The next morning Harry turned up to find Snape absorbed in the morning’s crossword, so much so he barely noticed Harry come in.

“Morning, Professor,” Harry said again a little louder.

Snape looked up. “Oh—morning Potter.”

“You don’t have to ask, I’ll get your coffee.” Harry went into the kitchen and put the kettle on.

There was silence from the living room while it brewed. When Harry brought it in, he saw Snape was frowning deeply at the puzzle.

“Tricky one, is it?” he asked.

“Hmm.” Harry took this to mean ‘yes’.

“What’s the clue?”

“Double lights: self contains treasure. Six letters ending in I.”

“Oh, it’s one of those cryptic ones. Hermione’s good at those. I’m not the most lateral thinker though.”

“You don’t say,” Snape muttered.

The doorbell made them both start. Snape dropped his paper, his eyes widening in alarm.

“Shall I answer?” Harry asked.

“No!” Snape said quickly. “No, stay where you are.” He looked worried.

“Professor? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just leave it.” At Harry’s frown, he said reluctantly, “Remember when I told you I have my reasons for keeping my address to myself?”

“Yes ...”

“Well unfortunately there are some people who do know it, whom I would rather didn’t.”

“Who?”

“Not your concern.”

Harry jumped again as he heard a key in the lock, but Snape sighed. “Never mind. If they have a key—”

“Anyone at home?” a familiar voice called.

“Professor Dumbledore!” Harry hurried into the hall. “How did you get here so fast?”

Dumbledore didn’t look as if he had been on holiday; he looked the same as he always did. He gave Harry a warm smile. “I Apparated, Harry. Good to see you, by the way. Where is Severus?”

“I’m in here!” Snape yelled from the living room.

Dumbledore barely stifled a laugh when he laid eyes on him, and Snape turned his glare on him. “It’s not funny, Albus.”

“I’m sorry,” Dumbledore said, still seeming to struggle not to chuckle out loud. “That does look like a pickle you’re in.”

“I meant,” Harry said before Snape could bite Dumbledore’s head off, “how did Hedwig get to you so fast? I thought you were in Cyprus.”

“I was. Until a week ago. Hedwig found me quite quickly.”

“Thank Merlin for that. Could you help me out of this stuff please, Albus?”

“Oh yes, sorry Severus.” Dumbledore examined the potion closely for a minute, then simply tapped the black shell with his wand, and the potion vanished. Snape, who had stood up when Dumbledore arrived, overbalanced and fell backwards into the chair. Harry stifled a snigger.

“Thank you,” Snape said in a grudging tone, getting back to his feet. “Why didn’t you answer the phone if you were back in Britain?”

“Because I wasn’t at Hogwarts.” Dumbledore didn’t elaborate. “Harry, my boy, any chance of a cup of tea?”

-

While Potter was busy in the kitchen, Severus pressed for a more informative answer.

“I was at the Burrow,” Albus said, taking a seat uninvited. “Hedwig saw me there the last time she visited, which is very fortunate for you; she took the letter straight back.”

“The Burrow?”

“The Weasleys’ home. Don’t say anything to Harry yet.”

“The backup plan?”

Albus nodded. “How are things going? How is Harry? He doesn’t look starving to me.”

“That’s because I’ve been feeding him, Albus,” Severus said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “You should have seen him just a few days ago.”

“I will take your word for it. May I ask for details of what’s been going on?”

“It’ll have to wait,” Severus muttered, hearing Potter return with the tea.

“Here you are, Professor,” Potter said, putting the tray down. He’d brought in a cup for all of them. “Oh rats, the sugar ...” He hurried back out of the room.

“I have to say, for someone who was demanding I send him back to Surrey when he arrived, you’ve been taking great care of him at your own expense,” Albus said with a twinkle Severus didn’t like in his eye. He didn’t have a chance to reply haughtily, because the boy returned with the sugar.

“How many, Professor?” he asked Albus.

“Five please, Harry. Thank you very much.”

It wasn’t as if he liked the boy. Albus was kidding himself if he thought he did. Severus didn’t deny it was actually rather useful having him around, and even somewhat companionable (only when he was silent and didn’t mess things up), but that was as far as it went. His only concern was making sure the boy didn’t meet his end at the hands of his so-called loving family. He would still have much preferred to not have to see the boy at all.

-

Snape drained his tea quickly, and retreated upstairs, leaving Harry alone with Dumbledore.

“How are you, Harry? Having a good summer?”

He considered his answer carefully. “Okay. Professor Snape keeps me busy.”

“So I hear,” Dumbledore said. “How are your family, are they all right?”

Harry shrugged. “Fine.”

“Are they settling in well?”

“Yeah, I think so.” It was an effort to keep the resentment out of his voice and he had a feeling he wasn’t fooling Dumbledore, so he decided to change the subject. “How was Cyprus?”

“Oh ... er ... very good, thank you Harry,” Dumbledore said, sounding slightly taken aback.

A comfortable silence fell for a while, broken only when Snape returned downstairs. He had changed his clothes and looked a bit more relaxed now, or at least less tense and angry.

“I need some air,” he muttered, pausing in the doorway. “And to stretch my legs.”

“How about a nice stroll around your garden?” Dumbledore suggested. Snape shook his head.

“No, that won’t cut it. Potter, how do you fancy a walk along the promenade?”

“Er ... you mean me too?” Harry asked, slightly confused.

“Unless you want to stay here pickling frog brains.”

Harry jumped to his feet. “I’ll come.”

“I thought you would.”

Dumbledore smiled, as if at some secret thought, wished them a good day and went to wash up his cup.

-

Harry hadn’t really ventured out of Arrow Close yet, but Snape obviously knew where he was going. They turned left out of the close into a road that was fairly quiet, and sloped slightly downhill. They passed houses painted white or bright colours, buildings made of flint and old stone, several pubs, a school and a few small shops. Eventually they came out on a main road, and with a slight jolt Harry realised they were at the seafront.

That’s what Snape had meant by the promenade.

They crossed, and began along the pavement at a slower pace, giving Harry plenty of time to take it in. On the land side, the road was lined with pubs, restaurants, gift shops and hotels. On the other side, he didn’t see the beach immediately for a couple of wooden buildings and a cluster of boats. They passed a large amusements complex filled with slot machines, and Harry paused to peer inside.

Snape looked at him. “Do you want to go in?”

“Um ... yes, please.”

It was relatively early, and there weren’t that many people around, but it was still very noisy inside with pumping music and the sounds of the individual games. Harry wandered around, taking it in. He’d never been in anything like this before. He wished he had some Muggle change to try some of the machines out, but didn’t like to ask Snape. Still, he made a mental note to come back at some point.

Once he had been around the place, he went back outside to where Snape was waiting, and they continued. Next to the building was a small funfair, but it looked closed.

“Too early,” Snape said as Harry pressed his face to the bars of the gate. “It’s only ten o’clock, I don’t think it opens until half past.”

“Can we come back then?”

“I don’t see why not, as long as you don’t expect me to go on anything.”

Harry grinned. “Thanks!”

Next to the funfair was a rectangle lake of water with strangely shaped boats bobbing on it, all covered up. They passed a deflated bouncy castle, a miniature railway, a picnic area with food huts all down one side, a small marina, a set of trampolines, a children’s play area, ball game areas and a crazy golf course.

Every now and then Harry had caught a glimpse of the sea, and now they found themselves with nothing between them and the beach. It was a beautiful day, and more people were beginning to appear.

Snape stopped for a breather. “Smell that air, Potter.”

Harry had to admit the sea air smelled fantastic, but he was feeling rather uncomfortable. Snape noticed him fidgeting. “Something wrong?”

“No, sir.”

Snape frowned, not fooled, but his eye seemed to be caught by something. “Ah.”

Harry turned to see what he was looking at. “What?”

“You haven’t had any breakfast, have you?”

It was only now Snape said it, that Harry realised he was right. Dumbledore’s arrival had driven it straight out of his mind.

“Oh. No, I haven’t.”

Snape glanced at his watch, then without answering strode off. Harry hurried after him. He didn’t know what he had been expecting, but it wasn’t for Snape to stop in front of a fish and chip stand that had just opened its doors and ask him what he wanted.

Harry stared at the menu, lost for words. “Um ... cod?”

“One cod and chips, please,” Snape said to the man in the window. “And—a drink?” He turned back to Harry.

This time Harry knew what he wanted instantly. “A Coke, please.”

They had to wait a while for the cooker to heat up, but the smell was heavenly. Harry’s mouth was watering like crazy when his food was finally handed over. Harry added condiments and hurried after Snape, who was heading back towards the beach.

Harry’s insides squirmed harder as he stepped onto the shingle, but the sea was quite far out and Snape had stopped at a picnic table.

The food was hot, golden and crispy, with just the right amount of salt and vinegar—perfect. The Coke can was straight from the fridge. Harry hadn’t tasted anything this good since the end of term feast (no offence to Snape’s cooking intended). He focused on what he was eating, trying to block out the sounds of the sea.

He could feel Snape’s eye on him, and when they had finished, Snape asked him again. “Are you sure you’re all right, Potter?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Even better now,” Harry said with a forced grin. “Thanks, Professor.”