A Birth day

Jess watched as Angus headed up the stairs, she moved to make a pot of tea and levitated it to the coffee table next to the sofa Robert lay on. Hearing Angus comes back she poured two cups one for Robert and one for Angus. when Robert sat bolt upright she sighed and shook her head at him.

"Here drink this and I told you not to do that," she said softly to him like a mother scolding a child softly. she then looked at Angus and the drawing. her eyes were drawn to the creatures on it " that looks a little like the Tyler crest but modified, we should check Jessie for that mark too" she said looking at them both.

"Sorry," Robert told Jess. "I got distracted." He picked up the teacup and took a sip, exhaling. There was something about a decent cup of tea that could make things, if not right again, then certainly better. When Jess brought up the Tyler crest, Robert groaned. "Oh, you're right, Jess. If that's the case, Suzanne is certainly becoming darker very quickly. Clearly, Tom Gelding is not good for her."

"If it's Suzanne, then she's my problem," Angus said angrily.

"Now why would that be, Lad?" Robert asked.

"Because I'm the one that brought all of this from her down on us," he said. "I'm the one she's put out with, and I need to put a stop to her quickly."

"We will talk to Jessie in the morning to see if he has any such marks," Robert said. Angus had a new, darker thought, and he turned quickly and went over to his own side of the duplex, and he saw things out of place from where they were when he left. Things had been moved. He bounded up the stairs and looked in the bedroom and saw the bassinet, the tuille canopy cover and the mattress pad now on the floor. He dashed over to the nursery, and saw all the baby things in disarray and on the floor. He went over to the boys room and found it in the same state of disarray. He didn't have a doubt in his mind of who had been here. Racing back down the stairs, he went to the desk and started looking for the stack of photos of Caprice. They were gone. The whole stack of them, and then he saw something else. A stack of photos of the boys was gone too. He went to the end table by his recliner and opened the drawer. His copies of those photos were still there. She hadn't gotten all of them. Ruby was not going to be happy at all when he had to tell her that he believed Suzanne had used the werewolf as a distraction to search their side of the duplex and that she had stolen pictures of the boys and of Caprice. He knew one thing for certain. The danger to his family had just gone up, and he was going to protect them with everything he knew and everything he had.

Jessnodded and handed him his cup as she heard and saw Angus quickly head to his side of the duplex before Yu walked in just as Robert spoke of the mark. " He does, I found a new brand among his tattoos" he said and pointed to the drawing " its hidden but thats it" he told them and looked to Jess " Jessie is still out cold, im worried " he spoke with wory in his voice.

Jess stood up and walked oevr to him " I'l take alook at him once Roberts settled back in the main house, Im sure he'll be okay" she reasured him using the same voice she used to sooth families of patiants when she was at work in St Mungos. Glancing back at Robert she spoke again " I added some reguvination potion to the tea so you hould feel better son , I 'll go tend to Jessie and report right back" she said and together both Yu and herself left.

Entering the cottage Jess headed to Jessies bed finding him out cold but yet overly hot too. Looking at Yu she spoke " wheres this mark?" she asked and Yu rolled Jessie on to his side , there among the black tattoos Jessie had was the same mark. " hum.. okay" she et Yu roll him on to his back and placed her hand on Jessie forhead, it was now as she tried to heal him a spark of dark magic forced her hand off Jessie leaving a burn on her palm" hum , keep him cool, I have to talk to Robert." she smiled at Yu " we'll get him better , trust us" she said smiling.

Ruby picked up Caprice and her bag and waked over to the duplex finding it in disaray. " Angus?" she called out " who did this?" she asked knowing it was a foolish question as she possibly knew.

"Go ahead," Robert told Jess. "I'm fine. I'll head back to the house when I finish my tea. I can manage that on my own. No worries."

Angus was about to put a tidying up spell on the place when Ruby returned with Caprice.

"I'll have it straightened up in half a tick" Angus told her quietly, standing and looking at the torn up house. "It was like this when I came back. It was a werewolf over at Edward's. Edward eliminated him. There was no other choice. This was what was going on while I was caught up with the werewolf. I don't have a lot of proof yet except that all the photos of Caprice and the boys that were on the desk are gone. All of them. And, so far, that's all I've noticed that was taken. she didn't get all of the photos. I had a set of copies she didn't find, so, so far, she didn't get anything that can't be replaced."

He looked at her, not wanting to have to give her all the little details. She didn't really need all that.

"I have enough proof to know its her," Angus said, his voice very quiet and serious this time, "and I think you and I both know why. Ru, she's coming straight at us. She could have killed Edward and Simone or you and Caprice. And what about the boys? They're coming home tomorrow for a three day weekend, and it isn't safe to bring them here right now. They're safer at the school. I don't have a choice. I have to protect my family. I have to stop her, even if I have to stop her once and for all."

Ruby listened to Angus and nodded but when he spoke again she walked over to him and hugged him with one arm as she held Caprice in the other. " its okay we can replace what ever she took" she said softly as she moved to where he stood. " they are safe here, with us" she reasured him then heard his words again "But I agree she has to be stopped perminatly, for good, I don't want Caprice growing up looking over her shoulder, nor the boys" she paused and kissed him gently then sighed as she pulled back from him a little" do what you must my love, just come home to us." she told him having no compashion for the woman who bore her then made her life and that of her brothers a living hell.

Jess headed over to the duplex and back to Robert , stepping in she sighed and nodded to him " Jessie has the mark and hes in some form of coma, I think its some dark charm shes divised to nutralize him, but keep him alive at the same time, if Im right distroying the sorce will break it and wake him." she said " his were side was trying to protect his humanside from the charm, in a rather drematic way if you ask me."

"Then we leave him rest for now," Robert said to Jess. "I can take a look at him, but I trust your judgment. It sounds like he is better off, temporarily, if we don't muck with him."

Angus nodded, knowing what he had to do. He went upstairs and changed to his black mission wear with his duster and his hat, and he loaded up as many weapons as he could find.

At the main house, Kate got a cold chill. it made her straighten up or a moment, and she wasn't sure where it was coming from, but it was dark. Dark energy. She had a gut feeling, and she felt a sharp urgency with it.

"Marcus!" Kate called sharply. In another room, Michael was feeling better because of Robert's potion to help his cold, but he knew Kate and this tone of voice. Something was dramatically wrong besides Simone's wound. He got up and went to the kitchen and got there at the same time Marcus did.

"There's trouble," Kate said.

"Still?" Michael asked. Kate nodded seriously. Marcus headed out the back door, not needing to be told twice, and Michael followed.

"Kate?" Edward asked. Kate looked at Simone who had been at least temporarily traumatized by the attack she'd suffered. She looked back at Edward to silently tell him that tonight Simone needed him more than he needed to go. Marcus and Michael arrived, thinking that the trouble was at Edwards. They went in, and found Jess and Robert.

"What brings you?" Robert asked them.

"Kate sent us," Michael said.

"What for?" Robert asked, as Marcus took it upon himself to go next door. He saw Angus coming down the stairs, and he could see already that Angus had armed himself with every weapon he could find without going to the armory at the main house.

"Michael," Marcus called. Then he looked back at Angus.

"Don't try to stop me," Angus told Marcus.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Marcus replied. "With that much artillery, though, you could use backup. I'll go. I'll have your back, whatever it is." Michael came in and saw Angus dressed to go out.

"That makes two of us. What are we hunting?"

"One crazy old bat that wants to take out her revenge on me by hurting my family one by one," Angus said.

"Then I'm with you every step of the way," Marcus said. "Let's go get the witch."

"Can't ask you to walk this path with me in case I can't stop her," Angus replied.

"You didn't ask," Michael said. "We volunteered." He was hoping that if there was a chance that there would be more werewolves that Jack would happen upon them and would invite himself as well.

Ruby watched Angus as he left to change she moved down stairs and waited for him seeing Marcus and Michael arrive with Edward. She saw they too were dressed to kill , so to speak and moved to hug him as well. " I'll tell you what I told Angus" she said softly " come home to us, your grand daugter needs her grandfather" she told him and glanced back as she saw Angus walk out dressed in his mission wear. Moving to one side she nodded to him and smiled as Edward Marcus and Michael both spoke they would go with him. She moved to stand beside Robert as she watched the three men.

Jack dove in the door and growled " that old witch is dead" he said in a low growl " Jess told me how Jessie is, no one messes with my pack" he then looked to Ruby "Sorry Ruby but we'll end her" he said seeing Ruby nod and held Caprice close as she sat down with Robert. Jack movd to Ruby and looked down at Caprice " don't worry we'll bring him back in one peice...relativly" he said and smirked at her, she smiled back at him.

"bring them all back in one peice." she said and Jack nodded and moved back to the others.

"do we know where to start , she won't be in the obvious places." he said looking at the three men.

"I'm not going with them tonight," Edward told Ruby. "Simone was traumatized pretty badly by being attacked by that werewolf. She needs me here tonight. I came to have a word with Angus before he left." He looked at Angus. "Keep your head tonight, Boy," Edward said. "Do not let emotion undo you. She's counting on that. She is deliberately baiting you, trying to draw you out. This is all about you. She wants you to slip up. Do not let her succeed."

"I have no intention of it," Angus said, with a million ideas in his head about how to find her and stop her. He looked at Marcus and Michael and Jack. "Are you three sure you want to go on this one?"

"Absolutely," Marcus said. "I haven't been on a good witch hunt in a long time. Sounds like it's right up my alley." Robert cast an accio spell, and four small packages flew from the main house towards him, and he plucked them out of the air.

"Patch kits," he told them, handing them the small, mission first aid kits. "Take them with you. I am counting on you not needing them, but take them anyway."

"Of course," Marcus said, taking them and making sure everyone had one to tuck in their pockets. Angus looked at Ruby.

"I will give her a chance--if I can," he told her, "but she isn't going to get another chance to hurt us."

"Do you know where you're starting tonight?" Robert asked.

"I have a couple of ideas, but I hope I'm wrong," Angus said. He looked at Marcus and Jack and Michael, as he drew a portkey out of his pocket. "Shall we?"

"Lead on," Michael said as he and Marcus took hold of Angus in preparation for Angus to port them elsewhere. Angus hadn't wanted to say anything in front of Ruby, but he was planning to port himself and his companions to the road along the Hogsmeade side of the Forbidden Forest.

Ruby heard Edward and breathed out "oh thank goodness," she said moving to hug him irelieffe. Hearing the others she looked at Angus as he spoke to her. " that's more than I would give her" she said " as I said before to do what you must" she said again and smiled at him " we will be waiting" she said softly to him.

Jack moved to Marcus and took some of the kits lacing them in his pocket. " I hope we will not need them, but it better to have them and not need them than not have them and need them right?" he said Glancing at the doorway he saw Jess who nodded and moved to stand with Ruby and Caprice.

" I'll stay with Ruby until your home," she said "I'll tend to Simone's leg too," she told Robert. handing Ruby a cup of tea after she took Caprice from her so Ruby would calm down.

In Jessies cottage Yu wiped sweat from Jessies fore head while he tossed and turned on the bed as if in a fevered night mare of a dream calling out every so often as if his mother was beating him with in his own mind. "stay with me, focus on my voice, they've gone to get her, you'll be free soon" Yu said softly and held his hand, this action calmed Jessie.

Angus's portkey took them to the road that ran between the outskirts of Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest, not far from Hogwarts. Marcus and Michael looked around, trying to get their bearings. Turning around, Michael could see the towers of the castle rising up in the distance.

"Alright," he shrugged. "Back to the creepy forest, but why are we here?" And as he spoke, it dawned on Marcus what Angus was thinking.

"You think she's going to go after the boys next, don't you?" Marcus said.

"If she hasn't already, yes," Angus said. "She has never gotten past my taking the boys from her, so yes, I'm sure she'll go after them, and if I were her, I would not be trying to take them out the front door. I'd be taking them out through the woods."

"So, what's your plan?" Michael asked, knowing how bloody big the forest was.

"If there is anything moving in that woods, Fenrir will know," Angus said. "I mean to ask him what he knows."

"You're just going to walk up to him and expect an answer?" Michael asked. "You could do that if we had Edward with us, but can you do it without him and without a gift?"

"We're about to find out," Angus said, starting to walk into the woods. Marcus and Michael walked with him, hoping Fenrir was in the mood for talking. Angus really did not want to be eaten by Fenrir tonight. They walked quite awhile in the dark, and then, as they came through the trees into a small clearing, they came face to face with Fenrir. He had a deer carcass slung over his shoulder. Clearly, he'd been hunting and was going to take the spoils to his pack.

"Well, well," Fenrir said, "if it isn't Donohue's boy. The slayer isn't with you tonight, so what's the occasion?"

"I see you've had some successful hunting," Angus said. "I'm on a bit of a hunt myself. I'm looking for a dark witch. This one is different. She's not right...." Fenrir laughed coldly.

"None of 'em are right, Boy. They're all crazy," Fenrir replied. "What do you want with this one?"

"I think she's either got my boys or she's about to try to get them. I think she may have a werewolf with her."

"Oh. Her," Fenrir said. "Yeah, I've seen her."

"Blonde woman, approximately in her 60's...."

"Nah," Fenrir shook his head. "You've got your facts all buggared, Junior. She was with the witch, but the blonde is just the money. She isn't anything. She isn't even too bright, that one, and she's not the one you need to be careful of. The witch is the dangerous one. She's an old crone, with salt and pepper hair. She's smart and she's got a hair trigger temper, that one. Everything sets her off, and when she strikes, she's almost always deadly. She has no conscience. Everyone is disposable to her and a tool to be used for her gain. When she gets done exploiting the blonde for the cash, she'll most likely kill her for the sport of it. What do you want her for?"

"Two things," Angus said. "She used a werewolf for her own gain. Branded him like a steer and then set him up to be a distraction, knowing Edward would absolutely have to take him out."

"I heard something about that. She likes to do that. She is certainly not my friend, so I'm not sure why you've come to see me."

"It's the next piece that interests me more. She's planning on taking my boys from the school."

"Older boys? Blonde? She has them already," Fenrir said. "Saw them not an hour ago. That way." He pointed off to the east.

"I'll kill her," Angus muttered before he thought.

"Mind your steps," Fenrir said. "She's extremely powerful, probably the most powerful witch I've seen in decades. You underestimate her, and it will cost you your life."

"Well, from the blonde, I just want my sons. I need to confront the witch because she's put some sort of a curse on a werewolf that is family to me..." At that, Fenrir burst into laughter.

"Donohue has a werewolf in the family? That's rich," Fenrir was highly amused.

"By marriage," Angus said. "For all practical purposes, my brother in law, but yes. It's important to me."

"What'd she do to him?"

"Some sort of spell that makes his transformations unpredictable, causes him a fever, and now he's in some sort of semi conscious state."

"Bizarre as it sounds, you need to get another vial of the potion she gave to him," Fenrir said. "Get Lupin to transform it into a burning dust. He'll know what to do with it from there. Essentially, the same potion that cursed him is also the antidote for it in the right hands. I expect she'll have it with her because she can use it to create servants for her rather quickly when they go to her wanting cured. She promises to give them the cure and then never delivers. Good luck. You're going to need it."