Phoenix Child – Chapter 3

Here is the next chapter. I don't know when the next one will be up – I don't have it written yet, but the ideas are swirling about in my head ready to come out, so hopefully the wait won't be too long. Enjoy.

"Ok. Can you take Harry up for a nap? I need to talk to you afterwards," Albus responded, handing Harry to Minerva and then flying off before she could respond. "Harry? Harry Potter?" she said to herself upon viewing his famous lightning bolt scar and carrying him up to bed, "Well, this should definitely be interesting."

Later

"Minerva, I wanted to ask for your help with Harry. His relatives have abused him and I am to take care of him. The problem is that I know nothing about children, let alone ones with such magical power," Albus stated while pacing the room, obviously distressed.

"You mean he has already shown signs of magic? He's only five."

"Yes, he hid his bruises from me at first and I am pretty sure that he can see Hogwart's magic, a feat I daresay is unheard of in all but the most powerful wizards. I'm afraid that with taking care of the school, the ministry and Harry himself, I'll have my hands full."

"Well, you certainly know how to keep yourself busy. I'll be glad to be of help, though I'm not used to children as young as Harry. May I suggest you also ask Poppy for her help in the matter? She would at least know the most recent trends in child rearing."

"Yes, I was going to ask her as well." He looked at his watch, "I need to go wake Harry up for dinner. I will meet you in the Great Hall."

Dumbledore entered the Great hall with Harry. The hall was pretty empty, as the term wasn't to start until the following Monday. Only some of the staff members were present, namely Filius Flitwick, Minerva McGonagall, Pamona Sprout, Poppy Pomphrey, Isaiah Gandola (the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor) and Severus Snape. The others either hadn't arrived yet or didn't want to eat dinner in the Great Hall.

Albus was thinking about all the work he had to do before the school year began when he was interrupted.

"The pretties again. . ." young Harry, once again mesmerized, exclaimed, drawing the attentions of the entire hall in the process.

Dumbledore smiled down fondly at him. "Well, now that we have arrived, I think the meal can begin," he said, trying to draw attention away from Harry. Dumbledore conjured up a chair and placed it next to his own for his young charge. Immediately the table was filled with food.

Harry, not used to the abundance of food, looked on in amazement.

"Go ahead and eat whatever you want," Dumbledore directed his way.

Harry, not used to being allowed to eat whatever he wanted didn't make a move toward the food, but his hunger and desire were easily discernable in his bright, green eyes. Dumbledore, noticing Harry's hesitance, reached over and put some ham and potatoes on Harry's plate.

"Go ahead, you can eat as much as you want."

Harry looked up and stared around the room before finally giving in to his hunger. As he finished up his meal, Dumbledore felt his connection to the ministry (a silver sickle) heat up, meaning that his presence was required immediately.

"Minerva, I'm afraid I must go meet with Cornelius. Could you take Harry up and put him to bed? I believe he will have a long day tomorrow."

"Harry, I am going to leave you with Minerva. She will take you up to your room. Sleep well my child, I will see you in the morning."

Harry looked up, shocked and a little bit fearful, "No. No. I want to stay with you. Scary. No. Go. Away."

Dumbledore looked to Minerva for help and then picked Harry up and handed him to Minerva before disappearing through one of the castle's many secret passages. After a brief second of relative calm, Harry looked up at Minerva and started shaking, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"Well, lets head up to your room, shall we?" Minerva asked hopefully and with a hint of sternness.

"NO! I want Dumblee. I think you are scary. I'll. . .I'll stay with. . ."a panicked Harry looked around the room, his eyes falling on the most unlikely character, none other than Severus Snape. "him. He looks nice. Not scary." Harry exclaimed, running over to Snape and attaching himself to Snape's robes.

Everyone in the hall, most of all Snape, was shocked. Snape looked down in disdain as Minerva commented. "I guess Harry has decided that you will be the one to put him to sleep," still shocked, she continued, "His room is adjacent to the headmaster's office. I'm sure that you know the password."

"Potter. I hope you know what you are getting yourself into. I am definitely scary and many words have been used to describe me and trust me, "nice" isn't one of them," Snape said, rising and beginning to leave the Great Hall. "Well, get on with it. I am not going to carry you all the way up there. You get enough coddling from Albus."

As the unlikely pair were ascending the various staircases to Harry's room, Snape took some time to think to himself. "Why does this little monster want me of all people to watch him. I am a marked man. I have done so much that Harry should be scared of but yet he is not. Must be his fathers blind faith coming into play. I'll have to teach him a lesson about trust I suppose."

Snape, deep in his thoughts, didn't realize that Harry, with much smaller legs, could not keep up. Snape's self-discovery was broken with a "MISTER! MISTER! I CAN'T FIND YOU ANYMORE!" coming from Harry's small mouth. Snape whirled around and scowled. He saw Harry about 200 feet behind him and swooped over to get him. What he saw shocked him a bit. Harry, who was pretty much OK before, was sitting on the floor with his hands around his legs which were drawn up to his chest, rocking back and forth, crying. "No, I don't want to lose you too. Come back, come back," Harry was mumbling to himself, obviously distressed and scared.

Snape looked at the situation, and then very carefully picked up Harry and finished the trek to Harry's room. "Why am I feeling like I should really care about this urchin? And why is he so clingy? Oh dear, what have I gotten into?" he asked himself as he gently laid Harry down on his bed.

Harry, who had calmed down considerably after being "rescued" was ready to go to sleep, but he wouldn't let go of his "hero" just yet. Snape, preparing to get up and sit in the chair in the corner of the room and catch up on reading the newest issue of "Potions Monthly," didn't realize the predicament he was about to end up in until it was too late. Harry had gotten a firm grasp on his cloak and pulled the potions master turned baby-sitter down beside him. The five-year old then snuggled close to him and fell asleep.

"What is going on here? I am NOT going to sleep alongside this troublemaker," he thought to himself, though it was obvious he was going to have to when, while trying to pry himself free, Harry woke up and screamed something about "not letting you leave me too." So, Snape resigned himself to the inevitable. He reached down and removed his shoes before falling asleep himself beside young Harry.