LONDON CALLING

Ruby smiled seeing Angus waiting for them as she and Abby returned to the picnic area they had created . she waited as Abby to her cookie and smiled " I think I'll have the cauldron, please and thank you" she said taking it from the bag. " yum these are perfect" she said smiling "though not as good as yours are" she said with a chuckle as she ate the cookie.

When he asked if there was anything specific she wanted to see she thought about it " not really but it might be good to see Jack being beat at the eating contest though" she said with a grin.

"I would like to see that myself," Angus laughed. "And, I do think Sergio is the man that can do it. He's often underestimated since he isn't such a big guy, but he definitely can eat. Sam isn't a big eater, but I did tell him that he doesn't need to push himself. When he's had enough, I told him he should stop. There's no point in making himself sick from it. I'm sure that Sergio has something in mind to get back at Victor, but I have no idea what it is. Still, maybe we should go."

He ate his cookie, and then he forced himself to get up and go fill the bucket with water and brought it over for the griffin. Now he was getting definitely tired. The griffin was grateful for the water, though and he drank almost the entire bucketful. Angus untied the griffin and got back up on the back of the large beast, feeling that he needed to do it before he got too tired to do it.

"I can take Abbey up here with me," he told Ruby. "Then, yes, lets go find the eating contest."

Ruby chuckled " yes I am sure he will" she said watching as Angus gave the griffin some water which it drank happily. Ruby stayed close as Angus climbed up on its back she could see he was getting tired but said nothing. When he suggested they head to the eating contest she smiled and nodded " all right and let's go" she said handing up Abby once more to him as she walked beside him holding onto some of the furs of the griffin.

Arriving she could see a sort of stage area and she smiled seeing Jack, Sam and Sergio already up with several other people getting ready to start the contest.

Right before the eating contest started, Sam pointed out Victor to a carnival worker, and the worker went up to Victor and pinned a square of fabric with a number to Victor's back. Victor was confused and as the worker explained to Victor what it was about Sam and Sergio were laughing uncontrollably. Victor was livid. Victor found his way to Angus.

"I'm not doing it, and they cant make me," Victor was venting at Angus.

"Do what? What's wrong?" Angus asked.

"Sam signed me up for a 30 minute shift in the dunking machine!" Victor said. It was all Angus could do to keep a straight face. Sam and Sergio had gotten Victor good for signing Sam up for the eating contest. Angus wasn't about to interfere. "What am I gonna do!" Victor was upset now.

"Hand me Fudge and the pygmy puff," Angus said calmly. Victor complied. Angus whistled for Archangel who flew over to Angus's shoulder. "I believe the dunking machine is that way. I'd get a move on if I were you."

"But...but...Dad...." Victor stammered. Angus kept a straight face, just watching Victor in silence. Then Victor saw Angus wasn't going to help him escape the dunking machine and wasn't helping Sam escape the eating contest either. Victor walking off, sulking, and Angus turned his attention to the eating contest.

Sam dropped out of the contest rather early, eating 7 pasties but he couldn't manage any more. Sergio made it to eat 13 of them and quit partway through the 14th. Angus had honestly lost track of how many Jack had eaten. He was trying to keep an eye out to see of Victor had actually made it to the dunking booth.

Ruby smirked but tried not to laugh at Victors predicament at being volenteered for the dunking machine. " hey look at it this way I think thats where the girls all are." she said then saw him walk away " have fun" she called after him. she could not help laugh softly whe he was out of ear shot. Looking at Angus she still chuckled " well he got his revenge" she said simple then saw Sam leave the stage then sergio but Jack was still eating. " wow! he realy can eat" she said as Jess walked over to them.

"Oh yes , hes always had an apitie " she said and stood smiling with her arms folded " but he will suffer tomorrow" she noted how he was at his twenteth pasty but slowling as he almost got to twenty five before he held up his hands and stopped and lent back smiling at Jess. " he could eat more but knows not to show off too" she admited.

Sergio and Sam congratulated Jack on being able to eat more pasties than they could, but then they both took off on the run, wanting to get a look at Victor in the dunking machine.

"I think we should go watch too," Angus told Ruby. He headed over to the dunking machine, and he saw some of the Ravenclaws teasing Victor and all vying for a turn to dunk Victor. Robert made his way over and saw Abbey still with Angus.

"I'll take her now, if that's alright," Robert said to Angus. "Kate promised to take her to the face painting booth. Wait..is that Victor?"

"It is," Angus laughed. "There's a story to that,"

"There must be. He looks entirely put out by it."

"It was well deserved, believe me," Angus laughed.

"Then I look forward to the story..." Robert began. He glanced at Victor just in time for them all to see one of the baseballs strike the button and dunk Victor down into the water tank. Angus actually expected Victor would be made fun of, but Victor's fellow Hufflepuffs were there, applauding him for subjecting himself to it. That seemed to cheer Victor up about the whole thing.

Robert lifted Abbey off the griffin.

"We'll see you later. Don't overdo it, Angus. You can always leave and come back, you know," Robert said, and he walked off with Abbey.

"Well, is there anything you want to see or do, Ru?" Angus asked her. "I think we might have a couple hours to ourselves, so if there is something you'd like to see or do, we should do it. Maybe you should get your fortune told or check out some of the vendors' booths. I saw one that is selling some lovely cashmere shawls. You might see something you like."

Ruby smiled as did Jess as Jack walked over and kissed Jess " how#d I do?" he asked Jess just smiled at him.

"I think you did splendidly," Ruby said and Jack smiled as she saw both Jack and Jess walk away still holding each other. Looking at Angus she smiled " I'm happy just spending time with you." she said " and I don't need a seer to tell me my future, I already know it." she smiled at him hearing about the cashmere shawls she chuckled. " only if its something you'd like too" she said " but spending time with you is all I would like for now" she said and smiled at him.

Moving to the shawl stand she saw a Cashmere and Chantilly Lace Shawl that she liked the look of it was a camel color so would go with any color she wore with it. She smiled to Angus as she draped it over her shulders " what do you think?" she asked " its warm and practical too."

"I think it looks great on you," Angus told her about the shawl. "It looks like it was made for you...." As he was speaking an owl came and dropped a letter into Angus' lap. He had to scramble for a moment to grab it before it fell on the ground, but he manage it. He opened it and read it. "Oops," Angus said. "This is for Robert. I opened it by mistake. It's from Jeffrey Burnstein. He says he and Sarah are parents, as of about 8:30 last night, but their healer made a mistake. It wasn't a girl. It was actually twins. One of each--a boy and a girl. Sarah's fine. Their boy weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces, and the girl weighed 4 pounds, 11 ounces. Mother and babies are all doing very well. They named the boy Daniel, and they named the girl Ingrid. I'm happy for them, and I know Robert and Kate will be. I bet Jessie and Jack would like to know--when we see them."

He handed the letter to Ruby for her to read, and then, looking at the booth where she got the shawl, he saw a black, wide brimmed fedora that he was immediately drawn to. Angus called the man in the booth and asked about the hat. This hat was black leather, with an elegant matching black leather braided hat band. The man came out and handed him the hat to try. Angus loved the hat, and he bought it impulsively, thinking it would look good with his black leather duster. He paid the man for the hat and for Ruby's shawl. And then, for a moment, he doubted himself and whether he would ever wear any mission wear ever again. He quickly shut the thought away, and he looked around wondering if any of the booths sold some flavored hot tea.

Ruby paid for the shawl and then smiled as Angus bought a black, wide brimmed fedora she smiled as he told her about the twins being born " we have to send something to them for the twins ." she said with a smile she wondered if their daughter was alone or if she too had another but she shook the idea away knowing they would find out when it was her time. " She took the letter from Angus and read it smiling as she got to the part about mother and babies were doing well " im gld everything went well , twin diliverys can be dificult from what I have been told" she said holding the leter in her hand. " when we see them I'll pass it on.

She could tll by the look on his face he was over thinking something " Angus, you'll get back on missions again" she said knowing it was bothering him. " and we'll be waiting for you to come home to us." she said with a smile.

"How did you know that was going through my head?" he asked. "The hat reminded me of my black duster coat that I wore on missions. I know you're right, but it does come back up in my thinking when I least expect it. Normally when I'm getting really tired. WE need to look around for someplace to get a decent cup of some sort of pumpkin spice tea. Do you see any tea or coffee booths?" He gave more thought about a baby gift and then he came up with an idea.

"I don't know if this works," he began, "but we could always do what Edward did for me when I was a baby. He bought me a man's silver ID bracelet with my first name on it. I still have it. it wasn't an expensive piece but I've always held into it. We could get an id bracelet for Daniel or a tie tack--maybe with a little diamond in it, and we could start Ingrid with a sterling silver charm bracelet, buy her the bracelet and her first charm--maybe a heart with a little tiny diamond so that we're treating them both the same. If Jessie and Jack and Robert want to chip in, we could get the pieces in white gold rather than in sterling silver. What do you think?"