Sweet Tooth | Albus Dumbledore

Chapter Six

Aberforth leaned on the windowsill, the binoculars focused on a house across the street. "Ariana, I think this counts as stalking."

"No it doesn't. Have you seen him yet?"

"No," he said. Ariana had roped him in for something to do with Albus – she wanted him to spy on he and William? It made little sense to Aberforth, but to spare a boring afternoon, he had agreed. Albus had gone off to meet his new friend, and Ariana had whipped out the binoculars.

"I don't think he's in – oi!"

Ariana yanked the binoculars off him and pressed them to her own eyes, spinning the dial.

"Yes he is, look, that's him with the stupid neon vest! He-"

"What are you two up to?"

Aberforth looked up guiltily to see Kendra standing in the doorway with washing in her arms and puzzlement on her face. "Why have you got your father's binoculars?"

"Bird watching," Ariana said promptly, and Aberforth nodded in agreement. "Yes. That."

----------------------

"Wow," Albus said. "That's a very....bright vest."

William beamed and closed the door behind him. "Do you think so? I thought it was a good choice. Very obvious."

"That it is," Albus said, perhaps a little wryly. "So.....what do you want to do?"

"Oh, I thought maybe we could go for a walk. I'm sick of the house. Sooner we get back to Hogwarts the better."

"I know," Albus said, and as they began to walk together, he put his hands in his pockets. "My siblings just do my head in sometimes."

From the house they were passing, there was the glint of glass in one of the upstairs bedrooms.

"I think you're lucky," William said. "I've always wanted siblings. Especially one as spirited as your sister."

They had reached the shade of a heavy tree on the outskirts of the village. The cemetery was nearby, and the marble headstones shone in the sun.

"Oh," Albus said, a little disappointed. People were always interested in Ariana, in her bright, vibrant spirit. She was certainly far more interesting than him. "Did you want Ariana to come?"

"No!" William said, then blushed red. "I – oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude. I just....I kind of wanted it to be just the two of us. Maybe."

Albus' cheeks warmed, but he offered a shy smile. "I too. Maybe."

He took a deep breath. This was the bit in the novel when the hero would kiss the heroine, he thought to himself with slight panic. After the stroll, after the stop in the shade. Oh Merlin. He wanted to. He so wanted to. William's lips looked soft, and he wanted to run his hands through his sandy hair.

"The t-truth is, Will," he started, stuttering horribly. "I mean – I rather like you."

William's cheeks were red. "I too. I'm very fond of you, I mean, fonder than I should be, perhaps, and sometimes I worry-"

Albus couldn't take it anymore. Very softly, he gently pressed his lips to William's.

Halfway through his sentence, William was taken by surprise. His eyes bulged a little and his arms fluttered awkwardly for a second before they settled on Albus' waist. His lips were warm and soft, and they tasted sweet, reminding him of toffee.

Albus broke away. "Well," he said, a little breathlessly.

"Well," William said, just as breathlessly. They both laughed.

--------------------------

"Ab, your turn is up!" Ariana yanked the binoculars from him. "Why are they even gone to, anyway?"

"I don't know," Aberforth replied. "Why are we even spying on them?"

"Because Al's in love with him, of course!" She said crossly, and Aberforth almost fell off the windowsill.

"What?!" He spluttered. "Al – our Al? Albus? Our brother?"

"I don't know any other Albus. Goodness, Aberforth, you must never tear your brain away from goats. It's obvious."

"Al?" He said again, weakly. "Albus? He's....like that?"

"Oh, of course he is," she twisted the dial impatiently. "Ooh, there they are! Will's such an idiot, I swear, if he didn't see-"

She gasped audibly.

"What is it?" Aberforth asked, recovering remarkably quickly. "What's happening?"

"Oh my – oh Merlin. They've just – Al's torn off his shirt and he's declaring undying love, and-"

"What?!" He said in alarm. "Give me those –"

Aberforth tugged them out of her hands and focused them, then sighed as Ariana cackled.

Albus was standing by next door's gate, and he and William were standing awfully close together. As he watched, William gave a shy smile and the two boys said goodbye, William going into his house. Aberforth decided to get his sister back and gasped. "Oh my! Al's just kissed him goodbye! I can see the tongues!"

"What?!" Ariana shrieked, and then, "Oh you beast!"

A bit of a different chapter, guys, just because I was a little stuck! So I think maybe this will finish up soon. It was never supposed to be very long anyway, and obviously it's a little more historically inaccurate and whatever because I wanted to have more fun with this one, it wasn't meant to be very serious. And because I've got the OCD thing, it'll end on an even number, so probably eight. We'll just see the parent's reactions and stuff.
Hope you've enjoyed it!