Blue Moons Everyday

Marcus had been sitting for an hour or better back in Khaat's office at Sparks while she searched the books for 2 galleons that she couldn't resolve in the bistro's bankbooks. Somehow she was 2 galleons shy, and it was obvious she was getting a headache. That wasn't Marcus's concerns. It was just getting bloody late. It was well past dark, and Marcus was acutely aware this was a full moon. They were sorely past it being safe for her to be out of the protection enchantments of the Lupin estate. For most witch and wizards, werewolf attacks were things that were the things of legend. Not so for Khaat, not where James Blood was concerned. They were getting wind from the streets that the enormous werewolf was getting restless being under Fenrir Greyback's control and was starting to hunt the London streets again.  Marcus was betting that James was just trying to see how much he could get away with before the aging Greyback caught on and reeled him back in.

He checked the clock. It was nearing eleven pm. It was time to call it.  He reached into his pocket and drew out 2 galleon and dropped them on her desk.

"There. Problem resolved. We really need to go--now. It may be tough getting out of Diagon Alley tonight as it is. You know James is looking for you again."

"He's not going to try to come here again," she sighed, pushing his coins away to look closer at her books for the one millionth time.

"Really?" Marcus was agitated. "That's what you think? Where else should he look for you? Bank statements came out from Gringotts yesterday. You work during the day at St. Mungos. It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out where you'll be tonight." He slammed her checkbook shut and took her winter coat off the hook. "We're leaving. We should have gone straight home tonight."

"We'll be fine. I trust you're more than capable of saving my hide if I should need it," she finally got up and put on her coat.

"Lovely," he said sarcastically, putting on his own coat. "Now, if I can save my own hide while I'm saving yours, it'll be a job well done, won't it?"  He escorted her out the door of her office, checked it to be sure it was locked and then went ahead of her to the back door of the bistro.  Wand drawn, he opened it and checked. It was quiet--so quiet he could hear the big heavy snowflakes falling around them. "Come on," he said quietly to her, his left hand around her waist. He no sooner had locked the back door of the bistro when he heard footsteps. Lots of them. He drew her tight against him.

"Too bad, Belby," a deep voice ridiculed him. "She's so predictable. You gonna save yourself this time?"

"Probably not," Belby returned, shielding Khaat behind him. He saw James come out of the night shadows into the alley light--him and about 4 werewolves with him. He didn't think there was much of a chance they'd all taken their wolfsbane tonight. Buggar. This might not end well, he thought. One against five. Not the best odds.

He reached up to the lapel of his black wool trench coat and hit the small jeweled tie tacks there. They would set off alarms to the Lupin staff, her husband, and her father. The only one remotely close at this hour was Robert--still at the Ministry office. He leveled his wand at Blood.

At the Ministry, Robert had been taking some time out to train before he went home. There were still some aurors who were in the offices, some training, some working, some deciding to pack it in for the night to go home.  Robert had just finished cleaning up and changing, and had put on his winter coat when he heard a shrill tone. It took him only a moment to identify it. It was Marcus Belby's emergency alarm.  

"Shit," Robert said, snatching up his alarm. Surely they weren't still out, tonight of all nights, were they?

Since Kace gotten taken by the death eaters and beaten and tortured, Kace been training with Brian and occasionally Robert at times improving his fighting skills as well as dueling skills. There was still that he had to learn, but Brian and Robert been doing this way longer then he has, so they know what to expect. Although Kace thought that he was getting more and more better by each day, he felt very honored to work with Brian and Robert, he couldn't ask for better people to train him then them. He was glad that Brian heard about his problem and decided to help him get over it, he was stronger and wiser all due to him and Robert, he wasn't the same Kace they knew a month ago. He wasn't as navie as he used to be, he didn't trust many people oother then myself, his parents, Brian and Robert.  


Kace who was changing after some training with Robert and Brian as always, heard a shrill tone fill the air that made him cover his ears at the sound of it. Kace turned to Robert, he didn't know what was going on, but he knew that it wasn't good. That shrill tone was a warning and in danger tone, and by the looks it it, Robert looked worried about something. " What's wrong sir, I know that tone wasn't just any tone sir, do you need any assistance? "Kace asked him. Kace was willing to do anything for him after he helped him in more ways then possible, hell he'll die to protect the man if needed to be. 


Besides Kace was more and ready for another mission, things at the Aurors ooffice was starting to get slow and boring, Kace needed some adventure. Getting dressed quickly Kace gathered his winter coat wear before he followed Robert out the door. "What was that noise about sir, is everything ok? "Kace asked him. He hoped everything was ok with his family, Robert was to nice of a man for things to happen to him, but being the minister it was unavoidable. Kace knew that there were alot of people after him, he was in danger no matter what he did, and so was his family. He was in more danger then he was being a Auror, and Kace knew that it was a very dangerous job being what he was, but it didn't stop him from being one.  


Kace wasn't going to stop being a Auror just because it was dangerous, he knew how dangerous it was, he gave his life every time he went on a mission. Although he knew the price of it, he was always willing to give his life to save others, it was how he was. Being a Auror wasn't about getting revenge on death eaters and seeing how many you could put in Azkaban, it was about bringing peace and justice to the world, sometimes lives had to be taken to do so. If this was a mission that they needed to do, Kace was more and ready to do it, but if Robert needed him that is. Kace knew that he had tons of people helping him out, he was the minister after all, so would he really need a Auror like him helping him out?

"That, Mr. Lecium, is Mr. Belby's distress signal. I was hoping he'd have Khaat home by now. It is a full moon tonight.  I need to go. Unless I miss my guess, I might well be 'eaten' by a werewolf momentarily." He sighed, drawing his wand. "If James Blood is out and about, I will most likely need extra fire power, if you'd like to come along. You need to know, though, he's the biggest werewolf I've ever seen, and I haven't seen an ounce of conscience in him. He isn't easily slowed down. Nor have we been able to catch him."

He wasn't necessarily willing to toss a young auror right into the fire that James Blood could bring, but Lecium had worked hard in his training. This was extremely dangerous, and near as Robert could guess, Khaat had made a misstep in being out so late. It had made her too vulnerable.

"She was going to Sparks after work tonight. She's either there or not far," Robert said. "That's where I'm headed. Be exceptionally careful if you come. Keep your wits about you and look carefully. Werewolves can move very, very fast."

He apparated out, heading for Sparks.

In the alley, the stalemate was quickly coming to an end. Marcus reached back behind him and grasped Khaat's hand to check if she had her wand. She was. Good.

"Go," he told her. "Get out of here." He was hoping she'd apparate out to anywhere but here while he tried to hold James off to buy her time.

"I don't think so," James growled, making a huge leap towards Marcus and hit him with full force. Marcus had a momentary thought that it felt like a freight train. It threw him and Khaat straight backwards, and he felt her small frame become the shock absorber between him and the bistro's brick wall. The back of his head struck the brick, and things went black.

Robert apparated to Diagon Alley and raced for the alley that ran alongside Sparks towards the rear of the restaurant. He could hear fighting already.  Damn, damn, damn, he thought. As he reached the back of the alley, his first sight was of James, tossing Khaat over his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes. Khaat appeared to be completely limp, and Belby was on the ground motionless.

Kace swallowed hard, he knew that tonight was very well a full moon, all the werewolves were going to be out haunting for some fresh meat. Sometimes full moons were busy nights for the Aurors office, they sometimes had to fight off werewolf to protect the wizarding world from getting hurt. Kace knewof the mminister's daughter Khaat Lupin, but he had yet to meet her face to face, but knew quite a bit due to Robert and Brian talking about her. " Why would James Blood be out besides looking new member for his pack, but isn't him him Greyback like friends or so, so wouldn't they be together? "Kace asked him. Unless of course Greyback was making James do his dirty work, but both of them were quite powerful werewolves, and together invincible. 


" I'll go with you sir, and I heard of him and Greyback, quite powerful werewolves and impossible to beat. "said Kace. Kace knew that Khaat wouldn't be going out at this time of night knowing that it was a full moon, she must have lost track of time or something, she wasn't that stupid to go out on a full moon. Kace knew that it was probably going to be one of the most dangerous missions he been on, but he wasn't going to let the minister go alone without any backfire to help him. Kace might be young, but he was very quick and bright, and not to mention he been training hard in his sessions for a occasion like this.  


Kace nodded. " I'll be alert at all times sir, I heard about how sneaky and sly James can be, he's as sly and sneaky as a snake."said Kace. " Sir why would he be after Khaat for if I may ask? "Kace asked him curious to why Blood wanted Khaat so badly. He knew that she was a Lupin and was available, but he didn't understand why he wanted her so badly.   


Kace apparated out with him. 


Kace apparated beside Robert, his eyes widened at the sight before him, Robert wasn't kidding about Blood. Kace looked at Robert. " What do we do now sir? "Kace asked waiting for instructions before he fired, he wasn't stupid enough to fire at James, he knew how strong he was. It was going to take him and Robert both to slow him down some if they were able to, he didn't know what made Blood so strong, but he was almost impossible to bring down. "Damn,damn, damn, what do we do now? "Kace thought to himself.  


Ok...so they had Khaat's bodyguard knocked out cold and James Blood picking Khaat over his shoulder as if she wasa stack of potatoes, how was Robert so calm right now? Kace shook his head to clear his thoughts, he needed to be alert, Robert needed his help. He wasn't going to fail Robert or anyone for that matter, no matter how tough Blood was, he was going to help Robert save them. Besides it was in his job to help others and save them, he wouldn't have signed up to be a Auror if he didn't know how dangerous and life threatening it can be. But he wasn't going to think of these things, he going to be one of the best Aurors that Robert and Brian trained, and one of the most reliable ones that was as well.

"He's not hunting. He's after her. He's always been after her," Robert said quietly to Kace. "When it comes to her, he's more than a little obsessed."

They had had to rescue her from James' clutches more than once. It wasn't that Robert didn't want James dead. He did. There had long been a "Dead Or Alive" warrant out for James Blood. Unfortunately, at the moment, while Blood had Khaat, any thought of sending a killing curse at Blood was not an option.

"Cubs? Is that all you've got now, Lupin?" James laughed at the sight of Kace standing with Lupin. "One measly cub? That's it? An old fart and a boy. The odds aren't with you tonight."

"Oh my god, he's an arrogant bastard," Robert sighed, bored with James's bragging already. He spoke softly to Kace."He's not bloody likely to surrender her. Five to two. What do you think? I might be able to distract him. He's got four with him that I can see. There are two behind him in the shadows, and I see one on the roof, and another on the roof next door. What do you think your chances are of at least immobilizing them? Can we even the odds a bit?"

Kace looked at Robert. " Why is he so obsessive over her sir? If I may ask, I mean she's not a werewolf or anything, so why does he want her? "Kace asked him.  


Kace heard of Greyback and James Blood, they were vicious and soul less creatures, not to mention very hard to beat. Kace knew that James Blood has been wanted for ages, but no one was strong enough to get him, and if you did it wasn't enough to hold him down. Kace was beginning to wonder if he wasn't immortal or took some kind of macho man stuff that made him the way he was, in Kace's opinion he wasn't normal even for a werewolf.  


Kace glared at Blood, he sure wasn't a cub that was for sure, he might be young but he was quite good at what he did. Kace rolled his eyes at James Blood, man wasn't he a arrogant one? well...they'll show him.  


Kace looked at Robert and mumbled. " Is he always this hot headed and arrogant, you know they always say arrogance gets you into trouble. "said Kace. " I'll take these four mutts and you take him? I think the odds are in our favor tonight sir."said Kace. Kace knew that Blood wasn't going to surrender Khaat, and if they wanted her back they would have to fight to get her back. " Don't worry sir, I got these mutts, yyou take care of blood. "said Kace.

"Its a long story," Robert said. "When we're done with this, I'll tell you over a firewhiskey." When Kace asked if Blood was always this arrogant and testy, Robert nodded. "Most of the time he's worse. I'll draw him off you. Lecium, one thing. If you end up having to choose between her or me, save her. Understood? That's an order."

He drew a breath and then shouted, deliberately provoking Blood. "Blood! My scorecard says I still win. Still can't fire a wand to save your sorry ass, can you? Why don't you and all those other oversized hairballs go find a hobby?" Robert could see James stiffen, getting angry straight off.

"You tired, pathetic sonofa..." Blood began to say in a deep, rumbling tone.  Yep, he was just about ready to go off, Robert figured.  The other younger werewolves were rattled. First, they weren't ready for combat, and, second, they'd most likely been warned about steering far, far away from James if he lost his temper.  

Blood drew his wand and fired at Robert, but Robert was ready. He levitated an empty trashcan to shield himself from the blast. Then it dawned on Robert. James was holding Khaat with his wand hand and was trying to use his wand with his non-dominant hand. But to regain his power, he was going to have to put Khaat down.

"Slow and sloppy, James," Robert taunted. "Try using the other hand." He fired several rapid fire shots at James' right shoulder, hoping that if he hit it, James wouldn't have the strength anymore to hold Khaat. It was a huge risk. A misfire would hurt her.  Not to mention that his wife would likely not forgive him for taking such a chance in the first place.

"Get the boy!" James bellowed at the four younger werewolves with him.

"That 'boy' is about to put all your pups on a leash," Robert said confidently, no doubt in Lecium's skills.

Kace nodded. " Very well sir, lets put these pups on their leashes and send them back to the pound where they belong."said Kace. " Wow...I didn't think the bastard could get any worse then this, clearly I was mistaken. " said Kace. Kace nodded. " Yes sir, save her before you, got it sir. "said Kace. 


Kace couldn't help but laugh at Robert's comment, for someone as old as he was, he sure had spunk to him. That was what Kace admired about Robert and Brian, how they were so calm in every situation, but they were teaching Kace how to be that way. Kace was becoming that way, he remembered them telling him the more freaked out he was, the easier it was for them to get attacked or hurt. 


Kace looked at the werewolves one by one, he noticed that Robert was indeed right, they weren't ready to fight and probably told to stay back from the looks of it. This was going to be rather easy, couldn't Blood find better pups then this to hurt him? They look like they barely gotten their training wheels off. The thought made Kace laugh and shake his head at himself, but he stood watching what was going on around him, taking everything in. 


Kace seen that Blood had Khaat so side note, be careful when dueling, he didn't want to hit or hurt Khaat. Observation number two, the pup mutts weren't going to come out of hiding unless Blood told them to, which will probably be soon to attack him. Kace knew that Robert was trying not to hit Khaat, but Kace realized something though, if Blood held Khaat he probably thought Robert would back down because he didn't want to hurt Khaat so he probably thought he had the upper hand as always.  


Kace stood behind Robert having his back making sure the pups didn't hurt him or Khaat for that matter, he didn't want either one of them hurt. " I don't think he's going to set Khaat down sir, I think he thinks he has the upper hand by holding her because you don't want to hurt her. "Kace muttered to him. He could be wrong, very wrong indeed, but knowing Blood he was probably right some.  

Kace laughed. " Aw...you pups want to play? Ok, we'll play, just don't yelping to your master that I hurt you when you asked for it! "said Kace. One of them sent a spell at Kace as he deflected it with a shield before he quickly shot stunning spell at him . "You pups are pathetic, slow and sloppy, but I guess you get it from your master right? "Kace asked them smirking. That comment setting them off, the duel was on.

"Well, if that's what he thinks, he's wrong," Robert said. Robert was a strategist, calculating. He'd been considering his options since he'd seen James had hold of her. He saw Lecium had the younger werewolves at bay easily, and he was impressed. The auror had done well. "Be ready," he said very softly. "If he drops her, be ready to apparate in and get her and get back. You'll have to move very fast indeed." One false move on Lecium's part would surely mean his death, but Robert had to trust in what he'd hired the young man to do.

In Robert's mind, he knew Lecium was right. That was precisely what James was counting on. He was counting on his wager that Robert wouldn't hurt one hair on his own child's head and would do just about anything to see her returned unharmed.  

Robert didn't see it quite that way. He needed to blow out James' shoulder, hoping to blow out the rotator cuff in order to make it impossible for him to keep hold of Khaat. And that meant he would have to plan on firing powerful enough of a blast to actually shoot through her to take out his shoulder. He'd have to fire straight through her thigh to do it.  If he managed to hit the mark, James would be incapacitated for some time to come. Khaat would be wounded but alive and no longer in James' clutches. Robert could mend a wound, he figured.

It took focus, concentration, and summoning a great deal of energy to put it into one spell.  One shot with a very narrow bead of magical energy.  

James looked straight into Robert's face and saw Robert was preparing to do something, and it certainly wasn't the basic expelliarmus spell

"Don't do anything stupid, Old Man," he warned, starting to feel some anxiety. "I've got your cub..."

Robert aimed his wand carefully, using the length of his arm to help him level it precisely where he wanted it, taking his time to line up the shot.  He was tuning out James's continuing to warn him not to fire.  Robert's emotions iced over. He looked at James for one moment, not feeling much of anything. Then he shouted the words of the spell, one he was rather making up as he went, just hoping it would work.

He saw the whole business in slow motion. A laser thin bead of white light left the tip of his wand and sped through the air. He saw it break the denim on Khaat's jeans, break skin, splatter blood and tissue. He saw James fall backwards, saw James look at Robert as if Robert was the craziest man he'd ever seen in his life, saw a bigger blood splatter, and then saw blood splattering behind James onto the brick street. James's arm spasmed, and he could not hold her. His arm jerked straight. Robert saw Khaat's limp form start to roll off James' shoulder as he heard James start to cry out in pain.

He hoped Lecium was a man of speed. If he did not recover Khaat, it was very likely that James would simply point his wand at Lecium and kill him to avenge Robert's crazy spell.

Spells and curses were flying everywhere, Kace looked at Blood's cubs and laughed, he had them so much at bay it was unreal. As one of them shot a spell at him, it threw him backwards against the wall, laying there motionless for a minute Kace gotten back up laughing. " I get more damage then that by my trainer while training, sure the big bad wolf here taught you better then this? "Kace asked smirking at them. Kace was honestly amused by these idiots, he couldn't help but to wonder how Blood had these idiot cubs to be part of his pack, he had to be very desperate for pack members or very dumb. Kace was always aiming bits of snarkery and dry mockery at his enemies despite the danger that he is in. He purposefully does this because he knows that people make more mistakes when they're angry, and these angry cubs were making all kinds of mistakes.


After dodging and ducking spells and curses, Kace had a couple of bruises and was bleeding from side of his head, but he was ok, and he had those cubs knocked out and on their leashes. " Kace nodded. " Got it sir, don't worry, with all the training I've been doing with you and Brian, I learned to be very quick. " said Kace. Kace knew one wrong move and he'll be dead and possibly dog chow for Blood if he didn't spare him and make him a member of his pack, which in Kace's opinion, he rather die.  


Kace had good observation, which was probably why he was such a good Auror, but at this moment none of that mattered other then protecting Khaat and Robert. Kace stood ready to get Khaat and apparate in and back out, he was just waiting for the perfect timing. 


Kace looked at what Robert was doing, and knew exactly what he was doing, Kace didn't need to think that'll he'll make it he knew for sure that he would. Besides with the amount of training Kace did with him and Brian, he didn't need to ask what he was doing, he seen Robert do something like this enough time to know. Even though Blood thought that Robert was going to do something stupid, he wasn't, even though it might hurt Khaat some it didn't kill her and it made Blood release her.  


As Robert shot the spell and seen Blood fall backwards as Khaat was rolling off his shoulder, Kace apparated in and quickly ran foward and caught her before she fell to the ground, a quick look at Robert he apparated out holding Khaat in his arms.