Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't care. I don't. Really. Ok, maybe a little. Ok, maybe alot. Ok, I cry myself to sleep every night, so sue me. No please don't.
The Truth Of The Phoenix.
Prologue
Severus Snape looked up at the sky from the grounds of Britain's rather famous Wizarding institute, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The sky was clear and the sun shone brightly, as it should in the middle of July. The weather, however, did not reflect the Potions Master's mood.
Usually the Potions Master would be content at the moment as it was the summer holidays. The large, thousand year old castle had been quiet for last two weeks and would remain to be for the next month and a half.
The annoying and loud brats had always stopped Severus working on his experiments during the year, but now he would usually be able to work in peace.
However, the professor's life had been thrown from its usual routine since the strongest Dark Lord in over a Century had been reborn over a year previously, Lord Voldemort.
Severus suddenly found himself in a role he had hoped to leave behind 14 years ago, he was back to being a spy. He spied on Voldemort for the old coot Dumbledore, while Voldemort thought Severus was spying for him. What a fool, thought Severus, who would follow a creature who cursed you at every opportunity?
He looked up again and finally saw the red and gold feathers of Fawkes shining in the sun. As he came closed Severus held out his arm and the Phoenix landed on his arm, as if a perch.
Severus began to untie the letter from the Phoenix's leg and the magical bird took flight immediatly. The piece of parchment from the Phoenix leg was 5x7cm in size and folded in half. Severus started to unfold the note and took a deep breath. He breathed out slowly as he read the words, still wishing that have to know the few simple words.
4 Privet Drive, Surrey.
This was the address of one Harry Potter and his relitaevs. Severus' mission for tonight was to watch the boy and so he would need to know the address. What Mr.Potter didn't know was that he lived under many charms and wards. One of these was the Fidelus charm and Albus Dumbledore, the boy's ever-loving Headmaster was his Secret-Keeper. So only he could give Severus, in a note or in person, the address, and the use of Fawkes insured that the address didn't fall into enemy hands.
The hooked-nosed git, as his students called him,stared with something akin to disgust. So this is the Potter brat's address, thought Severus. Now not only am I a spy, but a baby-sitter as well.
Ever since He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named returned ,and the Order of the Phoenix reconstituted, all anyone seemed to care about was the saftey of that spoiled, arrogent boy. Why should anyone care about his saftey if he put himself in jeopordy?
First year, he went after the Philosophers Stone with only that Weasley and that know-it-all Granger for back-up. Second year, he went into the Chamber of Secrets and fought and , somehow, killed a Basilisk. If it hadn't been for that Griffindor mascot, Fawkes, he wouldn't be here. Third year, wasn't worth thinking about. Severus was still furious about Black getting away and Dumbledore still wouldn't him how he escaped.
And then there was Fourth year, the year the Dark Lord was returned to his body. The Tri-Wizard tournament had been held at Hogwarts and Harry had, unexpectantly, become one of Hogwarts Champions. True, Harry's name had been placed in the Goblet of Fire by one of the Dark Lords loyal Deatheaters, but still, thought Severus, it was partially the boy's fault for not getting himself out of it.
Not only had Potter almost been burned alive by a Hungarian Horntail, almost drowned at the bottom of the lake but he had then been transported to a graveyard and his blood used to resurrect Lord Voldemort after watching the death of fellow student and Champion; Cedric Diggory.
Then in the year just past, not only was Potter breaking the rules by starting an illegal Defence club but broke into the Department of Mysteries and almost got Black killed. Not that it was a big lose, thought Severus.
Even if the students thought their Potions Master was cruel, Severus wasn't stupid enough to believe the death of Cedric and Black's injuries to be all the Brats fault. He knew that Cedric Diggory's death was almost unavoidable and that it was not Potters fault that the Dark Lord gave him visions. Just as the death's of his Mother and Father were not his fault.
Severus sighed and pointed his wand at the piece of parchment. "Paro", Severus said and the parchment burst into flames. Severus dropped the ashes and walked towards the edge of Hogwarts wards. Once he reached them he disapparated.
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In the third bedroom of number 4 Private Drive Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, lay on his bed, arms folded beneath his head and let out a deep, sad sigh.
In the two weeks Harry Potter had been back at his aunts and uncles, he had venchered out of his room only for the bathroom and to do chores. Unlike last year, Harry didn't go walking around the neibourhood in the evening and his 'family' never gave him any outside chores like previous years. They were too scared that another Dementor would hurt there precious 'Duddy-kins'.
Because of this, Harry's skin had become pale and gaunt, his hair, now past his chin, looked even blacker than the inky black it usually was, if it were possible. The biggest change however was the young wizards eyes although they were still greener than summer grass they held no emotion. Anyone who knew the young adult or his deceased mother would have told you there eyes always held all the emotions they were feeling. Harry's eyes, however, held nothing.
After what happened at the department of mysteries and almost getting his friends and Godfather killed, not tomention a number of members of the Order. Since then Harry had withdrawn into himself. He had told everybody not to contact him over the summer, however this didn't stop the Order sending guards, also known as babysitters, or Sirius from sending him a letter every two days.
They usually contained something telling Harry not to blame himself for what happened almost a month ago, saying that it was Voldemort's fault for tricking him but no matter what he said Harry always thought it could of been averted.
At the moment Sirius was stuck at 12 Grimmauld Place with a shattered knee-cap and ruptured lung. The curses that Bellatrix Lestrange had thrown at him had caused serious damage and put him in a coma for two weeks. During that time Harry had only visited the hospital wing at night, when it was darkest. He was afraid of how ex-professor Lupin would react to seeing him.
Remus Lupin hadn't taken his friends injuries well. The full moon took place while Siriuis was comatosed and the transformation was alot worse than it usually was, and that was saying something. Lupin had been taken to the bed next to Sirius the next morning and had stayed there for four days. During that time Harry didn't visit Sirius once.
When Sirius finally awoke, the day before the start of the summer holidays, Hary saw Lupin for the first time since the incident.
Harry had walked into the hospital wing to the sound of soft laughter from Sirius and Lupin. He saw Sirius lying in the bed furthest from the door and the werewolf sitting on the bed next to him. He walked over with nervous butterflies in his stomach. He hadn't wanted to come but was told by Ron and Hermione that Sirius had been asking for him.
He stopped at the bottom of the bed for a full minute, while his Godfather and ex-professor just stared at him, until Sirius and Remus(as he told Harry to call him) pulled Harry into a group hug.
They then went on to tell Harry that none of this was Harry's fault and that, although they didn't know what the Prophecy said, they would do all they could to find out what it was about and help Harry through it.
It was then that Harry realised that Sirius anf Remus had known nothing of the Prophecy before they had went to the Department of Mysteries. They had known they were protecting a weapon, but didn't know what it was. Well at least I'm not the only one Dumbledore's keeping things from, thought Harry.
And Harry didn't have the heart to tell them.
How could he tell his Godfather and the man he had come to see as an Uncle that he had to either, basically, be murdered or become a murderer?
The next morning, before Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express, Remus cornered him for a 'chat'. Remus told Harry that if anything were to happen that he would come straight over and get him, even if the 'old coot' told him to do otherwise. Harry thought to go to the hospital wing to make sure Sirius hadn't died in the night because Remus seemed to be channeling him.
After promising to owl him if something happened, Harry boarded the train to start the two month journey back to Hogwarts. Even then Harry knew that it was going to be longer than any year before with his self-imposed seclusion.
Although his little chat with Sirius and Remus was supposed to make Harry feel better, it only made Harry see that he was a danger to himself and the people around him. So, Harry decided to do the only thing he could do. Distance himself from everyone else.
Not that it was hard.
Ron and Hermione were hardly talking to him anyway. Both had been hurt in the Department of Mysteries and were getting sick of Harry's 'hero complex', as Hermione called it. They didn't think it was all Harry's fault but decided that being so close to him was leading to getting hurt even worse. Even Ron's jealousy over Harry's money had disappated.
Ginny couldn't get close to Harry due to Ron breathing down her neck. In truth the only members of the Weasley family really speaking to Harry were the Twins.
Neville and Luna were both talking to Harry but as they hadn't been very close to Harry before the Incident, and Harry wasn't letting anyone get close now, there was nothing they could do to make Harry feel better.
It got even worse when Hary got back to Privet Drive. Harry had told everyone not ovling him and any messages he did get Harry placed at the bottom of his trunk. So all Harry did all day was brood over killing Voldemory, Bellatrix and anyone who got is his way. Harry was beginning to think that the people at school had been right in his Second year; he ws the next Dark Lord.
For the second time, Harry was seriously thinking of leaving the Wizarding world and never coming back.
Well, until a certain gold and red Phoenix burst into the room a week later.