When You Look at Me

Chapter One

It is the second of May, 1998. A battle of light versus dark is taking place. The second wizarding war was coming to a climax. A man, who had just been attacked by the dark lord Voldemort's snake, Nagini, was lying on the floor boards of the shrieking shack, dying. He sacrificed himself, not only for the wizarding world, but for a woman who he loved always.

Severus Snape was unconscious, on the brink of death, waiting to meet Lily, the love of his life. He was awoken by a hot drop of rain, which he assumed had come from a hole in the ceiling of the shrieking shack, which had fallen on his neck. Searing pain was emanating from his throat. Another drop of rain fell. Still wreathing in pain, he finally gained enough energy to look up, and his gaze came across the red, fiery bird that was Fawkes, Albus Dumbledore's phoenix.

Severus realized the rain he thought was coming from the shack's ceiling was actually the tears of the phoenix, attempting to heal the gaping wounds on his throat. He wanted so badly to wave the phoenix away so he may be able to join Lily in death. To his vexation, however, he did not have the energy to even lift a finger. Severus so badly wished he could scream at Dumbledore for the constant annoyances and stress he had brought on him for the last eighteen years, including Fawkes for coming to the shrieking shack to save his worthless life. After a few minutes of the phoenix's healing tears dropping upon him, his throat's gaping wounds were now mended to the point they were not gaping wounds. Fawkes flapped his wings back, so he was not sitting on Severus' torso anymore. Fawkes stared at him, And Severus stared back, wandering what the bird would do next.

Fawkes flapped his wings again, and flew through the window, shattering it, shards of glass sprinkling all over Severus and the floor. He gurgled blood as he breathed, waiting for the phoenix's next move. In what felt like hours, Fawkes returned with a man in grey robes, a hood covering his face, but he could still make out a long, grey beard and long grey hair, protruding from under his hood and robes. He resembled Albus Dumbledore.

"Are you still alive, Snape?" Asked the man.

Severus could not speak. He breathed again, and the man watched, awestruck, as blood gurgled through Severus' mouth and down his neck. "I am Aberforth Dumbledore. Fawkes has brought me here to save you. I am going to take you to my home and treat you." Said the man. It all made sense to Severus now. The blasted phoenix brought Albus' brother here to save him. Damn Albus, he thought to himself.

As Severus lay on the cold floor, he could hear the incantations of spells, screams of the dying, the shrills of the death eaters as they silenced witches and wizards, while Aberforth gave a few potions for him to drink. Severus had no choice but to drink them. He could not bear the sounds of the battle anymore. The despair he was hearing brought more guilt upon him. He continued to wish death could take him any minute, so he would not have to listen to the battle any longer. Severus honestly wanted to die, but apparently it was not his time to die. He could still hear the ensuing battle around him, and came to terms with the fact he probably would live another day thanks to the damned phoenix.

His patchy eyesight was clearing up slightly; the muffled sounds of the battle were more audible. He felt as if he had regained some of his energy; Somehow Aberforth found a potion to subdue the effects of the venom slightly. After finishing another potion, Severus was lifted again from his shoulder by the phoenix, until Aberforth could get a good grip on his hand. Aberforth, holding his hand, grabbed the tail of the phoenix, who took off, through the shattered window, and across the grounds of the castle towards Hogsmeade. As they flew over the grounds, Severus could not help but stare as he saw witches and wizards, giants, vampires, and werewolves fighting below. He wandered as to why no one had spotted them yet. It is not an everyday occurrence to spot two wizards being dragged through the air by a phoenix. They flew for what felt like hours, until Severus noticed that they had arrived at the hog's head in Hogsmeade village. Fawkes gently released the two wizards, and before leaving, nuzzled Severus' cheek. He growled in vexation as he realized the bloody phoenix was bonded to him now.