A/N: Hey, thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them. For those of you who are on the verge of tearing your hair out for an update of Warrior Mage, you'll be glad to know that I've got over my short bout of writers block and everything's going pretty well – oh yeah, Simba and Harry are not happy. I'll get it written as fast as I can, without letting standards slip. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Luv Lolly xxxxx
P.S - Winnie the Pooh and related characters do not belong to me - nor does the world of Harry Potter. Yoiu all know this by now, though.
The morning of Harry and Snape's departure arrived quickly. Harry woke at five in the morning, wide awake and slightly excited - he had never been on holiday before. Even if it was with Snape, he decided that it would make a welcome change. Besides, the older wizard hadn't said a single world to Harry since he had arrived. Perhaps they may live through the experience after all - it looked as if it was going to be a very quiet fortnight.
Harry dressed a few minutes later, his good mood fleeing as awareness seeped into him. What right did he have to be happy anyway? He had one purpose in life - to kill Voldemort or die trying. That was all. Nothing else mattered - the attitude of witches and wizards changed with every passing day - life was fickle. Maybe it was better to be dead, he thought wistfully. At least then he would have his parents and his godfather back. This caused a prickle of guilt in Harry's conscience - he was being a selfish little brat again - if he killed himself, then Voldemort would have won - and Remus would be left alone, the last of the Marauders. Putting on his 'game face' and slipping into the comfortable guise of Alex Joseph. No one would see the pain and sadness that plagued Harry.
Severus watched as Harry ate a few slices of toast for breakfast - it was bizarre, he reflected, that he was watching someone that looked nothing like a Potter, yet still knew that it was Harry. He knew he would have to keep the two of them separate in order to prevent any slip-ups. If Voldemort found about this little excursion...that didn't bear thinking about.
The trip to the airport was made by taxi, and it was Remus who accompanied them. He and 'Alex' sat in the back chatting quietly while Severus sat silently in the front, his nose buried in a large and boring looking tomb. The taxi driver stayed quiet, even as a Muggle, knowing that interrupting Snape with idle chat was not a good idea.
By the time they reached the airport, Alex had stopped talking to Remus and was staring, rather blankly, out of the window. The cabby had attempted to strike up a conversation with him, but had given up after a few single-worded responses to his questions. Remus had been worried when the unassuming Muggle asked if this was Alex's first holiday without his parents. But Alex merely nodded, not caring to explain that his parents were dead and that it was his first holiday full stop.
Remus had had to leave Alex and Severus after check-in, much to Alex's dismay. He hugged Remus tightly, nodding as the werewolf told him to take care of himself.
"You too." He murmured in return. Remus sniffed a little, trying to mask his tearful state.
"Draw me a couple of picture's while you're away, ok?"
"Uh huh."
"And send us a postcard."
"Uh huh."
"And make sure that you don't get sunburn."
"Uh huh."
"And -"
"Moony, relax. I'll be fine. I swear. It's only fourteen days. I'll be back before you know it. Please stay safe. I need something to come home to." Alex murmured. Remus couldn't stop the tears that slipped from his eyes - he nodded wordlessly.
"Promise me."
"I promise. I'll be here waiting for you to come back. I love you, kid."
"Love you too, Moony." Alex said softly. "See you in two weeks." With one last glance at Remus, Alex followed the Potions Master into the flight lounge.
Severus had watched the exchange carefully. He had heard every word, and wondered at the nature of their 'love'. He didn't doubt that the two were very close, but he wasn't sure whether it was a father-son relationship or if they were lovers. He guessed the former, but wasn't sure. Either way, he couldn't help but be a little jealous. Now, he watched as Alex walked along beside him, carrying a small back pack. He sat down, tears still clinging to his thick eyelashes. Many of the girls were casting him appreciative glances, but he didn't notice. As they sat down, Alex pulled out his sketchbook. Severus watched discreetly as he flipped past the last sketch - one of himself - and began.
Severus was entranced as he watched an extremely life-like Remus took form on the white page before Alex. He had put his book away in favour of watching Alex's drawing. He wasn't being discreet any more, but knew that Alex was too engrossed to notice. His eyes grew wide as the boy put the finishing touches to the sketch - including the three letters at the bottom of the page - 'Dad'. So it was a father-son relationship - at least on Alex's part. He shifted his gaze away as Alex looked up, eyeing his surroundings for a moment before turning back to the sketch, his eyes narrowing critically. With the tiniest of shrugs, he deemed it passable and shut the sketchbook.
Severus pulled out his book again as soon as they boarded the plane - neither man had said a word to the other as yet. Alex was already pulling out his sketchbook, a few larger sheets of paper and his pencils, ready to begin drawing just as soon as they had steadied in the air. They were surrounded by families with children, and Alex was itching to draw them - to capture the happy, excited smiles of the small children.
"Will we get to see Pooh bear and Tigger?" One little girl with dark brown hair, tied up in adorable little bunches, asked excitedly. Severus frowned as he looked over at the little girl, and back to Alex.
"What's Pooh bear and Tigger?"
"Muggle storybook characters - Winnie the Pooh is, as you probably guessed, a bear. Tigger is a tiger who has springs in his tail. There's also the donkey - Eeyore, the Owl, Rabbit and Christopher Robin, the boy."
"Oh."
"They must be going to Disneyland - Dudley went there once - when I was six. I got left with Mrs Figg."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why were you left with Arabella?"
"Because I would have spoiled everything - besides, why would they spend money to make the useless little freak happy?"
"You're not useless." Severus grumbled.
"Thank you." Alex said softly, looking at the man with a look of mild confusion. Shrugging his shoulders lightly, he picked up a sheet of paper and began drawing.
Alex had drawn many pictures by the time the plane was getting ready to descend. He packed his things away, not paying the slightest notice to Severus. Severus had alternated between reading his book and watching Alex surreptitiously. He watched in slight amusement as Alex had tried - for all of about ten minutes - to do some studying.
"Not done your homework yet?" He smirked, keeping his sneer to a minimum. Alex looked up, one dark eyebrow quirking upwards in a frighteningly accurate impersonation of Severus himself.
"Of course I have."
"Wonders will never cease."
"Hmm." Was Alex's only reply. They hadn't spoken after that, and as the plane began it's rather steep descent into Sanford airport, Florida, Severus found himself dreading the next two weeks.