LONDON CALLING

Jessie watched Abby "A monster with smoke ?" he said softly "Not heard of anything like it , even dementors grow like fungi in dark, moist places, creating a dense, chilly fog, could that be what shes seeing?" he asked " maybe an obscurial,they share the form of a large, shadowy, ethereal cloud." Jessie rambled trying to recall everything he'd read that it could be.

"Hey give it a rest we know a little more now, so thats a good thing and knowing Robert he'll find out what it is."Jack said finishing his food and heading to the kitchen. " you'll wear your self out kid if you keep going at this rate, things solve them selves in their own time."

Jessie sighed and nodded "guess so, but still even one of those things could be bad to have around." Jessie knew no matter how hard he tried he would not solve this by himself and he knew to let Robert and Kate handel it. Hearing about Robert and the chippy he chuckled "Fresh fish and chips, plain but oh so filling." he said then it sparked an idea " That would be a good idea for a first date." he said a sparkle in his eyes as he thought about it.

"So, Abbey, did you see this monster do anything?" Robert asked. She nodded and moved her fingers on the table like a spider crawling. "It crawls?" he asked.

"'Pider," she nodded.

"It crawled like a spider?" he asked. She nodded.

"Well, now, that's just plain creepy," Kate frowned. "No wonder she doesn't want to sleep at night. I can't blame her a bit. Where was this monster? In your room?" Abbey shook her head no.

"Out. Outside."

"Here or at your house?" Kate asked.

"My house," she said.

"Well, if it's at your house, we'll find it," Robert told Abbey.

"I no go home," she told Robert. "I no like it."

"Pretty scary, isn't it?" he said sympathetically. She nodded. "Don't be afraid. We'll keep you safe--we'll make sure it can't hurt you."

"You should rethink the chippy," Robert told Jessie. "Kate hasn't let me live it down."

Jessie chuckled and shook his head " I think Kaden would like it " he said " um..I mean whom ever I take that is, and besides last time I had fish and chips I was small. " He quickly corrected himself kicking himself for letting slip he did indeed like Kaden . He listened to Abby discribe the monster again and shook his head.

"It can't be an Acromantula..there more like a spider than ghost like and don't leave a trail of smoke" he said shaking his head "Jack and I could go ahead and take a look?" he asked " we know its outside the ranch, got to have left some sort of trail." Jessie stood up and moved out side He paced as he thought about what this creature could be.

Jack walked out and grabbed his shoulder " come on , assault time." he said pulling Jessie along and leaving Jess laughing as he flailed behind Jack.

"Don't be too rough on him Jack, he does have to work tomorrow and a first date." Jess called out to them both. She chuckled more hearing Jessie groan at her first date comment,

"its not a first date its just dinner." Jessie called back now Jess laughed. Jess walked back in and over to Kate and Abby.

"you think He's right?" she asked " could it be an Acromantula?" she asked hoping one had not attached its self to Abby.

Kate and Robert both decided to not comment much on Jessie's decision to try to deny his dating Kaleb. They weren't sure what he was trying to hide it for, but that certainly was his business.

"I don't think that's it," Robert said. "I don't think it's leaving a trail of smoke. I think the monster itself is smoke. I think is moves across surfaces and reminds her of how a spider crawls slowly across surfaces. I think we're somehow looking for something that reminds her of a puff of smoke. And if that's the case, that isn't going to be all that easy to catch."

"I've never heard of such a thing, Robert," Kate frowned.

"It fits perfectly if you're a shapeshifter," Robert said. "Nobody knows for sure what form a shapeshifter actually is in their normal form. We were warned about one in Paris. Maybe we need to consider that we're still hunting that shapeshifter we were warned about."

Jess nodded she'd forgot all about shape shifters " but who do we know that is one other than.." then she paused and looked to Kate " you don't think He'd come back do you?" She asked meaning Abbys bio dad." He wouldn't dare." Jess hoped she was wrong as that would mean one hell of a fight to come if it was him. "yeah, how do you catch something like that, in a vacum maybe?" she asked.

Jack and Jessie returned clean but out of breath and sweaty. " Im going to wash up" Jessie said wiping his brow on his tee shirt. " shape shifter, Lee mentioned one a while back before I was sent here. " Jessie said to Robert " maybe we should message him, he might have more info." And with those words he left to shower and change into fresh clothes.

Jack transphigured his clothes to look clean and moved to rest his hands on Jess shoulders. "their tricky so and so's, shape shifters, but I think as you would say, there no proof it is one, and until then were all speculating, right?" he said looking towards Robert.

"No, it isn't Rob," Robert said. "First of all, if Rob were coming back for any reason, he'd be coming straight for me. He was rather phobic about being a father, so I don't think he'd be coming for any sort of family reunion. And I don't know that he could find Brian's estate. This doesn't feel like Rob. If this is the same shapeshifter that we ran into in Paris, w were warned it was a woman, remember? This feels darker than Rob.

"Well, some sort of vacuum would make sense if we were going to capture it. However, if it's a shapeshift, what would keep it from shifting into a different shape and busting out of whatever container we put it in. On the other hand, some sort of big powerful wind spell might blow the thing off course for a bit so we could reset our protection spells. That might buy us some time. It wouldn't solve it, but it should get it off our property temporarily. Sounds I am going to have to give it some thought."

"You have an alchemist under your roof now, Mate," Gabe said. "Maybe I can come up with some sort of shiny new toy. I'll give it a bit of thought too."

"You're right, Jessie," Robert said. "If Lee knows anything, maybe he can add to what little we already know. I'll send him a message and see. Kate, you and jess and Mira go on with your afternoon. I'll do the washing up."

"No," Gabe said. "You need a bit of a rest. Your head is really hurting. I can see it. Jack and Jessie and I can handle it. They're big enough and strong enough to handle a couple sinkfuls of dishes, I think." Kate looked at Jess and Mira.

"I think we should hurry up and get out of here before they change their minds," Kate said to them.

Jess nodded and reatched abck for Jacks hand "Thats good" she said before looking at Jack "keep them safe while were gone." she told him as Jessie walked back now wearing slacks a tee and his leather jacket in hearing Roberts words he nodded.

"Okay Ladies , enjoy your day. " He looked at Gabe and noded with a chuckle " sounds like fun" he simply said " if you need anything from the alleys give me a list and I'll pick it up while Im there, I'll only be gone about an hour or so," He looked at Robert " do you and me to find a better tobacco while Im out sir?" he asked.

Jess moved to get her boots on and find her jacket to ready her self for the girls day. " so whats first?" she asked Kate slipping her wand into her sleave so she had easy access should she need to use it.

Jessie moved to Gabe and waitied incase he had a list for him. His hand played with his bo that he kept in his pocket rolling it back and forth as he waited.

Kate took Mira's hand, and they left with Jess for Diagon Alley. Mira was excited about getting to get her first look at Diagon Alley.

"What exactly do you have in your wardrobe, Mira?" Kate asked.

"A couple pairs of jeans, three or four tee shirts, a hoodie, and a heavier jacket. Some yoga pants to sleep in...just some basics," she said. "My dad had some sense that things were getting bad, so we got rid of all of our things except for what we could put into one bag. That's about all I have left."

"You don't have to live out of a bag anymore. I think we can do a lot better than that. Jess, what do you think? Can we get her properly equipped? That's not nearly enough for a young woman. Let's see if we can get her outfitted in something far more stylish. And, can we get rid of the fortune teller's costume? You're a seer, and you're in a wizard community now. You don't need to dress in a Halloween costume to fit in."

"Auntie Kate, could I maybe..." she started and then quit.

"What? What is it?"

"Could I maybe look at a proper broom? I've always wanted one, and I've never seen a proper one."

"I think we could make that happen, don't you?" Kate looked at Jess. Kate wanted to make sure Mira had a proper haircut and a manicure. Not to mention she needed that for herself too.

"Here," Robert said to Jessie. "I have a list of things I need you to pick up for me, Tyler." He handed a paper list to Jessie. He had written a list of things for Gabe, things to get him properly outfitted. He was hoping Jessie would figure out quickly those were not Roberts sizes, and he hoped Jessie wouldn't say a thing about the list because Robert knew Gabe would object in the strongest terms. Robert had not put tobacco on the list since he had asked Kate to do that, but he had listed all sort of things that he knew Gabe needed on the list that he handed now to Tyler.

Jess followed Kate to Diagon alley and smiled as she felt the breeze and heard the hustle and bustle around them " oh I have just the place for manacures and pedacures . oh they also can give you a new look." she said hinting to the full works, hair included for all of us." she said smiling " as for a broom there's Quality Quidditch Supplies their brooms are top quality, they have the Nimbus 2001 and the Firebolt." she said to Mia smiling.

Jessie moved to Robert and looked at the paper he nodded he understood and placed the paper Mia andinto his pocket. Porting out he stood in diagon alley and smiled seeing Jess Mia and Kate just a head of him but he had his own chosres. Heading down an alley he now grinned seeing Kaden stood by a clothing shop.

"Hey, you here on business?" he asked making Kaden jump a little where he stood.

"lost in a daydream it seams, you?" he asked and Jessie shrugged then showed him the list " oh I know where to get those." he said and took hold of Jessies hand " follow me" Jessie had no choice but to follow him around. Soon they paused and sat down for some tea.

"so hows work?" Jessie asked Kaden who smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"its work," he said " its good, I was thinking earlier about you not haveing any place to stay, I have a spare room beging for an ocupant." he paused and Jessie thought about it.

"give me some time, you know to get use to all this" he motioned around them and Kaden nodded he understood.

"sure , the ivitation is open , you can even have Robert check it first." he smiled as he sipped his tea " make sure im not some evil wizard whose just after you for your magic." Now both Jessie and Jack chuckled.

"Sounds perfect," Mira said.

"If we look at brooms," Kate said to Mira, "you'll need to promise you won't go joyriding on one until you can ride it properly."

"Oh, now you sounds like Dad," she sighed. Kate looked at her, not willing to yield. "Oh, alright. No joyriding."

"Let's go get you some fresh clothes and then we'll check out the brooms and the salon," Kate said. Kate was thinking of more basics--fresh jeans, a pair of dress slacks, a dress, a skirt, a couple blouses, some shorts, a bathing suit and a cover up, some flip flops, a sweater, some proper pj's, new underwear and bras, make up, hair ties, and shoes--lots of shoes. Everything a young woman would want or need. Mira enjoyed being a girl. She liked everything about it. She had a decidedly bohemian sense of style, and she tended to like things that had a bit of a Stevie Nicks vibe, but with more color, not all black. Kate had a feeling that she and Jess were going to have a good time getting her outfitted.

The first thing Kate found was a kimono style bathrobe in lovely coral color with what looked like watercolor flowers. It was a large, loose and flowing style with a matching waist tie. Mira loved it straight away, and Kate laid it on the counter.

"This is going to be easy," Kate looked at Jess and laughed. "Think Stevie Nicks."

"Who's Stevie Nicks?" Mira asked.

"You are a deprived child," Kate laughed. "Someone might need concert tickets for her birthday. When is your birthday, Mira?"

"May," she said.

"We might have to be doing a bit of research. When's the last time you were at a muggle concert, Jess?"