A Birth day

With the newborns gone back to their pack, Simone kept Caprice with her, and she started on side dishes for tonight's supper. She made a five cheese potatoes au gratin, a huge tossed salad, and a roasted vegetable casserole. She also took a baguette and made toasted garlic bread from it.

With Simone taking pictures periodically of the cake decorating process, Kate and Zoe arrived to help, too, with the cake, and they left some of the more difficult bits to Angus. He did the sculpting of the fondant on the cake itself to carve in hills, trees, bricks, and the lake. Then Kate helped Angus to airbrush the fondant to paint in as much of the landscaping that they could do. Kate constructed two little boats to be able to sit the boys in, and she even mustered wands and tiny cages with their owls inside and put them in the boat. Angus worked on banners for the Hufflepuff and the Gryffindor students that would be waving the boys farewell.

As they were doing all this decorating, the steaks arrived, and Angus put them in the fridge. The girls packed Caprice's things and supplies for Tuscany and then wrapped their gifts for the boys, and when Anise thought she was going to scale the house to hang her banner, Edward insisted on showing her how to do it with magic--from the ground, instead. The girls also had red and yellow balloons with their banner, along with bunting and streamers.

They finished decorating the cake at a quarter til five.

"4:45," Angus said, looking at the clock. "Perfect. The cake looks great, and I've got time to spare. Thank you, Everyone. I couldn't have begun to do it without you."

"It looks wonderful," Simone said, looking at it, taking pictures of the finalized cake. "Those boys are going to be surprised."

"I'll set a spell to do the washing up," Kate said. "Then I'll help set the table for the supper. Then that will leave very little to do later on." As she was speaking, there was a knock on the door. Simone opened the door and saw a strange young man at the door. He asked for Kate.

"Um, Kate? It's for you," Simone said. Kate went to the door, and there stood Trevor, triumphantly holding a sealed jar with a large, fat, black slug.

"Is that it, then?" Kate asked.

"It is indeed!" Trevor said. "He was certainly a hungry one, I'll say that for him. The mess is cleaned up, so now all you'll need to do is mend the hole it left. Once you do that, a quick Metelojinx will chase away any residue odor of the bait, and that will be that. I will file my reports with the Ministry the next time I get that way..."

"Well, you're welcome to leave it here with me, and I'll give them to Robert myself," she said. "It would save you a trip."

"Would you? That would be kind of you," Trevor said, handing her a letter size envelope.

"Certainly, and I'll send the check to your office as you requested. Thank you so much," Kate thanked him, and Trevor was off.

"So, one poisonous beastie removed, then," Edward said.

"And I'll give the report to Robert, and he'll pitch it so the aurors aren't involved," Kate laughed.

Jess and Jessie returned from taking the babies back to the pack noting how happy they were to have the extra provisions for them. Returning to the duplex Jessie looked t the clock noting they still had time before he had to fetch the boys from Kings cross station to bring them back to the duplex. Jess said good evening and headed back to the main house leaving Jessie to walk over to see how the cake was going. Entering he smiled at them "Wow that looks great" he said checking it out as he walked over.

Knowing Caprice was in good hands with Simone Jessie looked at her " I need to head back and wash and change, I won't be late to get the boys don't worry" he said and headed over to the Cabin while Yu watched Zoe and Nicky working on the cake with royal icing for the figures of the boys and small banners.

"Thanks, Jessie," Angus said.

"Now, while we have a moment, do you have everything you need for Tuscany?" Edward asked Angus.

"I think so. Marcus?" Angus looked at him.

"The only thing I didn't see was some jewelry to go with Ruby's dress. She has that set you bought her but that's got onyx in it, and her dress is red and white," Marcus said.

"Buggar," Angus said. "I don't have time to go get her a piece."

"Angus, your grandmother had more than one jewelry box. I brought them here so that our less than honorable relatives. Why don't you come take a look. Simone has quite a jewelry collection of her own, so as far as I'm concerned most of your grandmother's jewelry is yours to do with as you please. I know there are some diamond pieces in there and some rubies and garnets. Come look and take what you want.

"Thank you," Angus said. They went over, and he went through the jewelry boxes. He chose a set. It was rubies and diamonds in platinum, and it wasn't overly large. It was a rather conservative set that he thought she would like. Angus had Marcus pack it for him to give to Ruby in Tuscany.

Meanwhile, Kate and Simone cleaned up all the dishes and put away all the cake decorating tools, set the table, and made a low flower arrangement for the table in red and yellow flowers. All was at the ready just in time for the boys to arrive home.

Angus went out and lit the grill so the charcoal would have time to get to the proper temperature to grill the steaks. He knew everyone would be hungry by the time the boys got home.

Jessie saw it was now close to the time the boys would arive and looked at Simone " okay Im off to kings cross be back soon" he said and with a smile ported to platform 9 and three quaters. Taking up a poition he could see the platform and possibly they could see him he stood waiting for the express to pull in.

It was no more than a few minets later when he saw the red train pull slowy into the station and he moved to stand at the exit. As he stood he heard happy voices of children leaving to go home , it was now he saw them both now looking like young men " Sam Victor over here" he said and smiled as they walked over to him " okay give your trunks to the carrier and I'll port you home" he said. The boys did just that and he took their hands in his own aperating to just out side the duplex.

"okay we're home!" He called out with a smile so the others could come out to greet them.

The girls heard Jessie shout that the boys were home, and they came running. Angus was not all that surprised when they flung their arms around Sam and Victor's necks and welcomed them home with kisses. He wasn't sure how the romances had gotten kindled so far across the miles, but clearly it existed.

"Thank you, Jessie," Angus told Jessie, grateful for his help. Marcus took out the platter of steaks and Angus's tray of grilling supplies outside for Angus to get the steaks cooked.

When the boys got done greeting the girls, they came over and gave Angus probably some of the biggest hugs he'd ever had in his entire life.

"I can't tell you how glad I am to finally be home for good," Sam said. "It's all I've thought of since the first night Victor and I came here."

"I'm glad to have both of you home too. I've missed you like crazy," Angus said.

"The closer we got to graduation, the more we thought of home," Victor said, his stomach growling loudly.

"How about I grill the meat so we can eat? You have to be hungry," Angus said.

"Starving," Sam grinned. "Where's the baby?"

"Simone has her, I'm sure," Angus said.

"Let's go see her. I wonder if she's grown," Sam said to Victor, and they dashed off to go over to Edward's to find Caprice. Despite Ruby not being here, Angus was closer to feeling complete than he had in awhile, and all it had taken was all of his kids finally being home where they belonged. Angus went out to the grill, and Marcus popped the tops on a couple bottles of beer and took one out to Angus.

"How'd you know I was thinking of a beer?" Angus asked Marcus.

"Isn't that what you're supposed to do while you're grilling? Drink a beer?" Marcus laughed.

"Well, yes. You're right." Angus said, putting the steaks on carefully one by one."

Jessie smiled and stepped out of the way as the girls ran out the duplex and hugged and kissed the boys he could not help chuckle at the look on Angus face. Walking over she smiled to him " my pleasure" he said simply and stood watching as the boys hugged Angus too. Yu walked over to Jessie and smiled resting his arm over Jessie shoulder .

"its good to have them home" he said and Jessie nodded he agreed. Yu watched as Angus placed the steaks on the grill and moved to help him turn them every so often so they would not burn. He glance over to see Marcus with Angus talking and the boys inside with Caprice laughing he smiled too feling the warmth of the home restored.

"It's funny," Angus said to Marcus and Jessie and Yu. "A year ago, I was a bachelor and didn't see any of this coming at all. And now, my life isn't complete without a whole house full of people. You know something? This house is a lots smaller than the main house, and we have more people living permanently over here than they do over there. And I didn't predict that either. I thought we were just building a little duplex for the four of us. When do your kids arrive, Marcus?"

"Whenever I go to Hogsmeade to my dad's and get them," Marcus grinned. "I have five. Zane and Kai are 15. They're fraternal twins. Daria is 12, and Ezra and Poppy are both eleven. Not twins. Two different mothers. Evelyn and I largely stopped living together by the time Daria was born, and Ana Levski and I were very serious by then. So between my relationship with Ana, and getting drunk too many times when I still stayed once in blue moon with Evelyn, both women ended up pregnant in the same year."

"Well, you won't find any judgment here," Angus told him. Angus knew about Evelyn's poor mental health and her refusal of any sort of treatment. It was not a liveable situation for Marcus. He had fallen deeply in love with Ana Levski but Ana left him not once but twice, leaving him the single father now of all five of his children.

Jessie and Yu both smiled and nodded "Yeah a big shift" Jessie said " but one I bet you're happy with" he smiled as Angus continued and asked Marcus about his children "Wow that many?" he asked, "How do you do it?" Jessie asked but Yu just chuckled next to him.

"with patience," he said softly to Jessie " and a heart of gold" he added and smiled at both men "It will be nice when the two groups meet," he said "Maybe they will get on like house on fire or maybe they won't"

"I'm hoping they will," Jessie said "Could you imagine the uproar if they didn't" he joked and chuckled " will you bring them here anytime soon?" he asked just curious to find out if they knew what Marcus did for work.

"They're quite keen to come here as soon as they can," Marcus said. "I wasn't always able to tell them what I did for a living. I let them think I was an auror for a lot of years. It was just easier when I was in espionage, but then when I came here, I was able to tell them, honestly, that I didn't work for the government anymore and that I was a private bodyguard. Actually, they were thrilled because I get to see them more than I ever did when I was in espionage. I hesitate to get them, though, just because I haven't quite figured out the sleeping arrangements yet."

"Well, about that," Angus said. "I've talked with the girls and I wrote to both Sam and Victor. And Sam actually had a really good idea, I thought. Of course Edward has mentioned we could use some of his guest rooms, but Sam suggested that we use the same sort of enlarging spell that they use on wizarding tents and enlarge their room and Anise and Ginger's room downstairs. We could put your three boys in with my three, and we could put both your girls downstairs with Anise and Ginger."

"That's ten under on roof, Mate. You sure you want to do that?"

"Not by myself, I don't," Angus laughed, turning the steaks. "But you'll be there too, right, 'Dad?'"

"Definitely," Marcus said. "My dad thinks they should only stay a week, maybe two at the most. Especially with the constant fight we have with Tom and Suzanne and James."

"I hate to say it, but he might be right," Angus said.

Jessie and Yu smiled as it was decided that Marcus' kids would join them at the duplex " That is an excellent idea" he said with a smile " When do you want to bring them, I can do the enlarging?" he said Yu stopped him.

"let the boys settle first before bringing in more," he said softly to Jesie who nodded.

"oh of course," Jessie said "Enjoy having the boys home first before adding more," he said and looked at the steaks on the grill his stomach growling before he headed inside to be with Caprice and the boys leaving Yu with Marcus and Angus.

" the cake looks perfect" Yu said smelling the cooking steaks as Angus turned them. " do you want me to prepare a salad to go with the steaks?" he aked now stood with his hand behind his back as he waited.