LONDON CALLING

"Let's do the potato soup since it's a nice creamy, hearty soup," Angus said. "If you look on the back of the recipe, I scribbled some notes on a variation I did a variation of it last fall where I added some cheese to the cream soup base and some sauteed mushrooms. You certainly don't have to do that if you want it straight. It's good either way, but I just wanted you to know what the scribbles were on the back."

"Better," he said, looking at his sketch. "Ru, come see what you think. Instead of just having a picture of a tree on the wall, what if Kate could do us some sort of three dimensional tree in the corner? Look at the sketch and tell me what you think. In the trunk. I've got some hidden doors that would conceal little cubbies for storage, either for her toys or some storybooks. And then a couple of knotholes in the tree for more storage. Maybe a stuffed owl or a stuffed squirrel. And then, I would do some sort of silk leaves and maybe some fairy lights on the branches that would stretch out in different directions and reach up towards the ceiling. And on those branches we could have some flat surfaces for shelves. And if we really wanted to do it right, we'd have an enchanted ceiling that would look like blue sky and sunshine during the day, and the moon and the stars at night. And, we could have a green carpet made for the floor that looks like grass with little flowers and maybe some sort of a winding blue strip that makes it look like a little stream. I know these are really rough ideas but I'm sure if I got Kate on it, she'd take these ideas and run with them. What do you think?

"Hey," Sam frowned. "Not fair."

"What's not fair?" Angus asked.

"She's not even here yet and she's getting trees and enchanted ceilings and stuff. Where's ours? How about some sort of stained glass or cool thing in our room?"

"Oh. Good idea," Angus said. "You guys discuss it and then tell me what you think you might like. We did tell you that you could decorate it how you wanted. So get us some ideas."

Ruby looked at the skecth and nodded " looks cute, I like it" she said smiling then looked at the boys and heard Angus sugest they get some ideas together" Agreed , draw it or write down what you'd like in the room." she sugested to them " I like the idea of Cheese and mushrooms in the soup." she said softly before standing to start it taking out a large pot she began to gather the ingridiants cutting everything into cubes before cooking chicken breast and letting it cool to add. 

Ruby looked up at Angus and smiled " I forgot to ask did the sky light servive?" she asked hoping it would have but knowing the possibility was it did not and they would have to decide on soemthing else to have in its place.

"Unfortunately, it didn't, but Kate came over and she said she did a ton of restoration spells on it to repair and and restore it. She said it looks as good as new but obviously I haven't been up there yet. You might have to be my eyes and go see what you think."

"Hey," Andrew called from the landing at the top of the stairs, "the boys' room is finished. Might I borrow them to help vacuum and dust and get their beds made up and their clean clothes put away?"

"Absolutely," Angus said. "Sam? Victor? You heard the man. Go get on it. You've got time to do that before the bread is baked and the soup is made. Ruby, you might want to consider soda bread so you don't have to wait on yeast bread to go through two rises. Unless the supplier just happened to send us some extra bread. Sometimes he does that because he knows what I like to buy."

Ruby looked in the box next to her and pulled out a loaf or two " yep he did" she said smiling she placed them next to the pot on the stove feeling happy that they were home again " awe okay I'll take a look once we've eaten" she said making something for dessert if others wanted it, she knew just how much boys eat. Turning the soup down to simmer she moved over to Angus and sat with him.

"I like your idea" she said softly to him " could we incoprate soemthing for Fudge, I think he'd love to be around here just for a break." she asked.

"Sure. If anybody could come up with an idea for Fudge, it would be Kate, and, besides, it would give Fudge a little bit of a job. He could keep an eye on the baby from time to time if he likes. Bowtruckles can be fierce protectors when they have a mind. They generally protect trees, but I don't know why he couldn't keep an eye out on a little one to if he wanted to." He sighed. "Lots of ideas and no artistry skills whatsoever," he said. "It's a good thing Kate doesn't do her art for a living after all because I think I could keep her busy for the next year or two at least..."

As he was speaking, there was a knock on the door. Angus called for whoever it was to come in. It was Kate, and she was wearing her red rain slicker and her red, wide-brimmed rain hat. She had a big tin in her hands.

"Michael sent us several desserts from Paris," she said. "We've got plenty at the big house, so I thought you lot could use one over here. This one is a gorgeous Fenetra cake."

"Oh, gosh, I haven't had that in years. Thank you for thinking of us, Kate," Angus said, as Kate sat the tin on the table. "Do you have a moment? I need your artist skills. I was just talking about how I have all these ideas and no ability to do them."

"Well, what are we talking about?"

"A tree for the nursery."

"A tree?" she said, sitting down with him. That started a big discussion, and Kate had ideas instantly.

Ruby nodded at Angus's suggestion " I like that idea" she said looking down at his sketches " don't put yourself down its more than I can do , I can only draw stick men" she said and chuckled. Hearing teh door knock and seeing Kate walk in she stood up and moved to take her rain coat to hang it so it would dry for her trip back to the main house.

"I'll check supper while you  two talk." she said with a smile as she moved back to check the soup. " those will go well with the soup." she said smiling as she genty sirred the soup. " its almost ready." she said as she lay the table ready with teh bread and soup bowls , she found a turine and cleaned it ready for the soup.

With Angus' permission, Kate took a quick trip upstairs to the baby's room and looked to see if she could envision what Angus was describing, and she came back downstairs full of ideas.

"Leave it to me," she smiled. "I think I know exactly how to do it. This is going to be fun. I'd better get back or they'll eat all their supper and mine too. I'll talk to you maybe tomorrow after I do some sketches of my own. See you later." She left and went back to the main house.

"Well, we might have created a monster," Angus laughed. "I think you'll like that cake. It's very French, made with almonds, lemons, and apricot jam. The boys are going to immediately think of having it with coffee, and I'm sure I will too. I'm sure you could put some almond tea with yours, though. Do you mind putting on a pot of coffee for those of us who drink coffee?"

Ruby listened to them talking as she continued to tend the pot with the soup in it she could not help but laugh a little as he spoke once Kate had left " oh I'm sure but in a good way" she said "but we need to talk about, god mother and fathers, I don't know who to ask." she said softly as she ladled the soup into a tureen to sent to the table but made one bowl for Angus " oh true and since I haven't had it before I surly will" she said then heard him ask he to make a pot of coffee " oh sure and almond reasons perfect for us."

Ruby moved to teh bottom of the stairs " suppers ready" she called up to them then moved to take the tray once she'd made a cup of coffee for Angus across to him. " here Im no gormet chef but I did follow you recipy" she smiled at him as she kissed his cheek hearing foot falls of Sam and Vincent come from upstairs.

"We have time for that too. We want to be sure that whoever we pick would be capable of taking care of all the kids--not just the baby. Someone financially well enough off and skilled enough to be able to protect the kids, especially now that Gelding is very likely going to continue to be an obstacle. Right now, given the issues that we have with Gelding, if I had to choose, I would probably lean first to Edward and Simone. After all, the life expectancy for a wizard is a lot longer than for a muggle. They could easily live well past a hundred, and by that time, I doubt that we would have any minor aged children. But, if we're looking for a fierce protector and someone who can handle money and responsibility, it becomes a rather short list in my head, and Edward and Simone rise to the top of that list. After that, I suppose I would pick Robert and Kate or Jess and Jack."

"I'm glad the soup's ready. It smells good, and I guess I'm hungrier than I thought I'd be," Angus said, seeing Andrew come downstairs as well.

"The crew is just finishing up in the master bedroom," Andrew said. "They figured another hour or two, and then the whole job will be finished. Of course, we'll have to deep clean it and make up the bed, but maybe if Ruby and I and the boys all work together, it won't take very long. God, that smells terrific. I guess I worked up an appetite. Oh, jeesh. that reminds me. I have a load of clothes for you and Ruby to be taken out of the dryer, folded and put away, and another load in the washer to go into the dryer, and another two loads to go into the washer. That should just about finish all the linens and bedding and clothes, except for baby clothes. And I can do those tomorrow"

Ruby listened as she dished up "I agreed, I like all those choices " she said then looked at Andrew as he returned from upstairs and spoke of the drying. " all right I'll get to that once we've eaten, and yeah they can wait we got about six months yet." she chuckled "But for now I think we all deserve a rest for a moment to eat" she said placing the tray next to Angus "here yu go with a cup of hot fresh made coffee." she smiled.

Now sat down she took some soup and soda bread for her self and enjoyed teh flavours " this he realy good the cheese gives it a stringyness to it." she said dipping her bread into it and eating it. "I might even have seconds" she smiled at Angus.

Moving to the table she accioed the coffee pot and placed it along with three mugs on the table