the same time I would and he would follow me to the market. It's gotten to the point where I've gone to great lengths to avoid going home unless I truly needed to." She felt a cold chill run down her spine and she shivered because of it. "He always has this look in his eyes that creeps me out beyond belief." She sighed softly before looking at him. "I don't want to live there much longer because of all of this. The sooner we find something the better off Rose and I will be."

He found he didn't have any trouble returning the hug she gave him.  He hadn't thought about it, it had just happened. And he wasn't unhappy with it.


"They're all Gryffindors, you know," he said to her. "All the Lupins come out of the same mold.  They're all about doing the right thing. They'll stand for what they believe, no matter what. And they'd rather you be safe.  What would bother them more is leaving you where you are."

He listened to her explanation of what was happening. The guy sounded like he was stalking her for some reason. She certainly wasn't safe. He wanted her to be afraid, and he was doing a good job of it. Angus knew he was going to enjoy ending Isobella's lease to this creep.


"I've seen his kind before," he said to her calmly.  "Most of the time, they're very, very good at intimidation--especially if they can intimidate a woman. Sometimes they have some ability to actually make good on it, but most of the time, they aren't as powerful as they want to appear, particularly when they're face to face with a man.  Nine chances out of ten, he isn't going to be nearly as brave with me as he is with you. Its far more important that we make sure he never has access to you or Rose ever again.


"So--shall we go get the cats and get some of your things?"

"Well I guess I have something more in common with them. I was a Gryffindor as well in school. I still insist on helping around the house when I can." Bella said softly and knew that the Lupins were good people and she trusted them. "They are wonderful people and I'm glad that I met Khaat when I did." She then thought of the memory of first meeting him and mistaking the children for his.

"I had heard of his kind before but I never had dealt with it first hand." She said softly as she moved towards the fire. She picked up a poker and shifted around a few of the logs to burn better. She felt cold but she knew it was just the fear getting to her. "I'm hoping that he's just a sheep in wolves clothes. I hope that being confronted by another man will make him cower. I don't want to have to see that man for much longer." She put the poker back in it's place once she realized she was pushing the logs around too much. Wrapping her arms around herself she thought about how she was going to avoid him tonight.

"Yeah let's go get the cats and some things. We're gonna be going in a different way to avoid him as much as possible." She said thinking of the back door that she could go in to access the back stairs. She looked around the kitchen to make sure everything was put away. Seeing the mop still going she flicked her wand and put it away. "Ok I'm ready when you are Angus."

He saw her shiver and he didn't blame her. It was enough to make anyone insecure.  He thought of saying something about the fire as she unconsciously poked at the hearth, but she caught herself before he said anything. 


Instead, when she agreed to go get her cats and some things, he nodded. That was best anyway.  He got up and tested his leg a couple times. There was just a twinge of residual soreness that he knew was normal and would wear off as he used his leg again.

"After you," he said, intending fully to stay close to her. He didn't think that the landlord would likely have followed her, but he didn't know whether James was still out looking for him.

He followed her out the door of the pub and, as a kneejerk reaction, he found himself looking around to be sure it was safe, and then double checking the door lock.  He knew her apartment and just presumed she meant going in the back door.  It sounded like a good idea.  Hopefully, they could get what she wanted to take with her before she had to face her landlord again. The sooner he could get her into a place she felt safer, the sooner she could breathe a little easier.

Bella saw him double check everything when she locked the door to the pub. She grinned softly feeling more secure about walking home. She lead the way down the street towards her house. "How's your leg feeling? I might have some pain medication if you need some. It would have to wait until we got to the apartment." She said asking looking at him concerned that he might be in pain.

The three block walk to the apartment didn't take long at all. She lead him to a small looking alley and put a key into the lock of the door back there. She opened the door and peeked in making sure that it was clear of anyone. "Come on it's clear but we have to be quiet." She said as she opened the door more and walked inside making sure he was in before she shut it. She walked along the carpeted hallway to the stairs that was behind a partially open door. Keeping her eyes on the door as she walked making sure that it never moved.

Making it to the stairs one of her neighbors was coming down. He smiled at her but the smile faulted a little when he saw Angus. "Hey Bella." He said looking back at her with curiosity and interest about Angus.

She had to refrain from laughing out loud and said, "Jerome this is Angus. Angus this is my neighbor Jerome. I'll see you later Jerome." She walked up the stairs and stopped at her apartment door. Turning the key she opened it and was immediately greeted by her cats. The apartment was rearranged from the last time that Angus was there. "You can make yourself at home. I'll just pack a bag for me and Rose then I'll gather up the cats after that. It won't take me long to get everything together."

"Its good, thanks," he smiled at her. "There's always a twinge for a bit, but it just needs to be walked off. It's fine."

When they went into her building, Angus saw exactly where she was looking. The door did seem to be slightly ajar, but he didn't see anyone looking out of the apartment.

He followed her up the stairs. He greeted her neighbor Jerome and simply kept going. He followed her in, and closed the door.

"Take any important papers or anything that you could not afford to lose," he told her. It was just something he always seemed to remember when he was protecting someone. He wanted to remove any way that person could be used--or any draw that might bring them back to a particularly dangerous situation.

He glanced around her place and saw some of the well worn and well loved cat toys and a couple of the toys he knew Rose would not want to be without. He found a couple of paper bags and bagged up the things that he saw were clear favorites in the house.

He thought for a brief moment he heard footsteps downstairs in the ground floor hallway. It made him pause and listen. As he looked up, he saw photos of Rose and Bella and her family. Not a chance, he thought. He wasn't leaving that behind, especially if her landlord became uneasy.

He got out a couple more bags and packed some of the things that appeared to him to be sentimental things that would be an easy way for her landlord to emotionally hurt her.

Bella nodded at his words as she made her way into her bedroom. She pulled out a large suitcase that had wheels and started throwing clothes in it. She quickly packed enough clothes for herself for the moment. She began picking up pictures from the dresser and night stands putting them in the suitcase. She walked into the closet pulling out a black leather zip up binder and threw it on top of the clothes. Grabbing her small travel case she grabbed several things from the bathroom putting them in it. She then put that in it as well. Zipping up her suitcase and wheeled it into the hall she went to Rose's room next.

She grabbed Rose's suitcase which was slightly smaller than her own and began packing. She grabbed her daughter plenty of everything as well as several of her favorite stuffed animals. She then grabbed the pictures that were everywhere. Then she took the drawings that she made off the wall and put them in there as well. She made sure that she grabbed her daughters beads since she loved her crafts. After taking a long look around Rose's bedroom she zipped up the suitcase and rolled it out to the hall.

Bella looked at the things hanging on the wall and saw there were no pictures. She quickly then took both suitcases to the living room. She looked around and saw that Angus had collected most of everything there. She walked into the kitchen grabbed a metal tin and opened it. She pulled out the money that sat in it then grabbed another one. That one she left closed and put it in one of the paper bags that Angus had filled.

"I believe that's everything that I have that's important besides the cats." She said as she walked to the closet in the hall and pulled out a cat carrier. She opened it and then quickly put both cats in it, "Okay now that's everything we'll need for now."

(ooc: i'm going to presume I can port them?)


"Might I ask you to borrow a spare key tomorrow when I come back to see Mr. Creepazoid downstairs?" he asked. Yeah, he had to agree with her. The guy was ranking higher than average on Angus's creepy scale.


He made sure her apartment doors were locked, and picked up some of the bags and the carrier with the cats.  He still had his portkey to the estate.


"Grab hold," he said to her. "Let's go."  He took the portkey in his hand and ported them to the estate.  

It was so much more peaceful here, he had to admit. Most of the household was in bed. The only ones awake were a couple of the guards on the night shift and Dottie, one of the house elves.


"Are you up late, Dottie, or up early?" he asked, laughing.


"Oh, early!" she nodded. "I knew you were out tonight so I decided to make some chocolate orange croissants for breakfast. Ah, and you brought us a houseguest? Good to see you again, Ms. Watson."

"She'll be with us several days, Dottie. Can you get her a room, please?"


"I just freshened up the wildflower bedroom yesterday," she said, "if that will do."


"That will do nicely," he said. He looked at Isobella. "It uses artwork and sculptures of the wildflowers of the American west. And it has a balcony that looks out over the backyard and the gardens. Its a nice place to have your tea in the morning."


"What's in the box?" Dottie asked.


"Isobella's kitties. They'll be with us too."


"I'll take the carrier and have Kate have a word with them and with Mo and Max when she gets up. Then they'll be fine to let loose in the house."


"Agreed," Angus said. He looked at Isobella. "They're in good hands. Let me show you to your room so you can at least settle in a bit. Dottie, how about a chamomile tea tray for her? Its been a long day."


"Gladly," she headed for the kitchen, taking the cat carrier with her.


"Your room is across the hall from mine, and one room before Robert and Kate's room," he said. He didn't know if having a bedroom right next to the Minister of Magic would make her uncomfortable or not, but it wasn't like she hadn't been here before. "Now--what did I forget?" he grinned, figuring he probably had forgotten something or another.

Bella laughed when Angus called the landlord a Creepazoid and found that it was an apt description of the man. "I just have my original key, you can use it to get in." She said smiling as she fished it from her pocket and held it out to him.

She grabbed the remaining bags and arranged them in her hands to make sure she had a tight grip. She grabbed a hold of his arm and held firm as he ported them to the estate. Looking around when they arrived she smiled softly instantly feeling safer than she had in a while. She knew that it was because the place was guarded but mainly it was because Angus was there.

Seeing Dottie she couldn't help but smile at the house elf. "It's good to see you as well Dottie." She said smiling at her.

She followed the conversation between the two of them. Then she nodded at Angus' word of her cats being safe with Dottie. "It sounds beautiful and the view sounds wonderful." She said smiling feeling a little sleepy but still slightly more awake. "I'll have to contact my mother in the morning about everything that happened. Is there an owl I can borrow to send her a letter in the morning?"

Bella nodded when Angus said that she was next to the minister and across from him. "Well I guess if I need any help at least your not far." She laughed softly. "I don't know, what did you forget?" She looked at him curiously as she smiled softly. "Thank you again for helping me Angus. You are a good man," She stood up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek softly. Going back down on the flat of her feet, her cheeks were slightly pink.