A Birth day

"No, you don't understand," Angus told Aria. "We've always wondered about Jack." Marcus and Michael burst into laughter.

"I think Robert did something to him when he changed him into that duck," Marcus said.

"Oh, I forgot about that," Michael said. He opened the kitchen window slightly, and he saw Jack outside near the barn. "Watch this." Michael took a moment to conjure a spell and then he cast it in Jack's direction to cover Jack's head with little yellow feathers.

"He's gonna kill you," Angus burst out laughing.

"Only if he finds out who did it," Michael laughed. "Now, how bad do you want me to hit Gringotts tonight?"

"That's blackmail."

"Certainly is," Michael agreed, laughing.

Aria chuckled and nodded at Michaels words. Ruby watched as Michael opened the kitchen window and cast a spell at Jack who felt something and scratched his head finding yellow feathers on his head he looked around the area not seeing any one he shrugged and shrugged his shoulders chuckling and shaking the feathers on his head before continuing his work having a feeling it was ether Robert or Michael but he wasn't going to do anything.

"Her seems pretty chill about having yellow feathers." . Aria said with a chuckle at seeing them flutter in the breeze around him. It was now Jessie walke dover and paused then chuckled himself and walked to the duplex.

"um did every one see the yellow feathers on Jack?" he said glancing back then t Angus and Marcus along with Michael. " I came to see if you guys need anything?" he asked " that and I'm going to tackle the assault curse , again and hopefully this time I can get to the very end and not the puddle at the two thirds marker" he added sounding determined. .

"Aria?" Marcus asked. "Can you and Ruby and Andrew hold down the fort if i take Angus and we go run with Jessie? We'd make it a contest but these werewolf types cheat on the speed bit."

"We'll catch up with him on the obstacle course, if Robert added the new training dummies," Angus said.

"New training dummies?" Marcus asked.

"He got these new ones that are supposed to be able to be set to be a hell of a lot faster and fiercer, so he's added a new dueling challenge right at the very end of the long obstacle course when everyone's bound to be completely knackered. And now, to even get to the new section, you have to do a run of the full length of the running track to have the new section of the obstacle course even open up for you. It's about being able to strengthen endurance and help to maintain speed and accuracy right along with it."

"And then is there a healer's hut at the end? I have a feeling we'll all need it," Marcus teased.

"We'll each take a bottle of water, but I bet we'll be fine."

"Well, Jessie? You up for it? You wanna come with?" Marcus asked him, getting out three bottles of water from the fridge so they'd be nice and cold. He handed one to Jessie.

Aria chuckled and looked to Marcus " oh we can, just go and enjoy your run" she said smiling as she chuckled too " oh I hear you there" she said in reply to Marcus saying werewolves have fast speed over them. Jessie listened and looked at Marcus and Angus "wow, hey, I'm not as fast as Jack but sure I'm game" he said and chuckled as he opened the back door and waited for every one who was going to the assault course " oh did I see Joseph head to the assault course too?" he asked then smiled " oh a new guy about to find out the course isn't easy" he said smiling.

Ruby looked at them all and smiled " we'll be fine, and if anything happens we'll get to the main house and contact you" she said seeing the babies in there post breakfast nap now.

Angus and Marcus transfigured their clothes to running clothes, strapped on their wands, picked up their water bottles, and headed for the running track.

"Let's just try to survive," Angus laughed. "Come on, Guys." When they got to the running track, Angus and Marcus noticed there was a new stone figurine of a rather impressive looking werewolf there at the start of the course.

"The course recognizes Jessie Tyler, Marcus Belby, and Angus Donohue. Full or half course, please?" the figurine asked.

"Full course," Angus said.

"Standard or extended type?"

"Extended, please," Angus said.

" The running course and obstacle courses are open for you. If you pass the requirements, the extension on the obstacle course will open for you. Good luck," the statue said.

"Ready? I think we should just try to keep a steady pace. If this is about endurance, let's not test speed this time. Let's go," Angus told them, and Marcus and Angus took off at a steady pace. They were used to running the full running track, so Angus and Marcus didn't think the running track would be the real challenge. And, they honestly were used to the obstacle course, but the new section was going to be the real workout today. Angus was counting on having to have his wand drawn by the time they had cleared the running course and the regular obstacle course and then gotten to the new section.

"Suppose we have anything to worry about, with as much experience as we all have?" Marcus asked.

"I think it's going to kick our asses," Angus laughed.

Jessie followed the others to the assault course he saw the new stone statue and chuckled " well that's a new addition." he said then heard Angus and nodded " slow and steady" he said as he started the course with them he could see out the corner of his eye Joseph practicing his wand movement against the dummy's in the practice area but was soon out of his eye sight as he ran level with Marcus some what level with Angus too but slightly behind him.

Aria and Ruby chuckled seeing them head out " that's a good thing" Ruby said smiling to Aria as she watched them head to the assault course " we should run that ourselves too, since Roberts added to it" she said and Aria nodded.

"we could tomorrow morning" she said and Ruby nodded as she checked the pots of tea and coffee topping up the coffee pot.

Joseph had seen the men start the assault course but chose to watch them and practice his dueling though he was having trouble with his stance for flipendo as he always had trouble with it and ended up flipping himself on one occasion. Now he stood and fired off levioso before trying flipendo but instead sent it half flipped into the floor.

Angus glanced over and saw Joseph practicing--and buggaring it up.

"That boy's going to hurt himself," Angus said.

"Come watch how it's done!" Marcus shouted to Joseph.

"Wait a minute. Who the effin.." Angus frowned at Marcus. "We haven't run the new section before. Who's going to show him anything?"

"Keep running," Marcus laughed. When they reached the end of the running course, they ran through a portal of sorts and found themselves on the beginning of the obstacle course. That was new.

"Not even a moment for a sip of..." Angus began as they reached the first obstacle, a series of sections of different types of fencing that they had to get over. For the most part, they could use their arms to push themselves up and over. Angus had to launch himself over with one arm because his bad arm wasn't going to hold up for it. The next obstacle was getting under low fencing. And, one by one, they made it through the obstacles.

When they drew close to the end of the obstacle course they saw another portal, and it appeared to be working.

"Keep going?" Marcus asked.

"I presume so. Wands at the ready!" Angus called. They ran through the portal and found themselves immediately being fired upon by the training dummies. "Holy crap," Marcus said, shifting at once to take on the dueling they were thrust into. Angus was already working at defending himself and Marcus and Jessie by using rapid fire slashing spells at the dummies for all he was worth.

Joseph looked up as he heard some one call to him seeing Marcus he stopped using his wand and watched them run the obstacle course amazed at how sophisticated it was. " wow that's something I have never seen before" he said then saw them battle dummy's but he was watching there stance and technique using his wand but not firing it he shifted his stance to be similar to Marcus's with a bit of Angus's stance and he fired at the dummy in front of him it flipped and landed back on its wheels " yes , okay can I do it again" he said and cast it several times while watching them battle.

Pausing he watched and studied the movements of their wands the subtle twists and finger holds each one had , each different but effective in their movements for each spell they cast and their foot work matched the movement too he now could see the delicate balance between the wand and the person and he nodded. Now with that in mind he cast levioso again and again it hit the mark but he wobbled on his feet.

Angus and Marcus both noticed the training dummies start to move to change their positions. They were soon going to triangulate them and three more were coming into position to join them. In a moment, they were surrounded. They hurried over to Jessie.

"Jessie, triangle," Marcus called, as Marcus and Angus stood back to back to try to protect each other, if Jessie stood back to back with them, they would have good control of the full circle of six training dummies. Angus and Marcus kept firing on the dummies, knowing that in order to disable one of them, one needed to strike them inside the circular ring that was inset into the chest of each dummy. Angus managed to disable one, and Marcus disabled another. That meant two were defeated, and they only had four more to go.

Joseph watched then fighting seeing them form a triangle then take two down Jessie stood back to back with the others and fired at the dummy hitting the mark second cast and watched as it fell now turned off " wow, that was great" he said smiling as he turned back to the dummy's but decided to watch them return t the assault course if that wasn't the end as he didn't know this was he first time he was seeing it.

Jessie chuckled and looked to Angus and Marcus " that was intense but I expect it is meant to simulate an actual fight" he added as he slipped his wand into its holder at his thigh. Catching his breath he looked at both men then Joseph " hes got the same problem as Jack did, he holds his wand tight not light." he said seeing Joseph holding his wand to tight.