A/N Surprise! Have a bonus chapter this week! Definitely don't miss twelve ... and definitely don't miss this one! (Besides, it'll give me a reason to block more bots.)
Chapter Thirteen
Strange Bedfellows
Luke Miller was out front spot-watering the lawn when a classic convertible pulled up that made him whistle in appreciation. Remembering he had a hose, he quickly put it in the hedge and walked over.
"Nice car," Luke said in appreciation to the handsome blonde with the designer sunglasses, who pulled them off with a grin.
"It's a '57 Fairlane, only slightly restored," Mage informed him. "I rented it for the day; thought the boys might like a bit of a road trip before we head home."
"Oh? Where to?" Luke said.
"Classified, I'm afraid," Mage apologized.
"Man! I'm jealous! I want to go to Classified someday," Luke whined.
"Next time, next time," Mage said with a chuckle, popping the trunk as Luke turned off the water and opened the front door.
"Boys! Mage is here to pick you up!" Luke called in and there was a quick scramble. Jeremy and Tim both carried Rus and Quintin's bags out, handing them off to Mage to put in the back while each making appreciative remarks about the car.
"See you next month! Until then, it'll be nice to speak for myself for a while!" Jeremy said.
"You can say that again," laughed his younger brother Tim. "See you two at Thanksgiving."
"See you! Rus waved, the two of them climbing into the back of the car. "Mum does know about this, right?"
"Does she know I was going to pick you boys up, yes she did. I simply didn't specify how," Mage said with a wink, and Rus grinned knowingly and buckled up.
"Where's the house at?" Quintin asked.
"Far enough to make this enjoyable," Mage said enigmatically. "So how was camp?"
"Great, we ended up in the same tent and totally smashed them at doubles," Rus said. "We also signed up for a pirate day and learned all sorts of crazy knots and things. Didn't we, Quintin?"
"Sure, if we're on an ancient schooner or something, we'll be prepared," Quintin said dryly. "Camp was fun and all, but I'd rather get caught up on gossip, because I didn't get any post from Mum this week. I guess she's been busy entertaining Lunette and her new husband?"
"If it's all the same, I'd rather keep talking about what the two of you did at camp," Mage said icily.
Glancing at one another unsurely, Rus then began talking about some of the Whitebridge students who had gone, gravitating towards some of the girls he had an interest in. Quintin knew for a fact that Rus was actually interested in one more than the rest, wondering if Mage would even pick up on it. But then a question was thrown at him, and Quintin looked up to see Mage looking over his sunglasses in the rear view mirror.
"Oh, well… I have a lot of mates that are girls… good mates, just like Rus and Sissy have always been two peas in a pod… but I'm not interested in any specific girl in the way Rus is talking about. Actually, it has more to do with Jeremy than me, really. I'm waiting for him to settle on one so I don't get in his way," Quintin admitted.
"You're going to be waiting a long time then, the way he's been going about it," Rus said knowingly.
"Now then, I know you boys feel as if your jets are ready to go, but there will be plenty of time for girls when you've matured a bit. I agree with your mother, Rus. Since you're planning to go to Healer's School right after Hogwarts, this is no time for you to get committed. Any girls you may be interested in now may not be on your radar by the time you get out… and if any of them are still in your life at that point, then you'll know you might have something real and be able to seize on it," Mage advised, tapping a card at the toll gate and getting on the turnpike.
"Let me know if you want to stop for any reason, bathroom, snacks, or adventure! I haven't seen this part of the country outside of Pittsburgh or New York, and the only instructions I was given was that you needed to be back by Sunday evening," Mage said.
"So this is a full weekend trip? Does my Mum know that?" Quintin asked.
"She's on Lupin Island at the moment washing bottles, so I don't think she cares," Mage explained with amusement.
"Did they finally have a boy?" Quintin wanted to know.
"No, another girl, Alexandria told me that her name is Marianne Jane and that Laura named her."
"That's obvious," Quintin said with a chuckle. "I think she's out of good names now."
"Just how long do they plan to keep trying for a boy before they give up?" Rus said with exasperation.
"Alexandria said that they plan on taking a break and considering it again down the road. Hopefully they're not as long about it as we are," Mage said.
"Are you getting broody?" Rus teased his step-father.
"Well, I would like more than one, after all, but Alexandria is worried about safety. I know it's her job to be paranoid, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of my family no matter what the emergency. If only she trusted me more," Mage complained.
"I think she trusts you a lot," Rus protested. "Except for maybe when it comes to renting classic v8's behind her back."
"Maybe it's better if she doesn't trust me in that respect," Mage decided, earning a laugh as they sped on down the highway.
After their first stop to grab some food, diversions, and put up the hood, they were ready to go again. The wind was replaced by comfortable air conditioning and the two boys acknowledged subtle threats to keep the back seat clean before being allowed to open up their snacks and drinks. The car itself got plenty of stares, but interestingly enough, no attention was paid at all to either of the boys or Mage himself, and Quintin was quite sure it was intentional, allowing them to enjoy the pleasant scenery without having to worry about who might be seeing them or tracking them.
"Those mountains are enormous," Rus commented as he chewed on some licorice.
"They are compared to anything in England, but if you want to be really impressed, you should see the Rockies sometime," Mage said. "We'll be coming up on a tunnel soon."
"That's great, but where are we going? Is it still classified?" Quintin said.
"It must be, because he hasn't taken off his sunglasses yet," Rus reasoned. "Must be a secret vacation before the two of us are doomed to spend the rest of our summer in servitude."
"That'll do, Icarus," Mage said disapprovingly. "You still tend to take your wealth and station for granted on occasion, and that doesn't sit with me. There is nothing wrong with having a summer job; in fact, you should be grateful that work was even offered to you so that you can learn its value. If I catch you disparaging it again, you may find yourself spending the summer on a busking tour with me, and I assure you that it won't be as pleasant after a day of it, especially if the weather turns for the worst. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mage, sorry. I was only joking, I won't do it again," Rus promised.
"How much longer until we get there?" Quintin asked.
"About an hour," Mage replied.
Frowning in annoyance at the word, 'about,' Quintin looked out the window, deciding where they were headed to must be related to the next city they were coming up to. The signs mentioned Harrisburg most often, and Quintin thought back to the year he had gone to school with Jeremy as a child.
"We're getting close to the capital, aren't we? Are we going somewhere historic?" Quintin guessed.
"Technically yes, but it's not in Harrisburg," Mage said mysteriously.
"Oh, it's historic? I thought maybe we were going to the ocean," Rus said, and Mage laughed at that.
"We are nowhere near any oceans," Mage informed him.
"How can we drive for three hours and not be near any oceans?" Rus asked.
"Don't worry, you'll have somewhere to swim when we get there," Mage promised.
"That's not much of a clue. Most hotels are going to have a swimming pool," Quintin complained. "Is it a Wizard place or a Muggle place?"
"Definitely Muggle, so I expect you both to be on your best behavior… and to have loads of fun!"
"How can somewhere that's historic also be fun?" Rus asked.
"You'll be seeing soon enough," Mage promised. "Why don't the two of you start making sure the back seat is spotless for me?"
Quintin and Rus got to work picking up the back, with Rus using his wand to crunch up all of the trash into one little ball so it could easily be disposed of an Quintin using a quick vacuum spell on the crumbs, knowing full well that Mage would catch it if they missed that part. After they finished, they started looking curiously out the windows again.
"Hey, did you see that hedgerow, Rus? I think it said Hershey," Quintin pointed out. "Like the American chocolate?"
"Are we going to Hershey Park?" Rus asked Mage curiously.
"Never heard of it," Mage said.
"I think the driving lane you're in spoils that one, you're fibbing again," Rus called him out with a grin. "Game's up, Mage!"
"Yes, alright! But tonight we're simply going to meet up with Alex and Beatrice and hang out at the room or have a swim or hang out at the hotel, or maybe explore the gardens. It's a historic hotel, but we have some of the best rooms in the place, and plenty of surprises," Mage said. "A sweet way to end the holiday, if I do say so myself."
The area was surprisingly lush and it was not always easy to see the park, but approached a luxury hotel, getting out at valet and going inside to an ornate lobby area, glancing around curiously as Mage led them up to the front desk.
"Sterling, Robert Sterling.. I believe my wife booked us for the Milton Hershey suite until Sunday," Mage said at the desk.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Sterling," said the man at the counter, looking uncomfortable. "I'm terribly sorry, but there were some unforeseen circumstances and some miscommunication as to availability, and I'm afraid that historic accommodation was previously booked, but the Catherine Hershey suite is all yours, with all of the VIP amenities and perks, of course."
"Unforeseen circum - ah," Mage said, letting out a soft chuckle. "I believe I understand now. Our dear old friend Richard must have pulled some strings! No, no, it's quite alright, sir, we're not offended in the slightest that he beat us to the punch. We're in the same business, you see. Did he bring the family?" Rus and Quintin watched Mage with intense frowns, but didn't say anything.
"Yes, Mr. Sterling," the man confirmed.
"Then we should be in for a pleasant time. Thank you," he added as they were handed their room keys and some candy bars, which he distributed to Rus and Quintin.
"It's him, isn't it? Bagman?" Rus asked as they went to the elevators, knowing that Mage wouldn't reply. "Does that mean we won't be able to stay?"
"The fact that he brought his family with him is significant," Mage said in a soft voice after they were in the elevator. "Ludo may play politics with Peter and Garvan, but he has always been careful to keep Cherie and their children out of his business in every way possible. He wants to minimize the fallout to his family should we ever manage to put him away again. Yes, this move of his is a power play, but I doubt we're in direct threat on this trip so long as none of our agents or his agents overreact to each other. The fact that we're in a foreign country adds another layer of deterrent. This is nothing but a show of force in a long game he has been setting up for some time now. So, it is in the best interest of our family and your safety if the two of you simply enjoy your vacation and pretend that nothing is wrong. We must show Ludo that just like he keeps his family out of his business, we are committed to keep Beatrice and the two of you out of our professional business as well. You must pretend that our families are friendly acquaintances. Can you do that for me?'
Rus and Quintin glanced at one another thoughtfully exchanging thoughts silently.
"I'm going to study to be a child psychologist," Rus said.
"I'm going to prove that Symbology is still a worthy field of magic study," Quintin added. "I really don't have any interest at all in going into Ministry work in the slightest, especially not Law Enforcement."
"While I know there's some need for child psychology in Wizard Family Affairs, Connie has things well handled there, and honestly, I really want to go into my own practice anyway, so that politics don't get in the way with what's best for my patients," Rus reasoned. "I do, however, feel I have the right to defend my family if I don't have any other choice."
"I feel the same," Quintin said.
"Then we'll make sure you never have to," Mage said solemnly, and Rus and Quintin both nodded as they stepped off the elevator and Mage led them to their rooms.
"Now, why don't you boys go unpack and get ready to go swimming? I'm going to warn Alex and make some quick arrangements so that we can enjoy our vacation whether Ludo shows up or not," Mage said.
"I bet he will," Rus said seriously. "Why else go to the effort of setting this up?"
"Is that a psychological observation?" Mage inquired, squinting at Rus. "If it is, no psychoanalyzing Bagman either."
"Not my area. That's more Conner's area," Rus decided.
"Go. Change. And eat more chocolate," Mage added, pointing out the welcome bag full of candy.
"Yeah, okay," Rus said. Mage shut the door, shaking his head at the inconvenience before changing forms and flying out the nearest window.
It was a half an hour later while they were watching television that Mage arrived with Alexandria and Beatrice. Alexandria was dressed in shorts and an unbuttoned linen shirt over a tank top; appropriate for someone going to the pool who wasn't interested in swimming. The baby was already dressed in a cute yellow swimming outfit and was wriggling to get down. Alexandria put down Beatrice, and she toddled over to Rus.
"Hello, little sis! Did you miss me? I missed you too," Rus told Beatrice, giving her a warm hug. Then the baby smelled the candy and tried to make her way to the counter.
"Don't let her get into that candy when we're going to the pool, Rus," Alexandria said.
"Oh, that's not fair when we already had some. Maybe a chocolate drop?" Rus asked, getting out one of the Kisses.
"Fine, but that's it. You'll all be more than hyped up on candy when we go to the park tomorrow," Alexandria said.
"Are you sure we can still go now, considering Bagman is here?" Rus asked.
"We will not be intimidated by Ludo Bagman," Mage said firmly. "Changing our plans does nothing but allows him to go unchallenged. It is safer to show strength than it is to back away at this point."
"Mage is right, but don't worry, Rus. We've taken extra precautions," Alex assured him. "Are you guys ready to go? We're going to start out in the indoor pool, but go ahead and put on Sun Potion in case we decide to move outside."
"All taken care of," Quintin assured her.
"Then let's go," Alex said with a smile. Rus picked up his sister and they all went down to the pool.
Alexandria took to one of the chairs as Mage took charge of little Beatrice, getting her used to the water while the two boys jumped in and commented how warm it was, spurring on a conversation about swimming in the lake at camp and commenting about some of the other camper's attempts at passing their swimming exams.
"And just how did you do?" Alexandria asked, leaning forward in her chair to see them.
"I went through lifeguard training!" Rus declared.
"They said I could start it if I go back next summer," Quintin said.
"It's too bad I didn't have a certificate before I committed to helping at the toy shop again this year, or I could have done that during the summer," Rus said.
"True, but now you'll have it as an option as a summer job while you're going through Healer's School," Alexandria pointed out with a smile. "What about you, Quintin? Looking forward to going back to Gribitz Emporium?"
"Actually, I am. Gribitz promised to teach me more about repairing broken springs and gears this year. I think it'll help me in Items class too."
"More than likely," Alexandria agreed. "How's Trixie doing, Mage?"
"She loves it. She's an absolute natural in the water," Mage reported, holding the baby out so she could get used to the floating sensation.
"It makes sense, doesn't it? Like father, like daughter," came the unmistakable voice of Ludo Bagman. He was just inside the glass doors, leaning with his arms folded in only his swim trunks.
"True enough," Mage said unconcernedly.
"Good afternoon, Ludo! I was wondering when you were going to make an appearance," Alexandria said.
"You want to have a contest to touch the bottom?" Quintin suggested.
"Alright, let's go on the deeper end," Rus agreed, doing his best to pretend that Ludo wasn't there.
Ludo walked over to where Alexandria was sitting.
"Not swimming today?" Ludo inquired.
"Family rule. Someone always stays outside the pool to watch the kids whether there's a lifeguard on duty or not," Alex explained evenly.
"That's very wise," Ludo acknowledged. "But just in case you're worried about your nephew Garvan's father on this occasion, you needn't be. This isn't a business trip; I brought the family."
"Oh? And where are they?" Alex inquired.
"Out in the big pool," Ludo said unconcernedly. "I'm surprised you're not out there yourselves! It has a fantastic children's area."
"Thanks, I'm sure we will at some point, but we just got here," Alexandria said with a shrug. "Just why are you in here if your family's out there?"
"Paying my respects, and letting you know what my intentions are," Ludo said.
"I don't think you've told me what those intentions are yet," Alexandria decided.
"My intention is to spend a business-free weekend with my family," Ludo said. Alexandria gazed at him with open skepticism. "And since you're my grandson's aunt, that includes all of you, of course. What do you say? Can we put business aside for one weekend and simply respect each other as family? Go to the parks together, the zoo, dinner… do you like Italian?"
"I take it your butler counts as family," Alexandria said flatly.
"Of course Mr. Tibalt counts as family. He's more than just my wife's bodyguard, you know. He also helps look after the children," Ludo said.
"I also know what he's capable of," Alexandria said dryly.
"He's nothing compared to what you and I know Mage is capable of, surely," Ludo said.
"One on one, maybe. How many did you bring that aren't in view, Ludo?" Alexandria challenged him.
"I could ask you the same," Ludo pointed out.
"Do you mind if I include someone I hired to look over the kids as well?" Alexandria asked.
"That depends. Who exactly did you hire?" Ludo asked suspiciously.
"Hello everyone," Garvan Gamban said, standing in the doorway.
"I hired him, actually," Alexandria said with a smile. "Thanks for coming, Garvan. I wasn't sure if Harry was going to let you off."
"Rel decided to cover for me when he heard the circumstances, but he says you owe him one," Garvan said.
"Any objections, Ludo?" Alex asked.
"On the contrary, it was an excellent choice! Now that Garvan is here, it'll be easier to convince you that my desire for a family gathering is more sincere! With any luck, we may even be able to convince my wife," Ludo added, his overconfidence fading somewhat at that last point, covering it with a look of amusement.
As it turned out, Cherie did need some extra convincing. The buxom blonde was helping her youngest at the spray deck, while Tibalt was watching the other two just a few feet away. She put a hand on her hip when she saw who her husband was with, frowning at him critically.
"I thought this wasn't a business trip, Ludo?" Cherie asked crisply.
"Not at all, not at all, mon cherie, it is a family outing! Everyone is here only to have a good time! Look, even Garvan has come to join the fun, haven't you Garvan?" Ludo coaxed.
"I'm just here to make sure things stay civil," Garvan replied bluntly.
"There, you see? That's reassuring, isn't it? More proof that this isn't in any way a business trip, regardless of the guests who just happened to be staying in the hotel. What a coincidence!" Ludo said.
Mage and Alex both gave him a dirty look.
"Yeah, no. I don't believe it for an instant," Cherie immediately said sternly. "This last minute trip was more than just wanting to take the kids to see a chocolate factory. Whatever happened to raising our kids to be like any other normal wizard family?" Alexandria and Mage both had trouble not rolling their eyes at that.
"There, look, Cherie! Look, they're making friends," Ludo quickly pointed out.
Cherie looked back down again to see that Beatrice had come over and sat beside the other baby with a water spray between them. Experimentally, the two took turns reaching out and trying to stop the spray, splashing the other, until finally they began doing it more enthusiastically and laughing at the other baby's reaction. Cherie's expression softened slightly, but was doing her best to stay firm.
"Besides, since Alexandria and Mage are here with us, you can put your fears to ease for a bit and simply relax and enjoy the day instead of worrying about this old fool for a change, hm?" Ludo added. "Wouldn't it be nice to relax if only for a weekend?"
Cherie glanced at Mage and Alex unsurely, but even their expressions had softened somewhat, then glanced at the babies once more before finally putting her finger up warningly.
"Fine, but no Shakespeare! Not in any way, shape, or form!" Cherie threatened Ludo firmly.
"Of course not, dear! Not in front of the children! No business," Ludo reassured her. "Come now, let's not fight in front of our guests! Why don't you ladies relax and take in some sun while we play with the little ones? Rus, Quintin, I'm sure you're dying to try out the water slide … " he said, then felt his wife's eyes squinting at him again. "Figuratively speaking, of course."
"This is the most bizarre weekend trip I think I've ever had… and I've had a lot," Quintin told Rus.
"I was thinking the exact same thing," Rus agreed, looking back over his shoulder with an almost pained expression. "I almost wish I was their age… at an age they could just have fun and play with each other without knowing that their parents are enemies."
"Every time I try to read Ludo, all I get are sports statistics. Why do you suppose he's doing this? And do you think his wife meant what I think she meant about no Shakespeare?"
"She means he's not allowed to kill us," Rus explained.
"That's what I thought she meant," Quintin grimaced, and followed him up the slide.
It was Cherie who suggested going to dinner together, encouraged as she was by how well Bianca and Beatrice were getting along. But even though her intentions were solely focused on her daughter's interest, Rus couldn't help but wonder why his mother hadn't found some excuse to say no. At the restaurant, Ludo dominated the conversation with his anecdotes as a Quidditch player. Cherie, who had heard them all before, concerned herself more with how her children were navigating a dinner in public.
After that, Rus was grateful to get back to their room, trying to process things by staring at the television without really paying attention to it.
Quintin came in after getting changed to see it was on a local weather channel.
"Looks nice tomorrow," Quintin observed.
"I guess," said Rus distractedly.
"It is a bit much, but cheer up! We're splitting up tomorrow. All the babies are going to the Zoo and on the baby rides, including Alex and Trixie, and Mage is taking us on the big rides."
"I know… I just don't get it, that's all. He tried to kill us," Rus said seriously. Him and those bombs of his, not to mention poisoning people with those letters. What are we doing, dining with him? And how come he's so damned likable when he's a ruthless criminal? What's he really doing here? There's got to be more to this than what we know."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Quintin admitted. "But we promised Mage we'd stay out of it and play along, remember?"
Rus sighed.
"Yes, I know. I'm not trying to get involved, I am just confused, that's all," Rus admitted.
Nodding at that, Quintin took over the remote until Mage reminded them what time they needed to get up.
Sleeping was a mix of taking forever and taking no time at all. But in the morning, Quintin was pawed and jumped on by a cat, followed by Rus, who got his face licked by a dog.
"Okay, okay already," Rus said grumpily. "Stop it, Mage!"
Mage turned back into his human self.
"Let's go! Let's go! Hotel guests get in early, and I want to go on a rollercoaster before anybody else! I've never been here before!" Mage said excitedly.
"Okay, okay! As long as it's just us three," Rus said.
"The plan is it's just the three of us until we meet up at four for an early dinner," Mage said.
"I don't want to go with the Bagmans. Ludo does all of the talking," Rus complained.
"Well, we're going somewhere that you children will feel more comfortable tonight, and there's a game room, because we found a local Quickbrooms," Mage informed them.
"That does sound more promising. I like the idea of something more casual," Quintin said, sitting up sleepily.
"But why are we meeting up with them at all? They're criminals!"
"Well, Ludo is a criminal, and many members of his guard detail are, but Cherie and his children are not. Did you know that his oldest girl just turned five? Cherie said she's going to be going to Hogsmeade Primary," Mage said.
"Yes, my parents were already warned about that some time ago, actually," Quintin admitted. "She's going to be starting school with Seren."
"Doesn't that bother you?" Rus asked him.
"I can't make up my mind," Quintin confessed.
"It'll be okay, Quintin." Quintin looked over at the door to see Garvan leaning on it, gazing in with a knowing smile. "I know this situation is awkward and uncomfortable, and I understand how uneasy you both feel about it and even the reasons why. After all, I went through the same thing, you know. I thought for sure that Maurice was going to drop me as a friend when he found out who my grandfather was. I thought I might get kicked out of Hogwarts. But none of that happened… quite the opposite. We became better friends, and then Thomas and my father became friends, despite the fact that Thomas knew my father was still doing favors for grandfather. That friendship led to my father joining the Ministry and getting us on a better path… one where we could learn to separate Grandfather's family side from his business."
"It's like the Godfather," Mage pointed out, and by the time they turned their heads, he looked like Marlon Brando. "'Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It's more than the government. It is almost equal to the family,'" Mage quoted in a funny accent.
"God, I hate it when you're right, Mage," Garvan said flatly. "But my grandfather prefers Shakespeare."
"That may be, but you can't fault me for seeing some resemblances," Mage replied, then turned to the boys. "Alright! Get up! No more delays, I want to ride roller coasters!"
"Are you going with us, Garvan?" Rus asked.
"No, I'm going to head with the babies. Alexandria thinks there's something on Ludo's mind or he wouldn't have gone to all of this trouble, and while I don't think whatever's going on is unfriendly, I'd rather go as insurance anyway. Mage is more than capable of looking after you two, and I don't think Ludo would try to tangle with Mage anyway. Somehow you earned his respect, Mage," Garvan said.
"Yes, I did it on purpose back when I was still attempting to get Alexandria to give me a second look, actually. I felt that this was one of those cases where earning respect would be a great defense," Mage explained.
"No doubt about that," Garvan agreed. "Have fun, you three! Head to the ZooAmerica entrance at four."
"We'll be there! Quintin will make sure we're there on time," Mage said, then followed Garvan out to give kisses to Alexandria and Beatrice as they left with Garvan to find breakfast.
It wasn't long into the day before Mage realized that Quintin had a very different tolerance for roller coasters than Rus and he did. While he willingly tried every coaster once, he gravitated more for the wooden and gentler coasters, while Mage and Rus liked the faster and twistier coasters the best. Quintin assured them that he didn't mind waiting, but Mage decided he didn't want to risk it.
"We can go on the other wooden racer, or try the log ride or the regular rides," Mage suggested as they came off the Thunder racer. "The park is open late tonight, so perhaps after dinner, we can go back out and ride the coasters again."
"Alright," Rus said with a grin. "So what next?"
"The Whip's here, and the Big Wheel is nearby," Quintin said, then noticed the dramatic change in Rus' thoughts. "Sorry… how about a snack or something? Maybe those crab fries we passed earlier?"
"Yes, let's try crab fries," Rus quickly agreed. "Then maybe we can try the Triple Towers?"
"The Triple Towers are on the other side of the park," Mage pointed out.
"True, but if we're grabbing a snack, it's best if we have time for it to settle before we get on anyway," Quintin suggested.
"Exactly," Rus agreed.
"Very well, I'll buy it for now," Mage replied.
"You definitely have to buy it. I'm broke," Rus said. Before Mage could comment, Quintin laughed.
"You're always broke," Quintin said.
"Then it's a good thing we're going back to work on Monday," Rus reasoned, and the two of them began walking towards the stand. Deciding to let it go for now, Mage caught up, grabbing a veggie sub from a booth nearby and insisted they find a bench to finish before going on any more rides.
In what seemed like very little time at all, Quintin announced only a couple of rides later that it was almost four. Fortunately, they were already close to the zoo entrance. Cherie was already there under a tree, watching the two strollers that Bianca and Beatrice slept in.
"Wow, they're totally out," Rus commented softly.
"Yes, they've had a full day," Cherie agreed.
"Thank you for watching Beatrice," Mage said.
"Oh, no problem. In fact, she was already asleep when we stopped. They just decided to play a game or two while they were waiting," she explained. "Here they are now."
Cordelia and Henry were both carrying bears just the right size to cuddle. Alexandria had one of her own, and Garvan had one sticking out of his backpack. But Ludo had a great big giant black bear that made everyone in the area turn around and stare.
"What are you going to do with that thing? We are going to go eat!" Cherie said with exasperation.
"Don't worry, I promise I will minimize it as soon as we get to where we're going. If we leave by the Zoo entrance, it's only a few blocks away from the shopping area by the museum, where I've been informed there's a hidden wizard area called Wizard Fountain Circle. I'll minimize it and stash it away when we get there," Ludo promised.
Quintin was more than a little curious about what the Wizard area might look like. But then, he was also curious about the museum and regular shops they were passing by.
"It's a shame we won't be able to stay long tomorrow… it looks like there's a lot more here to do," Quintin observed.
"Perhaps we'll have to visit again sometime," Alexandria said, and Mage and Rus agreed.
"The day is still young! I'm sure there's still more fun to be had!" Ludo said.
"Maybe for you, but after dinner, I'm putting these three to bed," Cherie protested. "They have reached their limit for one day, and I'm glad you picked somewhere casual, because I doubt they'll stay awake for more than a bite or two, Ludo."
"I'm terribly sorry, Cherie. You've been helping them all day and haven't had a bit of time for fun," Ludo sympathized.
"I had plenty of fun," Cherie reassured him with a smile. "I got to spend time with my children and see them play and ride and eat ice cream and all of the things normal children get to do. And I didn't have to worry about you being out in public not once, because I knew where your rival was," she said with amusement, glancing at Alex, who grew thoughtful. "I found it very relaxing, so I don't mind heading back to the hotel and putting the kids to bed. Perhaps after they're asleep I can go to the pool and have some 'me' time."
"That would imply I'm not invited," Ludo said.
"I'm sure Garvan could babysit you," his wife said primly.
"Thanks, but I was intending to take Beatrice back, since she's the one I was hired to guard," Garvan said with a chuckle.
"Actually, I'm going back too, Garvan, but Mage and Rus were planning to head to the park and ride some more roller coasters," Quintin said.
"I wouldn't mind going back to the park myself," Ludo declared. "Alexandria, I don't suppose you would act as my babysitter? I don't want my wife to worry about me causing trouble."
"Perish the thought," Alex replied dryly.
"Will that suffice, Cherie?" Ludo asked his wife. She sighed.
"Don't you dare do anything to ruin my perfectly good day," she said sternly.
"I'll be on my best behavior," he promised, and they found the way into Quickbrooms.
It was only an hour later that the two groups went their separate ways and Mage, Rus, Alex and Ludo were back in the park again. Rus and Mage were immediately encouraged to take the lead and decide what to go on. Behind them, Alex was awkwardly walking next to Ludo, ruefully realizing that she was going to have to sit next to him. But Ludo was calm and collected even on rides, and Alex wondered how obvious it was that he stepped off the Wildcat without a hair out of place.
In comparison, Mage was almost embarrassingly animated, shouting and holding his hands up when he could, while Rus seemed like more of a laugher. Little by little, they worked their way back towards the racer coasters and the indoor coaster. But when the light dimmed and the lights came on, Alex suspected that Mage had a different destination in mind.
Did it really have to be here and now, considering the audience, Alex thought. It was definitely less than ideal circumstances to tackle this, and having to openly admit to her son's vulnerability. But just as she expected, Mage paused in front of the Ferris Wheel.
"Look, there's barely any line, Rus, let's go up since it's here," Mage suggested.
"No thanks," Rus said, but when he tried walking further down the path, nobody else moved. "I'm not doing it, so just forget it."
"It'll be alright, Rus. We can all go together," Alex reassured him.
"Now, Alex, this is between them. It has nothing to do with us," Ludo interrupted.
Rus slowly exhaled.
"He's right, it doesn't. I don't want to go up there with you Mage," Rus said firmly. "How I feel about it… you'd just complicate it… it has nothing to do with you."
"It does, and I can prove it. If you want to become a good psychologist, then you also must understand yourself better. Not to become your own therapist, but to better understand your patients. Come along! Or are you afraid to confront your own avoidance of that which cannot be avoided forever?" Mage asked Rus seriously,
Rus frowned, taking time to think it over despite knowing that Mage was right.
"Fine, let's get this over with," Rus said evenly.
"Well, then! I suppose the two of you will have a chance to parlay after all," Mage said to Alex and Ludo, glancing between them.
"So it would seem," Ludo acknowledged. The two of them watched as Mage and Rus made their way up the ramp. "Brave lad you have there. He's a lot like his father," he observed.
"Yes, he is," Alex agreed solemnly.
"As for Mage, he is most decidedly your match," Ludo added, watching them get on board. "Do you recall that first vacation the two of us ran to one another? It was Christmas at Villahexen," he said, glancing sideways at her. He saw her nod. "You had been floundering after his death… so much so that you were making mistakes…"
"Making mistakes?" Alexandria repeated in heated surprise.
"I did manage to procure an Elixir without either of you or your brother Aurelius realizing it," Ludo pointed out. Alexandria grew red. "He has replaced the fake one by now, I hope."
"Where is this conversation going, Ludo?" Alex asked curtly.
"You took my advice that day," Ludo continued calmly. "My advice to start dating and to stay away from anyone you felt was less than your equal hit home with you, else Mage wouldn't be in there by now."
"Ludo, we were a Cosmic Match," Alexandria said with a sigh.
"Which are extremely rare outside of your family. Even inside your family, I've noticed that there seem to be rules to finding one. You must have believed that you weren't destined to meet your perfect match at one point… you may have even been told that you weren't going to, which is why someone as idealistic as you are was at peace marrying your childhood friend despite knowing that he wasn't," Ludo said, not missing the subtle change in Alex's expression. "You and I track one another obsessively, so my observations shouldn't be a surprise. And I definitely noticed a difference in your behavior after we spoke."
"You also overanalyzed my behavior and refused to listen when I attempted to set the matter straight," Alexandria retorted.
"Yes, fair enough. You were a better listener that day than I was," Ludo admitted.
"I knew you were telling the truth. And you were right in that I didn't really want to hear it from anyone close to me. It was harder to deny when it came from someone cold and candid… no offense," Alexandria said.
"None taken," Ludo said. "But perhaps it's a sign you might listen to my advice again under a better occasion."
"Such as now, after managing to overtake our planned weekend with Rus?" Alexandria said flatly.
"It's far from the only reason. I'm sure Cherie's gratitude showed you that much," Ludo pointed out.
"Yes, I get that. I also know that while that Ferris Wheel takes time to get loaded, it's not going to go on forever, so maybe you should tell me what's on your mind," Alexandria suggested.
"Ever since Garvan's declaration that you are family, the game has become more complicated. And while I reserve the right to defend myself if you or your agents ever decide to cross the line -"
"Like my putting you in Azkaban where you belong?" Alexandria interrupted, having no intention of allowing him to address her as if she were the one who was the criminal.
"I would like to meet in a neutral location so we can discuss some clarifications on rules of engagement; especially detailing specifics on parlays, and a more thorough explanation of what is a family event and what is business," Ludo said evenly.
"I could see how that would be to your advantage, but I don't see how it'd be to mine, especially considering how often you've used those rules against me," Alexandria pointed out.
"No, Alexandria, that is not what this is about," Ludo said firmly, "and I am willing to make some concessions as a gesture of good faith."
"Such as? " Alex asked curiously.
"I know the reason why you hired Garvin to look over Beatrice." Ludo said. "You were concerned because you knew that she and Mage were not a part of the original agreement that Garvan made. But family by nature grows and changes. You can assume that family additions are also under Garvan's protection."
"That is good to know, " Alex acknowledged with a thin smile.
"I would also like to offer some advice as well," Ludo continued, watching the wheel as it began to move. "It is about your mother's new protege, Bres from the Otherworld. He is getting a lot of unwanted attention. He cannot walk into a room without causing those who do not understand him to shiver in fear and trepidation, and Worley's political party has every intention of using that against him. Wand1's radio and television channels have already started to increase the rhetoric, reading excerpts out of Defense books and recounting their historic war sins."
"I was expecting that," Alexandria admitted. "That's why Thomas and I acted so quickly to get his ambassadorial papers filed."
"Of course you did. Cutting political red tape is part of your job, but that doesn't keep him from having a target on his back, or from being used as a political pawn in Worley Maxen's game. Worley needs fear and intimidation to further his agenda, and Svartalfar whose race has a questionable past suddenly arriving from Tir Na Nog gives him fuel to work with. The Maxens have every intention of taking over British Wizard society. For their plan to work, he needs to strike enough fear and hatred that people come to him, so that he can appear to be the savior. But he must do it in stages… he is done with testing the waters and is moving on to fear now…hatred comes next. Do you know why the Maxens are moving at such a slow pace, Alexandria?" Ludo inquired.
"Worley and his sister are waiting for their children to mature," Alexandria said evenly.
"Yes, and he is setting the board while he's waiting for two children in particular to have a chance to mature," Ludo said. "But do not take that to mean he will work on your father's time scale. He isn't unlikely to wait all seven years before he acts. The day their remaining children are pulled from Hogwarts is the day the war begins. We must prepare for that day… and part of that preparation needs to be making strange bedfellows, Alexandria. The Maxens and Villins are both our enemies, Alexandria, and they mean to destroy British Wizard society as we know it. It's time that you and I form an alliance to prevent this from happening."
"No," Alexandria said firmly. "Did you really think I forgot what you did to my agents during the spy war? Ambrose nearly died! Mitch and John lost their house, and would have died even before then if the Dash brothers hadn't gotten involved in that barfight. My parents nearly lost their entire Trade Elf staff… and you tried to kill Ben and my children by planting a bomb in the people carrier! Even if I forgave everything else, do you seriously think I would forgive that?"
"I wasn't asking for forgiveness, Alexandria, nor do I particularly want it or need it," Ludo said. "And I find it quite ironic, considering that the Craw family is so loyal to their own that they forgive everything…"
"Everything except betraying family," Alexandria snapped.
"We weren't family then," Ludo pointed out. "But we are now, which is why I am offering this alliance to begin with."
"An alliance is a business proposition, not family business," Alexandria said icily.
"Yes, well… now you see why we need to renegotiate our rules of engagement, because things are getting quite messy. That, my dear, is the main reason that I decided to take this last minute holiday… to demonstrate to you just how complicated our relationship has gotten. Cordy will be going to school with Seren this year… Henry with one of your nieces. And my grandchild and first great grandchild spend most of their time at the Craw Mansion, even after all of these years. It cannot be any easier for you to thread the needle than it is for me."
Alexandria sighed.
"I will meet you at Villahexen with two people I trust, more than likely Garvan and my Father, to negotiate the game rules. But it will not involve an alliance of any kind," Alex said firmly.
"Perhaps if it were something just between us, a personal agreement between Wizard to Witch… as a dire last resort solution if all others have failed?" Ludo suggested quietly.
"You and I have different ideas of how dire that would have to be," Alexandria said evenly.
"Then I will leave that up to you," Ludo said, focusing back on the Ferris Wheel as they began to let people off again. "Simply understand that the offer is available when things become so bleak that even your anger with me fades. They'll be getting off next," he added, and Alexandria turned her attention back to her family.
Mage and Rus got off and came down the ramp more or less smiling, but neither Alexandria or Ludo missed that Rus had shed some tears along the way. There was little doubt, however, that the two of them bonded over the experience.
"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Alexandria asked Rus with a smile.
"Actually, it was pretty awful," Rus admitted. "I may not have been in that cursed big wheel with you, Mum, but my broken heart was," he said, more than a little uncomfortable about the fact that Ludo was standing there as well, no matter how gentle his gaze. Instead, he glanced at Mage. "I've always liked Mage… like a friend or even a familiar when he's in that form. But deep down, I realized on that ride that I never really accepted him as family. I really was trying to… on the surface. I didn't want to reject him outright like Jay did… but part of me did feel the same way… I didn't want Mage to replace my father."
"That would be quite impossible," Mage said solemnly. "But just because I cannot replace him, that doesn't mean that I can't be a father to you too."
"Yes, I understand that now, and I'd like to try to come to terms with it," Rus admitted. "Mum, would you be terribly offended if I started calling him Dad?" he asked her seriously.
"Of course not," Alexandria said. "Your brother might have a problem with it, though," she added ruefully.
"Well, he's at boot camp and an adult now, but I… sometimes I still think I need a Dad," Rus admitted, getting a shoulder hug from Mage. "Even if it is a weird one that speaks all languages, changes shape, and thinks fish should be eaten raw."
"It's a good thing I have a son that can teach me how to be more human… and is good at picking out what rollercoasters are best," Mage added.
"Yes, alright, come on! We're wasting time with all of this talking! The lines are thinning and we need to take advantage. The park won't stay open forever, you know," Ludo insisted, effectively breaking the conversation with his light-hearted banter.
"He's right about that. Where next, Rus?" Alexandria asked, letting him lead the way for the rest of the evening.