Standing Against the Tides

Last time I looked at my driver’s license, it did not say J. K. Rowling. Yep, it’s just me, an unpaid and unknown aspiring writer. The characters of the Potterverse do not belong to me and I am making no money from this endeavor.

A/N: Spoilers through OotP. As I am still in denial, I refuse to acknowledge the events of HBP or DH at this point.

Unbeta’d as BabyGurl is busy with her own life.


Chapter 14 Phoenix Rising

“I don’t understand, sir,” Harry’s soft voice broke the stunned silence. “Does this mean Fawkes has abandoned Dumbledore?”

Dark eyes cautiously regarded the still upset house-elf. After a moment Severus answered, “It does indeed appear to be the case, Mr. Potter. Tell me, has your Care of Magical Creatures education been as abysmal as the ridiculous sham that Albus calls the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum?”

Harry frowned. What did Hagrid’s class have to do with Fawkes leaving Dumbledore?

Seeing the look of incomprehension on his student’s face, Severus tried again. “What do you know about the nature of Phoenixes, Mr. Potter?”

Thinking back to one of the few classes for the Care of Magical Creatures where he had not felt that he was in imminent danger, Harry recalled the facts that Hagrid had imparted about Phoenixes. “They must consent to bond to a witch or wizard and the person usually possesses an incredible amount of power. Also, a Phoenix will never willingly bond to a Dark witch or wizard,” Harry recited from memory. Green eyes widened in sudden understanding. “Fawkes broke the bond because he disapproved of Dumbledore’s behavior!” he exclaimed.

Nodding, Severus answered, “That would appear to be the case. Ordinarily, when a Phoenix reaches a burning day, it is simply reborn from the ashes. But as Dobby has reported, Fawkes instead vanished. That would indicate that Fawkes has broken the bond between Dumbledore and himself.” Hard onyx eyes regarded the younger man. “You do realize that this means that Dumbledore will not have the benefit of the Phoenix to extend his life force? Now that his Phoenix has rejected him, his powers will quickly begin to disintegrate.”

The young Gryffindor, however, was more concerned about the Phoenix than the old man who had so obviously betrayed them. “What will happen to Fawkes?” Harry asked softly.

Severus blinked in surprise at the rather unexpected question. Frankly, he had never even considered that consequence of Albus’ deceptions. After a moment’s thought, he answered, “Since Fawkes is a magical creature, he is subject to the laws of his own kind. But I do believe that as he willingly cut the bond, he will suffer no undue harm. Essentially, at this point, he is free to bond with another witch or wizard or he could choose to remain free.”

Harry considered this information and felt a real sense of relief that Fawkes would not be another victim of the old Headmaster’s manipulations. “So, will Dumbledore die soon?” he felt compelled to ask.

“Albus Dumbledore will now have the normal lifespan of a wizard. Also, I would suspect that some of his extraordinary perceptions were courtesy of both Fawkes and Hogwarts. And now that both have deserted him, I do believe that we will find that the old man will be no more powerful or omniscient than the rest of us mere mortals,” was said with the customary sneer.

The two men were silent as they both considered how this changed things now. Severus was only too aware that this would make it much more difficult to continue the illusion that Dumbledore was still the Leader of the Light and the Order of the Phoenix. After all, Fawkes was often instrumental in relaying messages for the Order.

Harry was torn from his thoughts when Hogwarts alerted him to a new presence in the castle. “Professor,” he gasped. “Someone just Portkeyed into the Headmaster’s office!”

There was no need for Severus to question how the younger man knew that; it would appear that Hogwarts was intent on indoctrinating Harry into his role as the new Headmaster. “Dobby,” the Potions master barked, “go there at once and help the castle subdue the intruder. And do your best to keep Dumbledore away from our visitor.”

Not waiting to see that the house-elf obeyed his command, Severus turned to his student and ordered, “Mr. Potter, you must ask the castle to immobilize our ‘guest’.”

With a single thought, Harry communicated his desire to the castle and felt the soft answer that his will was done. Nodding to his professor, the young man watched as the Potions master quickly called the Deputy-Headmistress and asked her to meet them at the gargoyle at the base of the tower.


Harry was hard-pressed to keep up with the taller man’s commanding strides as they made their way up from the bowels of the castle to the entrance to the circular tower. Slightly out of breath, Harry caught up in time to hear the older man fill the now flustered Transfigurations Professor in on the latest developments.

Crisply snapping out the new password, the three watched the gargoyle moved aside to allow them entrance. Cautiously, the group approached the door leading to the former Headmaster’s office turned prison cell.

Wands drawn, Severus and Minerva proceeded their student into the office. All stopped short upon seeing the identity of the intruder. “Bellatrix!” Harry exclaimed. Seeing the crazed witch struggle against the bonds forced upon her by the castle and the exuberant house-elf, the young man was again filled with anger and hatred for the woman who had killed his beloved Godfather. Just as he took a step forward, Harry felt a calming hand on his shoulder. Looking up into the grim face of his Head of House, Harry clearly understood the unspoken command: ‘let us handle this’.

Recovering from his own surprise, Severus gracefully stepped forward and circled the witch who had often dared to cross him and question his loyalty to her master. “Bellatrix, and to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?” the now ex-spy purred dangerously.

The magically bound woman sneered at the man she had often tried to unseat from the inner circle of the Dark Lord’s faithful. “Snape, why don’t you let me go and we’ll play with your ‘friends’,” she cajoled.

A soft chuckle met her request. “I think not, Bella. What I do propose is that you tell us exactly why you are here. As I know that no one can portkey into this office without the express permission of the Headmaster, I do believe that we will find your answers most interesting.”

Only a fool, or Bellatrix Lestrange, would fail to hear the danger lurking behind the deceptively smooth voice. “Why, Severus,” she once again attempted to persuade the odious man. “You would be a fool to throw away this perfect opportunity to once and for all prove your loyalty to our master.”

Harry snorted. “You really ought to stay up on current events, Bella-bitch,” he said as he moved to stand next to the Potions master.

Minerva copied Harry’s wordless display of confidence in her friend and coworker. Furious, wild eyes watched as the implication of the others’ actions sank into her brain. Ready to hurl colorful and vindictive insults at the man she had never truly trusted, Bellatrix was stopped by a quietly spoken spell from that traitor.

Dark eyes firmly held the gaze of the deranged woman and Severus forcibly broke through her hastily erected mental defenses. The powerful wizard waged a silent war with the witch, seeking the truth of her presence here at Hogwarts. Images of her planning and plotting with Albus Dumbledore flew through both of their minds. Severus clearly saw the undeniable evidence that Dumbledore had fed the woman damning information about his activities and had often worked to plant the seeds of doubt about his loyalty to the Dark Lord. The last memory he touched was the one where she had informed Dumbledore that Severus had failed to respond to the latest summons and had decided to pay a visit to the old wizard. Disgusted with what he was seeing, Severus hastily pulled out, heedless of the pain he was causing Bellatrix as he withdrew from her mind.

Taking a moment to clear his own mind and resurrect his own shields, Severus was stunned at the depth of treachery the old man had displayed. Straightening, he wondered how he had managed to stay alive for so long with both sides working against him. The shaken Potions master turned to his companions and briefly relayed his findings. Ignoring the gasp of dismay from his long-time friend, Severus turned back to the dedicated and deranged Death Eater.

The Potions master raised his wand and spoke the incantation, “Obliviate.” Quickly and efficiently working, he altered Bellatrix Lestrange’s memories so that she could not tell anyone else of her involvement with the former Headmaster of Hogwarts. When he had finished and the now bewildered witch looked around, trying to figure out how she had ended up here, Severus continued. “I think we should gift wrap our guest for the Ministry,” Severus sneered. Harry smiled and he raised his wand to help his professor do just that. Between the pair, they had Bellatrix wound in a bright green ribbon with silver trimming. A large festive bow atop her head completed the picture.

Meanwhile, Minerva was busy contacting Kingsley Shacklebolt. With Albus Dumbledore safely ensconced in his private chambers behind the office, they deemed it safe to have Kingsley come through the Floo and take the confused Death Eater into custody.

The two professors and their student watched in bemused wonder as the stalwart Auror and member of the Order of the Phoenix quickly took stock of the situation and formally arrested the prisoner. Knowing better than to ask questions of the stern witch and the surly spy, Kingsley held out a portkey and with a nod to Harry and his Order colleagues, the dark-skinned Auror disappeared with his prize.


Harry started out of his thoughts about this new betrayal when a flash of light heralded the arrival of Fawkes. The Phoenix tilted his head before flying over to rest on the young Gryffindor’s shoulder. Gently nudging the powerful wizard’s cheek, Fawkes trilled a bright song and shook his tail, dislodging a brilliantly colored feather. Without thinking, Harry caught the offered feather in his right hand. Immediately the feather flared and disappeared in a shower of red and gold sparks.

Minerva and Severus could only stare in wonder at the odd sight. Both had heard the stories, but neither had ever been witness to such an unusual ritual.

Minerva recovered first and smiled at her young student. Clearing her throat, she said, “Congratulations, Harry. It would seem that Fawkes has chosen you to be his new bonded human.”

Bright green eyes blinked in confusion. Fawkes had chosen to bond with him? He was Fawkes’ new human?

“Oh, do close your mouth, Mr. Potter. It is most unattractive,” the Potions master drawled. While outwardly unaffected by this latest bit of unexpected news, in truth Severus was every bit as shocked about Fawkes’ decision as Harry obviously was. But now perhaps things were not as bad as previously thought.