A Switch
 
 
 
 

Don winced, moving his shoulders.  Today had been a bitch of a day.  Nothing had gone well.  He'd had to chase three different people before lunch and then found his lunch had been eaten by someone.  Before he could run out to replace it, with much complaining, he had gotten a tip on a case and had to go chase someone else.  He came back and found all his lovers out on a very nasty call, feeling very sorry for them when he found out that it had been six bodies that had been stored in an old sewer pipe.  They were going to stink for days.  It also meant that he was responsible for making dinner because there was no way they'd get done in time to get home like normal people.  Now, he was starving, his paperwork had grown by a few more forms, including answering to a brutality charge from the last guy he had to chase down.  He complained because the only place he could've brought him down was in some garbage.  Better than the busy street he had been heading for, right?  But no, he had to deal with that issue too.  So he was not a happy camper.  He put his head down and silently wished he had it easier for the day.  Just one day of being in school or something.  Something gentle that didn't lead to that much stress.

***

Dawn Summers looked up and sighed.  Bored out of her mind.  She was so bored she'd gladly go hunting demons if she had to.  She looked at Hagrid, giving him a pitiful look.  She couldn't even *see* the creatures he was talking about.  She didn't know why.  She had seen plenty of death.  She should be able to see the Thestrals.  She looked again, they weren't there.  She didn't see any equine-like animals around except for Ginny's mare Apple, and her unicorn honey.  She did see Apple not feeling well so she walked over there, patting her on the nose when she wandered over. "Are you all right, Apple?"  She ran a hand down her side and blinked. "Um, Hagrid?"

"Not now, Dawn."

"Hagrid!" she yelled louder.

"Dawn Summers!"

"She's in fucking labor!" she yelled.  "Someone might want to get Ginny and oh, I don't know, maybe the nurse or even Professor Armwrench or someone?"  Hagrid gaped and she looked up.  "GINNY!  APPLE'S IN LABOR!" she screamed.  Ginny and Luna both came running with Professor Armwrench behind them.  "Unless the rhythmic pains are something else?"

Professor Armwrench laid a hand on her side and nodded.  "She's in pre-labor.  It'll be a few hours before she goes into real labor.  For right now she'll need a stall.  No one will be allowed to touch the foal."  Ginny nodded, going to set one up with Luna's help.  "Miss Lovegood, no.  Only her rider, dear."

"Okay, what can I do to help?"

"Go alert the nurse in case there's a problem and Professor Snape."  She nodded, heading to do that.  He looked at Dawn.  "Good catch."

"Why can't I see Thestrals?"

He blinked at her.  "I have no earthly idea with as much death as you've had to see in your life."  He tested her forehead.  "Hmm.  Your powers are on the blink again, my dear."  She groaned.  "I know, it's not fun.  You'll be able to see them very well in a few hours.  Relax for now.  Encourage Ginny."

"I'm trying.  Hagrid didn't want to listen.  Why am I still stuck in school?"

"Because you needed a few years before you went into the field," he pointed out with a smug look.  "Besides, *someone's* got to protect the school."

"Point," she muttered, heading off to find Professor Snape's new wife.  "Holly?" she called once she got to the potion's hallway.  Snape came out and glared.  "Has Luna gotten to you yet?  Apple's in pre-labor."  He walked off muttering.  "And I can't see Thestrals even though I've staked vampires and things."

He turned to look at her, looking confused.  "That's an odd problem."

"The Prof said my powers are on the blink?"

"Holly's resting."

"Ah.  Even better.  I'm going to Alex's hidden area to sulk.  Okay?"

"No."

"Tough."  She trudged that way anyway before she caused more problems.  Because the last time she had nearly brought down the astrology tower on her head. This way she was in a shielded room and nothing would go wrong.  Even if she did wish she could be in the field today.

***

Don suddenly squeaked and looked at himself when his clothes changed to something highly unusual.  He blinked at the short skirt, knee high socks, button up shirt and sweater vest, plus robe, taking the robe off. "Okay, who in the fuck did this?" he demanded.  "I know I needed a nap but really!  I don't snore that loudly!"

"Yes you do," his boss called, coming out.  She blinked at him.  "That's just....  Is that Harry Potter gear?"

"Yes," he sneered.  "Who did it!" he demanded.

"Don, calm down," Sal ordered.  He was the only other wizard in the homicide division.  "Just stay calm.  None of us did that.  Though, you do look very cute in that outfit."  Don glared at him and he backed his chair away.  "Go home.  Now.  Just go.  I'll watch your desk, just leave from there."

Don huffed and disappeared from the back hallway he headed into before anyone could see him.  He landed at home and started to swear a blue streak mentally.  This was not funny!

***

Horatio looked up, frowning.  "Don's not happy," he said quietly.  Ryan gave him an odd look.  "Somehow he ended up in Hogwart's female student attire."

"Interesting.  Do we know a female student over there?" he prodded.

Horatio moaned and called Alex Dumass's cell phone.  "Check on Dawn.  Somehow your other apprentice ended up in a school girl skirt, Alex.  Not funny.  He was asleep when it changed.  Yes, I'm quite sure.  He's still swearing. It's been a few minutes now.  You might want to check on Dawn.  See if they're hers."  He hung up on more laughs.  "They're not going to be helpful."

Ryan shrugged.  "I'm hoping it was an accidental thing."

"Me as well.  Can you imagine him in her usual belly shirts?"

Ryan frowned, then shook his head quickly. "Only if he's wearing glitter too."  He got back to work while Horatio tried to get that mental image out of his head.

***

Mac looked up at the sudden and intense swearing, blinking at it.  He tried to calm Don down but he wasn't having any luck.  He had to focus on the defense attorney asking him pointless questions.  He did send a note to Danny or Stella to fix that for him.

Stella looked around then at Danny.  They had been stuck at this crime scene when Mac had been called early to testify.  She tried to calm Don down.  It wasn't working.  Danny snapped at him to shut up, that worked.  Then he got him calmed down so he wasn't screaming any more.  Danny almost snickered at the mental image of Don in Dawn's school uniform.  The short skirt especially.  Don mentally slapped him and went to sulk, shutting them out.  "Call the school?"

"Do phones work there?"

"Fine, send a message with the charmed quills I had you make."

"It's at home, Danny."  He gave her a pointed look and she moaned, going to get her wand from the truck so she could summon it.  One quick note later and she regloved and came back to work on this very nasty scene.  "I'm going to be bathing in lemon juice forever."

"We'll run a bath and soak in it," he quipped.  He looked around then at her.  "Where's the coroner's people?"

"I don't know.  Or our patrol officers."

"Mac's gonna kill someone."

"Ya think?" she joked.  She sent more soothing thoughts at Don, getting back a huff and her being shut out of his mind as well.  No, their lover was not a happy person, even if the spell to change his clothes back to his normal ones had changed it to Dawn's belly shirt and really tight jeans instead.  Which had to hurt since she was smaller than he was.

***

Tony looked up and shuddered.  "Oooh."  McGee looked at him since they were together.  "Someone slipped.  Looks like Dawn and Don Flack changed clothes by accident."

"Ow.  Can he fit into her things?"

"With what's going on?  Not much of a choice," he admitted quietly.

"Gossiping is not gathering evidence," Gibbs snapped.

"Sorry, boss," Tony called.  "Trying to block out the mental swearing."

"Stub your toe?" he asked dryly.

"No, Don."

"Why?"

"Somehow Dawn's clothes ended up on him while he was napping at his desk at work."

Gibbs considered that statement then shuddered for the first time he'd ever seen.  "I'd swear too."

"Anything he puts on turns into her things," Tony said blandly.  "He even tried it the normal way and it didn't work."

"Poor guy."

"Danny and Stella have six or so bodies buried in an ancient and mostly presently unused sewer pipe under some accumulated stuff that's best not dwelt on."

"I like this hit and run just fine," McGee decided.  He had been complaining because the body had fallen into a patch of poison ivy.

"Yeah, I'm thanking a lot of deities that I won't be bathing in lemon juice tonight too," Tony agreed.  "Mac febreezed before court and it didn't help either."

"Ewww," Ziva complained.

"What?"

"Cow pancakes."

"Patties," McGee corrected. "And I don't think it was a cow out here, Ziva.  There's probably not any within fifty miles."

"There's a place up the road that has miniature horses," Tony offered.  He got back to work on the sketch of the scene.

"Like ponies?" Ziva asked.

"No, like the size of a sheepdog," Tony corrected.  "They're pets.  They're actually pretty cool.  Just little horses."  He shrugged and continued to work.  "They live indoors and everything.  Smarter than dogs too."

"You still have a rabbit, DiNozzo," Gibbs reminded him.

"I know, boss.  We're still deciding what to do with him."

"I'll talk with Horatio and Mac later."  He looked at the pile of crap.  "Bag that too, let's see if it's relevant."  She gave him a horrified look. "It's at the crime scene, Officer David."

"I did the last one," Tony said before she could foist it off on him.

"I did the one before that and Kate got the one before that," McGee agreed.  "It's your turn.  Unless you'd like to come over here and search among the poison ivy?"  She got to work scraping up the sample.  He went back to trying not to scratch. So did Tony.  "Hey, Boss, I could use a hand.  There's something stuck halfway in the dirt and I don't have a trowel.  Can you get it out of the truck for me?"  He went to get it, handing it over while he looked at what he saw.

Tony sketched it in too and made notes about the biological sample found near the body as well.

***

Dawn looked at the suit she was now wearing.  "Huh.  That's a new one."  She got up to look in the mirror, casting a fitting charm since the owner was clearly bigger than she was.  She didn't look too bad in the guy's suit either.  And hey, it was a nice suit too.  It was even pastel so she could take off the tie and undo a few buttons to make it look like a woman's suit.  Which she did and then sat down again.  She had *no* idea how this one had happened.  Even when Snape came in.  "Well, I didn't pull the castle down on me," she said lightly.  "But apparently one of the guys I know has my uniform in his closet or something."

He stared at her.  "Go change."

She flicked her wand and it changed to a new suit.  Which she refit for herself and took off the tie.  He glared and she shrugged. "You saw me try."

"Go try manually."

"It'll be the same outcome," Harry said from behind him.   He looked at Dawn and blinked.  "Flack is going to be quite pissed if he can't have those put back into his own size."

"Oops?"

"Dawn, he was in the middle of work!" he complained.

"I didn't do it!"

"Somehow you two did it together," Harry said.  "And while it's okay on your end, he's stuck in your clothes."

"He'd better not stretch them out," she said petulantly.

Harry walked in and patted her on the head, then smacked it.  "Learned that off Abby," he said happily.  "Let's go fix this.  Now."  She sighed but followed him.  "Thank you for watching over another surge, Professor Snape.  Alex is still trying to figure this out."

"It is cyclical but not her hormones."

"No, it's probably the boredom cycle.  We all had it."

"Well, I was tragically bored today," Dawn admitted. "I'm sorry, Professor Snape."

"Just fix it," he demanded.  They nodded and headed down to the apparation barrier with her dog trotting behind her and Keelian sneaking away from Hagrid's hut to join them.

"Go to New York."

"Don or Danny's?"

"Danny's."  She nodded and left with the animals.  He looked up.  "At least I don't have that problem too," he said, trying to look on the bright side.  He disapparated and appeared a few minutes later in Danny's living room.  Of course the house elf started to shriek when he saw how dusty he was.  "Hush!"  he ordered.  "It's just dust!  It'll clean.  Don'll have this too when he works in the field on his vacations."

Their house elf glared at Don.  "You would be messing up Taps pretty and clean house?"

"Not really.  I don't get too dirty most of the time."

"I don't either but Ron's managed to break his arm in a way that means it can't be healed by any healing potion or spell Draco knows of," Harry said dryly.  "Alex said he's already been in there once before so it was my turn."  He pointed at Dawn.  "She was bored."

"I wanted an easier day," he admitted.  "Even if it meant being in school for a day."

"Ah, so the magic connected and switched your clothes.  Good.  Now fix it."  He disappeared, going to find Abby so he could get a hug.  Sometimes he hated working in the field.  The guard there gave him an odd look.  "Just in from the field.  Wanted a hug.  She busy?"

"A bit but she probably has time for a hug," he admitted, calling Abby.  "Your boy's here.  Dusty and nasty.  Said he's just in from the field and needs a hug."  She hung up and came down the stairs a few minutes later to give him a full body cuddle there in the entry.  He smiled at that.  The boy did cling to her like she was his sanity, which was a strange thought when one thought about Abby, but it was something every woman in love deserved to be for somebody.  He tried to let go but she didn't so he went back to squeezing her.  She finally let him go and looked at him.  The boy smiled back.  She gave him a good, long, with tongue, kiss and then she went back to work, dusting herself off all the way to the elevator.

Harry smiled.  "She does brighten my day considerably," he said happily, heading off again.  He disapparated from the appointed spot and headed back to New York, finding them still in the wrong clothes and Danny trying hard not to laugh.

Danny grinned at him.  "Got an infusion of Abby?"

"I got a hug and a great kiss."

"Good for you, Harry.  I'll make sure she gets back.  Go get less dusty somewhere the house elf won't scream."

"Not my fault Alex had to dust something in the dirty and nasty tomb, repeatedly.   It kept coming back!"  He disappeared at Danny's amused look.

Danny looked at them.  "Okay, guys.  Let's work on this.  Don, start with power flows and work out from there.  You passed your beginning curse breaker stuff already."  He nodded and started working his way through what it could be.  Danny went to take another shower.  Because even with a 'no smelling' charm he could still smell his own stink.  Stella came in with the fresh lemons, a huge bag of them.  There'd be enough for them and Mac unless they decided to soak in it.

Don finally found the link and studied it, then broke it.  Dawn twitched at that.  He broke the link that one had been hiding too.  Then he glared at her.  "Those had better fit me or Alex is buying me new ones."

"I only did the fitting charm, Don.  Chill out."  She switched their clothes back to what the other was wearing and undid both fitting charms, making him smile.  "Do the other one now.  It should be in your closet."  He got up to look, coming out with it since he couldn't undo the fitting spell.  She did and he was once again a happy person.  She stood up but Don hugged her.  "Can I come work with you?"

"Today I got to miss lunch, chase three people down, had to pounce on one in garbage so he wouldn't run into a really busy street and get hit.  Got accused by him of being too rough so I've got a good few days with the stupid bastards down in IAB for that.  Plus paperwork, plus the other open cases, plus the lack of lunch since mine got taken and a new tip came in when I went out to get lunch.  I basically passed out from hunger at my desk before that happened.  Or you could go be as dirty and nasty as Harry is.  Don't you have a break coming up?"

"Soon," she sighed, hugging him again.  "I realize the drawbacks but I'm bored stupid, Don."

"Then beg Alex to find you a special project, Dawnie.  That you're not bored as stupid."  She nodded and went back to cuddling him.  "Nearly as good as Ron?" he teased.

"Yup and he's apparently as nasty as Harry was with a broken arm.  I haven't heard anything in a week from them."

"That might be why."

"Maybe."  She snuggled in better and yawned. "You're very comfortable."

"You nap if you wanna," he agreed, sitting them back down.  She curled against his side and he got to pet her dog and the dragon.  He even sent Tony a thought that Keelian was there in case Gibbs wanted to see him.  He liked the dragons.  "Did you hear how Beaua came to me at work?"  He looked down, finding her asleep.  "Hogwarts must be pretty noisy," he soothed, stroking over her hair. "No rest for the wicked."

Mac came in and smiled at the pretty picture they made, taking an actual one of them.  "What happened?  I heard the swearing."

"Hers and my clothes suddenly switched."

"Okay.  Any idea why?"

"Fixed.  Mac, no offense, but go get lemon scented please?  You stink and I need ta eat.  I can't with how you stink."  He nodded, going that way.  "Burn those clothes too!"

"I'll wash them with descenters, Don," he promised.

"Yeah, like that's helped so far."  He wrinkled his nose, shuddering some.  Dawn yawned at him.  "Sorry about the stink.  Really rotted bodies in an old sewer pipe."

"Ewww."

"So, you wanna be a CSI?" he teased.

"No.  Never did and I'm sure I don't now," she promised.  Her nose wrinkled again.  "Can we hop somewhere else?"

"Sure."  He sent a thought at them saying he was going to go visit Speed.  Speed sent back an 'I'm home come on down'.  So they left with the dog and the dragon.  He grinned at them, handing over Dawn when she moved to hug him with a yawn.  "Thanks.  Six gooey dead bodies in an old sewer pipe."

"Been there, done that," Speed promised, letting Dawn sit down and fall back asleep.  "Long day?"

"Actually I think it's the anti-skipping spell on Hogwarts," Don admitted.

That got a grin.  "Thankfully our school never could figure out one of those or someone broke it for us."  He patted Dawn's dog on the head.  "Hey, Midnight."  He barked and wagged his tail.  "Good boy!"  He lapped him then crawled into his mommy's lap to let her cuddle him like she usually did when she slept.  Him being a chow meant he was a good size for a cuddle.  "And you as well, Keelian."  The dragon steamed happily and found a patch of sun on the table to lay in, sighing in pleasure while he basked.  He grinned.  "Come help me in the kitchen.  Eric'll be home soon."

"Please, God, let me nibble," Don begged while he followed him.  He washed his hands.  "Taps got mad because Harry was dirty."

"They can do that.  Scrubby would've thrown an absolute fit."  That got a smile.  An OCD elf for an OCD wizard, it worked out well.  Speed let Don nibble on some of the veggies he was using for the salad while they cooked the meat and rice together.  He kept an ear out for Danny but he was still scrubbing with lemon juice.  "Doorstop?" he called.  She popped in with pins in her mouth.  "Helping Eric's mother?"  She nodded, smiling at him.  "Good girl.  When you're done, go help Taps with Danny, Mac, and Stella please?  They had a really smelly set of bodies today and even lemon juice can't remove it."  She nodded eagerly and went back to helping with her first job, getting Scrubby to go up first.  If anything needed cleaned, Scrubby was the house elf to call.  Scrubby told her to bring up something when she came so when she got the dress pinned, she did that.  They were smelly people today.  But this house elf cleaning potion worked very well, even on peoples.

Eric came home and smiled at Dawn.  "We have guests?" he asked, taking a kiss.

"Somehow hers and my clothes got switched," Don said dryly.  "I was taking a quick nap at my desk while I passed out from hunger and woke up in her uniform."

Eric gaped then burst out laughing.

"Not funny, Eric," he called.  "Unless you wanna end up in a skirt too?"

"No thanks.  It's very cute that you did though.  Anyone get pictures?"

"No."  He glared at him and pulled his wand to change his clothes into it for him.  "Ha."  He went back to helping cook.

Eric looked at himself, then at him.  "No fair!"

Horatio and his nephew both came in and Ray Junior blinked.  "I thought the skirts in New York were short."  Eric stomped off.  "Cute legs, Eric.  No wonder you got so many women back in the day."

His uncle patted him on the back.  "Play with the dragon, Ray."  He walked into the kitchen, making Speed smile and kiss him.  "I heard, Don.  Change them back."  Don sighed and undid it.  "At least he won't laugh anymore."  He gave him a hug and Don hugged back.  "It'll be fine and we'll send Dawn home in a few minutes."  He nodded and went back to nibbling and helping Speed.  "Missed lunch?"

"You didn't hear that rant?"

"It was at a lower volume so I managed to block it out," he admitted.

"Someone stole mine and I had ta chase someone down and pounce 'em into some trash bags instead.  So I got a new complaint against me, no lunch, and then that when I passed out from hunger.  Plus the other three are really smelly."

"It happens," he promised.  "We're having Ryan over, Speed."

"I heard you earlier, H.  Go change."  Horatio went to take off his suit and get into more casual clothes.  Dockers and a less formal shirt.  Speed looked at him.  "See, not an imposition at all."  He heard a pop and looked out, finding Philip Callahan, former priest and now Headmaster of Hogwarts, standing in the living room.  "They stunk so he brought her down here."

"That's fine," he said in his own gentle Irish accent.  "I tried up there first."  He smiled at them.  "Did you need her for something?  I know she's bored."

"Philip, hers and my clothes changed earlier while I was at work," Don complained.  "I ended up in her uniform."   Philip gave him an 'I'm sorry for you' look and a pat on the arm.  It was nice he didn't laugh.  "She's very bored."

"I heard.  I'm gonna let her do some cursed books we've got stored this weekend.  There's a lot of little projects like that around the school.  We've been waiting for a trainee cursebreaker to do 'em for us," he assured Don, making him smile.  He applied the anticharm, making Midnight woof quietly.  "Good day to you as well, Midnight.  Time to come back to the school now."  The dog climbed down, waking Dawn up.   "Dawn?"

She blinked up at him.  "Sorry, needed a nap."

"It's the anti-sneaking off charms," Speed told her, smiling from the kitchen.  "Go ahead and head back since it's fixed.  He's even found a way for you to not be bored."

"Finally!"  She stood up and gathered her dog, looking at the dragon on the table.  "Keelian, Apple's having her egg.  Come see?"  The dragon growled.

"I don't think he likes baby anythings," Don said dryly.  He petted the dragon, getting a content sound.  "Go back to the school."

The dragon growled again and Ray Junior came over to look at him.  "You're a dragon?  I thought you'd be bigger and meaner."

"He's only a wee one," Philip assured him.  He looked at Don.  "Make sure he gets back tonight or early tomorrow somehow."  Don nodded and he left with Dawn and her dog.

Ray Junior came closer to look over the beast.  Keelian lunged up and licked him up the face, making him shriek.  The dragon just smirked and laid down again.  "Fine, I won't look at your scales."

Horatio held in a laugh until he made it back upstairs to help Eric out of the skirt that didn't have a zipper or elastic.  Eric pouted.  "The dragon's staying for a bit."

"Okay."  He finally got free and put on shorts and a t-shirt, heading back down to look at the new creature.  It licked him too, making him groan and go clean his face.

"I think that's a 'you're blocking my sun, human'," Don called.  He moved behind the dragon to pet him and he seemed to like that so Ray Junior came to look him over that way.  The dragon only sighed as they petted him.  He looked at Ray.  "He's a good dragon.  He adopted Ron in Brazil.  Couldn't eat him so he decided Ron was mommy."  Ray snickered at that.  The other one came in the back door so he glared at him.  "Hey, Speed, another visitor."

"Charming.  There'll be extra."  Someone knocked.  "That's probably Ryan, let him in."

Don went to answer the door.  "Yelina."  He let her in.  "Watch out, Keelian's on the table."

"What's a Keelian?"

"He's a baby dragon," her son said, nodding her over.  She smiled at the lizard stretched out, petting him too.  At least until the dragon got up and stretched, then looked at her and started to wiggle his way down her shirt.

"What are you doing!" she screeched.  She was trying to stop him but he was slicker than he looked.

"Most baby dragons are shirt divers.  Stomachs remind them of how mommy dragons growl," Don offered. He went back to helping Speed cook.  "How long should it be before they don't stink?"

"Days," he said dryly.

"What made them stink?" Eric asked.

"Six bodies in an old sewer pipe," Don said, nibbling on a piece of carrot Speed had handed him.

"Eww," Yelina said.

"Yeah, that's why I'm down here," he agreed.  The new person came over to help her get the dragon out but she slapped him.  "Buddy, maybe you shouldn't do that," he said firmly, hand on his gun.  "Before I shoot you or something, okay?"

"It's the meth infected sperm donor," Ray Junior told him.  "They used to be his to play with."  He punched his father.  "There, now I'm no longer torn between giving you a hug for being alive and kicking your ass."   He looked at the lump of dragon.   "Mom's not amused, Keelian, you might wanna come out before you're grounded too."

She looked down her shirt, then headed into the bathroom to take it off and remove him and his tail that had wrapped itself around her waist and down the back of her pants.  She kicked him out of the bathroom so she could put it back on, doing up an extra button this time.

Ryan was let in by Ray Junior.  "Hi again."  He handed him something.  "Here, for your studies."

"Thanks."  He sat down to look at the new book.  "Watch out for the crawling one."

Ryan looked.  "I've heard stories about you, Keelian.  Already crawled down someone's shirt?"  The dragon climbed up the table leg and back onto the sunny spot, going back to basking.  "You need a day on the beach," he teased, petting him gently.  "What can I do to help?"

Horatio came back down.  "We're going over what we're doing about the trial starting tomorrow," Horatio reminded him.  He looked at the dragon.  "We'll be eating there soon.  You can't have it."  The dragon growled at him.  He pushed him off the table, getting an offended look.  "My sunny spot.  Go lay on the back porch."  He opened the door and the dragon found that the wood was warm so he laid out there instead.  He let Calleigh in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  "Watch out for Keelian."

"He likes stomachs," Yelina said from her spot in a chair, staring at her husband.

"Stomachs are nice to rest on," she said happily enough.  She handed over what she had brought, a pie, getting a smile from the trio and Ray Junior.  "So, what's up?"

"The trial starts tomorrow," Ryan told her.  "I'm not sure why Don's down here."

"Stinky people at home after a body dump in an older sewer pipe," Don called.

"Ah.  No wonder my elf left to help."  Don nodded at that.  "I hope she can, Don."

"If not, I'll go see if Tony needs cuddled tonight.  Keelian likes Gibbs almost as much as Beaua does."

"What is Keelian?" Ray Senior asked.

"A baby dragon," Don told him.

"So you're like Horatio?"

"Yup.  Only I'm a cursebreaker trainee."

"Huh?" Ray Junior asked, looking at him.  "Is that hard?"

"Yes, and dirty most of the time.  When Harry showed up with Dawn Taps started to nag him for being so dirty."

"Oh.  Never mind."  He went back to his reading.

"But hey, I got sent a dragon egg.  I've got a cult," Don said fondly, smiling at Horatio.  "I'm a blessed man."

"You are," Horatio agreed.  "Your local cult members are very nice and helpful.  That one took a deal for life instead of death and they were very helpful through it."

"Good.  I'm hoping that one girl gets into a good school."  He finished his chopping and handed it over to Speed, who smiled and added it to the pot he was working on.  "Anything else I can do?"

"Not yet."

Calleigh squealed as the dragon dove down her shirt, trying to get it out.

"We warned you," Ray Junior said dryly.  "When Dawn took me shopping she said he does it to her all the time."

"Beaua doesn't but then again she likes Gibbs more and he's not really focused on breasts," Don agreed.  "That one adopted Ron so maybe it's the personality of those they adopt?"

"No, all baby dragons are that way," Horatio assured him.  "Beaua's being fussy about her pick of stomachs to listen to."

"Oh.  Well I guess that's understandable.  Once you've had Dawn, Ginny, Luna, Abby, and Greg's wife Emilia, there's not much higher ta go."

"Keelian doesn't like Ginny or Luna's chests," Speed reminded him.  "Danny said so and that they don't stink.  Taps?"  Taps showed back up.  "Do they still smell?"  He sighed and nodded, getting something and heading back.  "Looks like Tony might need cuddles tonight after all, Don."

"He's a good one ta cuddle," he said with a small shrug and a grin.  "Doesn't hog the bed and lets me be an octopus."

"True, you can be."

"Hey, Don, how do you do the animagus stuff?" Ryan called.

"It's a potion to key the change, some work to see what you are inside, and then you mentally say the quiet words."  He changed to a dog and walked over to let him pet him or test him, however he wanted.  Ryan smiled and petted him but also checked his magic.  He groaned because Ryan had nearly as good of fingers as Tony did.

Horatio shook his head, going to help Speed.  He got shooed out.  "I can cook."

"I do it better.  Go start the briefing.  I'll be there in ten more minutes."  He went back to cooking, looking at Horatio's brother when he came in to get some water.  "Have a bad day?"

"Not really.  I have enough evidence to bust the last people I'm working on."

"Even better."  Someone pounded on the door.  He changed Ray Senior into a mouse and put him on his son's lap, letting him hand him to his mother while Horatio got the door.  The US Marshal on the other side didn't look happy.  "What's going on?"

"I'm here after a fleeing suspect," he said, stepping inside.  He looked at Horatio.  "Lieutenant, this may come as a shock but someone's said they've seen your brother in Miami and he's escaped federal custody."

"Was he being charged?" Yelina asked.

"No, ma'am, I think he's turned evidence on someone.  I was told he was a suspect but the rest of the discussion on him sounded more like they were protecting him."

"He hasn't been here," Ray Junior said, not looking up from his book.  "Sorry, dude.  If I see him, I'll kick him in the nuts then hand him over."

"Thank you, sir."  He looked at Horatio.  "Have you seen him, Lieutenant?  We tracked him coming here earlier."

"Not yet.  You can search the house if you want."  He nodded, going to do that while Horatio closed the door.   Then he had to let him out when he didn't find him.  "I hope you do find him and I would like to know what's going on," he ordered.

"As do I, Lieutenant. Thank you for your indulgence and call me if he should appear," he ordered, handing over the card.  "Perhaps you can find out from him."  He walked back out to the car.  They'd be watching the house just in case.  After all, they had been brothers.

Speed looked at the mouse.  "I can't change you back without him seeing you but I can do something so you can speak."  The mouse glared at him so he turned him into a house elf.  Yelina pushed him off his lap.  "There."  He walked off muttering.

Don looked at him.  "At least you didn't give him clothes."

"No, not hardly."  He went to check on dinner then came back out.  "Okay, we've got twenty minutes until food.  Calleigh, hate to say it, but can you remove him?  I'm having mental images of what you'd look like pregnant."  She growled at him.  "It does."

"It does," Eric agreed, smiling at her. "Did I tell you Marisol is?"

"You hadn't," she said, getting up to retreat to the bathroom to remove him and then put her shirt back on.  She came out and Yelina gave her a sympathetic look.  "You too?"

"Immediately when he saw me.  Go lay outside, Keelian.  It's warmer."  He huffed but went back to laying in the sun.

"Someone could put on those earrings," Speed offered with a bright grin.  "Give him a comfy resting spot?"

Ryan glared at him.  "It had better not be me."

"No, I was thinking Eric.  He and Keelian could appreciate the breasts together."  His head rocked from Tony complaining about that mental image.  "Sorry, Tony said that would be nearly as bad as him doing it again."  He grinned at Eric. "You wouldn't mind, right?"

"Yes I would.  My mother would make me marry one of you within the day."

"Probably very true," Horatio agreed.  "Who did she decide Marisol was marrying?"

"I think she's going to come ask you tomorrow, H."

"I'm seeing you.  That might get awkward with the four of us in the same bed."  Calleigh blushed at that.  "Didn't realize?"

"Wasn't wanting to know, boss."

He smiled.  "Thank you, Calleigh."  He went to check on dinner then came back out.  "All right, we've all seeing the information we've been able to dig up, correct?"  They all nodded.  "Any thoughts?"

"Can't Speed stick Tony in those earrings?" Ryan asked.

"He'll get stuck permanently if we do any gender reassignment on a long term or linking into his magic basis," Speed told him.  "Then he'd have to marry someone protective, like Gibbs, to save him from his family."  He looked at Horatio again.  "But I could do a great set for you.  Eric?"

Eric looked at him like he was insane.  "Do we need to do something special to make you sane?  Did Alexx not bring you back correctly?"

"He was always like that according to the thought Tony just sent down," Don said dryly.  "It used to be him and Tony against Danny when they pranked each other."

"We were powerful, bored, creative, and had read most of the library.  We turned Danny into a real zombie for almost three hours one day because we were bored.  Got us out of creatures."

Yelina looked at her brother-in-law.  "Did your class do that?" she asked patiently.

"No, but we were known for going to visit strip clubs in Times Square," Horatio admitted.  Ray Junior giggled at that and Ray Senior came back in one of Horatio's t-shirts.  "Ray."

"Brother Master."  He covered his mouth and glared at Speed.

"Had ta make it look realistic," he said with a bright grin.  "Anyone want drinks?" he asked as he headed for the kitchen.

Ryan looked at Eric.  "We need to protect each other from him."

"If he does that to me, he's not getting sex for a month.  We'll tie him to the couch and make him listen."  Horatio gave him an amused look.  "I will!"

"Unlike you I can go a month without sex," Speed called.  "I've went longer in the past, Eric."

"Crap," he muttered.

"It was a good threat," Calleigh assured him.  She saw the sneaking dragon and held down the top of her shirt since she didn't have more buttons to do up.  "Have we figured out what they're fishing for yet, Horatio?"

"Not yet," he admitted, sitting down.  The dragon settled in his lap, giving him a 'pet me' look.  He stroked him a few times then quit.  The dragon steamed.  He glared at him.  "You have been taught manners by Dawn."  The dragon settled in to be adored, as was proper.  He went back to it, looking at her.  "I'm not sure what we'll be asked.  They could be fishing for information about Speed.  They could be fishing for information to discredit the lab.  If they ask, start off with 'I'm not sure since I didn't process any of the evidence' or something similar as it fits the question."

Ryan nodded.  "I found the lawyers going at it," he admitted.  "I haven't been able to scry one.  He's in a protected building.  One of the ancient ones that's built with special framework and the like."

"Like the one in Ghostbusters?" Ray Junior asked, looking up from his reading.  Ryan nodded.  "I didn't know you could do that."

"You can.  Magical architecture is a very diverse and somewhat theoretical field."  Ray nodded at that and went back to reading.

"Danny's got a book on the top few examples of magical architecture and what makes them so special if you wanted to borrow it, Ray," Speed offered.  "The trio's library is pretty diverse."

"I haven't seen that in ours," Don said, looking confused.

"It's not, we have one hidden space left and it's there.  We've had to hide others there in the past."  He looked at Horatio.  "He wouldn't care, right?"

"He can't get in without us sending him," Tony said as he appeared.  He looked at Don.  "I've had a crappy day.  We didn't get to the hostage in time."

"Then I'm yours to cuddle while Danny stinks."  That got a gentle smile.  "Thanks for hiding me from the stench, guys.  Keelian, coming?"  He swished his tail but didn't move.  "Okay."  He went with Tony, going to cuddle him because he needed it.  He'd had days like that too.

Horatio smiled at his family and lab.  "Okay.  Speed, dinner?"

"Soon.  We noticed I wasn't called even though they know I'm back?"  Everyone nodded.  Ray the house elf came out with drinks, still grumbling that he was feeling the need to serve others.

***

Calleigh cornered Horatio before she left, looking at him and the dragon lounging on his shoulders.  "Horatio, what did you need the letter for?" she asked quietly.

He looked at her.  "Someone moved his body."

"Are we moving it back?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure yet, Calleigh.  We're still trying to figure that part out."  He gave her a hug.  "It'll be all right and I think I gave it back, right?"

"You did.  Ryan made some very small cuts.  Thank you."  She looked at him.  "Is he like Ray?" she asked quietly.

He sighed, looking at her.  "No."  She slumped.  "He was done like Speed."  She looked at him.  "He's in their hidden spot," he admitted.  "I'm sorry, Calleigh.  I have no idea what is going on."

"Who?" she whispered.

"Willow."

"Can we change her back from the book to kick her around some?"

Ryan came out and shut the door.  "According to what I got off Dawn when she asked her, she thought it'd make others happier," he told her, coming over to stand on her other side.

"I'm...."

"I know," Ryan agreed.  "Right now the memories and the reality are colliding along with the fantasy person you built up from the happy memories."  She nodded at that.  "For right now, think.  Then we'll figure other things out."  She nodded, going home.  He looked at Horatio.  "I know someone who can dream walk, should I ask them to try?"

"No.  For now, stick with the plan, Ryan."  He nodded, heading off too.  He looked at the dragon, who was staring at him.  "What?"  The dragon swished his tail and let out a bit of steam, then looked up.  "Hmm.  It's dark over here when it's sunny at home.  Want to go home?  It'll be sunny there soon."  The dragon nodded so he sent him home as a portkey.  He went back inside, going to clean up the mess.  "Yelina, do you want the other one?"

"Not really," she admitted.  "I'm still thinking."

"That's fine.  Ray, are you staying?"

"If I could.  I've got tomorrow off so I was thinking about going out to the club tonight?" he offered hesitantly.  His mother shook her head. "I'll be safe."

"No, son."

"Sorry, mom."  He looked at him then at his mother.  "Should I come home?"

"You can.  I'm calmed down again."  He nodded, taking his new book up to grab his trunk of things and bring it back down.  "Must you bring that?"

"Mom, we've already had one person break into the house," he pointed out.  She sighed and nodded, letting him bring it. "Night, Uncle Horatio, Speed, and Eric."

"Night," Speed called, waving at him.  He smiled at his boyfriends.  "Bed?"

"Bed," Horatio agreed.  Eric raced up the stairs, making them both smile.  "Ray, find a bed and rest," he ordered, following once he had made sure the house was locked up tightly.

Ray the house elf settled on the couch.  He knew he deserved to be punished but this was more than he deserved!  The one who lived here popped back and gave him an odd look.  "Speed sir changed me."

Taps hugged him.  "At least yous is being a male house elf and not female house elf.  Otherwise others might want to get into house elf cuddle pile with yous."  He went to check the kitchen then do the dishes.

Ray senior shuddered in horror and cuddled himself to ward off that thought.  He didn't deserve that either!

TBC...

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