A Birth day

Robert was furious.

"She's gone, hasn't she?" he glanced back at Jess, sensing that the thunder and the tornado-like wind that had knocked them all to the floor had been Caprice leaving. "She's gone home, hasn't she?"

Robert cast a spell to bind Dora's magic entirely and then he cast another spell. He looked to the guards. "Get the warden here--three minutes ago! I am not happy, so move it!"

Infuriated, Dora opened her mouth to try to speak, and the only thing that would come out was some random animal sound. The first sound was a cow's moo. The second was a frog's ribbit, and then a donkey's hee haw sound.

"That'll stop any further possibility of misbehavior," Robert said.

In Angus's living room, the room was filled with the sound of a loud, echoing cow's mooing.

"What the hell is that?" Edward frowned.

"Lupin," Caprice's voice came out of Kate's body. "He's interfered with her spell. She can't finish it." Caprice began weaving a counterspell of her own, and before long, Angus visibly relaxed and fell limp. Caprice laid him back. "He's alright," Caprice said, "but he would benefit from a little pain potion. Do you have seers' tea?"

"We do," Marcus said.

"Brew some. Make it strong, and add sugar to his. He needs a sugar boost. He'll need it, and so will this seer when I give her back to herself," Caprice said. she sat on the bed just wanting to savor the feeling of human touch again, being able to touch Angus and honestly feel the warmth of her precious grandson's skin. "I left him much too soon, Edward," she told Edward.

"Not by your choice, my love," Edward said. "And you've never really left him. He knows that."

Lucian saw Robert bind Dora's magic and stepped back. Jess heard Robert and nodded her head " yes, shes gone home" she said to him. Lucian moved to remove his cuffs knowing Roberts bind would hold much better than his cuffs. Slipping them into his pocket again he walked over to Robert " we should get home" he said to him.

Ruby heard the noise and saw Angus relax , " I get it" she said and headed right for the kitchen brewing the seers tea she returned with a mug of it and placed it next to Angus bed. " here you are, let it cool " she said stepping back as she heard Caprice talk to Edward. Looking at Caprice she smiled " thank you, Edwards right and its why we names our first after you" she said smiling to her

"I appreciate that," Caprice said to Ruby as Marcus poured a dose of pain potion. When the tea arrived, she looked at Marcus. "Can you cool the tea?" As they cooled the tea, Anise went upstairs. She had felt like she needed to go see Elwood.

"Certainly," Marcus said, passing his hand over the tea and casting a nonverbal spell. Caprice laid her hand on Angus's forehead. "Wake," she commanded. Angus woke, and before he could be rattled, Caprice gave him the pain potion and then picked up the tea. Anise brought Elwood downstairs, and Elwood sat silently, merely watching.

"Drink, Sweetie," she said soothingly. "It'll help." He looked at her, and he didn't see Kate at all. He only saw Caprice. She simply sat and fed him the tea slowly, as much as he would drink, until he slipped uncontrollably back to sleep. She handed the mug back to Marcus. "I wish I could stay, but I can't."

"You must be Caprice," Elwood spoke. "I had no idea you were so beautiful. I do know how remarkable your family is."

"You see me?"

"I can see spirits sometimes," he nodded. "Not consistently though. Caprice, in my time, I was a potionsmaster. I may know a potion that might block this woman from him, if you can get me a lock of her hair."

"I will make it so," Caprice said fiercely. She looked at Marcus and Ruby "Take care of my boy. And this one here will need seers tea immediately when I leave her."

As they were getting ready to leave Dora's cell, Dora shrieked,, and it came out a high pitched pig's squeal. Caprice yanked open Jess's hand and dropped a large handful of Dora's auburn hair in Jess's hand.

"Elwood! Elwood!" she whispered loudly in Jess's ear. "Elwood!" Hoping Jess would know to take it to Elwood.

The warden arrived, and Robert spoke to him roughly for a moment. The warden quickly apologized and accepted whatever instructions Robert was giving him. Then Robert left the cell, and motioned everyone else to follow him out. He was done here, and he wanted to go home. He didn't believe any more good could be accomplished here.

Ruby smiled and looked to Angus she saw Anise leave but then return with Elwood and she smiled hearing Angus wake she turned to look at him but saw caprice Kate giving him sips of the tea.

Jess was about to leave the cell when she heard Caprices voice and saw the hair fall into her hand " Elwood , got it" she said " caprice wants us to give this to Elwood" she said to Robert " so we'd better get back fast" she said walking with Lucian and Aria towards the boat as Robert delt with the warden and his sloppiness in not binding Dora when she had arrived. Captain cutter helped the women on board Jess had placed the hair into a water proof bag and placed it in an inside pocket of the jacket as she climbed aboard and sat down next to Aria while they waited.

Robert got onboard, having said his peace. "Take us home, Cutter, please," Robert said.

"Aye Aye, Govenor," Cutter replied, issuing orders to cast off.

"Hm," Robert looked at the hair. "That is interesting. Elwood, huh? I hope he knows it's coming, and I hope he knows what to do with it. How's your hand? Did you really break it?"

Marcus brought some seer's tea for Kate, and when Caprice left her, she was limp, feeling faint. Marcus lowered her into a chair, sat in front of her and fed her the tea. In moments, she was feeling better.

"Thank you," Kate said, relieved. "She's a good deal more powerful when she's angry, and I have the sense that she believes Angus survived this time by the skin of his teeth. Caprice does not want this woman, whoever she is, to get anywhere near her family ever again, and she's going to keep right on fighting until she feels like her family is safe again."

"I certainly don't have an issue with that. Bring it, Caprice," Marcus said, not knowing if Caprice could hear him. "Her help is always welcome."

"You have a potion you want to brew?" Edward asked.

"If they can get me some of that woman's hair," Elwood said.

"If Caprice went after it, you can be sure she will not fail you, not where Angus is concerned. What else do you need?" Edward took him paper and a pen. "Make me a list. We'll brew it together, you and I."

"Fine," Elwood said, making a list.

Simone came over. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

"It appears to be alright for the moment, my dear," Edward said.

"I just put on a big pot full of cream of tomato soup and a mountain of toasted cheese sandwiches and some chocolate chip cookie bars. It should all be ready by the time the others get back."

"A great comfort food lunch for a chilly day. Thank you, Simone," Marcus said. "I'm sure we'll all be starving by then, and the tomato soup is something I can feed Angus from a mug. It's a perfect choice."

Jess, Lucian and Aria both watched as Robert boarded and the captain set of back to the dock . Jess chuckled as she heard Robert ask if she broke it " don't think so, just badly bruised" she said moving her fingers back and forth " she had a hard head" Jess said " wish she had a glass jaw too" Aria chuckled. The trip back seemed quicker but soon they were docking and Aria stepped out, once she was on dry land Jess looked to Robert " I'll get the hair to Elwood" she said and ported back to the duplex .

Jess appeared at the back door and stepped in smiling as she sipped off the jacket and walked over to Elwood " some one wanted me to give you this" she said taking out the packet with the hair in it. It wasn't long after that Aria and Lucian appeared hooping Robert was not far behind them.

"By jove, she did it," Elwood beamed. "Good on you, Caprice! Well done, Madam!"

"That's my girl. I told you, Elwood, when it comes to that boy, she will never fail," Edward smiled.

"I told Caprice that I believe I can make a potion to help block that hussy from Angus," Elwood said.

"Really? That's interesting," Robert said. "Might be an excellent idea. However, I have not been idle either. I incapacitated her for awhile. Not only did I make sure her magic was bound, but that particular spell needs to be spoken aloud for it to work. And, I effed up her voice with a spell that is incredibly difficult for anyone except a master healer to repair. At this point, all she can do is make random animal noises."

Marcus and Anise and Elwood laughed.

"So that's why we heard cow mooing here," Marcus laughed.

"She isn't going to be repeating that spell any time soon," Robert grinned.

"Animal sounds, huh? Sounds like she deserved far worse than she got," Marcus said.

"Well, if she behaves herself Caprice won't try to hang her again in her cell."

"I was actually surprised you found her alive at all," Edward said. "She would not hesitate to kill if it protected her family."

"I have no particular desire to save her life, so if she turned up dispatched already, it would save me having to do it," Robert said. "I will leave that to Caprice's discretion."

"I believe Simone has made lunch for everyone. I will go over and help her bring it over," Edward said.

"I can go if someone stays right beside Angus in case he wakes. I'll only be gone a moment or two," Marcus said. "Can someone else get the sideboard ready so we can eat, please?" He got up and went over to help Simone bring over the lunch, and Edward went with him to help.

Jess smiled as Elwood thanked her and praised Caprice for getting the hair "that she is" Jess said and stepped back " all right I have to get back to work" she said transfiguring her clothing back to her work clothes " you know where I am if I'm needed " she said and ported out. Aria headed to the kitchen and started setting up the side board hearing Robert suggest it .

"I'm on it" Aria said smiling as she placed down plates and cutlery on the side board along with bowls and spoons for the soup , Ruby moved and went to butter some fresh made bread, cutting it into slices she buttered it and placed it on a long serving dish before placing it on the table.

Marcus carried over the large pot of creamy tomato soup, Edward brought the mammoth platter of toasted cheese sandwiches, and Simone brought over a platter of chocolate chip cookie bars. Andrew arrived, and he was met with the smell of soup and sandwiches and cookie bars.

"Every time I come on duty, this house is eating," Andrew teased. "Come on, Elwood. I'll fix your plate."

"Its about time, Andrew. I've been starving to death," Elwood teased. Andrew laughed. Marcus took a mug and put some soup in it, hoping he could get Angus to eat something. Part of a piece of toast was not enough. Robert walked over and checked Angus, and he cast two small spells. He stopped the nausea that Angus was still having, and he cast a spell to increase Angus's appetite just slightly.

"Patience with him," Robert advised Marcus. "If he even does half of that, I'll be pleased. Encouragement is fine, but don't push. Gentle. Keep to small talk. And...pay attention, the lot of you. No talk whatsoever about last night or about this woman or anything else. keep things calm and pleasant. I'd like to see if he can eat something without being stoned on calming spells and sedatives, even for a few minutes. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but I'd like to try."

Marcus settled in, sitting on the bed, and he woke Angus very gently and quietly.

"I've got something for you," Marcus said in a calm tone. "Here. Try just a little." He proceeded to try to give him some sips of the soup from the mug. Edward motioned everyone else to come fix their plates while Marcus worked with Angus.

Ruby heard Robert and nodded as did Aria who encouraged Ruby to grab some soup and a sandwich so she had eaten. Aria headed to fetch the babies and placed them in their high chairs while Ruby got the food for them so they would be quiet while eating. Lucian sat and just watched Marcus with Angus as he went over his notes of the incident and of what Dora had said in Azkaban.

Jack walked over with Finn and knocked " evening all" he said letting Finn walk in " got the frog back in the pond" he said " also told Finn , again no frog herding, weather he listens is another matter." Jack said as he now smelt the soup " oh creamy tomato soup and fresh made toasted cheese sandwiches," he said and smiled as Ruby motioned for him to sit knowing Edward and Simone would not mind.

" how are the animals doing?" Aria asked him as he sat down.

"all are good, the pygmy puffs were a bit drenched by a hole in the roof, but Sam and I got it fix rather quick and they dried out." he said as he ate a sandwich " the Thestral's have been restless lately" he added but said no more " that chick has started to flap its wings and should be ready to take its first flight soon."