A Birth day

"Well, it isn't like we didn't give them a lot of chances," Anise told Ruby. "They chose to buggar off to go look at quidditch stuff, and they don't even play quidditch. They knew we were coming here, but they're choosing not to be here. The way I see it, if they don't like what we buy, that's on them."

"I agree," Ginger said. "But I think we're good at meeting them at Sparks and heading home if that's what you all want to do."

"Yeah, me too," Anise said.

When they went to Sparks to meet up with Sam and Victor, they saw each boy eating a huge ice cream cone in a waffle cone.

"What is that!" Anise exclaimed.

"Ice cream cone," Sam said. "Lizzie's got a dessert special today. Different flavors of waffle cones. Mine's amaretto."

"Mine's chocolate," Victor said. "They're incredible."

"Well, I want one," Anise frowned. She headed right into Sparks with Ginger right along with her.

"Told you," Sam told Victor. "I bet Anise gets the strawberry, and Ginger gets the lemon."

"Bet not," Victor laughed.

Ruby listened and chuckled nodding as Anise spoke to her with Aria listening on . " oh I agree with that" Aria said and laughed as Ruby chuckled and nodded .

"okay lets get moving" Ruby said and they headed out of the shop. Glancing back she saw the shop keeper smile and nod , she smiled too and they headed to the leaky to meet up with the boys. Ruby saw the boys and chuckled " their going to have one hell of a tummy ache after eating all that" she said to Aria.

"well so be it on them there adults" she said and Ruby nodded as she moved to let he girls pass by to head to sparks to get their own. Ruby sat down with the boys while Aria followed the girls to Sparks " afternoon Lizzy" she said as they entered " the girls saw your waffle ice cream that the boys had and want their own." she said smiling as she stood back to watch them as they chose what flavour they wanted their waffles.

Anise got a smaller waffle cone, and she got an amaretto cone with a scoop of pumpkin almond ice cream. Ginger got a gingersnap flavored cone, and she got a scoop of spiced cider ice cream.

"What will you two have?" Lizzie asked Ruby. "Anise paid for each you and Aria to get one of the same size smaller cones that she and Ginger got. She said she knew neither you or Aria would get the large cones that Sam and Victor got."

A pastry chef from the kitchen came out with a large paper shopping bag and handed it to Anise.

"Have your dad let us know what he thinks about that, would you?" Lizzie asked Anise.

"Sure," Anise said. "Thanks."

"Glad to have his input on things," Lizzie said. "Tell him we'll send supper over when he sends for it."

"Will do," Anise said.

"I just sent a message to Angus saying I'd send supper if you lot wouldn't mind tasting a couple of my autumn entrees and giving us some feedback," Lizzie told Ruby. "Anise has the desserts in the bag I just gave her. I hope you like them."

Aria heard Anise and chuckled " well I'll have a Carmel chocolate Brownie " she said then looked back at the leaky where Ruby was waiting " I think she'll have Rum and raison." she said smiling " she need to relax a bit" she said with a chuckle a she ordered and paid for their cones. Seeing the baker walk out with a bag with a large paper shopping bag and gave it to the girls but Aria took it from them with a smile so they could eat their cones " thank you I'll pass on the message and I'm sure he will send his evaluation back, and I know its going to be a good one" she said seeing the look on the girls faces.

Ruby sat at the table with the boys enjoying the sounds around her " looks like you guys are going to have to come back and find the rest of your things." she said to them and chuckling seeing the ice cream dribble down Sams chin " might want to wipe that off, not a good look" she aid and chuckled as she held out a napkin for him so he could wipe it off.

"Well, we sorta got the feeling we're still going to be looking for things next year this time," Sam said when Ruby said they were going to have to come back.

"The first pro quidditch game of the season is this weekend," Victor said. "We thought maybe the girls could go with us, we could get a hotel in Dartmoor and maybe force ourselves to go shopping with them if they go to the game with us. that is, if Dad doesn't have a cow about it."

"As long as the girls are prepared to start Beauxbatons again on Monday, we should be fine," Sam said. "Or I would think we'd be fine."

"Do you think it would be okay?" Victor asked Ruby. "I mean, its a little shopping, a game, maybe a restaurant or two. Nothing extreme."

Ruby heard the boys and heard what they were asking " I can't speak for Angus but I don't see the problem as long as they home intime to get to school , but I would say still ask Angus though" she said looking at both boys " also ask the girls too , they might not want to go to a quidditch match, but then again they might want to go too" she added thinking of how the girls wee with the boys.

Aria carried the bag back over to the leaky staying close to the girls as they walked in front of her into the leaky and over to the table " the baker brought extra waffles he wants Angus approval" she said setting them on the table " oh and I got you one" she said deliberately not saying what flavour she had ordered.

"okay well if were good we can head back once you guys finish your waffles " Ruby said smiling.

"We're good to go," Sam and Victor said, finishing their ice cream.

"Give us just a couple minutes," Anise said, as she and Ginger wanted a moment to eat their ice cream.

"Oh, they already know about the game," Victor said.

"The Dartmoor thing?" Ginger asked. Victor nodded. "We don't mind. We've been to some games at Beauxbatons. In fact, apparently there is one of the big games of the Beauxbatons' season the same weekend as Anise's dueling championship tournament."

"I don't know if I want to do that," Anise sighed. "I've barely picked up my wand all summer."

"That doesn't matter," Sam said, "I keep telling you Dad can help you polish up in short order if you just ask him. I've seen some of those other nitwits fight. You deserve to be there this year. Polish up, go, and just have a good time. You don't need to try to focus on winning."

"Yeah, but I'll feel like I have to win," Anise sighed.

"You don't need to get that stuck in your head," Victor told her. "Sam's right. Just do it so you can prove to yourself that you had skills good enough to be there." She shook her head, not sure.

Ruby heard Anise and nodded " oh ok but still ask your dad if its okay for you to go, all right?" she said then nodded as Victor told her not to worry about winning her tournament " its not about wining its jut having fun and taking part, you'll do great" she said smiling to her " besides we don't care if you win or not " she told her patting hand she spoke to her.

" Ruby's right, being top isn't what Ruby and Angus are looking for, you doing your best. is all they are looking for" she said smiling as she sat next to Ruby waiting for them to finish so they could be ported back to the duplex.

The girls finished their ice cream, and they picked up their bags and headed outside.

Sam volunteered to apparate everyone home, and as soon as everyone was ready, Sam flicked his wand and took everyone home, landing safely and smoothly on the lawn.

"Thanks for all your help," Ginger told Ruby and Aria. "We're glad you went along."

"Yeah. We appreciated all you did. I think we got a lot accomplished. We have more to do, but we did get the most important bits today, I think," Anise said, as they went inside.

Marcus was downstairs by himself, having a bit of peace and quiet to read the newspapers from this morning that he had, so far missed.

"Where's Dad?" Ginger frowned.

"Upstairs with Elwood," Marcus said. "He and Elwood are locked in a fierce chess game. Neither one of them want to give a quarter of an inch to the other, so it is apparently turning into quite a contest. Andrew took them up some tea, and then Andrew headed over to the main building. Apparently Zoe has some new jars of jams, jellies and fruit butters for us, and Andrew went to pick them up. New flavors made this year from the fall harvests. How'd you do with your shopping?"

"I think we did alright," Ginger replied. "Beds, dressers, sofas, living room chairs, and bedroom chairs."

"Oh, you did really well," Marcus said. "Edward told me to tell you that he has some furniture in the cellar of the main house in Tuscany that you can pick through if you want. He said that you can have anything in there that appeals to you. He and Simone went to Paris for lunch, but they could be stuck there til either late tonight or until the morning. There are some severe storms right now over Paris, and it isn't safe for them to try to port back. They're fine, but there is a lot of lightning and a lot of high wind."

Ruby and Aria both felt Sam port them back to the duplex and they smiled as Ruby thanked Sam " that was smooth thankyou Sam" she said as Aria move to the duplex and stepped inside quickly placing the bag into the freezer so the waffles would not defrost and go mushy.

Ruby smiled as they were told Angus was in a chess match with Elwood " oh that could take a while." she said and sat down on the couch. Hearing Marcus mention that Edward had things in his cellar they could look at and use. " that's a good idea" she said " would save you some money too"