All Through the Night

by I Got Tired of Waiting

COMPLETE :: SLASH :: Backstory 02 of Hiding Under the Ninth Earth :: When tragedy strikes before the Christmas Holidays, Severus and Harry meet their first challenge as a couple to define what 'family' and Yuletide giving really mean.

10. While the Moon Her Watch is Keeping

Hiding Under the Ninth Earth
Backstory 01 : All Through the Night

Chapter Ten : While the Moon Her Watch is Keeping

Monday 22 December 2003

'Such a boring day,' Perrin thought, picking another berry out of the wooden bowl sitting next to him at the small table set aside for meals during the holidays. While the ripe cranberries Professor Flitwick had asked him to string for the tree kept his hands occupied, the dull work did little to stay his wandering thoughts.

Spear, push, spear, push - the whole thing seemed drearily pointless; surely there was a spell they could teach him so he could do something more interesting. Like... Ouch! Distracted by Dumbledore conjuring dainty glass ornaments, each with a little fairy inside (and they couldn't be real, could they?) he'd stuck himself with the needle. Sucking his fingertip, he watched with absorbed fascination the merry bubbles bobbing out of the headmaster's hands as Flitwick herded them to one side of what had to be the largest fir tree Perrin had ever seen. Its top rising halfway to the ceiling of the Great Hall, he thought he could move the entire first year dorm room under the boughs barely brushing the floor, although he did have to admit it did fill the far side of the raised dais (where the now-absent head table normally resided) rather nicely and complemented the other trees ringing the Great Hall.

Returning to the berries, he squelched a lingering resentment; being there (where ever there was) with Harry and Severus ("...and you may address me thus only on the holidays and only in our quarters...") sounded a lot more fun than being here in the Great Hall with Flitwick and Dumbledore. Or working on his room (which still wasn't quite 'right') or better still, exploring the back hallways of the castle (even knowing how popular that option would be) would have been preferable even if he was alone, something he'd been avoiding as much as possible lately. He steered his mind quickly from that tender place.

However, his instructions had been plain: go to the Great Hall for breakfast and stay there. He sighed. With only the two wizards for company, he'd been drafted into helping them almost as soon as the plates popped out of sight. Not that this was a real burden; they weren't too tedious (and they were not minding him, thank you very much), but they were - well - old. They moved old, they spoke old, they even smelled old - not musty, like Mrs. Gardner next door, or of over-cooked vegetables, like Mr. Cropp on the ground floor, or even like his grandmother, whom he only vaguely remembered smelling like Ivory soap and talcum powder. No, if anything, they smelled like the beeswax polish the house-elves used on the older furniture, or the spicy scent of a yule log, or the sharp scent of smoke drifting out of chimneys in the deepest winter when the cold stung your nose.

Glancing at the bowl beside him to gauge his progress, Perrin decided Flitwick must have spelled it; he'd been stringing the bloody things for what felt like half his lifetime, the resulting rope heaped in a huge crimson jumble next to him and spilling onto the floor, yet the bowl was still full. Shrugging, he idly noted his red stained fingers as he speared a particularly juicy one. Wiping his hand on his robes, his distracting thoughts of the days before were interrupted as he heard his name called rather loudly. Looking up from his task, he lazily met the amused, yet pointed 'pay-attention-you're-daydreaming' stare over the half-moon spectacles.

"Yes, sir?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Welcome back. I was asking if you were settled yet."

"I suppose so. I moved all my things into my room day before yesterday - I now have a four-poster bed and some chairs and stuff." Then he remembered. "Oh, and Harry told me you made the stars for my ceiling. They're really cool. Thanks!"

"You're welcome. Actually, Professor Snape did most of the work." He bent down, intently studying the berry garland. "I think you've quite enough there now; why don't you tie it off." Once Perrin had hastily done so, the knot not as close to the last berry as he would have liked, Dumbledore turned to his companion. "Filius, would you do the honours?"

With a flick of the professor's wand, the end Perrin held rose in the air and, after nestling in the top branches, began to wind around the tree. Row after spiralling row it descended, until almost halfway down, Perrin noticed the remaining pile hadn't decreased appreciably. Surely he hadn't made it that long and soon realised the unbroken strand was magically growing as it continued its trek around the tree, the berries in the bowl swiftly disappearing as it neared the bottom. With a flourish, Flitwick fixed it in place. Standing back to admire it, he nodded once, apparently satisfied with the way it lay on the branches.

"Time to place the ornaments." Flitwick announced. "Would you like to help?"

Boy, would he! Scrambling to his feet and almost knocking over his chair, he shouted, "Yes, sir!"

Chuckling, Flitwick lightly tapped an iridescent pink bubble (with a bright orange bow and a sprig of holly but no fairy) sending it over to float in front of Perrin. "There's a trick to it. Watch."

With casual ease, he spoke the spell Perrin had learned at the beginning of the school year and several hovering baubles gracefully floated to the tree and arranged themselves fetchingly in an clustered array. Tiny flicks at each one fixed their respective bows in place on the ends of the boughs. "It needs a light touch, so say the spell as quietly as you would around a sleeping person. Fix your eyes on the one you want and then gently move it over using your wand and your eyes. I'll loop it on the tree once it's in place."

He really did try, but the first two shattered, the fragments flying in every direction; a quick gesture from the headmaster contained them in a softly glowing ball before they disappeared with a 'pop'.

"No matter," Flitwick remarked patiently. "Albus can always make more if need be. Now, try again..."

Gingerly, Perrin lifted one the transparent colour of new leaves on the end of his wand.

"Slowly now..."

He felt it lift off like a feather in a light breeze, and just as hard to control.

"Easy does it..."

Concentrating, he moved it to a bough and, with a satisfied grin, Flitwick flicked it into place. Perrin sighed with relief.

"See, easy peasy," Flitwick said teasingly. "Let's try some more; it can only get better with practice."

It did and, with so many of them, they had plenty with which to play. His confidence grew with each repetition and he quickly added a few more at a time until Dumbledore asked him to slow down so he could keep apace. While so occupied, he tried to field their seemingly endless questions on everything from his cat to his first two days with Harry and Severus.

"Yeah, I have chores," he replied to Flitwick. "I have to check Horatio's water bowls twice daily and renew the cleaning spell as needed. Did you know that he uses one of them like the cats use their litter boxes? And I have to change those, too." He'd learned all kinds of things about Horatio, from his 'poop' water, to the doors he could pass through as if they weren't there, doors Perrin wasn't permitted to enter.

Barely catching a bubble as it fell from his control, the tiny fairy within blowing him a raspberry, he replied distractedly to Dumbledore, "There's only a few places I'm not supposed to go, like Professor Snape's study and most of the ramp is off-limits without an adult, although Harry told me Professor Snape rearranged all the books I'm allowed to read down on the bottom part, and they showed me how to get to the lab through the bottom-most door. It's pretty cool and there's a gargoyle!" Dumbledore chuckled while making a huge star for the top of the tree.

As he carefully separated the long strands of tinsel he'd made with Flitwick's help, he answered, "No, not too many rules - well, no more than I expected. You know, like don't leave the castle and no staying out after curfew and always-let-them-know-where-I'm-going."

Of course, there were things he didn't discuss with the two curious old wizards, assuming they already knew, but it was all new to him. Like how Severus preferred his tea black, strong, and hot at lunch but with a bit of milk (no sugar) in the late afternoon, whereas Harry took both milk and sugar at any time (just as he did). Or that Severus liked his bread thick and crusty but was a neat eater while Harry liked the crusts off but left crumbs everywhere.

While Perrin waited for Flitwick and Dumbledore to seat the star, he thought back to the last rule Severus had laid down that first day with a face so severe he'd wondered what he'd done wrong.

"Oh, and finally: no prevarication of any kind," Severus stated solemnly.

"What's prevarication?" he asked, never having heard the word before.

His mien serious, Severus replied, "Lying. Usually a small lie to get out of trouble."

Perrin huffed, "I'm not a liar."

The brow raised in patent disbelief. "So, you never tell little white lies then?"

"No, sir," he replied stoutly, fighting his own anger at the insult, that is until he saw Harry gazing at the ceiling, his lips pressed flat against a smile. Encouraged, Perrin had relaxed - just a bit.

"Hmph. Tell me, Perrin, do you think I have a hideously huge nose?"

Well...uh-oh... "Um, no, sir."

"You don't? Everyone else does." Severus gazed at him thoughtfully, the hardness easing from his face. One hand rubbed his chin, partially covering his mouth as he said evenly, "If it's not, then please describe it for me."

Pinned by Severus' uncompromising stare like a butterfly on display, Perrin stammered, "It's, uh, well it's..." He looked to Harry for help and seeing none, finally blurted out, "...not hideous."

"So, it's huge?"

"Well, not exactly." He looked at the floor a moment hoping it held answers and, finding none, he tried to hide his welling panic. "It's - not small."

"Ah," he said as if suddenly understanding. "So you are saying I have an average-sized, ordinary nose."

"Ah," Perrin hedged. He couldn't lie. "No, sir."

His face betraying confusion, Severus replied, "Well that's what you said - not hideous, nor huge, nor small, so it must be average."

"Ah, um..."

His lips twisting to the side, Severus chided, "Well, Mr. Long, be honest then and say what you mean."

"It's..." Perrin slid pleading eyes to Harry who at last leant over, his hand cupped to keep Severus from seeing what he whispered to him. His relief immense, Perrin's cried happily, "It's a perfect nose for Potions!"

Severus' glare barely hid the smile in his eyes as he turned to Harry. "You - stop helping." To him he said, "And you? Don't prevaricate."

Had the Potions master actually been teasing him?

The present slowly intruded as he took note of Flitwick fussing over something Dumbledore had dropped; it looked like balls of candy in a small tin and smelled of lemon. He watched curiously for a few moments, but seeing it had nothing to do with him, he once again ignored them, dropping back into his ruminations (although the serious, stern expression on the normally cheerful Charms Professor was almost as out of place as the few smiles he'd seen on the Potions master's).

In fact, he'd caught glimpses of Severus' teasing, mostly when he was with Harry (although there'd been a few tart examples for him as well). At first it had been odd seeing them together; he didn't think they really noticed how close they stood to one another or how frequently they touched. Nothing too awkward (and never outside their quarters) just small, private touches - a hand on an arm or shoulder, or a lock of hair pushed back, out of the way. It was kind of - well, sweet didn't sound quite right for a couple of blokes, but...

It could be embarrassing, too. His cheeks flamed anew remembering last night when he'd caught them kissing in the sitting room. He hadn't meant to spy, he'd just wanted to know how to darken the stars on his ceiling. Barely daring to breathe (and feeling slightly ashamed of himself afterwards) he'd silently watched them the few heartbeats it lasted, relieved it wasn't one of those gross kisses the Seventh Years exchanged while hiding deep in the chairs of the common room. No, this had been slow, almost gentle. And somehow, seeing them sitting so close together on the sofa, talking quietly, their eyes only for each other, made him feel safe and snug; maybe they could make room for one more. Unseen, he'd padded in stockinged feet back to his room, subsequently enduring the dim starlight, which all things considered...

"Pardon, sir?" he asked, chagrined he'd missed another question.

This time it was Flitwick repeating with a smile, "Have you plans for the holidays?"

"Sort of - I have to finish my homework, but that shouldn't take too long," he said with more confidence than he might have Saturday morning. "I only had five assignments and I got four of them done already. I'm hoping to finish the last one before dinner today."

"Even my assignment?" Realising how brash he must have sounded a few moments before, Perrin limited himself to a nod. Flitwick chuckled, saying to Dumbledore, "Remind me to make it more challenging next year."

"Oh, no, sir! That's not what I meant. It wasn't too easy, it's just..." he hesitated, wondering if he'd once again let his mouth run in front of his mind.

"It's just what?" Flitwick asked, his voice fading as he moved around to the far side of the tree.

Perrin briefly debated pretending he hadn't heard, but a quiet throat-clearing and a cocked brow from Dumbledore convinced him he'd better answer Flitwick. "Um, well, Harry and Professor Snape had work to do both afternoons," he explained walking behind the levitating professor as he carefully laid tinsel across the upper boughs, "so I decided to do my homework."

Saturday he'd abandoned the desk he had in his room as too lonely, so he'd spread out all his books and papers on the table in the sitting room, close to the fire. He'd been concentrating on his Charms parchment when a sighed breath of air on his neck startled him. Looking up and around, he'd found Severus standing behind him, for how long Perrin didn't know, but he easily recognized the long-suffering glare the Potions master shot at the paper held negligently in his hand: his last essay before the holiday. He'd winced at the red ink bleeding between the lines of his admittedly messy script.

"Anyway, I guess Professor Snape finished early on Saturday, so he showed me how to diagram my essays to make it easier and said I needed to 'spend more time gathering facts than filling inches'."

In fact, Severus had patiently (well, for him anyway) explained why his Potions paper was 'so abysmal', but rather than scolding him for it (as he'd expected) he'd drawn him a diamond on a spare piece of parchment to show him how to organise his evidence in a logical manner from opening statement to conclusion and how to work it from the middle. Perrin found that, when he inserted his last potions paper Severus had used as an example into the diamond format, it was easy and quick to write the thing up - almost fun in fact with all the confusion removed.

Flitwick descended until he was at eye-level with Perrin. "And Severus helped you write your Charms paper?" he asked, surprised. That would have made two of them had he done so.

"No, but the diamond he taught me helped organize it faster."

"But Professor Snape checked it when you finished?" Dumbledore asked with a wicked twinkle in his eyes.

Perrin heartily wished he knew whether this was good or bad and sincerely hoped he wasn't getting Harry or Severus into any trouble. "He only checked my revised Potions paper later in the afternoon and said it was 'passable', although it wouldn't change my mark," Perrin replied, still feeling a swell of pride remembering Severus' nominal approval.

"Ah, Professor Snape always did write the best papers as a lad," Flitwick commented with a nod, lifting another batch of tinsel with a flick of his wand. "And yesterday?"

It was hard to see Severus as 'a lad' but he gamely replied, "Harry checked my assignments and said they're all right." Perrin bit back a giggle as he recalled Severus' muttering from the chair on the other side of the sitting room about 'the blind leading the blind' and Harry rolling his eyes with a whispered, 'There speaks Mr. Picky Pants'. "It's ever so much easier with their library close to hand. I found everything I needed quickly."

"Severus does have a fine collection," Dumbledore remarked dryly as they placed the tinsel on the lower parts of the tree. "Did you find any books worth reading for fun?"

There it was again, that lilt in his voice like he was sharing a private joke with Flitwick, who just smiled and shook his head.

"I haven't looked," Perrin replied, wondering why they were so curious. "Yesterday afternoon Professor Snape asked Harry and me if we would help him write a 'mo-no-gram', I think that's what he called it, to help Muggle-born students a-ac-cli-mate to the wizarding world. So I sort of have other homework to do because he wants me to write down everything I found confusing when I first came to Hogwarts." Excited, he added, "He also wanted to know if I thought it would have been helpful if I could have stayed the summer before to 'catch-up' to the other students from wizarding families."

Exchanging a startled glance with Flitwick, Dumbledore cleared his throat and asked, "Would it have been?"

"What? Spending the summer here before school started?" When the headmaster nodded, Perrin replied, "Yeah, because then I would have felt less like that Alice bird falling down a rabbit hole. And I maybe could have got an owl, too." And maybe Tony wouldn't have... No! He would not think of that. Not now.

"What was the hardest adjustment?" Flitwick asked strangely, interrupting Dumbledore's drawn breath and raised hand.

Perrin thought long on it; there were so many things, but he supposed the worst one was, "Quill and ink, sir. I still haven't got the hang of them - they're too slow and you can't erase mistakes. What I would've done for a pencil and a bit of rubber..." Or one of those fountain pens Severus and Harry used.

"Interesting. What do you miss the most?" Flitwick pressed, levitating the last of the silvery strands near the top of the tree.

"Oh that's easy. I miss the telly and the neighborhood shops. Especially Mr. Periwinkle, the corner grocer. He always gives me a sweet when mum isn't looking..." He trailed off into silence. Mum. Looking away, he fought the fresh, wet ache deep in his chest trying to leak out of his eyes. But he wouldn't blubber in front of them, in front of anyone; he had plenty of time to do that in the dark solitude before he could fall sleep. And with Becky. She'd understood, and for some reason, it was all right to let loose with her. Taking a deep breath, hoping they hadn't noticed his lapse, he finished quietly, "Not much else, I suppose."

"Well, you'll have chances to go to Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley with Severus and Harry in the future, although I do understand it's not the same thing," Dumbledore said kindly in such a way Perrin knew the headmaster had heard what he hadn't said.

So that was where they were. The resentment bubbled up again as he said sullenly, "Yeah, only they'd already left when I got up. I know their note said they didn't want to wake me, but..."

"Being with them would have been better than being cooped up in this mouldy old castle with two ancient wizards. I would have to agree," Dumbledore said drolly, "but how else are they to go shopping for a certain someone... Hmmm?"

Suddenly a few things fell into place. The quiet whispered conversations and, "Is that why Professor Snape asked me to do a Transfiguration and then pocketed the result?"

"Quite possible," Dumbledore replied, his eyes mischievous.

Then it hit him. "Oh, no! I've nothing to give them in return. What can I get them? Do we have time...?" His shoulders slumped; he had no money in any event.

"Ah, my boy, don't fret," Flitwick soothed, descending from the very top of the tree. "With magic, especially Transfigurations, gifts can be easy and fun to make and all the more special for it."

Before Perrin could report he didn't know that many spells, Dumbledore remarked, "Besides, it seems to me that there are two fusty old wizards of your acquaintance who owe you a small recompense for all the help you've given them and who know your guardians well and might be able to help." He stroked his beard, saying wistfully, "I used to be passing fair at Transfigurations."

Flitwick snorted as he lightly landed. "Hah! He taught McGonagall."

Oh.

Dumbledore waved his hand. "Ach! Now stand back and let me light the tree. Afterwards we'll put our heads together and see what we can find for the auld - for Professor Snape and Harry that you can make."

The ensuing rush of magic was so huge it felt like it was coming from deep inside him and made the hair stand straight up on Perrin's arms and legs. Dumbledore staggered a moment, then righted himself just as Flitwick extended his wand to steady him. Placing his own wand back in his sleeve, the headmaster muttered somewhat peevishly, "I'm fine, Filius. Just put a bit more into it than I really needed to."

And Perrin could see why. Gazing in awe, he didn't know where to look first. The tree glowed from hundreds of fairy lights. Sparkling, the tinsel glimmered while the fairies themselves, somehow coming out of their glass globes, darted merrily in and out of the dark green boughs and slid along the berry strands in much the same manner as he wanted to slide down the stair rail of the ramp.

He'd turned to say something when he noticed the shine of the same tin Dumbledore had dropped before; he must really like his candy - that was the third time he'd seen him take a piece. The old man tucked it into a small pocket near his wand, but Perrin stifled his curiosity knowing it wouldn't be polite to question the older wizard. Without thinking, he looked over at Flitwick and was surprised at the concern in his face, which he quickly smoothed over when he noticed Perrin watching him.

A hand settled lightly on his shoulder. "Not bad, if I do say so myself," Dumbledore declared smugly.

"It's wonderful, sir," Perrin replied enthusiastically.

"Not as good as last year's, but no matter." The hand lifted and tousled his hair. "Now, young man, let's see what we can see." Moving away, he called jovially, "Come, Filius! Perrin! We've plots to hatch and presents to make."

'Such an odd day,' Perrin thought, following them out of the Great Hall.

.:o:. .:o:. .:o:. .:o:.

'Such a long day,' Harry thought, snuggling into Severus' side. He let out a heavy sigh of relief; it felt like forever since he'd done this, even though he knew it had only been a few hours.

"Think Ben will be able to get it in time?"

Severus snorted. "That's twenty-two now."

"Not."

"Yes." He held up a hand and counted, "Thrice while fire-calling Ben, one on the way to Diagon Alley, one on the steps of Gringotts, one when we sent the bank draft to him, twice going into the solicitor's office, once while we waited, once coming out, twice at Madam Malkin's - and what on earth did you buy that made her giggle?"

"Not telling."

"I could make you."

"Yes, I suppose you could, but I know you won't. You'll suffer if only because you know half of my fun is making you wait."

Severus' fingers drummed on his ribs as he thought about it. Despite the light touch, it still tickled, something he was sure did not escape Severus' notice given the way he started dancing them across the sensitive area. Harry refused to squirm - all right just a bit and was about to pull away when Severus finally slid it around his side to his back with a, "Prat," and a lingering kiss. Stroking Harry's hair, he chuckled and resumed as if there'd been no interruption, "Let's see: two times on the tube, once on the walk, three times in the library..."

"Gods, you're like a steel trap. And it was only twice in the library."

"Three. Remember - right before closing you almost moved the librarian to violence with your incessant gabbling."

"Oh. Yeah. Bit of a fishwife." A hand crept up his thigh. "Mmmm. Do you get some kind of vicarious thrill in remembering stuff like that?"

"Not in the slightest; however, when one is bludgeoned by an endless repetition of the same inane question twenty-two times, the temptation for subtle revenge is more than this Slytherin can resist."

Harry looked up to see the raised brow over bright dark eyes, but at least the lips far below them made the movement worthwhile. When they stopped teasing his, he murmured, "That many, huh?"

"Mmmm hmmm." He'd always admired Severus' ability to talk with his mouth full of Harry.

"Sorry," he said when he could catch his breath, his words slightly slurred with desire. "I'm just nervous."

"Really? How surprising."

"Severus!" The arm around him tightened when he would have pulled away. He settled back down with a, "You're not helping. I swear, between your incessant recall and the boy's... Oh, crap! He didn't ask."

Several long moments later came the sigh he'd been half-expecting as Severus responded, "Who didn't ask what?"

"Perrin. He didn't ask how to turn his lights out. Or at least I think that's what he wanted to know."

Severus shifted deeper into the corner. "Hmmm. Most inconvenient."

"Yeah, I was just starting to get comfortable."

Stretching his legs out towards the fire, Severus asked, "Shall you tell him, or shall I?"

Harry smirked. It seemed obvious to him who was going to move first. "I'll go; you keep my spot warm."

"Good idea." He kissed the top of Harry's head before loosening his arms. "Wouldn't want a repeat of last night."

Now if he could only summon the energy to move. "Right." Yawning, he added, "Growing boy needs his sleep." And he needed something else, he thought, wiggling his 'need' against Severus' hip.

Severus nudged his head with his nose. "It's getting colder the longer you wait."

"Right." It took several tries and a few encouraging kisses before he finally struggled out of the deep cocoon of Severus' arms and a few steadying breaths before he suppressed the urge to crawl back where he'd been so cosily ensconced. Leaning over his lover snug in the corner, his hands braced on the back and arm of the couch, he kissed him, murmuring, "Warm. Really, really warm." As he started to straighten, he whispered, "And that was only nineteen. What happened to the other three?"

He supposed he'd earned the smart swat across his arse.

Walking quickly across the rotunda, the heels of his shoes clicked softly against the stone floor, echoing of the walls of the tall space. Standing before the boy's door, he knocked softly before opening it slowly. Poking his head in the opening, he called out softly, "Perrin?"

"Yes?" The voice sounded wide awake.

"Nox Petit."

There was a long pause before the boy replied, "Thanks, Harry." He heard a rustle of bedclothes and the soft protest of springs. "Sorry."

"No harm done. Good night, Perrin. Sleep well."

He dimly heard the small chuckle. "I will now." Closing the door, he thought they all would, but first...

Confident they wouldn't be disturbed, he strode quickly back to the sitting room. Seeing Severus' raised brow over hooded eyes as he passed through the opening, he grinned. 'Such a long night, too,' he thought, eagerly returning to his warmed place by the fire.

.:o:. .:o:. .:o:. .:o:.

TBC