The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 56: From the Ashes

Snape stood on the landing before the Headmaster's office, staring at the door.  He thought long and hard over what just happened.  Normally he would be very annoyed at the students flouting authority, a trait all Gryffindors seemed to share.  He did not tolerate it from any of the Slytherins.

This time, however, it did not bother him at all.  If anything, it provided him two valuable bits of information.  First, knowing that Dumbledore had sent the boy to his aunt was definitely a shock.  The fact that it bothered him so much was also a shock to him.  For the first two years and the beginning of this year, he had labeled Harry as James Potter's child in his mind.  It was easy to do, the boy looked just like his father.

Except for his eyes.  He had his mother's eyes.

Admittedly, the boy did not act like his father.  He was not arrogant, not cocky.  He did not act like his mother either, unfortunately.  He lacked her intelligence, her confidence.  In retrospect, he did not act like either of his parents.  One could assume that to be normal since he grew up without either of them.  However, Snape could feel his idea of Harry changing.  Seeing how small he was, how pale he was lying in the bed, hearing about where he grew up, made Snape start to change his mind.

He hated it.

The second bit of information was just as important if not more so than the first bit.  He had seen Dumbledore be hurt by Katie's words and the team's actions in the Infirmary.  He had seen a giant laid low.  Knowing that the infallible Dumbledore was in fact fallible, which the first bit of information also proved, was a treat to the Potions master.

He would savor the delicious morsel.

He heard footsteps from the stairwell and soon McGonagall and Pomfrey appeared.

McGonagall looked at him with one eyebrow raised.  "Waiting for reinforcements?"

Snape smiled thinly.  "I thought it would be best to.  As well as provide Dumbledore a bit of time to recover some dignity."

Pomfrey snorted.

McGonagall shook her head.  "Let's get this over with.  I have a feeling this will be rather unpleasant for everyone."

Snape hoped so.

The Deputy Headmistress knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for an answer.  She walked in without hesitation, followed by the Matron and the Potions master.  They entered the large spacious office and stood in a line before the large desk.

Dumbledore faced away from them, not turning when they entered.  He was staring into the fire, as if trying to find some sort of shape or message in the flames.  Fawkes, the Phoenix, chirped a hello to the three visitors before staring at Dumbledore.  It seemed the familiar had been doing that for some time.

They stood in silence for a long time, the cracking fire making the silence seem louder.

"How is he?" Dumbledore asked softly.

"He will recover, this time," Pomfrey replied.  "I needn't say what would have happened if he hit the ground."

Dumbledore's shoulders drooped.  "I like to think we would have prevented that.  It took much for the faculty at the game to drive the Dementors back.  They were frenzied."

"The rest of the team's injuries were easy to heal," Pomfrey said pertly.  "The physical ones at least."

Dumbledore flinched lightly.

The silence filled the room again.

Snape could take no more.  "Why on earth did you give the boy to Petunia?  Why did you think that would be a good idea?"