A Birth day

"Thank you, Jack," Ginger smiled. "I was nervous about making them, so I'm just glad they came out right."

"Did you get your essays done, Girls?" Marcus asked.

"No, not yet," Anise sighed. "I'm stuck."

"Well, what's the problem?"

"Conjured food versus food made by hand," Ginger said. "We've never had conjured food. It's always been prepared by hand."

"Well, that's easy enough. Have someone conjure some shortbread biscuits," Marcus said, "and compare them with your own very lovely shortbread. You'll find there is a dramatic difference. There is a reason why food here is never ever conjured. And if you need someone who will give you about 200 reasons why food should always been prepared by hand, go talk to Kate. Conjured food will bring out the worst side of her--guaranteed."

"God, yes," Robert laughed. "You want the fast explanation? Conjured food has a lot less taste, and it is not filling at all. Eat a meal of conjured food, and you'll still be hungry."

"So, it isn't' the same?" Anise asked.

"Not even a little bit," Edward said.

"So, somebody needs to conjure some, then--please," Ginger said.

"Maybe the essay could be in discussing the fact that nobody in your house wanted to make it or eat it either one," Marcus said.

Jack smiled and nodded but paused hearing she was having trouble with the difference between conjured food and normal hand made food "here" Jack said making a plate of shortbread appear on the table " try for your self" he said with a chuckle. Ruby once the table was cleared took Caprice and changed her into her PJ's and placed her into the play pen again for a moment while she did the same to Amari.

Aria set the dishwasher going once it was loaded and made a fresh pot of coffee for every one sending a cup to Marcus with an added ingredient of some fire whiskey she felt he could use. Now with her own coffee in hand she sat down on the couch to watch the babies as they p0layed with their toys. Caprice stacking blocks while Amari knocked them down making both girls giggle.

"Thanks, Jack," Ginger said. She and Anise each took a conjured shortbread biscuit and tried it, and both of them wrinkled their noses immediately.

"Oh, those are awful," Anise said. Marcus reached over and tasted one.

"Are they always this bad?" Ginger asked.

"Actually, as conjured foods go, these are actually really good," Marcus said. "Nice job, Jack."

"Okay, so that clears up a lot. But why do they taste so bad?"

"Come on," Robert laughed, taking his coffee. "Let's go talk about it, and I'll explain the chemistry of it to you." He and the girls went downstairs to the girls' bedroom."

"I'll clear up the rest of the supper dishes," Simone said.

"I'll go shower while the house is quiet," Victor said, heading upstairs.

"Lupin!" An angry voice boomed in a deafeningly loud tone. It woke Angus instantly, making him jump really badly. Marcus flew to Angus immediately.

"I don't know who you are, and I don't care, you gormless muppet," Marcus called back through the floo as he wrapped himself around Angus to try to stop him from panicking. "This is not Lupin's house. Shut your trap, or I swear I'll find you and hex the lips right off your face...."

By that time, Robert had sprinted back up the stairs from the basement, and he was motioning Marcus to shush. Marcus was having none of it.

"Yes, Minister," Robert replied. "I'm here."

"I'm going to bust whoever that was down to the mail room," A furious voice came from the floo.

"You can't, Sir. He doesn't work for you," Robert said. "What's the trouble."

"What did you do to that woman in Azkaban?"

"Dora Hackett? Is this about the accusations of a haunted cell? I just got that message," Robert said.

"I am authorizing the exocism...."

"No. You're not," Robert said, not wanting any harm to come to Caprice. "I'll be there to discuss it with you in two minutes. You're not going to do anything of the kind..."

"You can't stop me...." the voice replied. "Need I remind you..."

"Oh, stop it, I'm on my way," Robert replied. He closed the floo. "I have to go. I'll be back--later." He apparated out.

"Did you just mouth off to the minister of magic?" Victor asked, now at the bottom of the stairs."

"Apparently so," Marcus replied. "Sorry about that, Mate. It's fine. Our minister is a prat."

"You're too nice. He's not that decent," Angus said, trying to stop the feeling that his heart was going to beat right out of his chest.

Jack chuckled as the girls said the conjured food was disgusting but Marcus said it wasn't too bad " I've had practice" he said with a chuckle. " I've played my fair share of pranks when in Hogwarts needing conjured food" he said with a chuckle. Hearing A voice boom from the floo Jack stood up but paused as Marcus got to it first.

It was now Lucian appeared but pressed his finger to his lips asking every one to not mention he was there while the minister was talking to Robert and Marcus. Once the floo shut off he chuckled " nice work Marcus, I came to warn you but looks like I'm a few seconds late" he added " also the men who are guarding her are mine , they won't let any one not authorized into her cell, well living that is, spectral that's another matter." he said and smirked.

"Well, I can tell you what's about to happen at the ministry," Marcus said. "The minister we have doesn't actually do much of any work. He prefers to schmooze at cocktail parties and be seen with whoever he considers 'the right people.' Robert is about to go and chew him another bodily orifice somewhere and to let him know in no uncertain terms, and not in any sort of nice tone, that he does not get to start actually doing some work now, and he doesn't get to start by meddling in something he knows nothing about. It'll be ugly, and Robert will be probably nastier than most of you have ever seen. In the end he will win because he will not accept anything less. He likes Caprice, so he will protect her."

"I have no doubt whatsoever that if someone he cares about needs protecting, he knows how to get every shade of ugly," Elwood said.

"Oh, definitely," Marcus nodded. He went to the med cart and got half a dose of calming potion and added it to Angus's coffee and then warmed up the coffee. "Here, Mate. You cannot afford a backslide. It's just a touch of calming potion, not enough to put you to sleep." Angus didn't even attempt to give Marcus a hard time.

"Thank you for coming, Lucian," Edward said. "I think, honestly, Caprice is just making a point."

"She wants Dora to make some sort of amends, and she intends to keep it up until Dora does what she wants," Anise said.

"What is it, exactly, that she wants?" Elwood asked.

"Um...let me see if she'll tell me," Anise said. She closed her eyes to try to listen to Caprice. It took a moment. "Oh. She wants her to write a complete, detailed confession of what she did, and a genuine apology."

"Does Dora know what she wants?"

"Doubtful. Caprice thinks she's as dumb as a post," Anise said. "She figures Dora will figure it out--eventually."

Lucian listened to Marcus and burst out laughing " oh he needs that" he said then heard Elwood " I don't dough, she messed with our boy there, in a big way" he said motioning to Angus " and nobody messes with a spectral mother" he added with a smile. Hearing Anise he looked at her and motioned to Marcus " a seer?" he asked as he then looked back at her as she spoke again.

"I knew that just from seeing her" Lucian said as Anise explained why Caprice as doing what she was doing" oh might be a while for Dora to grasp the concept" Lucian picked up one of Gingers Shortbread biscuits and ate some " did Angus make these , coz there really good" he asked as he finished the biscuit. " just don't let my wife know" he added and chuckled.

"Our mum was a seer," Anise told Lucian. "I got that gift, but Ginger got all the rest of Mum's gifts-the cooking, the natural abilities for crocheting and knitting and making lace, the gift of having the magic touch with kids. She got everything else." When Lucian said it might take Dora awhile, Anise laughed. "That's funny," Anise said. "It doesn't bother Caprice a bit that, as she's saying 'Dense Dora is as Dumb as a Doorknob.' It just gives her more 'girltime' with her."

"And that's my girl. She always did speak fluid sarcasm, especially when she was angry," Edward laughed.

"I wish she really was my for-real gran," Anise sighed. "I like her a lot."

"Anise, I can promise you one thing," Edward said. "Your last name might be Hawthorn, but that does not make you any less a real Donohue. When you joined this family, you became a real Donohue, and Caprice is as real a gran to you as she is to any of the rest of you Donohue kids.

"Ginger made the shortbread," Elwood said. "Her first time making biscuits. I think she did a good job with them. There's coffee in the pot if you want some. There's always coffee with dessert."

"Do I need to ask Gran to stop whatever-it-is she's doing?" Angus asked Marcus softly, yawning.

"No. Leave her alone," Marcus replied to Angus. "She's doing what the rest of us wish we could. Feeling better?"

"Somewhat. Yes. Thanks," Angus replied.

Lucian listened to Anise and smiled " nice to know" he said smiling picking up another as Ruby chuckling handed him a cup of coffee " thanks" he added then laughed at Anises words about how Caprice felt. " oh no way any of my guys are getting involved with that storm" he added then laughed " Dense Dora , I love it" he said eating more of his shortbread.

He heard Elwood say Ginger made the short bread and looked at her " well, you defiantly have your mothers talent for cooking" he said listening as Edward spoke to Anise about her belonging to the Donohue family. He sat down at the table.

" if I might add " Lucian said " My father and mother aren't my real mother and father , I'm adopted but as far as I'm concerned they are, blood doesn't make a family , its whats in here" he gently touched her chest " Angus and Ruby have guided you , you have your bio dad and he approves, you are a Hawthorn and always will be, but your also apart of the Donohue family too, when I was born my name was lucian Lomanto, but I changed it to my parents, kinda my way to honer them and let them know I appreciated everything they had done for me, I'm not saying you should , its just what I did, but I guess what I'm saying is you can be apart of two families and be loved equally by them too ." he said as he heard a ping and a note flew at him " oops that's the wife I got to get back, my turn to cook" he said and looked at every one smiling " rest assured nothing will happen to Caprice while my guys are watching over Dopy Dora, night guys," he said and chuckled as he ported out.

" hes so whipped" Jack said with a chuckle once Lucian had left but he heard Jess call for him and he quickly got up and sighed " and so am I" he said with a laugh as he headed out the door " oh thanks for the food and biscuits" he said his head popped around the corner.

"Thanks, Lucian," Anise said, as Lucian was leaving.

The house grew quiet, and pretty soon, the floo opened again.

"How are things?" Robert was asking, but not loudly. He was speaking in a reasonable tone.

"We're fine," Marcus said.

"Can you lot manage til morning? I really would like to get a little sleep," Robert said.

"By all means," Marcus said. "We'll be fine."

"Alright. If you need me during the night, you call me, and I'll be right over."

"Thank you, Robert. How'd it go?"

"He's not happy with me, but he knows better than to screw with me too. So all is well for tonight."

"Thank you, Robert. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Robert said, turning off the floo. The girls headed back downstairs to finish their papers.

"Need me to stay tonight?" Edward asked.

"Nope. I'm good. The sofa is empty, so I'm just going to stay there and sleep there as long as Angus is comfortable," Marcus said. "We've done it many times. We'll be just fine. Besides, Aria will be right upstairs in one of your guest rooms and if I need some backup, I'll just have a paper bird dive bomb her or something." He glanced at Aria with a slightly mischievous grin.

"Alright. Simone and I are heading to our side so we can head to bed," Edward said.

"Goodnight," Simone said, as they went home.

"This has been a very, very busy day," Marcus said, as the house died down finally. "And hopefully the rain is done by morning."

Aria and Ruby cleaned up the table and pored some coffees for themselves both exhausted. Now with the house quiet again Aria heard Marcus and pulled a tongue at him. " oh haha, I'll sent it back to you" she said with a smile and chuckled as she sat sipping her coffee. Ruby smiled feeling the house relax again as Marcus spoke of the rain Ruby nodded.

"I think Jacks work men will be here to fix the window in the morning too." she said as she sat back now seeing the babies sleeping. Gently she set down her cup and picked up a sleeping Caprice , gently carrying her up to her bed Ruby lay her down and covered her up returning for Amari and doing the same thing. Now done she headed down to the living room again " finally we can relax, babies are sleeping in their beds Victor is in his room as are the girls" she said and sat back enjoying the quiet around them.