A Birth day

"That's for Mileva," Nigel said. Nigel came over and picked up the entree plate and took the cover off and saw the cabbage rolls and the potato salad. His stomach growled loudly.

"I can help her with that," the nurse said. Nigel handed her the plate, and the nurse took it over and showed it to Mileva to try to do enough charades to see if she wanted it. When Mileva saw the cabbage rolls, she smiled and nodded. The nurse settled in to feed her while Nigel uncovered the first aid bandages that had been put on at Durmstrang so he could see the burns for himself and could tend them properly.

As they were working, Robert came downstairs. He was dressed in a soft pair of old jeans and a plain, red gingham button down with the sleeves rolled up. His right hand was heavily bandaged. The massive bloodloss he had had was obvious. His skin color was very pale and ash gray. He looked as far from well as he had looked in a long time. He considered Vasil a colleague and a friend, though, so he had not been entirely able to just sit out and not come down and see Mileva.

He went into the sickbay, and Mileva looked up and saw Robert.

"Papa!" she called. He smiled and went over to the other side of the bed, out of Nigel's way and the nurse's way and kissed Mileva's forehead and sat to talk with her. He told her about Nigel's and Jess's abilities and told her about Jess's children who weren't far from her age. He promised her she was safe here, and as he talked with her, he came up with an idea.\

"Jess, how about I have someone work with her and make a word board for her since she doesn't speak English?" Robert asked Jess. "We can put some pictures from magazines and such for things she might want or need, and paste them on the word board. That way, when she needs something or wants something, she can point to it. It would at least allow some simple communication with whatever staff is with her and doesn't depend on anyone knowing Bulgarian.

Ruby smiled and nodded as she backed out " Angus thought she might like some food from home" she said smiling. Jess smiled and listened to Robert as he suggested the board and she nodded before she spoke.

"That would be a good idea and beneficial should she need anything." Jess said placing the glass down next to the bed and moving to gently touch her hand to take her observations then wrote is down on the clip board. Ruby walked back to the duplex and Angus. Aria watched as Ruby waved and headed back to the duplex.

Marcus returned to the duplex with Danica and Stefan who hurried to fix their plates, smelling the cabbage rolls.  

"We'll get that done as soon as we can," Robert said about the word board.

"No," Nigel said. "'We' will delegate that. 'We' are not going to overextend ourselves because 'we' didn't have leave to be up and dressed today yet. 'We' didn't discuss that."

"'We' have things to do," Robert replied, not giving an inch. But that's the way Nigel and Robert communicated. Neither of them ever wanted to give an inch. "'We' can't laze around in bed any longer.'"

"Then, 'we' are going to fall flat on our face. 'We' know that, right?"

"'We' realize it is a remote possibility," Robert said.

"Ha! Remote, my ass," Nigel rolled his eyes. "You look like a corpse."

"Good to know," Robert replied, unfazed. He spoke briefly to Mileva, whispered in her ear about something while he was looking at Nigel the entire time. It made Mileva burst into hysterical laughter. He kissed her again on the forehead and then left her temporarily to go upstairs.

"I honestly don't want to know what he told her about me," Nigel sighed. Robert went out and spoke to Deni for a moment, and then he apparated Deni over to the front porch of the duplex. He walked her up the steps and opened the front door.

"One more for lunch," Robert called. "I have to get back." He apparated out, leaving Deni standing right inside the door of the duplex. Danica and Stefan motioned to their mother to come in and fix her plate.

"The food is incredible. Marcus, could we impose for another beer?" Vasil asked, asking for a beer for Deni.

"Of course," Marcus said, getting it for her. "You are entirely welcome to get whatever you like. Help yourself to the fridge, the pantry, whatever you want. The rule here at the estate is pretty much 'make yourself at home' everywhere here."

"Really? It's alright?"

"Completely," Angus nodded.

Jess chuckled as Robert spoke to Mileva and both chuckled to each other hearing Nigel she smiled to her " I have an idea but that's between you and him" she said smiling. Aria headed to the cottage and went to turn down the beds ready for them to retire and relax more.

Entering the duplex kitchen she smiled " smells wonderful in here" she said and looked to Marcus as he spoke of everything being informal around the grounds and building " hes right , we're all just like one big family and as such look out for each other" she added moving to the coffee and poring a cup for herself.

Deni tucked into her lunch while Vasil and the kids finished theirs. The kids were telling their parents about seeing hippogriffs in the corral and how exciting that was for them.

"Iscate lee da vidite osce magiceski sishchestva?" Angus asked them, asking them if they would like to see more magical creatures. They got big smiles and nodded.

"I trust the people here with my life," Marcus told Vasil and Deni. "They are as safe with any of them as they would be with me. Angus and Ruby..." He was going to tell them about Angus and Ruby's kids, but the babies started to lob toys angrily into each other's playpens, screeching and having mutual conniptions.

"Look, you little demons," Angus sighed, hating that they chose now to be monsters. Vasil got up and scooped up both babies easily, one in each arm, and Deni met him taking Amari from him while he had Caprice. It took them all of about one minute to stop the tantruming and to get both babies laughing and smiling.

"Some things we just have not forgotten," Vasil grinned. "Including how fast wee ones get bored. I have seen gnats with longer attention spans than babies at this age."

"That is definitely the truth," Angus nodded.

"He will have to show you some of the spells he used to cast to keep our babies amused for what seemed like hours," Deni said. "He was brilliant."

"Before I forget to say it, this is a magnificent house," Vasil said. "I have always wanted a house just like this. The ministry furnishes us a palace while I have the post, but our own home is a traditional Bulgarian farmhouse in the country. It is very rustic. I have no desire to live in that sort of excess, and I happen to believe it is not good for my family. I would give anything if I had a place like this."

Ruby looked over at the pen and heard the noise coming from it she was about to pick up the babies but Angus and Vasil got to it first. " please teach me that trick" she said and chuckled as they went quiet quickly. Jack looked at Elwood and smiled " may we put this game on hold as it seems I have other duties" he said and stood up once he moved his rook.

Walking over to Vasil and Angus " I would love to take the children over to the barn and show them the animals inside" he said " if that's all right with you, I have time" he added hoping it would give the kids some air and take away the bad memories of why they came to the estate.

Motioning to the kids he opened the door and together they walked to the barn. Opening it he paused turning to them he lifted his finger to his lips hoping they understood to remain quiet around the animals. He showed them the pygmy puffs and then the kneazles picking up a small pygmy puff and holding it out to the children before placing it in their hands. Soon they moved to the larger stalls and he showed them the unicorn taking the girls hand he moved it so she could touch its nose then he did the same with the boy and smiled when the unicorn brushed its self against him. Finally they came to the Hippogriff and Jack motioned for them to stay a little back till he had checked her temperament, to his surprise she was in a good mood and actually moved towards the kids and he smiled motioning them over to stroke her after he had showed them the right way to do that, it was now he saw that the girl held a unicorn hair and smiled nodding that she could keep it.

"My grandfather has a very grand house in Tuscany, and its where I grew up," Angus said. "It was a great place to grow up, but doing the work that I do, I wanted something warm and rustic and comfortable. I didn't want a family home where the kids had to be afraid to be themselves or where someone couldn't take their shoes off and go barefoot.

"You mean your work as a chef?" Vasil asked.

"No," Marcus said. "wears many hats here, but the job he's talking about is as a private auror of sorts working for Robert."

"Now why would Robert need that?" Vasil frowned.

"Well, perhaps that's best left for Robert himself to explain."

"I look forward to that, then," Vasil said.

"His touch with the babies, I think he uses a spell that I don't know," Deni said.

"Nothing of the sort," Vasil said. "It is merely a little tickle, with a little bit of a funny face and a funny little noise all at the same time. It's all very slight, but when it's combined, it puts a little one at ease."

"That is not all it is," Deni frowned.

"Yes it is."

"Then why did you let me think it was a spell?"

"You made me laugh," Vasil smiled and laughed. She scowled at him playfully.

"I must thank you for a wonderful lunch, but if you will please excuse me, I need to go sit with Mileva," Deni said.

"By all means. We'll have supper ready for you by about five or so, but we'll keep it warm. Feel free to come get a plate whenever you're hungry," Angus said.

"Thank you all for being such wonderful friends right from the outset," Vasil said. "You go see Mileva, Deni, and I'll be over in a while." Deni nodded and left to go back to see Mileva.

In the meantime Elwood and Angus worked together, following Elwood's recipes from Elwood's memory on how to make flavor extracts for potions, and they made the pumpkin pasty and toasted marshmallow flavors that he wanted. Once Elwood had them, he added them to Caprice's pain potion and mixed it well. Then he handed it to Angus. Angus sniffed it.

"Oh my goodness. It smells like I could eat it for dessert," Angus said. He put just one tiny drop on his fingertip and tasted it. "And it tastes every bit like it too. That's wonderful."

"I daresay she won't give you any static about taking it now," Elwood smiled.

"No, not at all," Angus agreed.

Ruby listened and smiled as Vasil explained that it was nothing but making the baby comfortable with the person holding them " what ever it is it works and that's magic in its self" she said smiling ass she glanced at Caprice who was still sleeping on his shoulder. She watched as Angus and Elwood worked to make the flavoured pain potions for Caprice and the other children who needed it.

" I am in agreement that smells wonderful and if Angus says it tasted good , she'll love it" Ruby said as she saw Amari happily siting with Deni and playing quietly with her. Aria watched as Deni and Vasil then headed to the main house to check on Mileva once they had handed Ruby Caprice and Aria Amari, both women smiled and watched as they headed to the main house.

Angus checked on the moussaka that was in the oven for supper and he made the cake that he had planned. The shopska salad was already finished and chilling in the fridge. That meant supper was handled.

He cleaned up the leftovers from lunch and set a washing up spell in place, and as he was drying his hands, he heard some tapping on the window. He opened the window, and Archangel flew in and landed on Angus's shoulder.

"That's an eagle!" Vasil was wide eyed.

"It is," Angus laughed. "Khaat's had him since she was a child at Hogwarts. Robert's wife is able to speak with birds of prey, so she trained him. His name is Archangel, and he's brought me a message." He reached up, took the message and gave the bird a pet. "He loves to tease Jack by deliberately screeching in Jack's ear. I think if he quit doing it, Jack honestly would miss it.

"He's magnificent," Vasil said. "Would he let me pet him?"

"Certainly," Angus said. Vasil came over and pet Archangel, and Angus opened Robert's note.

"Angus," the note read, "I forgot that three of the children who are in Paris are having birthdays today. I have some fresh Honeydukes candy, thanks to Jonathan and Claire, and a birthday gift for each of them. However, Nigel is not letting me travel, despite my efforts at even trying subterfuge to get past him. Would you mind taking them to Paris for me? Besides, I have always wanted to show the operations to Vasil. I just have never had the chance. If he's open to going, please take him with you and give him the tour of the office? R."

"Robert wants me to run an errand for him because he's not going to be able to do it himself today," Angus said. "This would interest you indeed, Vasil, if you're up to going with me for a little bit."

"If I can be of any help, then certainly," Vasil said.

"It's birthday day for three of the kids in Paris," Angus told Ruby, starting to write a message on Robert's note. "He'd like me to take his usual candy and gifts to these three, and he thinks Vasil might enjoy seeing it. You want to come along?"

Ruby listened to Angus and smiled as she gave Arch a treat for siting quietly on Angus shoulder." I would love to" she said as Aria placed Amari down in the pen and took Caprice from her .

"go we'll be fine" she said and Ruby smiled bigger " she'll go with you" Aria said sitting with Elwood. " you won't need me since your going to Paris" she added. Ruby heard Angus mention a birthday for some of the kids and nodded.

"oh, we should defiantly get some birthday gifts from us too" she added with a smile as she walked over to him. " its been a while since we went to Paris" she said softly to him. Aria chuckled and nodded she agreed.

" Elwood and I can watch the kids till you get back, and Jacks watching your too in the barn, minister Vasil, enjoy the peace while you can." she reminded them