Don't settle near Muggles to protect them; don't move in wizard communities to protect themselves. What did that leave? Mary and her family had moved twice in a week since leaving the beach and things they hadn't had to worry about became issues for them. Food was now a concern. Keeping guard was a necessity and keeping kids engaged or entertained dropped to the bottom of the list.
Ten pounds of potatoes, a pound of carrots, a dozen eggs, ten tins of beans... Mary frowned over the contents of the cupboard. How long could she feed a family of five on that? If Marty dreamed of her in distress, then that scene had probably been in his dreams the previous night. Venturing to the market seemed more dangerous. That left relying on the environment to provide, and the barren rocks on which they were currently camped offered little.
Into the room floated a plucked, dressed and frozen goose followed by her red-haired spouse. "It's Easter holiday," he said. We can have a feast and move tomorrow somewhere we can fish and hunt. I'm sorry I picked a bloody bare spot this time."
Mary smiled as she took the goose and kissed Reg's cheek. "Just one of those mispronunciations, Donard for the volcano, not Dodd for the forest."
He nodded. "Regina could never be misunderstood as posh as she talks, but she still doesn't want to use magic. I thought she might change her mind when we left the beach and Bill Weasley, but she hasn't yet."
The newly thawed goose was already in the cauldron over the fireplace. Mary raised her head from seasoning to look at Reg in surprise. "You knew?"
"I'm not blind," he said with a shrug. "But, I never saw any sign of Weasley responding to her so he doesn't have permanent Spattergroit on his... wand."
Mary giggled, adding more peppercorns and sage, parsley and thyme to the cauldron with the goose. Her magical cooking made the bird absorb the seasoning instantly, so the smells of the well-spiced meat drifted throughout the tent and out the portal.
"That's why I never mentioned her crush to you. Then Fleur came with him and that was reassuring."
The goose browned, and Mary's mouth water. It was going to be delicious. She set potatoes to peeling with a paring knife and summoned a larger one to cut carrots and celery.
"Remember I told you Grindelwald told Regina she reminded him of my great-aunt Hilda and I told him she was more like your mother?" Reg asked.
Mary smiled and nodded. She loved that he'd done that.
"I've never told you though that Hilda was part Veela. I never thought about it until Fleur said she was too," Reg said.
"Oh?" Mary frowned. "Can it be passed down in the wizard line?"
He shrugged again and popped a bit of raw carrot in his mouth. "I don't know, but I think it's good we're not still on the beach."
Sound of panting and running feet preceded Marty into the tent. "You have to see this," he said. "Come on!"
Mary levitated the vegetables into the pot with the goose and ordered them to cook perfectly, then hurried out with her son and husband.
"I saw it just outside of our wards," Marty said. "We haven't been outside yet, but look."
He pointed to a barren spot where his older brother crouched, looking at something beyond. Reg and Mary joined him. Cut into the brownish- grey rock was a partial circle, an animal print that Muggles couldn't see, the sign of a large, magical creature.
"I summoned Fantastic Beasts." Marty held the family's copy of Newt Scamander's book open for his parents. "Look at the four thumbs in the print. It's a Graphorn!"
They compared the print to the depiction of Scamander bent down studying one in the book. It did appear to match, though the one just beyond them was smaller.
"It's not fully grown. Let's track it," said Rion.
"But it's a Class-Four beast," Mary pointed out. "Maybe we should leave it alone."
"Dad," the boys said together, appealing for an override.
Mary looked up at her husband. His green eyes had the same gleam as they had when he'd first tried skiing with Mary's brother Otis. "It's three wizards and a very good witch against a baby beast," he said with an arm around her. I think we'll be fine."
"And what about Regina?" she asked.
Reg shouted over his shoulder. "Regina, we're going outside the wards to track a young Graphorn. Do you want to come?"
"No," came the loud answer from the closed doors of the car.
He grinned, walking forward to cut an opening in the barrier. "Let's go."
She had to admit to a certain thrill in crossing the invisible border. Outside, the air appeared unfiltered, without the shimmer of magical enclosure. It was refreshing, though she gripped Cherry more tightly to be ready for anything.
"Here's another one," Marty yelled, running ahead.
"It goes this way," Rion said about five meters beyond. He led the way, over the dead volcano top, raising his voice over the wind ripping at them. Mary wondered, did she detect extra excitement in his voice?
"Lars talked all the time about Graphorns," he said. "Professor Hagrid hoped to bring one to the Forbidden Forrest. Lars was his best student so he trained him to help care for it."
Lars, they all now knew, was Rion's boyfriend. Mary smiled at the obvious pride in his voice when he talked about him.
"This one looks fresh," said Marty. "We're close." He took a deep breath. "Everyone, stay back. I want to do this right."
Mary watched, heart in her throat, as her youngest bent at the waist slightly and lifted one leg, swinging it forward and planting it on the rock ground, standing sideways with legs bowed. He repeated the step with the other leg.
Mary inched forward behind him. Class-Four, aggressive, hide impervious to most spells, she said to herself as her baby moved ahead. I'll aim for it's eye.
The creature appeared before them. Marty stood at an angle, eyes fixed on the huge, muddy purple-colored beast, a cross between a giant rhinoceros and armadillo.
"Get back, Marty," she pled as she raised Cherry over her head in the approximate area of the creature's head and muddy eyes.
The Graphorn bent its knees and sat. Mary realized there was a young man astride who jumped down, his own wand trained on the four people facing him. "What was the first song we danced to?" he asked.
"Cauldron of Love," responded Rion. "How many brothers and sisters do I have and what are their names?"
"A sister in Ravenclaw named Maisie but is called Regina and a little brother." He turned his eyes to the young wizard standing sideways. "Marty."
Mary and Reg exchanged a look of surprise as Rion said "Lars" and strode forward. He and the boy gripped each other tightly as their lips came together in a passionate kiss.