Born through flame and ash on a full lit moon.

born as the seventh month dies...

One half will remain ash while the other will become fire.

--

Dumbledore would always remember the moment when the red-haired child disappeared.

It would go down in history as one of the greatest mysteries of their era.

For after only a couple of seconds the flames died and in their midst lying in a pile of ashes was a fair skinned child with raven black hair.

Her head tilted towards the skies and her arms reaching out on either side of her before she would spring upwards strange emerald glowing eyes shining and cry out into the night as if in pain.

She rose to find the ministry officer's wand pointed at her.

"Mommy?" Her warbled and the scene changed.

"Put your wand down, she's just a child." Severus woke from his own shock and faced the ministry official.

"Moss, listen to him the child is in shock."

"Albus, we need to know what has just happened here!"

"The child will not be able to tell you anything now."

Lily rushed forward, her brief fear of the child's changed appearance forgotten for now.

"Phoenix!" She cradled her child in her arms and rocked her back and forth.

"Harry's gone!" The crying continued on in pain.

Lily tightened her arms around her child. Her handing stilling over her child's unfamiliar hair. Her eyes searching for Severus's over her child's shoulders as she viewed a lightning looking scar on the back of her child's neck.

--

Phoenix was barely let out of anyone's sight but as she sat in the grass her mother's arms tight around her she looked to the ground to see a small snake at her side curled up in the grass asleep.

The markings were so similar to that of Nagini's except for the startling emerald that matched her eyes on the snake's body. She reached out, careful that her mother didn't notice as she spoke to the adults surrounding them, and stroked the head of the snake.

A small whisper escaping her mouth, Nagiinii?

The forget-me-not eyes of the snake opened and widened. It reered back and hissed.

Shhh...they'll hurt you if they ssseee you.

I am not Nagiiinii, little ssnake.

Tom?

Do not call me that name!

Hurry sslither into my pocket before they sssee you.

"Phoenix who are you whispering to?" Her mother peered down at her daughter, missing the wisp of tail as the snake slithered along their bodies to remain hidden.

"No one mommy."

As the redhead peered around them she missed once more the serpent as it crossed over her daughter's lap and into her jumper's front pocket.

--

The headmaster's eyes narrowed from afar knowing the child had been speaking in Parseltongue.

He watched as the Ministry's man ranted to him on his side, he watched as he saw how caring Severus was of the child and he watched as the child launched herself into his arm's wrapping her little arm's around Severus's neck.