A Birth day

Jessie nodded to Angus as he explained further what he meant making Jessie nod and chuckle "Yeah, I see, not a good thing" he said then listened to them talk of the differences in traditions for Christmas" hum, I should get researching to make this the best Christmas that Chris has had then" he said then hears Ana mention recipes for Christmas" um..could I have a copy too?" he asked " there might be something we can make for him too" hoping there would be a dish he could cook that would make Chris feel like it truly was Christmas for him.

Ruby and Aria sat listening to the men talking about christmas and ruby smiled knowing they would have to collect their own tree to decorate soon " whan are we going to get the tre?" she asked Angus " we should go soon" she smiled to him hoping they could go that weekend and take caprice with them so she could choose too and help place some decorations on it. Not that it would take long with magic involved.

"Of course," Ana replied to Jessie.

"What do you mean?" Angus asked Ruby. "You thinking of a live tree this year?" He didn't mention to her that the tree they had last year was a good quality artificial tree, and he had just presumed that's what they would use. Apparently, though, she had something different in mind. He didn't have really an opinion one way or another except that he was concerned, just in general, about making sure that whatever they did about a tree, they could keep the baby safe since she was crawling all over the place now. That had hazards all its own.

Jessie smiled to Ana and nodded " thank you" he said as Ruby looked to Anus and nodded to his question.

"oh I thought becuse we have so mane new members to the family it would be nice to have a real tree this year, I know the one from last year is stil good and we could use it in the girls room but , if you don't want to Im sure Aria and I could look for one we have loads out in the west side of the grounds." she said " also I thought it would be nice for Chris to see a real christmas tree here." she accioed a mug of coffee for herself and added suger and milk to it as she sipped it slowly waiting for his responce.

Jessie looked from Ruby to Angus then to Chris who was just watching and listening to Ana talk to him.

He listened and heard her mention having so many new family members. The teens were here last Christmas, so he could only presume she was really just referring to Cris and Caprice. And since Cris already had a home with two loving parents, he understood this was largely about the baby, and at 10 months, Caprice wasn't going to understand any of it yet. It was Ruby's interest because it was the baby's first Christmas.

"If you want a real one, then we'll get a real one," he said. "I'm leaving the shopping to you, though. It's not my forte, not really." He already knew he would have plenty of things to do without doing the shopping and the wrapping. It wasn't something he believed he really shined in anyway, so he felt a lot more comfortable in delegating that to her.

"He's a lot like you, then, isn't he?" Tara laughed, looking at Evan.

"Guilty as charged," Evan said. "I don't like the shopping either."

Ruby smiled and looked to Aria who smiled too "We can head out tomorrow" she said " and okay I'll leave the trimmings to you" she said to Angus and chuckled knowing she'd end up dressing the tree, not that she minded at all. Aria chuckled and nodded knowing hunting down the right tree would be good fun.

"we can ask Jack to come with us to carry it back" she said and Ruby nodded "Oh but we must check it for animals before we cut it down, don't want to ruin an animal's home tree" Again Ruby nodded. Jessie looked at Angus and sighed shaking his head as he spoke.

" I can see why you don't do shopping," he said to Angus and Evan with a chuckle. Yu walked in and sat with Jessie smiling " whats god you all happy?" he asked

" I finished decorating our cabin for Chris, also because I know how you hate decorating," he said and looked to Angus.

"food smells wonderful" he added still smiling.

"Get a plate and help yourself if you're hungry, Yu," Angus said. "Rosaria sent pork ragu and parmesan polenta. She also sent some caprese salad and a fresh Italian orange cake. There's plenty." Angus got up and made some fresh almond tea for Cris. Edward accio'd some potion to temporarily help reduce some of Cris's cold symptoms and floated it over to Angus who mixed it into Cris's tea and then gave it to him, telling him quietly that it would make him feel better. Angus set the bottle of potion on the table in front of Jessie.

"Half a dose at breakfast and supper," Angus told Jessie. "It works for about 12 hours or so at a time. He should feel some relief when that takes hold."

"And a good night's sleep may help too," Edward said.

"Angus," Michael's voice shouted through the floo suddenly.

"You rang?" Angus got up and went to the fireplace.

"Gear up. You and a couple of you. Can't afford to take all of you with the pack still sick. You're dressing like Marcus. Pack your wand and some bubbles. I'll be there in two minutes or less." The floo went dark.

"He's got a situation," Marcus said, rising. "I'll go get the bubbles. You'd better transfigure to a decent suit."

"I'm coming with," Evan said, standing up and transfiguring to a black suit with a white shirt. Angus wondered where they were going, but he transferred his clothes to a sharp looking black suit, and he got out a switchblade from the desk drawer and tucked it into his pocket.

"You boys be careful, wherever it is," Edward said, sipping his tea, not intending on going along.

Jessie looked at the potions bottle and listened to Angus tell him when and howmuch to give but then pause as Micahels voice came threw the portal, both Yu and Aria stood up trasphiguring their clothing to suits, Aria had daggers around her upper thigh where Yu had his katana strapped to his back and bubbles around his waist. " Jessie you stay with Chris this time" he saw worry on Jessie face " Let me take care of this you stay, spend time with Chris" he said and Jessie nodded and smiled to Chris.

Both Aria and Yu walked over to Angus " ready when you are." they said together. Yu stood with his arms behind his back where Aria stood more casual next to him with a smirk.

Marcus brought down a large glass jar full of the exploding bubbles, and Angus and Marcus each took a large handful of them and put them into the pockets of their suit jackets.

"Wait," Evan frowned. "What are those? Candy? Bath oils? Why are we taking them?"

"Take a big handful," Angus said. "You'll find out. They're handy." Evan frowned, shrugged, and shoved a big handful in his pocket. Marcus put the lid on the jar and put the jar on the kitchen table, as Michael just apparated into the middle of the living room. He was dressed in a similar black suit.

"Let's go. We're out of time," Michael said. "Robert's already there, and I don't want him there too long by himself, not on crutches. Grab hold. Let's go." They all grabbed hold, and Michael apparated them.

Angus found himself standing in the middle of the Ministry Atrium, and there was active fire happening between aurors and people wearing old fashioned style death eater robes and masks. Angus didn't understand why. What was this attack over?

"Who are these people?"

"You're now auxilliary reserve aurors," Michael said. "Robert's given you special status so you have access. Don't abuse it. Help defend the ministry. I've got to go find Robert."

"Where is he?" Marcus asked.

"Can't tell you," Michael replied. "Good luck." He flicked his wand and disappearing. Angus had a chilling thought go through his mind. The last time he was called into defend the ministry itself, Robert had used a special spell and had torn the entire place to the ground. If he would do it once, Angus had no doubt that Robert would do it again if he had no other choice. That meant, surely, that Robert was probably in the Department of Mysteries, somehow trying to secure the most vital ministry information and documents, just to make sure things were safe, and Michael was going to try to protect him. Who the hell were these people making such a bold attack on the Ministry itself?

Aria and Yu watched as Michael appeared then placed jars down each took some and placed them in their pockets before taking hold of him to be ported to the ministry. Yu ducked behind a colum while Aria moved to her left as Spells flew back and forth all arund them " so whats the plan, other than not be hit" she asked Angus. Yu had drawn his wand and rolled a bubble out between two men hitting it it exploded taking out the two men sticking them to the walls and colum beside them.

" Im guessing clean up and make safe?" he said looking to Angus just as he saw a man trying to sneak up on him. Taking his wand he stepped around Angus then fired patrificus totalus and sent the man falling like stone to the floor infront of him.

"Yup. That's the plan. Get them before they get us," Angus said, drawing his wand. He dashed out into the center of the room and began slashing at them left and right. Marcus dashed out right after him and stood back to back with Angus to make sure Angus was covered behind him. Marcus looked at Aria and pointed to Evan as a silent signal to ask her to keep an eye out for Evan since he was so new at all of this.

Angus saw a shorter figure in a death eater's outfit sort of out of the way but they were firing hot and heavy at Angus for some reason. Angus took a bubble and hurled it at them, and it blew up right in front of the shorter death eater.

"Hey! How'd you do that?" Evan called.

"In your pocket," Marcus called, pointing to Evan's pocked. Evan chucked one at one of the bigger death eaters, and it exploded, hitting a stack of newspapers and starting a fire.

"Nice!" Evan grinned. Angus saw the shorter death eater dashing behind the large fountain in the center of the room, and Angus dashed right after them. As he went around the fountain he caught a glimpse of what they were trying to hide. Angus felt absolute rage race through him as he heard Marcus running up behind him.

"Don't you dare, Marcus. She's mine!" Angus shouted at Marcus as the shorter figure tried to run off to get out of the atrium and into the maze of office corridors.

"Who?" Marcus frowned, as Angus ran after the short figure. Evan wanted to go with Angus and Marcus but the aurors here in the atrium were outnumbered as it was. They were needed right here.