Chapter 26: The Phoenix

Professor McGonagall walked away as Harry stared up at the fiery red phoenix. With a victory cry it swooped down to the ground in front of him and suddenly transformed. There is front of him stood an old man, with a long white beard, twinkling blue eyes. He was dressed in Wizards robes.

Harry blinked twice not believing his eyes.

"Yes Harry, it is indeed me." Professor Dumbledore smiled.

"But…but how? You died." the young wizard stuttered.

"Did you ever see my body?" The wizard asked smiling. "I was severely injured but as I fell over the cliff I used every last reserve of strength I had to transform into my Animagus, a Phoenix and fly away. It took me a long time to recover but as the phoenix I was reborn from apparent death."

"Why didn't you let me know that you were alive? Did Severus know?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I was too ill for too long. I have just recently been able to get around again, but I do still tire easily. Did you wonder who killed Nagini when she attacked you?"

"That was you? You sliced her in half?"

The old wizard smiled and held out his hand. "Lemon Drop?"

Harry couldn't help but grin and took one.

As Dumbledore sucked on a lemon drop he continued. "I knew you could defeat Voldemort on your own and I am beyond filled with pride to have been able to witness it. Well done Harry."

Harry then flew into his arms, gripping the old wizard tightly as he hugged him.

"Albus?' came a soft voice full of disbelief. Harry released the old Professor to see Snape standing behind him. Harry nodded and stepped aside.

"I am so proud of you my boy." Dumbledore pulled Snape into his embrace.

Harry's heart swelled with love.

Snape's throat swelled shut as he hugged the man who he thought of as his true family.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you that I was alive. I was too weak for far too long." The old Wizard explained as he hugged his ally in the war against Voldemort and a man he considered a son.

One by aurors and the victors came to talk to and hug the old wizard. Draco came to stand beside Harry. The blond wizard looked calmer than he had in a long time. Harry reached for his arm, turned it over and saw that the dark mark was gone. He smiled. Draco smiled in return.

"It's finally over." The Slytherin said in relief.

"You don't have to be scared anymore." Harry observed.

Draco frowned. "Scared? Seriously Potter, I was never scared. I was just worried about the rest of you."

Harry bit his tongue and grinned.

Hermione shot over and nearly bowled Dumbledore off his feet, hugging him and chattering incessantly. After a while Dumbledore started heading towards the Weasleys. "I need to pay my respect to the brave self sacrificing witches and wizards who we lost today."

The air of happiness once again grew solemn as more tears fell and goodbyes were said.

A month later in mid December, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Ginny and Draco were in the great hall helping the other students decorate the giant tree. Despite the many losses that had occurred that fall, the fact that Voldemort was finally and permanently gone, and all Death Eaters had been rounded up and were safely locked away, the mood for the holidays was light and full of hope.

Ginny and Harry had spent a lot of time together and many of those moments had resulted in kisses under the mistletoe. She talked about her father a lot and Harry knew how much she missed him. Even though he had been a baby when he lost his parent's still not a day went by that he didn't think about them at least once. He hoped whatever plane they had moved onto to that they were happy and loved. Ginny in turn felt bonded to Harry. No one understood her like he did. It was almost as if at times he read her mind when those green eyes of his fell on her.

Ron and Luna, though an unlikely pair grew closer as well. Luna was a sweet and thoughtful as she had always been and Ron found himself appreciating her sympathy and her many kooky ways of trying to cheer him up, especially the weekend spent trying to locate the two-headed Karjzeel which was reported as extinct but had apparently been seen high in the mountains of the Himalayans. Seeing a world so different from the one he had spent all his life in somehow made Ron feel better and gave him hope his dad was as Dumbledore said, onto a great adventure in his next life.

Hermione and Draco had grown very close. His walls finally came down and he let himself truly fall in love with the girl that had captivated him slowly but truly. They told each other everything and while he did find Hermione rather bossy at times he overlooked it all when he gazed into her love filled dark eyes. She in turn couldn't believe she was so crazy over the blond Slytherin boy who had once called her a mudblood. Half the time she felt as though she was walking on a cloud. Unbeknownst to anyone but Luna and Ginny, who she had confided in, Draco, had a romantic streak and whisked her away to magical dates in Paris, Venice and a recent trip to view the auroral borealis in northern Norway. He brought out a side in her that she didn't even know she possessed.

Snape and Tonks were now engaged and the former surly bad tempered professor had become a besotted fool in love. At times even singing could be heard coming from the potions lab but his much more pleasant disposition could disappear in a heartbeat when a silly student couldn't recite off the alternate names for monkshood. Snape still had a temper and a caustic tongue but one saw and heard it much less these days much to everyone's relief.

In the last few weeks before Christmas, Snape took a trip to the Muggle rehabilitation home that Lucius was in. He entered the cheerily decorated building and found the front desk staff cheerfully telling him that Lucius was doing great. Snape found that hard to believe but then again he had had faith in Dr. Hester Greyson to work her charms on him eventually even if she was just a Muggle to Lucius.

He opened the door to Lucius' room without knocking and regretted it the second he stepped in. the blond wizard was sitting on the sofa with his arms full of his doctor. They were passionately kissing.

Snape cleared his throat. Dr. Greyson almost fell off Lucius' lap in alarm. "Oh, I'm so sorry. We were…um, we were just…"she attempted to explain while buttoning up her blouse.

"Doing therapy? I assume that Lucius' tongue has had quite a workout and is doing fine?" Snape commented dryly.

Lucius actually blushed and looked away for a moment. The doctor's face reddened and she quickly exited the room. "I'll leave you two so you can have a nice visit."

Snape sat across from Lucius and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Lucius sighed. "I know what you are thinking. How could I a pureblood wizards, get involved with a muggle?"

Snape nodded. "I am a bit shocked but I can't say I'm displeased. I hope you aren't just using the poor woman."

Lucius swallowed heavily and then softly said. "I love her. I know I don't deserve that and I certainly never expected to feel this way about a muggle but she is wonderful. She came along literally during the worst time of my life and turned it around. She made me want to live; she made me want to feel, to care, to change, to open my eyes."

Snape studied his old friend. There was nothing but sincerity in his eyes.

"How is my son? Is he well? Did he make it through the final battle uninjured?" Lucius asked his eyes wide, searching his face for a clue.

"Draco is well. You needn't worry." Snape assured him.

"I have made great strides. Although I'll never be able to walk again I can now actually stand for a few moments with aid. I never thought I'd be able to even do that. I get to home for Christmas with Hester. She has invited me to live with her and I have said yes."

"You are going to live in the muggle world?" Snape asked in astonishment. "The Dark Lord is dead, you could come back?"

"I know, my dark mark disappeared but I have given up that life. I have no more powers. All I want now is a simple life with those I love. Severus, I beg you please let me see Draco. I want a chance to at least from a distance be in his life and to let him know I have changed for the better. I want to apologize for all the terrible unforgiveable things I did. I understand if he never forgives me and doesn't want me in his life but I want to at least try to make amends as best as I can." Lucius' voice grew hoarse with emotion.

Snape nodded. "I wasn't sure you would ever be in a position that I would allow Draco to know you were still alive. But I can see the change and old friend I couldn't be more relieved. When I return I will have a conversation with Draco. I assume he will be furious with me for not having told the truth but I think he will also understand why. I would like to invite you and Hester to come to the Ministry of Magic next week a few days before the start of the holidays, they are throwing a dinner to celebrate the overthrow of the Dark Lord and I have been invited. I am allowed to bring as many guests as I choose. I will add you and the Doctor to my guest list."

Lucius looked worried. "I won't be received well. They will lock me in Azkaban."

"No, I will explain the part you played in helping us escape. They would not have listened if the Dark Lord were still alive but now that he is gone and you were not there fighting on his side, they will believe me, once I explain you were in hiding, presumed dead, for your own safety."

Lucius nodded. "Will I get to see Draco then?"

"Yes, I will arrange a meeting prior."

The blond and the dark wizard smiled at each other like the old friends they were a long time ago.

A/N: One more chapter my lovely readers. Hope you enjoy this one. Thank you to all who took the time to review…you are much appreciated.