CHAPTER TWO – THE NEXT DAY

The next day Ron, Harry and Hermione were walking through the hallways, it was 3 weeks till Christmas and holiday cheer was everywhere. The hallways were decorated with ribbon and holly along the walls and the ghosts were singing Christmas carols. There was one thing though that was also going through the corridor, a rumor involving Snape.

"Did you hear it?" Harry asked Ron.

"No idea can't be anything new though I mean IT IS Snape. You can't expect everyone to not throw around rumors about him."

"Why don't we ask around? I'm curious myself." Hermione suggested. Just then Neville came up to them, a nervous looking boy with dark slightly curled hair.

"You guys haven't heard yet have you?" He asked them looking around the corridors for Snape. For some reason Snape delighted in torturing Neville any chance he got, this had been going on since his 1st year at Hogwarts. Now he was in his 3rd year and it didn't appear to have stopped at all.

"No." Everyone said eagerly. "What happened?"

"Well...Snape was working on a potion in his lab and it exploded. Now he's being grumpier than usual. Woke up in the hospital wing yesterday and stripped in front of the window." He explained. "You didn't hear it from me though." He looked up behind them and quickly speed walked away.

"Nicholas!" Shouted a deep voice from the corridor. "25 points from Hufflepuff."

"For what?" Asked Nicholas turning around and looking up at Snape confused.

"For hanging that…abomination on the wall."

"But I made it and got permission from the headmaster."

Snape straightened himself up and looked up at the Christmas wreath. It was a deep forest green with silver sparkles and pinecones dipped in silver glitter glue. "Your work disgusts me, take it off."

Nicholas slowly turned around and took hold of the wreath and walked away sadly. Snape smiled triumphantly and continued to his classroom.

"Did you just see that?" Ron asked after watch the scene.

"No I've spent the last 5 minutes staring at the ceiling. Of course I saw it." Hermione said outraged.

"He's more crankier than usual." Harry said watching Snape's cloak disappear around a corner. "Wonder what happened."

"Who cares?" Said Ron.

"Well we do have potions in the afternoon." Hermione said.

Snape went straight into his office after forcing the Gryffindork to take down the wreath. Having decided that the potion would not really harm him in the least, he had decided to not rid himself of its effects anytime soon. He set up his cauldron and began to work on producing the potion again. He remembered the first 3 ingredients but drew a blank for what he had added next. Was it mint or unicorn hair? He pondered this over in his mind for what seemed like an hour. He mentally scolded himself for allowing the cauldron to explode. "Shrapnel must've really flung at me." He said to himself after finally giving up for now.

He looked up at the clock and it was time for his first lesson of the day with a bunch of 1st years. Snape placed a maintenance charm on the cauldron and went to the classroom. The students were inside waiting for the lesson to begin. Snape walked to the front of the classroom and waved his wand. The name of the potion and the ingredients/procedures appeared on the board. "Begin." He sat down at his desk and began marking papers.

"Professor," Said a small voice, he looked up to see a Gryffindor first year. "May I leave early from class? We're travelling somewhere for Christmas and I need to leave to get on the train back home."

Snape returned to his marking. "Absolutely not."

"But I won't be able to go then." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Sucks to be you." He didn't bother looking up. If she really needed to leave she should have simply not showed up and informed her head of house.

"That's not fair!" He looked up again to see Nicholas again, this time looking more courageous than before. He glared at Snape from the middle of the room. "She asked nicely so let her go."

"Mr. Paysley you are not in charge of this classroom therefore you have no say in what goes on in this room." Snape sneered at the child.

"But I do Severus." Snape's attention went to the back of the room to see Albus Dumbledore standing in the doorway. "Ms. Roselin you are free to go now if you wish." Snape shot Albus a nasty look put returned to his marking all the same.

Dumbledore stayed there for the rest of the lesson practically hovering over Snape's every move like a shadow. When the bell rang he finally spoke. "I want you to take a break from teaching Severus."

"Headmaster I'm fine."

"You certainly are not, until the Christmas holidays are over, you are not to teach. Whatever happened in that office of yours is a mystery, but never the less it has changed you somehow, I only want you to do this to see if maybe it will wear off on its own. I will arrange for a substitute to continue and you will receive payment still over the next two weeks. Off you go Severus."

"Yes headmaster." Snape said stiffly and rushed past the headmaster. He was officially free to work on that potion and he grinned at the thought. Nothing would stand in his way of ridding the school from the abomination that was Christmas.