*1*
Severus swore under his breath as he walked up the neat gravel driveway. The cry of a peacock interrupted the peace of the snow covered park. The fact that Lucius's cherished white peacocks were as good as invisible in the snow caused him a moment of glee but the pleasure was short. A summons by the Dark Lord left never room for much joy.
The potions master was shocked to find out that the meeting was a full one with each and every deatheater present. What was even worse, they all seemed to be waiting for him! Had he been found out? With effort, Severus controlled his breathing. He wiped his hands on his robes and straightened his shoulders.
"My Lord!" He stepped in front of the throne-like armchair Voldemort was occupying and sank to his knees. Keeping his head low, he lifted the hem of the dark wizard's robes to his mouth and kissed it.
"Severus," hissed the man in the armchair in an uncommonly merry tone. "Get up my friend. You may be surprised why I asked you here with all your brothers and sisters in arms witnessing our meeting."
"It is not my station to question my Lord," muttered the potions master. He got up but kept his head bowed.
"I have called you here to pay you back."
Severus had to use all his willpower not to panic. This was it! He had been found out. In his effort to keep himself from hyperventilating, he nearly missed the Dark Lord's next words.
"During the past three years, you shared a little something with me and my most trusted, your advent calendar. This year, we have decided to return the favour." He clicked his fingers and his robes changed to a Christmassy red with white fur trimmings. A woman in red high-heel boots and a very short fur trimmed red dress stepped beside him with a silver tray. Severus had to look twice to recognise Bellatrix Lestrange. What had the Dark Lord promised to her to make her wear that jelly bag cap?
The Dark Lord removed a red cloth from the tray with flourish to reveal a small Christmas tree. Instead of glass balls, little skulls hung from the tree's branches and instead of an angel, a hooded dementor sat at the top of the tree.
"Let me present you your new advent calendar," cried the Dark Lord. "Every day, one of the skulls will light up. Touch it with the tip of your wand and you will receive your gift."
"Twenty-four gifts from my Lord? I'm deeply honoured," Severus bowed as low as his discs would allow him.
"Alas," smiled Voldemort, "this is not only my work although I did the main part of it. All your brothers and sisters you honoured in the past have contributed their magic."
Severus turned to look at the assembled deatheaters. "Thank you, my brothers and sisters in arms!"
"Enough gratitude expressed," the Dark Lord interrupted. He pointed at a gleaming skull at one of the lower branches. "Open it!"
Severus drew his wand. "Who made it?" he asked curiously.
"I don't know," the Dark Lord made a dismissive gesture. "We had a heated discussion about who should make which one. In the end we decided to have a chance spell light the skulls up. That way it's more fun for the makers. Nobody can tell what you will get when. Open it!"
Bellatrix held the tray in front of Severus to give him better access to his calendar. The potions master touched the tiny skull with the tip of his wand.
The Dark Lord fell to the ground, screaming. Luckily Severus had the presence of mind to cast 'Finite incantatem!' at once. The dark wizard scrambled to his feet.
"Who cast this spell!" he roared. "Present yourself or I will torture you all until I know!"
Several deatheaters stepped forward. Severus swallowed hard. This calendar was dangerous! "It seems, my Lord," he snarled, "we need to know what exactly happened before we can name the culprit."
The Dark Lord blushed but his wish for revenge won over embarrassment. "Who of you pulled my pants up to my nipples?" he hissed.
It was Wormtail who stepped forward. "Forgive me, my Lord," he stammered. "The spell was supposed to work on the first person of impure blood Severus met."
"Your spell work has always been sloppy," growled the Dark Lord. He cast a spell at the unlucky wizard. "Maybe this will teach you a lesson. – Return to Hogwarts now, Severus!"
The potions master bowed, took the tray from Bellatrix and left in a flourish of robes. Wormtails's screams echoed through the house; and even a distance down the driveway, Severus could still hear him.