ambitious, cunning, adaptable | hp x dm

chapter twenty seven: debriefing

When they arrived in the lavatory, in a heap on the floor, clinging to one another in a rather undignified manner Harry rolled over onto his back with a groan as he released the Phoenix. He blinked up at the stark white ceiling of the bathroom which was invaded seconds later by the scowling face of Severus Snape.

Harry didn't even have the energy to be scared or embarrassed. Instead, he just offered up a crooked grin. "H'lo, Professor."

Snape opened his mouth to retort before he heaved out a sigh and pulled Harry up by the scruff of his collar. Harry blinked owlishly at the older man before reaching up with one hand to right his glasses. "Thanks."

On the floor, he could hear the quiet hiccuping sounds of Pansy's laughter. He glanced down at her to find her body shaking with the effort to keep her laughter in. Snape frowned down at her before he turned to look at Professor McGonagall who merely opened her hands upwards in a questioning look. Behind her still was Dumbledore, smiling happily and stroking the crown of the phoenix's head with his forefinger and middle finger. Snape pressed his index finger against his temple and squeezed his eyes shut.

"I think we best get these students and Mr. Lockhart to Madame Pomfrey, don't you think, Professor Snape?"

Snape nodded distractedly at Dumbledore's words as he helped the other students up, his eyes raking over them for damage. He whirled to finally assess Harry but stopped short at the sight of the boy who was standing against the sink holding fast to the glaive and wiping at muck on his robes with a frown. "Mr. Potter, what on earth is that?"

Harry didn't look up from his robes. "I think it's a bit of residue left over from the Basilisk's fangs. It's never going to come out..."

Snape twitched. "In your hand, Mr. Potter."

Harry looked over at the staffed weapon and rose his shoulder in a shrug. "Dunno. It came out of the Sorting Hat."

Snape's brow quirked. "The Sorting Hat?"

"Yeah!" Harry whipped out the hat from his trouser pockets and flopped it about wildly a moment. "See? I was there and the Basilisk came and then there was the Phoenix and it brought the Sorting Hat you see and then the Basilisk attacked me and so I ran, obviously, and the next thing I know-" Harry gestured towards the weapon with a sort of 'ta-da' motion.

"Fawkes brought you the Sorting Hat, Harry?" Dumbledore's question got a nod of reply. "You must have said something very noble about Hogwarts, about wanting to defend it then..." Dumbledore skirted around the others in the room and made his way over to Harry. "May I?" Harry handed over the weapon, which he realized he must have looked rather silly holding, as it was taller than he was. Dumbledore took hold of it and bunched up a bit of his sleeve before wiping off the tar-like gunk from the blade of the glaive. "Just as I suspected - look here, Severus."

Snape bowed his head forward to where Dumbledore was pointing. There was a signature carved into the metal. "Salazar Slytherin. It can't -- surely you aren't --"

"It seems Mr. Potter has done his House proud in his hour of need. He called for the weapon of Slytherin House."

"The what of what?"

Dumbledore peered down his nose at Harry. "My boy, you see... each of the founders was skilled in combat as well as magic and bestowed upon the students of Hogwarts weapons to those in great need. There is the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, the Bow of Rowena Ravenclaw, the Warhammer of Helga Hufflepuff, and the Glaive of Salazar Slytherin Each of these weapons were designed so that if Hogwarts was ever in peril those worthy could take up the means to defend the castle."

Harry gawked at Dumbledore before turning to look at Draco and Pansy who looked equally as dumbfounded. His friends traded looks before turning back to him and shrugging. "That's... a lot to take in, Professor."