LONDON CALLING

Michael and Rowan took the box up to Robert's bathroom and he set a couple enchantments in place so the thing couldn't just take off and abandon him. There was a knack to having a pet boggart. One couldn't just let them roam around unsupervised. Michael had a charm that Flint had taught him when he'd given the boggart to Michael. It was a charm that kept the darned thing rather leashed to the box. It could leap out, give a good scare, and then, like a jack in the box, it had to go back in the box. Michael was always careful to make sure he had cast the spell flawlessly before he opened the box. He put the box the shower, told Rowan how to prepare mentally so the good scare in the boggart wasn't wasted on them instead of on Robert, and then he opened the box. A boggart without a target was just a puff of smoke rising out of the box. Michael set the box in Robert's bathroom linen closet, and left the box open a crack so the boggart could get back in. And he shut the shower door.

"So, if this goes as planned, Robert will open that damned door about about ten or eleven tonight, and it will surprise the shit out of him. Simple, but usually very effective. It's all about the element of surprise."

Edward looked at the dollhouse. Someone had not spared any expense. The thing was large and elaborate and in pristine condition. Edward cast a cleaning enchantment on it and the dust and cobwebs disappeared.

"That's better," Edward said. "I've got this end. Shall we?"

Simone had used magic to lighten the table so she could move it over between Angus's chair and the window.

"I hope he knows what he's doing," Angus said.

"

Rowan laughed and then grinned " oh I get it, yeah," He said as he saw, he watched Michael ever the professional, check and double-check the spells he cast to make sure nothing was out of place. He helped push the box into a cupboard and close the door leaving a crack. " and the boggart wil give him the fright of his life, like it" he said grinning.

Jack moved to the other side of the doll house and grasped it when Edward had done the same and ported it to the kitchen table at the duplex. "oh thats beautiful." Ruby said walking over to it " but still begs to wonder what Robert wanted with it." she said Jack nodded.

"yeah its a bit..old" he said with a smirk.

"You do know, don't you, he'll shriek like a schoolgirl or shout obscenities at me. Then he'll take the box and try to scare me with the damned thing. And then I'll get him back. We've been passing this damned boggart back and forth four about ten years or better now. Maybe twelve. And then I do small little passive aggressive things like I gave him a teapot for his office one year for Christmas. But the damned thing bites. It's a foul tempered old bat, and if he doesn't get her off the heat in time, she gets shrill and annoying about it and bites. And he's still got it, and he still uses it every day. I have no idea why. Well, come on. Let's go back to the kitchen before he gets back and finds me in his room."

Robert and Andrew apparated back to the estate and Andrew agreed to take Victor straight down to the sickbay and help him change into a pair of sweats that he had packed. Robert had a quick stop he needed to make over at the duplex. Robert was carrying a satchel when he knocked on the door and went in. He saw the dollhouse waiting.

"Good. Thank you. Now, I realize I am not the legal parent, but since he pulled this nonsense on the school and on me, I am deciding to handle this in a rather memorable way," he told Angus and Ruby. "Victor is fine. He's over at sickbay, and Andrew is helping him change into some comfortable sweats. I'm going over to take a close look at him and at the leg in a moment. But I have a little delivery to make."

Robert went over to Angus, motioning Ruby to come along.

"Someone has a tiny problem," Robert said. "I did not do this. There's a story here, but this is exactly how this particular package was delivered to me." He opened the satchel and inside was Sam--a shrunken, 6 inch tall Sam. "He apparently slipped into the potions professor's stock of potions and took a shrinking potion. He was jealous that Victor was getting to come and he wasn't. So he took the shrinking potion and got a classmate to put Sam in this satchel and stash it with Victor's things. The head of house found the satchel and Sam, and the school decided to inform me about it. It was my suggestion that he allow us to handle this. So..." Robert reached into the satchel and motioned Sam to walk into Robert's open hand. Then he lifted Sam out of the box.

"I refuse to preach at you--today," Robert said to Sam. Angus cast a quick glance at Ruby. Sometimes Robert's way of disciplining was unusual but it almost always left an impression. "We will talk, but not today, not while you're feeling like such a 'little' boy. So, in order to make you comfortable, I have a place for you." He put Sam in the living room of the dollhouse. "We'll make sure you have plenty of food and clothing and water and everything else you need. I suggest you use your time wisely, and when you decide you're ready to 'grow up and be a man about things,' you let Ruby and Angus know. I won't be available for you today, though. Today, I'm taking care of your brother's medical needs. Try me sometime after lunch tomorrow. Oh, and welcome home." He looked at Angus and Ruby. Angus didn't have a lot to say. Robert absolutely would stick to his guns, and Angus didn't blame him. These potions were touchy and dangerous. He could have gotten killed by tinkering with it, and for what? To stow away in his brother's luggage? What sort of childish crap was that? Angus wanted to preach at him now too, but he restrained himself.

"If you two want to talk, we can do that after I see to Victor. Fair enough?" Robert asked Angus and Ruby.

Rowan laughed again but had to agree they needed to be anyplace but in his room " yeah I think we should head to the kitchen." he sad and they left the room making sure it was relocked and everything was as if it was never touched. " and you do that every so often?" he sked " wow you guys really do have a really good relationship.

Ruby sat and listened to Robert talk about how Sam had done something foolish but as he spoke she realized he was right and she would not say or do anything against him. She looked at Angus as she saw him look over at her. She simply nodded that agreed with him and stayed silent. There to her was nothing else to say she agreed with his assesment of what Sam had done. Hearing Robert say they could talk to him later she nodded " of course and thank you Robert." was all she said disapointed in sams actions.

"Sam," Angus said quietly and in a steady tone, "Really, Dude? That was your whole plan? How do you think this all worked for you?"

"It's not fair!" Sam railed angrily against all of it. His rant started with Victor getting a holiday with their new family and it went to his "stinking mother" and his "no good waste-of-oxygen father" and how it had all been taken from them, how furious he was that he had to go to school every year with used thrift store clothes that were too small and had belonged to some muggle kid, how pissed off he was that all the other kids laughed and made fun of him and Victor all the time, and then he started to throw the furniture out of the dollhouse. Angus just sat quietly and let him rage, let him shout and cuss and throw more furniture out of the house. Sam needed an opportunity to do this, to finally start to release his pent up rage at his parents. Angus understood perfectly how Sam felt. He had been in Sam's shoes almost his entire life. He looked at Ruby to let her know that he understood this.

"Ru," Angus said softly, "he's going to eventually wear himself out. Do you mind getting him a large glass of something cold to drink and shrinking it to his size? Don't give it to him yet. Just get it ready. You'll know when he's ready for it."

He was making a mental note that when Robert brought Victor here, he would ask Robert to enchant the dollhouse so that the lights and the plumbing and the fridge and all the rest worked, at least temporarily. Sam was going to need it. And they were going to have to shrink some bedding for him and actually make up the dollhouse bed for him.

Ruby hears Sam and sighed but looked at Angus " all right" she said. When he spoke of getting something for sam to drink she nodded and moved to the kitchen getting a cold drink and pouring it into a mug before shrinking it down to Sam's size ready for when he was ready. She moved to the doll house and picked up the thrown-out furniture placing it back in each room it had come from. There was nothing she could say to him that Angus would not already say to him so she kept quiet. 

Rowan kept quiet as he saw Robert enter the room he glanced for a second at Michael but kept his cool as he sipped his tea. " oh you want me to help with anything?" he asked Michael moving to the kitchen.

Robert paused for a moment and looked at them. "Michael," Robert said, "So you know, we have both boys over at Angus's. I am not happy with Sam because he stowed away in Victor's luggage. He pulled a Barty Crouch to do it."

"Oh, no," Michael said. "We'll have to notify the school then."

"Oh, they knew full well he was in Victor's luggage," Robert said. "I suggested they leave him in there."

"Leave him in there?" Michael echoed, frowning. "Why?"

"Well, I discussed it with the headmaster. Sam's grades are still doing well enough, but he's gotten constantly angry and edgy with his housemates since his father died and his mother left. They don't believe he wishes they were back in his life, but he does seem to be having a bit of an issue adjusting to the change. They rather hope that if he can have a few days away and perhaps realize that what he has now with Ruby and Angus is far better than what he had and that it might help him work through some of it. So, I'm hoping that if he and Victor are with Angus and Ruby for a little, those boys will settle into their new lives without a huge problem."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Michael replied.

"So do I," Robert said. "I'm going to go see to Victor." He headed downstairs to sickbay.

"Sure," Michael replied now to Rowan. "I need to fix something for lunch for this crew. How are you at either maybe a large hotpot for lunch, and I thought maybe I'd do a bit of an upsale scouse? What do you think? I can do a quick pickled cabbage for those who want it, and maybe I could sautee some brussel sprouts with some bacon and a little onion to go along with it. And since we have an abundance of strawberries, maybe I could do a strawberry fool for a bit of a lunch dessert. I thought I would do a nice homemade crusty cheddar cheese bread to go with the scouse and maybe a bakewell tart to go along with supper. Or do you think I should do something else?"

Angus let Sam continue to rage and throw furniture out of the dollhouse and have his tiny temper tantrum, and finally, he shouted with an agonizing cry, "Why didn't they love me!" Then Sam sank down onto the floor wrapping his arms around his knees and burying his face.

"I get it, Mate," Angus said quietly. "I lost my folks too--both of them, and even if they're the worst people on the planet, they're still your parents. Feels pretty alone." Sam nodded. "I was blessed to have the greatest grandfather in the world who took me in and gave me everything my folks wouldn't. I can't answer why your parents were the gits they were, but they didn't deserve to have great kids like you and Victor and Ruby and Jessie. I know they didn't take care of you guys, but Ruby and I are fixing that."

"Why?" Sam asked quietly. "Why bother with us? Nobody else does."

"Because I love your sister, and I won't build a life with her if I don't include you and both your brothers. You and Victor have a place with us as long as you need it."

"They didn't get it," Sam mumbled.

"About what?" Angus asked.

"Victor got to come. He got to see what you're all about. I had to come. I needed to know too. I know what she's about, but I don't know you. I don't get you."

"Fair enough," Angus said.

"Are you crazy? taking on two kids you don't even know?"

"I don't know," Angus shrugged, "but it's what Ruby and I want. So here we all are, and maybe we need to just take it as it comes and get to know each other. I only ask one thing. Just one."

"What's that?"

"You and your brother be straight with me. I will always, always be straight with you, even if the truth isn't easy or happy. Don't hide things from us, and don't lie. If you can do that, we'll work the rest out. Can you do that?" Sam paused, thinking, and then he shrugged.

"I'll try," he said quietly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Am I gonna be this size forever?"

"Probably not," Angus smiled, not wanting to undo Robert's consequence by telling him that his situation was only temporary. "Robert said he'll talk to you about that tomorrow, so for today and tonight, I'm afraid this is your lot." He handed him the mug Ruby had prepared for him. "Are you hungry?" Sam shook his head.

"I wish I had my hoodie, though," Sam said.

"Ru, he'd like a hoodie. If you go upstairs, get into the highboy dresser, left side, fourth drawer down. There are a couple hoodies for him in that drawer. Could you bring one for him and resize it, please? Pick whichever one you'd think he'd like. There are more coming whenever we get that big package for them from London. And, then, maybe you should take him and one of those little patio chairs and go outside and the two of you can talk without me. I think maybe the two of you could use a word alone."

Rowan pulled a face as Robert told them of Same and Victor and what Sam had done " um don't mean to interrupt but who is sam and Victor?" he asked having not met them looking from one man to the other.

Ruby stood behind Angus as he spoke to Sam who after a moment stopped is tantrum and talked to Angus. When he said he loved her she placed her hand on his back and smiled in adoration of this man. Then sam spoke of his hooie Ruby hard Angus ask her to fetch one and she nodded " of course " she said and headed up to the boys room looking in the draw she found a white one that she just knew would fit this situation and brought it down to them as she shrakn it down to his size and handed it to Angus " I thought it ws apropriate." she said with a smirk.

"Ruby's younger brothers. They're finishing their last year at Hogwarts. Victor broke his leg during a Quidditch game, so he's come here to let Robert have a go at healing the bone," Michael said. Rowan hadn't bothered to answer him about the hotpot, so, presuming he was on his own to make lunch for them all, Michael got out the potatoes, carrots, onions, and a large piece of lamb. He got out a large casserole dish and buttered it and set it aside and started work to trim as much of the fat off the lamb as possible.

"Michael, you should have called me," Kate said, hurrying into the kitchen. "I'm sorry. I'll get on it right now." She went to the sink to wash her hands. "How can I help? Can I prep your vegetables? What are we making?"

"Just hotpot," Michael said. "Maybe some sauteed shredded brussels with bacon and garlic and onion. And what about strawberry fool?."

"Fabulous," she smiled. "I'm on, well, something." She knew he would need the aromatics first so she started on mincing garlic, cutting onion into a fine dice, and then dicing celery and carrots. Is Robert back?"

"He is. He's downstairs tending Victor's leg. And--Sam's here too."

"Sam? How'd he get here?"

"He pulled a Barty Crouch and stowed away in Victor's luggage."

"Oh, no! If Robert finds out, that boy won't live to turn 18."

"Oh, Robert knows," Michael said with a bit of an amused snicker. "Oh, by the way, the boggart's in your shower."

"Oh. Okay," Kate said, as if it was an every day occurrence. "Thanks. So how'd he deal with it?"

"Left him six inches tall and had us take Khaat's old dollhouse over there for him."

"He didn't!"

"He did," Michael said. "The boy'll be fine, Kate, but I bet he'll think twice before he does anything that stupid again."

Angus looked at the sweatshirt and smiled and handed it to Sam, who looked at the sweatshirt and scowled at Ruby for a moment, but he put on the hoodie anyway. Ruby hadn't bothered to answer him about taking Sam outside, so Angus decided to get himself out of the way.

"Andrew?" Angus called. "Let's let them have some private conversation. How about you and I grab the poles and the tacklebox and go down to the pond for a bit?"

"Fishing? I thought you'd never ask!" Andrew grinned. "You've got this great stocked pond, and I thought I'd never get a chance to drop a line in it. Let's go. They're on their own." He took Angus out to the all terrain chair and gathered the poles and the tackle and took Angus down to the pond.

Rowan listened to Michael and tipped his head " oh keeper or beater, and that smells perfect?" he said  " I could never stay on long enough to catch the darn thing" he admitted then listened to what Ruby's other brother had done " wow, no way that's...well a bad move, he could have been badly hurt or worse." he said then listened as he told Kate about the boggart " love to be a fly on the wall when that kicks off" he said smirking at Kate.

Ruby loked at Angus and nodded " sorry and thank you Andrew." she said" Catch one big enough and we can have it for supper" she smiled as they left for the pond then looked down at Sam. " that was a foolish move you did, you could have been hurt or..or , well the alternatives don't bare thinking about." she said softly and sat down in the recliner once Angus and Andrew had left.