agneskamilla (agneskamilla) wrote in adventdrabbles, @ 2014-12-19 02:12:00 |
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Entry tags: | contributor: agneskamilla, dec19, fandom: harry potter, prompt17, prompt18, year: 2014 |
Dec 19; Harry Potter; Snape, Harry, Draco; Outing
Title: Outing
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing/Characters: Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy
Rating: G
Word Count: 1297
Warning(s): AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I write this only for entertainment purposes, no money is made by me.
Prompt(s): Sleigh ride, Christmas cracker
AN: Unbeta'd. Written for adventdrabbles 2014; Day 19. I have had this idea for months and now I will attempt to write it in December... so TBC. Follow up to Departure, Encounter, Storm, Night-time, Introductions, Observation, Rescheduling and Lecture.
Days pass quietly. Harry learns a lot from Snape, and best of all, he is having fun all through the process. The man is brilliant; he possesses dark humour and a cutting tongue. Harry learns that he doesn’t tolerate tardiness, or anything he perceives idiocy, ignorance or simply being a dunderhead. He can’t be called tolerant, patient or tender at all, but still… Harry finds him, well… he hasn’t found the word to describe him yet. Fascinating comes close or maybe impressing; awe-inspiring even, and… well, he hasn’t found the right word yet.
Malfoy ignores Harry mostly and, more often than not, avoids him. He, more than likely, finds Harry’s company below him. His disapproval of Harry’s trespassing on his territory is clear.
Harry becomes fast-friends with the house-elf, Dobby. He tends to get overzealous but he is still a friendly, kind soul, and Harry likes spending time with him, speaking (gossiping, really) about this and that, but mostly the other occupants of the house. Harry learns from Dobby that Master Snape has a sweet-tooth, prefers working late at night to early in the morning, hates shepherd’s pie and he, from time to time, enjoys a brandy with a good crime story.
Harry also learns that the Malfoys are a very old, pureblooded family, and Doddy came to live here two years ago, when his young master, Draco, moved in. Although house-elves are loyal to their families and doesn’t say anything against them, Harry has the impression that Dobby prefers living here to living at Malfoy Manor.
This particular morning, it seems, will deviate from their norm.
“I have to go to the village today,” Snape announces after breakfast. “If you wish, I’m willing to take you there as well,” he offers to both of his apprentices.
“Yes, please do,” replies Malfoy immediately. “I have some more Christmas shopping to do. Although, I have my doubts about finding anything acceptable here, at the far end of nothing,” Malfoy says derogatively.
Snape nods. “And you, Potter?” he turns towards Harry.
“I would like to come, too, if it’s not too much of a trouble,” he replies.
Malfoy murmurs something under his breath but Snape, it seems, doesn’t hear.
“All right. We may leave in half an hour. I don’t wish to walk in knee-deep snow and we cannot Apparate right into the village because of the Muggles, so we may use the sleigh,” Snape tells them.
Malfoy doesn’t seem exactly happy. He murmurs about stupid horses and Muggles.
Harry is surprised. “A sleigh? As in a horse-drawn sleigh?” he inquires.
“Indeed, Mr Potter,” says Snape.
“I didn’t know you have horses, sir,” Harry admits.
“Not horses. Just one horse,” Snape specifies.
“One too many,” Malfoy grumbles under his breath.
Snape ignores him. “Captain is stationed in the old stables and the elf takes care of him. He is the last one of my grandfather’s horses; he is old, but with the help of a Featherlight Charm, he will manage the sleigh ride adequately.” He seems confident enough.
Harry grins; he has never participated in a sleigh ride and can’t wait to try it.
Thirty minutes later they sit on the sleigh comfortably – no doubt thanks to an Undetectable Extension Charm – Snape in the middle, handling the rein, and the boys on both sides. Captain, the grey gelding trots towards the village proudly.
A smile is plastered on Harry’s face for the whole journey; Malfoy looks greener by the minute.
In the village all three of them go on their separate ways. Harry purchases gifts: a bottle of wine for Bernard – it’s kind of odd, given that the man owns a pub, but still – and one more for Malfoy, to be polite. A sewing set for Aunt Petunia and a dragon figurine for Dudley – Harry remembers that Petunia complained about Dudley constantly playing with some computer game featuring dragons. Only the sweets are left for Dobby and Master Snape. Harry secretly hopes that he will find something more… special to give the man besides the sweets. Maybe a book? Or a fine brandy? Harry hasn’t decided yet.
There is a bunch of Christmas crackers in the display window of Monsieur Caramel’s Sweet Shop; Harry smiles when he sees them. He cannot imagine Master Snape pulling one with anybody, not to mention wearing any paper hats. Harry giggles at the thought.
Harry finds aforementioned gentleman in the sweet shop, accompanied by a very old man with long white hair and beard, wearing half-moon shaped glasses and an instant smile after seeing Harry.
“Good morning, sirs,” Harry greets the men.
“Potter,” Snape grumbles.
“Ah, good morning, dear boy!” the old man returns the greeting enthusiastically. “You must be Harry Potter, Severus’ young apprentice!”
“Yes, sir,” Harry admits slightly embarrassed.
“Nice to meet you, young man.” The man holds out his hand. “I am Albus Dumbledore.”
Harry shakes the offered hand briefly. “I’m glad to meet you, sir.”
Dumbledore’s penetrating gaze makes Harry blush.
“The pleasure is all mine,” the man says. ”How is your education going thus far?”
“Fine, sir. Master Snape is a very good teacher,” Harry adds, his blush getting more pronounced.
“Oh, indeed, that he is,” Dumbledore chuckles. Snape frowns deeply. “I have tried to persuade him to come and teach in my school for years, but he has been unrelenting,” he says with twinkling eyes.
“I cannot stand adolescents and you know that, Albus,” Snape answers with a repulsed expression.
“Some of them are tolerable; pleasant even,” Albus says and he winks at Harry.
“Doubtful,” Snape replies sourly.
“Are you here for some festive confectionery, Mr Potter? Nothing better to celebrate with than chocolate or even better, sherbet lemon.” Dumbledore’s face lights up at the mention of the sweets. “Not to say that it’s always excellent as a gift,” he adds mischievously, giving a brief glance to Snape.
“Agreed, sir. Although I prefer chocolate,” Harry admits with a smile; he cannot hold back, the old man’s enthusiasm for sweets is quite endearing.
“Understandable,” Dumbledore accepts with a nod. “I just purchased my monthly amount of sherbet lemon; hopefully I will have the accomplishment of a long overdue task as a reason to celebrate in a short while. I will inform you about my progress, Severus. If all goes well, the deed will be done by Christmas. Only one more, the seventh, to go!” He is clearly enthusiastic about the matter.
“Last or not, you should be careful, Headmaster,” Snape advises the old man with a deep frown. ”One may never know what can be expected from him,” he warns ominously.
The headmaster’s smile remains undisturbed.
“Not to worry, my boy,” Dumbledore tries to placate Snape. The latter, obviously irritated by the dismissal of his worries, attempts to say something else, but the headmaster doesn’t give him a chance. “I leave you to your shopping now; I have intercepted you for long enough. Have a beautiful day, dear boys!”
With a swiftness belying his age Dumbledore is already halfway through the shop when Snape and Harry utter their own goodbyes.
Snape huffs, probably because of the man addressing him as a boy.
“He is something else,” Harry summarizes his impressions.
Snape snorts. “You can say that. Are you ready to return to the mansion?” he inquires.
“Um, not quite, sir. I need a few more things to buy. Twenty minutes more?” Harry pleads.
Snape rolls his eyes. “If you must. See you at the sleigh in a quarter of an hour, Potter.”
“But, sir…” Harry starts to protest, but he is interrupted.
“If I were you I wouldn’t waste my time,” Snape advises with a smirk.
Harry hurries to the counter to buy some chocolate, and probably a small amount of sherbet lemon, just to try it out.