Hiding Under the Ninth Earth
Book 03 : Epithalamium

Part II : Oh What a Difference a Day Makes
Chapter Twenty One : Like Dogs and Cats

25 October 2003 (continued)

4:10 pm

Poppy heard them coming before she saw them. Moody was bellowing at McGonagall to mind her own business, while Minerva's precise tones, although quieter, were no less piercing as she demanded to know 'What the hell is going on?' and 'Stop that this instant, Mr. Lupin!' In counterpoint, like a background chorus, were sharp staccato yips overlaid with the continuous low growling yowls running up and down the scale that a cat makes when it is in pain or grossly unhappy. The door burst open at the same time Poppy's back-to-back "Silencio's" struck the first two entering. For just a few seconds she savoured the sight of both Moody and McGonagall striding towards her with silently flapping mouths, the chorus still singing strong.

When she had their full attention, she removed the spell silencing them. "I assume you all know how to stay quiet," she said wryly. McGonagall raised a brow at her grin. The Deputy Headmistress was dishevelled from her walk, the puppy wriggling in her arms, happily chewing on a thick hank of hair he'd pulled out of her bun. Trying not to laugh out loud, Poppy got down to business. "Alastor, give me the cat and help Kingsley here."

Moody glared at her but, careful not to jostle his burden, moved quickly into place, supporting Kingsley with his back. "Snape took a blade to the left shoulder--didn't Transfigure into this form, but it's still there. Avery always did favour the throwing knives with the gut hooks." Seeing that she understood, he gently held out the weak but howling black cat to Poppy.

Using a combination of levitation and cushioning spells so as not to touch him, she slowly moved Severus to one of two nearby beds set close enough together for her to easily move between them. Preoccupied with Severus, Poppy said distractedly, "Minerva, if you'll set Remus on the other bed, please." A house-elf helped Poppy by floating the noisy, dishevelled cat to the mattress with nary a bump. She immediately placed a warming spell followed by a holding spell to keep him immobile on his right side. "Well done, Farly." The house-elf smiled shyly. "I'll send Professor McGonagall over here to help you watch him in a minute."

She turned to the other bed to find Remus rolling playfully on the white sheets, his short tail thumping the bed. "Well, at least someone looks happy to be here," she said, scratching behind his ears. He bumped her hand with his cold, wet nose and licked her fingers. Chuckling, she looked up to say, "Minerva, I need you to Transfigure these two back, Remus first." Pointing behind her to the now mewling cat on the other bed, she said, "Don't change Severus yet; he'll be better off in his present form. Once we're done here, could you sit with him and make sure he stays quiet?"

Receiving Minerva's wordless nod of assent, Poppy turned next to Moody. "Alastor, you get Kingsley over to the bed by the window; I'll get to him as soon as I'm able."

Grumbling, albeit quietly, Moody moved Shacklebolt to the bed and helped him lay down. Another house-elf appeared and with a quiet 'pop' divested the tall, dark Auror of his robes and into an infirmary gown. She covered her mouth and giggled; Shacklebolt and Moody both groaned and then started chuckling when they saw the flying Snitch design on the bright blue garment barely covering Kingsley's long lean frame. Embarrassed at the exposure from the short student gown, he tried tugging it lower when Moody commented dryly, "Nice pins, there."

With another giggle and snap of her fingers, the gown lengthened to cover Kingsley down to his knees. As Shacklebolt blew a sigh of relief, the house-elf asked in a quiet voice, "Is Mr. Moody needing medical attention, sir?"

"Is Mr. Moody going to have to wear one of those," Moody asked sarcastically, pointing at Shacklebolt's gown, "if he says 'yes'?"

"If Mr. Moody can walk, Mr. Moody does not need one of the infirmary gowns," she said firmly.

"Then yes, eventually Mr. Moody will need someone to look after him, but he thinks he needs a Pepper-up more than anything else." Then he looked at Shacklebolt. "Or a good tot of Ogden's. Think we can get the auld sod to part with a bottle later?"

"If he does, now's the time to ask him," Shacklebolt said with a wince as he tried to get comfortable. "One yowl for yes, two for no. At least with all his caterwaul, it could be open to interpretation." Moody laughed, toning it down with the quelling glance Poppy threw him, but he made no move to go over to the other bed.

"Nah. Takes all the fun out of it. Would rather trick one out of the bastard than steal it from him," he said lightly, one eye fixed on Severus, the other on Remus.

Moody watched McGonagall easily Transfigure the werewolf back to his human form. Then, as requested, she sat on the edge of Severus' bed, her head bent studying him as she tentatively touched the short, knotted fur at his neck with a light hand. Given that he just followed her movements with his dark amber eyes and didn't hiss or try to bite her, she tried stroking his head with the tips of two fingers. Severus blinked sleepily and yawned, flashing a mouthful of sharp teeth. McGonagall raised her hand slightly, startled, but when he lifted his head to butt her hand with his nose, she chuckled in surprise, and ran her fingers through his fur. Eyes slitted with pleasure, his previous yowls were soon replaced with a deep, rumbling purr laced with small mewls Moody could hear all the way over to the other side of Shacklebolt's bed where he stood. He wondered briefly why Poppy had left Severus as a cat, when his question was answered by a pained groan from Remus.

"Whoever thought of transforming us--OW!--into animals was--Damn it, that hurt!--bloody brilliant," Remus gasped, trying to escape Poppy's gently probing hands. "Didn't--Ahhhh!--hurt this much--Ah-ah-ah-ah!--before--No! Don't press it again!--as a pup."

With Remus' clothing removed, a folded sheet over his groin for modesty, Moody could see just how much he'd been damaged. If this was just the remnants from his time from the Malfoys... He murmured to Shacklebolt, his normal eye looking down at him, "Remind me to let Remus know how truly impressed I am he got Snape as far as he did by himself."

Shacklebolt tore his eyes away from Remus' healing long enough to nod in agreement. "I think I got the better end of their wands," he remarked with a shudder.

Moody clapped him on the shoulder and turned his attention back to Poppy with Remus.

Satisfied that Remus bore only physical injuries, Poppy helped Remus down a mild pain potion and went to work. The ribs healed completely under her competent spells. The deep bruising Remus' spells hadn't been able to touch disappeared in a rainbow of rapidly-fading colours. Muscles and tendon tears mended themselves, their swelling deflating like air released from a balloon. With each passing minute, the groans and cries of lingering discomfort were replaced by sighs of relief as Poppy slowly knitted Remus back together. When done, she ruffled his hair, saying, "There now, right as rain, although I dare say you'll be a little stiff and sore once you start moving around. Mind yourself--don't do too much, now. Take it easy for the first hour or so until you get your legs back."

Before he could thank her, she turned to watch McGonagall with Snape. "How's he doing?" she asked.

"He seems to be calmer," Minerva said, her hand stopping a moment. With a low growl, the cat imperiously butted her hand with his nose and rubbed his face against the side of her hand. With a low laugh, she started petting him again and the purr resumed.

Poppy chuckled. "Seems almost perverse how fine a cat our crotchety Potions master makes."

Minerva smiled, bemused. "Does make you wonder, doesn't it?" Her words were rewarded by another long growl, but the purring never stopped.

"Well, as long as he's comfortable, I'll take care of these other two first. No sense having them hanging about when they could be resting in their rooms," she said, moving over to join Moody and Shacklebolt on the other side of the space.

A quick examination and two spells were all it took to render a constantly complaining Moody as whole as he ever was. Shacklebolt took a little longer; one could almost see his dark skin paling when she cast the spells to remove the lingering effects of three Cruciati on the man. And all the while she worked on them both, they smiled indulgently whenever she made those soft clicking noises of disapproval they all remembered well from their boyhoods--and later as men--whenever she repaired them after various mishaps.

She was healing the last of the damaged skin on Shacklebolt's chest, when Dumbledore arrived in the infirmary. He stood to the side for a moment, sizing up the situation before approaching them with the comment, "Poppy, you sound just like a mother hen with all of your clucking."

The four men chuckled when she looked askance at him. He looked between the three men, saying, "Congratulations, gentlemen. I am very glad to see you back here safe and whole. As I have been told it is more important you rest now than it is for me to satisfy my insatiable curiosity," he slid a glance over to Poppy, "I will make arrangements to debrief you tomorrow morning as tonight promises to be rather full."

Moody was about to object when Poppy smoothly interrupted him. "To bed, all three of you. You have a choice. You can all either don the latest infirmary fashion," she pointed at Shacklebolt's childish gown, "and stay here in the 'chicken coop', or you can all go to your respective rooms and rest before tonight's excitement." Arms folded, she waited.

Remus' "Ah, I think I hear my pillow calling me," was followed by Moody's gruff "Are the guest chambers in the same place?" Shacklebolt just smiled broadly and pulled at the gown, reaching for his clothes on the press next to the bed.

Summoning a house-elf, Poppy instructed her to show their 'guests' to their rooms and to make sure 'Mr. Lupin' made it to his apartments. With a curtsey, they elf bade them to proceed her, and within moments they were all on their way.

Poppy sat a moment in a chair near Minerva, who looked up from her slow ministrations to Snape's cat-napping form, a soft look on her face at odds with the sharp planes and angles of her bone structure.

To Poppy she said, "I hope you approve, but when he finally fell asleep on his own, I helped him stay there. I must say he took me by surprise--looks foul, feels fair, but is surprisingly gentle for all he's hurting. I'm beginning to suspect this form fits Severus quite well."

"Aye, the sleep will do him good--and make it easier for me to work on him."

Minerva nodded. "Speaking of work, do you need me for anything else?"

Poppy considered her question. "Only to Transfigure Severus back to his normal form and help me remove the knife. Unless, that is, you wanted to stay afterwards?"

McGonagall glanced at the headmaster standing behind Poppy, quietly shaking his head. "No, I think once we're through here, I will just pop down to the kitchens and see how the house-elves are faring with the food for tonight and make sure the other arrangements are completed."

"Thank you, Minerva. I had planned on doing that myself..." her voice trailed off as she looked at the slumbering cat sprawled on the bed.

"Right," she said, standing. With a wave of her wand, the cat quickly morphed back into Severus. She gasped when she saw in full his battered condition, her eyes widening in shock when she saw the knife embedded in his shoulder. At her side, Poppy spelled his upper clothes off and leaned over, impersonally examining the wound. "There's been little bleeding and judging from the minimal bruising, the men did a good job keeping it from moving around." She turned to McGonagall. "Can you Transfigure it into something long and thin I can pull out easily?"

Brow furrowed in thought, Minerva nodded absently. With a downward sweep of her wand and a firm spell, she changed the jagged knife into a knitting needle. As Poppy removed it, the remaining cut bled freely. From the other side of the bed, Farly quickly placed a compress on the gaping hole until Poppy spoke the words to close it off. When the house-elf removed the bandage, there was no scar to show where the knife had been.

McGonagall Transfigured the knitting needle back into its original form, staring in horror at the wicked blade. She next studied the eyes carved on Severus' chest and, turning, fixed Dumbledore with a stern gaze. "You have your work cut out for you, Albus. You will, at least, do me the courtesy of 'filling me in' tomorrow after you have spoken to your 'adventurers'?" she asked pointedly.

Dumbledore gave her a little bow, saying smoothly, "Of course, Minerva. Say, tomorrow afternoon over tea?"

She sniffed. "That will be acceptable, I suppose. Until later." With one final inscrutable glance at the Potions master, she turned and swept out of the room.

Poppy sighed with relief and cocked her head at her husband. "You are staying, yes?"

"Since I need to see the extent of his injuries in order to determine the best way to break the curse Remus says he has, yes, I will be here."

Poppy spelled the remainder of the clothes off of Severus and they both stared in dismay at the extent of the devastation Avery had wrought. Moving the hair out of Severus' face, Dumbledore murmured, "Oh, my dear boy. I had no idea it would be this bad. Forgive me, but it was necessary. For both your sakes." Poppy looked at him quizzically, but said nothing. She went to work, Dumbledore beside her, his eyes closed as he concentrated on the magic he was feeling. Midway, his eyes resigned behind his spectacles, he whispered, "Effervo," and stood back to let her finish. Knowing now what needed to be done, the softly spoken summons, Effervo, while regrettable, was necessary.

Twenty minutes later, she straightened, arching her back in a joint-popping stretch. Sitting down in the hard chair she'd vacated earlier, she said forlornly, "There's not much more I can do, Albus. All his physical injuries are gone except those damned eyes. They're loaded with Dark Magic and far beyond my ability to heal."

Albus rummaged in his pocket and handed her three bottles. "I understand; there is only so much one can do with conventional magic. I was afraid this might happen, so I have come prepared."

Poppy read the label of one, her eyes growing huge. "Severus' Infensus Curatio Potion?" Looking almost sick, she said in a low voice, "Albus, this takes hours to make. You've not had the time--oh no, please don't tell me--you knew?"

Equally quiet, he replied gently, "No, my love, I merely guessed, given the circumstances after I 'spoke' to Severus' snake. I made it this morning, after I sent Moody and Shacklebolt off to Malfoy Manor, but before I took Horatio back to their rooms."

Her eyes frightened yet angry, she choked out, "The Orrery?" When he nodded, she barely suppressed her cry of dismay. "Albus Dumbledore! You promised me you wouldn't put yourself in such danger again unless it was an emer--" At the significant tilt of his head and glance at her over his spectacles, she heaved a sigh. "All right, I concede. This counts as an emergency." Her eyes searched his face. "Are you all right?"

"Tired, but I'm fine and nary a twitch while I worked. I suppose one could say the Orrery stops more than time," he said with a chuckle. "He'll need a dose before I can attempt breaking the curse. I am sorry I can't stay long, but I did promise Harry I would speak to him before the rites tonight and I still have to prepare the Room of Requirement." When she glared at him, he smiled. "No rest for the wicked, as they say, and if you'll recall, what I need to do there is best left till last."

"True--but you be careful. I still don't like it, but when has that ever been a consideration when you've wanted to do something." He cleared his throat meaningfully, but wisely said nothing. Clicking her tongue, she said, "Here, help me get him up." Dumbledore slipped his arm underneath Severus and, with the aid of Poppy's wand, got him upright. Holding their friend fast, Poppy started pouring the potion down his throat, her wand making him swallow.

"How many times have we done exactly this same thing?" Albus asked her, a smile in his voice.

Distractedly she replied, "At least a few hundred, I'm thinking, given how we had to keep his little 'holidays' here secret all those years he worked for the Order. Did he and Harry really quit?"

He nodded absentmindedly to her question. "Seems like yesterday," he mused, thinking of those days when Severus was a frequent visitor to the infirmary.

She gave a low laugh, knowing exactly what he meant. "As old as we are, it was yesterday."

Chuckling softly, he said lovingly, "Yes, I suppose it was. Almost like when I first met a lovely young Medi-witch fresh from her training. I always enjoyed working in tandem with you even if I hadn't a clue what I was doing."

Finished with the potion, she set down the bottle and spared him a droll glance. "Pish. You just liked me ordering you around."

Dumbledore gently laid Severus back on the bed. "Possibly, but I'll never tell," he replied dryly, straightening and kissing her cheek. "Now, let me look at our boy."

Poppy watched him carefully, amazed, as always, at the precision of his magic. She could feel it wrap around Severus like a cocoon, expanding and contracting as Dumbledore's spells tried to find an open chink in the curse. Time crawled to a standstill as Albus toiled, first one spell then another, each one weakening but not breaking it.

She heard the door to the infirmary easing closed. Turning to see who had come in, she was surprised to see Remus walking towards her, obviously recently awakened. Trying not to disturb her mate, she quietly exclaimed, "Remus! You should be in bed."

Remus nodded his head at the headmaster. "Not with him and his bees buzzing in my head, I can't."

Poppy clicked her tongue again in annoyance, but said nothing.

Dumbledore continued with Severus, oblivious to his surroundings. Poppy could hear him muttering under his breath, eyes closed, his hands splayed on Severus' chest in much the same manner as a healer. "Nasty little bugger. Here now, let's try this. No? All right. How about--ah, Harry--so good of you to join us. What if we try it here? Hmmm. You're almost there, my boy. I can feel it. No, don't give up, you almost had it. Follow the line. Come, Harry, I know you can do it. Just a little further, you can touch him. Closer--getting closer. Ah, there! You have him. Feel better now? Hold him close, keep him steady for me. Where did Avery hide it? Ah, the eyes have it. Clever bastard, I have you now. Ready, Harry?" Dumbledore's hands began to glow and Severus' chest rose from the bed as crackles of raw energy like so many tiny lightning bolts shot out from the wizard's hands, dissipating jaggedly down the Potions master's legs and arms, only to dance harmlessly across the bedcovers.

Poppy held her breath. This deep magic, unique to him, normally left him exhausted; combined with the happenings of the day and his lack of sleep the night before, she knew it could render him unconscious. She leaned over to Remus, whispering, "Get ready to help me steady him."

Remus unquestioningly shifted in anticipation, his weight centred on the balls of his feet. Albus lifted his hands from Severus and swayed dangerously; Remus was instantly at his side, a strong arm around his waist. Dumbledore sagged for a brief time into the support and then with a soft, "Thank you, my boy," straightened and stood on his own.

Poppy drew to his other side, her hand on his arm. Their attention was drawn to the waking man on the bed.

His face drawn in pain, Severus mumbled, "Where's the hippogriff?"

The seriousness in his voice belying the twinkle in his eye, Dumbledore replied, "I assure you, Severus, there is no hippogriff anywhere near here at the moment."

Severus opened his watering eyes, blinking in the light. "Albus! What are you doing here? Don't tell me Lucius captured you, too."

"No, Severus. You're safe at Hogwarts."

Snape sat bolt upright, crying out, "Harry? Aghh!" and immediately fell back down, his hands holding his head like a vise.

"Harry's fine, Severus."

Severus closed his eyes, his face a study in concentration. After a few moments, his eyes flew open, blazing in rage. "You lie. Why are you lying to me, Albus?"

Albus stated gently, "I'm not lying, Severus."

Remus chimed in, trying to calm and convince the furious Potions master. "No, really, Severus. Harry is all right."

Turning his burning gaze on him, Severus asked scathingly, "Are you covering for him now, Remus? Why would you do this to me? Harry's dead. He must be dead; I can't feel him. I'd know. I'd see him."

Shaking his head sadly, Albus said softly, "Now, Severus, you know how reliable your ability to find him like that is--"

"Oh Albus, really," Poppy said with a touch of asperity. She pulled a sheet over her patient, saying soothingly, "Severus, I have seen Harry with my own two eyes, touched him, not more than an hour ago. He is well and waiting for you in your quarters.

More composed, Severus studied her for a moment, then shook his head. "I can't read you, you know." He pointed to Dumbledore. "He has too many wards around you. If Harry's alive, then bring him here. I want to see him. I need to see him."

Distressed, Albus said, "Severus, I'm so sorry. That's not possible at this time. There are reasons Harry had to stay away from the infirmary..."

Triumphantly, Snape crowed, "Ha! See, I knew you were lying. Wild nundu couldn't keep him away if Harry knew I was here. He can't come here because he can't come here. He's dead." He rolled over, his back to them. They heard something suspiciously like a sob. "My Harry's gone. You broke your promise to me to keep him safe and now he's gone. I knew I shouldn't have trusted you, knew I shouldn't have left on that damned mission. If I'd stayed here he'd still be--"

His words were interrupted by a softly spoken "Sopophorus". His last "--alive," was a long drawn out sigh as he sank back into merciful sleep.

Poppy stared at him a moment before her raised wand fell limply to her side. Defeated, she asked, "Albus, what do we do now? I can't cure this; he needs a healer. I know you have your reasons why you don't want them together before the ceremony, but you're going to have to call in Harry--as healer and betrothed."

Albus compassionately studied his mate's despondent face for a moment and, despite Remus' presence, put his hand out, caressing her cheek with gentle fingertips. "Don't fret, my love. It will be all right." He glanced significantly over his spectacles at Remus, who nodded in understanding; he would say nothing of the exchange. "While it's true we need a healer, it cannot be Harry. It's not safe for him to 'traverse' Severus with the Sanos so close to the time of their final bonding, and if you'll use your head instead of that heart I'm so fond of, you'll know it, too." He kissed her cheek and put his arm around her shoulders comfortingly. "No, I will call in Quiesta. She is supposed to be here later this evening in any event and, as her specialty is the removal of the Dark Arts, she is the next logical choice after Harry."

Poppy leaned into him a moment, nodding. Looking up, she saw Remus and with a blush stepped away from Dumbledore. "I'll call her," Poppy said, all business now that she had a direction in which to move. "Do you want me to open the Floo directly to the infirmary fireplace?"

Dumbledore considered it. "That would certainly be the most expedient option, wouldn't it? Take one of the house-elves to guard the open connection. Not that I expect any trouble, but given what happened earlier..."

Poppy nodded. "I'll have her close it as soon as Quiesta's through." Bustling off to the nearby fireplace, she called Farly to her.

Turning to Remus, he said, "While we're waiting on Carlotta, would you run an errand for me?" At Remus' suspicious glance, Albus chuckled. "No, my dear boy--here in the castle. I need you to go to Harry."

"You want me to bring him up here?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, it is imperative he remain where he is for now. However, you must tell him that Severus has briefly regained consciousness and, despite appearances, will be ready to wed near the appointed time."

"Are you sure this is the right thing to say? I won't lie to him."

Dumbledore straightened; the time of concealment had finally passed with Harry's 'presence' as he'd tried to weaken the curse. "It's no lie, Remus. The despair and disbelief Severus is feeling right now is because I could not break the curse Avery cast. Instead I have shunted it, moved it aside, if you will. And until all of the Dark Magic contained within is fully removed, it will not be completely broken. Quiesta should be able to mitigate almost all of it, and the physical damage, with just the Sanos. Enough so that Severus will be able to wed. But Poppy is right, too; only Harry can completely heal him. Just not tonight. The curse Avery used is ancient, deep and complex. It must wait until after they're bound, for only a bond-mate can break it."

Thoughtful, Remus murmured, "So that's why they needed Harry dead. I understand now." He raised his head and held Dumbledore's gaze. "But why is Harry being kept in his quarters? And why is a house-elf guarding the Floo? What's going on?"

Albus sighed and sat down in the chair next to Severus' bed. He indicated Remus should sit as well, which he did as Albus said, "Last night, shortly after you and Severus left, Maldy (who, by the by, is now dead) snuck into Hogwarts to kill Harry. It's a long story and I will tell you all tomorrow, but suffice it to say I underestimated Lucius. I have since warded their rooms against another attempt."

"So you keep him there for his protection? Makes sense. Anything else?"

"When you return, you can honestly say you've personally seen Harry. I can almost guarantee Severus will try to read you, like he did Poppy when he wakes again; do you have a problem with this?"

"No, I've experienced his Legilimency 'skills' before for Order business; it's not unbearable." He watched Dumbledore with a practiced eye. "Spit it out. What else do you want from Harry?"

Albus was interrupted when Poppy came back. "It's a good thing I fire-called Quiesta, Albus--she was starkers." Dumbledore drew breath to speak with a wicked sparkle in his eyes, but she held up her hand to forestall him, a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "Unless you want to be called every single one of your names, I suggest you do NOT pursue the comment you were about to utter."

"Women--take all the fun out of life, they do," Albus muttered, winking at Remus, who just grinned wolfishly. "Now where was I?"

"Hopefully at the last reason you want me to go see Harry," Remus supplied.

Poppy's smile faded and her attention snapped to Albus, who said, "Ah, yes. I need him to give you his wedding gift. Tell him it's to bring Severus 'back' and explain to him the curse; answer any questions he might have. He'll fight the request and demand to go with you, but when he does, give him a message from me."

"And that is?"

"'I promise.' Simply that, nothing more, nothing less. He should, at that point, release it, although he might still be upset. It's small and should fit easily in your pocket. Please, take great care with it; it's priceless and took the better part of the last two months to make. Its cost to Harry's person was dear. Do you have any questions?"

Remus shook his head. "No, I think I have it--convince, witness, explain, and 'fetch'. Oh, and do it quickly." With no further comment, and Albus' chuckle ringing in his ears, Remus left the infirmary.

Poppy waited until he was out of the room before asking, "Oh, Albus, Harry didn't?"

Dumbledore regarded her gravely. "Yes, my love, he did. The same as I gave you on our wedding night. He wanted to know what was the most precious gift he could give Severus that he could make himself." He took her hand, the thumbs running circles along the backs. "Can you think of anything more so?"

Shaking her head, she said with some irony, "You seem to be flirting with danger more often than not lately."

Albus chuckled, kissing her fingers. "Oh, come now. I gave you mine and no harm ever came of it, now did it?" His smile faded to be replaced with a serious mein. "Do you think Severus will be any less of a worthy custodian than you were yourself?"

Reluctantly, she muttered, "No, I suppose not. It's just--"

He leaned in and kissed her full on the lips, lingering a few moments. Pulling back, his eyes told her how much he loved her. "Yes, Poppy," he murmured, "it is possible. They love each other that much."

A sigh of acceptance was his only reply.

TBC