LONDON CALLING

Ruby walked with Angus beside the griffin and saw all the stalls and people around she was complimented on her costume by people she didn't even know and just smiled at them she looked at some stalls but felt as if she was being watched, she knew it was her fear and pushed it away best she could she was close to Angus and knew he would not let anything or one harm her. She could not help but chuckle at Victor and Sam with Abby. This was something they would not have gotten to expiriance had they still been with her perents and seeing them happy made her glad she'd adopted them. Looking up at Angus she felt a warm feeling inside and knew she'd made the right desishion loving him as much as she did.

Moving down the alley she picked up some things she could sue as well as some she just loved the look of. This was her first all hallows eve at the ally with family and freinds who cared , the last time she was there she was alone and her family split but this time, her family was all around her. " you okay up there?" she asked Angus. " hes not getting tired is he?" she brushed the griffins neck gently.

"We're fine," Angus told her. "Although he seems to want to head to Khaat's restaurant pop up. I think he's being drawn by the smell of the fish. Eagles and cats both love fish, you know. I might have to see if they'll sell me a couple pieces of raw fish for him. I'm betting Lizzie would if I asked her. What do you think of the carnival? It looks like they went all out for it."

He saw the kids coming out of Honeydukes and Sam did not seem terribly happy. Angus figured Victor told him he had entered him into the pumpkin pasty eating contest. Sam was not impressed. Angus was about ready to get off the griffin to go talk to him, when Sergio caught Angus's eye and simply held his hand up, urging Angus not to dismount. Sergio went over and had a quiet word with Sam, and Sam got a very mischievous look on his face, grinning from ear to ear, nodding at whatever Sergio said. Angus could just about guess. Sergio had suggested Sam go along with it, drop out of eating whenever he had had enough, and then Sergio was going to help Sam get Victor back. Sergio lifted Abbey off of Sam's shoulders, needing someone to leave Abbey with.

"Serge," Angus called, "just hand her up here. I'll keep her with me until we find her parents."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure," Angus said. "She'll be fine." Sergio handed Abbey up to him, and Angus put her in front of him on the griffin.

"Aggie, I hungee," she told him.

"Well, maybe we can get something to eat in a little bit and find a quiet place to eat at," Angus said, "Ru, what would you say to us finding some sandwiches for a late lunch and maybe some pumpkin juice and, if we can't find anyplace else, we could go back to Michael's yard to eat. Abbey's hungry. What about you?"

Ruby smiled when Angus said he was okay and asked how she found the carnival " yes they did, its wonderful if a little over whelming on the senses" she told him honestly watching Sam and Abby she watched as she was passed up to Angus and they went off on their own. Looking up at Angus she nodded "that would be great, maybe Lizzie has some we can get" she said then looked at Abby " you hold tight there." she said smiling to her knowing she was enjoying being on the griffin.

Once they had bought the food she looked at Angus and glanced around " dosn't seem to be anyplace to rest I think we should go to Michaels " she said holding the bag of food for the three of them.

"That's fine by me," Angus said. As they headed towards Michael's, he caught sight of Robert, and Robert saw that they had Abbey with them. Robert seemed relieved to see who had her and gave Angus a bit of a wave as acknowledgement that he was fine that they had Abbey with them.

As they passed the Sparks pop up, Lizzie saw Angus on the griffin and waved to him. Angus motioned to her, and she came running out of the kitchen space to them.

"You both look incredible,' Lizzie said. "You look just like the portraits in the Hogwarts' great hall. You should win the costume contest for sure."

"I doubt it,' Angus laughed. "We'd have to be entered into it first, and we're not. Lizzie, could I ask you for a favor? My transportation is about ready t start eating the picket fence around your pop up. He smells your fish. Is there any chance I could get a couple pieces of fish for him, please?"

"Absolutely! I can do better than that," she said. "I'll be right back." She ran back to the kitchen, and in a moment she came back with a top quality, whole rainbow trout for the griffin.

"Oh my goodness," Angus said. "Are you sure you want to give me the whole fish?"

"Certainly," Lizzie said. "We've got plenty. Take it. Besides, I'm serving your recipes for pumpkin butter, pumpkin shortbread, pumpkin gnocchi, and they're a huge hit. We've sold a little fish, but your pumpkin recipes are the hit of the day."

"Glad to hear it," he smiled.

"Izzy," Abbey called. "Gots cookie?" Lizzie laughed out loud.

"You didn't think I'd forget you, did you?" Lizzie smiled, caressing Abbey's little cheek. "Look what I have." She held up a paper bag with her other hand and handed it to Ruby. "Cookies for all three of you. Have a great time!" She ran back to the kitchen.

"Let's go eat," Angus told Ruby. He took them to Michael's to the backyard so it didn't encourage strangers to picnic on Michael's front yard. "If you can take Abbey, I'll get off for a bit and let the griffin eat and rest. Maybe I can find a bucket someplace and fill it with water for him to get a drink."

Ruby smiled at Lizzie as she spoke about their costumes and she nodded " okay thank you so much" she said taking the brown paper bag and adding it to the food they already had. Reaching Michaels she heard Angus ask if she could take Abby and she smiled " of course" she said " come on Abby" she said lifting her down and holding her on her hip. Moving to a nice spot she placed Abby down and set out eh small picnic meal they had as she waited for Angus.

Angus swung off the griffin easily, and it took him a minute clinging to the griffin to feel like he had his legs under him again. It had been a long time since he had flown, so this was an adjustment. He took the fish and fed it to the griffin and secured the griffin's lead to a tree branch. He scanned the area and saw a galvanized bucket by the back door, near where the garden hose was. He sat down on the ground with Ruby and Abbey.

"Sammich?" Abbey asked as Ruby got food out of the bag.

"Looks like it," Angus said.

"Wassit?" Abbey asked, wanting to know what sort of sandwich it was.

"I don't know," Angus said. "It's a surprise, but Ruby knows what you like and what you don't, so I'm sure she got you something you'll like."

"You feeded the birdy?" Abbey asked.

"I did," Angus nodded.

"Birdy eats bird food?"

"No, he likes fish," Angus said. "I gave him a fish." He looked over and saw the griffin had laid down on the grass, getting comfortable to rest. "Are you having a good time at the carnival, Abs?"

"Papa Jon gived me lots of candy in a big punkin," she nodded. "I gived to to Gam."

"He gave you a whole pumpkin full?"

"He says he wuvs me," Abbey nodded.

"I'm sure he does," Angus nodded. "Have you ever meet Marcus's parents, Ru? They're good people. They take care of Marcus's five kids because of the work Marcus does--and because their mother is...well,...she's not right. Let's just leave it at that. Marcus is still technically married to her simply because he knows she isn't well, and he believes someday someone is going to have to take care of her, but they've been separated for years and years."

Ruby smiled as Angus fed the griffin and then sat with them" here you go, Abby, " handing her a sandwich. She chuckled at the talk between Abby and Angus. Then she listened to Angus talk about Marcus and his family " no I've not met them and wow, it takes a strong heart to stay and look after the kids, he must have a good heart" she said handing Angus some food " here " she said also placing down some drink for both of them.

After she had eaten she looked at Abby and placed down a plate with some I See You Halloween Snack Mix, which was marshmallows chockolate drops and candy eyes. " my treat for you" she said " don't eat too many now" she smiled at her showing that in the bag she had taken some from sat more for her. Ruby looked up at Angus " sorry, couldn't resist." she chuckled.

"I'll introduce you to them. Jonathan and Claire bought Honeydukes three or four years ago when Jonathan retired from the Ministry. He worked in the Department of Mysteries. It was Jonathan's brother--Damocles--Marcus's uncle--who invented the wolfsbane potion that has helped so many werewolves to have a better life. Evidently Jonathan has never had a good relationship with Damocles, but personally, I've always liked Jonathan. Marcus has used his parents' house as a safehouse for Khaat and Abbey from time to time, and Abbey started calling Jonathan Papa Jon and is wife Gam Cee because her name is Claire. Jonathan almost always invites Abbey into the kitchen when she sees him because he is just astounded with how good her kitchen skills are for a three year old. I think you'd like Jonathan. He's one of those people that is really brainy. I think he must have just about double the number of brain cells as everybody else, and I don't think much of anything scares him."

Abbey finished her sandwich and tugged on Angus' arm.

"Aggie--where the baffroom?" she asked.

"Oh. Yeah. Well, maybe we can get Snidely to open the door and let us in," Angus said. He got up, hoping he could walk the distance to the house. "You're going to have to take her in and upstairs if Snidely lets us in, Ru." Angus made it to the back door and knocked on the door. "Snidely, its me--Angus. Open the door, please?" He sat down on the back step not feeling like he could go much farther.

The hat rack opened the door cautiously.

"Hey, Snidely, could Abbey please use your bathroom? Could Ruby bring her in to use the bathroom, please?" Angus asked. The hat rack nodded and stepped away from the door. "You're good. It's upstairs and clear at the end of the hall. The stairway is in the living room, on the other side of the fireplace."

Ruby sat and listened to Angus talking enjoying hearing him talk about Marcus' family. " they sound like a wonderful family" she said smiling then when Abby asked where the bathroom was she smiled " of course" she said picking up Abby and walking with Angus to the front door. " all right, upstairs and at the end of the hallway" she said and walked in, following Angus directions she found it easily and set Abby down so she could do what she needed, Ruby washed her hands.

Once Abby was done and decent she picked her up and together they headed back to Angus " all done " she said smiling at him as they both walked out of the house " thankyou snidely" she said to the hat rack.

Angus returned to where Ruby had laid out the picnic, and when Abbey and Ruby had come back out, Angus opened the bag of cookies that Lizzie had sent and drew out three different Halloween gingerbread cookies. One was a pumpkin, one was a cauldron, and one was a very intricately decorated spiderweb with a candy spider.

"Which one do you want, Abbey?"

"Punkin, pweeze?" Abbey asked, and Angus handed it to her and handed her some pumpkin juice.

"Good job, Abs, remembering your please and thank you's," Angus said. "Okay, which one do you want, Ru? You choose, and I'll take whatever is left. Is there anything in particular that you want to do at the carnival, Ru?"