Go the Distance

In case there was any doubt, I don't own the Harry Potter series or any recognizable characters. But thank you for the compliment.

Also thank you to everyone who reviewed.

For those who asked—Aberdeen is a kind of granite (from a particular city in Scotland, but that part doesn't really matter). Originally there had been a paragraph in the chapter he transfigured her about Severus picking the name because it was the kind of stone the paperweight had been and the pattern of it was still on her fur. The paragraph seemed kind of convoluted and pointless as far as the rest of the story was concerned so I took it out, but that's where the name is from.

Severus glared at the wall. It wasn't fair. He'd only wanted a couple minutes to himself, a couple minutes of peace and quiet to think about what he was going to ask Alastor, and absolutely everything had conspired against him. First, as soon as breakfast was over, Bill had been his usual obnoxious self and had made a royal mess out in the garden so Severus had had to spend the whole morning helping Molly clean it up. Between the boys and the gnomes, 'quiet' had not been the word for that task. And then after lunch Charlie had insisted that he play some stupid game with blocks with him, and every time Severus had tried to get up and leave the little brat had started screaming and howling and carrying on until Severus sat back down. After the second time he was more than ready to just ignore the screaming and walk far enough away fast enough that Charlie couldn't follow or find him, but Molly had stuck her head out the door at the commotion and glared him into giving in. Then, after dinner, Molly had insisted that he join the rest of them in the sitting room where things would no doubt be as loud and hectic as usual…maybe Severus hadn't been exactly as respectful as he could have been, but all he'd wanted was to be allowed to go up to his room and have just a few moments to himself! Was that really so much to ask? And now Alastor was due any minute and the first thing he was going to see—less than a day after Severus had promised that he could be good—was Severus being punished. Granted that standing in the corner wasn't really a major punishment, but still, it just wasn't fair.

Bill squealed at something that was happening behind Severus' back, and he bit back a groan and leaned his forehead against the wall. Even when he was in trouble and being punished he couldn't get a moment's peace to think in this household. The floo roared, and he straightened his back. At least he could show that he could take a punishment properly, even a stupid one.

"Severus," Molly called after greetings were exchanged, and he turned and tried to keep himself from flushing. Or at least to keep the flush from being completely obvious.

Alastor gave him a curious look, but fortunately for Severus' peace of mind didn't ask anything. "Want to go for a walk, lad?"

"Yes, sir."

"Now, make sure you have your cloak—"

"Molly, it's ruddy July, he's not likely to take pneumonia," Alastor interrupted, but apparently her glare worked on him as well as anyone else because he waved a hand. "Fine, fine, get your cloak."

Severus did as he was told, more out of a desire to avoid an argument than any belief that he'd actually need it, and then headed outside with Alastor. The two of them matched paces in silence for a few moments until they'd reached the edge of the pond.

"Do I want to ask what that was about inside?"

Severus felt his flush return. So much for not being asked. "I've been trying to get some time alone to think about stuff all day…after dinner I sort of asked if they could all leave me alone for two bloody minutes. I guess it was kind of rude." Molly had certainly thought so, at least.

"Suppose that particular wording might have come across that way," Alastor agreed, although a cautious glance at his expression indicated that he was amused rather than annoyed or angry. Of course, it turned serious again almost immediately. "Do you need more time to think about things?"

"No!" Severus was going to go mad if he had to stay in that house much longer, he knew it. "I want to go home. Just…are you going to whip me whenever I mess up?" One of the things he'd wanted time to think about was a better way to phrase that, some way that wouldn't make him sound like a scared five year old, but Alastor's belt had hurt and since he hadn't had that time to himself to come up with better wording…. No matter what Alastor answered it wouldn't change his mind, but he needed to know.

Alastor sighed and rubbed his face with the hand not holding the crutch. "I can't promise I won't ever whip you again, Severus—you pull any more stunts like you've apparently been pulling this summer and I can pretty much guarantee I will, in fact. You bloody well ought to be a bit afraid of what that kind of behavior will earn you."

Severus kept his mouth shut and his eyes on the ground, at least until a rough hand closed on the back of his neck. "Hm?"

"That doesn't mean I'd thrash you for running your mouth or breaking a dish or any of that sort of nonsense, lad. Leaving aside from the fact that it's ridiculous to expect anyone to be perfect, I won't have you frightened every time I walk into a room."

"Just for the really bad stuff, then?" That didn't sound so bad.

"Aye. Lying, breaking the law, and disobedience, I'd say. Well, serious disobedience, at least—things that could get you hurt or killed if you if you go against me. Wouldn't take a belt to you for not cleaning your room when you're supposed to or something silly like that. Fair enough?"

The lying might be trouble, Severus admitted to himself, especially since it seemed to be something Alastor was going to be strict about. Lying had become something of a habit while he'd lived with his grandparents and he hadn't exactly tried to break it this summer. But at least it seemed like Alastor was going to let him come home and not expect anything completely impossible out of him so if he didn't have reason to lie…. "Fair enough. What…what about before? Running away?" He was pretty sure that that counted as both breaking the law—he was still officially on house arrest, after all—and serious disobedience, but….

"Aside from the fact that me terrifying you was probably a punishment in its own right, I'm not minded to thrash you for something that was more than half my fault. Should have told you where I was going in the first place and saved us both a lot of bother. Not that running off was the wisest thing you could have done either, mind," he added with a quick glare, "but provided it doesn't happen again I don't think we need to worry about it anymore. All right?"

Severus nodded quickly.

"As for the original offense…."

Severus bit his lip as the hand on his neck squeezed lightly and then was removed. The whipping he'd already received had been for lying—Alastor had made that pretty bloody clear before he'd delivered it—but Severus had been hoping that Alastor would let it count for the whole mess rather than punishing him separately for sneaking out. Even if he probably did deserve it.

"Suppose that's going to be up to you to decide. Can either take a dozen strokes of my belt—and they'll hurt, and hurt plenty, I'm afraid—or come to the Ministry during the day with me until your house arrest is over and a week or two beyond besides and do whatever the Ministry house elves tell you to do. After that…well, you donate whatever Riddle paid you to some charity, and we'll say it's dealt with."

Severus winced. Neither of those options sounded like a lot of fun. "What about what happened to you and Gideon?" That had to be worth something on its own.

"Merlin knows that bastard's tricked older and wiser wizards than you," Alastor said with a half-growl. "What happened to Gideon and I was never your fault, where you went wrong was going there in the first place. Which is the original offense. I probably ought to just thrash you and have it done with, but…." He shook his head. "Let's just say that's what my da would have done, and I'd just as soon not if there's another option. But if you'd rather a whipping that's over quickly rather than a punishment that drags out for weeks...well, I suppose that's fair enough. It's your choice."

Severus considered for a few moments. He definitely didn't want a whipping, but the alternative was to….

"What is it, lad?"

"It's just…." He trailed off, flushing. "For school I'm going to need books and things, and that's all the money I have, and if I pick the second—" which is what he definitely did want to do—"then…."

"That's blood money, and you aren't keeping it either way. Maybe I didn't make that clear." Alastor's voice was decidedly firm, and Severus winced. "Look at me, Severus. You're more than old enough to understand that you don't profit from crime. Leastways you shouldn't, and you won't while I've any say in the matter. Understand?"

Severus swallowed and nodded.

"Books and school supplies aren't your responsibility, anyway; no more than are clothes or food or any of those sorts of things," Alastor added after a moment.

That thought, followed to its logical conclusion, indicated that Alastor would take care of all of those…well, obviously he had been buying the food all along, but still, it wasn't like he was Severus' parent or anything. He wasn't even a relative, just…. Severus shook his head slightly. Maybe guardians did do that sort of thing. It wasn't like he'd know. Alastor was obviously waiting for a response, and he gave a quick nod. "I guess I pick the Ministry, then."

"Good lad. Wasn't much looking forward to starting your first night home with tears. Now, what we haven't talked about and I think we'd better before you make a final decision about whether you come with me or not—my temper."

Severus dropped his eyes back down to the ground at that.

"Honestly, I still haven't come up with a good solution. I'll try my best to keep it in check—suppose that's an obvious one—and walk away when I am too angry to deal with you properly, but…."

"I won't make you angry, Alastor, honest," Severus cut in.

"I know you won't try, lad, but I expect it'll probably happen despite both our best intentions." He shook his head. "If you tell me—or yell at me—that you think I'm too angry to punish you or you want to go to your room until I've calmed down, I'll try and honor that, but depending how angry I am I'm just not sure I'd hear anything you were saying. I thought about teaching you a couple defensive spells, but I don't much like the idea of being spelled at regardless of the provocation—not to mention that I know just about all the counters—and as for putting a lock on your door…well, I figured you could lock yourself in easily enough until I've got my temper under control but I'm afraid I know the majority of the lock-breaking spells as well. I will key you into the floo so you don't need my permission to travel through it—if you're ever genuinely scared of me, I want you to come right back here or go to the Prewetts. No questions asked, you just do it. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." He was more than slightly glad that Alastor had discarded the idea of teaching him the spells—in his experience casting spells, even defensive ones, at angry people didn't generally improve their moods, and what Alastor was no doubt capable of doing in return didn't bear thinking on—but he might ask for a lock on his door anyway. He nodded slightly, to himself. And it wasn't as though he'd need it, because he could be good, when he needed to be.

"If you've any other ideas, I'd be more than happy to listen to them."

"Not really," Severus admitted. "Yelling something sounds like the best idea, but if I think of something better I'll tell you."

"All right. You come up with any more questions?"

"I…just your belt?"

Alastor was quiet for a moment, and then, "Aye. You're just a skinny little lad, all things considered…should never have tried to take a cane to you no matter what mood I was in."

Severus relaxed slightly.

"You're certain you want to come back with me?"

He nodded rapidly at that. There was no way he was going to get left here with the Weasleys.

"I don't know whether this will work, mind," Alastor said with a sigh, "but if you're certain, I suppose we can try. Molly was right; you'd have to be blind not to see that you're unhappy here, and it is a bit quiet all alone in that house."

Severus hid a quick grin at the admission that Alastor had missed him too.

"We'd best get back and see about your things, then. Somehow I don't think Molly or Arthur will be particularly surprised, but…."

"My stuff is already ready," Severus admitted. "I didn't really unpack too much of it." And what he had, he'd rolled back up in one of his robes during the thirty seconds he'd had to himself after lunch before Charlie had come hunting.

Alastor chuckled. "Fair enough. Come along, then."

Charlie apparently managed to figure out that he was leaving and was starting to howl as Alastor activated the floo—without any idiotic explanations to Severus about what to do or offers to demonstrate—and Severus closed his eyes and waited for his turn. It was quiet at Alastor's.

Well, normally it was quiet—loud squeaks greeted his arrival, and Severus twisted back to see a familiar furry body on the mantle above the fireplace. "Aberdeen!" He dropped his pack and picked her up carefully, relived that she looked all right. The last thing he'd heard of her had been her squeal when Alastor threw his cloak onto the bench, and when she hadn't been delivered with his things to the Weasleys….

"Take that thing and put it wherever you normally keep it," Alastor said, glaring in Severus' general direction although it didn't actually seem to be aimed at him. "Keeps trying to bite me every bloody time I get near. Even when I've got food."

"I guess she just knows me. I thought—" Well, he didn't really want to say what he'd thought. "Why didn't you bring her to me?"

"Was afraid those two little terrors Molly's got would have made the Burrow a bad place to keep a pet. Tucked a note about it into one of those books I sent."

"I didn't get much of a chance to read," Severus admitted. He hadn't known the books had come from Alastor, although it made sense since they'd been tied up in the other things he'd left here.

"Suppose you might not have."

Severus grinned slightly at a shake of the older man's head. Alastor had been the one to rescue the book that Molly had taken from him a few days before—she certainly hadn't handed it to him when they were heading for the floo.

"Well, go on, I'll bring your things."

Severus was relieved to find his room just how he'd left it…well, mostly just like. His bed had been made and the books on his shelves straightened a bit, but it was close enough that it didn't matter. He returned Aberdeen to her shelf and set to work unpacking the things Alastor put down on his bed.

"Have you eaten?" Alastor asked, coming back into the room after a few minutes.

"Yes, sir."

"Alastor," he said with a light rap to the bridge of Severus' nose. "And I'm going to eat now, so if you're still hungry you're welcome to join me."

Like most teenage males, Severus was quite capable of eating his own body weight in food when he felt like it, and he stuffed the rest of his clothes into the empty drawers quickly and followed Alastor down the halls. His cooking might not be as good as Molly's, but Severus had never once heard him utter the words 'Now you just finish those carrots or you'll get no dessert' either.

Severus cleared the bowls after they'd finished and then curled up on the couch with one of the books Alastor had sent him while Alastor dropped down in his chair and picked up a book of his own. This was how you were supposed to spend your evenings in Severus' opinion, not being forced to play an indeterminable number of games of exploding snap with a sulky five year old.

He was partially through the second chapter when a knuckle rapping on the top of his head lightly startled him. He twisted to look over at Alastor. "Hm?"

"Get your nose out of your book for a few minutes; think we'd best take a look at this."

"What is it?" Alastor had a scrap of parchment in front of him, but Severus couldn't see what was written on it. He put down his book and sat up.

"Molly Weasley's checklist to raising children. She apparently wrote it out yesterday and gave it to me while you were fetching your things. Don't figure looking over it can hurt anything."

Well, it wasn't like he or Alastor really knew what they were doing, and he moved to sit on the arm of Alastor's chair so he could read it too.

"Uh…you don't need a nap time, do you?"

"What?" Severus glared at the first line. 'Set structure for daily activities such as a regular nap time.' Was the woman insane? "No!"

"Accio quill."

Severus flinched slightly, but he was pretty sure Alastor didn't notice. And this quill was only for marking out one of the lines on the parchment.

Alastor moved to the next line. "What about story time? Is that what this is?"

"Not by her definition, I don't think," although it suited Severus just fine. "You can probably cross out anything with the word 'time' in it without losing much."

"Fair enough."

And thus went nap time, story time, bed time, snack time, play time, bath time for Merlin's sake!…

"Did standing in a corner actually do you any good?"

"Mostly it was just annoying. You can send me to my room though."

"Where all the books you like are." Alastor chuckled. "Nice try, laddie."

So standing in the corner stayed on the list, although Severus had a hard time imagining Alastor ever actually ordering him into one. And most of the stuff about healthy meals stayed too; fortunately since he was the one who did most of the cooking, he wasn't too worried about getting stuck eating things he hated. Like mushy carrots.

The—large—section with phrases like 'lots of hugs' they skipped over quickly, avoiding looking at each other for several minutes afterwards. Severus wondered if Molly had actually thought anything about either of their personalities or general behaviors when she'd written any of that.

Most of the rest of it wasn't as bad…chores and that sort of thing…and eventually Alastor set the list aside. "Some ideas, I suppose. But I'm for bed, lad, so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Should I…." Severus wasn't sure whether he was supposed to start at the Ministry tomorrow, or if there was anything that had to be set up, or….

"You use tomorrow morning and get settled back in, and I'll fetch you at lunchtime, all right?"

"Yes, sir. Alastor."

"Good lad. Sleep well."