A Birth day

Jack sat and listened to Angus and Robert talking he watched as Angus has secure two lines and then gone back into the whel house with the captain. He on the other hand had smelt strong damp in the air and knew rain was on it way. When Angus returned and said rain was coming he nodded " smelt it even over the salt from the sea" he said then sneesed " damn salt" he said then listened to them talk " if Im gaging Fenrir right he'll probably pull them out and away from muggles and humans" he said " as quick as possible." he said and felt the ship rock " wow okay that was a big one" he said holding on to his seat, so far he'd not suffered with sea sickness that to him was a god send.

"Fenrir has survived longer than any other werewolf I know of," Robert said. "I know it's not news to either of you, but the discrimination against werewolves still exists, and generally, werewolves have always been hunted until just relatively recently. I hope your generation, Jack, is the first generation that has a good many that live to old age. the other reason that werewolves have tended to die out early is that the untreated monthly transformations take a horrendous toll on the werewolf's body over time. Now that we have wolfsbane and we've made it free for anyone who wants it, that will undoubtedly help to stop some of the abuse on the physical body that causes an untreated werewolf to die young."

"Well, if I know you, you haven't been resting about it. You're tinkering with some new treatments, aren't you?" Angus asked.

"I am," Robert said. "I'm working on a time released wolfsbane that, if it works, would only need to be taken once a month, approximately 24-36 hours prior to the full moon, and it would last for approximately 5-6 days--more than enough to protect a werewolf from a three day full moon cycle. That, and I'm hoping to find a way to change the foul taste of the wolfsbane, but that, unfortunately, comes from the plant itself, and that's mighty hard to change the entire biology of the plant without changing its effectiveness in the potion."

"That would be incredible if you could do it," Angus said.

"That reminds me. I meant to bring some meat to feed Fenrir if he was hungry," Robert sighed. "I know they don't always feed anyone very well, especially magical creatures." Angus got up and checked the cabinets and found a package of sausages in the refrigerator.

"There is a pound of sausages in here," Angus said. "Might not be his favorite, but if he's hungry, I'll wager they'll do in a pinch." Angus felt the waves were getting larger and stronger too, just like Jack had. They were well out to sea now, and it wasn't unusual for the North Sea to be difficult. He glanced out the window just in time to see the youngest of the deck hands misstep and slip off the deck right into the rough sea.

"Stay here unless I call for you. That little guy just fell overboard," Angus said to them, knowing that the wet deck could be treacherous for Robert and Jack. "If I can pass a line into you here, I'll do that, and you two can help me pull him back up. Just be ready to catch your end of the line if I can get it to him."

Jack listened to Robert and nodded " that would be wonderful not having to take it every day, as for the bad taste, you get used to it" he said chuckling having taken it for several years now." I hope my generation do more to accept weres I know I have because of the ones I have met not being all bloodthirsty." he said turning he saw the guy slip and go over just as Angus did and stood up he heard Angus and staid where he was " Got ya" he said and moved to the door to wait for Angus to throw a line to the guy. " be careful your self I don't want to have to be the one to tell Ruby you went overboard, literally" he said and glanced at Robert.

Angus had no intention of going overboard. He saw the other deck hand trying to leave the bridge to come on deck but he couldn't get good footing on the deck. His feet were sliding as if he were on ice.

"Go back," Angus shouted at the young man. "I've got it. Go back to the bridge, Sailor." The young man looked helpless, and the captain glanced out from the bridge and saw Angus there.

"You alright, Laddie?" he called.

"Aye," Angus shouted, grabbing down a lifering from the outside wall of the bridge. He was glad it was already tethered to a long, orange line, but he checked the knot anyway as he took it to the railing. He saw the young lad struggling in the fierce waters to stay above the surface. Angus tossed the ring deliberately farther than he needed to, and he used a magical spell to send the line into the salon to Jack and Robert. While the line went to the salon, Angus pulled back on the line until the young man grabbed the lifering. The young man grabbed it with both hands, and Angus could see he was panicking. That would make the rescue risky. It made it far more likely that the lad, in his desperation to get back onboard, would grab Angus and pull him over with him.

"Pull!" Angus shouted back to Robert and Jack. Angus was pulling as well because, with as fierce as the waves were becoming, they were battling the panicky deckhand and the sea as well. Angus could see the young man was also being hit in the face with water repeatedly. He had no doubt the man was swallowing large amounts of sea water, and that would surely make him sick. That would be up to Robert to handle. As the young man got closer to the ship, Angus could see that he himself was in a great deal of danger from this young man, so he took the unusual measure of wrapping the line around his own waist, trusting that Robert and Jack would not let go of the line and would not allow him to be hauled into the sea.

From where Robert was, in the salon, he could not see the overboard man, but when Robert saw Angus wrap the line around himself, he knew there was trouble.

"That is not any sort of rescue procedure I've ever seen," Robert told Jack. "Angus has some sort of a problem. Can you see anything I can't see?"

Jack saw the rope enter the doorway and he grabbed it wrapping it around his arm as he planted his feet on the floor. Hearing Angus shout to pull he pulled with all his strength when he heard Robert he glanced over and nodded "The poor guys panicking, badly" he said " Angus is playing safe " he said still holding the rope tight as he slid it up his forearm and pulled at the same time, now he was glad of the extra strength he had being a werewolf.

Jack kept a tight hold on the rope watching Angus from his position in the doorway he was also glad he put his mission boots on that morning as the rubber tread kept his grip on the wet floor. He was also glad he didn't have hair that coud get in his eyes as he pulled the rope.

"Makes complete sense, then," Robert said, continuing to help Jack and Angus pull the rope. Angus saw the young man grab tight to the ladder on the side of the ship and he hung onto it for dear life.

"Let go of the ladder!" Angus said, unable to pull him any farther. The young man was screaming for Angus to pull him up, but Angus couldn't if he didn't let go. Angus finally cast a spell to make the ladder disappear, and the young man began screaming hysterically. Angus used as much strength as he could summon to yank him up on deck, and the man wrapped himself around Angus's leg. Fearing that the young man would pull them both back overboard, Angus reached down and punched him in the head to temporarily knock him out. The man fell limp.

"Well, that was not exactly a ministry approved rescue tactic," Robert tried to keep from a snicker. He understood why Angus had chosen the move, but by the same token, he was glad that Angus worked for him and not the ministry now. Angus pulled him to the salon door, and Robert helped him drag the limp deck hand inside. "Well done. Good work, you two," he told Jack and Angus.

"All crew present and accounted for, Captain," Angus shouted to the captain, out of breath.

"Aye, Matey," the captain shouted back, having all he could do to man the helm.

"He's all yours, Robert," Angus said, going back to close the salon door.

"I've got it," Robert said. "Do untie yourself now, though."

"Oh. Yeah. Almost forgot," Angus said. "He's almost too young for this."

"Cutter will train him properly," Robert said, starting to cast some healing spells because of all the sea water the deck hand had swallowed.

Jack kept pulling as he saw the deck hand grab the ladder and Angus shout something he could not hear becuse of the roaring waves around them at him. When he saw the man grab Angus and not let go he shook hishead then watched as Angus knocked the man out " might not be but its servival aproved." he said and chuckled as they both came into the room. Jack un wraveled the rope around his arm and placed it on one of the seats noticing how it had left a red mark on his bicept.

Moving to Angus he un wravled the rope just as Robert told Angus to untie himself . Jack chuckled and took the last part of the rope placing it with the rest. " hows the drowned sailor doing?" he asked but could not disagre with Angus that the guy looked too young to be on a ship but he knew most young ones want excitment and a quick galleon to spend.

"He'll be fine," Robert said. "Probably a bit of a sour stomach from all the sea water, and perhaps a headache, but other than that, he'll be right as rain. I expect he can be back at work by the time we are on our return trip." Robert used a spell to levitate the young man onto the sofa in the salon, while Angus found a towel in the cabinet to dry himself at least a little.

"The waves are really getting a lot bigger. I don't know that our captain is going to be able to entirely skirt this storm like he hoped," Angus told them. "We'll have to keep an eye on the weather because if it continues to get worse, we might have to weather some of this time ashore--in Azkaban--before we start back. And I know that does not excite any of us."

"No, it certainly does not," Robert said. "Even the staff quarters are pitiful there. Let us hope that the weather clears before we have to stay there any longer than it takes to pick up Fenrir and leave with him."

"I've only been as far as the outer office," Angus said.

"Be glad of that," Robert said.

"Well, all I can tell you is that the darker skies are ahead of us, not behind us. We're sailing straight into it," Angus told them.

Jack listened to them talk and glance out of the window and sighed " oh boy" he said as awave tipped the ship making him stagger backwards and sit on the couch behind him " well I have been told its very forboding and sucks any good you have " he said " and the demetors, don't get me started on those horrid creatures " he said and gave a shiver at the thought of seeing one for real.

"but I do agre I hope this weather clears so we can get in and out quickly." he said knowing it was probably not going to clear any time soon and glad the ship was sea worthy. Reatching into his pocket he pulled out his vial to make sure it ws still intact and had not been broken when he was fcfully sat down buy the rocking of the ship. He was relived to see it was still intact.

"You're right on all counts, Jack," Robert said, seeing Jack fall back on one of the sofas. "It was purposely designed that way in order to be as strong a deterrent possible. I did bring a larger vial of wolfsbane in case we needed it for Fenrir. There is enough for both if you if yours cracks in all this mayhem. Not to worry."

Angus made a check of the cabinets in the galley style kitchen in the salon to see if he could come up with any sort of a meal that would be better than the prison fare.

"Well, if we must, I can come up with something from these tins of food, I think," Angus said. "It won't be gourmet by any means, but it would be hot and it would fill an empty stomach."

"Angus, even on your worst day, anything you would fix would be far better than anything they have on their very best day, I assure you," Robert said.

"You know, Robert, as long as you're trying to find ways to make the lives of all of us a sight better," Angus said, "why don't you find a way we can send food delivery by floo? We could have Ruby send us some steak dinners? Big t-bone steaks, baked potatoes with butter and sour cream, caesar salads, big serious slabs of pie for dessert, hot coffee..."

"Stop," Robert laughed. "You know we aren't getting any of that til we get home so stop making us hungry for it. All you'll get here, unless you cook, is liable to be watery oatmeal and a chunk of semi-fresh bread, with maybe some cold, weak coffee. It's all disgusting."

"I am not eating that," Angus frowned. "I can do better, I'm sure. As long as our captain hasn't forgotten the can opener."