Christmas has always been a time of celebration all over the world. Families gather, feasts are served, and gifts are given. Yes, it certainly is a celebratory time of year. That is especially true for a certain magical school: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Each year, the students and professors get two weeks off from school to celebrate with family and friends. However not everybody leaves the castle this time of year. Four professors, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Pomona Sprout, and Fillius Flitwick, the four heads of houses, and Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster, stay behind at the school to supervise the students who stay behind. However, due to a family crisis, Professor McGonagall had to leave for home the week before the break, leaving the other heads of houses and Dumbledore to look after the students.
Each year during the break, there is a large feast on Christmas Eve, and an even larger one on Christmas Day. Even the large breakfasts and lunches that are served daily are even more extravagant.
Christmas Eve happened to be the first day of winter break for the Hogwarts students, so it was also the first time the professors were able to gauge how many students had stayed.
Snape looked around the Great Hall as students started to filter in. First, he looked to his own house's table to see quite a few of his little snakes had stayed. Luckily for him, however, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle hadn't. He would never admit it, but he actually despised Draco and his band of goons. He only showed favor to them because he didn't want to feel the wrath of Lucius Malfoy if he didn't. Snape wasn't in the mood to think about the Malfoy's and their tempers, so he continued surveying the Great Hall.
The Ravenclaw table had most of it's occupants gone, but there weren't too many of them to begin with. It was the same with the Hufflepuff table, only a few students remained.
Snape looked over at the Gryffindor table to find it completely vacant. He found it odd that his charge, the one and only Harry Potter, wasn't already at the table with his friends.
Starting the summer of Harry's first year, Dumbledore decided it would be best if Harry stayed at Spinner's End with Snape over the summer. Since the raven-haired man was skilled in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Healing, and of course Potions, he would be well equipped to look after Harry.
Neither Harry nor Snape were too happy about that decision. However, as the summer progressed, the two managed to bond, and began to think of each other as father and son. By the end of the summer, the two of them had developed a strong bond between themselves.
However, during the school year, the two decided to keep the fact that Snape was Harry's guardian from the other students, with the exception of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, to save both Snape and Harry from embarrassment and ridicule. So, Snape would pretend to be rude and demeaning to Harry, and Harry would pretend to act the same way he had done the previous year. Snape would even pretend to give Harry detentions, which were really just spent with the two of them chatting over tea. They did well with their act, and had never once raised suspicion of a positive relationship between the two.
'That's odd,' Snape thought to himself, 'normally Harry and his friends would be here by now...'
As if on command, Harry trudged through the doors of the Great Hall, and tiredly shuffled to his seat at the Gryffindor table alone. He hadn't gotten the chance to tell Snape that Ron and Hermione weren't staying, let alone the he was the only student remaining in Gryffindor Tower.
Once Harry had plopped himself down in his seat, he put his head in his hands, and messaged his temples.
'Wow, he sure looks tired.' Snape thought. 'I'll need to make sure he gets plenty of rest today so he'll be ready for tomorrow.'
Snape went back to his breakfast, trying not to raise suspicion by continuing to look at Harry. However, he stole a few glances at the boy when he could, and what he saw did not please him. Harry was pale, but his cheeks and nose were bright pink. His hair was sticking to his forehead, and looked as if it hadn't been brushed in weeks. Snape couldn't be sure from where he was sitting, but it also looked like he was coughing and wiping his nose on his sleeve pretty frequently.
Snape sighed. It looked as though Harry was coming down with a cold. The Potion's Master hurried to finish his breakfast, then walked over to the Gryffindor table where Harry was sitting, unhappy to see that Harry hadn't even once touched his food.
"Mr. Potter," Snape started with fake malice in his voice. "Please come with me. I need to discuss your Potion's grade with you." He turned from Harry dramatically, and swiftly exited the Hall, his robes billowing behind him the whole way.
Harry got up from the table, and shakily walked out of the Hall and into the hallway where Snape was waiting for him.
"Follow me to the Dungeons." Snape instructed, walking that way swiftly.
Harry tried to keep up, but his legs refused to carry him any faster than a slow walk. Snape would just have to wait for him.
Once Harry had arrived at the Dungeons, he saw Snape was standing outside waiting for him. As soon as he saw Harry walk up, he dropped the act. He gently ushered Harry inside, and conjured up a chair in front of his desk and helped the younger boy sit down in it.
Once Harry was sitting, Snape was able to get a good look at him. As soon as he looked at Harry up close, he realized that he didn't just have a cold. His face was in fact pale with pink cheeks and a pink nose, and was covered in a light sheen of sweat. His eyes were dull and glassy, and he winced whenever he swallowed.
"Harry," Snape said, "You're sick, why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Sorry, Sir," Harry started to say, but was interrupted by harsh, painful coughing. Snape reached out and rubbed his back until the coughing subsided.
"Thanks." Harry said softly.
"How long have you been feeling this way?" Snape questioned, worry evident on his face.
"Since last night." Harry said in a hoarse voice. "It was only my throat that hurt last night. So I said goodbye to Hermione, Ron and the others who all went home, and went to bed thinking I would feel better by morning."
"I didn't see you yesterday evening, but I highly doubt you're any better now than you were then." Snape said, extending his hand and placing the back of it on Harry's forehead. He frowned when he felt heat radiating off of it. "Harry, I'm going to take your temperature with my wand, so please sit still."
"No, Sir, I'm okay. It's probably just a cold." Harry said, not wanting to be bothered. He just wanted to fall into his bed and sleep this sickness off.
Snape looked at him apprehensively. "We'll see." He pointed his wand at Harry's temple, and watched as it showed his current temperature and and condition.
"You're running a fever of 101.7, Harry." Snape informed his charge.
Harry looked astonished, and placed his own hand on his forehead as to check for himself.
"I went ahead and used a diagnostic spell," Snape informed Harry, "and you're 'only a cold' claim is quite an understatement. You seem to have caught the flu, and are starting a case of bronchitis. Are you sure you've only felt unwell since yesterday?"
"Well, I have had a small headache recently and a cough..." Harry said, trying to think of anything else he'd had. "The sore throat did start last night, though."
"Well, I think you're going to stay in your room in my quarters over break so I can keep an eye on you and give you potions to help you feel better."
Harry simply shook his head, and followed Snape to his room in the man's private quarters. Once in the room. Harry started to pull down the covers on his bed, only to have Snape do it for him.
Harry carefully climbed into the bed, and Snape pulled the covers up and tucked him in.
"Try to get some rest, Harry. I'll stay with you in case you need anything. Harry nodded as Snape conjured up a cup, and muttered "Aguamenti" , filling it with water.
"Need anything else?" Snape asked. Harry was already half asleep, so he lazily shook his head "No".
"Alright." Snape said. He muttered, "Nox". "Sleep well, Harry; I'll be here when you wake up."
That was the last thing Harry heard before he fell into a restful sleep.