Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter One Hundred Thirteen

"Hey Neville, are you ready?" Kefira asked Neville after he had been lathered in Aloe Vera for the millionth time since his arrival. 

He glanced up at her as Kefira's mother went to retrieve more sunblock.

"Ready for what?"

"Hello, to wrestle a lion." Kefira told him like it was the most obvious thing on the face of the Earth.

"What?!" he cried, standing up with an alarmed expression. "We have to wrestle lions?"

"Well, of course." Kefira said with a straight face. "It's a South African tradition."

"But I...I can't..." He saw the smirk appear on her face and immediately his worry vanished.

"Kefi!"

"I'm sorry!" she laughed falling back onto her bed. "I can't actually believe you were falling for that for a bit there."

"Well, it's not like I'm familiar with the culture here, I actually thought you were being serious."

"Nope, I was definitely being Kefi." she winked at him. "But hopefully we get to see some lions today. Dad's going out to take some photos and he said we can tag along as long as we're quiet."

"You think you can handle the quiet part?" Neville teased her.

"If it means seeing a lion I can." she chuckled. "Now come on and get up! We're leaving soon."

Neville liked Kefira's mother because Alana treated him as if he were one of her own, but it also meant that Alana entered helicopter mother mode quite often with him. She made sure that he was taken care of above all the others because he was a guest of the family and she certainly didn't want to deal with Neville's grandmother if anything happened to the boy.

Neville found himself decked out in clothes that Alana had bought for him that included lighter shirts and a hat so he could remain cool and less burnt. 

"You look like a tourist, Neville." Kefira giggled when she saw him.

"Well, I can't help it. Your mum picked out the outfit and I wasn't about to argue with her."

"It's not a bad thing, Nevs. I think you look adorable in a hat." 

Neville's cheeks grew warm as he smiled at her.

"So did you get sunscreen on before my mother asks for the millionth time?" Kefira said.

"I did."

"Yay! That means we can go, now come on!" she grabbed his hand and pulled him along until they met Cardel outside of the hotel room.

"All set?" he asked the two, he was dressed in cargo shorts and a green mesh like vest with very expensive camera equipment in his hands.

"Yes!" Kefira nodded eagerly.

"Remember the deal, Kefi?"

"I'll behave! I swear!"

Neville checked to see if the girl had her fingers crossed before Cardel nodded and led the way out of the hotel.

"So what are we going to see today?" Neville asked as they got into a jeep like car.

"Well, if we're lucky, I'm hoping we'll find some giraffes today, Neville. Seeing as that is what this whole trip is about."

"Giraffes? That's it?"

"Whatever the client wants, the client gets." Cardel shrugged. 'If they want giraffes, well...they get giraffes."

"Why giraffes when you can have lions..." Kefira shook her head. "I'll never understand."

Cardel snorted as they loaded up and he began the engine.

"So did you grow up around here?" Neville seemed to be full of questions that day.

"A little ways from here, Neville, but close enough. I grew up with my mother and a couple of my aunts..."

"What about your father?"

"Oh he passed when I was just a boy, Neville. He had a lot of heart problems and my mother's health wasn't too great either. She passed when I was eighteen."

"Oh.." Was all Neville could bring himself to say for a moment. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Nonsense you have nothing to be sorry about." Cardel smiled at him. 'It was a long time ago.  They were good people and that's how I remember them now."

Neville smiled before his thoughts trailed to his own parents but before he could bring himself to frown, Kefira seemed to have read his thoughts and grabbed his hand.

She gave him a comforting squeeze and a smile before looking forward out at the road.

"Now before we get started, I just have to pick up an old friend." Cardel announced.

"Please tell me we're going to see Bandile! Please tell me it's Bandile!" Kefira bounced up and down in her seat.

"I can't keep any surprise from you!" Cardel grumbled. "You always guess it!"

"Yay! Bandile!"

"Who's Bandile?" Neville questioned looking back and forth between the two.

Kefira grinned from ear to ear.

"If you thought I was wild, Neville, you haven't seen anything yet...not until you meet Bandile."

"I'm not sure how I feel about that." Neville chuckled nervously.

"Oh he's the best, Neville you're going to love him! He's like the crazy uncle I never had."

"Do you really need anymore crazy in your life, Kefi?" Cardel laughed from the front.

"One can never have enough crazy, dear father."