The Firebird, Part I (of 2) - Snupin Showers Day 10 Title: The Firebird Part I Rating: PG Characters/Pairings: Severus/Remus Disclaimer: The characters belong to JK Rowling and the basic storyline to the Russian folk ouvre. Summary: A traditional russian fairytale reworked in Snupin fashion. Author’s Notes: Inspired by the recent rash of fairytale fics in Merlin fandom I wondered about a Snupin fairytale and of course this one leaped to mind. I hope you will enjoy it!
I hope to have part II up today (but it may be tomorrow!) I hope that you will accept Part I as my offering for the day.
Once upon a time there was a czar who had no heir. He had fallen in love as a youth and ever mourned his dead lover, fallen long ago in a foreign war - and on the wrong side. Nevertheless every nobleman needs an heir and therefore the Czar of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, took three young boys into his household to raise as his heirs.
The first of his fosterlings was James Potter, already heir to a noble family, however his parents were notable diplomats and their peripatetic lifestyle was not suitable for raising a child. They happily relinquished him into the care of the czar, only sending lavish presents to the boy and requiring him to write regular letters to them, wherever in the world they might be at the time.
The second of Dumbledore's proteges was Sirius Black, who had also been born heir to a noble family, however his parents had found him so wild and rebellious that they had disowned him at a young age leaving Dumbledore free to scoop him up to raise with James.
The third boy accepted into the czar's household was Severus Snape, whose mother was of noble birth but whose father was a humble woodcutter. The woodcutter and the fine lady had married in a fine fervour of love, but their marriage soon turned bitter with recriminations and spite, and Mrs Snape had been only too glad to relinquish the child who so resembled her detested husband and return to her regular pastimes of taunting her spouse and mourning her fate.
The three boys grew up together but despite all three having fine minds and hair as black as coaldust there was never a moment's peace between them, for all three of them were as proud as the devil and with tempers to match. The two eldest were also handsome boys who knew how to use sweet words to get their way, while the youngest, Severus was sharp-faced and sharper-tongued, so that the servants and peasants on the estate were afraid of him, and his guardian was frequently forced to reprimand him for his mannerless ways. His elder brothers, although careless to the point of recklessness, could always conjure up a smile and a disarming apology, so that they became general favourites whilst their foster-brother became more and more of a recluse.
On the Dumbledore estate was a very special tree brought from a far-off land long ago. As long ago as the czar's grandfather's grandfather's time it had borne golden apples, just thirteen a year. The czars treasured this tree and kept it on an island in the middle of a lake protected it with magical wards. Every day during apple season Czar Dumbledore would take a boat to the island and walk near the tree, watching the apples grow. One day, however, he found that he was missing two apples and he became very angry. He decided to stay on the island overnight and wait for the thief.
When the thief arrived, however, it proved to be a mystical firebird which flew in from the east and immediately began to peck at one of the golden apples, devouring it in minutes. The czar cast spell after spell, but the firebird completely ignored him and ate a second apple before flying away back towards the east, totally unaffected by the czar's wards or spells.
Czar Dumbledore was left dumbstruck behind, with only nine golden apples left on his tree. He needed to find a solution, and quickly! He summoned his three foster-sons to his rooms and told them that each of them was to research the problem and find some way to stop or catch the thief as soon as possible.
"I will stay on the island tonight," said James Potter proudly. "I am sure that I can find the solution by this evening!"
"And if he can't," chimed in Sirius Black, "I will take the watch by tomorrow night. Surely I will have found the answer by then!"
"I rather think that neither of these dunderheads will solve the problem," said Severus Snape coldly, "but I will take the third watch and I will not rest until I have achieved success."
All day the three boys laboured over their tasks. After two hours in the library James Potter smacked his book closed and got to his feet. "I have solved it!" he announced. But that night when the firebird came to the apple tree his intricate web of jinxes failed and the firebird departed exactly as before, leaving behind only seven golden apples on the tree.
Sirius Black muttered to himself as he leaned back in his chair, thinking, for most of the first day - but at dawn on the second day he could be heard clanging and clattering in his workshop in the stables. He strode out confidently to the island that evening but his elaborately constructed cage completely failed to hold the firebird and by morning there were only five golden apples remaining.
Severus Snape spent the first day reading and the second and third days in his alchemy studio, from which servants could hear him screaming imprecations at his equipment and smell the most appalling odours. On the third night he smeared a potion all over his skin and dipped his clothes in it, then he climbed to the top of the tree.
"Don't fall!" his brothers shouted, shaking the trunk mightily but the Czar said, "Come with me boys and give your brother his chance," so they all left the island reluctantly, looking back at Severus silhouetted in the branches against a darkening sky.
When the phoenix came that night, it ignored Severus and immediately began pecking at an apple, crooning to itself. Severus stretched out a hand and grasped the firebird's claw, but it was small and slippery and as quick as a wink the firebird had slipped out of his grasp. Severus sprang to his feet as the firebird ascended, dropping the half-eaten apple, but all he grasped was a tailfeather, which came out as he held on tightly. The bird screeched with fury and headed off to the east, abandoning its food and leaving Severus holding only one flaming feather in his hand.
Severus gazed after the firebird, his dark eyes sullen and determined. As he swung around to climb down from the tree he noticed that the feather's flames dimmed to a dull glow. Only when he turned to face the direction in which the firebird had left did the flames spring up again. Severus picked up the half-eaten apple and tossed it lightly from hand to hand before stuffing it into his pocket. He knew what he had to do.
Without a moment's delay he went to the stables and saddled his horse, then sprang into the saddle and rode off to the east, following the guidance granted to him by the flaming feather in his hand. He was so intent upon what he was doing that he was taken completely by surprise when a huge wolf sprang out from behind a tree, startling his horse into rearing up and bucking Severus off.
The horse promptly turned tail and ran back down the trail, heading for its stables. Severus drew his weapon and turned to face the wolf.
"I'm dreadfully sorry!" the wolf exclaimed. "There's not usually anyone on the trail at this time of night and I was just out for a run."
Severus swore mightily, but the wolf made no hostile gestures, merely continuing to stand there and mutter apologies, so Severus began to abuse it, "You fool! I'm on a quest for my father and I have to follow the firebird tonight, while the trail is still fresh! How am I to do that now that you have scared off my horse?"
The wolf bowed low to the ground. "Perhaps I could carry you to your destination, as it is my fault that your horse was so terrified? I am very fast."
Severus frowned, but the wolf had offered a realistic solution so he climbed onto its back and discovered that the wolf was indeed much faster than his horse. By the time dawn was lighting the sky he and the wolf were standing on a hill not far from a czar's palace. Below them they could see a small hillock, ringed with flame-trees where the firebird they sought was cradled in its nest.
Czar Ragnok was more than a little annoyed that they had tried to steal his firebird. (Although, actually, Severus caught the entire blame because as soon as the goblins popped out of every nook and cranny the wolf went silent and blinked innocent golden eyes at their captors.) However when Severus pulled the half-eaten golden apple out of his pocket the firebird let out a musical trill and swooped down to scoop it from his hands and finish the treat.
Staring at his pet the goblin czar had to admit that the firebird had a case to answer for stealing from a fellow czar.
"I propose a bargain!" Ragnok roared. "You can have this valuable bird to take back to Czar Dumbledore with my compliments... IF you do me a small favour."
What could Severus do but agree?
Czar Weasley lived only the width of a small wood from Czar Ragnok but he was as different from the goblin czar as chalk from cheese. His large family lived in the decaying remnants of a grand palace, but they seemed unfazed by their somewhat decrepit surroundings. Every flaming head seemed cheerful and eager to help, but the czar was quite adamant that they had a sacred trust to protect the Sword of Gryffindor and could not possibly give it (the goblin czar had said return it) to any other czar.
Czar Ragnok had provided Severus with a parchment on which the history of the sword had been written in beautiful, miniscule script. Czar Weasley accepted it politely, passing it to the eldest prince to assess and - after a whispered word from his wife - offered Severus a bed for the night, which he gratefully accepted. He had travelled all night on the trail of the firebird and had been thrust out of Czar Ragnok's realm without the chance for rest or sleep.
The Weasleys were very hospitable and Severus unbent enough to exchange polite conversation with the Czarina, who kept pressing food on him, and one of the many red-headed princes before he retired to a guest chamber, the wolf coming with him. "Goodnight," he said, falling exhausted onto the bed.
The wolf leapt onto the other side of the bed and curled into a neat ball. "Goodnight," it said quietly.
Severus lay there wondering if it was really safe to sleep with a wolf on the bed but the wolf snored terribly, reminding him of home where Czar Dumbledore's snores could be heard from one end of the palace to the other, so after all it didn't take him too long to follow his lupine companion into slumber.
In the morning, Czar Weasley met him at the breakfast table.
"My eldest boy tells me that the goblin claim has a good solid foundation," he said without preamble. "Pass the marmalade, if you will."
Severus passed the marmalade and spread more really excellent strawberry jam upon his own bread roll. The wolf made a low pleading noise and Severus placed a slice of bacon on a plate for him, where it rested for less than a second before disappearing into a large set of jaws.
Czar Weasley eyed the bacon wistfully before placing the whole platter in front of the wolf. "The thing is," he continued, "I really can't afford to just give away such a valuable thing. Not without some kind of recompense or exchange."
The Czarina came in at that moment and took in the sight of the last of the bacon disappearing into the wolf's cavernous mouth. "Oh my!" she exclaimed. "Are you still hungry?" The wolf looked at her with pleading eyes and she tut-tutted anxiously before hurrying off towards the kitchens.
When she came back with sausages Severus and Czar Weasley were still musing over what sort of deal would be a fair exchange for a magic sword of historic significance. "That thing!" the czarina snorted. "It's a terrible dust-catcher. What we really need around here is another woman - and not that French one that Bill has been courting but a sensible local princess. Charlie's set his heart on Princess Nymphadora from across the river - but Czarina Tonks has a prejudice against redheads and won't even consider his suit. As far as I'm concerned you can have that silly sword if you can persuade Princess Nymphadora to marry our Charlie."
Czar Weasley seemed thoughtful. "Very well my dear," he said eventually. "That sounds reasonable. What say you, Prince Severus? Can you fetch us the Princess Nymphadora in exchange for the Sword of Gryffindor?"
It was a silly exchange in Severus' opinion, but he agreed to it quickly. A woman for a sword! With any luck the foolish chit would consider it romantic.