The Raven II

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JKR, various publishers of the HP series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

From last chapter:

Snape looked up from where he was laying, "Munin? Why, you're so big!"

"No, Professor, you're a raven."

"A raven," Snape repeated weakly, "I've died and come back as a raven."

Chapter 11 (uploaded 11/3/04)

Draco Malfoy was taken to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix shortly after the midnight raid. "Firstly, Mr. Malfoy, I'd like to thank you for the loyalty to me that you have demonstrated. Only such loyalty could have called Fawkes to you."

"Loyalty?" Draco snorted, "What loyalty? I panicked and repeated what Potter said about you."

"Then you must have believed it in your heart. I also believe you were the last to see Mr. Potter and Professor Snape. Do you know where they went?"

"I last saw them in the shed."

Retired auror, Mad-Eye Moody jumped into Malfoy's face, "You know more than that, boy!"

The sixth-year prefect squirmed in his seat. "That's the truth!"

The Headmaster pulled Moody back, "It is, Alastor. Draco, have you decided not to join the Death Eaters? Witnesses say you were about to take the mark."

"No, the Dark Lord said I wasn't worthy. I saw how he treats the Death Eaters. He said he was going to keep an eye on me. I don't know why he wanted my arm, but I got scared. I'm not bowing down to anybody, let alone a Half-Blood. He's not going to treat me like a house elf, no sir."

Dumbledore spoke gravely, "They'll try to entice you again. No doubt through your father."

"Professor, I'm not feeling well." Draco was tired and suddenly sick to his stomach at hearing he would be confronted again. He just wanted to be left alone and end the inquisition.

"Draco, my door is always open. I'll make myself available if you ever need to talk."

"Thank you. Can I go now?"

"We're not done yet, boy," Mad-Eye walked a predatory circle around the teen, making him even more uncomfortable. "What happened to Potter?"

Draco clutched his stomach and dived under the table. While his head was down, he popped a Fever Fudge into his mouth and moaned.

Dumbledore and Moody ran to boy on the floor. Dumbledore put his hand over the blonde's forehead. "He's burning up. I'm taking him back to Hogwarts immediately," the headmaster levitated the student to the table and laid him out, where he continued to moan.

"Albus, He's faking! We must find out what happened to Harry!" Mad-Eye protested.

"Alastor, this fever is very real. Now, retrace your steps. Look through the shed yourself. Bring backup. I realize he isn't telling everything he knows, but he's not lying. He really doesn't know where they are."

"Damned son-of-a-death-eater. Slimy slippery sort, all of them!" the ex-auror grumbled as he stumped out of the room. "He got sick awfully quickly. You should check out those sweets in his pocket." Moody's wandering eyeball fixed itself on the student's pocket.

"Go on, my old friend. Do what you have to do. I must see to the welfare of my students first." Dumbledore said as he levitated Draco through the door.

-----ooOoo-----

Not realizing how tired he was and due to the side effect of the raven transformation potion, Harry fell asleep huddled next to Severus under the table in the shack. As Order members searched the grounds, they missed the pair of black birds well hidden in the shadows behind boxes.

Snape stirred early in the morning and stretched his wings, awakening Harry. "Sorry, Munin, didn't mean to wake you."

Harry stretched, too, "It's okay. I'm hungry, how about you? Are you up to flying?"

"I don't know. I can try, I suppose. My wings seem to have grown in at an incredible rate."

"Uh, you do realize you're a fully grown bird, don't you?"

"I'm not a baby?"

Harry heaved a sigh. "You're a wizard."

HISSSS!! "I ssssmell breakfassssst."

"Dear Merlin!" Harry gasped, "That's Nagini. We've got to get out of here now. I pray you can fly!"

"I ache all over, but I can try."

"Fine, you lead." Snape hopped to the window and flew out from there. Nagini lunged, barely missing his black tail feathers. Harry flew over Nagini's head as the snake recoiled. Harry found the half of a Nosebleed Nougat that he had thrown down the previous night and dropped it into the snake's mouth when she lunged again as Harry flew over her head. Snape only went as far as the nearest tree, landing out of breath on a sturdy limb.

"I can't go any further," Snape huffed, "that was terribly exhausting."

Harry landed quietly next to him. "I think we're okay here, for now."

"Munin, I have so many questions floating through my mind. The last thing I remember, I was being punished down in the basement. I believe I passed out after a couple bludgers to the head. I remember seeing Draco and hearing your voice, or was that a dream?"

"Let's back up some. Do you remember before you left, you were in the Headmaster's office?"

"Yes, that obnoxious Gryffindor brat was telling me he was Munin. He wanted me to remove a toe ring from his foot. How utterly disgusting."

"You know, in our current states, I find it awkward to keep calling you Professor Snape and I'm not ready to call you Severus. Can I call you Hugin?"

"Hmm, Hugin and Munin. I like it. Yes, I like it very much."

"So why do you hate Harry Potter so much? I think he's a nice guy. Is it because of his father and his friends?"

"I don't hate Potter. I've known the boy for over five years now, and he's done more than enough on his own to deserve my treatment toward him. He is cheeky and a rule breaker. He's not that great of a student, but a decent Quidditch player. I don't treat him any more severely than anyone else, but he leaves himself open to my verbal attacks, so I take them as I would with anybody. I will not tolerate backtalk from any student, not even from my own house. He has so much to learn in order to survive past Hogwarts, more so than even Draco, and he takes his responsibilities too lightly."

"Maybe he isn't ready for those responsibilities. Or maybe he doesn't want it."

"Everybody has responsibilities, whether they want it or not. We've digressed. How did I get out of the basement?"

"Well, the Potter kid had an invisibility cloak on and knocked on the front door while Draco hid in the bushes." It was killing Harry that he couldn't just tell his professor outright who he really was. He'd tried that twice already, but Snape refused to believe.

"Munin, why do I feel like you can't tell me everything?"

"Oh yeh, you still feel the bond, don't you? I'll come back to that part. It was because of the bond that I had to come for you, even when you hadn't yet called Fawkes to you. He was waiting, you know."

"I couldn't bring myself to do it. So Draco brought Potter here? How did he find me?"

"I think Draco would say that I brought him here. I wanted to borrow his broom but Draco wouldn't let his beloved broom out of his sight. He's very materialistic."

"Yes, he is. He's arrogant, as well. Why was Potter here then?"

"I'm getting to that. Well, Draco saw his father, Auntie Bella, and uncles beating up on his nearly unconscious Godfather. He found out that they're more loyal to Voldemort than to their own blood."

"Do not say his name!"

"Sorry. And he saw everyone groveling at Vol—sorry—the Dark Lord's feet. And he saw his father get kicked back into place, like Lucius used to kick Dobby, his former house elf. Potter happened to mention that the Dark Lord is a half-blood. So when they found Draco hiding in the gardener's shed, they dragged him into the circle. They were going to mark him, or something, but he fought back and that's when he called Fawkes. It was his arrogance that saved his hide, he didn't want to grovel or get treated like a house elf." Harry cackled.

"He's safe, then."

"Yes, I'm sure Dumbledore took him away. But you called me back to you and I missed the rest."

"Why was Potter here? Was Draco going to turn him in?"

"Sir, Dumbledore and I tried to tell you before you left and I tried telling you again early this morning. I am Harry Potter. I am bonded to you. When you called, you were in pain and I felt it, too. But you already had in your mind that if you died, you wanted to come back as a raven and be my brother. In order to escape, I gave you a transfiguration potion. So now we're both in hiding as ravens. Do you still want to be my brother? My big brother?"

"You really want that, don't you? I can feel you do. Why would you want a miserable, greasy, whining overgrown bat as your big brother?"

"You're not all that! You really care for your students. You really care about your potions and professional reputation, even if you don't or can't accept recognition. Besides you're now a miserable, greasy, whining overgrown bird and I want to play catch the snidget with you."

"No, I'm n—" Snape started to protest but stopped himself to draw out more information. "You gave me some potions last night, you and Draco."

"Yes. I started making the potion for contusions, but Draco had to finish it when Lucius came in and found us. I had to hide."

"You took an awful chance, Potter. The Dark Lord has been looking for you. I suppose now I'm obligated to look after you until we return to Hogwarts."

"I can take care of myself, I've done it as long as I can remember. Right now, I'm hungry. I'll be back soon." Harry flew off into the rising sun. To Severus, it seemed like he had only blinked and his little friend, had already eaten half the apple he'd brought back.

"That was quick."

"You fell asleep. Here, I brought an apple for you."

"An apple for the teacher. Hell, it's got a bloody worm in it, Potter!"

"Uh, call me Munin. But you're a bird, I thought you'd want it."

"You eat it."

"No thanks, I'm full. Besides, I got it especially for you."

Snape growled, "You're still a pain in my tail feathers."

"I'm bored. I guess I'll go flying and check out the big house."

"The Dark Lord is in there. Be careful. Don't make me come after you."

"It's okay, I'll be fine."

-----ooOoo-----

"Nagini! What's wrong with you?" Voldemort cradled Nagini's head and wiped the blood that leaked out her nose.

"Ssssssomthing I ate," she replied, weakly, "I think it was nougat."

"Where did you get candy? You should not eat candy, my pet."

"I found two birds in the shed. The small one dropped it into my mouth. I think it was laced with a potion." Nagini twitched. "I won't last long in this condition."

"Bella!"

"You called, my Lord?"

"Was anyone captured?"

"No, milord, everyone escaped."

"What happened to Wormtail? Where was he?"

"Snape gave him a potion to remove the coloring. Apparently it was a prank between them. He was having a soak in the bathtub when Aurors arrived and found him. They tried to remove him, but he refused to leave until the sands in the hour-glass ran out. So they waited. When they unplugged the drain, Wormtail grabbed his wand and escaped down the pipe. He's out there somewhere."

"Good, he'll return to me. What of Snape?"

"He has not turned up anywhere. Dumbledore has reported him to the Ministry as missing. He misses his dear Potions Master, no doubt."

"Well, I miss him too. Nagini is sick. Get out there and find him before Dumbledore does. Call as many Death Eaters as you need."

"What about Potter?"

"We'll deal with Harry Potter another time. Nagini could die if I can't stop the bleeding. Apparently it's due to a potion-laced candy she found in the shed."

"I never would have imagined you sentimentally attached to anybody or any thing."

"It is strictly business, Bella. I owe her for sustaining me while I was diminished."

-----ooOoo-----

To be continued...

A/N: Where did the time go since my last post? I got really busy at work, even working through my lunch and evenings. I really appreciate your encouragements and criticisms. Sorry that this chapter didn't cover more story. After a climax like the last chapter, I needed to tie up some loose ends and transition to the next chapter, which is half written. I'll try to get it out next week, but I've been called up for jury duty. Damn.

My thanks for your reviews: ataraxis, starangel2106, Silverthreads, simpleinsanity, Gaul1, Wren Truesong, ShadowedHand, zippyzany, Mystic Phoenix, Dimidium Vocis, Ms. Padfoot (x2), Persephone Lupin, elrohir lover, The Sunflower Official, Werinaya, Vyxagallanxchi, Chambermaid, Lucky, Silver Scale Serpent, Booger.