Over the past week, Devon and Henry had managed to buy a little tavern in Whitechapel. Devon also managed to get in contact with the Silversmith brothers. Edgar and Alaric Silversmith were happy to join her and they chipped into the tavern as well. Edgar was a skilled Archivist and his brother was an equally skilled Auror.
The Lone Star was a small rustic medieval style tavern. Wrought iron barred windows looked out into the street and glowed faintly from the light within. The interior consisted of large rough wooden tables, a high polished bar, and a huge roaring fireplace. In addition, there also were dozens of cardboard boxes scattered on the floor and tables. They were currently in the process of moving in.
Henry was sweeping the floor when Devon suddenly apparated, Eiffel Tower miniature in hand.
“Hey I’m back.” She greeted him with a wave of her hands. “Where’s Edgar and Alaric?”
“They are in the cellar working on the enchantments on the barrel door.” He replied, putting his broom down and wandering over to give her a kiss. “So how are Charlie and Asri getting on?”
“It’s like Charlie never left. They already have it up and running. Asri is excited to live in Paris because he was a baby when we moved away.” She smiled as she signed but then it faded and she signed more hesitantly, “I just hope the war doesn’t reach them.”
Henry quickly wrapped his arms around her, smiling gently as the residual smell of yeast and sugar reached his nose. “I can’t promise you they will be ok. However I can promise you I will try my best to protect them, including you. I love you.”
Sniffing and wiping away tears that have gathered in her eyes she smiled back, “Not if I protect you first. I love you too.”
Devon perked up suddenly, “I have something to show you. You’ll need your coat.”
Paris, France - 11:30 AM
After getting his coat and changing the time on the portkey, they apparated into the store room of the bakery, the smell of bread hitting them immediately.
“Meet me out in the car. We are taking Charlie’s, here’s the keys. There’s something I have to grab first.” She signed and handed him the keys before disappearing in the back.
Five minutes later Devon reappeared, exiting the bakery and shoving something in the trunk of the car and then jumping into the passenger seat.
“So where are we off to? Or is that a surprise?”
“You bet. Turn left up there” She replied with a wink, pointing down the street.
Following Devon’s occasional directions, Henry drove down Paris streets until finally coming to the edge of the city, the high urban buildings being replaced by more and more trees. Eventually Devon told him to pull over in front of a small cottage overgrown with vines and foliage.
“This was our house. When my mom was still alive.” She signed as she got out of the car, answering Henry’s question before he could make it.
“Come on, we aren’t there yet!” She added as she grabbed his hand after retrieving a large basket from the trunk.
The two of them walked around the house towards the back and then entered the dense forest. Bright green leaves gently rustled in the wind. Only Henry heard the cracking of sticks beneath their feet and the chirp of birds above.
Within minutes they emerged into a clearing. In the center laid a huge flat rock next to a small stream that slowly flowed over mossy stones. Upon the rock was a knit blanket made of deep red, orange, and brown.
Henry laughed brightly as they walked over and sat down on the blanket, Devon producing containers of food from the basket and laying them out. The last thing she pulled out was a large cardboard box which she instead handed to Henry. Opening it up, his eyes met an elegantly frosted cake topped with a mixture of fruits, obviously a product of the Marlowe Bakery.
“Happy Birthday, my love”
The hours passed by as they drank champagne and enjoyed a picnic under the noon day sun of Paris.
