A Birth day

"No, no problems," Marcus said. "He's awake, just having a little tea. There's a fresh pot on if you want some. Porting in winter is always cold, so I thought perhaps everyone might like something to warm up with." He left Angus with his tea mug and took two sippy cups and put a bit of weak tea in them with just a very miniscule amount of honey. He handed one to Caprice, who didn't have any issue with it, and seemed to appreciate getting something warm to drink, and, after a moment's coaching about sippy cup, even Diamond seemed happy to get a little bit of a warm drink. Both babies seemed to relax a little as they sipped on their tea.

"There isn't much in there," Marcus said, "maybe two ounces at the most, and just a few drops of honey. not enough to hurt them."

"Don't worry about it," Angus said. "They're old enough, and besides, it was cold for them."

As they were getting settled in, Sam and Victor arrived home, with Anise and Ginger, and Edward arrived with Simone and Rosaria and Carlo. The kids headed to their rooms to drop of their bags, and Angus could hear Rosaria and Carlo doing just a little playing in the snow before they came in the house.

"You made them very happy," Marcus laughed, looking out the kitchen window. "They're throwing snowballs. Well, pretty crappy snowball, but snowballs, nonetheless. They're not taking the time to form them. They're just having a minute of fun before they come in."

"Check the fridge and the pantry, would you? See if there's anything we need," Angus said.

Anise chuckled as Dimond took the Sippy cup and started to drink pausing and smacking her lips at the new flavour but went right back to drinking it. " well she likes it" Aria smiled then stood up and laughed as she looked out the window " oh yea , that's a snow ball dust fight" she said watching as snow flew back and forth. Ruby gave Caprice her cup and placed her in the pen facing Dimond to drink. She looked up and chuckled.

Aria hearing Angus asked about the fridge she smiled " no need I had Jessie check when they came to put up the bed, its all fresh and restocked " she mentioned to him as she turned to face him before looking back at every one having a snowball fight out front. " looks like there having fun, that's good" she said and smiled .

"Ok. so we're set with that. I'm glad Jessie checked it already. You do know that Rosaria will be going through our fridge and pantry and Edward's. She's going to want to cook to repay for us having them. I don't want her to feel like she has to, but she's going to anyway. If there's something she wants that we don't have, I don't care what it costs. We'll get it," Angus said. "I'm glad they're having fun straight away. I know it's been a decade or more since they've seen snow, so letting them play a little is a good thing. I know they've always wanted to go sightseeing here. They've never seen much of England at all. I bet Edward and Simone will take care of that, unless any of you have someplace you'd like them to see in particular."

"You need to take them to Michael's before they go home," Nigel said.

"Why?" Angus asked.

"Michael was telling them about Faline and Otto, and now Rosaria and Carlo want a pair of footstool puppies. And Michael just happens to have some again," Nigel replied.

"Okay," Angus said. "Maybe we should make a list."

"I'll post a list on the fridge and we can all add ideas to it while they're here," Marcus said. "If they're going to Michaels, then we need to take them to Honeydukes."

"Of course," Angus said. "Someone needs to show them the magical creatures here, and take them flying if they want to go.. I know they probably have never seen a live unicorn or some of our other animals. I know they would both like that."

Angus heard them as they entered Edward's side of the duplex, still laughing and chattering about the snow. He heard Edward welcoming them and starting to show them around, and Rosaria was already telling Edward about her plans to cook lunch soon.

Aria smiled as Angus thanked her " na I asked Jessie to check, we all know how things get when you get back from vacation" she said and chuckled. Hearing Angus mention about places to take Rosaria and Carlos she chuckled at Honey dukes " oh we should get some of their fudge while we're there" She mentioned then the subject of footstool puppies came up and Aria looked at Marcus " wonder if we should get one for the cottage when its built" she said.

Ruby chuckled " only if you want it running around like a dog every place" she said and Aria thought for a moment and shook her head.

"Hum thinking like it like that , nope, we're both very busy for something like that " she chuckled as she heard Carlos and Rosaria enter with Edward in their side of the duplex " sounds like they had a great time." she said

"Fudge, definitely," Marcus said. "We'll have to ask them what they want to see. I'm sure they have some ideas of their own. I'm sure that if we get lonely for any four footed creatures, Finn would come and spend an afternoon."

"Or several, depending on what you feed him," Angus said.

"He means steak. Finn will hang out with anybody who will give him steak," Marcus said.

"Can't blame him. So would I," Angus replied. It wasn't ten minutes before Rosaria had come over, checked on Angus to see if there was anything in particular anyone wanted for lunch, and then she was making herself at home in Edward's kitchen.

"What do you suppose she's making?" Marcus laughed.

"What's she got out on the counter? Angus asked.

"Um..." Marcus looked. "Tins of cannolini beans, a couple loaves of bread, onions, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, chard, tomatoes, some sort of a grain, stock of some sort, cheese...."

"Ribollita," Angus said.

"Ribo..what?"

"Tuscan bread soup. It's a vegetable soup. And the grain is undoubtedly farro. I think everyone will like it. And she'll make some sort of sandwich to go along. And I'm betting she brought some cookies she made back home."

"Sounds like pure comfort food."

"It is," Angus said. "Good for a winter lunch. Ruby, why don't you and Aria take her and Carlo tomorrow to Diagon Alley and let them browse the shops? They've never been there, and if you finish in time, you could take them to Hogsmeade. make a day of it for them. I'm sure they'd love every minute of it. Besides, I need a new wand, and someone else did too. Was that you, Aria? Someone broke their wand while we were out, as I recall. Maybe Ollivanders has something close enough to what I used that might work. I do have my grandmother's wand I could try. Edward let me have it a long time ago. I've just never used it."

Aria heard Angus mention about finn and chuckled " true , hey I think any guy would do anything for a good cooked steak, right?" shea sked Angus then heard him mention about taking Carlos and Rosaria to Diagon Ally to look around the shop " oh that's a wonderful idea" she said then heard him mention the fact she broke her wand " okay kay that wasn't actually my fault" she said with a smirk "it was in my back pocket when I was thrown against the sink in the ship" she said and chuckled " but yes I do need a new one , don't want to to pull a Neville Longbottom or was it Ron Weasley?" she said thinking about it.

Ruby chuckled as she played with Caprice with her activity centre that was attached to the side of the play pen, even Dimond now moved a few of the sliders herself. " whom ever it was we'll fix it and get you anew wand and show them around the alley, maybe even stop at sparks for dinner too" Ruby said with a smile " anything you want us to bring back, other than fudge?" she asked

"I wasn't pointing blame. I was merely saying you needed a new one. Besides, I lost my grandmother's cloak pin in that accident. Hundreds of years it lasted, until it was with me for one freaking day..." Angus sighed.

"You didn't lose it," Marcus said. "Robert must have found it when he cut off your jeans because it was snagged on the lining of your jeans pocket. I have it, safe and sound, in my bag. I took it before they chucked your clothes out."

"You did?" Angus asked. Marcus nodded, and Angus sighed with relief. "Thank you. The broken wand was Ron's doing," Angus said. "He broke it when he stole his dad's muggle car and crashed it into the whomping willow." He thought and then he looked at Ruby. "Yes. There is. You lot were talking about Asia, was it yesterday?"

"I think," Marcus said. "What about it?"

"Her birthday is coming up on Valentine's Day. Two years ago, for her 16th, I bought her a necklace with a teeny tiny diamond heart. It was the only piece of jewelry she ever owned up to that point, and, so far as I i know she still has it. This Valentine's Day she turns 18. She'll finish her classes ahead of time and qualify for early graduation. I'd like to have the jeweler make a pair of studs to match the necklace for her 18th. She was one of those kids that wasn't supposed to have lived long enough to get to legal age, and no only has she survived. She's thrived. That's worth celebrating. Our jeweler should have a record of exactly what I bought. What do you think? Not inappropriate is it?"

"Coming from you?" Marcus asked. "I think it's perfect."

Aria laughed and nodded " I know that, and I know what needs to stay stays and what doesn't well " she chuckled the hears Angus and smiled " sounds perfect" she said " Ruby and I can look into that for you when we are in the ally?" she asked " or do you have a specific jeweller in mind to get them from?" she asked " I can always pop to Paris and get a pair, I think cartier has some nice heart earrings in."

Ruby looked at Aria and chuckled just as she hard a light ping and a soft giggle from Dimond as she made the small bell ping. " where ever it is that is a wonderful idea, what would you say to her coming here for her birthday?" she asked looking over at Angus as she waited for his response " would make it special for her and you too."

"Ruby knows which jeweler I prefer," Angus said. "That's where I got the necklace. Its a little place wedge right in between Madam Malkins and Gringotts. If you're not looking closely, you'll miss it, but they have some of the nicest pieces anywhere."

"I have no objection, but Robert would need to approve since she'd be going outside of Colorado. He has to approve any trips out of state," Angus said. "It would be good to see her, though."

"I smell that soup already," Marcus laughed.

"I'm betting Simone helped her prepare her ingredients so they could get it cooking faster," Angus said. The bread will thicken it so its really a nice, stick-to-your-ribs sort of soup..."

There was a knock on the door, and Robert came in.

"I heard from Nigel that you handled the porting well. I'm glad," Robert told Angus. "You just got a letter from Tom and Suzanne's attorney. It was delivered to the main house by mistake. The bottom line is they want to know your price, specifically, they want to know much do you want them to pay you to get Diamond back?"

"Those filthy sleezy..." Angus was outraged instantly. "Not a damned cent. I don't want a cent. Children are not property. They cannot be bought and sold. I want Diamond out of that house forever, and I want Suzanne sewn shut. That's what I want."

"Sewn shut, huh? I don't know if we can bring that up, but I have to say it really has entered my mind. But no one that malicious should ever have a child in their care. Period. You do know I have to relay a message, right?"

"Tell them to stick it up their..."

"Now, now," Robert said.

"I'd let him phrase that however he wants," Marcus told Robert, "because I think every one of us probably agrees with him."

Ruby looked to Angus and nodded " I know the one , I'll take a look while were there" she said but paused smelling the most wonderful smell coming from Edwards. "wow that smell in its self is almost edible" she said as her stomach growled and she chuckled . It was now Robert entered and spoke to Angus Ruby stood up and moved to the bed taking his hand in her own then smiling down at him as he spoke every word he said she agreed with.

Aria heard Robert too and looked to Marcus nodding she did agree with him but then chuckled at Angus words " well maybe not put it so colourfully" she said " but he's right, if she goes back she will not survive or she'll be permanently stunted, both in her growth and developmentally, I saw the inside of the so called nursery they had for her, no colour, white walls, white bedding, white clothing , nothing stimulating at all." Aria paused and stepped back looking to Angus " sorry, but Angus is right and I am Hangry, hungry angry" and Rosaria's soup smells so good" she said with a chuckle.