21. Exchanging Information
When Severus got up in the morning he realised why the Dark Lord had picked the day after the full moon for a meeting. Greyback would be on his best behaviour after being worn out from his recent transformation and being out hunting all night. When the werewolf had his full strength back he was still somewhat of a wild card even for the Dark Lord. But the Dark Lord needed the werewolves, so he gave Greyback, who was the alpha of all the packs a break here and there.
Severus thought for a split second about Lupin who would have to do without the Wolfsbane Potion now. He sat down at the table with some coffee. He couldn't shake the feeling that something major was happening soon.
He saw Bobbie coming out of the bedroom and he pushed a mug of coffee over to her. "Thank you, Baby," she said. "You are up early. Are you okay?"
"I have to leave soon. I am a little... restless. I don't know how to describe it. I guess you could call it a foreboding that something is happening."
Bobbie put her mug onto the table and sat on his lap wrapping her arms around him and holding him. He held onto her like to dear life.
After a while Bobbie kissed him on the top of his head and finally got up making a large breakfast. Who knew when Severus would be able to get a decent meal again?
When she sat the plate in front of him she said, "I understand if you don't have much of an appetite with what is going on, but you need to keep up your strength. Just eat as much as you can."
He thanked her with a nod and started eating. It was a quiet meal. Neither one knew what to say and instead of having a forced conversation they just didn't say anything.
Eventually Severus got up with a sigh and went to the bedroom. When he came back he donned his Death Eater garb.
Bobbie who had cleared the table of the dishes went to him and buried herself in his arms. When Severus picked up her head by her chin she looked at him with tearful eyes. He kissed her gently and she responded in kind. "Please be careful," she whispered against his lips.
"I will be fine. After what I did to Albus I have a favorable standing in the Dark Lords eyes." For a moment she saw sadness on his face, but he covered it with his mask of indifference right away.
"Be that as it may, it can just as well be a breeding ground for animosity against you from his minions. Jealousy can be a very strong emotion," Bobbie pointed out.
"I will be careful, my Love," he whispered and wiped away a tear that had made its way down her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "Please don't cry," he said and then added in thought I am not worth it.
They kissed one more time, this time frantic and desperate and then he Disapparated.
Bobbie's fingers went straight to the ring Severus had given her and then she resigned herself to the emptiness that had spread once again through her cottage.
888
It wasn't until more than a week later when she heard something from Severus. The phone rang past 11 o'clock at night. Bobbie had been in bed already. She grabbed it off her nightstand and picked up the call. "Hello?"
"It is I," Severus said in a rushed voice. "This is urgent. I just found out that the raid on the Ministry is set for August 1st. The Dark Lord also found out about Bill Weasley's wedding and wants to make a showing. Something bad happened the day before yesterday. I will let you know when I see you. I have to go before somebody overhears me. I love you!" Then the phone went dead.
Bobbie got out of bed and walked to the kitchen to look at her calendar while dialing Tonks. While the phone was ringing she noticed that the raid would be in 3 days. She listened to the ringing and just when she said to herself, 'damn Tonks, pick up!' she heard a sleepy Tonks on the other side of the line. "H'llo?"
Bobbie said, "Tonks, it's me. I just found out that the raid on the Ministry is supposed to be on the first of August and on top of it You-Know-Who found out about Bill and Fleur's wedding date and wants to show up."
"Shit!" Bobbie heard some scrambling noises on the other line. "What day is today?"
"Tuesday the 29th. That leaves you 2 days to prepare," she answered.
"Shit!" Tonks said again. "Okay, thanks! We better get going. Later...," Bobbie heard her say and then she hung up.
Bobbie was too wired to go back to bed. She hoped that Severus wouldn't be recognised by the Aurors going on that raid. He'd probably be more hated than Voldemort himself and would be killed on sight. Then she thought about what he had said, that something bad had happened a couple of days ago. Tonks hadn't said anything, but then again she had been sleepy and in a rush. Bobbie looked at her watch. It was almost midnight. With the different time zones there was still plenty of time to call her grandfather. She dialed and even though he had an old-fashioned phone that didn't show who was calling, he picked up and said, "Are you okay child?"
Bobbie smiled. He always knew who was on the other line. She had been pretty good at that too, but her accuracy wasn't even near as good as his. She asked, "How are you Grandfather?"
"Old and creaky, as usual. But tell me what is going on over there? Aren't you supposed to be in bed? Isn't it about midnight over there?"
"Grandfather, I'm grown up and I don't have a set bedtime anymore," She laughed.
"Well, I guess so... But something seems to be out of the ordinary," he stated.
Bobbie sat down at the kitchen table. "Yeah, it is Severus. I am very worried about him. Things are heating up right now. I just heard that the dark side is going to raid the Ministry in a couple of days. I would like to help. I feel so useless sitting around here and twiddling my thumbs while everybody else I know is in the thick of it, especially Severus..."
"You are helping, girl. Aren't you the go-between the dark and the light side? There have to be people like you, and yes, they have to stay put. You can't go out there and fight. What are you going to do? Shoot people? It isn't like it is in Arizona where you could carry your gun. You didn't even take it with you because of that. What if they find out who you are, ... or what you are? You would be in a world of danger. Maybe all of us would, because they would know right away that you aren't the only Nevari left."
"But grandfather, how am I going to tell everybody about what Severus had to do to Albus when the time comes and not giving myself away?"
"Just tell them you are a Squib who has this little trait about knowing peoples past going for her."
"A Squib?" Bobbie asked.
"Are you telling me you are living in the Wizarding World for a month now and you don't know what a squib is?"
"No," she answered. "Well, not really. I know that the caretaker of the school is one but I keep forgetting to ask Severus to explain to me what it means. I didn't know what a house elf was either. Scared the hell out of me when Millie showed up for the first time."
Her grandfather burst out laughing. "Yeah well, there are some things that can be a little hair raising if you aren't used to them. By the way, a Squib is somebody whose parents are Wizarding folk but he or she didn't inherit magical powers."
"Oh!" then she continued, "I know what a Hippogriff is and that werewolves and Phoenix's are real."
"So are dragons and unicorns. All I can say is stay out of that Forbidden Forest and you will most likely be fine," her grandfather said.
"Well, there is no danger right now with me sitting in Muggle London in my cottage and twiddling my thumbs," Bobbie growled.
"Patience my child. Patience! Just think about that man of yours. You need to be there for him. You need to be his safe haven. That means you need to stay where you are. If you aren't there when he shows up or you get yourself into danger you only will make things worse for him, because he has to worry about you on top of everything else."
Bobbie sight. "I know, grandfather. You are right but that doesn't mean I have to like it."
"I hear you, girl. Anyway, I think you should go to bed and quit worrying so much. From what I heard from Albus your Severus is a very capable man."
Another sigh from Bobbie. "Yeah, I guess so. I love you Grandfather. Please be well!"
"I love you too, and hang in there," her grandfather said and hung up the phone.
Bobbie sat there for a little while longer and just stared at the wall. She finally noticed how cold she was and ambled back to her bed which also had gotten cold during the time she was on the phone, and there was no Severus to warm her up. After what seemed to be a long time she finally drifted off to sleep.
888
On August the 1st Bobbie had felt antsy all day. She finally called Tonks in the evening but she didn't pick up. Bobbie didn't leave a message and called the next morning, and again nothing. She bought a newspaper and thought maybe there was something the Muggles had thought weird and she could have picked something up from it. Nothing! She was worried about the order members and of course she was worried about Severus. Finally around noon she got a call from Tonks that she picked up with a simple "Hello?"
"Bobbie?" Tonks asked.
"Yes, are you guys okay? Did anything happen?" she asked.
"I saw you called twice," Tonks said and then continued, "It's bad. The Ministry of Magic was overthrown yesterday. There were just too many and we got beaten back. The minister was tortured and killed. They tried to find out from him where Harry was hiding. He didn't give him away though. Maybe he didn't even know where he is..."
"That is horrible. What is going to happen now?" Bobbie asked.
"You-Know-Who installed somebody else, I think his name is Thicknesse, as the new Minister and is controlling him with the Imperius Curse. He is basically You-Know-Who's slave. They also got rid of a bunch of employees and hired Death Eaters instead."
"What about you guys? Is everyone okay?" Bobbie asked with concern.
"Yeah, we will be. Nobody was killed this time but some of the Order were hurt under questioning about where Harry is. Unfortunately they attacked homes of known Order members including the Burrow and my parents' house."
"That sounds bad. Do you need any help? Can I help with anything?"
"No, there really isn't anything. Best is you stay put. We just have to regroup. Hopefully your informant can find out something useful."
"I am really sorry to hear that Tonks. Please be safe."
"We are laying low and getting ourselves patched up. I just thought I'll let you know. Take care!" Then the phone was hung up.
Bobbie had hoped she would hear something about Severus, if somebody had seen him. Please, please, please Baby, be safe! she thought. She looked at her phone countless times trying to will it to ring. Finally around noon it did. It was from Severus. She had to calm herself down to answer with a cool-headed "Hello?" She was always afraid somebody else could have gotten a hold of his phone. Thankfully it was him.
"Are you home?" he asked.
"Yes!" The phone was hung up and Severus appeared in the living room. Right away she dove into his arms. While she hung on to him she said, "Oh Severus, I have been worried sick."
"I am fine," he said stroking her hair.
"I heard what happened from Tonks. I was scared that you were caught or worse..." She finally let go of him and looked into his eyes.
"I didn't go. The Dark Lord thought it best that I would sit this one out. He has other plans for me," Severus said looking sad and embarrassed.
"Come sit down, Baby. I will get something to drink for you and then we can talk." She got up to go to the kitchen.
"Water will be fine," Severus called after her.
When she came back she sat beside him on the sofa and gave him the glass. After Severus drank half of it in one gulp he said, "The Dark Lord is going to reopen Hogwarts. He wants... he wants me to... to be the Headmaster." Severus looked to the floor with shame in his eyes.
Bobbie cupped his chin and made him look at her. She saw the sadness in his gaze. "I'm sorry Baby. I know this isn't the way you wanted that job."
She kissed him softly and she heard him whisper, "No. Not like that..."
He stared at the floor again and said after a while, "How can I sit in Albus's office?" And then louder throwing up his arms, "...in his chair!" And then he whispered, "After what I did to him. It's like putting salt into a wound."
Bobbie wrapped her arms around him. "Shh, don't think like that. Albus wouldn't want you to. It was his choice."
After a long while he finally said quietly, "I know... but it still doesn't make it any easier."
"What was it that happened a few days ago? You said something bad happened but you didn't have time to tell me on the phone."
Severus face sank and he sat down again. "We were supposed to catch Potter while he was being moved from his relative's home. In order to keep my cover I was forced to tell the Dark Lord the real date of it. I was able to get a hold of Mundungus Fletcher and place him under a Confundus Charm so he would suggest using Polyjuice to make clones of Potter out of other order members. I was hoping it would throw the Death Eaters off. They ended up using that plan. I was in that raid trying to do damage control without blowing my cover. I was aiming for a Death Eater who was dangerously close to Potter and accidently hit one of the order members. I don't know who it was but it looked like a bad head wound."
Severus swallowed and continued. "I also think somebody of the order got killed and I know that Potters owl didn't make it." Severus slowly shook his head and then buried his face in his hands and said quietly, "I don't know how long I can keep doing this..."
Bobbie who had sat down beside him stroked his hair and after a while he broke away from her. "I need a shower. I need to wash off all that filth." He got up and went to the bathroom.
Bobbie didn't need to ask him what he meant by that. She knew he felt dirty and filthy from his time with Voldemort and the Death Eaters.
While he took a shower Bobbie made some sandwiches for lunch for both of them. When he came out of the bathroom he was dressed in Muggle attire and had wet hair. She went to get her hair dryer and he knew what was coming. It put a small smile on his face. He loved it when she was drying his hair. It always felt so good and made him feel cherished.
When Bobbie was done they sat down to eat. Bobbie asked, "How long can you stay? I noticed you put your jeans on, so I'm hopeful you can stay a little longer."
"Yes, but I will have to leave sometime soon to go to Hogwarts and get ready for the school being opened. I only hope I can protect the students from the Carrows. The Dark Lord wants them as the Muggle Studies and Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers."
"Who are they?" Bobbie asked.
"Death Eaters, brother and sister. They are ruthless," Severus answered. "I think you need to let the Order know what is going to come. It would be good if Minerva, Filius and some of the old teachers would stay on, just so they could protect the students."
"I will call Tonks in a little while, but now I want you to eat something and then get some rest. You are my priority." She smiled at him. "I will call Tonks while you lay down for a little while. You look exhausted."
After lunch Severus tried taking a wink of sleep on the sofa while Bobbie called Tonks. Tonks understandably almost blew up when she heard the part about Severus becoming Headmaster. "That bloody son of a bitch. I can't believe it! It's like adding insult to injury."
"Unfortunately, I think there isn't anything that can be done. My informant said that the Carrows are bad news and apparently make Snape look like a choirboy in comparison."
"Yeah, right...!" Tonks spat.
"He also thinks that You-Know-Who doesn't have enough teachers to fill the other posts and maybe some or all of the other teachers could stay on to protect the students."
"Who in the hell wants to work under You-Know-Who's puppet Snape after what he did to Dumbledore and to George?"
"Well, if it would be for the welfare of the students maybe they will."
Tonks thought about that, "Yeah, that maybe a thing to consider. I'll let the others know. I still don't know how we are going to win this war. It seems to be getting worse by the minute. Right now we don't even know where Harry is. He said he won't be going back to school. He disappeared together with Ron and Hermione right after Bill and Fleur's wedding."
"Well, that sucks! I sure hope he knows what he's doing."
"Yeah, you and me both." Then Tonks blew out a long breath and said, "I better go and pass on your info. Say thanks to your informant, whoever he is. Talk to you later."
"Take care!" Bobbie said and hung up even though she was itching to find out what had happened the day the order moved Harry. She didn't want Severus to hear it though. After what Tonks had just said she was almost convinced that it had been George that Severus had injured by accident.
"A choirboy...eh?" Severus said amused.
Bobbie grinned. "You are supposed to be asleep. By the way, Tonks said to thank my informant, right after she cussed you out and called you a son of a bitch."
"Tsk, tsk, such bad language for such a young lady," Severus jested.
Bobbie laughed and said, "I think our acerbic Potions Master just made a joke." She sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa and brushed a strand of hair out of his face. The next thing she knew was Severus grabbing her wrist and pulling her onto the sofa with him, his black eyes looked at hers with that intense look, like he was able to see the bottom of her soul.
"On second thought, I am not sleepy anymore at all," he said and kissed her passionately, pulling the pin out of her hair and burying his hands in the auburn locks. "I missed you," he whispered and traced the line of her jaw with his finger and then kissed the sensitive part on the side of her neck.
Bobbie moaned from the sensation and also from feeling the familiar bulge in his jeans pressing against her. "I missed you too. I missed the closeness. I missed your kisses, your beautiful voice speaking to me, your beautiful eyes making me feel like I am drowning in black pools. I missed your skin next to mine and I missed feeling you inside me." All the while she was unbuttoning his shirt and her hand went inside the front of his jeans touching him.
Hearing her words and her hand circling him made him feel like the blood in his veins was heating him up. It was intoxicating. He groaned and panted, "No, don't..." And pulled her hand out of his pants. "I want to be inside you. If you keep touching me like that I will not make it."
Bobbie traced his nipples with her tongue and opened his jeans. Then she got up and pulled his pants off him. She kept standing in front of the sofa, looking into his eyes and biting her lips seductively. Then she slowly started taking her shirt off.
Even though he knew she wasn't wearing a bra in her home it still made him pull in a sharp breath of air when he saw her. She was so beautiful. He still couldn't believe that this stunning woman wanted to be with him.
He watched her taking off her jeans in a very seductive way. Merlin, he wanted her so bad. Then she stepped out of her panties. His desire was making him almost lightheaded. He couldn't take it anymore. He took off his boxers and reached for her. He pulled her on top of him and entered her in one deep thrust. Oh, it was magnificent. She was so ready for him. The feeling almost overwhelmed him and he groaned with pleasure.
Bobbie started moving on him and he met her every time, burying himself deep inside her. They kept looking into each others eyes like they were afraid they would lose each other if they would close their eyes. Each one saw the other ones pleasure mounting. The ensuing climax was breathtaking and all-consuming. They clung to each other absorbed in the afterglow for a long while.
Finally Bobbie started getting a little chilled and Severus unfurled the blanket and spread it over them. All warm and comfortable they fell asleep where they were.
Some time after it had gotten dark outside Bobbie felt herself lifted up and carried to bed. She mumbled, "Thank you, Baby." And she went right back to sleep in Severus's arms.