A Birth day

"Back up, Ru," Angus told her, not wanting Ruby to try to get Gloria to fire at her. This wasn't good. The dark magic in this, Angus knew from experience, tended to be not only difficult for the wizard to control, but it also tended to make them power hungry and volatile. He wasn't sure what had happened to her, but he got the sense she had been embracing dark arts for awhile to get to this point. Almost anything was possible. He wanted Ruby and his girls out of the line of fire.

"Gloria, we've been over this a thousand times today," Edward said, still trying to reason with her, despite feeling reason was futile altogether now. "You're not getting Angus, not today, not ever. Now go home and cool off..." As he was speaking, she fired at Edward, struck him in his arm, and it was powerful enough to knock Edward backwards. Simone stood fiercely in front of Edward, shielding him. Marcus moved tighter to Angus, to make sure that he was protected.

"How do you want to do this, Mate?" Marcus asked him softly. "We could be here all night."

"She's hurting because of me," Angus said.

"Now is not the time to be her therapist, Mate," Marcus hissed. "She's off her bean." Gloria took several swipes at Angus with her wand, and Angus and Marcus returned fierce slashing spells.

"Hasn't there been enough death today?" Angus shouted at her.

"Not if you and Edward still live. I'm going to end Edward's treachery and yours. It ends tonight..."

"Don't make me hurt you..."

"Hurt me! Hurt me? Little boy, you don't know who you're messing with."

"Watch your left, Angus," Anise called out to him. "High dark energy forming on your left...."

At that very moment, someone apparated in on Angus' right. It was his cousin Patrick, Basil and Gloria's oldest son. Patrick was a few years old than Angus's father Benjamin would have been. In his upper 50's, Patrick had Edward's height, like all the other Donohue men, but he was huskier, well built, and he had short cropped, salt and pepper hair and a full, short beard and a mustache.

"Don't do this, Mother," Patrick shouted, moving in front of Edward.

"Don't you take his side, you traitor!" Gloria shouted.

"Traitor! Traitor? You and Father aren't the same people I knew. the parents I knew wouldn't have even considered...."

"You know nothing!" she raged. "Stand down, or I will remove you. Edward's going to die tonight if I have to take you out to do it..."

"Angus, take the shot," Patrick said quietly to Angus as Gloria continued to rage, knowing Angus had the clearest shot and also had the accuracy that he wouldn't miss. "Don't let her do this. Edward doesn't have a clear shot."

Angus found himself momentarily frozen, not paying attention to Gloria's mad ranting. This family who had nothing to do with him was still his family, and he had already taken one of them today. What would happen if he took another?

"You want me to do it?" Marcus asked him, and as he spoke a dark figure wrapped in a black mist apparated in on Marcus's left, which was on Angus's far left.

"Watch out!" Anise shouted. Marcus spun and saw someone forming a dark spell in the shape of a ball that they were shaping in their hands. Marcus spun and fired, and Gloria fired at Marcus. Edward aimed and fired at the figure, and as he did Gloria fired at Edward. Angus didn't hesitate. He fired one powerful avada kedavra at Gloria, striking her, and she fell instantly. The figure in the black mist fell as well, and the night went eerily silent.

This was the second family member he'd killed today. Angus's knees seemed to want to go out from under him. Strong hands were around him and more under him. Patrick had grabbed him around his chest, and Marcus had a strong hand under his good shoulder.

"Good job, Kiddo," Patrick said, helping Marcus to put him back on the chaise.
"Looks like I've misjudged you for a long time, and I am so sorry.  I don't know where you learned to fight like that, but you really do have some fine skills."

"Told you, Patrick," Evan said.

"Yes, you've and Edward have been telling us all for years, and no one has listened. I'm sorry for not listening," Patrick said.

"But why didn't you listen? Why do none of you ever listen? What did he ever, even one time, do to you?" Evan was angry now on Angus's behalf.

"Evan, let it go," Angus said. "It's not important. By morning, I'll be run out of here by the masses."

"The hell you will, Boy," Edward was fierce now. "This is my home, my land, and I still say what goes here, damnit. Their homes are here because I allow them to be, but I can raze them to the ground any time I see fit. Maybe some of them need to go make a go of it on their own, the very same way you have. You're still the only one who has ever completely stood on their own feet, and maybe that needs to change. Maybe the Bank of Edward needs to close once and for all."

"Maybe you're right," Patrick looked at Edward. Marcus went over to the dark arts subject on the ground and pulled back the hood on a cloak to see a stranger there. He was wearing dark robes, with all sorts of dark talismans hanging around his neck.  

"What was your aunt into, Mate?" Marcus looked back at Angus.

"No clue," Angus replied. "I barely knew her." Patrick walked over to where Marcus was and looked down at him.

"That's the guy that Dad hired to paint her wizarding portrait," Patrick frowned. "He's been working on it for weeks almost every day. His name is Kerwin."

"How fitting," Marcus said. "It's an Irish name meaning dark."

"Sounds like we need to go through their house carefully," Edward said. Patrick reached in his pocket and got out his keys to his parents' house and took them over and put them in Edward's hand.

"Do what you need to do," he told Edward. "I never saw Mom act this way. I have no idea what she was into, but clearly it wasn't at all good."

Ruby stepped back but only by alittle as she watched Angus when the woman fired she cast protago to suround the girls and Tara hoping to diflect any spell cast there way, she ehard Anise and looekd to her left seeing teh dark energy change into a human form and a man appear she heard them call Patrick. he didn't trust him but he seemed to be on their side " Tara get the girls inside " she said but she heard Anise shout yet again and turned just as a second figure fell to the ground as Angus cast avada kedavra at the batty woman in front of them who then fell to the ground with the dark figure.

Seeing all was quiet again she turned to Anise and Ginger " you girls okay?" she asked and pulled them into a hug before moving back to check Caprice who had fallen asleep " typical" she said softly with a smile " we fight and she sleeps, truly a donohugh." she said and chukled , then turned to Angus seeing him held up by the new man and Edward and she moved a chair close to them " here, sit down before you fall down love" she said looking to Edward then the new man.

"Thanks, Ru," Angus said.

"We're fine," Anise said.

"This happen often at your house?" Evie frowned at Anise.

"All the time," she shrugged.

"Cool. I want to live at your house," Evie grinned. The other girls laughed. While Edward went to check out Gloria's body with Patrick and to send for crew members to come and take the bodies away, Evan went inside and brought out a bottle of firewhiskey and a stack of whiskey glasses.

"Anyone want a shot of this?" Evan asked.

"Pour me a double, would you?" Angus asked.

"Absolutely," Evan said. He poured him a glass and took it to him. Angus looked at Ruby.

"That's my cousin Patrick," Angus explained to Ruby. "Basil and Gloria's son. Well, one of them. They have two sons and a daughter. Patrick, Wynn, and Antigone. Everybody calls her Tiggy because she bloody hates Antigone and I can't blame her a bit. They were pretty much all in school with my parents because Basil was 9 years older than Edward. Patrick works in the family winery. Wynn was a professional quidditch player when he was younger--until a bad fall during a tournament match buggared up his leg permanently. Apparently it was before Robert's time as a healer, Anyway, he's disabled and largely retired. Spends half of his time here and half in Alsace, France. He does something with an inn there, and their big season there is at Christmas.
Tiggy is a bit different. She and Kate would get on, I think. Tiggy is an artist and sells paintings and such. The last I heard, she was off somewhere on some New Age quest to 'find herself'--whatever the devil that means for her.' They're all married, all with grown kids and a few have grandkids now. Not sure any of them were particularly close to Basil or Gloria lately."

Ruby hears Anise and nodded knowing she would say if she was not okay. She smiled at Angus as he thanked her for the chair. When he introduced the first man and his name was patrick "Please to meet you, at least you're not trying to kill us" she said and smirked at him. When Evan offered some whiskey she looked up at him " I'll take adouble too, after all, that I need some" she said and looked down at Angus. " Maybe now we can enjoy the rest of the night's sky" she said smiling at him.

Sitting downt next net to him she rested the sleeping Caprice on her knee. She heard Angus explain and she nodded to him " well Im asumbing that since he is here and on ur side he saw the change in her, could it have ben that man manipulating her?" she asked him cradleing Caprice gently as she looked from Angus to Patrick then back.

Angus watched Patrick go with Edward to check Gloria's body.

"Certainly would explain a lot. I'm betting Edward plans on checking their house to see if maybe they both could have been controlled. There's always been some bad blood between Basil and Edward as long as I can remember but I never knew why."

"I can tell you that," Evan said, handing Ruby a drink and pouring one then for Nigel, one for Tara and one for himself. "Remember how Basil was always giving Edward all that financial advice and was critical of every money decision Edward made?"

"God, yes. Every stinking holiday it was 'buy this,' 'sell that,'" Angus recalled.

"Exactly. As it turns out, though, Edward never did a damned thing Basil said. Basil lost his ass financially. Every choice he made seemed to blow up on him, and Edward's choices made him money hand over fist. Edward tried to talk some sense into Basil but Basil believed he was God's gift to finances. Turns out he was completely skint. And that's where all of this went off the rails for them."

"Basil was skint?" Angus asked incredulously.

"Not a farthing to his name," Evan nodded.

"What about all Gloria's jewels, his gold watches, all those paintings and sculptures..." Angus asked.

"Paste. Every bit of it pure fraud."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Absolute truth," Evan nodded. "Basil was becoming more and more jealous of Edward because Edward was richer and richer, and Basil was penniless."

"Does Patrick know?"

"No idea," Evan said. "I expect Edward will have to have a talk with him shortly about that. Patrick really isn't a bad egg. He just rather reminds me of an ostrich. Head in the sand about what's really going on. Damned hard worker, though. Loves his family to bits. Donna took a flower arranging class and she's got this idea she can open a floral shop in the village and sell wine and flower gift sets. He's all for it simply because its what she wants."

"Donna is Patricks' wife," Angus told Ruby. "They've got two kids. Hugh, and Junie. They're about my age now, I'd guess."

"Yeah, and Hugh, believe it or not, is off working in Romania with Weasley's dragons.'

"What? Wimpy little Hugh?" Angus laughed out loud.

"If the bloody dragons don't eat him," Evan shrugged. Evan looked at Ruby. "Hugh Donohue. What a name. He always got called Hugh Donna Hugh.
And that got shortened to Hugh Hugh. Anyway, Hugh was always scared of everything, and I do mean everything. Junie, as I heard, was off to Beauxbatons to teach dance or something, I don't know. Some feminine fru fru thing."

"Sounds like Junie," Angus said, sipping on his whiskey.

"So, tell me. Truth, now. Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"Truth. I was an auror for awhile. Got some training there, but most of the hard training came from Robert."

"Lupin? What does he know about fighting?" Evan asked. "Isn't he a healer and some ministry paper pusher?" Angus laughed out loud.

"Oh, you truly have no clue," Angus said, amused.

Ruby took the drink from Evan as she watched Patrick and Edward walk over to the body she downed a mouth full and felt much better as she felt it warm her from the inside. Siting she listened to them talking and nodded "He seems okay " she said then looked at Angus as he continued talking about Basil "Sounds like he played the stockmarket" she said now sipping her whiskey as she listened to them talk more about how Basil hated Edward for his success. Ruby sighed and shook her head hearing them talk about Donna and how she just wante to oen anflower shop.

"maybe she knew the troubel Basil was and just wanted to make her own way, same for Patric" she said simply as she smiled at a sturring Caprice on her knee. She looked at Evan as he spoke of Hugh and she could not help chuckle at the nick name " oh dear lord , how did he ever get threw school with a name like that" she said softly Then she heard Evan ask about Robert and she chuckled loking at Angus as he spoke " He should come and train with Robert some time then he'd see his real strength." she said smiling to him " if he can keep up that is" she said with a smirk.

"Me? Get beaten by an old man?" Evan asked.

"Oh, Robert loves guys like you," Angus laughed.

"What do you mean by that?"

"No, no. No hints. I'm not going to be accused of spotting you any points," Angus said.

"Spotting me points? Against an old guy? Wouldn't need 'em."

"Okay," Angus said. "You come, and I'll set up a little friendly duel or a run, or a workout. Your choice."

"Well, what's his best?"

"Dueling," Angus said.

"Well, set it up. Are we setting a wager on it?"

"Why not?" Angus said. "Loser pays for dinner for everyone. And I do mean everyone."

"You're on," Evan said.

"You're an idiot, Evan," Edward said, coming back to the dining table and pouring himself a whiskey. "Marcus?"

"Sure," Marcus replied. Edward poured Marcus a whiskey too. "What are we betting on?"

"Evan is making a wager that he can beat Robert in a duel," Edward said. Marcus laughed out loud.

"Well, that'll be fun," Marcus said. "I'll bring the bandages." Angus laughed out loud.

"Where'd the girls get to?" Angus asked.

"They took off to the side yard," Tara said. "I thought they should get away from the bodies for now."

"Won't bother my girls," Angus said. "But they have enjoyed being with Evie and Faith today."

"Angus," Anise said, dashing around the corner, with something in her hand. "I'm being skunked with this whatchamacallit. How do you do it?" She had a magical frisbee in her hand. The only thing special about a magical frisbee is that it shined in the dark and could leave beautiful rainbow colored trails of light.

"Oh. That whatchamacallit is a frisbee," Angus said. "Ru? Can you throw a frisbee? I'm knackered."

"If she can't, I can," Marcus said. "Give it a go, Ruby. See if you can teach Anise and Ginger the fine art of frisbee throwing."

Ruby looked to Angus and laughed " this is Robert were talking about" she said threw her laughter at Evans confidence of beating Robert. When Marcus and Edward walked back she finished her drink and placed the glass down on the table and listened to them continue "maybe some one should warn St Mungos too" she teased Evan.

At the mention of the girls and Anise returning with the frisbee she heard Marcus mention throwing it for them she looked to Angus " could you take Caprice" she said standing and laying her in his arms. " all right let have ago, I haven't thrown one of these in years" she said smiling a she felt the effect of the whisky making her a litle bolder than she ushaly was. Taking it she held it along its ege then urling her arm to her chest she threw it and watchas it flew away from her "what ya know , still got it" she chuckled but watched it sail into a tre " ah shoot" she said walking towards the tree.

He set his whiskey glass aside to take Caprice, and they watched her give the frisbee a throw.

"Change your stance, Anise," Marcus said. "Turn to the side so that your target is on your right, and then watch how Ruby grips the frisbee. How you hold it is important. Hold the frisbee level, aim it at your target, and then flick it away with your wrist. Watch how she does it, and copy that."

Marcus went out and helped Anise to change her stance and showed her the proper way to hold a frisbee and the subtle wrist motion that it took to throw it. Evan went over and opened a wooden box at the corner of the outdoor living area and got out a blue frisbee and tossed it to Marcus.

"Let's see if Ruby remembers how to catch it. Maybe she'll throw it back to you," Marcus said. "Heads up, Ruby! See if you can get it." He stood behind her, helped her grip the frisbee and helped her throw it to Ruby who had gone down to the tree to fetch the first frisbee. Anise watched the frisbee fly smoothly across the yard towards Ruby.

"Look at it go! We did it!" Anise was excited. "I want one!"

"One what?" Marcus laughed.

"I want one of these thingys," Anise said. Marcus laughed and looked at Angus.

"She really is all tomboy, isn't she?"

"One hundred percent. I was going to get her a softball and a glove to play catch but I'm not sure its on my list right now."

"What's that?" Anise asked.

"You've got a pair of old gloves upstairs. They'll need cleaned and oiled, but they're good gloves still. I presume there's a ball up there too someplace, and a bat. And an America football and all sorts of things."

"Might need to look for them."

"They're in the attic in that old red box."

"Oh, gosh, I forgot about that," Angus said. "Ruby, I might send you and Marcus up to the attic tomorrow for some things Anise would like, if you don't mind."

"Sounds like we're going to be playing baseball and American football," Marcus told Ruby. "Do you play either one?"

Ruby heard Marcus and turned to see the frisbee coming at her reatching up she caught it and spun around to throw it back at him " back to you " she said and laughed as she walked back hearing about Anise being a tomboy " Oh for sure" she said then heard Angus ask about going in the attic " oh that's an adventure and I don't mind at all." she smiled then looked at Marcus again as he spoke " I know baseball, don't ask I liked playing it at Hogwarts when Quidditch was not available" she said chuckling to them.

She looked to Marcuc as she spoke again. "you might have to show Anise how to play I haven't played in years." she said glancing at the tree with the first frisbee in it " accio frisbee" she said and it flew to her as she caught it then placed it on the table " didn't fancy climbing the tree." she said softly with a smile.