Silver BelSnowSnowglobe Hell

Silver Bells, Snowglobe Hell
Part Three
by weasleyswizardwheezes (formerly magicalmistresses)

\"I call the bed!\" shouted Harry.

\"You call the bed? YOU call the bed? Where do you expect me to sleep? Or are you being your usual noble Gryffindor self, not concerned about anyone other than yourself?\" Snape snarled as he watched Harry sit down on the side of the bed and bounce on it a few times to test the springs.

\"Not bad. Feels pretty comfy actually,\" said Harry as he leaned back against the headboard.

\"Are you ignoring me, Potter? Are you deaf as well as blind? Where do you expect me to sleep?\"

\"Well, Professor, there are two chairs over there. Why not push them together and sleep on them?\"

Severus grumbled and pushed the chairs together, and attempted to lay on on them. Unfortunately, his height was so great that his feet hung off the edge. \"Damn you, Potter! This isn\'t going to work! I am your professor, and I have the authority, therefore I should have the bed.\"

Harry laughed at Severus\' attempt to guilt him out of the bed. \"Dream on, Professor. I called first dibs on the bed, and I am going to sleep right here.\"

\"Then can you at least supply me with the pillow and blanket?\"

\"But there\'s only this one...\" Harry whined pitiously. \"And to be honest, I get very cold at night. You wouldn\'t want me to catch pneumonia, would you Professor?\"

\"Does my face show that I care whether you suffer or not?\"

\"Does mine?\" questioned Harry.

Severus growled and fled from the chamber to get away from the intolerable, selfish, brat. Only to be once more bombarded by the same irritating decorations they had come through before, as well as the deafening sound of Christmas music.

He stopped, blinked and cringed. He thought perhaps Albus might have taken mercy on his dungeons. He couldn\'t go back into their temporary quarters. Not yet. He wasn\'t about to concede, and show Potter any weakness. So he stalked off towards the only safe haven he had ever known at Hogwarts.

He decided to take the most direct route possible, hoping to minimize his contact with the Christmas Albus so cherished. Everywhere he went there were pine boughs and Christmas ornaments sprinkled with tinsel. And that infernal music, if you could call it music. It was an affront to his sensibilities. Snape yelled out to the walls of the school in disgust, \"Why can\'t you play something classical?\"

The music warbled for a brief second. Then, he could have sworn that he heard the castle laughing at his plight, and it only served to make him angrier. Snape yanked out his wand on reflex and... \"Damn it, nothing!\" He raised the fist holding the wand and shook it towards where he thought Albus might be sitting. \"You have meddled for the very last time, Albus. This time you have gone too far.\"

He slammed into his dungeons, hoping to find respite from the madness only to find all the cauldons filled with some form of punch and his jars of potion ingredients filled with candy. And the worst thing imaginable stood before him, a massive evergreen trimmed with silver, gold, red and green garland, the sound of several Christmas songs playing simultaneously throughout his chambers. He clapped his hands over his ears, trying in vain to drown out the sickly, sweet Christmas cheer. He wanted to scream. He wanted to throw a temper tantrum. He wanted to...

\"Professor?\"

He spun around to find Potter standing in the doorway. \"What. Do. You. Want. Potter?\" he asked through clenched teeth, his finger jabbing out each syllable as he spoke.

\"I expected you to come right back, sir.\"

\"A bit presumptuous of you, Potter.\"

\"Look, I was thinking. Maybe this replica has a Room of Requirement as well. Perhaps it will become a separate living quarters for you, sir.\"

Severus rubbed the bridge of his nose anxiously. \"It\'s worth a try. Anything would be better than what we have had to deal with so far.\"

\"Do you think it\'s in its usual location?\"

\"Gods, I hope so. I don\'t think I can take much more of this.\"

Harry had to admit, the temptation to use the mistletoe was begining to outweigh the rest of their current circumstances, but he wasn\'t that desperate. Yet.

They took another route from the dungeons to one of the other towers. This time the decorations where all in white. White statues of reindeer pulling a white sleigh, with fake snow underneath the entire scene. I\'m dreaming, of a white Christmas...just like the ones I used to know...

\"Merlin, how many Muggle Christmas songs are there? I\'m beginning to think we could spend weeks in here and not hear the same one twice.\"

\"Perish the thought.\" Snape visibly shuddered at the idea. They were now only a few steps away from the Room of Requirement.

\"Maybe you should start thinking about a nice comfortable bed, Professor..\"

\"Alright, Potter. I\'ve got my ideal room in mind.\"

\"Well, you\'re the one who has to open the door first then.\"

Severus reached out and turned the handle on the door. The room was a mockery of what he had pictured. It was no larger than three by five feet, barely big enough to house even Filius Flitwick. One wall was filled with a fireplace, the mantle hung with two stockings labeled \"Severus\" and \"Harry.\" And by the fire, was a pan of roasting chestnuts. The smell of them filled the tiny room completely. And the damn music! Always the music! Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, jack frost nipping at your nose....

Harry suppressed a grin and reached into his stocking. He pulled out two black lumps. \"Coal? What do you think is in yours, Professor?\"

\"I really don\'t care to know, Potter. Let\'s just get out of here.\"

By the time they returned to their room, the only room it seemed not affected by the spirit of Christmas, they were tired and dispirited indeed.

\"Erm... um... I could share the bed with you, sir.\"

Severus paled at the thought. Potter was the last person on earth he wished to share a bed with.

\"How... uh.. generous of you, Potter. However, I don\'t think that would be appropriate. I am your professor.\"

Harry put his hands on his hips in disgust. \"Ok, this is the reality here. We are stuck in this snowglobe. There is only one bed. You can either share with me, sleep on the chairs or take the floor. Look, if it will make you feel any better, we can sleep top to toe, okay?\"

Snape looked from the chairs, to the floor, to the bed and back again. Harry was beginning to think the man would never respond.

\"Fine. FINE. Whatever. We\'ll sleep top to toe, as you suggested.\"

\"Okay then. I\'m going to go to Gryffindor Tower to see if I can find some night clothes and a change of clothes for tomorrow. You might want to check the dungeons as well.\"

\"We have to leave again?\" Snape actually spoke with a whinging voice.

\"Well, yes... unless you want to sleep in your underwear?\"

Snape thought about his underwear, he really didn\'t want Potter to see the snakes he had parading around down there.

\"Um, yes. Right. I\'ll head to the dungeons then. While you head to Gryffindor Tower.\"

They each were gone about half an hour; when they both returned, they had in their hands the only things they had found in their trunks. Each carried a red flannel, one-piece jammie and a pair of fuzzy slippers.

\"Dumbledore is one sick, twisted old man.\"

\"You\'re figuring this out NOW?\" Severus yelled, his usual calm shattered long ago.

\"You don\'t have to take your irritation out on me, you know. I\'m in the same boat.\"

\"Same globe, Potter.\"

\"Whatever. I\'m going to shower now. Don\'t hog the bed.\"

\"As long as you don\'t hog all the hot water. I would like to take a shower as well.\"

Harry disappeared into the tiny bathroom and moments later, Snape heard the water start to run. Seconds after that he heard...

\"ARRRRGH!!!\"

~tbc~