Chapter 2:
Christmas Surprises
Watching Ron pack for his two week trip home, Harry wonders what a family Christmas is like. Never having experienced one with the Dursleys, he finally just asks.
"Ron, what does your family do that is special for Christmas? My family isn't big on Christmas."
"Mum makes a plum pudding every year and Dad chops a Yule log. All seven of us have a stocking that Father Christmas used to fill with small candies and little toys. I'm too old for Father Christmas now but Mum still believes so I let her hang my stocking. My little sister, Ginny still believes in him too but she's only ten. We have gifts. Mum makes a new jumper for all of us and we each have four gifts. Sometimes we draw a name for one of the family members and buy something for them. We didn't this year as money is tight. Dad says it is anyway. Why don't you have Christmas at your house?"
"My Aunt is different. That Christmas sounds lovely. I'll leave you to your packing." Harry answers leaving the room before Ron can see the longing in his face. In truth, his Aunt is big on Christmas but only for her husband and son, not the 'freak' of a nephew she has had to tolerate for ten years. Harry, lost in memories, doesn't see the other boy until he walks straight into him.
"POTTER! Watch it! You don't just walk along the corridors without looking where you're going! Where are you going this late, anyway? Curfew was twenty minutes ago and you know it! You best hope Professor Snape doesn't catch you or you'll be in detention again! What is it now twelve or thirteen times you've had detention with Professor Snape or McGonagall? That's got to be a school record for first years in one term."
"Hmm, yeah well, you're out past curfew too, Malfoy. What's the use of trying to scare me when you are out past curfew yourself. In answer to your question, I think the Weasley twins hold the record for the most detentions in a term. Fred bragged the other day they had twenty first term. I've only had ten so far. Mostly with Professor Snape. He seems to enjoy having me scrub his cauldrons. I must be the best cauldron scrubber in Hogwarts as he chooses me to do it for him so often!"
"Ha! That's actually funny! I'm shocked you can laugh about it. My Father would be furious if I got that many detentions! He'd send for me to come home and then punish me! Doesn't your family care?"
"My parents are dead, Draco. Remember? How could you forget that as you always throw the "Boy Who Lived" name at me. If I lived then someone died. I don't know why it matters to you."
"I meant your relatives, your uncle. Doesn't he punish you for breaking rules?"
"He punishes me but he doesn't care what happens at school only when I'm with him. Why are you out wandering like me?"
"I just got word that my Mum and Father are going to France for Christmas and leaving me here. They want to have Family Christmas on the New Year instead of at Christmas and just decided to let me know I wasn't going along. I needed some time alone."
"So you will be here for Christmas, then? I'm staying too. Maybe we could do something together. I think there's only two other first years staying and they're girls." Harry puts forth, hoping to get along better with this prickly and unpredictable boy. When the two have been alone, Draco has been friendlier but around others he's standoffish and enjoys firing insults. Tonight he's seemed more approachable than ever before.
"WELL, just look at what I found, Mrs. Norris! Two rule breakers on my floor just chattering away not caring that curfew was almost an hour ago! Well, I know someone who will care! Professor Snape is on monitoring detail tonight. Let's go boys and you can sob your sorrows to him!" The caretaker announces gleefully.
"Who is he?" Harry whispers to Draco as they follow the man with long stringy hair and bulging eyes.
"His name is Filch. Haven't you heard of him?" Draco whispers back.
"Oh, yeah, I've heard of him but never seen him. Is it true he used to lock kids in the basement and hang them from the ceiling by chains to beat them? That's what I heard he did."
"I've heard that but he isn't allowed to touch students now. Professor Dumbledore doesn't believe in corporal punishment." Draco answers with a quick glance at Filch's back to make sure he isn't listening. He's been told the man is slightly deaf but hears well enough if he's facing you. His cat seems to be his spy and is one to watch for, however.
"What's cop real punishment?" Harry whispers back.
"Corporal! You just talked about it. Beatings, using whips, switches, canes, that type of punishment. You see?"
"So no one at Hogwarts does that to kids?"
"Not whips and the like. Professor Snape spanks though. He got me a couple of times and some others in Slytherin. I hope he doesn't spank tonight. He can really put a fire on your bum. He's my Godfather so he spanks me hard if I do wrong according to his ideas, anyway. You aren't Slytherin so I don't think you need to worry." Draco adds at the fearful look he sees on Harry's face.
"Professor! I have me two dungeon rats here! You take them and deal with them for being out after curfew. On the fourth floor they were! Just walking and gabbing like two women they were." Filch calls out as they approach Professor Snape as the three meet him on the first floor.
"Thank you Mr. Filch, I'll take them off your hands. Come with me!" Snape orders the two boys as he leads them to his quarters.
"Alright boys, where are you to be at this time of night? Mr. Malfoy, you tell me."
"In the dorm, sir."
"Why weren't you?"
"I had an owl from Mum and she and Father are leaving me here for Christmas! I was walking and thinking, sir. I didn't mean to miss curfew. I ran into Potter and we were sharing about families and well... " he replies breaking off at the stern look he gets for rambling on. "I'm sorry, sir"
"I'm sorry too, sir. I didn't mean to miss curfew as Draco said. I just lost track of time and well..." Harry dries up at the stony look his professor is now giving him.
"Both of you broke the curfew rule together so both of you will be punished together. Detention in my lab, tomorrow after breakfast. Now Go To Bed and Stay There! The both of you! Dismissed!"
"But Uncle... I meant Professor... everyone is leaving but a few tonight... we'll be alone in the dorms. How many are staying over Christmas?"
"At last count we had fifteen. Four from Gryffindor, three from Slytherin counting you, three Ravenclaw and five Hufflepuff. Now that I've answered your question, go to bed! Move it!" Snape demands, pointing to the door.
"Yes sir, Good night sir. We'll see you in the morning." Harry replies as he leaves the room, much to Snape's astonishment. The boy was polite and not fearful at all. Usually at Snape's declarations he seemed offended and wouldn't make eye contact or speak when spoken to.
"Perhaps there is some of his Mum in him after all and not just James Potter. That calm under pressure he just showed is just like Lilly." Snape thinks staring at the closed door.
The following morning, the children remaining at Hogwarts for Christmas are gathered together in the Great Hall to listen to the Headmaster's speech. Glancing around, Harry smiles at the new decorations that have been added overnight. Along with the four House trees the students decorated, there are wreaths on each end of the table, red velvet ribbon winding through green fresh cut boughs drape the walls. At one end of the Great Hall, their is another tree with sparkling lights and glittering balls of gold, red, green, white, blue and even pink. Somehow a large fireplace has appeared in the far wall. The mantel is hanging with fifteen stockings! He counted them. This is more Christmas preparation than he's ever seen. They even had gingerbread cookies for a breakfast treat!
"Students, we are making some changes in our routine for the holidays. As you can see there is only one table here in the hall other than the Head table. All of you are now going to be considered one house. We'll call it Christmas House. In Christmas House no points are awarded or taken and everyone is family. Your Heads of House will be Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. You may come to them for anything you need. We've also arranged a dorm for all of you. Your belongings will be moved down to the Slytherin dorm for the two week holiday. We'll split you into groups of two to four together for roommates. Now, all of you make sure to pack what you want to bring from your dorm. If there are special games or books in your common room you would like to bring, pack them also. The elves will be moving you in to your new dorms after lunch. Until then you are free to pack and enjoy the beautiful day. Have fun and meet back here for lunch."
At the head table, Snape mutters to Minerva, "Does he really believe they will all just magically get along? He can declare them family and that's all it takes for teenagers to cooperate? No points taken or given, then what incentive is it to behave?"
"Severus, it's the season of love and giving. Try to remember that and stop worrying over the children. We have to get together later and discuss how the gift giving will take place. Some gifts have arrived for the children from their families. I made a list and everyone has at least two gifts except for Harry. Harry has received nothing at all from anyone. I worry about him, Severus. He's so thin and pale. He doesn't eat much and seems to have no clothes except school uniforms. I've not seen him wear everyday clothes as the others do on weekends. Now that winter has come, I don't see him with a cloak either. I asked one day last week and he said he'd forgotten to put it on. I don't believe that's the truth. I'll examine his trunk when it comes down later."
"Minerva, we've been in session for four months and you just now decide to examine the boy's belongings to see if he has appropriate clothing? I check my Slytherin's when they arrive. I send a list to parents of any clothing they lack including winter! Winter in Scotland can, as you know, appear overnight! I also have each child examined by Poppy to run a health diagnostic scan at the beginning of the term. I want to know if some child is under or over weight so I can prepare nutrient potions or weight loss supplements. I thought all houses did the same!"
"No, I never have. I realize I should have. The parents are not as reliable at taking care of the students as they were thirty years ago. Could you arrange for Harry to be monitored as you do the Slytherins? I worry so about him. Do it for his Mum. You and she were best friends at one time."
"I have him for detention in a few minutes. I'll do it then. He and Malfoy were out after curfew last night." Severus replies to her questioning look.
"Harry and Draco together? I thought they were arch rivals! Now they are breaking curfew together? Wonders never cease! They could be friends with a little encouragement, I think. Draco isn't the privileged spoiled brat he likes to pretend he is. I'll have them room together during this break."
"You are an observant woman when it comes to Slytherin students but not your own Gryffindors. Pity. I will do a nutrition scan on Potter to see what he needs. As to the gifts, his probably just haven't arrived yet. I'm sure The Boy Who Lived will be fawned over by his relatives."
"Severus, don't call him that horrible nickname. I'm not as observant as I should be, 'tis true, however I sense something with young Harry. He seems fragile, lost, somehow. I can't describe it. He's nothing like his father if you take the time to get to know him. He's quiet, timid almost, watchful, keeps mostly to himself except for latching on to Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. They seem to be his protective shell at times." Minerva muses.
"I have detention to monitor. You go check the children staying and monitor the elves as they invade my dorms. I don't want to walk back in and find mayhem everywhere! I run a tidy dormitory and it's going to stay that way! Christmas or not, I want order! I have had the elves store the student's belongings to clear two rooms for the boy's and two for the girls in the first year dorm. First years haven't collected as much 'belongings' as the other years so there is less to store."
Watching the two boys as they cut and dice potion ingredients, Severus notices how Harry is much leaner than Draco. Draco is average weight and height for his age according to the scan Severus ran on him. Also, the young boy is shivering now that Severus had them both remove their school robes. Dressed in clothes that seem to be two sizes two big, Harry looks much younger than the eleven and a half he actually is.
"Boys, that is enough for today. You did a fine job of dicing, Mr. Potter. When you take the time, you do a fine job. Why haven't I seen this in class? Why are your roots or worms chunked instead of finely diced as you did today? Work like this will make your potions so much better, you see."
"Thank you Sir! I want to do potions well! I enjoy brewing. I don't get to work as slowly as I want, to be able to dice things perfectly in class. We're always rushing to get the ingredients and all prepared so we can let the potion brew. If I had more time I could do better, sir." Harry answers smiling at Draco's roll of his eyes behind their professor.
"Well young man, I think you have Potions confused with something else. You see if you spend the time to prepare well, you don't need as much time to brew because you won't need to allow time to begin again or repair errors. While I have your attention, I'd like to ask you why you are wearing such clothes today. Is it because you felt you would need oversize clothes to scrub cauldrons?"
"No sir. These are my only other clothes sir." Harry answers, flushing at the question. "I won't wear my good school pants and shirt to messy work. I always wear this to detention with you sir. It's just that this time you had me remove my school robe, sir."
"Your good pants and shirt? You mean to say you only have one set of pants and shirt? How about jumpers that fit? Trainers? Jeans? Sweatshirts? The everyday clothes I see other children wear out of class?"
"I have one jumper that almost fits when I roll up the sleeves five times. I wash out my shirt every night and the pants on weekend nights. With my school robes they don't get dirty. Hagrid helped me buy three school robes so I have enough of those."
"When was this?"
"At first of term, sir. Hagrid took me 'round to get my school supplies. I haven't been back since, sir." Harry replies eyes downcast in embarrassment at the condition of his clothes.
"Draco, you go ahead to the dorm now. You and Mr. Potter are in dorm room four. Harry will be with you soon."
"Yes Sir." Draco answers, leaving the room.
"You called me Harry, sir! You never call me Harry. Am I in trouble sir?" Harry asks, trying to keep his bottom lip from trembling.
"Not at all, son. I just wanted to talk to you alone. I also want to apologize on behalf of the school faculty. We should have checked your trunk to see if you were prepared for school. I do a check on all of my Slytherin first years, their height, weight, health, school supplies and clothes. This should be done for all students. With your permission, I would like to do that for you now. Technically you are one of my Slytherins for the next two weeks. As such, I am going to be treating you as such. Now, off the stool and let me scan you. Did you know that I knew your Mum?" Severus asks as the boy obeys and he begins the scan.
"Really sir? What was she like? Hagrid told me some about my Dad but I don't know about my Mum. What did she look like sir? Everyone tells me I look like my Dad so I can guess what he looked like." Harry asks, excited to finally find out about his parents.
"Child, why are you asking this? Have you never seen photographs of your parents? Your Aunt has not told you of them?"
"Only that they were awful drunks who were freaks like me because they had the evil magic and died in a car crash. She said I should have died with them to save the world from being freaky or something like that. She will always shout the last part so I miss out on what she exactly said. Then she shoves me into the broom cupboard and locks me up. It's dark and cold under the stairs, sir. I don't know how not to be a freak or I'd stop doing it and maybe could get a real blanket to sleep under not a baby blanket that doesn't cover me past my waist. My feet get really cold and ache."
"Your parents were not drunks or freaks son. You are not a freak either. The only freak I know would be your Aunt. I know her as well. Petunia Evans, correct?"
"Dursley, sir. Petunia Dursley. My uncle is Vernon Dursley of Privet Drive. Don't tell them I told you about what they called my Mum and Dad, PLEASE SIR! I'm sorry I talked. I got warm and I just blabbed it all. I'll be in so much trouble. I won't get to eat the bread crust or eat the meat off the bone for the soup or ..." Harry breaks into sobs at the idea of no food again.
Taking the child into his arms, Severus holds him tight. "Shhh, it's alright Harry. Never again will you be treated that way! Never! You are not to blame and not for one second do you worry about returning to those fools. You will be my ward before I let them take you again! Now, dry your eyes and go to the dorm. Be sure to tell Draco to show you the chess set in the common room. It's an amazing set. Off with you now, I have things to do." Severus tells the boy as he hands him his school robe. After the door closes, Severus sends a patronus to Minerva and the Headmaster requesting a meeting in ten minutes in the Headmaster's office.
