Severus Snape Phoenix Freed

Chapter 2 - Rescue

Phoenix wretched. Luckily she didn't vomit. She had never apparated before. Professor Snape was still holding her down, and she tried to pull her wrists out of his grasp. When he tightened his grip, she winced at the pain.

"Hold still, I don't want to hurt you," she heard him say. It didn't make any sense. He used to be her professor! How could he be a Death Eater?!She spat at him in a last ditch effort, and also because she was furious.

Phoenix had been hiding out with the other students for over a month now. They had plans to try to join the Order of the Phoenix, or even start their own resistance if the Order wouldn't take them because of their age. She hadn't asked for the responsibility she found herself in, helping take care of children she'd found, but they had basically fallen in her lap. She had her own reasons for hiding out, but she was like a mother to them at that point, or at least an older sister, and her conscience wouldn't allow her to leave them to fend for themselves. She was supposed to protect them...and she had failed. The sting of her failure to keep them safe brought unwelcome tears to her eyes, and she shamefully tried to blink them away.

She saw Snape grit his teeth in a snarl when she spat at him, and she felt a hot tear fall down her face. Not from fear, she told herself, but from her failure. She had decided years ago she would never fear anything or anyone ever again, and she wasn't about to start now. Yet, the reality of having her former Professor, who was obviously now a Death Eater, holding her down forcibly on the floor, stretched her resolve to remain fearless. She wouldn't allow herself the luxury of weakness, however, and she steeled herself to face whatever her already tumultuous life threw at her.

Severus really didn't want to hurt her, but when she spat in his face, he gritted his teeth against the urge to send her back from where she came from... this wasn't her fault. Instead, he rose, dragging her up with him by her wrists. He spun her around so she wouldn't be tempted to spit at him again and wrapped her tightly with his arms. "Please," he said in as gentle voice as he could muster, "Please, it is not all as it seems.  Calm down and hear me out."  Severus felt her relax a little in his arms, and he took that as a concession to listen. He wasn't sure what he would say to her. He didn't know why he'd brought her here to begin with.  She wasn't a student any longer, so she was not his responsibility. Actually, he knew why, he admitted to himself... he didn't want her to be captured along with the others, knowing what fate would befall her at the hands of the Death Eaters if they found out she was no longer a student. He still felt responsible for her safety, and he would be damned if he would let her meet an unfortunate fate if she were to be taken to Malfoy Manor. He would take her to safety, and tell the others that she had escaped.

Severus remembered her as a student. She was small and skinny, shy but bright. She wasn't small or skinny any longer. She had blossomed into a woman since he'd seen her last. Her long strawberry blonde hair was wavy and wild.  He turned her around to face him, holding her at arms length, seeing her green eyes blazing at him. The look in her eyes hurt him more than he wanted to admit. He wasn't supposed to be the bad guy...and yet here he was, doing Voldemort's bidding.

Phoenix projected daggers with her eyes, and silently wished she could literally do so. He said he had something to say, and she decided she wouldn't lose anything by listening. She was outmatched, she admitted to herself, both magically and physically, although she wasn't weak on either score. For a moment, she saw something in Professor Snape's eyes...pain, and maybe even regret. She felt her own eyes soften unintentionally, and she heard him sigh, his grip on her arms easing.

Severus didn't know where to begin. He didn't know what he could trust to tell her. He thought he would start somewhere further and work towards the truth, even if he never completely reached it. "I remember you from my Potions class. Phoenie, right?" he asked, seeing her eyes regain focus.

"Phoenix, I go by my real name now," she said, a bit of defiance in her voice.

"Phoenix, I like that. It suits you now that you're...older," he said. He was going to say 'a woman', but something stopped him from admitting that. He didn't want to consider why and continued, "I am sorry about tonight. I know what it looks like. I would like you to consider that there are other circumstances at play here," he said in a reassuring tone.

"Circumstances!" she spat back, "Now I really want to hear this! From Professor of Defense Against Dark Arts to a servant of the Dark lord himself! You may remember me as a child, but I've never been a fool, so don't take me me as one now!" 

He could see the fire in her eyes blaze again, and he could swear he could almost feel the fire in his mind. This wasn't going to be easy, but that was the price he knew he had to pay for rescuing her. He could still let her go to take her chances on her own, but he knew that he would suffer some guilt for not assuring her safety, and he decided he at least had to try. "I know you are not a fool. I would never treat you as such. There are truths that I am not at liberty to share, and yet I feel compelled to do so now because of the situation we find ourselves in. I will tell you what I can, and I hope that is enough for you to trust me," he said earnestly. He saw her head lift almost imperceptibly as if she was willing to listen at least. He let her arms go and stepped back a step. "I have been a Death Eater in the past, as it would seem I am now, knowing it is necessary to ensure the safety of the students of Hogwarts. Dumbledore knew of my true nature, and I never broke his trust of me... Even to his death," Severus paused at the painful truth of his words. "I cannot tell you anything that would compromise either of us. The Dark lord would cut through your mind like warm butter, and I cannot risk that. Just know that the safety of Hogwarts is of upmost importance to me," he said, meeting her eyes with an unwavering conviction.

"And what of me?" Phoenix asked, "I am no longer a student. What about my safety? And the safety of my friends that were taken tonight?" 

Severus held her eyes with his, noticing she also did not waver, "Yes, your safety and theirs as well. I know you don't have a reason to trust me after tonight, but even that is not important. Your friends will be returning to Hogwarts as students, more for the Dark lord's purpose, but they will be under the blanket of my protection here, and I will see you to safety... elsewhere." 

Severus could see her wrestling with her thoughts before she spoke, more softly now, "Where will you take me?" 

Severus considered his limited options. "To the Order. Your name is fitting. If your purposes are aligned, they could perhaps use your help, or help you find a place to go," he said, thinking aloud as he considered his options. However, there was a regret gnawing at him at that prospect, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.