“You look just like your father, Harry.”
Harry’s eyebrows lifted. Dumbledore smiled and nodded.
“Yes, the resemblance is extraordinary. There are differences though. You’re taller than he was in first year; and broader as well. And you don’t wear glasses. And you’ve got your mother’s eyes.”
Dumbledore seemed to just be rambling. Harry decided to interrupt him.
“Tell me about your bird, professor. The one that brought me here.”
At this, Dumbledore smiled. “Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die, and are reborn from the ashes. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make very faithful pets.”
Harry found it curious that Dumbledore had told him so much, and yet so little, about them.
Several minutes passed in silence. Harry was looking at a portrait when Fawkes reappeared on his perch. The door was then knocked three times.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Four people walked in, Harry noticed: a tall woman who looked about seventy, a short and stout woman who seemed in her fifties perhaps, a tall and thin man not much over thirty, and a very tiny man who looked as old as Dumbledore.
None seemed to take notice of Harry, who was standing at the wall watching Dumbledore.
The younger man spoke first. “Headmaster. What is it?”
Dumbledore smiled and looked over at Harry.
The younger man looked over to the wall and saw Harry there. He whipped his head around and faced Dumbledore again. “Is that who I think it is?”
Harry noted that his voice was much colder than before, and angrier as well.
“That depends on whom you think it is, Severus.”
The one called Severus snarled. “Term begins in September. This is July. Why is he here?”
Dumbledore’ smile irritated the one called Severus further. “I invited him, of course.”
By this time the other three were looking at Harry. The tiny man seemed in awe; the tall woman wore a cool and assessing look; and the stout woman seemed vaguely curious.
The door then slammed shut as the one called Severus left the room.
Harry scowled in displeasure. That had not gone well at all.
Dumbledore turned to Harry. “You’ll have to excuse Professor Snape, Harry.”
This did nothing to improve Harry’s mood. “For which? For slamming the door, or for being a miserable ass?”
Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled. The other three were less amused.
Introductions took place then. At some point during those, Fawkes flew over to Harry and perched on his shoulder.
After a while the other three teachers left. Dumbledore told Harry the way to get home, if he wanted to leave. He told Harry that Fawkes would come back for him the next day, because Harry had school shopping to do, for when term started in a little more than a month. Harry thanked him and left with Fawkes.
As he sat on his bed in his room, in his home in another realm, Harry felt he had a great deal to think about.
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(Posted Sat, 27 Dec 2003 22:50)
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