A Birth day

"It'll be fine, I'm sure," Angus said, relatively unconcerned. "I have had so much worse."

Brian caught Robert, and Robert walked over to Angus and took a look at the blades and then at the slash on Angus's face.

"Well, that's pretty, isn't it?" Robert said. He opened both blades, and he tapped the handles of both of them, casting a nonverbal reveal spell. The one blade made no change at all. The other glowed a bright, nasty green color and made an illusion of a green dripping fluid from the blade. Robert snapped shut the blade that made no change and he handed that one to Brian. "That one's clean. This one, however, puts on quite a show, doesn't it? You see this little picture it's showing us of the dripping? That is a telltale sign of a dark arts spell to keep wounds from closing and healing. I'm actually glad you ended up with this, Angus, because that is going to help me save the life of at least one of my healers tonight. I'll be right back."

Robert headed to one of the treatment rooms to get a potion, and when he saw Jess, he called to her.

"Jess, look in the potions stores, and get two bottles of potion labeled 'CC Solution.' We're going to need a bottle in each O.R. It's important. I'll be there as soon as I can. use life support if you need to. You might not be able to close anything until I get there. Just try to keep them as stable as you can until I get there."

Robert brought back the bottle of potion and a couple of dressings.

"Now, this is not going to be pleasant," he warned Angus and Ruby. "I can undo the hex so we can heal the wound and stop the bleeding with this potion. However, be aware, it burns and it stinks. Both of those things will wear off in a moment or two, but just so you're aware."

"It's fine," Angus waved off Robert's concerns. Robert put the potion on a dressing and sponged Angus's face with it, and it burned like absolute fire. Angus knew how to deal with pain, though. He just took a few deep breaths to force himself to relax. The stench was something else, though. It reminded Angus of the smell of a dead body, a smell Angus was well aware of.

"Breathe through your mouths, not your noses," Robert told them. "It'll stop in a moment. There. Much better. Now I can close it." He laid his hand on the wound and closed it slowly. "It's not bleeding, but it's going to be aggravated. It'll be completely closed by morning. I'm going to give it a good 24 hours and then I'll check it again, and if it looks good, I'll remove the scar. Fair enough?"

"I told Brian, and I'll tell you too. You cannot leave me looking like Frankenstein."

"I won't. You have my word," Robert laughed. "Welcome home, Ruby. Take him home. He might need just a wee bit of pain potion tonight but by morning, Frankenstein here will be right as rain." Angus scowled at Robert. "I'll fix it, don't worry," Robert laughed. "I'm going to go. I have sick people to take care of. Go home, you two, and take Marcus with you. He might need some pain potion too tonight. Well done. Thanks for getting Evelyn to us. We'll talk about her later. Goodnight, All." He left to go to the operating rooms.

Angus laughed when Ruby used her sultry tone, imitating Evelyn.

"Well done, Jack," Marcus said. "She hasn't been this bad in years. I can usually handle it by myself, but when I got the message about her this time, it just sounded entirely different. I'm glad you all were with me. I know I really should do something different, but this is my kids' mum. Well, all of them but Poppy. Some of them are old enough to remember how it was back then. I really need to have a word with them. They've been through hell because of her. They deserve to have a voice. They don't necessarily get a vote, but I do want their opinions."

"Sounds reasonable to me. It's still early. You want to go have a word with them on our way home?" Angus said.

"You don't have to come with me, you know," Marcus said. "I don't think it would take more than a moment or two. I can pretty much bet on what they're going to say."

"Why would we not? How many times have you come with us? You two don't mind, do you?" Angus asked Ruby and Jack. "Besides, I bet Jonathan's got some fudge that needs eating. Hopefully he's got some peanut butter fudge he needs to get rid of."

"Thanks," Marcus smiled. He had honestly never envisioned that he might someday be able to be rid of Evelyn once and for all, but the opportunity might actually be here. He apparated them all to the back of Honeydukes, and he used his key, unlocked it, and led them all upstairs.

Claire was just serving some slices of warm bakewell tart, fresh from the oven, with some strawberry ice cream to go with the strawberry jam she'd used in this one. She was setting down a slice in front of Poppy when she looked up and saw the battered looks of Angus and Marcus. Even Jonathan was wide eyed at their rough condition.

"Come sit," Jonathan told them all. "You're just in time for Claire's magnificent bakewell tart. And then you can tell us your tale--because you obviously have one." Marcus hesitated but then he realized this was what he'd come here to do. His kids weren't babies anymore. He motioned to Jack and Angus and Ruby to have a seat at the table with the rest of them. Claire sliced more tart,k and Jonathan served up mugs of tea.

"What happened?" Jonathan asked.

"I actually came here to tell you," Marcus said. He looked at the kids. "Evelyn..." he began and every kid at the table except Poppy gave a loud groan and rolled their eyes.

"Lord, not her again," Zane sighed, his 15 year old son, the eldest of Marcus's children.

"What the slut do now?" Kai asked. Kai was Zane twin brother.

"Hey," Jonathan reprimanded Kai sharply for his language. Jonathan knew how he felt but he didn't want him to use that language.

"He's right, Granddad. She's nothing but a scrubber," Zane said, unable to disagree with his brother.

"What happened?" Daria asked, his eldest daughter, age 13. "She slice your faces up tonight?"

"Yeah. She did," Marcus said.

"She's a loser," Ezra said. Ezra was 11, the same as Poppy. They were both eleven years old but from two different mothers. Marcus didn't care to explain that. "Get rid of her."

"Well, that's what I came to talk to you about. Tonight, she was exceptionally dangerous. She had multiple blades with her. I cannot allow her to ever have access to any of you again. None of you," Marcus said. "I don't know what my options are, but I'm told there could be some new ones. If I could get rid of her from our lives once and for all,..."

"We'd bloody all have a party and invite all of Hogsmeade to celebrate with us." Kai said. "Get rid of the bitch once and for all. Just bloody do it already."

Angus heard one thing very clearly. Marcus's kids were full of rage. And it wasn't old rage. Some of it was new rage at seeing their dad's face sliced open. With that sort of rage, Angus didn't see it likely that they were going to change their minds.

"You knew that was how they were going to feel," Jonathan told Marcus. "You had to know that."

"Well, pretty much, yeah," Marcus said.

"Pretty much?" Jonathan frowned. "She's never been in their lives for anything positive, not one time since they were hatched. And all they've seen is her hurting you over and over and over. Of course they want rid of her. So when are you going to man up and do it?"

"You can't miss what you never had. She didn't raise us," Zack said. "She left us years ago. Kai and I were maybe four, Daria was not quite two, and Ezra was just tiny. She left us alone, and we'd been alone for a couple of days when Dad came home and found us. Ezra and Daria were a right mess and they'd pooped all over the house. And we were all cold, dirty, tired and hungry. Dad brought us here to granddad and gran, and it's been them and Dad. They've raised us. The only time we hear from her is when she comes to try to get some money from Granddad or makes promises to us that she doesn't intend to keep. None of us have ever wanted one thing to do with her. He's been trying our whole lives to take care of her because he thinks he owes her something, but he didn't cause her to go crackers. She's always been crackers. He doesn't owe her nothin'."

"Anything," Jonathan corrected.

"You got any kids?" Ezra asked Ruby.

"Yeah," Angus replied. "Five. Two boys, Sam and Victor..."

"Oh, yeah. Those your boys? They just graduated," Zane said. "They're alright, those two. We were in dueling club with them. And the other kids?"

"Two new girls who are being home schooled, and a baby."

"Well, that's a bit of a split," Kai laughed.

"It is," Angus laughed. "Ruby's right, though. You're welcome at our place anytime. Your dad is one of my very best mates. Don't know what I'd do without him."

"Then help him get rid of Evelyn," Poppy said. "She's not my mum, but he shouldn't have to pay penance on a debt that isn't his."

"I couldn't agree more, Poppy," Angus told her.

"Marcus," Claire finally spoke. "Our vote is unanimous. Get this overwith because when you do, you set more than yourself free. You set us all free."

"I can't promise you that you won't have to look over your shoulder..."

"Do you think she's the only one I've ever had to watch out for?" Jonathan laughed. "She's just the least dangerous of them. I am not afraid of Evelyn. Make it final. We are all standing right with you. It's well overdue, Son. Eat your dessert. Kids, go get your showers. You have a busy day tomorrow." Ezra and Poppy got up, and Poppy kissed Marcus on the cheek and then she lifted his face and looked at his wound.

"She meant to kill you," Poppy told him. "And she tried to kill your best mate. What more should it take, Dad? Love you. Goodnight." She went to take her shower.

The other kids left one by one. Daria gave Marcus a hug and a kiss before she left, and each of the boys made sure to give him a hug before they left.

"They're good kids because of you two," Marcus told his parents. "My work's kept me..."

"They know who you are and what you do and all you stand for," Claire told him. "And they are so bloody proud of you. They set their bar by you, and I know you don't want that, but you can't change that. It's because they love you so much, and they know you're with them every moment you can be. They also know that every day you risk your life to stand for the right thing,  and I'm equally as sure that they know your friends are all cut from the same cloth. And I know how they know that. Zane and Kai met Sam and Victor in school, and as they became friends, they learned about Angus and Ruby and the rest of your friends from them."

"They make their own opinions. You know that," Jonathan said quietly. "But we all meant what we said. We all stand with you."

"I came for your opinions," Marcus said. "And I got them. I can't say I'm entirely surprised, but I do accept it. I'll talk to Robert in the morning."

"Where is she now?"

"St Mungo's. I don't see her getting out in the next day or so."

"Well, that's a good thing. Some things are better off in Robert's hands, even if they end up there by accident. Keep us posted."

"Good tart, Mum."

"It is an outstanding tart," Angus told Claire. "And you have a secret to yours, don't you?"

"I do," She smiled. "Maybe someday I'll tell it to you. Now, what sort of little goodie can I send home with you for your kids?"

"He was talking about peanut butter fudge before we got here," Marcus told her.

"Fudge. Perfect. I'll be right back," she said, going down to the shop. Marcus laughed. Some things never changed. Moms liked to feed people, and she was good at it.

"The boys want to come and see Sam and Victor at some point," Jonathan said. "They did get to be good mates at school from what I understand."

"I'll mention it to them, and I'm sure they'll try to get ahold of your kids in a day or so," Angus said. "They're just starting to get used to their first jobs, so it has been a bit of an adjustment."

"I'm sure they're knackered by five o'clock," Jonathan laughed.

"Oh, yes, they are," Angus laughed. Claire returned in just a moment with a big tin with several assorted flavors of Honeydukes fudge, and a smaller one on top.

"I know you'll see Michael. He paid his monthly fudge tab a couple days ago but he overcharged himself. The smaller tin brings him up even. Can you get it to him? I know he's been at Brian's lately," Claire said, handing Marcus the tins and then taking a moment to look at the scar under his jaw.

"Of course," Marcus said.

"Take care of that wound, won't you? It's looking good," she told Marcus. She turned Angus's face so she could look at the long ugly slash down his face too. "You boys see a qualified healer for those messes?"

"Yes, Mum," Marcus said. "We did. And we live with Robert. He isn't likely to miss it. If it isn't looking right, he'll be at it for sure. Don't worry." Claire looked at Ruby.

"Boys," she sighed. "They treat having their faces slashed open like skinned knees. You'll have to look after these two boys, Ruby. Gryffindors never look after themselves, and this Ravenclaw here seems to need to pretend he's a Gryffindor. If they give you a hard time, though, you let me know. I'll get after them. Mine, because he's acting stupid, and yours because he's letting mine drag him along with him." Jonathan couldn't hide an amused grin.

"Go home and get some sleep," Jonathan told them all. "You've had a long day, and I'm sure you're tired. Keep us posted about it, won't you?"

"Yeah," Marcus nodded. He picked up the empty dessert plates and forks and took them to the sink. Then he looked at Jack and Ruby and Angus. "I think we're good to go home for one night." Angus picked up the fudge tins.

"Alright. Thanks, Jonathan and Claire," Angus said. "I don't care who's driving. Just somebody get us home."