Gypsy Caravan

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty

Severus looked down in amazement at the boy who defended him so fiercely. No one had ever fought to protect him; even his mother had used distraction rather than head-on defense. Looking into Black's face, his mouth slack in shock, Snape smirked.

When Black saw the smirk his shock turned to anger. Quickly he advanced on the boy. "How dare you..." he began as Snape also stepped forward in order to protect the child.

A shadow fell over both men. They turned and needed to look up to see the man suddenly standing before them. Black gulped; at 6' 1" he rarely had to look up, but this man was huge and not only tall but broad.

His deep voice rumbled through all of them. "What is going on here?"

Both of the adults opened their mouths to answer, but Gabriel beat them to it. His voice came out sounding soft and innocent and in direct contrast to how he'd sounded just seconds before. "Baba, Auror Black doesn't have an appointment. I told him he could come back tomorrow, then he called Professor Snape a rude name."

Mudiwa bit his lip trying not to blow Gabriel's act. Auror Black's mouth had dropped open yet again in shock, and Professor Snape seemed torn between amusement and suspicion.

"Auror Black, is there a problem I should know about? And why were you speaking to my son about such adult matters?"

Sirius gathered himself up. "Snape is a Death Eater. I was merely making sure he wasn't purchasing anything illegal."

Mudiwa cocked his head to the side and said, "Headmaster Dumbledore hired him. I doubt he would hire a Death Eater."

Snape drew himself up and stood stock-still. He did not like where this conversation was going.

Black crowed in triumph, "Just look at his left arm!"

A small hand reached out and grabbed Snape's left forearm right over the Dark Mark. "Professor Snape is a good man and our friend. I don't need to know anything else."

"Maybe I should check all of your documents? Maybe they are all forged if you choose to consort with a Death Eater." Sirius Black sneered as his hated enemy continued to be defended.

"You are certainly welcome to; just so you know however, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Mrs. Bones provide us with the majority of our legal documents which make our travels possible. They will all be here tomorrow if you would like to verify it with them." Seeing a shape moving outside the tent Mudiwa shouted, "Adonis!"

Adonis popped into the tent. "Yes, what I can I do for you? Oh, hello Professor Snape; how are you doing? I hope the urchins weren't too hard on you this year."

Severus smirked, Sirius sneered, Gabriel glared and Mudiwa sighed. "Can you please get Vincent and the folder?"

Adonis's golden eyebrows shot up. "Of course I'll be right back."

"While we are waiting, Gabriel, why don't you show Professor Snape what you've brought him this year?" Gabriel turned to look into his Baba's gray eyes. After a moment of silent communication he glared viciously at Black, then turned a bright smile on Severus.

Moving over to the table Gabriel opened the large case. Easily he removed the vials and jars of snake materials. Severus looked over them all. "These are very good quality, just like last time. I was able to develop a potion to help heal the effects of the Cruciatus curse with the venom you collected last year. These are wonderful, and I will take most of them. But you said you had something special."