A Birth day

"I get your point, but you having your wand with you strikes me differently than her packing a blade for some reason. Besides, I have my wand too," Angus said.

"And two blades," Marcus said quietly to Angus, "I know when you're packing."

"Well, at least if I need to brawl, the blades will be more useful than my wand," Angus said.

"If you brawl, Robert will never let any of us hear the end of it,' Marcus told him.

At the graveside service, one of Angus's aunts by marriage continued to carry on to the point where Angus had not one more ounce of patience with her. theatrics. Angus used a very tiny slight of hand spell with his left hand--the hand that was in his sling, causing his aunt's shoe to slip on the edge of the open grave, and she fell in head first, shrieking and cussing like an angry sailor, all the theatrics now completely gone. The men raced to try to pull her out of the hole. Angus didn't say a word.

The other women hurried her off to get her cleaned up, and the service proceeded without further incident. When the service was over, Angus was rather anxious to get the winery because he was getting tired of standing and walking.

"I need to sit soon," Angus told Ruby.

"They've put a few benches outside the winery for anyone who wants to get a little air," Marcus told them. They walked over to the winery, and Angus selected a bench and sat down.

"You're welcome to go inside if you like. I'm just going to sit for a moment," Angus told Ruby and Jessie and Marcus. He saw that Edward still had the girls with him, and they were going to go to the winery and go inside.

Ruby had to agree with his thinking "Hum true, especially given her age, but she has trained to use it" she added softly. Reaching the grave side she saw the theatrics and sighed shaking her head "Can she not." she said softly. When she saw her slip into the grave she tried to not laugh at the sight and was glad she swiftly left " Thank you" she whispered to Angus having afeeling he ahd something to do with it.


Once onw she walked with him to a bench out side the winery where she sat down net to him " Im good right here, besides as cute as these shoes are there killer on the feet" she said seeing Jessie stand not too far from him " besides with those .people this close I'm not leaving you unless Jessie or Marcus is with you, not for you safty but my peace of mind" she said smiling at him

"I couldn't help myself," Angus said. "Hopefully she's done with all that now." He sat for a moment. He was tired and his shoulder was bothering him. He hadn't done this much activity since before he'd injured his shoulder.

"Did you break the shoes in before you wore them?" Marcus asked Ruby. "Let me try something. Maybe it'll help." He looked around to make sure that no muggles were going to be able to see what he was doing. He knelt down in front of her feet, and he acted as if he was going to help her with her shoes. As he did, he cast a wandless spell that he had been taught in Bulgaria. It was to resize and break in a new pair of shoes so that they weren't as uncomfortable as they were when they were brand new. They still looked brand new, but they were usually more comfortable with this little adjustment.

"See if that help," Marcus told Ruby.

"Do I have time for a cigarette?" Angus asked him.

"Not really, but I'll tell you what..." Marcus began. He got out one of his own cigarettes and lit it and took a couple puffs off it, casting a spell on it to keep it scent free so Angus wouldn't smell like nicotine. "Take just a couple puffs, and then we should go."

The cigarette still had its flavor but it no longer had the obnoxious smell that most non-smokers objected to.

"I think you're wise not to leave him, Ruby," Marcus said. "If there is any attack or power struggle, it will be here at the winery. I'm not necessarily expecting anything, but it doesn't hurt to be on our toss, just in case. If I were you, I'd stick to his left side since that side is immobilized. He can still draw with his good hand, so I'm not so worried about that. Are there any relatives who are particularly hostile, Angus?"

"No, they all hate me equally, I think," Angus said, exhaling.

Ruby chuckled at him " honestly, if you hadn't I would have she was such a drama queen." she said smiling at him. She watched as he knelt down and she felt her shoes losen and become comfortable " oh that feels so good" she said smiling at him " thank you dear" she smiled and looked to Marcus as he lit a ciggerette and handed it to Angus.

Jessie watched the grounds as he stood not far from them. He'd sen Simone, Edward and the girls enter the room and Angus sit to rest as well as take a puff from a cigerette. He had smiled seing him sort Rubys shoes for her.

They sat for a moment, and then Angus put out his cigarette.

"I need to do this," Angus said, getting up. This was when Marcus wanted to be right next to him. When Ruby and Jessie were ready, Angus took one breath to focus himself, and he went over and Marcus opened the winery doors for them. Angus hadn't even gotten through the door when a woman flung herself at Angus, and she cast a nonverbal spell at him, deliberately into his bad shoulder.

Angus knew the instant it hit him what spell it was. The pain hit him hard enough that it seemed to rob all the breath from his lungs, and he staggered backwards a couple steps. In slow motion, he saw Marcus use his arm like a club, swinging the full length of his arm at the woman to knock her away from Angus. He took only the quickest of glances and didn't see any one else around, no muggles, no wizards either. The woman was knocked backwards but she regained herself quickly, intending to have another go at Angus.

Jessie and Ruby both stood up and followed Angus exspecting to go into the barrel room but when the woman flung herself at Angus and they saw him recol and Marcus knock the woman away Jessie stepped in moving quickly he grabbed the woman and cast a silent Immobulus at the woman as he walked over to her grabbing her arms he looked around the grounds before nodding to Marcus and then disapearing. He reapeared alone wiping his hands clean with his hankachif.

Ruby moved to Angus " you okay?" she asked making him look at her " you still want to go in?" she asked knowing him he would.

"She got my shoulder," Angus said, trying to breathe through the pain. "She's my Aunt Cora, Basil's daughter. I'm sorry. I wasn't ready..."

"Calm, Mate," Marcus said, seeing Angus was really in pain. "Give yourself a moment. Let's get the pain under control first."

"I just need a minute. I'm alright," Angus told Ruby, but he honestly wasn't so sure, truth be told. He truly hurt. Marcus looked at Jessie. "Can you go get Edward, please? Now, listen, Jessie. This is really important. You've got to make this look as smooth and calm as you can. Not even the slightest hint of a problem, understand me? Any sign of alarm, and we'll have every witch, wizard, and muggle in there running right out here. Act casual. Smile. Keep your voice as quiet as you can, and go ask Edward to come out. We need to know if Cora hurt him or not, and Edward can see if she did any damage to him, and have him bring out a styrofoam cup of anything hot that I can add some potion to. I can get him some additional pain potion but it has to be put into some hot beverage to work."

"Would you stay with the girls while Edward is out here, Jessie?" Angus said. "Don't leave them in there unprotected. I wouldn't think they'd go after them, but I didn't think Cora would go after me either."

"Ruby," Marcus said, "could you take him back to the bench to sit down while I hide Aunt Cora temporarily? Remember your training, and keep your eyes open. We don't need company or more trouble either one." Marcus got Cora to her feet and more or less dragged her out of the way and unceremoniously dumped her behind a hedge. Then he cast an obliviate to make her forget anything after the moment she struck Angus.

Ruby frowned when Angus mentioned she'd got his shoulder looking at the woman on the ground she stopped herself from going over and puntching Aunt Cora for hurting him. Hearing Marcus she moved Angus to the bench they had previously been sitting on. Jessie waited for Marcus to walk over to him and Aunt Cora before he, now smiling nodded and walked into the room carefully he made his way over to Edward tcasuallyualy lent over close to his ear. "You're needed outside" he said, looking at Edward, nodding to hope he understood. Seeing him leave he took his place beside the girls and glanced at Simone, Ginger and Anise,

Ruby sat next to Angus as she saw Marcus hide Aunt Cora behind a bush so no muggles could see what had happened to her as she watched Angus drink from the cup Marcus had given him earlier.

Edward had just happened to have a cup of coffee in his hand when he excused himself and went outside. He saw Marcus rising up from behind a hedge, and then he saw Angus and Ruby over by one of the benches. He went over to Angus, and he immediately saw something wasn't right.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Cora had a go at me. She fired a blasting spell at my shoulder," Angus said

"Where is she?" Edward was angry now.

"She's taking a little nap behind that hedge," Marcus told Edward.

"I'll take care of her in moment," Edward said. "I should have thought that someone might have a go at your shoulder, but I didn't. It is actually rather like a neon sign that says 'weakness here.' Let me see if she did any damage." He handed his coffee to Marcus for a moment, and checked Angus' shoulder just briefly.

"I'm borrowing your coffee," Marcus told Edward, adding a dose of Angus' daytime pain potion to it and then swirling the cup. Edward cast a pain relief spell and then Marcus handed the coffee to Angus.

"Between the spell and the potion, you should be comfortable for a couple hours," Edward said. "She shifted some of those fractures out of alignment. You don't need to stay for this reception, you know."

"Yes, I do," Angus said. "At least a bit of it. I need them to know they don't frighten me or intimidate me."

"I understand your thinking," Edward said, "but I don't think you should try to stay long. Make your point, and then get home. You need Robert to tend this for you, and you really shouldn't wait long to do it. Ruby, can you and Ginger pack? I know there are things you're all going to want to take home with you. Ginger can pack for herself and anything that Anise is going to want to take home, and you could pack for yourself and Angus. Marcus..."

"I'm already packed," Marcus said.

"Good. You stay with him, and as soon as you lot are done here at the reception and are packed, get them home, Marcus. Jessie will be keeping Anise safe, I'm sure. We probably aren't going to stay for the full reception either. I'd rather get to Sergio's in good time today while we still have some daylight..."

"Edward?" It was Evan coming over to them. "What's happened?"

"Do me a favor, Lad," Edward said. "Go get Patrick and the two of you take charge of Cora, over behind that hedge. She had a go at Angus, and she's not going to get another chance."

"I'll take charge of her alright," Evan said, angry. "Is he okay?"

"No. He is not. She deliberately had a go at his shoulder."

"Then she's mine," Evan said, leaving to go take care of Cora himself.

Ruby breathed out as Edward walked out of the room and over to them. she watched as Marcus spoke to him then he spoke to Angus . When he asked if she could pack she nodded " I'm sure we can." she said then saw Evan walk over to them. "Just be grateful Im not taking care of her, she'd not be seen again for hurting Angus." she said not angry at Evan but at Aunt Cora and her actions.

Jessie looked around the room and saw smiling whispering people each glancing at him and then the doors if expecting no Angus to enter. some smiled meanly at him, Anise, Simone and Ginger.

When Edward spoke about