The Sand Phoenix
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
COMPLETELY AU! Partly OOC! Time travel!
It is my story, and I intend to write it the way I want it. If you don't like it, don't read it.
Reviews are very welcome, as they inspire my muse. Thank you so much for your kind feedback!
Together with his two guests, Harry arrived at King's Cross, just where his father had taken him earlier. 'I just hope this is the first of September and nineteen years into the past,' he thought, as he quickly transformed back into his human form.
"I hope this is the correct time," he quickly whispered to Albus, who pointed at a large family with several children who were pushing trolleys over the platform.
"At least it's the first of September," he replied, grinning. "As to the year, we'll just have to see."
Together with Cronus, they made their way through the barrier and arrived on platform nine and three quarters, staring at the red steam engine in amazement.
"Let's get onto the train," Harry suggested, and the two boys quickly made their way through the crowded platform.
"Look, your Mum," Albus suddenly whispered, causing Harry to look around in shock.
"Oh right, she's eleven like me," he recalled. "Oh well, then the time must be correct, too."
They quickly boarded the train and were happy to find an empty compartment, where they occupied the window seats with Cronus nestling down on their feet.
A few minutes later, the door opened and a shy looking boy with a chubby face hesitantly looked into the compartment. "May I sit here?"
"Of course," Albus was the first to reply, before recognition set in.
"Neville," Harry blurted out, happy to see the other boy, whom they both knew so well from the future.
Neville gave him a surprised look. "Yes, I'm Neville, Neville Longbottom," he admitted. "Who are you though? I can't recall having met you before."
"I'm Harry Potter, and this is my best friend, Albus Snape," Harry explained, smiling. 'Oh Merlin, I already made a mess,' he thought, horrified.
However, to his relief, the door opened again, and a girl with busy brown hair entered the compartment, followed by a red headed boy who strangely reminded Harry of the Weasley twins.
The newcomers introduced themselves as Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, and Harry felt relieved, when Albus said their names this time.
The five new first-years spent the whole train ride speaking about what they knew about Hogwarts, their childhood, and the four magically raised children tried hard to answer all of Hermione's infinite questions about the magical world.
"Where do you think you're going to be sorted?" Hermione suddenly enquired.
"Ah, Gryffindor," Ronald Weasley replied. "My whole family has been there."
"I don't know, but maybe Hufflepuff," Neville said, seemingly uncertain. "My granny thinks that my magic is very weak."
Harry and Albus shook their heads. "She can't know that," Albus replied.
"Especially not before you've even arrived at Hogwarts," Harry added, smiling at the boy, whom he knew so well.
"My father was in Slytherin, so…" Albus continued, unsurely.
"Slytherin is where all the dark wizards come from," Ronald spoke up. "Don't tell me that your father is Severus Snape, the greasy git of Slytherin."
"I don't mind where the Hat sorts me, but I'd love to be together with Albus, and if possible with Neville," Harry quickly said, rescuing Albus from having to respond to Ron.
"I'll probably be in Ravenclaw, although I'd prefer Gryffindor, because I like Professor McGonagall a lot," Hermione finally explained, causing a discussion about the four heads of the houses.
Harry and Albus smiled, when Fred and George Weasley came by for a few-minute chat, however, they knew better than to show recognition.
About half-way to Hogwarts, Draco came by to greet Harry, together with two boys, whom Harry found extremely stupid looking. Having seen Neville's reaction earlier, Harry and Albus both kept themselves from greeting Draco with enthusiasm. However, they spoke with the other boy for a while, and when Draco extended his hand to offer Harry his friendship, Harry gladly agreed.
"Well, I hope to see you in Slytherin, Potter," Draco finally said and left, pulling the other two boys with him.
Before they knew how the time flew by, they reached Hogsmeade, and Hagrid, the half-giant caretaker, ushered them to the boats.
The view onto Hogwarts was just beautiful. Although Harry and Albus had grown up right next to Hogwarts and knew every corner of the ancient castle, they had never seen her from this side of the lake.
"Mum told me this view onto Hogwarts would be the best, and it truly is," Harry said, happily, causing Albus, Neville and Susan, who was sharing the boat with them, to agree.
Susan had not introduced herself, and Harry and Albus prevented themselves from saying anything to let her know that they knew her as Draco's wife in the future.
'I just hope the Hat is going to sort us together,' Albus suddenly thought to Harry. 'Maybe we should have asked Hogwarts for help in this matter as well.'
'That's true,' Harry thought, wondering if and how he'd be able to learn telepathy. He unobtrusively gave his best friend a comforting nod.
HP
Together with all the other first-years, Harry and Albus stood in the Great Hall waiting for their turn to be sorted. At the same time, they unobtrusively let their eyes wander over the high table as well as the other first-years, trying to assess whom they already knew from the future.
'Not many of the teachers,' Harry thought. 'Uncle Severus of course, Granny Minerva, Hagrid and Professor Flitwick, but that's it. From the students, we know about half. I wonder if I'm going to be sorted together with Mum.'
Slowly, the crowd around them became smaller, and in the end, only Harry and Albus remained.
McGonagall looked up from her list and gave them a questioning look. "Who are you, boys?" she enquired. "I don't have you on my list."
"I'm Harry Potter, and this is my best friend, Albus Snape," Harry replied, trying to keep his voice void from uncertainness.
"Harry, of course," McGonagall replied and motioned him to come and sit on the stool.
Feeling the anxiousness coming from his friend, Harry gave him an encouraging nod and proceeded to sit on the stool, looking up in shock when the Hat suddenly clouded his vision.
'Hmm, what I'm going to do with you?' he suddenly heard a faint voice speak straight into his mind. 'You'd fit in all houses.'
'I don't mind,' Harry replied, feverishly hoping that he would end up together with Albus.
'You'll do great in Slytherin then,' the Hat told him and shouted into the Hall, "Slytherin."
While the Slytherin table erupted in applause, Harry realised in shock that the students from all the other house tables, who had previously at least clapped their hands when someone had been sorted, merely stared at him in clear disbelief.
He made his way over to the Slytherin table, where he quickly slid into the empty seat next to Draco
A moment later, Albus took his seat next to Harry, causing Harry to sigh in relief.
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Snape, I'd like to speak with you for a moment after the feast," the headmaster addressed them, as he rose from his chair. "Sorry boys, after your house meeting in Slytherin," he corrected himself after a quick discussion with the Slytherin head.
Harry and Albus exchanged an uncomfortable look but quickly became distracted, when Draco enquired, "I wonder what he wants and why you weren't on their list."
"I've no idea," Harry replied, innocently.
"Are you the son of Severus Snape, our head of house?" Blaise asked, giving Albus a sharp look.
"Yes, but he doesn't know about me," Albus whispered, giving Harry a questioning look. 'Oh no, we didn't even think about that. We should have changed my last name,' he thought to his friend.
Harry unobtrusively nodded, thinking, 'Oh well, in the worst case, we'll just have to tell the headmaster the truth. I'd love to tell Draco about the future.'
HP
Right after dinner, the first-years were ushered out of the Great Hall and almost had to run to keep up with the prefect who led them towards the dungeons.
"Hurry up, we need to gather in the common room for our house meeting, and Professor Snape isn't very patient if we're not on time," he informed the first-years as he rushed ahead.
The first-years had just taken their spots in the middle of a large circle, in which their housemates sat on the floor, when the professor strode into the common room.
'Uncle Severus,' Harry thought, feeling very much relieved at the sight of the older wizard whom he knew so well.
The professor, however, showed no sign of recognition – 'Oh well, he can't know us now, can he?' – and began to hold what turned out to become a long monologue about house unity, curfew, rules and punishment in Slytherin. Finally, he instructed the first-years to introduce themselves.
'Oh no, what are we going to say?' Harry and Albus exchanged a horrified glance.
"I grew up with my parents and their friends and my little brother Jamie. Albus is my best friend, Cronus is my familiar," he said, pointing at the small dog who was stretched out in front of the fireplace together with two cats, "and I'm a sand phoenix Animagus."
The other students politely clapped their hands, and Albus hesitantly spoke up. "I also grew up with my parents and my friends, especially Harry. I like brewing potions." With that, he shrugged, glancing at Harry, and everyone began to applaud.
"Very well, first-years go to bed," Snape instructed the students, "Potter and Snape follow me to the headmaster's office."
"Excuse me sir," Harry spoke up, when they followed the professor through the now empty halls of the dungeons, "why does the headmaster want to speak with us?"
Snape turned half around quirking an eyebrow in silent question. "I thought that the two of you would enlighten us," he replied, before he continued to walk in a fast pace.
"He seems like a different person from your Dad," Harry whispered to Albus, who nodded in clear disappointment.
Finally, they reached the gargoyle that was guarding the headmaster's office.
"Lemon sherbet," the professor spoke up in a bored voice, before he strode ahead and stepped onto the self-moving staircase, closely followed by his two most annoying first-years.
HP
Severus' thoughts went haywire. He absentmindedly noticed that the headmaster offered them a lemon drop and had almost taken one in confusion. 'Who's that boy?' he wondered. 'Snape was a muggle, plus the boy looks like a younger version of myself. However, I've never fathered a child. Merlin, I didn't even sleep with anyone.'
He was brought out of his musings, when the headmaster addressed the children. "Harry my boy, why did you never reply to your Hogwarts letter?" he enquired, causing the boy to squirm in his seat.
"I never received a Hogwarts letter, sir," he then replied, politely.
"And you?" Dumbledore turned to the other boy, who strangely had the same name as the headmaster, which confused Severus even more. 'Even if I had a child, I'd surely not name it after the annoying old coot,' he thought.
"I didn't receive my Hogwarts letter either," Albus spoke up.
Dumbledore cast the second boy a pensive look. "Whilst I know that Harry is the child of Lily Evans and James Potter and grew up with his relatives, I'm not sure if I've ever met you before. Albus, who are your parents?"
"Amelia and Sev Snape," Albus replied, seemingly truthful, causing the headmaster to look at him with curiosity.
"I don't have a child, headmaster," he quickly spoke up, while the headmaster strode over to his bookshelf, pulling out the large book of all magical children.
"He has a proper entry in the book," Dumbledore stated, born on the fifth of July, 1980, to Amelia Bones and Severus Snape."
"What?" Severus blurted out in shock. "Albus, I swear and I'm willing to take a wizard's oath that I haven't fathered a child, let alone with Amelia Bones."
"Maybe you've been obliviated?" the headmaster suggested, causing Severus to glare at the old wizard.
"I'm sorry for questioning you so much my boy, but where did you grow up?" Dumbledore once more addressed the child, who was fidgeting in his seat.
"Together with my parents and my friends," Albus stammered, giving the adults a seemingly frightened look.
"Well, as he didn't grow up with me, I suspect that he comes from a different dimension," Severus spoke up, "especially since Potter also said in our house meeting that he grew up with his parents who are clearly dead in this dimension."
Harry and Albus shook their heads. "Professors, are you willing to swear us a wizard's oath if we tell you our secret?" the Potter boy enquired, and Severus was about to flare up at the boy's insolence, when Dumbledore stopped him and agreed.
"I swear on my magic to not reveal your secret to anyone," the old wizard went ahead, motioning him to follow.
Angrily, Severus followed his mentor's example, before he glared at the boys and demanded, "Tell us now."
HP
'Uncle Severus really isn't nice,' Harry thought, as he hesitantly began to explain.
"Albus and I grew up in the future. He was raised by his parents and I by my older self and his wife," he said, truthfully.
"I wasn't supposed to attend Hogwarts in this time," Albus spoke up, "but Harry was told that he had to and he didn't want to be here all alone, so I decided to attend Hogwarts together with him in this time."
"We still need to tell Uncle Severus from our tablet PC later on," Harry added in a small voice, "but I'm sure he'll understand."
"Nice story," Snape sneered, "but I still don't believe you." With that the Potions Master rose from his chair and left the room, leaving the two first-years with the headmaster.
"Harry, Albus," Dumbledore spoke up in a gentle voice. "Is that really true?"
"Yes sir," both children replied, simultaneously.
"You won't send us back to the future, will you?" Albus enquired. "We really need to attend Hogwarts in this time."
"Of course, Harry must attend Hogwarts now, and since you're here, I don't see a reason why you shouldn't attend classes together with him, provided that your parents approve of the matter," the headmaster replied in a soft voice, before adding as an afterthought, "How in the world did you manage to travel to this time at all?"
"I'm a sand phoenix," Harry admitted, "able to travel through the sands of time."
"Shall I contact my parents now and ask them?" Albus offered, pulling his tablet PC out of his robe pocket.
"Yes please," the headmaster agreed, eyeing the strange device with apparent interest.
Seeing that Albus cast him a hesitant look, Harry pulled out his own tablet. "It's all right, Albus. I'll call Uncle Severus." Noticing that the headmaster stepped behind him to get a good look at the tablet, he pressed a couple of buttons on the display, before the Severus Snape from the future appeared on the screen.
"Hello Uncle Severus," Harry said, smiling. "I just wanted to tell you that we've both been sorted into Slytherin. Oh, errr… Albus is here with me. I hope that's all right with you. Sorry Uncle Sev…"