Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

Web of Lies: Revelations.

Alec joined Dumbledore in the man's living room after getting dressed. He was grateful that it was Saturday, this way they would have the time to talk everything out. At least, he hoped the man wouldn't have anything else to do. But it didn't seem like that, as the headmaster was dressed in comfortable robes and sitting calmly at the table while reading the Daily Prophet. He didn't seem in a hurry so Alec relaxed a bit before sitting in front of the old man.

Albus smiled up at the teen when he joined him. Severus had asked if he wanted him to stay with them, but he had reassured the younger man that they would be fine. Even so, he had promised to send Alec his way after lunch; he had things to do, and Harry seemed to have a few issues with Snape too.

They had breakfast in silence, seemingly unwilling to break the peace that had settled between them. Finally, after they couldn't procrastinate anymore, Dumbledore led the teen to the couch and settled him there, with a hot cup of tea, while he sat back into one of the armchairs.

After taking a long sip from his tea, the old man decided to start the discussion, knowing that Alec wouldn't start. "I believe I owe you an apology. I should have warned you about Amanda and Chris, but I never seemed to find the right moment to do so. In any case, it wasn't my intention to hurt you with it."

Looking at his grandfather intently, Harry saw that while the man was sorry about not warning him, he didn't understand why he had taken it so hard. Taking a deep breath, he tried to find the words to explain what he had felt. "It's not that; I mean, yes, I was angry that you didn't warn me, but I know that you're very stressed and that we've barely had the time to sit down and talk. It's not like you could have told me something like this in a few minutes. Besides, Amanda explained it pretty well, she seemed to know you wouldn't tell me."

Dumbledore shook his head slightly, amused at how much his niece seemed to know him, but he didn't say anything, allowing the boy to explain.

"I just got angry because you made me out to be a spoiled brat! If I had ever had parents, I would never have argued with them over such thing, I would never tell them I didn't want to see them or get angry to the point in which I didn't want to know anything about them." Then, in a much more subdued voice, he added: "Or I thought I wouldn't."

While Alec looked down sadly, losing himself in dark thoughts, Albus looked at the boy with a frown. He realised that he hadn't given this as much thought as he should have. He should have known that the matter of parents was a sore point with the boy; he never would have thought he would take it so hard. Softly, he sat up to try and right the damage he seemed to have done.

"Alec." When the teen didn't look up, he gently put a finger under his chin and lifted his head so they were looking each other in the eye. "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean anything by it. I just needed a way to not only justify your stay with me but also to explain why you hadn't been in contact with your parents."

The teen pouted a bit at him, the hurt fading with those words. "There wasn't a need until now."

The old headmaster shook his head. "Actually, it was very dangerous of me to not do something like this before. If something happened to me..."

He wasn't allowed to continue as Alec jumped out of his seat. "Why are you suddenly so worried about something happening to you? Has something happened?"

Hearing the anxiousness in the boy's voice, the older wizard gently pushed him back into his chair. "No, Alec, nothing has happened." Seeing the doubt in his grandson's eyes, he continued a bit hesitantly. "I promise nothing has happened, but I have a bad feeling, and I prefer to make sure you will be ok should something happen to me. I know you don't like to think about this, but with Harry Potter gone, I am really one of the only things standing between Voldemort and the wizarding world. Severus has told me he is planning something, and we both think he might be planning to attack me."

Harry remained quiet after those words, they were hardly comforting but he knew that arguing with the man would lead him nowhere. For the first time since term had started, Alec managed to spend the whole morning with his grandfather, chatting about everything that had happened. They agreed that Harry would be able to meet Amanda and Chris during Christmas to fake a reconciliation between them while he got to know his supposed parents. They had lunch together in the headmaster's office, but sadly, after that, Dumbledore had to leave. The teen went down to the Potions Master's office as he had been told to and spent yet another few hours talking to the man, trying to rebuild the little gap that had come into their relationship because of his outburst.

Things went normally for nearly a month after that. Alec attended classes, happy to see that people were loosing interest in his comings and goings. After doing his homework, he practiced with either Rowena in the mental arts or with Salazar down in the Chamber, where he was taught ancient charms and curses that had been lost through time.

The peace and quiet that had surrounded the castle and its inhabitants was broken one day when a battered auror stepped inside the Great Hall during lunch and hurriedly approached the teacher's table. Dumbledore was away at a meeting with the school governors so McGonagall and Snape both stood up and looked at him intently, a feeling of dread starting to flow through the room.

The auror was very pale as he started to speak. "Professors, the governors meeting has been attacked by Death Eaters. I'm afraid Headmaster Dumbledore has been heavily injured."

The room was dead silent at those words. Alec felt himself pale at the man's words, barely able to believe what he was hearing. In a haze, he heard McGonagall start giving orders around him and he stood up with the other students that were being pushed along by the perfects to their common rooms. Once out of the Great Hall, Harry knew that he wouldn't be able to stand going to the common rooms with all the frightened teenagers, so without a second thought, he silently melted into one of the hidden corridors and silently made his way to the only place he knew he would be left alone to deal with the terrible news.

While making his way down to the Chamber of Secrets, Harry couldn't help but think about the man he had just seen this morning, and a terrible fear that he would never be able to see him again encompassed him.

The only person that had ever taken care of him and that knew about his secret was injured, maybe even dead by now; what was he going to do?

When he reached the Chamber, Salazar was already waiting for him, a grave expression on his ghostly face.

"Alec."

The teen curled in a ball on the floor and tried to stop his panicked trembling. The cold hand of the ghost ran through his hair, in a way that would have been more comforting if the hand had been warm. Even so, Alec tried to draw as much comfort as possible from that hand, and took deep breaths to calm his racing heart.

That'ssss it, Alec, breathe. You need to calm down a bit.

The ghost's soothing voice helped him to calm down and about half an hour later, he felt enough in control to sit down against the stonewall of the Chamber.

Looking up, he saw Salazar hovering concernedly over him. I heard what happened; everyone seems to be in a panic.

Harry nodded and lowered his head on his knees, the urge to cry was getting stronger, but he couldn't allow himself to do so, not now anyway. Come on, Alec, let'sssss go to my office, it looksssss like you might need to have sssomething warm to drink.

Reluctantly, the teen stood up on trembling legs and followed the ghost. Once there, he was ordered to conjure a tea set while Salazar rummaged through his drawers. The ghost came out with a potion, and he ordered Harry to put some in his tea. Recognising the calming potion, Harry did as ordered and started to sip on the hot tea.

Salazar watched as the potion took effect and the teen relaxed into the chair. Looking up, Harry was finally able to focus on the ghost.

Ssssssorry about that.

The man raised an eyebrow but waved the apology away. No need to apologissse, it was a ssshock to everyone, no one ssseemed to know anything was going to happen so sssoon. The ghost floated around the room, mimicking the pacing walk mortals liked to do when nervous. The whole castle is in an uproar, the teachers are trying to calm the students, but don't seem to be having much luck with it. McGonagall and Snape have left the castle, probably gone to St. Mungo's. They will probably want to talk to you as soon as they're back.

Alec nodded, but he didn't move from his place, unwilling to face the outer world. Seeing this, Salazar sighed and then nodded towards some books. If you insist on staying here, you might as well help me.

Alec stood up and moved to the books Salazar had been studying for the last month, and he was finally allowed to step close enough to see that they were mostly on counter courses. Looking up, his gaze questioned the ghost and the man, sensing the teen wouldn't ask his question out loud, answered the unspoken question.

I've been trying to reverse the curse Gryffindor put on me. I finally have found the right charm, but even if I have kept a few of my powers, I have not been able to perform it. Maybe you could try?

Sensing the hope in the ghost's words, Harry looked at the open book and read through the complex charm. Once finished he understood why no one had been able to help the founder, since it seemed only a parselmouth able to do wandless magic would be able to reverse the curse.

Shrugging, the teen read through it again and then moved to the larger room, knowing they would need the space. Salazar watched as Harry prepared himself and hoped it would work; he was tired of being in seclusion.

To be continued...