Phoenix Burning
AN: Don't forget my poll!
Chapter 28
Severus woke, once again, in the hospital wing. At least that's where he thought he was. He could smell the astringent scent of antiseptic and the cool herbal odor of medical potions- probably medical potions that he had brewed himself. He was not, for once, in pain, but he was exhausted and relaxed, to the extent that he did not even want to open his eyes (although the bright lights and sterile white walls of the hospital wing may have had something to do with that). Around him he could hear voices, fading in and out.
"...never seen anything like it..."
"...wild magic..."
"There's no cure...the impossible..."
"...okay?"
"Nothing a good rest...cure... core...exhaustion..."
Hmm. It wasn't exactly easy to think in his condition, but from what he had overheard, (and the condition his body seemed to be in) he guessed that whatever had happened had to do with accidental or experimental magic, rather than Death Eaters or a potions accident. But what could have affected him like this? He wanted to know, but the lethargy creeping through his veins was slowly overpowering him, and within a few moments he drifted back into unconsciousness, and into dreams of flight without a broom and silver fire washing over him, warm as bathwater.
When he woke again, the first thing he heard was loud voices. Loud, discordant, arguing voices.
"Professor Snape is very ill and recovering from magical exhaustion. Whatever you want to talk about can wait!" Ahh, Madame Pomfrey. Severus smiled faintly against his will, knowing from experience how stubborn she was about visitors. Not that he particularly felt up to visitors. Who would be visiting him in the hospital wing, anyway?
"We have a ministry warrent; move aside, woman,"
Wait, what? Severus threw all of his admittedly weak energies into focussing. There's a ministry warrent for my arrest?
"Now, gentlemen, surely it can wait until Severus is conscious?" That sounded like Albus, but why did he sound so young? Severus did his best to open his eyes, but the light out the wing, once again, was too bright, and he let his head sink back into the pillow again, and his eyes fall shut.
"Enough," broke in another voice, and Severus felt a shiver run down his spine. Said voice had no pitch and no tone; it was just empty.
"Who the Hell are you?"
"It doesn't matter who I am. Dawlish, Rookwood, move aside. We'll take this from here."
"Sir, we have a ministry approved warrent for the detention of Severus Tobias Snape, and-"
"Move aside. I need to speak to him."
"Who do you think you are?"
"I am Unspeakable F259. Now let me do my job."
"Please, gentlemen-"
An Unspeakable?! Oh, dear Merlin help me, Severus thought, trying desperately to open his eyes. It was never a good thing when the Unspeakables got involved. If he could only remember what had happened to him! Something about Albus's cursed hand...why couldn't he remember?
"Professor Snape? Are you ok?"
Severus was admittedly startled. It sounded like Potter, but he did not seem to be speaking aloud. Wait...Potter. Mind. Mindlink. The rite of Flamma Aeterna! Memories rushed back in a torrent, making his head pound horribly and nausea rise in his gut, and suddenly he remembered the awesome, pure feeling of silver fire rushing through his veins, the look of pain and awe on Albus's face as he dissolved the curse, the magic tingling in the air...he had a feeling he knew why the aurors and Unspeakables were here, too. "I've...been better, Harry, but I'm not at the point of death or anything. Although I do wish that everyone would wait until I'm well enough to sit up to bother me and try to arrest me."
"Try to arrest you?!"
"I expect that someone discovered the paperwork documenting the Triple Bonding of the Savior of the Wizarding World to a Death Eater old enough to be his father and made some assumptions."
"And they're just going to arrest you? While you are ill?"
"Illness doesn't seem to be an excuse under this regime, and it hasn't been for some time."
"That's absurd! Hang on, I'm coming through."
"Coming through?"
"I think I've found a way to flame without even bothering to change forms." And before Severus could even so much as try to stop the dunderhead from trying out yet another form of experimental magic, there was a blaze of light Severus could see even through his closed eyelids and a shiver of magic, accompanied by several startled gasps. Severus sat up, head spinning, and tried to open his eyes.
He instantly crumpled back against his pillow, sinking back into the bed and inadvertently attracting the attention of the rest of the witches and wizards in the room. Madame Pomfrey tried to make her way towards him, only to be shoved aside by an auror. The Unspeakable, who had been looking at Harry, turned towards him at once, and a young man with auburn hair and a slightly frustrated expression tried to calm everyone else down, and was ignored.
"Mr. Snape, we need you to answer a few questions, in the interests of our department," the Unspeakable said gravely as Severus blinked like a mole in the sunlight.
"I...is there any possible chance you could wait?" Severus was shocked at how hoarse his voice was. "I...am not at all well."
"No, you may not wait. Firstly, how did you cure the languesco mortis curse, and how did you deage Albus Dumbledore?"
"I what!?" Severus choked.
"Answer us."
"I have no idea how I cured the curse, and I was not aware that the primal magic had any other effects," Severus managed, closing his eyes briefly. He knew he could not lie or refuse to answer; the Unspeakables were like the muggle CIA, and it would not be good for his health to refuse them. "It was accidental."
The Unspeakable did not seem convinced, but then, Severus could not see his face under his charmed and warded hood, and he didn't exactly know the man's? feelings for certain.
"And how did you break an Unbreakable Vow?"
"I died," responded Severus quietly. "I died and was reborn as a result of the Rite of Flamma Aeterna."
There were several gasps from those who understood exactly what said rite was.
"What other unusual effects resulted from the ritual?"
"What effects didn't?" responded the Potions Master.
"Answer the question," said the Unspeakable threateningly.
"Very well. Considering that the phœnix was also an animagus, it caused a latent Sacred Triple Bond and changed a number of my vital signs- you can look over my medical scans for that. It also stripped my Dark Mark entirely." Severus's head fell back onto the pillow again.
"What do you mean the phœnix was also an animagus?"
"Exactly what he said," broke in another voice. The Unspeakable whirled around.
"Who are you?"
"Harry Potter," was the response, although even Severus could see that the boy certainly did not reassemble the old Harry Potter. He had shoulder-length messy black hair and no scar, and in addition, he was floating about three inches off the ground, and hadn't appeared to have noticed it yet. "I'm a phœnix animagus, although I haven't had a chance to be registered yet."
"Forgive me if I need some proof, Mr. Potter," said the Unspeakable.
Harry shifted into a phœnix and back, and all the adults who hasn't seen it before startled.
"I...see. So did you notice any unusual effects of the ritual?"
"Well, my scar was burnt away, along with the dark magic attached to it. That's just about all on my side."
"I see. Very well. I'm afraid that you both are to come with me. We have to do some experiments."
"Wait, what are you-" the auror who had spoken was summarily silenced. So was Dumbledore when he tried to defend his student and staff member, and Madame Pomfrey when she tried to refuse.
And that was when Harry's magic exploded outward. "I don't know who you are or what authority you think you have, but you are not moving the professor while he's ill, and I don't particularly like the idea of going with you to be experimented on, either."
"Harry..." Severus rasped. Harry ignored him.
"Get out."
"Mr. Potter-"
"Get out."
The Unspeakable took a threatening step closer. Harry narrowed his eyes, flicking a wrist. And the Unspeakable vanished into thin air. Harry took three or four deep breaths and slumped back against Severus's bed.
"Great," he slurred, green eyes fluttering shut. "I think I made another enemy."