Reconstruction of a Death Eater

Chapter 29 - Fathers, Sons and... Phoenixes

Minerva McGonagall was furious -- no, she was beyond furious through livid and out the other side to eerily calm and collected. She sat behind her imposing teak desk, the top completely clear but for her wand, and polished to a mirror shine. She waited until the clock struck two and the single knock sounded at the door. Without speaking, she picked up her wand and opened the door, allowing the tall, dark man to enter silently, as he usually did. Her eyes never left his face as he glided closer, but she did not offer him a seat and he made no move to seek one out. The silence stretched painfully as the portraits leaned forward in their frames, eager to see how this contest of wills developed. She finally spoke.

"How dare you?" she hissed, so softly it was but a breath of sound in the stillness, the precursor of the storm to come. "How dare you challenge my authority in this school on any matter, especially one that involves two major Houses and two historically important figures?"

Severus Snape raised one eyebrow and stared down his nose at the older woman, the haughty look never faltering in the face of her wrath. Almost disdainfully, he pointedly glanced at the eager, gloating portraits and raised an empty hand, making a gracefully languid gesture.

Minerva reared back as the blast of magic flooded the room, slamming the portraits back into their frames, encasing them both in an impenetrable bubble of silence before she could react. Her wand came up defensively, but he didn't move past that one, rather terrifying burst of wandless, silent magic, more powerful than many wizards could cast with a wand and shouted spell. The portraits looked horrified, furious and in some cases relieved to be locked out of the upcoming battle.

"PMSing, Minerva, really, how unprofessional! I make no challenge on your authority, Headmistress, I merely deal with a House problem as swiftly and as efficiently as was possible under the circumstances."

"A House problem? A House problem? You performed an illegal marriage between two minors, only one of which was of your house, the other was of mine and therefore mine to take care of!" Minerva's voice rose to a screech as she voiced her sheer fury at his audacity. "How dare you break the law under my very nose then cite it as merely a House Problem, you conniving Slytherin bastard!"

Severus smirked, driving her blood pressure up another few points. "And how would the Golden Griffindorks have dealt with the problem? Trumpet it aloud that one of their golden girls had gotten herself knocked up by a Slytherin Snake? Cast her out to the mercy of the pure-blood aristocracy without a hint of remorse and stood back in self-righteous anger as they tore her and her unborn apart and hung her carcass up for all other presumptuous Mudbloods to take the lesson from? Is that what you want, Minnie, is that how it should have been? Are you so caught up in your own little power-plays that you forget who and what you are? If I have to lie, cheat and steal, warp my Family Charms and cast an Unforgivable on the whole bloody Wizengamot to keep one of my Slytherins safe from Tom, then so be it! If the choice is between subverting custom or giving even one of my little snakes up to the Dark, then I will tear this whole world of ours apart in the effort to keep my son safe, do you understand that? As for usurping your precious authority, I don't give a flying fig about anyone's perceived authority, least of all yours, or Tom's or even the Ministry's! You can all go hex yourselves Unforgivably, do you understand, all of you!" Magic, uncontrolled and deadly battered at both figures leaning forward on their fists screaming in each other's faces across the ancient desk that had witnessed more than one of these battles in its long existence.

Minerva gaped at her opponent then snapped her mouth shut long enough to take a deep, calming breath. She had indeed been full of self-righteous wrath at what she saw as Severus' unwarranted interference in the chain of school command, but his unwitting revelations shed a whole new light on his conduct and ethics. Still glaring, she eased back and tucked a stray strand of hair back behind her ears, giving the younger man a chance to master himself and draw in his wild magic. "So, you would destroy our whole world to save your son, would you?" she asked flatly, allowing herself to slowly sink back into her chair.

Severus mastered his temper and slowly resettled himself, pulling his robe straight to gain a little time. In losing his temper he may have said things he had not meant to reveal to anyone. "Some things are worth fighting for or dying for or killing for," he muttered, turning away and drawing a deep calming breath.

"Yes, they are. So, Draco is your son, it was whispered at one point...."

Severus snorted and shook his head. "No, Minerva, he is not my biological child, he is my magical child. Lucius gave him to me before he was even born, to be the son we could not have together, thus he became the offspring of my magic. Because of that casually tossed bone, I can act as a parent to the boy and invoke certain spells for his nurture. He and Hermione have managed to create a life between them while they were locked away for the year. Marrying them under my Aegis was the least I could do to protect all three of them from Polite Society's wrath. It was not a challenge to your authority on my part, Minerva, it was simply expediency."

"Accepted," Minerva gusted on a sigh then glared. "PMSing indeed. Really, Severus, you never cease to amaze me!"

"Let's face it, old girl, we are both old maids with a House full of children we take personal responsibility for in all aspects of their lives. We have a lot more in common than people would credit at first glance," Severus stated blandly then sniggered at her outraged expression which slowly faded into a chuckle too.

"What are we going to do, Severus?" she asked, accio-ing the whiskey decanter and a couple of glasses before pouring a generous measure each.

"Looks like we are going to get waz-arsed," he commented, toasting her slightly before sipping. "Look, this is not a change of subject, but hear me out, if you will? Thank you. We are almost in a position to raise the Headmaster. When he is revived, he will not be strong and will need some time to recuperate and regain strength. After all, being almost dead takes a lot out of a person. So, we are going to have to carry on as normal until he is fit enough to take up the reins again. I think we should take him straight to the Room of Requirement and get it to slow time again. Remus has planned a small team to nurse him in there, Molly Weasley, Roger Podmore, Aberforth Dumbledore and Poppy Pomfrey. I think we will include Draco and Hermione in the group to give the baby a chance to develop and, if we can arrange enough time, to be born in the Room of Requirement. It will do away with the need for concealment charms and complicated questions."

"That could work. With both Poppy and Roger there, they will be able to monitor her and if the Room causes a problem, they can get her out," Minerva agreed slowly.

"Well, she got pregnant in there, so I doubt it will cause problems, but as you say, better safe than sorry. So, are we agreed?"

"We are agreed. Now, why did you lock out the portraits?"

"A few of them are not exactly reliable, Minerva, didn't you realise? More than a few held very firm views on the admission and nurturing of Muggle-borns and Mudbloods while alive. I cannot guarantee they have deserted those views in death, and I refuse to take a chance. Albus was a lot more subtle about locking them out, but my way is just as effective, although it tends to tip my hand."

"I see, well, I will be more discrete in the future. Very well, I think this meeting is over, so you may release the portraits once again," Minerva directed as they finished their whiskey and rose as one.

Bowing slightly, Severus dismissed the spell as he swirled away, not at all disappointed with the way things had gone.

~~*~~

Remus Lupin moved through the Forbidden Forest like a ghost, or a wolf, no twig crackle or leaf rustle to betray his movements. He was looking for a place he had only seen though Severus' eyes, in the shadows of his mind. Many years before, while Severus had only been a student, he had gone searching through the Forbidden Forest for potions ingredients. During one of his illegal forays he had come across a very strange grove of trees growing in a perpetually spell-warmed clearing. An olive tree, a sandalwood tree, a pepper tree and a camphor tree enclosed an area which was carpeted with aromatic herbs and low Damascus rosebushes. It was a beautiful and exotic tropical garden hidden in the midst of a Scottish forest and a wonderful place where he had often come to hide if his life became too difficult.

One day he had been caught picking roses for their petals by the arrival of Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore's phoenix. The magnificent bird had been as shocked to see the tall, dark student as Severus had been to see him, but they had both settled down and Fawkes had sung gently for the boy who was so sad. Gradually Severus had come to learn that, while the phoenix burned and renewed itself on its wizard-made perch that was merely a phoenix's way of moulting. After much research and delving into most ancient texts Severus learned that Fawkes had to die every eight hundred and fifty four years. He would make a nest of exotic woods and aromatic plants in his private grove and there, with one clap of his wings, he would set the nest alight.

The flames would instantly kill and mummify the dying phoenix, the aromatics transferring its life essence into the egg that had been incubating in its belly. As the flames died, then the egg would hatch and the new phoenix would be born. Its final duty to its parent was to take the mummified body back to the Temple of the Sun in Egypt and lay it on the altar. Because Fawkes had chosen to belong to Dumbledore, Albus had made the grove for him so that he would never be uncomfortable over his choice.

Severus had never spoken of the grove he had found but he had always remembered it with fond reminiscence. When he and Dumbledore had hatched their audacious scheme two years before, they had both taken Fawkes' lifespan and age into consideration when making their plans. Voldemort's attack had driven the information out of Severus' head but now he remembered and the final line of the prophecy that had fascinated the trainee Aurors had become quite clear to him at last.

The grove was exactly where Severus had told him, and Remus approached it very carefully, hands away from his sides, wand still sheathed in its holster. He could hear the odd note, like a bamboo wind chime in a very light breeze, but nothing like the sweet, clear notes of a phoenix. Carefully easing the peppertree branches aside, Remus ducked into the clearing and quickly froze on the spot. He remembered Fawkes as a rooster sized creature sitting on a perch in the headmaster's study, but the bird before him was enormous, its wingspan all of fifteen feet as it rose from the untidy nest it had created for itself in the middle of the grove.

Slowly the huge beak lowered to rest upon the dull, crimson breast, the bird's plumage ragged and matted. An impression of great age and sorrow came from the creature as it slowly settled back into its nest, stretching its neck out as if too tired to hold its head up anymore.

"Fawkes?" Remus murmured, moving carefully closer. The bird stirred irritably as if annoyed at the disturbance. "I'm so sorry, but Severus asked me to come. He said you would understand my words. He said to tell you it's nearly time, five more days to go and to ask if you are still willing to give up your chance at further immortality to revive Albus Dumbledore once again?"

The bird lifted his head and croaked softly then moved its head in what could only be construed as a nod of agreement.

Remus nodded back then felt a great need to bow formally as the bird stirred again, obviously uncomfortable and in pain. "Is there anything I can do?" he was compelled to ask.

There was a distinct shaking of the head and a pointing of the beak so Remus took a seat near a blood-red rosebush and settled himself to wait.

~~*~~

Severus stared into his cauldron aghast! The potion had failed! He couldn't remember the last time he had a potion fail so spectacularly! Horrified, he scrabbled through his parchments and notes, checking his method and ingredients, ticking points off on his fingers then flopping back into his chair in disbelief. This shouldn't be happening, it couldn't be happening, too much depended on this one vital step, but now it was all disintegrating around him! All their careful planning and banked hopes were coming crashing down around his ears. It couldn't be!

Grabbing a blood filled vial off his desk, he snatched up his wand and cast a charm that made the walls shudder and Hogwarts almost cringe at the darkness of the intent. The spell enveloped the vial and curled into the deep, rich blood, working and kneading the substance until it rose in a cloud to show what the caster wanted to see.

"Aberforth!" Severus snarled, slamming a fist down onto the desk and almost cracking the ancient wood in his fury. Black anger rode him as he strode through the corridors, students and ghosts fleeing his presence as a roiling wave of sheer fury swirled around him. The gryphon guarding the stairs was literally tossed aside as the dark wizard climbed them three at a time, the doors to the Headmistress' office bursting under the assault of his ire.

Minerva looked up sharply at the detonation, her nostrils quivering. "Severus, what is the meaning of --"

"He's not the full brother!" Severus roared, thrusting the telltale vial at the woman in his fury. "Aberforth, he is only a half brother to Albus, not the full thing at all! He's all but useless to our purpose! Why the hell didn't he tell us that in the first bloody place, it would only have taken a few seconds to alter the Ceremony to suit! That idiot! He has endangered us all!"

"Severus, will you please stop shouting, you are causing the office to vibrate," Minerva said sternly. "Now, how do you know Aberforth is not Albus' full brother?"

"Because if he was my potion would have turned a limpid purple and this vial would have been glowing blue, not vomit green!"

"And this means?" the headmistress prompted when the Potions Master stopped to grind his teeth in fury and what looked remarkably like fear.

Severus flung himself into a chair and scrubbed his face with the heels of both hands. "It means Albus has a closer relative out there and if we don't locate that relative soon then our chances of reviving Albus will be reduced to zero. Worse, Albus' spirit will remain forever trapped in the limbo I have suspended it in to preserve it. He will know no time, no rest, no surcease, no chance to go onward to the, er, last great adventure."

"Oh."

"Get Aberforth here as soon as you can, I need some answers and we have only one day to find them."

The Hog's Head floo flared and Aberforth looked up startled as the headmistress called his name urgently. Taking off his apron, he brushed a hand through his hair and stepped forward to thrust his head through the flames. He let out a distinct squawk as a powerful hand latched onto his throat and dragged him unceremoniously through the flames even though that was supposed to be impossible. A flick of his arm broke the hold, but the wand pressed to his throat was held competently, the pair of onyx eyes challenged him to move a muscle if he dared.

"You! I should have known! What do you want, Snape?" he snapped brushing the wand tip away.

"You are not Albus' brother at all, are you?" Severus snarled bitterly then stopped when the heavier man looked totally gobsmacked.

"O' course I am!" Aberforth roared indignantly. "Hells Flames, Snape, have you been nipping at your own potions? I was there with our father the day he was born, I felt him kick in my mother's womb and I held him in my arms when he was a bare hour old, of course he is my brother, you fool."

Snape threw his arms up in disgust. "See, I told you, he is not Albus' brother."

"But Severus, you heard the man..." Minerva protested bewildered.

"Magically, they share a mother but that does not make them kin in High Court Magic, it makes them related but not brothers. High Court is a patriarchal form of magic that does not recognise the distaff line AT ALL; it does not exist as far as the rites are concerned. Women are merely breeding cattle," Severus stated flatly then smiled evilly as McGonagall flared up angrily. "Why do you think we have a Dark Lord and not a Dark Lady?" he continued relentlessly. "Only because my Grandmother was female, much to her sheer fury." He flung himself down into the nearest chair and ground his teeth in a fury of his own.

Aberforth was shaking his head slowly, disbelief in every line. "But he was my brother, our mother and father did everything for us, everything they could possibly do to give us the best chance in the world. They never made a difference between us, never favoured one over the other."

"How nice for you," Snape hissed then scrubbed his face and flopped backwards showing more emotion than either ever saw in public. "We're screwed, we are completely screwed. We need bloodkin, a father, a brother, a son. His father is dead, we all know that, and he never had a blood son, just hoards of us adopted children and you as his last chance are only a half brother and a matriarchal link at that! We're completely fucked!"

"You know, Snape, you are one offensive little prick," Aberforth snapped then grinned slyly. "And I know something that no one else in the whole of the wizarding world knows. Albus does have a son, alive and kicking and very close to hand, so now who is fucked and who is doing the fucking, smart arse!" Even Minerva held her breath as the older wizard gloated, Severus rising slowly to stare him in the eye. Aberforth suddenly stopped his gloating and slammed his eyes shut. "Oh no, you don't, you have just destroyed my last link to my father, and you are not stealing my knowledge of my nephew. Oh no, Snape, this time I get the grave satisfaction of making you suffer. Now put me back into the Hog's Head, I have to go see a wizard about his father!"

Severus looked like he was going to balk, but a word from Minerva sent him spinning about and tossing floo powder into the flame. He made an elaborate leg and waved Aberforth into the fireplace, grabbing his elbow before he could call his destination. "Don't you dare be playing with our lives here, Dumbledore, or whoever you are, there is more at stake here than a game of one-up-manship."

The older man stared pointedly at the hand on his arm then glared. "I know that. Do you?"