A Birth day

Ruby heard the tapping on the window and chuckled as Ginger opened it and he flew in. Hearing Angus mention Jack she chuckled again " i don't though he does it deliberately to him" she said with a chuckle.

Watching Angus take the package and open it to reveal Roberts potion. Hearing Marcus she opened the fridge and checked everything and shook her head " not that I know but some treats would be nice from sparks, I hear shes doing some summer deserts" she said smiling

"Oh, she definitely is by now," Marcus said. "We'll see what we can do."

Angus came downstairs in freshened up, clean shaven, wearing clean jeans, a clean tee shirt, a denim jacket. Marcus transfigured his clothes to jeans too, picked up Angus's potion in case they were out when his symptoms recurred.

"We'll see you in a bit," Angus told Ruby. "I doubt we'll be terribly long." He and Marcus ported out.

Marcus had no idea what Angus had in mind but he found himself, a moment later back at the same dilapidated castle they'd been in last night.

"Of all the lame brained places," Marcus was irked. "Why are we here?"

"Because Pearl is still here," Angus said.

"And very dead," Marcus reasoned.

"But that means the pukwudgie is still here, waiting for Elwood to return. He'll end up starving himself or something. And we can't just leave Pearl lying dead up in that tower."

"Why not? Elwood won't ever come back here."

"Because, regardless whether Pearl was a decent woman or not, she's still Ruby's gran, and the kids' gran. I have to do the right thing."

"They do not expect you to do one more thing with this affair," Marcus said.

"Not the point," Angus frowned. "It's about doing the right thing whether they expect me to or not. I have to release the pukwudgie and bury Pearl. And make sure anything of any value comes out for whatever good it will do Elwood."

"That could take weeks and weeks," Marcus protested.

"If I get the best pieces out now, release the pukwudgie and bury Pearl, then i can hire a crew to shore the place up long enough to clear the place out and sell anything Elwood doesn't want and put it into a trust for him,"

"You are a far, far better man than I," Marcus sighed. "Oh, alright. Come on. Let's go."

They went into the castle, and the pukwudgie came at them in a full on attack. Marcus fired an incarcerous and bound him. Angus did what was necessary to release the pukwudgie from any sort of obligation to humans anymore. the pukwudgie apparated out immediately, apparently relieved to be allowed to leave.

They made their way up to the tower where Pearl still was lying dead on the floor. Rigor had set in and she was as stiff as a board. They decided to wrap her in a rug, and they took her out to the castle crypt and buried her there. Angus hexed the crypt so it could not be opened by just anybody.

Then, they did a rather quick walkthrough of the house, shrinking and taking the most valuable pieces, chucking them in an old, tattered carpetbag they found in a closet. There were very, very few things that looked like they belonged to Elwood, except for a large collection of very rare first edition books. He had, clearly, spent decades and decades reading. They shrank the books and put them in the bag. The only clothes they found for him was pajamas. They were top quality but when Angus touched them, he could feel the immense agony and suffering Elwood had been suffering.

The record of Elwood's suffering was so massive and overwhelming when it hit Angus's relatively new seers' abilities that it dropped Angus to his knees on the floor. Marcus had to take the pajamas away from Angus before the feeling lifted.

"Is there anything else you want to do here today?" Marcus asked. "The sooner you're off this land, the better you're going to feel."

"No. Not right now," Angus said, out of breath. "I think the books are about the only thing he wants."

"Then, let's get the hell out," Marcus said. They made their way back to the front of the castle, and they cast a spell to keep it from being looted now that it was abandoned.

Marcus ported them to back entrance of Sparks. Angus sat down on an old barrel in the alley while Marcus went in and got several large takeout bags of food. When he came out, Angus was in a light doze, leaning up against the building.

"Hey," Marcus nudged him. "We've had enough gallivanting for one morning. We've been gone all morning. It's lunchtime, so Lizzie sent us with some lovely croque madams and chips, and desserts for lunch. Let's get home while they're still hot."

"Fine by me," Angus yawned.

Marcus apparated them home, and they went in, loaded with bags--the Sparks takeaway bags, the old tattered carpet bag, and a few other things tied up in a brocade tablecloth.

"We're back," Marcus said. "I have lunch and desserts. Angus has other things. I presume you'd rather have the food, though,."

Ruby listened to Marcus and smiled nodding as she smiled again seeing Angus walk down now dressed walking over to him she kissed his cheek " stay safe" she said softly to him knowing he was up to something by the look in his eye.

Radagast ported back to the castle and walked around the place he heard Angus and Marcus port in and chuckled , walking over he bowed " good to see you in calmer circumstances," he said and followed quietly behind them as they did what they had come for, giving Angus a silver compact he had found " there related to goblins , so thought if he made this and she bought it, he should have it back, there for fulfilling the contract and so freeing him from obligation" he said smiling as he handed over the compact to him.

Soon he moved with them shrinking items down and placing them in a carpetbag Marcus held until they came to the bedroom and Pearl. With a heavy heart he helped wrap her body in a rug and with Marcus carried it down to the crypt. He said a short prayer for her then watched as they sealed the crypt " good idea" he said then watched as they left. Radagast watched as the castle shifted to a derelict castle and he chuckled porting out and to the duplex.

"Come join us for lunch, Radagast," Marcus said. "Lizzie sent enough for a large platoon or a small army. Croque Madame's and fresh chips. And about a hundred different desserts, I think. Thanks for giving us a hand back there. It's a job well done, I think."

When they went in, Angus put down the carpet bag and washed his hands and then got a can of soda from the fridge and saw Evan and his family outside play frisbee in the backyard. Angus went over to the french doors to watch for a moment.

"I just thought you might like to know. He went back to the castle," Marcus told Ruby very softly. "He went back to release the pukwudgie, and to gather up anything that he thought might be important for Elwood, but the main reason he went back, though, was to bury Pearl. He didn't do it for any other reason than she was your great gran. It didn't matter to him if you ever knew where he went today or not. That wasn't nearly as important to him as knowing that he'd done his best to do the right thing for you and your family. I think he just wants to sit for a moment and get some lunch. Then I'll help him clean up better than just washing his hands because I'm sure he really wants a shower. Trust me, 120 year old sorceresses don't clean their castles, and apparently pukwudgies don't' give a damn. We weren't looking for dust and dirt and grime last night, but we definitely found a lot of just utter filth today."

Radagast looked to Marcus and bows " I would be homered for her fish and chips,and not a problem was going to do it myself too." " he said and ported with them to the duplex and walked in Aria smiled at him as Ruby looked up at Marcus too as he walked over to her and spoke to her. Smiling she nodded " sure foods not here yet" she said smiling " and thank you" she said walking over to Angus and kissing him gently.

" I'm sure Elwood appreciates what you did"she siled to him " I know I did but Marcus is right, go clean up" she said brushing a cobweb of his shoulder and chuckling.

Jack showered and changed his clothes then went to the barn glancing at the groundsman's tower where Jess was tending to Joseph. When he left Joseph was sleeping but shivering on his bed.

"Sorry. No fish and chips in the bags today," Marcus said, unpacking takeout containers, each one containing a Croque Madame and fresh French fries. "French Croque Madame sandwiches and french fries. Anyone who wants one, help yourself to a takeout container." He got into the second bag and got out several different containers, each one containing four servings of dessert. Each container had a different dessert. One had key lime tarts. Another had lemon blueberry cake, another had strawberry tiramisu, and yet another had coconut cream pie, another had a lemon cheesecake, and another had a assortment of summer themed cookies. "Plenty of desserts here," Marcus said. "Each container has four servings. When you're ready, pick what dessert you and help yourself to a serving."

"Thanks," Angus said to Ruby. "There wasn't much there that seemed to be something Elwood would have actually valued, but I did find that he has quite a collection of exceptionally valuable first edition rare books. So I got all of those and brought them back so he has them."

Marcus picked up two containers, one for him and one for Angus and took him a container.

"Get some food while its' hot, and then if you want, I'll help you clean up," Marcus told him.

Radagast chuckled and nodded as he looked at the sandwich's in the takeout containers. He took two of them and placed them on a plate then moved to sit at the table once he had washed his hands clean of the grime and dust from the castle before he dug into the sandwiches " Humm , the egg on top brings it to gather" he said as he too a second bite.

Ruby chuckled and smiled to Angus letting her hand rest gently on Angus cheek " I sure he'll love to know those have found their way to the family" she said as she after a quick kiss moved to grab two sandwiches for herself and a desert. " Marcus is right given the boys appetite if you don't get it now it will be all gone" she said with a chuckle.

"They don't normally come back for lunch on a workday but I don't think any of the kids thought of packing a lunch today," Angus said. "None of them left with one, so as soon as I'm finished I'll take each of them a container so they have something."

"No, you dont need to. They're younger than you are. They can certainly walk back for lunch," Marcus said. He went to the front door and looked out across the yard towards the barn. He saw Sam putting fresh hay in a food trough in the corral. Marcus whistled, and Sam left the corral, jogging effortlessly back to the duplex. Marcus handed Sam a bag with four takeout containers and four cans of soda.

"Lunch," Marcus said. "for you and Victor and the girls.'

"Yum! We were starving," Sam said. "What is it?"

"Well, let me put it in English. Its basically a French version of a hot ham and cheese, and it has french fries in there too. Oh, and there's a container with a serving of dessert for each of you."

"Thanks, Marcus. See you later," Sam said, turning and heading back to the barn. Marcus came back inside.

"Shortest conversation I've ever had with that boy," Marcus laughed.

"See what happens when food is involved? We don't rank in any sort of importance if they get to eat," Angus said, taking a bite of his sandwich and then continuing to write something on a pad of paper.

"What are you doing?" Marcus asked.

"Making a list," Angus said.

"For what?"

"Never you mind," Angus said.

"You could focus on your lunch, you know."

"I am. I'm only jotting something down when I realize it needs to be on my list."

"Alright, just keep your secrets then. Don't bother sharing it with us," Marcus said.

"Yeah, I know," Angus said, preoccupied with several things he wanted to remember to write down on his list.

"You're working, aren't you?"

"No, not really. Well, sort of. More or less," he said, still preoccupied.

"Why did that sounds like a definite maybe?" Marcus frowned.

"It's just a little project that needs to be done right," he said.

"What do you want to wear after your shower?"

"A pair of good jeans and one of those open weave polos, please," Angus said.

"Dressing to go back out?"

"Very briefly, maybe," Angus said. "But I don't need it right away. I have some cooking to do first. I need an hour or so, and then I'll shower." He looked at Ruby. "I'm going to see Elwood briefly. Screw Robert. You're welcome to come with me, but I want just a few minutes alone with him for a man to man conversation at some point in todays' visit. Just so you know. Fair enough?"



"

Ruby looked as Marcus gave Sam and victor their lunch and those for the girls too and she chuckled as he said that was the quickest conversation he'd had. " the sandwiches are good" she said finishing her second and taking her plate to the kitchen where she found a spoon and began eating her desert.

Once done she looked at Angus as he wrote down things as he ate and smiled knowing that was exactly what he was doing as he spoke to Marcus. Hearing Angus she shook her head " as much as I would love to see him again I'm fine staying here and letting you two have your man to man" she said smiling to him to let him know she understood and was not going because she wanted them to talk privately.

"Elwood told me a few things before you all arrived," Angus said. "He's 122 years old, and he's spent 80 years believing he should have died about 79 of those years ago. He's been stuck in that tower, in that bed, because Pearl was robbing all those people of their magical energies so she could infuse them into Elwood to keep him alive. He felt like he was being held prisoner by her because she could not let him go. He hated what she was doing, and he hated her for keeping him suffering all those years. Even if Robert tells him now that he can help him, Robert has said very clearly that Elwood does not want help. He does not want to be kept alive. Whenever this last infusion of energy wears off, and I have no idea when that will be, Elwood wants us to let him go. I want to talk with him to try to encourage him to come home with us, to get to know that there just might be something yet worth fighting for. I've been in his shoes, to a certain extent, when my own magical system was eliminated. I understand, to some extent, what he's going through. If anyone has a hope of getting him to listen, it might be me. Maybe. At least I think its worth a try. I want him to meet his family, all of them, but that, I think, is going to have to be done slowly because he will be entirely too overwhelmed if we do that while he's still so critically ill. But I think we need to slowly try. I'd like to take some pictures to show him some pictures. Maybe leave some with him so he can look over them and think. And then, if he still wants to go, then we can let him go with a pure heart that we really did do all we knew we could do."

"It all sounds reasonable to me," Marcus said. "So what's the list about and what's so important in the kitchen."

"He needs everything. Nobody should have to wear a hospital gown forever because its all they have. At this point, I think he believes he's left everything behind and he's waiting in St. Mungo's to die. I want him to have some decent, comfortable clothes, and in colors and styles that he likes, and something to do to pass the time, if he wants his books or something different. A decent shave if he wants one. And, I want to make some of that beef and wine broth that people enjoy so much when they're not feeling well. I know he's going to need to start with clear liquids and work up to a real meal, but I want to take him something decent. If he's going to be family, we need to treat him like family."