The five of them soon found themselves at the staff room.  Harry pushed the door open and was greeted by a surprised scream.  Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were sitting in chairs, accompanied by McGonagall.  Dumbledore was standing by the window and Snape was pacing back and forth with a strained expression on his face.

“Ginny!”

The Weasley’s swept up their daughter and hugged her.  Harry heard Fawkes whoosh past him and looked at Dumbledore, who was smiling at him.  A moment later he found himself, Ron, and Mika being pulled into a warm hug by Mrs. Weasley.

“You saved her!  Oh, God.  How did you do it?”

“I believe we would all like to know that,” said Snape, eying Harry darkly.  Harry felt a pang of guilt at not telling his father what he had planned to do.

As soon as Mrs. Weasley released him, he sat the Sorting Hat, the sword, and the remains of Riddle’s diary on a nearby table before turning back and beginning to explain, talking slowly so they could catch the words through his accent.

He told them everything.

“So,” said McGonagall, “you broke a hundred school rules finding the entrance.  But the question is, how did you get out of there alive, Potter?”

Harry sighed and told that part again.  Apparently he hadn’t been speaking clearly enough.  But a glance at his father and Dumbledore told him he had been speaking clearly enough.

He then turned to Ginny.  He hadn’t told her part in the story.

She looked up at him, brown eyes glittering with tears.  They stared at each other for a moment before she nodded and spoke.  When she was done, Mrs. Weasley hugged her tightly while Mr. Weasley began to berate her.

“Ginny!  What have I always told you?  Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain!”

“I d-didn’t know!  I found it inside one of my books.  I thought someone had just left it there…”

“Perhaps Miss Weasley should go up to the Hospital Wing after this terrible ordeal.  There will be no punishment.  Older and more wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort.”

“Bed rest and a mug of hot chocolate, perhaps.  You’ll find Madam Pomfrey still awake.  She’s been giving out the Restorative Draught to the basilisk’s victims…”

“So, Hermione and Niamh are alright?” said Ron hopefully.

Dumbledore nodded and Harry grinned at his father.  He knew who was responsible for it.  Snape smiled slightly in return, his eyes glittering darkly.  Harry could tell he was going to be in trouble when they were alone.

The Weasley’s left and McGonagall soon after them.  Snape stayed, leaning back against the wall.  Dumbledore then turned to the three boys.

“I seem to remember telling the two of you and Miss O’Feir that I would have to expel you if you broke anymore school rules.”

Ron gulped.

“Which shows sometimes we must eat our words.  All three of you will receive Special Awards for Services to the School and – ah! – a hundred points each.”

The three boys grinned.

“Now, one of us has been awfully quiet during all this.  Nothing to say, Gilderoy?”

Lockhart blinked and stared about the room, looking for who Dumbledore was talking to.

“Er, professor,” said Mika.  “There was an accident down in the Chamber.  My wand…”

“Ah.  Yes, I believe your father told me about that charm he placed on your wand, Mr. Davids.  Such a sad thing Gilderoy attempted to use it…”

Ron snickered and leaned over to Harry to mutter, “Not bloody likely…”

“Is that me?” asked Lockhart.

Dumbledore smiled slightly and said, “Yes.  Mr. Weasley, Mr. Davids – would you mind escorting Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary?  I would like to have a few words with Mr. Potter…”

“Professor?” said Lockhart.  “I expect I was hopeless…”

“You have no idea,” muttered Mika as he and Ron dragged Lockhart out.  As soon as the door closed behind them, Snape strode across the room and grabbed Harry’s shoulders, his stony countenance collapsing and showing the worry that he was really feeling.

“What in Merlin’s name were you thinking?  You could have been killed!”

“I know,” said Harry softly, looking down at the floor.  “I should ‘ave told ye.”

Snape sighed and smiled.

“No, you shouldn’t have.  You inherited my habit of making snap decisions and going on with them without thought.  Had you told me, I wouldn’t expect you to really be my son.”

Harry looked up and grinned.

The two of them jumped with Dumbledore coughed.

“I should have a camera.”

Severus rolled his eyes and growled, “Oh, bugger off, Albus.”

Harry coughed in surprise at that while Dumbledore simply smiled.  He then turned to Harry.

“I want to thank you, Harry.  You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber.  Only that would have called Fawkes to you.”

< Then again, > said the phoenix.  < I could have simply been told what was going on by the silly little raven your Dark Knight there gave to the youngling and decided to lend a wing. >

“Jar didn’t know.”

< You think our kind have no more power than thought-speak? >

Harry blinked, realizing what Fawkes was implying.

“‘E read me mind.”

< Somewhat.  He sensed your thoughts first most likely, then read your mind.  And then he came to me to see if I knew a way to help. >  Fawkes parted his golden beak in a smile and added, < Which I did. >

“And which we are all very grateful for,” said Severus.

“Indeed,” agreed Dumbledore.

“Now,” continued Dumbledore.  “I expect you wish to go see Miss Granger’s and O’Feir, as I am certain they are awaken by now.”

Harry nodded vigorously then asked, “Sir?  ‘Ow did I pull tha’ sword out o’ the hat?”

“Take a look.”

Harry stepped towards the bloodstained sword, which had stopped giving off its misty green light.  As soon as he touched the hilt to pick it up, the light return and the cat’s eye in the hilt gleamed with an inner fire.  He tilted the sword and saw words carved into the blade along the center.  As far as he could tell they were Elven, but he could only read two words of them.  And those were: my gift to my husband, Tirades Snape.  May this keep him alive through battle and bring him back to me each time.

Severus peered over his shoulder, eyes widening as he saw the writing.

“Elven.  Gods…”

Dumbledore watched the two of them for a moment then said, “I believe that was Malayne Ardwith’s gift to her new husband.”

Severus’ jaw dropped.

“Gods…  I can’t believe…  How?”

“That,” said Dumbledore, “is not a question I can answer.  But if I am correct, that sword comes to those who share the blood of its first owner when they call for it.  Which Harry most likely did…”

Harry nodded, still staring at the sword.

“Now, if you two will excuse me, I have to write to Azkaban – we need our gamekeeper back, I believe.  And I must draft an advertisement for the Prophet…  We need another Defense teacher…  We simply run through them, do we not?”

Harry and Severus nodded, turning to leave, placing the sword back on the table.

“Severus, perhaps you should take the sword?  It is yours, after all.”

Severus froze, turning to stare at Dumbledore.  He then walked over and picked up the sword, which burst into an ardent blaze of green fire.  Staring at the sword for a moment, he nodded to Dumbledore then left, pushing Harry in front of him.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“What’re ye goin’ ter do with i’?” asked Harry as they walked down to the infirmary from the staff room.

“I haven’t the slightest.  I still can’t believe that you found this in the hat.”

“Well, I di’ an’ now its ours.”

“Ours?”

“Well, we’re both Snape’s are we na?” asked Harry, looking defiantly up at his father.

Severus smiled down at his son his response.

“Yes, I suppose we are.”

“And ye doubted this when?”

“Hmmm – until just now.”

“Yer hilarious.”

“I know,” said Severus.

“Oh, bugger off, ye daft fool.”

“Who are you calling a daft fool?  Might I remind you that you’ll be living with this ‘daft fool’ over the summer?”

Harry looked up in surprise.

“Really?”

“Well where else would you stay?  As if I’m going to let you go back to those Muggle’s who aren’t worthy of having any relation to your mother.”

Harry beamed and hugged his father tightly.  Severus staggered slightly then smiled, returning the hug.

“Your welcome.”

They separated and Severus brushed at the trail of slime and blood Harry had left on his robes.

“Whoops…”

“Ah, its nothing.”  Severus smiled and said, “You go see Niamh and Hermione.  I know you want to.  We have all summer together.”

Harry grinned and dashed off, leaving Severus to walk alone back down to the dungeons.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Harry!  There you are, mate.  Madam Pomfrey says Mione and Ni should be waking up anytime now!”

Harry bounded into the infirmary and stood quivering next to Ron and Mika, looking between Hermione and Niamh.  Suddenly Hermione groaned and opened her eyes, followed by Niamh a moment later.

“Hermione!”

“Niamh!”

Ron rushed to Hermione’s side while Mika and Harry went to Niamh’s.

Hermione blinked and quickly said, “Ron, it’s a basilisk!  That’s why Harry heard that voice!”

“Yeah, we know.”

“What?  You know?  How?  And why are you covered in slime?”

“Looong story….”

Niamh sat up quickly and grabbed Harry by the collar of his shirt, her blue eyes blazing.

“Alright you.  Tell the me truth.”

Harry blinked, surprised.

“About wha’?”

“About Sna…”

Harry’s eyes went wide and he clamped a hand over Niamh’s mouth, causing Mika to stare at him.  He hissed in her ear, “Shhh!  No one else knows!  An’ they can’na!”

“Why?” hissed Niamh.

“I’ll tell ye later.”

“What about them?” asked Niamh, nodding her head towards Ron, Hermione, and Mika; adding Ginny in a moment later.

“I doan know…”

“Harry!”

“Ni, what’ll they think o’ me?” asked Harry.

“Mika and Hermione won’t care!”

“Wha’ about Ron?  ‘E ‘ates ‘im.  Ye know tha’.”

Niamh sighed and said, “I don’t know what to tell you, Harry.  But you have to tell them.  I don’t think they’d enjoy finding out like I did.”

Harry nodded.

“Alrigh’.  Can ye le’ me go now?”

“Oh.  Sorry.”

“What was that about?” asked Mika.

“Nothing,” replied Niamh and Harry casually.  Mika eyed them suspiciously but they met his eyes coolly.  It would not be until some time later that he would find out what they had been talking about.