CHAPTER 2- Santa Claus of the Wizarding World
"So just how did you become the Santa Claus of the Wizarding World professor?" asked Harry cautiously as he wondered if he was going to get one of Snapes caustic remarks snapped at him for being intrusive.
Snape glowered at him just as Harry expected and everybody except for Albus waited with baited breath for the inevitable explosion that would normally follow what he would normally consider an impertinent question.
Then suddenly to everyone's surprise He smirked and glanced at Albus who was sipping his eggnog with an intensity that belied his interest in how the Potions Master would respond to the question.
"I believe it is the fault of our Headmaster." growled Snape. Everyone looked at Albus with curiosity including the few members of the staff who had stayed for the Holidays. The whole castle seemed to have paused in its normal activity as the Castle Ghosts stopped floating about the Great Hall and seemed to freeze in place as they had also discussed Snapes odd Christmas Eve behaviour.
"Come now Severus you didn't have to take over." said Albus mildly as he set his glass down and looked over his half-moon spectacles at his younger colleague.
"Of course not, Why would I take over from some crazy old coot who managed to get sick on one of the most important nights of the year to a youngster. Not that I had ever experienced any happiness personally in connection to it as a young child." he said sourly with a slight twinge of pain evident in his voice.
"Santa Claus was sick?" asked Hermione. "I guess even he could but that doesn't explain how come you have obviously taken over Christmas Eve deliveries to the whole wizarding world."
A chortle came from the other end of the table where Draco, Theodore and Blaise were eating their breakfast. "Really Granger, you weren't listening, Professor Snape wasn't referring to Santa Claus." Draco smirked in a genuine attempt to imitate Snape. "Normally we three help Snape but this year we ended up in the Hospital Wing and Madame Pomfrey wasn't about to let us leave.
"Not when you had flu like symptoms." stated Madame Pomfrey sternly. "It would not have been safe for you or anybody you came in contact with."
"We know," sighed Theodore. He then brightened up. "But next Christmas Eve we can help the Professor once again."
"Well I can see why you look forward to being helper elves at Christmas." said Ron. "I had fun this year but I'm not sure if I would like to do it every year though."
"It's not for everyone." said Hagrid. "As for me I was just a little too big to fit into the sleigh with all those presents." He sighed then grinned while he remembered back to when he was a teen, "But when I was younger I did get to help for years putting up the Christmas Tree for Santa at the North Pole."
"So who did you take over being the Wizarding World Santa from?" Ron bravely asked Snape once he swallowed what he was chewing. "If it wasn't Saint Nicholas?"
"I will give you a hint. You know that Poem by the Muggle Clement Clark Moore?" muttered Snape as he kept an eye on Dumbledore.
"A visit from Saint Nicholas, also known as the night before Christmas." said Hermione.
"That's the one, Do you remember how he described Saint Nicholas?"
"Yes and I think he described Saint Nicholas perfectly." Hermione said. As she remembered the fat jolly fellow at the North pole.
"Can you think of somebody else that description would fit?" asked Draco casually "I know the poem well even though it was written by a muggle." He blushed a little as he said. "I learned it when I started helping the Professor a few years back." To prove it he quoted:
"His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;'
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
It was a few moments before Harry turned to look at Dumbledore and exclaimed. 'Twinkling eyes!! Of course!"
"Why yes I can see the resemblance." agreed Hermione as she observed the Headmaster looking a little sheepish. "I can see you in the role. but how does Professor Snape fit in? He isn't exactly the jolly old Elf type."
"You can say that again." muttered Ron through a mouthful of food. Snape's eyebrow rose slightly and he gave the red-headed Griffindor a warning look.
"Years ago I thought it would help make him a little more sociable if he participated in the fun of Christmas in some small way." Dumbledore told everyone. "Just as I learned my lessons when I became picked as a Christmas Helper, then later when I was grown I was chosen to take the place of the last wizarding Santa Claus."
Snape glared at the Headmaster with blazing black eyes while Dumbledore looked benignly back at him with baby blue eyes that indeed twinkled.
This statement caught everyone's attention. It just wasn't conceivable to them that the Headmaster wasn't always the sociable being he showed himself to be during his tenure at Hogwarts.
"To become one of the chosen few to deliver the gifts really is an honour and changes ones outlook on life considerably," insisted Dumbldore. "And some Christmas Eve I hope to also see a twinkle in your eyes Severus."
"Oh yes, like that is going to happen." whispered Ron to Harry. "Just like Snape will suddenly wear brightly coloured robes and become jolly."
"I'd take points from Griffindor for your impertinence Mr Weasley but I wont this time." snapped Snape.
"But when the holidays are over.."
"Now Severus please." said Dumbldore. "You were quite willing to take over from me if I remember rightly." He stroked his white beard in thought.
"Well I knew the route quite well since I have helped you every Christmas Eve since I was fifteen." Snape said bluntly and then admitted in a bare whisper. "I may have messed up in other areas of my life but those yearly trips became a valued obligation over time that I looked forward to."
Dumbldore looked like he was going to comment further but didn't as he remembered that Severus Snape may be an adult but was still very much that lost fifteen-year-old teenager who had needed to find a purpose in life that he could be proud of. Instead he explained, "Anyway I have had a hundred years of enjoyment and I will always treasure my time as the Wizarding Santa Claus as I am sure you will come to in time Severus, and not just as a 'valued obligation' as you put it before choosing your own sucessor."
In answer Snape glowered at the Headmaster and then rose from the breakfast table and strode out of the Great Hall to head for the safety of his quarters. As he entered the corridor he snapped his fingers and a bit of sparkly dust appeared over everyone then a small pile of gifts appeared and sorted themselves in front of each startled student and staff member.
"Merry Christmas Albus." He said to himself as he headed across the paved Flagstone floor and down the stairway toward the dungeons. He could hear the elderly Headmaster chuckle and respond within his mind "Merry Christmas my boy."
