A/N: Numbers in parentheses (1) are beside foreign words which will be explained at the end of the chapter.
13. Traveling to Canada
Bobbie woke in Severus's arms at about 1 o'clock in the afternoon. It had been a long night and it was already 8:30 in the morning when they finally had made it to bed. She looked at his sleeping face and smiled. Her wonderful, brilliant husband. With the overwhelming feeling of love she felt for him she suddenly also felt a small flutter inside her for the first time. She whispered to the baby, "Somebody is jealous in there. Don't worry there is enough love to go around."
"Who are you talking to?" Severus asked sleepily.
"The baby. I just felt her move for the first time," Bobbie said.
Severus was wide awake in a matter of seconds and reached toward her belly and asked, "May I?"
"You can't feel her yet, Baby. You need to wait two or three more months to feel anything from the outside. It felt kind of like a butterfly's wings moving," she said.
He put his hand against her stomach anyway and talked to the baby. "Good afternoon in there. I hope we didn't tire you out too much last night."
Bobbie snuggled up to him and kissed him gently. "I think it was all worth it. I just know that this cure is working. You can call it a hunch, or whatever you want to call it, I am convinced that it will work. I am so very proud of you."
"I hope you are right. I'll have to admit, so far it looks promising. Maybe it will pay well and I will finally be able to give you all the things I want to give you," he looked at her stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers.
She took his hand off her cheek and brought it to her lips and kissed it and said, "Oh Sev, I don't need anything. I have everything I need. A wonderful husband, a great job, friends and soon a little girl, and this cottage is perfect for us. I want you to do all that research and find new cures because you enjoy it and not just for the money."
"I do enjoy it but it would be nice to have a few more rooms when the baby is here..." He suddenly was thinking and looking a Bobbie. Then he spurted out, "Serina...!"
"Serina?" Bobbie asked.
"Yes, it is your middle name and I happen to think it is a beautiful name. It would be perfect for our daughter," Severus said.
Bobbie thought about it and finally said, "My grandfather would love that. It was my grandmothers' name. I agree, it is a nice name and I think somebody in this family should have it."
Severus gently laid his hand back on her stomach stroked it and said, "Serina, it is settled then."
"It certainly is much better than Roberta... I don't know what my parents were thinking. I don't think they did me any favors with an old-fashioned name like that. My grandparents started calling me Bobbie from the beginning. They always said I needed to have a boys name because I was such a maniac and constantly getting into trouble. I preferred playing with cars instead of dolls."
Severus chuckled. "I can see that in you."
"Well, with the name my parents gave me I always thought they wanted a boy who would then get the name of my father... My mom was pregnant twice before I was conceived, both were boys and I would bet one of them would have been called Robert. Unfortunately both died before they were born. And then again she was pregnant twice after I was born and they didn't make it either. Oh well, whatever their reason was to give me that name, I can't really say they didn't love me."
"I'm sorry about your siblings, my Love." Severus stroked her hair and kissed her on the top of her head.
"It's okay, it was such a long time ago and I only vaguely remember the last one. I was too small for the one before that. My parents never had the courage to try again after that, and I don't blame them. It can be traumatic. I found out later that my mom had been extremely lucky to have me, because the doctors said she wasn't able to carry a baby to term."
When she noticed a worried look on Severus's face she said, "Don't worry, I don't have her problem, and yes, Serina will be a perfect name. It will also please my grandfather. I'm looking forward seeing him again. He wasn't doing too well when I left. His age is finally catching up with him. He is almost 100."
"Do you mind if I ask you how old Nevari are getting? You know that the life expectancy of Wizarding people is about 40-60 years longer than Muggles?" Severus asked.
"Yes, my grandfather told me that he was much younger than Albus when the two of them met and worked together in the war. Nevari life expectancy is less than that of Wizards. It is somewhere in between Wizards and Muggles."
Severus's face showed sadness when he heard that, so Bobbie joked, "Baby by the time I am 90 or 100 years old I will be so old and shriveled you will be glad to be rid of me."
"Please don't say that," he whispered cupping her face.
"Severus, we have so much time left. Let's just make the best of it, okay? It won't change anything, one way or another. It is what it is." She kissed him and then said in a seductive voice, "Right now I am much more interested in what is at the end of this happy trail." She started playing with the sparse hair on his chest and then traced the line down his stomach with her forefinger.
Severus sucked in a strangled breath of air, the desire for her flaring up like a hot flame right away. He buried his fingers in her hair and held her head in place to claim her mouth with a passionate kiss. He covered her with his body and rained tender kisses all over her neck and rubbed his erection against her core.
Bobbie moaned against his lips when she felt his hardness and wrapped her legs around his waist. He slowly entered her and she breathed, "Oh, I love feeling you inside me."
Her husky voice was all he needed for his desire to spiral even higher. She felt so good. He drew in a deep breath of her divine scent while nuzzling his face into her hair. When he felt her pushing her hips into him he started with slow strokes, his eyes closed and he was savoring every move. A wave of heat surged through his veins when she threw her head back and groaned.
He 'attacked' her exposed throat with his lips and tongue which only fired up her want for him more. She stroked up and down his back and then gently raked her fingernails over his skin. She met him stroke for stroke and finally felt herself consumed with that wonderful feeling right before climax.
Severus felt her tighten around him and he let his feelings for her soar. He emitted a moan right before he spilled himself into her. He heard a soft, "Oh, Severus..." against the skin of his neck and he knew she was right there with him. He finally rolled over with her in his arms. She was laying on him still entwined and hanging on to him like she never wanted to let him go. His hard panting was slowly evening out and he closed his eyes thinking, how he had ever been able to live without her, before he knew her, before he knew this, this all consuming love he felt for her. He only knew he never wanted to be without her again.
When he heard her soft breathing and she said quietly, "My wonderful, beautiful lover...," and when she then kissed him with all that love in her eyes he almost believed her. How could she say these things? She must see something in him that he didn't. Nobody had ever called him wonderful or beautiful but he again had to admit that he liked hearing her say it.
As usually she picked up on his dark and self loathing thoughts, "Baby, please don't doubt yourself again?"
When he didn't answer her she knew that she had been right and said, "You are a different person now, Severus. You have friends and people who respect you. Nobody who knows you now would say the things they used to. And there is nobody else I would rather be with. You changed me too. I was never, even in my two former marriages, the one who initiated lovemaking and here I am doing just that. Come to think of it, I don't think I ever really made love before I met you. It was just sex. With you it is everything I have ever dreamt of."
And then he did something he would never have thought he would be capable of doing. He cradled her face and looked deep into her eyes and said without hesitation from the bottom of his heart, "I love you! I know I will always love you."
She looked at him and a few tears slowly made their way down her cheeks.
"Why are you crying?" he asked gently.
"Oh Severus, I am crying because I am happy, because I love you so much that it almost hurts. My heart is so full of my feelings for you."
He smiled at her and his eyes were a little shiny also when he whispered, "I know...!"
888
The next two days were spent largely by going to Muggle London and buying some things for their trip to Canada, mainly clothes for Severus because most of the ones he had were Wizarding attire. Severus stayed in close contact with Poppy during the time, who in turn was keeping contact with St Mungo's about the prisoner. They had all made the decision that it would be better to keep quiet about what had happened to the man as long as they didn't know for sure that the cure had worked. They were afraid that if word got out about a possible cure it would create a media frenzy and most people with lycanthropy would want or even demand it. Of course there would always be a few, Greyback had been one of them, who liked or even embraced their affliction because of the power it gave them but most would like to be cured.
When Severus heard from Poppy that the prisoner had been awake and doing fairly well he was relieved. He wouldn't have liked to go on a trip and not knowing if the man had made it. He felt it was good news and that he could leave with a clear conscience.
On Wednesday afternoon they packed up their things for their trip into a couple of trunks and Severus shrunk them and put them into the pocket of his jacket that Bobbie had picked out for him the day before.
He stood there thinking about the time when they had bought that jacket with a smile on his face. He remembered giving her a questioning look when she first had asked him to try it on because even though it was black denim it had a faded look and had some large leather patches with a few studs on it. He remembered asking, "This jacket is already patched up, why would I want that? They didn't even bother using the correct material to fix it."
He remembered Bobbie bursting out laughing but she must have seen the betrayal on his face because he had thought she was making fun of him. She then had explained that the jacket was brand new and that this was what 'cool' people were wearing these days. She had told him not to worry about it and that it was a Muggle thing. She had said if he didn't want to try it on he didn't have to but she had thought it would look good on him.
He still hadn't been convinced but when he heard her saying that she thought he would look good in it he decided to try it on anyway because he wanted to look good for her. When he had looked at her and saw the same look on her face that she had when she wanted him, a look of desire and she had said, "Oh my, you look like a Rock Star in that and with your long hair. Very, very sexy!"
He remembered taking the jacket off and hanging it over his forearm. Then he had taken her hand and had pulled her toward the register and had said, "We're buying it!"
After that she had said, "You have to model it for me tonight with no shirt underneath."
He had done just that and they had ended up making love...
Severus was torn out of his thoughts when he heard Bobbie say, "What are you thinking of? You look like you are a million miles away."
He looked at her and sighed and pulled her into his arms and said before kissing her, "I was just thinking about how lucky I am."
She whispered against his lips, "That makes two of us."
Things got a little heated after that and before they wouldn't be able to stop themselves Severus held her away from himself and said, "We better go. Are you ready?"
"I am! You have the copy of the picture of Uncle Brutus's ranch?" Bobbie asked.
"Right here!" He patted the part of his jacket where the inside pocket was.
"Okay. I guess whatever we forgot we'll just have to buy in Canada."
They locked up the cottage from the inside and Severus Apparated them straight out of the living room into the Apparation zone of King's Cross Station. From there they walked to a small booth where Severus gave the two tickets with the Portkey fees to the guard behind the counter in exchange for an inactive Portkey that looked like an old rusty screw driver that had spent too many days out in the rain. They walked to a square where Bobbie saw other people walk onto and then disappear into thin air. Severus held out the screwdriver for her to hold on to and then he wrapped an arm around her and said, "Get ready! It is similar to Apparating."
When he saw her taking a big breath of air he said, "Portus!"
Bobbie had a feeling like she was pulled through a tube that was much too small and then after a long time being spit out on the other side. She faltered and would have fallen down if Severus wouldn't have had his arm around her to steady her. He asked, "Are you well?"
"I think so... Give me a moment...," she stammered.
Severus led her to a bench that was nearby and sat her down. He pulled out a vial with a clear liquid in it, opened it and gave it to her. She thankfully nodded at him and drank it. He sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her. She was still trying to catch her breath and leaned her head against his shoulder. After a while she felt better and said, "I'm sorry that I am such a baby."
"It was your first time and it can be a little rough. I have been doing this on almost a weekly basis during the time I was spying, so it doesn't affect me anymore," he soothed her.
"It just felt so much like I couldn't breathe. I was never good in holding my breath." Then she looked around and smiled weakly at him. "But we are here. A little discomfort like this beats a 12 hour flight any day." Then she put her hand to her stomach and said, "Serina didn't like that either but she seems to be fine now."
"You can feel her again?" he asked.
"I did, just for a moment," she said with a smile. "I think we should continue so we don't have to chase Uncle Brutus away from his lunch."
"Are you sure you have recovered enough?" Severus asked with concern.
"I think so. I am used to Apparating now and it won't make me feel sick anymore," she answered.
"What is the time difference where your uncle is living?" Severus asked while pulling out the photograph of her uncle's ranch.
"London is 6 hours ahead. So while you and I are usually eating dinner my uncle is eating lunch." She grinned.
Severus studied the photograph and pointed at the small lake that was on it. "You have told your uncle we are going to be right there beside that small lake?"
"Yes, I did! I am going to call him and tell him to start the truck to get us." Bobbie dialed the phone and told her uncle that they made it to Regina and they would be right there by the lake. When she hung up Severus grabbed her around the waist and nodded at her to get ready.
The next thing she knew they were standing beside the lake. When she turned around she saw her uncle's truck leaving the house on the other side of the lake. When the idea about Apparating to her uncle's ranch had first come up Severus had explained to her that he would rather Apparate to the other side of the lake where there were no obstructions, because Apparation by using a photograph was less accurate than doing it by memory from having been there before. He didn't want them to 'land' inside a wall of the house or the barn. On the other side was a large beach and this was the perfect spot.
Severus shrunk the photograph and stuck it together with his wand inside the inside pocket of his jacket. He stroked Bobbie's hair and said, "I think as soon as we are at our destination you should rest a little. You look a little worse for wear."
"I will be okay, Baby. I feel like all I am doing since becoming pregnant is resting," she jokingly complained.
He still looked with concern at her when her uncle came up beside them with his truck. He got out, and on the passenger seat a woman exited. "Onkel Brutus! (1)" Bobbie went to her uncle and they hugged each other. Then she went to the woman, "Aunt Felicia, how are you?" Severus saw them hugging. He thought that he now knew where Bobbie had learned all the hugging she was doing. People in Britain weren't quite as enthusiastic about it. He hoped a handshake on his part would do it.
Bobbie finally went to Severus and introduced him to her aunt and uncle and then introduced them to him. Yes, handshakes were sufficient. Just then a bright yellow Cessna flew over them so close that you could see the grin on the face of the pilot. The plane dipped a wing and then gained some altitude and eventually it disappeared over the top of the trees.
"Geronimo!" Bobbie shouted and waved at the plane when it was just over them.
Severus wasn't sure what to think about the whole thing and it showed on his face.
"That was my cousin, Uncle Brutus's and Aunt Felicia's son. He gave us a wing wave to say 'Hello' to us," Bobbie explained.
"His name is Geronimo?" Severus asked.
"Well, yes and no..." Bobbie chuckled. "His real name is George but since he was always a daredevil somebody called him Geronimo for fun and the name stuck. I don't think anybody has called him by his real name since he was about 10 years old."
"I can see why. I don't think I wouldn't want to be holed up together with the two of you," he said with a smile to Bobbie.
"Says the James Bond of the Wizarding World...," Brutus joked.
When she saw Severus looking at Brutus with a raised eyebrow Bobbie scolded her aunt and uncle in jest, "Guys, don't get him all confused." Then she turned to Severus and said, "James Bond was this master spy in some very popular Muggle movies."
"You told them about me?" he first asked and then it dawned on him and he looked at his hand saying, "Right, I shook the hand of a Nevari."
"Actually even non-Nevari in our community know about you." Brutus grinned. "You are quite famous. Some of them are magical people and some still get a newspaper from the Wizarding World delivered all the way from Britain. And then, when people heard that one of our family married you, everyone wanted to know more."
"Wonderful!" Severus groaned, and Bobbie said quietly, "Severus doesn't like all the publicity."
"Well, come on let's get you guys home. I don't think anybody is asking for autographs or having their picture taken with you. Around here a person is already a celebrity just for showing up. Not too many people are stumbling into our remote area and everybody new gets a few days attention and then it's back to business as usual," Brutus said.
"Where's your luggage?" Felicia asked and when Severus patted his pocket she said, "Right, magic..."
The 30 minutes it took them to get to the house of Bobbie's late parents she had already fallen asleep against Severus's shoulder who was sitting with her in the back seat. When the truck stopped Severus tried to wake her gently. Felicia watched them and said, "Poor thing. She should lie down a little before doing anything else. I have been the same way when I was in the first 10-12 weeks of pregnancy. Hardly could keep my eyes open."
Bobbie finally woke up long enough for Severus to get her inside the house. Felicia held open the bedroom door and Severus helped her out of her outer clothes and then tucked her in. While Bobbie slept her aunt and uncle told him that they had already stocked the refrigerator and the pantry with the most essential groceries and gave him the keys for the house. They said their goodbyes and promised him that they would see them in a few days for a family picnic. Severus thanked them before they drove home.
He looked in on Bobbie who was still peacefully asleep and then took out his wand and the shrunken trunks and spelled them back into their normal size. He almost jumped out of his skin when he heard a voice speaking with a faint accent, "Ah, magic! What a wonderful thing."
When he saw an elderly man standing in the door frame Severus motioned for him to be quiet by putting his finger to his lips and then pointing to the bedroom. The man saw Bobbie sleeping through the open door and proceeded quietly, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you. The door was unlocked and I thought I'd look in on my granddaughter."
"You must be Mr Silvers, Bobbie's grandfather." Severus reached his hand out in greeting and only realized during the handshake that yet another Nevari knew all of his secrets.
"Don't worry about it, Severus. I am not going to snoop," he said, like he could read his thoughts. "Albus trusted you with his life and that is good enough for me. By the way, you can call me Anton or like Bobbie does, Opa (2) or grandfather. In a way you are my grandson now, even though it is by marriage."
"Very well! I think I will go for Anton, just because I also called Albus by his first name. Your granddaughter was right, you are a lot like him." Severus had noticed the same demeanor right down to the blue twinkling eyes, and even though Anton was clean shaven and had short hair he reminded him a lot of Albus.
"Well, I'll take that as a compliment," Anton said and smiled. They both sat down at the kitchen table and Severus conjured for both of them a cup of tea which greatly amused Anton. "You Englishmen and your tea..."
"What do you drink around here?" Severus asked.
"Coffee, iced tea, lemonade, water...," Anton said. "Don't get me wrong I didn't mean it in a derogatory way. I actually like a good cup of tea and I enjoyed it very much when I was over there."
"Bobbie said you and Albus were working together in the Grindelwald war," Severus said.
"Yes, I came up from Germany. Even though Albus was about 50 years older than I we became fast friends during that time, and even when the Nevari had to flee to this part of the world he and I still stayed in contact. Not a whole lot but an owl here and there...," Anton explained.
"So German is the accent I detect?" Severus asked.
"Yes, have you been there?" Anton asked.
"No, but I was hoping to go there some day. Some of the potions ingredients I use are coming from the German Alps and they are only growing there and are very rare," Severus answered. "Your last name doesn't sound very German...," he continued.
"Ah yes, very observant. It hasn't been Silvers all the time. It used to be Sieberts and I changed it to Silvers when we found that our lives were in danger and the Nevari were hunted to almost extinction. It prevented us from being detected."
"Are you sure you want to tell me all this? You don't know me. You don't know if you can trust me," Severus said.
"Oh, I have a feeling that I can." Anton's blue eyes twinkled.
Before Severus could think about how much Anton had delved into his memories Bobbie suddenly came out of the bedroom. She had heard quiet voices when she woke up and had gotten dressed. As soon as she saw her grandfather she said, "Opa!" and flew into is arms.
After a long hug and some kisses on each others cheeks Bobbie asked, "Wie geht's dir denn? Freut mich, dass du etwas besser aussiehst, als beim letzten mal. (3)"
"Mir geht's gut. Du weißt doch, Unkraut vergeht nicht. (4)" Then he held her away from him so he could look at her better. "Mädchen, du siehst aus als meinte es das Leben gut mit dir. (5)" Then he glanced at Severus and said, "I think we better go to English so we can all understand."
"You never told me you speak German," Severus said to Bobbie.
"Well, it just never came up," she said.
"You never use it on the phone either, even when you speak with your grandfather," Severus said.
Anton said, "I think this is because I never had a telephone when I was still living in Germany and most everyone I talk to speaks English, so part of it is just habit, but it also is more secure for us. The language could give us away. There are still some people out there who would kill a Nevari if they knew we are still around and most of us came from Germany."
"I understand! It is difficult having to look over your shoulder all the time...," Severus agreed.
"Yes, you would know all about it. You have done it for a long time and even now there are probably still some Death Eaters out there who would like to get their hands on you," Anton mused.
Severus nodded thoughtfully.
Bobbie was trying to lighten up the situation and knew just what would do the trick. She said, "Opa, we have something for you. We do have to take it back with us though, so you can't keep it, but I think you will like it nonetheless."
While Bobbie got up to rummage around in one of the trunks to get what she was talking about, Anton looked at Severus with a questioning look. Severus just shrugged his shoulder and shook his head. He had no idea.
A minute later Bobbie came back with a large flat wrapped up rectangle and said to Severus, "Minerva let us borrow it from her office for the time we are here."
She went to her grandfather and gave it to him. Anton took the wrapping paper off and Albus's portrait emerged and said, "Hello my old friend. It is great to see you again."
Anton just looked at it but didn't say anything so Severus got up and went behind Anton and looked over his shoulder and Albus said, "Severus, my boy. I see you met my friend Anton."
Severus said, "As a matter of fact, I did. Bobbie and I are in Canada for a visit. I can't believe you are actually gracing us with your presence instead of sleeping."
Anton looked at Severus and asked in astonishment, "He is aware?"
"To some extent... You can certainly speak to him about the old times, provided you can keep him awake long enough. He certainly was still able to manipulate some of the on-goings in the war...," Severus said with fake derision and winked at Albus.
Albus chuckled and said, "You have done well, Severus. I am very proud of you. And I know your cure against lycanthropy will be a success."
"You know that this isn't for the public to know yet," Severus scolded.
"Yes Minerva told me that you didn't want to count your dragons before they hatch. Anton won't advertise it, I am sure," Albus said.
"You have a cure against lycanthropy?" Anton again turned his head to look at Severus with surprise in his voice.
"I will not be certain until the next full moon. We just tested it last Saturday on a prisoner. If he doesn't turn during the next full moon we will know for sure," Severus answered.
Anton smiled at Severus's caution and modesty. He was the perfect husband for his granddaughter who tended to be a little overly excited and reckless at times. Severus would ground her somewhat and it would also spice up the marriage. He said, "I am sure Albus is right. He always had a good feeling about things."
Another awkward moment for Severus, so Bobbie tried to defuse the situation again and said with a smile, "Opa, you can take the portrait with you and we will pick it up when we leave."
"Thank you! By the way, you may want to come over and get your fur balls. They already know that something is going on and are very excited. I hardly was able to contain them. Eleonore and I are trying to take them for a walk every day but all they want to do is run over here and check if you are home."
"Well, let us walk back with you and get them," Bobbie said and they all got up to leave.
Severus was lost and asked, "Fur balls?"
"Yes, my dogs," she answered.
"Dogs..., of course! Why am I not surprised?" Severus said with mock indignation. "That is why Hagrid's flea bag is slobbering all over you when he sees you," Severus grumbled. Then he asked, when they were about to walk off, "Don't you want to lock the house?"
"You don't need to around here. Nobody will steal anything," Anton said and then chuckled. "Yes, all dogs love Bobbie. If there was a stray dog anywhere, she found it. I remember when she was about 2 years old, barely able to walk and that huge Saint Bernard ran straight to her. Everybody was scared to death that he would hurt her, even the owners, but all he wanted was saying 'Hello' and being petted by her. Helen, Bobbie's mother, had to give her a bath afterwards. Her hair was sticking straight up because of all the slobber."
Severus chuckled and gave Bobbie a one-armed hug.
It was a very short walk. When they were outside Anton's house they saw a woman waving from the front porch of the neighboring house. Bobbie said, "Eleonore, nice to see you," and walked over and hugged the woman who had by then walked off her porch to meet her halfway.
Bobbie said to her, "Come over and meet my husband."
The women walked back to Anton's house and Eleonore greeted Severus with a handshake and said, "It is so nice to meet you. I have heard so much about you."
Severus smiled at her and said, "Likewise! I have heard you are making a great asparagus soup."
She laughed and said, "It is an acquired taste but Anton likes it."
They stood in the road in front of Anton's house having a little bit of small talk which Severus actually found pleasant to his surprise. After a while they all walked up the steps onto Anton's porch and to the front door. There was some commotion and whining inside the door and Bobbie said to Severus, "Brace yourself!"
Anton opened the door and as soon as it was open by only a small gap, a large white dog snout squeezed its way through. Severus saw two yellow labs almost barreling Bobbie over. At first he was a little anxious that they would hurt her but soon found out that they were just very excited to see her again. She petted and hugged and kissed them on their heads and after they were done with her, they came over to Severus and sniffed around him and stuck their heads into the palm of his hands so he would pet them. Apparently he met approval and he stroked their soft heads. Then Bobbie said in a commanding voice, "Okay guys that's enough. Inside!" and motioned toward the door.
Both dogs let up right away and went inside and everybody followed. Anton walked straight to a painting that showed a landscape and took it off the wall and hung Albus's portrait in its place, which by that time Albus had gone to sleep. The dogs had lain down on the rug in front of the hearth after Bobbie had told them so.
They all sat down and Anton asked if they wanted something to drink. Once they all agreed on coffee he was just about to get up, but Eleonore put a hand on Anton's shoulder and told him to stay and she went to the kitchen instead. Bobbie noticed and followed her. While she helped Eleonore with the dishes and the coffee she asked, "Is Opa okay?"
Eleonore had a sad face when she said, "He told me not to say anything but I think you have a right to know. He may have to start dialysis if his kidneys aren't getting any better."
"But he looked so much better to me today than when I left for England...," Bobbie said.
Eleonore said, "He is putting on a brave face. Sometimes he has trouble getting out of bed in the morning."
"How did he think he's going to hide that from me?" Bobbie asked.
"He sure would have tried his best. Trust me." Eleonore put her hand on Bobbies arm and said, "It is our time to put on a brave face now. You don't want to spoil yours and Anton's visit."
Bobbie nodded, not totally convinced, and grabbed the tray and went back to the living room. Eleonore followed with the coffee pot.
They did have a good visit and before Severus and Bobbie left to go home Bobbie took the dog leashes from a hook behind the door and took the dogs with them. On the way home Severus figured out from the way Bobbie acted that something was amiss and he asked her what it was. When she told him he thought about it for a while and then asked, "Potions work on Nevari... Do you think your grandfather would allow me to examine him?"
"What are you saying?" she asked him.
"I am saying that we don't have anyone living with kidney diseases in the Wizarding World. We have had a cure for about 20 years now. Someone in France developed a potion. I still would like to analyse your grandfather, to determine that this is what it really is and that there aren't any underlying causes."
Bobbie had stopped walking by then and stared at Severus. Her hand went slowly to her mouth and tears appeared in her eyes. Then she whispered, "Oh Severus, that would be wonderful..."
"Don't cry my Love." He wiped away a tear that had run down her face with the pad of his thumb and gently kissed her.
She smiled and said, "Opa, is almost 100 but he could live another 20 or even 30 years if he was healthy. I can't lose him too. I just lost my parents two years ago. I would like for him to meet our little girl..."
"I know, so would I." He brushed a strand of hair out of her face and wrapped his arm around her and said, "Come, let's get you home. We can talk about this some more."
sssssssssss
(1) Uncle Brutus
(2) Grandpa
(3) How are you? I'm glad you look a little better than the last time.
(4) I feel good. As you know, ill weeds go apace.
(5) Girl you look like life is good to you.
