Chapter 94 - Grass Snake Ⅱ (2/2)

”No, because I doubt Severus would be able to hide it,” Reginald coolly answered. ”Severus is too much of an open of a book to protect himself from those that would use him or those that would seek to destroy him.”

”Oh,” Rowan sheepishly muttered with some embarrassment and guilt.

Reginald hides a tired smile and says, ”I suppose the one good thing about this is that we can say with absolute certainty that you undoubtedly belong in Slytherin.”

”I suppose it does, doesn't it?” Rowan said with a wry smile.

Rising to his feet, Reginald knee's creak as he says, ”I am most famished. What about you?”

”Apparently I'm starving,” Rowan sincerely replied as she also rose to her feet.

”Ah, yes, the pangs of hunger of youth,” Reginald fondly reminisced. ”I used to be able to down an entire pot roast all on my own for dinner.”

Rowan's face turns slightly green at his words. ”I like to eat grandfather, but not that much!” Rowan exclaimed.

”Yes, well, I was a teenage boy,” Reginald chuckled. ”You, on the other hand, are a teenage girl, it's not the same thing at all.” Rowan snorts in reply causing another chuckle to arise from Reginald as they walked out of the study and towards the kitchen.

Reginald and Rowan had barely had a seat when Dawn without any word was placing dozens of plates before them to eat. Beaming at the generous meal, Reginald says, ”As always you outdo yourself, Dawn.”

”Thank you, Master,” Dawn said with a proud grin, before fluttering away to complete some other task.

Munching on a sandwich, Rowan mumbles, ”On that note, is Dawn the only house-elf? Because I've never seen any other house-elf and the manor is awfully big for her to cook and clean by herself.”

”Well, there is one other elf, and he is mostly in charge of the grounds,” Reginald mumbled back. ”Tadbey, is more of a recluse and though he does aid Dawn in the cleaning of the manor, he rarely allows himself to be seen.”

”Huh,” Rowan said with a mouthful of food.

”Why do you wish to meet him?”

”Maybe some other time.”

”Very well, then.”

The two of them lapse into pleasant silence as they continue to eat until loud footsteps cause them to glance at the doorway. Severus eagerly lets out a whoop and says, ”The Evans said Lily could stay with us the last two weeks of Summer. So, we can go shopping together in Diagon Alley as usual and instead of going home, Lily will come home with us!”

In response, Rowan merely takes another bite of her sandwich as Reginald does the same. Denoting the lack of excitement or interest in either of them, Severus coughs and says, ”Er, that would be alright wouldn't it, grandfather?” Pleading with his grandfather, Severus in a rare instance pouts desperately at his grandfather in hopes of having his request fulfilled.

”I certainly don't mind, but you will have to ask your grandmother as well-,” Reginald is unable to finish his sentence as Severus is already sprinting out the door and off to see his grandmother.

”Faster than a bloody racehorse,” Reginald huffed at being cut off in mid-sentence.

”Personally, I always thought he had some Doberman in him,” Rowan commented.

Reginald chokes at Rowan's words, before finally saying, ”I doubt that.”

”Mm, the Snape side is awfully shady if you ask me,” Rowan countered causing Reginald to further choke. Seeing that it was in his own best interests, Reginald wisely decided to ignore that sticky bit of track for the moment. After all, it was awfully embarrassing to keep chocking.