Madam Pomphry bustled into the room and looked over her only patient. "Finally, that man has left your side" she clucked as she fussed over Harry. Thinking she was talking about Sirius or Dumbledore he just smiled, and ignored her comments, closing his eyes again and thinking about Dumbledore's question. Before he could get lost in his thoughts he caught the mediwitch saying 'thinking you were a Slytherin.' His eyes opened and he looked at her with scrutiny. Noticing she stopped her banter to say "oh dear, we all know you're a Gryffindor." With a smile she returned to her previous conversation. "I just don't understand why he insisted on staying by your side and checking every potion I was going to give you." She continued, but this time with Harry's full attention. "I realize he's the potions master" at this Harry tried not to look shocked luckily Madam Pomphry was not paying attention, instead checking a piece of parchment that was lying on the table next to Harry's bed. "but it isn't as if I were about to poison you." She clucked. "Well it looks like everything is mending well, your lucky that phoenix came to save you…" At this Harry brightened. "don't think you'll be getting out of here until those fractures are fully mended" she said in a stern voice "you might be up and about by the weekend" said more gently, as she walked back to her office, leaving Harry to think.
As the three adult wizards approached the door Sirius broke the silence "You have to protect that boy, he is more important than you could ever imagine, and if you hurt him…" he threatened Severus. Severus, however, needed no such warning. In his heart of hearts he already knew. He stopped himself before he made a rude comment. Having already resolved not to be angry with Sirius it still took quite a bit of will.
"I was the one to save him from those horrid muggles." Said Severus, in an attempt to reassure, but as he saw the expression on Sirius's face fall, he knew he had said the wrong thing. Softly he said, almost inaudibly "I won't let anything happen to him" and looked into Sirius's eyes. Remus who had missed the last comment wondered what had happened, but was too smart to ask. Dumbledore caught up with them, and they resumed their silence for the last few steps and entered the room.
Everyone said their usual greetings and began their normal dialogue. Severus couldn't pay attention. He was worried about what Harry would say. And then he was angry with himself. For the past four years he had spent extra energy convincing himself that the Potter boy was nothing special. That he was just an ill-behaved, snotty, know-it-all who used his fame to blind others from the truth. He didn't want to believe that he had aided the most evil of dark lords to threaten the wizarding world. Nor did he want to think that his future lay in the boy's hands, James had already saved him once, and the possible release of Merlin from his prison. That was the stuff of legend. It all was legend. Even if the Headmaster believed, what could possibly make this boy so different. As these thoughts ran through his head he was absently tapping on the table. As he heard it he was about to look around to see who was making that annoying noise when he noticed he was doing it himself. When he shoved his hand in his pocket he felt something cool, hard, and pulsating push against his fingers. 'that's odd' he thought to himself. He fingered the object as he pulled it out of his pocket. Where he expected to find a bullet, he found naught but a flat disc with a phoenix relief, and it was no longer made of steal, but was beautifully crafted.
The majority of the disc was what seemed to be a light blue diamond. On the surface of the disc was a beautiful Phoenix, but it was not red. It was made of shimmering platinum, and appeared to glow of it own right with a golden beak, piercing emerald eyes, and a golden lightening bolt on its chest. On the reverse side there was a tawney owl. As he held it he felt a buzzing in his head which slowly seemed to clear into a voice. Severus Snape said the voice, and he would have dropped the coin, but was unable.
You have chosen light over darkness, to join the order to protect the world from evil, an order set up to take some pressure off until our heir was born. Fate has chosen you to be the guardian, and perhaps much more, to my Phoenix childe, the dark dragon. There are many in this world who love him. Many who, at points you also, may think would be better. However, you have lived through the guilt and pain that he is suffering, and know better than most what he is up against. You have proved that you will do what you believe to be in his best interest, and I must say good show in potions. I was quite impressed. You actually served to make Him realize that certain people exist in any world wizarding or non… Though you did choose the right pupil to favour, and please continue, keep the blonde one close… but I digress. Please do take care of him, and show him that a guardian can be much more than what the Dursleys are? I trust that you can do this.
As Severus listened he was a bit taken aback by the knowledge of the voice, yet he found himself promising to take care of Harry, but what was this business about a Phoenix childe
Ah, very good then. Yes I know everything that has happened in the boy's life. I will not explain fully what the Phoenix childe is, for he himself must tell you when the time is right. He needs support, especially as he comes into his own. He needs you to respect his privacy and just be there for him, because he will confide in you if you let him. The Order at who's meeting you are sitting, and missing I might add, was founded by James, the Great Potter who freed me from my prison, for the distinct purpose of being able to rally behind the Phoenix in one of the most important battles of history. Do not fail the order, and do not fail the boy, much rides on you. You will find that you have a small mark on the inside of your left wrist if you with all your heart accept your duty. If it is not there, I wish you to give this to Albus. Do not tell him, nor anyone the significance of this conversation unless you do not feel able to perform the service. Unless there are further questions, I think you should get back to your meeting, it appears to be adjouring. Oh, one more thing… throw him a birthday party, he's never had one, and this year is important… It finished.
The voice sounded uncannily like Dumbledore, or even Harry.. Odd that. Severus snapped his attention to his wrist and was both uneasy and relieved to see that indeed there was the faintest image of a white phoenix flapping its wings. Severus let out the breath that he was holding and drew the attention of the three men still at the table. 'never had a birthday party?' he thought to himself before hearing Dumbledore call his name for about the third time.
Dumbledore sighed. 'Severus are you alright? The meeting is over and you haven't said a word. Even Sirius here was a bit worried when you didn't stand up." He stood and beckoned everyone to follow him, but his mind was elsewhere. All to clearly Dumbledore was remembering Trelawynies's prophecy. He would have to tell Harry soon. His birthday was quickly approaching, and he was already beginning to show the signs. There was a powerful magical aura around Harry that was beginning to grow. However, now was not the time. He had enough to deal with just getting over the death of the Diggory boy, and then the beatings on top of it, and then to have Snape, his least favourite teacher as his guardian? That is more stress than any child should have to deal with. How was he going to tell Harry… As they walked back to the hospital wing all four men were lost in their own thoughts. "They stopped outside the hospital wing. "Remus, Sirius, I'm going to let him out in an hour, and I'm sure you can catch up with him. But there is something Harry I and Severus need to discuss before we do." said Dumbledore. They knew better than to question, and retreated .
"Severus, I have several questions for you, and a couple of truths. Do you know the history of the Phoenix order? Because of our secrecy not even all of our members know." Severus nodded having heard the story from the talisman. "Interesting. Do you know the story of Camelot?" He had the general story, but hadn't read anything about it since he was a child, he believed most of it was legend anyway. He nodded just the same, but was less sure this time. "Are you absolutely sure you want to take care of Harry? It is possibly the greatest responsibility of our age. I am not certain, but many of the signs are pointing to the awakening of an ancient prophecy, one recollected and expounded upon by Trelawney herself." Severus already knew quite a lot about all of this, and assured the Headmaster he was the right choice. "If you are certain I will tell you a couple things about Harry. . I will only tell you a small portion, so that you will understand a few of the things that will happen. He is the heir. From his father's line he is the direct heir of Merlin, and from his mother that of the Pendragons. Because of an ancient blessing bestowed by Merlin on Arthur, as long as one of the mixed blood is with a Pendragon both are safe. This is why I was instructed to keep him with Petunia. This leaves Harry the heir of both the Camelot lines. In addition, he may be the heir to Hogwarts." At this Snape looked confused. "Are you still certain?" Snape looked at his wrist and saw the phoenix flying, looked directly at the Headmaster and nodded. "Alright, lets go in there, and see what his decision is.
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As the Snape and the Headmaster entered the room he saw Harry sitting, deep in thought, his aura glowing brighter around him. Albus himself had only seen something this strong in a dream, and that was around Merlin. Somehow Albus knew that this was only the beginning. Not wanting to disturb Harry he just stood there studying the boy. After a minute Harry looked up and, seeing the headmaster, smiled. "Ah, good to see you!" He said cheerily, no trace of the formerly pensive attitude. "I respect your choice and will go under Professor Snape's care." said Harry all the while wondering if he had just signed his death warrant.
'How different he has become' thought Albus 'it is almost as if he is resigned to punish himself.' If I had told him he was going to live with Professor Snape four months ago he would have laughed and thought I was playing a trick on him. When he realized I was serious he would have fought me, found some loophole, and totally been disobedient.' The Headmaster sighed. Harry was going to need to get his fire back. He needed to fight again.
"When do I get to leave the hospital wing?" Harry asked changing the subject. "I am feeling a lot better!" he continued. At this Dumbledore smiled. For all the time Harry spent in the hospital wing he was always eager to leave. He reached into his pocket and pulled something out, and tapped it twice with his wand.
"I think that, with this to help, you may be able to wander around" he said as he offered Harry a seemingly unremarkable walking stick, it appeared to be made of a beaten up yew. The top of the staff had a silver adornment which looked like a phoenix. Yet it was incredibly smooth on top, making it ideal for someone to use as a cane. Harry remembered the staff, he had noticed it in the Headmaster's office some time before. But as he reached out and took the staff something extraordinary happened. It began to change, turned pure black, and was a bit shiny, just like Harry's hair. At the top, the phoenix remained, yet it was joined by a dragon, and the formerly unsophisticated depiction was now utterly realistic. The two seemed to inhabit the silver quite nicely, and as they gazed out, appeared to be waiting for something. Seven phoenix, made of pure white, fluttered about the cane. A tiny snake, badger, crow, and a slightly larger gryffin began circiling the top, Under them were four very thin bands. The top one was a mix of red, orange, and blue and flickered constantly, like fire. The next was white, gold, and whispy. The third was blue, and shimmered like water and the last was a deep yellow and appeared to shift like sand. Under this a tawney owl fluttered his wings. A small field of lilies encircled the bottom, and there was a Stag running about and playing in them, and a small tree, which upon closer inspection would be sitting in a pot. The rest of the staff began to shimmer indistinctly in the light. Severus kept thinking about the coin in his pocket, Harry looked a little alarmed and Albus was smiling knowingly "Ah, yes as I expected, it appears to like you."
"But why?" asked Harry, curiosity coursing through his mind as he felt the staff's warm tingiling.
"It is hard to say, it responds to the magical core of certain individuals, but like all objects, the reasons why only the creator knows." Said the headmaster, typically cryptic. "But I thought you wanted to get out of the hospital wing, not sit around and listen to an old man's ramblings." Harry and Severus knew Dumbledore would say no more on the subject. "Well I think I'll wander back to my tower. Harry if you want to come see me for a chat or a few canary creams just come to my office." He said and smiled as he exited. Severus stayed behind, standing stiffly.
Harry gestured for him to take a seat and Severus sat stiffly at the end of his bed. "Sir, I wanted to thank you for letting me stay with you this summer, I understand that you are putting yourself at personal risk having me, and even though I'm pretty sure Dumbledore bribed or blackmailed you seeing as you severly dislike me, its still a very nice thing to do, and I hope I do not get in your way too much." Harry said softly. Severus looked over at the boy and once again recognized how different from James he really was.
"I am honoured that you would find me worthy to take you in. I have never hated you, I hated the boy-who-lived. I thought you were just like James, and I let the image the press have given you cloud my judgment before ever meeting you, pictured you doted upon by your relatives and spoiled rotten Gryffindor brat." Severus finally said. 'and for that I apologise, I fear I might have prevented much of this pain if I had looked more closely' he thought, but Harry heard him.
'Yeah, I hate him too." Harry said quietly, remembering the images he had from his coma, then looked up "Sir, If I may inquire, how exactly would you have been able to prevent it?"
"I feel that now looking back on everything I would have noticed quite a few things that I neglected due to your Image. How you could easily blend in with the incoming class," Harry snorted and managed a weak grin. " How you never go home for holidays, or receive letters from your 'family'. But in my perception Gryffindor's generally aren't able to hide things very well, and thus I burshed any symptoms aside seeing as Minerva wasn't overly concerned. and had you been in Slytherin I would have paid attention, noticed that you didn't ever go home during the holidays, that you never receive mail from home, that you never mention your 'family'."
"And the Sorting Hat strikes again." Harry said smiling softly. "It was right you know."
"Yes Potter, I do believe you have proved yourself an admirable Gryffindor." Severus said smiling, a hint of teasing in his tone.
"Oh, but that's not it. Do you remember anything odd about my sorting?"
"Aside from the fact that you to an unprecedented amount of time on the stage?"
"I was arguing with the hat."
"And Here I was thinking you enjoyed the attention." Harry rolled his eyes. Severus paused then said "You can't be serious." "Arguing with the hat? What an intriguing premise…" Severus said while lifting one of his finely arched eyebrows.
"I didn't agree with it."
"You didn't want to be the world's favourite little Gryffindor? I would have to say you've lived up to it well, though I am shocked" Severus said with a teasing tone.
Harry's lips quirked up a bit and Severus congratulated himself on it. "No sir, rather I didn't want to be the world's favourite little Slytherin." Severus looked at him with a new found respect.
"You mean you argued with the sorting hat and won? I think that is something Albus is still trying to do….Why didn't you want to enter the serpent's nest?"
"Well I couldn't go in the same house as Malfoy…" Harry said with a grin
"Ahh yes, I've heard the story of your meeting many times, though not from your perspective… perhaps you'll tell me some day." Harry smiled and nodded. Here their conversation lapsed into a comfortable silence each lost in their own thoughts.
"Harry?" Severus asked after watching the boy silently for a while.
"Yes sir?"
"Severus, You'll be staying with me this summer." He corrected the boy.
"Yes Severus?"
"I have two questions, and I have a feeling that you don't want to answer either."
"Go ahead, I already have told you much more than I would normally."
"Why didn't you argue with Albus when he said you would be staying with me?"
"You don't hate me right?" Harry asked, suddenly sounding like a small child reassuring himself. Severus nodded. "Long version or short version?"
"Complete version?" Snape said in his silky baritone classroom voice. Harry sighed, then nodded reluctantly speaking very softly.
" It might sound odd, but I came to terms with you in my coma… There are some battles worth fighting and some that aren't, I think my plate is already overflowing with the responsibilities I do have. That being said I am also far too aware that Headmaster generally has his reasons for everything, and I am a favoured chess piece. I know why he put me with the Dursleys and I have a fair idea why he didn't do anything when he knew I was being treated poorly. I also know that you wouldn't take me in unless there wasn't a better option. I do not know what Dumbledore bribed and or blackmailed you with but it had to be something serious. And you'll tease me about this for the rest of my life, but I…I feel safe with you. I know that you at least don't see me as a true 'saviour of wizarding kind' so if it came down to it I know you would handle yourself well. You know all the risks of taking me in, and you know what Voldemort is like… probably a better understanding than my great-grandfather has. I'll be a burden on anyone who takes me, but at least your aware of the exorbitant amount of danger. There were good reasons behind all of it, and you are the most logical choice, besides you won't coddle me or treat me like a I'm fragile and dying of a terminal illness. So there would be no reason to argue, rather thank you for having me sir." Harry finished so quietly that Severus had to lean over toward him in order to hear him properly.
"Harry, I am honoured that you are staying with me. I… I didn't have to be bribed or blackmailed and I resent the insinuation." Harry looked up at him and a smile began to spread across his face.
"But you're a Slytherin why else would you do a good deed?"
"Takes one to know one Mr. Potter?" Severus shot back and smiled himself.
"I knew I shouldn't have told you about the hat." Harry rolled his eyes and then returned to look at Severus. "You know you look good when you smile."
"Oh for shame, I must return to my perpetual frown." Severus responded lightly. However his thoughts had echoed Harry's with a 'so do you.' " I apoligise for treating you the way I did… there is really no excuse I refused to look through my hatred of someone long since passed away and realise the differences between you."
"Thank you sir."
"Severus"
"Don't think I'll get used to saying that anytime soon." Harry grinned at him. They once again lapsed into silence, but this time there was a definite tension along with it. "Si-Severus, Is there something else you wanted to ask?
"Yes, but I'm not sure you are ready to answer it."
Harry nodded and then looked at him, analyzing his features. "It is probably better if you ask, I'd rather everything was sorted before I leave Hogwarts."
Severus nodded his face less open than it had been. Not entirely sure how to ask he began "I am sure you had your reasons, but Harry, I know you deliberately glossed over many of the things in telling what happened, trying to make it sound much less of a trial than it was. I don't want you to have to relive it through your memories, And I know we do not wish to have a full account, but I think it's important that you talk to someone about it. I… why didn't you tell anyone you were raped?" Harry looked up at him sharply not expecting this question. Severus asked and looked up at Harry, his obsidian eyes taking in the young man before him trying to catch his eye, but Harry looked down at his hands and mumbled something incomprehensible.
"Sorry, can you repeat that?"
"I didn't want Remus and Sirius to know. Siri would kill the muggles and land himself back in Azkaban…." And added under his breath 'I didn't want them to know that I am dirty…' Severus pretended not to hear. He knew it would take a while for Harry to open up to him, and he certainly didn't want to push it, rather he decided to take this slowly. He nodded at Harry but clearly indicated that this conversation was not finished. Harry sighed and nodded as well. He lay back on his pillows and pondered the ceiling.
"I won't tell them." Severus said as he got up and exited the room. 'but you should' echoed around the hospital wing in his wake. Harry heard the unsaid message and sighed. He couldn't tell them, wouldn't tell them. He was sick of being handled with Kidd gloves, sick of being treated like a child. He had never been one.
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