DISCLAIMER: OK. haven't I told you this enough times? HP isn't mine.

Diana Lucille Snape: Yes, Oro is a cute, little, golden, friendly dragon. And a fierce Balrog.

Enahma: Revenge part two. Enjoy!

Amethyst D: Thanks

I bet you didn't expect THIS! R&R!

DARK PHOENIX

"No, Moody, I'm not a Death Eater. I'm free. I'm a Unicorn." Moody gapes at him with his eyes wide open in surprise, noticing his black aura.

"You're mental, Snape" – he splutters – "You, a Unicorn?"

"He is." – the Healers join their father.

"Come on, Snape, what have you brewed to make them support you?" – he sneers.

"SHUT UP!" – Harry aims his wand at him. "What do you know about him?! You have no idea how much he's done for us! He saved me, Professor Lupin, Marcus Flint…" People raise from their chairs and wordlessly join Snape. Remus, Marcus, the Karkaroffs, Lea, Falco, Mundungus, Draco, Naya… Moody stares at them, flabbergasted.

"Are you mental?" – he whispers. "He's a Death Eater!"

"I AM NOT! I'M A UNICORN!" – bellows Snape furiously. Mormegil appears in his hand and Moody winces.

"Well" – he hisses – "an Assassin."

"Yes." – answers Snape curtly. His aura is greater than ever before – it resembles a giant bird now. "I am Melkor, son of Amarth the Assassin and Nero Snape, called Morgul. For the first time since twenty years or so I don't feel guilty because of that." Yes, Feanor was right: fire purifies and reforges. He doesn't feel guilty anymore; it was Mormegil who called the Balrog, not him. She, Dark Lords' killer herself has set him free. He's been forgiven, his debt has been paid. "For the first time in my life I am free. I was born in the Order, so I belonged to it. I was like a slave, because escape meant death or imprisonment. Then, I turned a Death Eater, a property of Voldemort. Then, I became a spy, slave of lies and fear but now I am free." They are all staring at him but nobody finds any words. Finally, Arabella Figg steps towards him, looking at his sword.

"It is… Severus, is it really Mormegil?"

"Right."

"The famous Dark Sword?"

"The very same."

"Did she belong to you when the Black Cat was killed?" He nods. "So you killed her." He nods again.

"Good heavens…" – whispers Mundungus Fletcher. "Arabella and me were fighting in that battle, too. Seventy hours of fight… I'll never forget this. You were just 18, Severus."

"That's right." – he replies. "The whole Order fought in that hell. I was lucky to survive. Good Voldemort didn't know it was me; he was even glad that we finished her off; she could have been a danger for him."

"But it means you came back to him after that."

"True. I lived like my parents did; I wasn't brave enough to break the chains then but now I am. Tradition! My destiny." – he sneers. "I believed that rubbish! Well, he knows I'm a traitor; I'm not a spy anymore." Silence. Even Moody can't find any words. Finally, Dumbledore speaks up.

"So he knows. At least you'll have some peace."

"I wonder what you've done wrong." – murmurs Moody quietly but Harry grasps the words.

"HOW DARE YOU" – he bellows – "TO INSULT HIM?! I was connected with him! I felt his pain and fear! You have no idea how it felt like, how it looked like! You don't know how it hurts when…"

"Easy, Harry" – Snape puts his gloved hand on his shoulder. "It's a matter between him and me. You" – he steps towards Moody – "It was easy to harm me when I was in chains, half-conscious and ill. I give you a fair warning – do not try it now. Do not try to put you filthy hands on any of my friends. Prowl away, Moody, before I loose my patience."

"We are to test your Death Eater cub with Veritaserum, Snape." Severus steps towards Malfoy and puts his both hands on the boy's shoulders.

"No one will test him. Is that clear?" – he growls. Moody draws his wand… "Expeliarmus". Snape hasn't used his wand. "Should I show you something stronger, Moody?"

"A mage" – whispers Vlad in awe. "A real mage. Like Merlin."

"Snape…"

"AWAY. NOW." Orodruin the Balrog appears in the doorway and casts Moody an angry glance. His claws scratch the floor, making the stones melt.

"The Dark Lord has taught you many tricks, you Death…"

"I'M NOT A DEATH EATER!!! I'M MORTHORON, DARK PHOENIX, THE FIRE UNICORN!!!" His aura bursts up to the ceiling. Harry gapes at his Professor with his eyes wide open. Yes, two giant wings, made of black fire have sprung out of Snape's arms and every ebony feather is rimmed with silver. Something like a bird head with a hooked beak is floating in the air, surrounding Snape… A Dark Phoenix, made of fire. Its war cry pierces the air, nearly deafening them. Harry blinks – is Snape changing? Yes, that's another Animagus transformation! Snape's face is elongating into a giant muzzle, his hair grows longer, turning into a mane, his clothes are changing into jet black hide, wings (real ones, not made of fire) start growing and the black-silver plumage is covering them… Fire Aura is roaring madly… Huge hooves hit the stone floor with a loud thud. A black Fire Unicorn with a white head is standing in the place where the Potions' Master was. Dumbledore notices the Yr scar on the creature's left cheek. He's suspected that since the moment he noticed Snape's aura for the first time; he was sure since his talk with Feanor. The Healers are beaming with pride. They transform, too, and take place beside their father. Sanguis Magia has finished what started nearly eighteen years ago. Moody gapes at the Unicorn and the Balrog with overt fear.

"I'd advise you, Mr. Moody" – hisses Marcus Flint through clenched teeth – "to leave before he really looses patience." Well, the old Auror had to do that. When he had left, Vlad breaks the silence:

"Like Merlin. Heavens, like Merlin."

"Yes." – they all turn towards Nadia, flabbergasted. She's talking but the voice doesn't belong to her – it's a deep masculine one. The Seer's eyes are blank and empty; somebody else is speaking through her. "Yes, he's a mage and a Fire Unicorn like me."

"Merlin…" – whispers Draco.

"Merlin. Welcome, Morthoron, Dark Phoenix, a Fire Unicorn, welcome, Melkor, Growing Power, a mage, welcome Severus Aquilla Snape, Master of Potions. All like me. Welcome, my child and heir." Well, Headmaster's office has never heard such a silence before. "I was a Fire Unicorn, like you. I am Feanor, Spirit of Fire. Mormegil the Dark Sword once belonged to me. I befriended the Balrogs like you did and they forged Norangs for me. My wife Viviane and me founded that Order of the Assassins. It wasn't called like that in my times – its name was Order of Phoenix because my aura was similar to yours. We united to fight the Darkness. Unluckily, evil started growing there; power made some of us blind and five centuries later the civil war broke out. The Darkness won and the Castle of the Unicorn turned into the Castle of Death but I was a Seer and knew that one day Light will come back there, that one day another wizard will be educated and noble enough to share blood with a Fire Unicorn, finally turning into one himself and receiving a gift of being a mage. I knew one day somebody would wash his evil away with his blood and pain and the Fire will purify him. I waited for that, my child. You've come in the right time - The One Who Takes The Souls Away is coming and only a trained Assassin who knows a lot about the Dark Arts can lead the fight against it. Dark Phoenix, let your spy go to the Dark Lord – it's his fate to warn you of the danger; command the Aurors to prepare the defenses; tell the Balrog to forge more Norangs. Fill your cabinets with potions, bring the bows and train the archers. When the time will come, do not fear to fulfill the predictions. Do as you always has been doing – not what's easy but what's right. You'll lead them against the Soul Thief – beasts, beings and demons. Do what should be done, child. Do what should be done." Nadia's voice breaks suddenly and she collapses to the floor, unconscious.

Snape paces along the empty corridor, listening to the thuds his hooves make. He's so tired but happy. When he reaches his door, Merlin and Viviane in the portrait smile at him. He jumps on the bed and it creaks aloud, as one and half ton body of the giant stallion falls upon it. He's staring at his own hooves, big as plates and the words of Feanor (Merlin, Severus, Merlin) are still ringing in his head. He's a Phoenixer! Few hours ago, he was preparing to cross the gates of hell; now he was free. Free. Merlin was his ancestor. The Order he grew up in was once the famous Order of Phoenix, which fought evil an injustice and then turned Dark. Fortuna, Imperatrix Mundi…

Dumbledore enters his chambers and stares at the Unicorn with awe. Is this the same person who was coming back, filthy, trembling and cursed from his spying missions? Good heavens!

"Severus, I'd like you to explain me something." Fingers spring out of the hooves, clothes grow where the hide used to be, wings shrink and disappear and Severus comes back to his human form.

"I won't apologize to Moody." – he growls menacingly.

"I'm not asking you for that. I'd just like to know a few things. You know" – the Headmaster sits down next to him – "Harry had a nightmare again. It started when you had left. He was pleading you to stop, to escape and come back and we couldn't wake him up." Snape's heart jolts. Poor boy. "What happened in the Riddle House, Severus? The Death Eaters you Balrog caught were raving about the fire…"

"They weren't raving. It turned into ashes. He knows I'm a traitor."

"I'm so happy you survived." Snape stares at the ceiling.

"Me too, I tell you. I'm glad this is over."

"But the war is not."

"I'm aware of that."

"We don't have the Gammadion."

"I know. I'm sorry I tried but I failed. Sorry."

"Good you came back. Severus" – the old wizard makes a pause – "when I'm gone, lead them. I hope that now you believe you can." Snape grins.

"I'm a Phoenixer, after all. You know, my parents were right – the Order is indeed my destiny. Order of Phoenix… Would you ever guess? It's your destiny – they were telling me – to rebuild the power of the Order. They wanted me to be a leader one day and named me Melkor because of that. And look, how right they were. How bloody right. I will do what my ancestors did – fight the Dark Lord. Isn't fate sarcastic?" Dumbledore smiles, running his hand through long, ebony hair.

"So take my place, will you? Take the Headmaster's place when I'm gone, all right?"

"I don't want you to die."

"It must happen, Severus. Take my place, promise?"

"Promise. Albus, tell me one thing. Is Harry a Demon Fighter?"

"He is. I saw the flames appearing on his fingers when he had the nightmare."

"Is still awake?"

"I doubt whether anyone will sleep tonight."

"Where is he?"

"I'll tell him to come here." When the Headmaster had left, Oro has appeared in the doorway.

"Morthoron, that was some show!" – he bounces around happily. "You showed them!"

"I did." – smiles Snape, patting the golden head. "By the way, you are looking for a house, aren't you?"

"I am."

"Is my biggest furnace a suitable abode?"

"May I?.. Really?"

"You saved my skin and you're asking such a question? Move in! Just don't set everything on fire!" – he shouts, seeing as an excited Balrog runs out of the chamber, surrounded by a golden flame.

"Professor?" – Harry has come to him.

"Harry" – Snape stands up. "How should I say that? You saved me from the Gammadion, you shared my greatest fears… You defended me in front of all the teachers. You behaved like you mother would, you know. Thank you. Thank you and" – he hesitates for a moment and then whispers. "And I'm sorry for these five years. I do regret that." Handshake is firm.

"Professor…"

"Severus."

"Severus… It was some show, you know. You were great."

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