This is the original assignment:
Write a story about the time Dumbledore lost Fawkes and the only person he trusted to find it was Severus Snape. Your story can be up to 1000 words.
Who Let the Fawkes Out?!
Puffing and panting, Harry clutched onto his Invisibility cloak and ran as fast as he could up to Gryffindor Tower. Filch had definitely seen him, no doubt about it. Why oh why did he have to fall asleep in the library at one o'clock in the morning? All he had intended to do was sneak down there to finish his essay for Professor McGonagall. He knew he'd been taking too much on recently, what with Quidditch and the NEWTs approaching… he had let his guard slip – and, unfortunately, his Invisibility cloak.
Turning a corner towards the portrait of the Fat Lady, Harry was about to throw off the cloak and mumble the password when he came across the strangest sight. His breath caught in his throat as he choked back a gasp of surprise: he had nearly run into a ladder … with Snape balancing precariously on top. If there was ever a time when Harry wanted to summon Colin Creevey and his camera, this was it!
Snape was dressed in blue and white striped pyjamas and a light blue night cap with small owls embroidered all over it. As Harry's eyes wandered over the scene before him, he noticed that covering Snape's hands and forearms were a pair of bright yellow… marigolds. Completely baffled, Harry stood back and watched as Snape stretched out his arm as far as he could reach, to a spot high up near the ceiling.
"Come here you little…" Snape hissed at the ceiling. "Look, I haven't got all night you scrawny sparrow!"
Harry glanced at the Fat Lady's portrait and realized that he couldn't creep into the Gryffindor Common Room even if he wanted to – the ladder was blocking the way completely. Besides, curiosity had taken over him, and he followed Snape's gaze upwards to see a set of glowing scarlet feathers floating high up in the corner. The feathers ruffled as Snape pulled out his wand from his pocket and poked at the mass in the corner.
"Get – down –here – NOW!" he snarled.
"Fawkes...?" Harry breathed, stepping carefully around the ladder and not taking his eyes away from the phoenix. Fawkes was perched on one of the empty torch-holders, and Harry swore he could see the bird's eyes twinkling much like Dumbledore's often did. If Snape had been glaring at him like that, Harry thought, his eyes would be far from twinkling.
At that moment, rapid shuffling footsteps echoed around the corridor. Snape looked absolutely panic-stricken, and clumsily tried climbing down the ladder as fast as he could. Harry backed into the corner opposite Fawkes and was making sure his Invisibility cloak was completely covering him when–
"PEEVES?!" It was the unmistakable cry of Filch the caretaker. He had evidently heard Snape clanging around on the ladder. As Filch turned the corner and spotted Snape, his eyes widened in mild surprise, taking in the pyjamas and marigolds Snape wore.
Harry stifled a laugh, not sure which was funnier: Snape dressed like a Muggle house-wife coaxing Dumbledore's bird from its perch, or Filch ogling at him like a mad man. Suddenly he was extremely pleased he had fallen asleep in the library that night and found that it took nearly all of his willpower to restrain himself from throwing off his Invisibility cloak and revealing his presence, just to see the look on Snape's face.
"Oh! Professor… my apologies, I thought that Peeves… umm… well, sorry Professor." His voiced trailed off; his eyes darting between the ladder and the brightly coloured rubber gloves. Snape glanced down, just realizing what he was wearing, and hastily tried taking off the marigolds whilst still holding the ladder under one arm.
The caretaker began to take a few steps back, watching Snape who was now almost hopping on the spot trying to peel the gloves from his skin without dropping the ladder. "Well obviously I'm not Peeves," Snape snarled through gritted teeth.
"Er…yes, Professor," Filch mumbled, not quite sure where to look. "I should also let you know I spotted a student creeping around in the library," he croaked. Harry stirred in the corner, but Filch was now eyeing the owl-embroidered hat upon Snape's head.
Snape promptly snatched the night cap from his head; his hair dishevelled. Harry grinned, thinking that Ron would even gladly kiss Malfoy if he had to, to see this.
"If a student is out of bed, Filch," Snape spat, "you should be looking for them!" At that moment, Fawkes made a chirruping noise from where he was perched, and Snape snatched a quick glance up behind him to make sure that Fawkes was still hidden from Filch's view. As casually as he could, he moved underneath where the phoenix was perched, poking the bird with the top of the ladder – presumably to try and shut it up.
Filch was still gaping at Snape, and looked up at the ceiling, probably wondering vaguely if Snape had gone mad. At that moment, a white blur fell from the ceiling and made an unmistakable plip landing in Snape's hair, and continued to drip down onto his shoulder. Snape's eyes blazed, his jaw set; he glared at Filch as if daring him to say something.
Filch looked dumbfounded and looked again at the marigolds and night cap draped over Snape's arm. Harry was positively doubled up with silent laughter, practically forcing his fist into his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud. Snape continued to ignore Fawkes' "gift" on his head, and said dangerously, "If you don't find that student, Filch…"
"Yes, Professor," answered Filch, stifling a grin; and at that, Filch disappeared from view, his shuffling footsteps fading down the corridor.
Snape replaced his night cap on his head, which squelched as it squashed the white mess in his hair; and, as if to prove to himself that he was too important to be chasing after birds in the middle of the night, he held his chin up high and marched off down the corridor.
Stay tuned for more late-night antics, including spiked punch, celebratory Quidditch parties, a bizarre note, and fun with the Floo Network...