Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Web of Lies: Revelations.
Severus took in a deep breath; why was he surprised to see them here? He should be grateful that only the small group of Gryffindors was here and not the whole house as he should have been expecting. Silently, he closed the door to the infirmary behind him, making sure the people inside wouldn't be bothered by their talking.
"I believe the answer to that question is obvious, Miss Weasley, as Niriran shouted it in the middle of the Great Hall."
The two girls sighed in relief, like a huge weight had been lifted from their shoulders; on the other hand, the Weasley boy started to grow red. "Why on earth didn't he tell us? We've been worried about him and all the while he has been playing with us!"
The Potion Master's cold eyes silenced his rant. "I think that both Mr Potter and the headmaster thought that the boy's safety was more important than your feelings on the matter, Mr. Weasley. You knew very well who you made friends with in your first year, and if you can't accept that sometimes we need to do things we don't like to keep not only us, but also others safe, then it's time you either start to grow up or stop being friends with someone whose life will probably always be in some kind of danger."
Ron, who had grown a bit pale, opened his mouth to make a retort, but luckily Hermione cut him short. "Can we see him, Professor? Is he alright?"
The man turned his gaze to the girl. "He is sleeping now, he was hurt in the shoulder but nothing major; Madam Pomfrey assures us that he will be fine in a few days. Come back tomorrow and you will probably be allowed to see him."
He was about to dismiss them when his gaze fell on the approaching figures. "Albus!"
The children twirled around in time to see the headmaster approaching slowly, leaning on a cane and with McGonagall and another man hovering at each side. "Ah, Severus, children, it's good to see you again."
The old man faltered a bit and his breath grew heavier. The Potions Master quickly rushed forward to support the man as Aberforth allowed the younger man to take his place. "What on earth are you doing here? You should still be in the hospital!"
Hermione and Ginny quickly opened the doors to the hospital wing as Minerva and Severus helped the man inside.
"Now, Severus, I needed to be here. Besides, Poppy can take as much care of me as any of those doctors in St. Mungo's."
The Potions Master went to reply but McGonagall shook her head. "Don't bother, I've already tried to reason with him but he is as bull-headed as always." Looking to the other old man walking behind her, she added, "they both are."
Severus rolled his eyes. "Wonderful, there are two of them now."
Together they stepped into the infirmary, and Poppy, who had been bending over Harry, rushed towards them.
"Albus! What the hell are you doing here? In bed with you at once!"
The old man groaned. "Not you too, Poppy, is no one glad to see me?"
"Don't get overdramatic with me, old man, you know damn well we are happy to see you, but not while you should be in bed."
Ignoring the old man's pouting and his brother's laughter, the three professors put the old headmaster in the bed next to Harry's and tucked him in. Poppy immediately started to look the man over, making sure he was ok. Severus moved to the chair next to Alec's bed and sank down in it, leaving Minerva to deal with her Gryffindors.
Ten minutes later, Albus had fallen asleep, Minerva had taken her students to the tower and Poppy had gone to her office to talk to the healers in St. Mungo's. Severus was a bit startled when Aberforth went to stand at his side.
"So, this is Harry Potter."
Severus nodded silently, wondering what the old man wanted. They stayed in silence for a few minutes before the man spoke again. "He is very powerful, have you been training him?"
The Potions Master shook his head lightly. "As far as I know, Albus and a few ghosts have. I have taught him a few things but not much yet."
The old man nodded. "Good, you shouldn't let so much talent go to waste. Have you considered apprenticing him to someone? It would probably be better for him, it would challenge him much more and it would force him to really work on his powers."
Severus nodded slowly, he hadn't thought about it but it certainly made sense. "It would be a good idea, but it's not my decision to make; I'm not his guardian."
Aberforth moved his gaze to him. "Not yet, no."
The younger man frowned. "Albus wants to get guardianship over the boy."
"Yes, I know."
The Potions Master started to grow a bit irritated. "Don't you think he will get it?"
Aberforth laughed softly. "I don't doubt that what Albus wants, Albus gets. He will get guardianship over the boy, who would deny him that? My concern is whether he is up to it. Harry is still quite young and he is at a difficult age, can Albus still keep up with him? Especially after what happened? And is it fair to Harry?"
"Fair?"
"Albus is old, my boy, till now he has had iron health, but what about now? After everything that has happened? I hope he will be around for quite a few more years, but it is not as sure as it was a few months ago. Is it fair to Harry to get attached to such an old man?"
Severus pressed his lips together, the man had raised some valid points, none of which he wanted to think about. "I think it's too late to do anything about that. Harry loves Albus with all his heart, whether the old man takes guardianship over him or not won't change things."
"For what Albus has told me, the boy also loves you."
The younger man snorted. "So everyone says, and I love him quite a bit, but I don't see how one thing leads to the other, the boy loves quite a lot of people."
Aberforth smiled softly. "You could get guardianship over him."
Severus shook his head forcefully. "No. I love the boy and I like having him around but this isn't about me. It is about what Harry needs, and Harry and Albus understand each other in a way I'm afraid I will never be able to. Not to mention that I'm not going to fight against Albus for guardianship."
The old man remained silent, then he smiled. "And if you were asked to apprentice the boy?"
Severus looked up sharply, clearly shocked at the notion. "Me? Why me? There are many others that would do a much better job than me. I'm not good at teaching children, no matter how much I like them."
"It would be quite different teaching one on one than teaching a whole class. It would also mean you'd have joint guardianship with Albus over Harry, which would make his situation much more stable."
The younger man sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I don't know; it's difficult to imagine such a thing. Besides, I don't know why you're telling me all this, it will all come down to Albus and Harry."
The old man started to move towards his brother's bed, a small smile dancing on his lips. "I know, just think about it."
Severus couldn't help but groan softly, he had the feeling that the man had just done what Salazar had done before, getting him ready for what was to come.
Lan felt groggy when she woke up. Her limbs were heavy and it took her a while to open her eyes. When she finally managed to sit up in the comfortable bed, she saw that she was in the hospital wing instead than in the Ravenclaw Tower and at once everything came rushing back. Quickly looking around, her gaze fell on Harry's sleeping form and she sighed in relief when she saw he was sleeping soundly with the Potions Master sleeping in a chair besides him. Her gaze moved further away, looking for Madam Pomfrey, but instead was met with a sight she didn't expect.
"Headmaster!"
The old man, who had been reading calmly in his bed looked up when he heard the girl's voice.
"Ah, Miss Creevy, how are you feeling?"
The girl blinked and blushed lightly. "I'm fine, sir, what about you?"
The man smiled gently. "Much better, my girl, much better."
Their short talk woke the Potions Master up, who immediately sat up straighter, wand already in hand. When he saw they weren't about to be attacked, he glared at the old man, who was looking back in amusement.
"Good morning, dear boy."
The man's scowl deepened as he glanced towards his watch. "It's two in the morning, old man, you should be sleeping, not talking to your students." Without waiting for the older wizard's reply, Severus turned his attention to Lan. "How are you feeling, Miss Creevy?"
The girl blinked, a bit startled by the question, but hurried to answer. "I'm feeling fine, sir. How is Alec doing?"
"He'll be fine." The professor looked towards the sleeping youth before returning his attention to the girl. "I realise you may be feeling fine, but I can hardly send you on your way at this time of the night. Not to mention that Poppy would kill me if I sent off one of her patients, so I'm afraid you will need to spend the rest of the night in here and hope that our dearest nurse releases you in the morning."
Melanie couldn't help but laugh softly at the sarcasm coming from the Slytherin heir; he was actually funny when he wasn't tearing you to pieces. Dumbledore, from his bed, shook his head in amusement. "Now, now, my boy, no need for sarcasm. Why don't you go fetch Miss Creevy a mild sleeping potion? It will help her to go back to sleep."
The girl went to argue, but the Potions Master was already on his way to the cupboard where the nurse kept all her potions. In a few seconds he had located the required potion and was besides the young witch again.
"Here you go, drink it all down."
Faced with taking the potion or arguing with the man, Melanie chose the least painful way and took the potion, falling asleep not even a minute later. When he was sure the Ravenclaw was sleeping, the young Potions Master turned to the headmaster, who was still sitting in his bed. "Let's get it over with, old man, what do you want from me this time?"
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta-reader, Vinnie.