A Hogwarts Christmas Carol

Zephyr, love ya babe!!
Thanks at the end
Not mine!!

STAVE THREE - THE SECOND OF THE THREE SPIRITS

Severus gave an especially loud snore and woke himself up. He sat up and looked around wildly. All the sconces were still lit and he could see the fire still burning in the living room.

He lay back down and thought about his night so far. Had someone slipped something into his dinner earlier? What was going on? First Lucius and then James? He shook his head on the pillow and thought about the last dream (because that is what they obviously were).

He knew that he should have tried to make amends with his parents by now. They hadn’t done anything wrong and he had let them down in spectacular style. He supposed that they thought him dead and that maybe it would be better to leave it that way. No need to reopen old wounds.
‘What about Albus and Minerva?’ said a small voice in his head. On Christmas day the staff always got up early and exchanged gifts over a special breakfast just for them, before the students came down. He hadn’t been to one since the final battle, yet every year there were still presents by the fire for him when he got up. He knew that everyone had suffered through the war, but he just couldn’t bring himself to go and face them on that particular day, knowing that he should be dead and Harry should be alive.

That led his thoughts to Hermione Potter. He hadn’t looked after her as Harry had requested, even though all her friends apart from Ginny and Draco were either dead like Ron or in magical comas like Remus. He doubted that she even remembered what she had said to him that day, so strong was her grief. They found out later from Dumbledore, that there had been another prophecy. That not only did Harry or Voldemort have to die, they both had to. Because they were joined by the failed curse all those years before, the only way for Voldemort to truly die would be for Harry to die as well.

It didn’t make Severus feel any better about living, as he was still convinced that he should have died, but it seemed to ease Hermione’s broken heart a little. She had always, with the exception of that fateful day, been nice to him, and that was why he was cruel to her. He couldn’t bear her kindness and knew that he didn’t deserve it.

He sighed and got out of bed, deciding to just keep drinking, consequences be damned. He walked into the living room and poured himself a large Firewhiskey. He looked at his favourite chair, by the fire and decided against sitting in it again, not wanting to tempt fate. He sat at his desk and started reading one of the many books that he was in the middle of, when the clock struck one.... again. Severus instantly raised his wand. He knew for sure this time that it was past one and also knew that he had not slept for twenty-four hours. Nothing happened. He sat that way for about ten minutes, staring at the fire and waiting for...what? He shook his head convinced that he finally succumbing to madness after years of torture, and slowly lowered his wand and carried on reading.

\"Well fuck me!! No skeletons of former students, no bats, no slime running down the walls, Snivellus, you disappoint me!!\"

Severus jumped so hard that the chair he was sitting in fell backwards with a loud bang.

Sirius Black was helping himself to Severus‘s Firewhiskey.

\"Oh no,\" said Severus, his voice shaking with anger. \"I don’t care if this is my last chance, get out of my home you fucking bastard.\"

Sirius laughed out loud, a short bark like laugh that made Severus shudder. Sirius looked the same as he did the day he died. Stocky build, black shaggy hair, sparkling eyes that could look excited or dangerous, depending on whom you were.

\"No Snivellus, I will not get out,” he said in an amused tone \"I have business here.\"

\"You have no business here, you mangy mutt, I’m not going anywhere with you, and you can tell whoever it is that is sending you, that I don’t want another chance.\" Severus fumed.

\"It’s not your decision, you bloody drama queen,\" said Sirius, smirking. \"Buckle up Sevvie, we’re going for a little ride.\"

Severus folded his arms and scowled. \"I mean it Black, stay away from me,\" he threatened.

Sirius sidled over, linked his arm through a struggling Severus’s and in a singsong voice said, \"I am the ghost of Christmas present, Oops to late!!\" and they both disappeared.

They were standing in the Great Hall.

\"Gods, I miss this place,\" sighed Sirius, wistfully and turned to Severus. \"You have no idea how fortunate you are, do you, you ungrateful prat?\"

\"Fuck off Black,” snapped Severus \"What the hell are we doing here, anyway?\"

\"Well, I am the ghost of Christmas *present* you idiot, work it out,\" said Sirius, wandering around the hall which was decorated in Dumbledore’s usual flamboyant style.

(There was a single table set up in the middle of the hall. Suddenly the doors opened and all the staff of Hogwarts began filing in, still in their dressing gowns, walking to the table, looking for their names on the place cards in front of each plate and sitting down. Once everyone was seated, Dumbledore stood up and the staff quieted down, sipping tea and coffee and looking expectantly at the headmaster.

\"I won’t keep you from your breakfast or presents for long,\" he said, smiling broadly, \"Except to say, Merry Christmas, one and all.\"

Everyone replied in kind and began opening their presents. Dumbledore turned to his right and to his companion of over fifty years. He lifted her hand and bought it to his mouth, kissing it softly \"Merry Christmas my dear,\" he said softly.

\"Merry Christmas you old fool,\" Minerva replied, smiling lovingly at him.

Albus looked around at the staff, all opening their presents and then at the empty chair to his left and sighed, \"They haven’t even noticed that he’s not here,\" he said sadly.

\"Well, Love, he hasn’t turned up for the last seven years. I don’t think anyone expects him to come anymore, I know that they all stopped buying him presents a few years ago.\" At his look she rushed on. “Well you can’t blame them really, we never see him. He rarely comes to meals, he never comes into the staff room anymore, he’s like a ghost.\")

Sirius, who had been standing behind Dumbledore at this point, snorted, \"I take that as an insult.\"

\"Shut up you moron,\" hissed Severus, trying to push the lead weight feeling off of his chest at the look on the old mans face.

(\"I know, but he’s Hogwarts family, the same as them but more so...\" Albus trailed off.

\"He will at least have presents from us,” said Minerva and she raised her tartan tea mug to the empty spot; she looked at Albus and gave him a small smile. He raised his novelty ‘Flirty at 130’ mug and said, \"To Severus, Merry Christmas, whatever you are doing, I hope it makes you happy.\" They clinked mugs, took a sip of their tea and began opening their own presents.)

\"Are you crying, Snivellus?\" asked Sirius, disbelievingly.

Severus quickly wiped the tears away that had been running down his face. He felt like he had two sets of parents and let both sets down.

\"Fuck off Black.\" He snapped. \"Are we done now, can I get out of this nightmare and back to my own life?\"

\"Hmm, lets see...no,\" smirked Sirius and snapped his fingers, causing the scene before them to disappear and another one to appear in front of them.

\"Ah yes, the Malfoy household,\" sneered Sirius, \"I am still amazed at this union and if you ask me I’m sure he’s got her under the Imperius curse.\"

\"Do not talk about my family like that,\" snapped Severus in a rare moment of protectiveness for his godson, \"and for the gods sake, were you always this stupid, the Imperius curse for seven years, oh come on!!\"

\"Yes, well, I still don’t like it,\" mumbled Sirius.

\"Well, it’s a good job it has nothing to do with you then, arsehole,\" sneered Severus. \"Where is their house anyway?\"

All he could see was a run down little shack, similar to the burrow but much smaller. He turned to Sirius, who was nodding yes and before his shock could register, they were standing in a very small, brightly decorated dining room.

Severus had never been here, although he had been invited many times and was shocked that Draco would be at home in a house which would have fitted a couple of times over into one of the guest bathrooms at Malfoy manor.

(The dining table had been pushed into a corner and had an assortment of snacks and drinks on it. Severus heard voices getting closer, the door opened and suddenly the room was full of people. Molly, Fred and George Weasley, their partners and kids. Arthur, Charlie, Bill and Ron had all died in the war. Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mundungus Fletcher, as well as Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, who had also turned on their old house mates and fought for the light before marrying and have two kids. Draco and Ginny entered the room and smiled at their guests

\"Merry Christmas, Thank you so much for coming,\" said Ginny. \"You are all welcome here.\"

\"Well, dig in, enjoy yourself, it is Christmas you know,\" said Draco with a smile, and soon the drinks were flowing and the music was playing.

\"Hi Tonks, we’re so glad you could make it,\" said Ginny, hugging the Metamorphmagus.

\"Me too Gin,\" she replied, with a sad smile. \"I’ve just been to the hospital to see Remus, but Christmas day there is a bit grim and I thought I could do with some company.\"

Not many people had known that Remus and Tonks had been involved since the summer at Grimmauld place, or that she visited him every day at St Mungo’s, even though the Mediwizards had told her that there was no cure for the unknown curse that had caused his coma.

Draco kissed her on the cheek. \"You know we are always here for you cousin,\" he said sincerely and left the two women to chat while he went to chat to Pansy and Blaise.

\"He didn’t turn up again then?\" asked Pansy, shortly, as soon as he reached them. Draco had always liked Pansy, they had been good friends at school and although their parents had tried to match them up, there had never been that sort of attraction.

\"Don’t start Pansy,\" he said, fully expecting this reaction from her. \"He was busy.\"

\"Busy my arse,\" she snorted. \"Don’t bloody stick up for him Draco, every year you invite him and every year he turns you down flat, I don’t know why you bother.\"

\"He’s family Pansy, He’s the closest thing to a father that I’ve got left, just drop it o.k?\"

Ginny had heard the conversation and walked over to join them. \"You aren’t trying to get him to give up on Severus Snape are you Pansy, because you won’t win,\" she said.

Draco sighed, now they would gang up on him and he wouldn’t get a word in edgeways.

\"For some reason he just won’t give him up as lost cause,\" she carried on, \"Hermione’s the same, and she won’t hear a word said against him.\"

\"He’s a good man deep down Gin.\" Draco said in defence of his Godfather.

\"No, he’s not Draco, he’s never even seen our kids, never visited the house, nothing,\" she said, looking quite hurt, as though it was a personal slight on her.

\"A toast,\" Tonks said, sensing an all out argument brewing and trying to diffuse it as best she could, \"To absent friends,\" she said, raising her glass.
\"Absent friends,\" everyone repeated.

\"Merry Christmas uncle,\" said Draco quietly. \"I wish you would have come.\")

Sirius looked at Severus. \"Feeling like shit yet, Sev?\" He sneered.

\"Yes,\" said Severus quietly, not wanting Sirius to see the tears in his eyes again. How could he have been so indifferent to this young man, who obviously looked at him as a father figure, no matter how much he shunned him? Here was another person who wanted him to be a part of his family, and he had shut him out completely. \"Are we done?” He asked the spirit in front of him with no hint of anger or sarcasm.

\"No,\" said Sirius. \"There is one other person’s life that you need to see.\" And they were gone.

Severus had an inkling of where he would find himself when he opened his eyes and he was dreading it, but he opened them all the same.

They were in Hermione Potter’s rooms.

\"Did you know,\" began Sirius, \"that the job she has with you, that you hold over her head at every opportunity, is her lifeline?\"

\"What?\" said Severus, trying to take in his surroundings. Her rooms were very small but tidy. There was a small Christmas tree in the corner with a small pile of presents under them. Hermione was asleep in the armchair and there was a pile of papers at her feet where she had obviously fallen asleep in the middle of reading them.

\"When the war ended jobs for women were practically non-existent as so many women were widowed. So she flitted from job to job, trying to earn some money and bring up a baby on her own,\" he continued, \"Your assistant took a leave of absence and Albus automatically Owled Hermione. He would give her a job in a heartbeat but as you know the school is still suffering from lack of funds since the war ended.\"

\"I didn’t know any of that,\" Severus admitted.

\"Well maybe if you took your head out of your arse once in a while you would notice that even after seven years, everybody is still suffering, and most of them much more than you,\" snapped Sirius.

(The door to the other room opened and James Potter Jr. ran out. The boy’s black hair stood up in every direction and he was wearing glasses but that is where the similarity ended. He had Hermione’s kind face, and her chocolate brown eyes.

\"Mum, Mum, Merry Christmas, look presents for us!!\" James said excitedly.

Hermione groaned and shifted in her chair but didn’t open her eyes.

Her son’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. \"Mum? Are you faking, coz if you are you know what will happen.\"

Nothing.

\"Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,\" he said and leapt on her, tickling her sides.

Her eyes snapped open and she burst out laughing. \"Ooh you are an evil child,\" she said, \"but two can play that game.\" She began to tickle him back until they both fell out of the chair laughing madly. They both stopped, out of breath, and James crawled along the floor to the pile of presents, giving Hermione a running commentary on what he had received and from whom. Hermione then had to do the same back.

\"Who’s this one for?\" asked James, picking up a present that had been tucked right in the corner.

\"It’s for professor Snape,\" she said, smiling at her son frowning.

\"Why have you bought him a present, he always looks so mean, like the Grinch,\" he said, smirking.

Hermione his her smile behind her hand, wondering if she had done the right thing letting him read her old muggle books. \"Because he’s my boss and he’s a good man really, and everyone should have presents at Christmas,\" she said as James came to rest at her side.

Hermione wrapped her arms around her son and kissed the top of his head. \"Merry Christmas son,\" she said quietly.

\"Merry Christmas Mum,\" he replied craning his neck up to kiss her on the cheek. \"I love you.\"

\"I love you too baby.\" She said with tears in her eyes. \"Now are you going to open the rest of those or not?\")

\"Take me back now!\" Severus said sharply, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. He had always secretly thought that Hermione would be a good mother but he hadn’t given any thought to the fact that she was also a father. She was a whole family to this boy and this small glimpse into their relationship had pierced his hardened heart more than anything else he had seen that night.

\"Of course,\" said Sirius. \"But Severus, for once in your pathetic life, pay attention to what you are being shown tonight, because someone obviously cares about you enough to give you this chance, don’t fuck it up.\" With that he snapped his fingers and Severus was once again alone in his living room.

He didn’t even bother going to bed, knowing that this night was far from over. So he poured himself another drink, slumped down in the armchair and fell straight asleep.


Ho, Ho, Ho!!

Zephyr; You are a slave driver!! I physically can’t write any faster!! But thanks for everything, you are a top beta!!xx

Lady Anne; Aww, I made you sob!! Thank you! What did this one do to you? xx

Deb; Well, there’s your second spirit, what did you think? Thank you so much for reading this one as well, you rock!!xx

Rilla; What did you think of ‘Christmas present’? No baby yet? (I know, I know these things take time but still!) xx

Arina1; Tears again, I rock *lol* What did you think of the reasons for the curse?xx

Nat Flores; Thank you, thank you. I will!xx
Andrian; The mighty Andrian!! I am thrilled that you are reading this, and that you are enjoying it xx
Flick; Here you are! thanks!!


Merry Christmas
How sad am I? Updating on Christmas day!!
I am going to continue this, even though Christmas is fast passing us by, because I am really enjoying writing it, and I hope you are enjoying reading it!! Thanks for the wonderful reviews, they mean the world to me!

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