It was the New Year's Eve. Severus Snape, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was sitting at his desk in the Headmaster's office, alone. He was used to spending the holidays alone, but usually he at least had his co-workers to annoy him in the staff room. This year, he missed their company. They all hated him for killing Dumbledore, and although he was disappointed no one had stopped to look deeper into it and doubt in his ability to turn around and betray his long time mentor and friend, he couldn't help but miss their company. He poured himself a glass of fire whiskey and drank it. He briefly considered drinking himself into oblivion which would be out of character for him but at least he could forget his problems for once in his life, but decided against it for fear of not being in his right mind and completely focused, therefore unable to protect the school and its students should something happen, or answer Voldemort's call. He thought of going to sleep, but knew his racing mind would not let him, so he was better off here than lying in his bed and trying to sleep. He thought of last year's holidays, how he was sitting in the staff room because Dumbledore wished him to do so, in hopes of Severus bonding with his colleagues and maybe having some hope of friendship after Dumbledore himself was gone. He didn't particularly wish to socialize at the time, not being able to force himself to suddenly become all happy and sociable, especially when he was in truth feeling like shit. He never was one to constantly seek company, but at that moment he wished he at least had one person, one friend to share at least some of his problems with, or at least keep him company. He never believed in all the pomp around Christmas and New Year, as didn't a lot of his colleagues, Minerva and Filius being two of them. So they always shared a conversation and a glass of ridiculously expensive Wizarding champagne to toast the New Year. As sentimental as that might be, he wished for that now. He decided to open a bottle himself, to toast the good old times. Maybe not really that good, because the threat of Voldemort has been around for the last couple of years, but better at least.
Just as the pop of the bottle opening resonated around the room, there was a knock on the door. Severus sighed, hoping it wasn't the Carrows. He opened the door with his wand. To his surprise, there at the door was standing Minerva Mcgonagall, holding the exact same bottle he had just opened.
