Two people stood at the darkened arch of a window looking out, silhouettes framed by the red of the rising sun.
"A red sunrise… blood has been spilt this night…" The harsh whisper of words issued forth from the taller of the duo, carrying eerily in the stillness of dawn.
The words went unacknowledged by his companion. Only the minute tensing of muscles showed that he heard. The implication was clear.
War is upon them.
~~~~~~~~~~
Yesterday
"Albus! I cannot do what you ask of me! It is insane! Do you hear me!?! Insane!!!" Severus Snape snarled at the wizened Headmaster as he paced the room in his tirade. His lips curled in a disdainful sneer as if the very thought of Dumbledore's 'request' had left a permanent stink beneath his delicate nose.
"Now, now, Severus… you know as well as I do that the boy needs someone to look after him as well as to train and teach him." Dumbledore leveled his most placating gaze upon the irate potions master. "And you're simply the best person for this role."
"Albus! Be careful what you ask of me! I repeat: I cannot do this!" He stopped in his tracks, and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "He is your 'golden boy', a symbol of everything Gryffindor, and not to mention the hope of the wizarding world! The damned Boy-Who-Lived!"
"Precisely so, Severus. That's why you must…"
"No! No, No, No! Damn you, Albus! You cannot make me do this! I demand that you cease this foolish proposition! Can you imagine the hero of the wizarding world as my godson!?!" Severus gave his best sneer along with his deadliest patented glare that sent even the most courageous cowering in fear. Of course, it had no effect on the barmy old codger. "No, don't reply to that!"
Leaning forward, the dark man bitterly ground out. "Not to mention, you seemed to have forgotten that I already have a godson! Draco Malfoy no less! And what do you expect Albus? That the two of them will get along beautifully, drop all animosity, and just play 'ring-a-rosies' together?!"
"Severus… you are the best person for this. No doubt, you will work things out." Dumbledore sighed. "In a way, you can see this as a form of atonement for your guilt."
"Albus…"
"Really, Severus, don't argue. My boy, I know you too well. I know how you berate yourself for what happened, even if you abhor Sirius Black." Dumbledore looked at the now weary potions master slumped in a seat in front of his desk.
"Take this as an opportunity to assuage your overwhelming sense of guilt. Take over Sirius' role as Harry's godfather and prepare him. He will need more than just sheer dumb luck to survive this war."
"Albus…"
"Severus, I have watched you look after him in his best interests since he entered this school. There is no one better suited than you. I will have no further arguments on this." Dumbledore stood up from behind his ornate desk, and beckoned the weary potions master to follow. "Come, my boy, it is time. We must leave to meet the others…"
~~~~~~~~~~
Breakfast in the warm kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place under the watchful care of Mrs. Weasley was soon over. Every face present at the table that morning was silent and tensed; each occupied in their own thoughts.
Since his arrival at the Order's headquarters, everyone had noticed the pale, wan looks of Harry stretched gauntly over his cheekbones, complete with dark circles around dull emerald orbs. His lightning-bolt scar stood out; an angry blood red on his forehead accentuated by messy, collar-length hair.
Molly Weasley had even gone so far as to start questioning Harry about it, only to be stopped in mid-sentence as the recipient of a glare from him. It spoke his displeasure in volumes, unhampered by his self-enforced silence. A glare that would even put one of Snape's best to trial. After that, he was let to be.
Dumbledore had announced a meeting for today. Aside from those in the Order, Harry was to attend. No one else was included – not Ron, not Hermione. There was vehement protests at this; Ron the most vocal. ("Surely we've earned our right to be there just as Harry!?!") Surprisingly, the twins had remained silent. In the end, Mrs. Weasley herded them upstairs, before joining the others in the drawing room for the meeting.
Standing in the front, Dumbledore made eye contact with everyone in the room as he prepared to begin. To a casual observer, he seemed to look his age, with the weight of every single of his years piled upon his frail shoulders. Nevertheless, he still radiated immense power in his demeanor.
"Today," Dumbledore slowly began. "We will be going through two important issues aside from the usual reports. First, will be the official reading of Sirius Black's will and all matters pertaining to it, to be witnessed by all present here. Second… will be Harry Potter's much debated (here, Dumbledore leveled a look at Molly Weasley) initiation into the Order of the Phoenix…" He trailed off softly, looking towards Harry with concern.
As expected, the room burst out in noise at Dumbledore's announcements. Low mutterings of concern, approval, and downright rejection ensconced the previously quiet room.
Straightening his posture, Dumbledore allowed the murmurings for a couple of minutes before holding up a hand for silence.
Turning to Harry, Dumbledore spoke softly. "Harry, you do know that Sirius made you his legal heir?" An uncomfortable pause ensued, as Dumbledore gazed piercingly at Harry, looking for a sign of acknowledgement to his words. None came. "Harry?"
He got no response, except an unflinching stare from emerald green eyes set in an expressionless face. Only the tightly clenched fists by the small figure betrayed the level of distress.
"Harry…" Dumbledore sighed. No one seemed to have been able to get much conversation out from Harry ever since he arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place after spending a month with his muggle relations.
From a shadowed corner in the drawing room, a silky voice drawled, "Albus, surely you can see this petulant boy in front of us is not inclined to open his mouth to answer us mere wizards."
All he got in answer was a glance in his direction from Dumbledore, and a strained "Severus…"
The said petulant boy gave no outward indication of having even heard that comment. Severus Snape had intended to bait Harry; to get a rise out of him… any form of response other than the despairing silence, but sadly, his effort was naught.
Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, master of all situations, manipulative old coot, and fountain of never-ending patience, tried again. "Harry, my dear boy…"
"Albus! Surely you can afford not to pander to the boy's want for further attention… we have more important issues at hand to discuss today." This comment earned the snide potions master a hard glare each from Molly Weasley and Tonks. The glares were lost on him; he was not a master for nothing.
"Yes, indeed Severus. That's enough." Dumbledore took a seat before continuing. "What I wish to discuss is the matter of Sirius' will. Remus, if you would do the honors…" Thus said, the old man held out a bound parchment for the werewolf.
The reading of Sirius' will took a short time. Everything was recorded in simple, concise instructions – legally binding. Only three parts of the will caught Harry's attention.
One, the fact that Sirius had left 12 Grimmauld Place to him, with the provision that Harry shall always offer Remus shelter and protection.
Two, Sirius' rather large personal fortune had been left mostly to Harry, with smaller amounts to Remus, Tonks, and the Weasleys. The remaining fraction of Sirius' fortune was donated to the Order's finances.
Three, Sirius left strict instructions that Albus Dumbledore (with Remus' approval) was to appoint a suitable godfather for Harry, in the event that Harry is yet of legal age upon his passing.
The rest of the legal dribble passed unnoticed by Harry as his brain mulled over the three particular parts of Sirius' will. He silently chewed on the repercussions of those articles. 'Why didn't he just appoint Remus as my godfather? Why did he say appoint a new godfather with Remus' approval?' He was confused; albeit his expression remained blank.
Severus Snape observed the boy's careful blank expression from his corner as he kept an ear on the proceedings. 'An enigma,' he thought, 'not all like I expected.' Mentally, he ticked off things he found out. 'Recent behavior unlike his father or his godmutt.' Wince. 'Not that attention driven.' Grimace. 'Can keep things to self.' Sneer. 'Somewhat reckless; though not always.' Ouch. 'Much more Slytherin than Gryffindor.' Damnation! His eyes widened. 'Why Slytherin? Damn Albus! Damn his bloody interferences!'
Slowly, the murmurings died down as Albus Dumbledore stood up for attention. The contents of Sirius' will held several surprises. "Now, my dear friends, is the matter of an initiation…" He approached Harry. Speaking softly, he looked tenderly at the young boy, no, young man, that held the wizarding world's highest expectations.
"Harry… It is time for you to take your part in this… I just want you to know that I do not wish this to happen; yet as it often seems, fate is out of our hands." A soft sigh. "I have yearned to keep you from harm, but the time has come. You have to take your place."
Dull emerald eyes lifted from its previous contemplation of the worn carpet. Dumbledore almost flinched at its deadened look. Holding his gaze, the young man stood up to face the room. His deadened look washed over all the occupants, pausing slightly longer over the shadowed form of the potions master.
In a low voice, devoid of feeling, the young man spoke. "I accept my place in the Order; I will do all necessary and all that is required of me." Molly Weasley gave a soft sob at his words; Tonks nodded in approval. Alastor Moody held both eyes steadily on him.
Dumbledore took over. "Harry, please repeat the vows after me." The swearing-in took a few short moments. As the emotionless voice intoned, Severus Snape could not help but shiver. The lifeless look of the boy's eyes intimidated him far more than anything else he had ever seen. Not even Voldemort in his crazed moments could compare. He briefly wondered if the boy would ever recover his vivacity in life. 'Not that I care.'
~~~~~~~~~~
He stood rigidly facing the fireplace, silently awaiting the swish of the executioner's axe upon his neck. He idly wondered how the boy would react to Albus' decision. The werewolf had known – Albus had told him beforehand. Muscles tensed, he waited silently for an outburst that never came. Finally, patience waned; he turned to face the remaining three occupants in the room after the meeting disbanded.
Albus sat in a comfortable armchair sipping tea and happily chatting with the werewolf, all signs of earlier weariness gone. The dratted boy stood at the windows with hands clasped behind his back, looking out; no emotions visible in his countenance.
Severus took in the scene in front of him. Quiet and tranquil, he would have felt at peace if not for the threat of Voldemort in the world outside. As he let out a barely audible sigh, the boy turned from his quiet contemplations to look at him. Severus Snape took that as an unuttered invitation. He walked over to join the brat at the windows.
"Potter…" He growled, "Have you nothing to say to Albus' decisions?" The infuriating boy only shrugged vaguely and turned back to looking out the window. Severus Snape squared his own shoulders and joined the boy looking out the window.
"I… I'll have you know that it's not my idea. Albus left me no room for discussion. I understand if you're not keen about this whole issue. However much as I dislike it, I will endeavor to do my best as your godfather."
He said nothing further, discomfited by the boy's silence. Suddenly, he felt a soft touch as the boy laid a hand on his arm. Within moments, the hand withdrew, and Severus Snape was left wondering what happened as the boy quietly left the room.
~~~~~~~~~~
The clock stuck twelve. Midnight. The lean black shadow at the darkened window remained in position. Unable to sleep, he had wandered around the slumbering house till he finally came to the empty drawing room. His eyes glazed over unseeingly as he contemplated the unsolved workings of his mind.
"Wha…" He gave a startled gasp as a hand briefly touched his arm and withdrew. Snarling, he turned; only to find a piece of his mind's puzzles standing beside him.
The boy did not react to his snarl; only stood quietly by his side and looked out into the darkness. No further words were said. There was no need for that, yet.
