Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Web of Lies.
Dumbledore, with a small smile, went to stand just at the lake's shore. Taking out his wand, he swished it once and a large silver blanket appeared in front of him, gently floating on the water. Laughing lightly at the surprised gasps from his friends, the old man stepped on the blanket and sat down at the far side. After exchanging a glance, the other three also stepped on the strange blanket. Minerva and Alec sat at either side of Dumbledore, facing each other, and Severus sat opposite of the old man closing the small circle. To make things more comfortable, Severus conjured several large pillows so they could lean on them. Once they were all comfortable, the headmaster muttered a few words, and the blanket started to move until it settled in the middle of the lake.
Alec laughed in delight, looking around happily. The view they had from that spot was incredible. Large trees, denser at the far away part of the lake, surrounded the whole lake. The sun shone brightly, announcing it was going to be a warm day, and Alec hoped he would be able to convince his teachers to go swim with him. Since the second task, he had taught himself to swim, and while he still was not too good at it, he could manage. His gaze moved from the clear water to his grandfather, who had cleared his throat, demanding their attention.
When the old man was sure he had their attention, he muttered something under his breath, and a large pile of presents appeared in the circle. Alec couldn't help but be stunned at the sight, there must be at least thirty wrapped packages in there; what on earth was the man thinking? Looking up sharply, he frowned at the headmaster.
"Grandfather! What did you do, buy me the whole store?"
Dumbledore chuckled and gave him an innocent look. "It was the easiest way I could think of to get you to accept all this. I know for a fact that there would have been lots of complaints if I had just dragged you to a store and bought it to you, as was my intention."
Harry looked at him half annoyed. He knew it was true; he just had to remember the fight he had put up for his clothes. But the clothes had been necessary, this wasn't. The old man was just spoiling him, and he didn't know how to accept it. Crossing his arms on his chest, he glared at the older man. "I'm complaining anyway. I don't need so many things."
Dumbledore calmly raised an eyebrow. "First of, you don't even know what's in the packages, so you don't know if you need them or not. And second, you would have complained even if I had bought you one single present. So, considering all that, I'm not going to listen to you. Now come on, open your presents."
Harry shook his head and sighed. As he reluctantly reached for the first package he looked at the headmaster and frowned at the sad face. Dropping his hand, he suddenly reached out and hugged the man tightly. "I'm sorry, Granddad. Please, don't think I'm not grateful, it's just that no one has ever spoiled me like this, and I don't really know how to react."
Dumbledore returned the hug and ruffled his hair. "Don't worry, Alec, I understand. Go on now, and don't worry about anything, ok?"
Harry nodded and grabbed the first package, ripping into it only to discover some kind of muggle puzzle. He looked at it for a bit, before the others urged him to continue. It nearly took him an hour, trying to savour the moment and going as slowly as his companions allowed. Once he was done, he groaned and laid back. The old man had literally bought him everything he could need, from a school trunk to a bag of lemon drops and from books on quidditch to a new broom since he couldn't use his Firebolt. He loved every present, and even if he thought it had not been necessary, he just hugged the man. A soft chuckle made him open his eyes. Severus was leaning over him, a small grin gracing his face. "You're not finished yet."
Harry blinked and sat up. He immediately noticed that his other professors had put two presents in front of him. Smiling brightly at the two, he opened the first one. He gasped at the sight, it was a very nice chess set. Knowing just from whom the present came, he hugged the potions master tightly. "Thank you, Uncle Severus."
The man ruffled his hair gently. "You're welcome, Kid."
From the transfiguration teacher he got a dark red cloak. After thanking her, he looked expectantly to his grandfather, wondering what they were going to do now. The old man looked from him to Severus and smiled.
"Why don't you two go swim for a bit? The water will be warm enough by now."
While Harry looked delighted at the thought, Snape glared at the older man. Noticing the glare, the boy took his arm gently. "Please, come swim with me?"
Snape looked at him sharply, which made Harry let go of his arm and bow his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to push you."
The potions master turned his glare to Dumbledore and lightly pressed his hand against his arm, hoping the old man would get the hint. There was no way he was going to go swimming with the child showing the dark mark. He had just gained the boy's trust; he was not ready to give that up. Albus noticed the gesture and frowned lightly. He had forgotten about it; it was not a big deal because he knew that Harry already knew about Severus' other duties. But Alec shouldn't know, and Dumbledore really couldn't tell Severus that his grandson knew. The younger man would throw a fit.
Sighing, he turned to the boy. "Why don't you wait until Remus gets here? I'm sure he will have no problem in going to swim with you."
Harry smiled a bit, but he still stayed quiet, mentally berating himself. He should not have forgotten who the man was. No matter how good they got along now, the Potions Master was still the same cruel bastard that had tormented him during school. The three adults stuck up a conversation, and while he listened to them for a while, he soon got bored of it and walked to the edge of the blanket. Sitting down there, he looked into the water. The day had been going so good, but now he just felt lonely; he should have known they would soon lose interest in him; they had given him the presents, and he would later probably get a cake. He should feel happy about it, it was the most anyone had ever done about his birthday. Yet, he couldn't help but wish for more. Lying down on the blanket, still looking at the lake, the small boy sighed. He was starting to get too demanding, he had to put a stop on this. What was going to happen when the summer was over? He would have to get used to live at Hogwarts again, and after that, he would probably be shipped off to the Dursleys. Sighing, he closed his eyes. He was divided, a part of him wanted to just enjoy everything as it was, the other was cautioning him to stay away.
Severus looked up from his conversation with the headmaster and Minerva; Alec was being awfully quiet. He was startled when he noticed that the boy was no longer sitting at his side, but instead, he was lying a few feet away. Frowning, the man got up, startling his two companions, who suddenly noticed the child's absence.
Silently, he approached the child and knelt down at his side.
"Alec?"
The boy was so startled by his voice that he turned around to look at him, forgetting he was lying at the edge of the blanket. With a large splash, the small form of the boy fell into the water.
To be continued...
A/N: thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta-reader Vinnie.
Web of Lies.
Dumbledore, with a small smile, went to stand just at the lake's shore. Taking out his wand, he swished it once and a large silver blanket appeared in front of him, gently floating on the water. Laughing lightly at the surprised gasps from his friends, the old man stepped on the blanket and sat down at the far side. After exchanging a glance, the other three also stepped on the strange blanket. Minerva and Alec sat at either side of Dumbledore, facing each other, and Severus sat opposite of the old man closing the small circle. To make things more comfortable, Severus conjured several large pillows so they could lean on them. Once they were all comfortable, the headmaster muttered a few words, and the blanket started to move until it settled in the middle of the lake.
Alec laughed in delight, looking around happily. The view they had from that spot was incredible. Large trees, denser at the far away part of the lake, surrounded the whole lake. The sun shone brightly, announcing it was going to be a warm day, and Alec hoped he would be able to convince his teachers to go swim with him. Since the second task, he had taught himself to swim, and while he still was not too good at it, he could manage. His gaze moved from the clear water to his grandfather, who had cleared his throat, demanding their attention.
When the old man was sure he had their attention, he muttered something under his breath, and a large pile of presents appeared in the circle. Alec couldn't help but be stunned at the sight, there must be at least thirty wrapped packages in there; what on earth was the man thinking? Looking up sharply, he frowned at the headmaster.
"Grandfather! What did you do, buy me the whole store?"
Dumbledore chuckled and gave him an innocent look. "It was the easiest way I could think of to get you to accept all this. I know for a fact that there would have been lots of complaints if I had just dragged you to a store and bought it to you, as was my intention."
Harry looked at him half annoyed. He knew it was true; he just had to remember the fight he had put up for his clothes. But the clothes had been necessary, this wasn't. The old man was just spoiling him, and he didn't know how to accept it. Crossing his arms on his chest, he glared at the older man. "I'm complaining anyway. I don't need so many things."
Dumbledore calmly raised an eyebrow. "First of, you don't even know what's in the packages, so you don't know if you need them or not. And second, you would have complained even if I had bought you one single present. So, considering all that, I'm not going to listen to you. Now come on, open your presents."
Harry shook his head and sighed. As he reluctantly reached for the first package he looked at the headmaster and frowned at the sad face. Dropping his hand, he suddenly reached out and hugged the man tightly. "I'm sorry, Granddad. Please, don't think I'm not grateful, it's just that no one has ever spoiled me like this, and I don't really know how to react."
Dumbledore returned the hug and ruffled his hair. "Don't worry, Alec, I understand. Go on now, and don't worry about anything, ok?"
Harry nodded and grabbed the first package, ripping into it only to discover some kind of muggle puzzle. He looked at it for a bit, before the others urged him to continue. It nearly took him an hour, trying to savour the moment and going as slowly as his companions allowed. Once he was done, he groaned and laid back. The old man had literally bought him everything he could need, from a school trunk to a bag of lemon drops and from books on quidditch to a new broom since he couldn't use his Firebolt. He loved every present, and even if he thought it had not been necessary, he just hugged the man. A soft chuckle made him open his eyes. Severus was leaning over him, a small grin gracing his face. "You're not finished yet."
Harry blinked and sat up. He immediately noticed that his other professors had put two presents in front of him. Smiling brightly at the two, he opened the first one. He gasped at the sight, it was a very nice chess set. Knowing just from whom the present came, he hugged the potions master tightly. "Thank you, Uncle Severus."
The man ruffled his hair gently. "You're welcome, Kid."
From the transfiguration teacher he got a dark red cloak. After thanking her, he looked expectantly to his grandfather, wondering what they were going to do now. The old man looked from him to Severus and smiled.
"Why don't you two go swim for a bit? The water will be warm enough by now."
While Harry looked delighted at the thought, Snape glared at the older man. Noticing the glare, the boy took his arm gently. "Please, come swim with me?"
Snape looked at him sharply, which made Harry let go of his arm and bow his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to push you."
The potions master turned his glare to Dumbledore and lightly pressed his hand against his arm, hoping the old man would get the hint. There was no way he was going to go swimming with the child showing the dark mark. He had just gained the boy's trust; he was not ready to give that up. Albus noticed the gesture and frowned lightly. He had forgotten about it; it was not a big deal because he knew that Harry already knew about Severus' other duties. But Alec shouldn't know, and Dumbledore really couldn't tell Severus that his grandson knew. The younger man would throw a fit.
Sighing, he turned to the boy. "Why don't you wait until Remus gets here? I'm sure he will have no problem in going to swim with you."
Harry smiled a bit, but he still stayed quiet, mentally berating himself. He should not have forgotten who the man was. No matter how good they got along now, the Potions Master was still the same cruel bastard that had tormented him during school. The three adults stuck up a conversation, and while he listened to them for a while, he soon got bored of it and walked to the edge of the blanket. Sitting down there, he looked into the water. The day had been going so good, but now he just felt lonely; he should have known they would soon lose interest in him; they had given him the presents, and he would later probably get a cake. He should feel happy about it, it was the most anyone had ever done about his birthday. Yet, he couldn't help but wish for more. Lying down on the blanket, still looking at the lake, the small boy sighed. He was starting to get too demanding, he had to put a stop on this. What was going to happen when the summer was over? He would have to get used to live at Hogwarts again, and after that, he would probably be shipped off to the Dursleys. Sighing, he closed his eyes. He was divided, a part of him wanted to just enjoy everything as it was, the other was cautioning him to stay away.
Severus looked up from his conversation with the headmaster and Minerva; Alec was being awfully quiet. He was startled when he noticed that the boy was no longer sitting at his side, but instead, he was lying a few feet away. Frowning, the man got up, startling his two companions, who suddenly noticed the child's absence.
Silently, he approached the child and knelt down at his side.
"Alec?"
The boy was so startled by his voice that he turned around to look at him, forgetting he was lying at the edge of the blanket. With a large splash, the small form of the boy fell into the water.
To be continued...
A/N: thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta-reader Vinnie.
