Hey everyone, I'm back at last! Sorry about the huuuge delay between this and my last post. I can't believe how busy I've been! The usual culprits are to blame: school, work, etc. Anyway, I've had very little time to think, let alone write, though I still manage to have a huge backlog of different stories to be posted - oh well. Oh yeah, and I'm learning to drive! It's so unbelievably funky! But I need to stop writing this note now, cos it's 5 to 11 pm and I have a driving lesson at nine in the morning, not to mention work at 12 - sigh.

Luv Lolly

xxx

Chapter Three - Arrivals

After getting through customs and retrieving their luggage, Alex and Severus went to pick up their car. Both were faintly astonished to find that they would be driving a large electric blue truck with undercarriage lighting and everything. Alex whistled appreciatively, running his hand along the smooth paint.

"Snape and Joseph?" The rental guy asked, watching them both with great interest.

"Yeah." Alex answered.

"Your keys." He handed the keys to Alex, and asked them both to sign the rental agreement. Moments later they were driving away, with the rental guy flashing Alex a dazzling smile.

It took roughly an hour to reach the hotel, with Severus moaning the entire time that it would be so much quicker to apparate. Alex ignored him, listening to Pink on the CD player. He had his window right down and had his eyes closed as the wind messed up his hair. Severus rolled his eyes, though without as much conviction as usual - at least a smile was beginning to break out on Alex's face.

"What's our hotel called?" He asked Alex.

"The Quality Inn International." Alex said, reading a brochure. "Looks nice."

"I'm sure it'll be cosy and vomit-inducing." Severus muttered quietly. Alex chuckled a little.

"Actually, Dumbledore let me choose the hotel - I was worried he was going to put us in a Disney hotel."

"I see - so I can blame you if it's a living nightmare?"

"Would anything stop you?" Alex muttered. Severus didn't answer, concentrating on the road ahead of him.

To Severus' eternal surprise, he found that the hotel was actually rather nice. It was very quiet too, but he rather suspected that Albus had something to do with that. It looked as if the same thought had occurred to Alex as the younger man shook his head ruefully.

"Meddlesome old fool." He murmured fondly. Severus couldn't agree more.

After checking in, Alex and Severus dragged their luggage up to their room. Dusk was approaching by this point, and the only people around were a boy and a girl, around the same age as Alex. Alex unpacked his things quickly and went out onto the balcony, watching the sunset. Severus stayed inside, watching Alex closely. The sinking sun made him look almost ethereal as he sketched something onto a sheet of paper. His face was turned so that Severus couldn't see the expression. However, as if sensing the eyes on him, Alex turned a little and in his eyes, Severus saw something he hadn't seen before in the young man's eyes - helplessness. It disturbed him to think that the spirit of his enemy's son had been broken even in the slightest - especially as it had been such a constant in the previous few years. Alex looked away again, turning his attention back to the drawing.

"I'm going for a swim, ok?" Alex said. He had finished his drawing and wanted to go out to the pool before it closed for the night.

"Aren't you hungry?" Severus asked.

"Not particularly - I'll get something from the shop if I do get hungry."

"Are you sure you don't want to go out somewhere?"

"Nah - you can though, I'll be fine here."

"I don't know..."

"Look, Severus, no one knows who I am. I'm just Alex Joseph. Nothing more, nothing less than what I appear."

"I suppose..."

"Besides, I doubt that either of us will survive this holiday if we have to do everything together."

"Indeed. I shall go to the supermarket and get some food. Is there anything you want?"

"Not particularly. See you later." Alex said, heading to the bathroom to get changed. He returned in a pair of plain black trunks and carrying a towel. Severus said nothing as he left - after all, it wasn't his job to fawn over the boy and tell him to be careful - anything he said would likely fall on deaf ears anyhow.

Alex sighed as he slipped into the luke-warm water. He just couldn't understand Severus. One minute they were talking and the next they had reverted to being strangers. The most confusing thing was that the Potions Master did seem to be interested in Alex's wellbeing. He had seen the flash of concern in his eyes. So why were they back to the awkward and icy relationship? Shaking his head, Alex forced the matter to the back of his mind as he floated peacefully in the swimming pool.

Severus watched Alex float in the pool. He looked so...relaxed. He also noticed that he wasn't the only one watching Alex - the boy that they had seen earlier was standing on the balcony, his eyes fixed intently on the floating figure. Feeling a prickle of unease, Severus turned his gaze back to Alex to find him now swimming up and down the swimming pool, his lean body gliding effortlessly through the water.

"Alex! I'm going now." He shouted, making both Alex and the other boy look at him.

"'Kay Severus." Alex replied, going back to his swimming.

"Try to be careful. I know it's hard for you, but please try."

"Hey, it's not my fault - I don't go looking for trouble." Alex defended.

"No - it just has an incredible knack of finding you."

"Exactly - and no comments on my house, thank-you-very-much."

"Goes without saying."

"Figures. Go already! I'm a big boy, Sev. I can look after myself for an hour or so."

"That's debatable. Don't do anything stupid."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Alex said wryly.

When Severus arrived back, he found Alex sitting out on the balcony, listening to music. Sleepy brown eyes peered at him from under long black lashes.

"See, I'm perfectly fine and intact." He mumbled.

"Hmm. Come and help me with the shopping - or are you too lazy to evn do that?"

"Oh lay off. I'll help you with the god-damned shopping. Geez, what crawled up your ass and died?" Alex snapped.

"Temper temper, P-Joseph." Snape said coolly, almost slipping up.

"You know what? Screw you. Who the hell gives you the right to ruin my holiday anyway?" Alex's eyes were narrowed dangerously as he stormed around the hotel room, putting the shopping away in the right places. Just minutes later, he grabbed his sketchbook and pencils and stormed out.

"Where are you going?" Severus called after him.

"Away from you." Alex retorted.

"How childish of you - not that I should expect anything else from you." Alex whirled around, half way down the stairs.

"What exactly do you want from me, Severus?" He asked, his eyes no longer sleepy and relaxed but bright with anger and...disappointment?

"Excuse me?"

"You heard - nothing I could ever do would be right. I don't even know why I bother." With that, Alex walked away, leaving one very confused Severus Snape staring after him.

Down in the bar, Alex sunk into a comfortable seat in the corner. He sipped a bottle of beer as he sketched. On the pad, Severus was emerging, scowling spectacularly. Alex was aware of the eyes fixed on him, but ignored them as usual. As his sketch neared completion, someone came to sit next to him.

"Hey, you're really good." The person said.

"Thanks." Alex murmured, not looking up as he put the finishing touches to the sketch. Under the drawing, he wrote one word: always. After finishing, he looked up to find the same guy watching him that had been watching him in the pool.

"Is he your father? Or your partner?" He asked, gesturing towards the sketch.

"Severus? Neither."

"Oh. I saw you two fighting a little while ago. I figured that it was a lover's tiff or something."

"Amusing thought. I'd tell Severus, but I rather like the thought of having someone sane to talk to."

"So what is he then? If he's not your dad or your partner..."

"He's my teacher - my least favourite one."

"So...why are you on holiday with him then?"

"The headmaster thought that it would be a good idea. To improve relations, he said."

"Is that before or after you kill each other.

"Who knows? Everyone says that he's barmy."

"Sounds fantastic. My name's Caleb Trammel."

"Alex Joseph. The grouchy git is Severus Snape."

"Pleased to meet you Alex. Can I have a look at your drawings?"

"Er...I...they're kinda...private." Alex said - he knew that it was risky showing anyone the sketches in case they put two and two together.

"Are there any I can see?"

"Erm...there's another one of Severus in here." Alex flipped back to the sketch of a furious Snape. Caleb raised an eyebrow, looking impressed.

"Another fight?"

"Yup. I think that's the only time I've seen him lose his temper."

"What did you do? I assume this was caused by you?"

"Yeah, I...uhh...invaded his privacy."

"Is that it? What did he throw at you?"

"A glass beaker. I don't think he was aiming for me - maybe he was, but I think he just wanted me out of his sight." Caleb shook his head in disbelief.

"Did you report it?"

"Report it? No."

"Why not? He could at least get suspended for it."

"Maybe, but I was in the wrong. Besides, he's the best at what he does. No point in having him suspended."

"I still think it's wrong. How old are you anyway?"

"18."

"Really? You look at least 21 - you even got served at the bar."

"Yeah."

"So tell me about this school of yours - are you still in high school?"

"I go to a boarding school - I suppose it's like a secondary school and a university combined. It's fantastic."

"What do you study?"

"Mythology." Alex replied with a smile. "Severus teaches chemistry."

"Mythology? Sounds interesting. What do you learn about?"

"Well, we learn about witches and wizards - Merlin and such. Then there's the creatures - unicorns, centaurs, mermaids."

"Sounds cool. I'd love to meet a centaur."

"I've met one." Alex laughed.

"Oh yeah? What did it say?"

"'Mars is bright tonight.'"

"No way - if you're going to make up a story like that, at least make it believable. A centaur would say something wise and useful."

"Maybe it was wise - to a centaur." Alex grinned.

"Alex, you are so full of rubbish." Caleb laughed, nudging Alex, who pouted. "So what are your teachers like - are they all like 'Severus'?"

"Oh no. Most of them are ok. A few are strict. I guess I do get away with quite a lot. Maybe that's why Severus doesn't like me."

"You're a bad boy then?" Caleb teased.

"Something like that." Alex replied. He looked off into the distance, his smile fading a little.

"Hey Alex, do you have any drawings of this centaur?"

"Uh - yeah, I do actually." Alex flipped quickly through the sketches and found the one of Firenze.

"Hey, this is really good. You have a really good imagination." His eyes roamed over the centaur, lingering on the single word word underneath the sketch: strength. "Why strength?"

"It's kind of a long story. I have a drawing of a unicorn as well."

"Can I see it?"

"Sure." Alex flipped to the painting of the unicorn - it was lying on the ground, it's long legs sprawled awkwardly. Alex watched as Caleb looked utterly entranced.

"It's beautiful." He murmured. Alex smiled - he liked this painting a lot. It meant a lot to him.

"Why 'The Death of Innocence'?" Caleb asked, referring to the title of the painting.

"Well the unicorn symbolises purity and innocence. This unicorn has been fatally injured. He is dead already. It's figurative and literal, I suppose."

"It's incredible. Any other mythical beings in there?"

"Afraid not." Alex said.

"Pity."

Severus watched from outside as Alex talked to Caleb. He was shocked beyond belief to hear the boy actually defending him. It was an entirely alien concept, yet oddly...gratifying. He continued to listen as Harry talked about Hogwarts, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. He raised an eyebrow as Alex admitted his rule breaking tendencies. It certainly didn't seem like the Potter he knew...then again, nothing Alex or Harry had done so far this summer seemed to fit in with his knowledge of Potter. 'Maybe I didn't know him as well as I thought I did', he mused.