A/N:ThisischapterSanjuunanalikeIsaidlastchapter, Igotmarriedandwemovedtoourownhouse. Butwestilldon'thaveinternet. SoI'mgoingtokeepwritingandI'llpostupthesechapterswhenIdogetthenet. Thankyouallforstickingwithmeandbeingpatient. Okay! SolastchapterIdidnotkillSirius. AndwefinallygottofindoutwhatDracowantedtotalktoHarryabout. Inthischapterwe'regoingtoopenupatthestartofHarryandSeverus'sweektogether. Letthe"Lessons"begin!
ALONE TOGETHER
Harry sat on his bed flipping through the empty photo album he had received from Severus as a Christmas gift. They had yet to take any pictures together in order to fill it, but the boy hoped that they might be able to find time during the upcoming week. He sighed and moved to place the book back in his trunk. He had been packed and ready to go for over two weeks now; ever since July started.
His summer up until this point was pretty uneventful his uncle and aunt had taken his cousin to Costa Maya for a summer-long vacation and had left Harry alone. Harry loved being away from his only surviving relatives, except that after the first two weeks of summer his food supply slowly dwindled until there was only half a packet of stale crackers and some fuzzy salami. He resorted to writing Mrs. Weasley and Hermione, hinting that he was hungry without outright asking for food. of course Mrs. Weasley understood and sent him all sorts of cakes and pies. Hermione sent him a bag of fruit and some celery. Which was a welcome relief after eating nothing but Mrs. Weasley's sweets.
He hadn't told anyone where he was going or even that he planned to at all. He had his trunk and Hedwig's cage sitting in the living room, anxiously waiting for his professor to come and rescue him. They had written each other back and forth a couple of times. But, as Harry had noticed, Severus wasn't much for writing letters. Which made it difficult to respond sometimes.
Just as Harry was sighing again he heard, what sounded like, an owl scratching at the front door. He rushed over to open it and a large inky black raven flew into the entry-way. It looked up at Harry with large yellow eyes. Tied around its leg was a small, folded up piece of parchment. He reached down and let the creature hop up his arm and onto his shoulder, before closing the door and moving back into the living-room. The raven jumped from his shoulder to land on top of Hedwig's cage. It gave a loud squawk eyeing the boy again, curiously.
Harry stepped forward and untied the paper. He unfolded it and read the neat, scrawl, that was unmistakably Severus's handwriting.
"I'llbethereatthreePM."
Harry was ecstatic and quickly looked up at the clock to see that it was three minutes until three. Harry's green eyes widened in shock and he ran upstairs to his bathroom. He quickly looked over himself in the mirror and tried to comb his hair with his fingers. But it was as untamable as always. He brushed it over to cover his scar before deciding that, that was good enough.
As he ran down stairs the clock chimed three and then there was a knock at the door. Harry practically flew down the hall to answer it. The door swung open wide and Harry jumped in the air giving the man a hug. Unfortunately when his eyes opened he saw Severus standing farther down the pathway, staring at him like he had just given birth to kittens.
"Ha ha, it's good to see you too, Harry my boy." said Dumbledore who patted the flustered boy on the back before breaking the hug. "Let's go inside and explain to your aunt and uncle, shall we?" said the man as he stepped around Harry and into the house.
"Um, actually, they're not here." said the boy moving to follow the headmaster, Snape bringing up the rear.
"Not here? Pity, how much longer until they return?" he said, now in the living room and stroking the raven's chest.
"Not until this next school year starts, sir. They took a summer-long vacation. They weren't here when I arrived. And the only reason I know they're on vacation is because I saw the broachers and receipts."
Dumbledore faced him, his eyes wide with shock. "My goodness. Well who's protecting you?"
"Protecting me?" the thought of the Dursleys protecting him was as unbelievable as Harry actually killing Lord Voldemort. "Well no one, I suppose."
"Oh, no no. we can't have that." Dumbledore said. "No no. you won't be coming back here."
For a moment there both Harry and Severus were excited, thinking that the headmaster would suggest that Harry just stay the rest of the summer with Severus. But that was not the case.
"I'll arrange for you to stay with the Weasleys after this week is done." He said, his blue eyes sparkling as he pat the boy's shoulder.
"Headmaster, if I may be so bold," Severus interjected. "Why don't you just let the boy stay with me, that way I can teach him further on Occlumency."
"Now, now Severus, I think…" He trailed off. Slowly the mischievous gleam in those blue eyes faded into something else, Harry couldn't tell. "No…No Severus. You'll be allowed this week together because I already decided. But no more. Had I known that Harry was-"
"I believe you are mistaken professor." Severus interrupted before Dumbledore went too far. His voice was dark and sinister, the same voice he used when silencing his classroom, Harry noticed. "Before you finish that sentence, I suggest you get your facts straight."
"Well if you'd just tell me, we wouldn't be having these misunderstandings." the sparkle was back and the old man was smiling again. "I still decline your offer, however. Poor Harry needs to enjoy his summer while he can, not spending it locked up in your dungeon you call a house. And besides," he added when he saw the potion's professor was about to protest. "We both know why he can't stay longer. It a huge risk as it is, just staying the week."
"There is that…" Severus said, sounding defeated.
"Then it's decided. I'll write to Molly as soon as I get back to Hogwarts."
"Why do I feel like my life is always being decided for me?" Harry grumbled under his breath.
"Hm? Did you say something Harry?"
"No, nothing."
"Very well then. I'll leave it to you then, Severus."
The dark haired man nodded but didn't say anything as Dumbledore walked down the entrance hall and out the front door.
"What was that about?" Harry asked looking up at his lover.
"He doesn't know anything. Just that I have an affinity for a male student of mine."
"Oh Merlin, first Draco and now Dumbledore."
"Wait, Draco? What about him?"
"He came up to me on the last day of school and basically told me to stay away from you. He's under the impression that…what was it…I'm trying to 'besmirch' your good name."
Severus let out a deep breath and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Well he's always been a prick to me anyway. He could just be trying to mess with me." Harry offered. "And I didn't know he was your godson."
"Yeah, Lucius and I were best friends all throughout school. He used to be a good guy, Harry. But the Dark Lord…He can change you."
Harry felt like asking what part of Severus changed, but he didn't. He wasn't sure he would like the answer.
"Draco is probably just stressed because his father was fired from his job at the ministry because of that ambush he planned out. And because it failed he lost favor with the dark lord. He's been kissing ass trying to get back the position of power he used to have. It's a pity Draco got pulled into all of this, just to punish his father."
"What do you mean? Draco got pulled into what?" Harry urged the man to continue. The way Severus was talking it sounded like Draco had joined the ranks of the death eaters.
Severus didn't answer right away. Harry could tell he was debating internally whether or not to tell him. "I'll tell you later. Right now let's grab your things and go to my house."
Harry was disappointed but he decided that instead of pushing the issue he's just bring it back up later. Maybe then he'd get an answer.
Harry watched his lover place a shrink charm on his trunk and let Hedwig out of her cage. He turned to the raven and instructed it to go with the snowy owl back to Spinner's End. Then he opened the door and let them both fly out and into the sky.
"Severus?" Harry started, a little cautiously.
"Yes?" the man turned back to his lover as he stuffed the shrunken trunk in his pocket.
"Have you…heard any word about Sirius?"
"Harry, the order is doing all they can with every bit of information I can provide."
"That wasn't the answer to my question."
"Very well, yes I have heard word about your godfather."
"That's not what I meant."
Severus let out an exhausted sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose again. "Harry please don't make me tell you."
Harry's eyes widened in fear. "Tell me, pleases!"
Severus shook his head trying to decline but Harry was persistent.
"Please…" He pleaded, emerald eyes begging.
Severus took a deep breath and then reached up to brush Harry's hair out of his face. "They're torturing him. But I'm sure that doesn't come as much of a surprise. I know where they're keeping him."
"Where?"
"In the Malfoy's Dungeon at Black Manor." Severus answered. "The order has come up with a very good rescue plan, but there's still just a few more kinks to work out before they can execute it.
"but it's already been such a long time since he was caught, what if-"
Severus interrupted his by pressing his fingers to the boy's lips. "Harry, there's always 'If's' the trick to success is not to think about them."
Harry swallowed back what he was about to say and gave a weak smile.
"Now, let's get out of here."
Harry nodded and took the man's hand in his then together they walked out of the house and past the wards. Then, with a squeeze as a warning, they apparated.
A/N: okayReviewplease, chapterSanjuuhachi(38) next!