Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Web of lies.
For the next few days, Severus spent most of his time with the boy while Dumbledore, Minerva, and the rest of the staff rearranged the way the school was run. The news of the break between Hogwarts and the Ministry had hit the wizarding world hard. Some parents had even pulled their children out of the school. Most of them were Slytherins whose parents had only consented to bring their children there because Dumbledore was being watched by the ministry. But now that the old wizard had full run of Hogwarts, they didn't want their children there.
Severus had taken Alec to Diagon Alley once more, only this time Remus went with them. They quickly went to Ollivander's, followed by the stares of many parents and children. Severus carried Harry the whole way, refusing to put the boy down as long as they were outside. Word had gone around about the mysterious boy that accompanied the professors, but no one seemed to have figured out the truth.
Once they were in the shop, the old man greeted them kindly, throwing an amused smirk at Harry while asking which was his hand-wand. It took Alec a long time to find the right wand for him; in the end, it turned out to be one with a basilisk teeth core. To say that both Remus and Severus were surprised would have been an understatement. They knew that the basilisk was one of the most magical creatures that existed, and wands made of any of their parts were hard to find and extremely powerful. It was also rumoured that most of the owners turned to the Dark Arts. Alec, for his part, wasn't that surprised. He had known for years that he had an affinity to snakes. Derek's slight form wrapped around his wrist was proof enough of it. He had also learned some time ago that he shouldn't trust people's regards to anything. They thought that things were dark too easily for him to accept their words at face value. With the strange wand firmly tucked in one of his pockets, the trio made their way outside. Snape immediately gathered Harry in his arms again, much to the werewolf's amusement and the youth's annoyance.
"Uncle Severus, you do know I can walk on my own, don't you?"
The older man glared at him darkly and tightened his grip. "Not now, Alec. There're a lot of people who didn't like the headmaster's decision. You've been seen with Hogwarts' professors twice; it won't be too difficult to figure out that you're important to us and you're the easiest to hurt."
Remus' amusement faded at once, and he couldn't help but nod in agreement with the other man. Harry sighed and buried his head in the dark-haired man's shoulder. "Sorry, I didn't think about that."
Severus gently put a hand against his back and hugged him tighter, softly talking to the dark head nestled against him. "It's ok, Child, I understand."
The three of them left the Alley as quickly as they had arrived and returned to the safety of the large castle. The students would be arriving the next day and both teachers had lots of things to do. Harry found himself in the library once more, wondering what was going to happen the next day.
He had not seen his friends for a long time, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to get close to them again. They were supposed to be older than he was, and he was not even going to be sorted into Gryffindor. His grandfather had made sure of it. The knots of tension that had been growing in his stomach for the past week returned full force, and he had to force himself to take in deep breaths to calm down. He was so intend on regaining his lost composure that he nearly screamed when he heard a small pop next to him. The small house-elf that had appeared at his side looked up startled, but then quickly relayed his message. "Master Alexander, Master Dumbledore wants you to eat in the Great Hall tonight. He has said to go up at once."
Harry groaned softly. He had been avoiding the place even after the old man had said it was alright for him to go there. He had no wish to confront his nervous teachers so he made sure to stay out of everyone's way during the times he wasn't with Severus.
Reluctantly, he walked down the stairs and headed towards the Great Hall. He felt all eyes on him when he entered, and he quickly took the headmaster's advice and headed towards Severus. The older man looked quite amused when the child latched onto his robes, glancing wearily to the other occupants of the room who were, in turn, regarding him with curiosity. There had been many rumours going around about Dumbledore's elusive grandson and most were curious to know what was so special about the boy.
When Severus noticed that the other teachers were really starting to make Alec feel uncomfortable, he lifted the slight child into his lap and glared to his colleagues. "Is there something wrong?"
Sinistra smiled at his protectiveness. "We are merely curious, Severus. I don't think you have introduced your young charge to us."
Snape glared at her, but answered nonetheless. "This is Headmaster Dumbledore's grandson, Alexander. He will start his first year here tomorrow."
Flitwick smiled at the pair. "You seem to be quite attached to Severus, young one; that's quite unusual."
Alec glanced at the small man and tightened his grip on the Potions Master's robes. "Uncle Severus is nice."
The whole staff looked at him surprised; they had not expected the calm answer from the shy child. Snape raised an eyebrow and put on his best glare. "I'm not nice."
Harry glanced at him once and for an instant wondered if he had offended the other man. But a slight tightening of the arms around his middle and the amusement in the dark eyes, reassured him that the dark haired wizard was not annoyed. Smiling mischievously at the man, Harry leaned his head against his shoulder. "Of course you're not, Uncle Severus."
The staff laughed while Severus ruffled the boy's hair. "Brat."
Alec was about to answer back when the doors to the Great Hall opened. Minerva and Albus quickly walked inside. Alec looked up from his Uncle's shoulder and frowned at the sight of his grandfather's pale face. He hadn't seen him for the last few days, and the man was looking positively exhausted. Jumping out of Severus' arms, he quickly ran to the headmaster and hugged him around the waist. Dumbledore sighed slightly and ruffled the child's hair gently while placing his arms around the boy's shoulders. Bending over slightly, he spoke low into the boy's hair, so that not even Minerva, who was standing at his side, would be able to hear him.
"Are you alright, Alec?"
Harry simply nodded into his chest and the older wizard tightened his arms around him. "I'm sorry I didn't..."
Alec shook his head. "Don't worry, I know." He looked up with worried eyes. "Is everything alright?"
Albus smiled tiredly. "I think everything's arranged."
Harry nodded lightly, and disentangling himself from the headmaster's arms, the three of them went to the table.
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to Vinnie for betaing this.
Web of lies.
For the next few days, Severus spent most of his time with the boy while Dumbledore, Minerva, and the rest of the staff rearranged the way the school was run. The news of the break between Hogwarts and the Ministry had hit the wizarding world hard. Some parents had even pulled their children out of the school. Most of them were Slytherins whose parents had only consented to bring their children there because Dumbledore was being watched by the ministry. But now that the old wizard had full run of Hogwarts, they didn't want their children there.
Severus had taken Alec to Diagon Alley once more, only this time Remus went with them. They quickly went to Ollivander's, followed by the stares of many parents and children. Severus carried Harry the whole way, refusing to put the boy down as long as they were outside. Word had gone around about the mysterious boy that accompanied the professors, but no one seemed to have figured out the truth.
Once they were in the shop, the old man greeted them kindly, throwing an amused smirk at Harry while asking which was his hand-wand. It took Alec a long time to find the right wand for him; in the end, it turned out to be one with a basilisk teeth core. To say that both Remus and Severus were surprised would have been an understatement. They knew that the basilisk was one of the most magical creatures that existed, and wands made of any of their parts were hard to find and extremely powerful. It was also rumoured that most of the owners turned to the Dark Arts. Alec, for his part, wasn't that surprised. He had known for years that he had an affinity to snakes. Derek's slight form wrapped around his wrist was proof enough of it. He had also learned some time ago that he shouldn't trust people's regards to anything. They thought that things were dark too easily for him to accept their words at face value. With the strange wand firmly tucked in one of his pockets, the trio made their way outside. Snape immediately gathered Harry in his arms again, much to the werewolf's amusement and the youth's annoyance.
"Uncle Severus, you do know I can walk on my own, don't you?"
The older man glared at him darkly and tightened his grip. "Not now, Alec. There're a lot of people who didn't like the headmaster's decision. You've been seen with Hogwarts' professors twice; it won't be too difficult to figure out that you're important to us and you're the easiest to hurt."
Remus' amusement faded at once, and he couldn't help but nod in agreement with the other man. Harry sighed and buried his head in the dark-haired man's shoulder. "Sorry, I didn't think about that."
Severus gently put a hand against his back and hugged him tighter, softly talking to the dark head nestled against him. "It's ok, Child, I understand."
The three of them left the Alley as quickly as they had arrived and returned to the safety of the large castle. The students would be arriving the next day and both teachers had lots of things to do. Harry found himself in the library once more, wondering what was going to happen the next day.
He had not seen his friends for a long time, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to get close to them again. They were supposed to be older than he was, and he was not even going to be sorted into Gryffindor. His grandfather had made sure of it. The knots of tension that had been growing in his stomach for the past week returned full force, and he had to force himself to take in deep breaths to calm down. He was so intend on regaining his lost composure that he nearly screamed when he heard a small pop next to him. The small house-elf that had appeared at his side looked up startled, but then quickly relayed his message. "Master Alexander, Master Dumbledore wants you to eat in the Great Hall tonight. He has said to go up at once."
Harry groaned softly. He had been avoiding the place even after the old man had said it was alright for him to go there. He had no wish to confront his nervous teachers so he made sure to stay out of everyone's way during the times he wasn't with Severus.
Reluctantly, he walked down the stairs and headed towards the Great Hall. He felt all eyes on him when he entered, and he quickly took the headmaster's advice and headed towards Severus. The older man looked quite amused when the child latched onto his robes, glancing wearily to the other occupants of the room who were, in turn, regarding him with curiosity. There had been many rumours going around about Dumbledore's elusive grandson and most were curious to know what was so special about the boy.
When Severus noticed that the other teachers were really starting to make Alec feel uncomfortable, he lifted the slight child into his lap and glared to his colleagues. "Is there something wrong?"
Sinistra smiled at his protectiveness. "We are merely curious, Severus. I don't think you have introduced your young charge to us."
Snape glared at her, but answered nonetheless. "This is Headmaster Dumbledore's grandson, Alexander. He will start his first year here tomorrow."
Flitwick smiled at the pair. "You seem to be quite attached to Severus, young one; that's quite unusual."
Alec glanced at the small man and tightened his grip on the Potions Master's robes. "Uncle Severus is nice."
The whole staff looked at him surprised; they had not expected the calm answer from the shy child. Snape raised an eyebrow and put on his best glare. "I'm not nice."
Harry glanced at him once and for an instant wondered if he had offended the other man. But a slight tightening of the arms around his middle and the amusement in the dark eyes, reassured him that the dark haired wizard was not annoyed. Smiling mischievously at the man, Harry leaned his head against his shoulder. "Of course you're not, Uncle Severus."
The staff laughed while Severus ruffled the boy's hair. "Brat."
Alec was about to answer back when the doors to the Great Hall opened. Minerva and Albus quickly walked inside. Alec looked up from his Uncle's shoulder and frowned at the sight of his grandfather's pale face. He hadn't seen him for the last few days, and the man was looking positively exhausted. Jumping out of Severus' arms, he quickly ran to the headmaster and hugged him around the waist. Dumbledore sighed slightly and ruffled the child's hair gently while placing his arms around the boy's shoulders. Bending over slightly, he spoke low into the boy's hair, so that not even Minerva, who was standing at his side, would be able to hear him.
"Are you alright, Alec?"
Harry simply nodded into his chest and the older wizard tightened his arms around him. "I'm sorry I didn't..."
Alec shook his head. "Don't worry, I know." He looked up with worried eyes. "Is everything alright?"
Albus smiled tiredly. "I think everything's arranged."
Harry nodded lightly, and disentangling himself from the headmaster's arms, the three of them went to the table.
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to Vinnie for betaing this.