10
"A wand polisher?" Albus Dumbledore pouted. "Why does he always get the good things?"
"May I remind you, headmaster, that your nose warmer is a good thing, too?" Severus asked sourly.
"Of course, of course! I mustn´t be ungrateful! It was exactly what I needed at exactly the time I needed it. I saw that some of the students copied it, but none of their copies is a good as my original." He produced the nose warmer in question from his pocket and put it on. "See? – So what are you going to do about the advent calendar today?"
Severus chewed his toast slowly. "I think I will give the present away early. I don´t want to risk more interference. First Lucius and then You Know Who, that´s enough. This calendar is mine and I determine who gets the gifts."
"So will it be one of the colleagues?" the headmaster asked curiously. "Septima has been looking at you eagerly ever since Minerva got her nightdress."
"I certainly will not burden myself with an eager woman," growled the potions master. Some seats down the table Septima Vector looked disappointed. "I think it will be Argus today."
"Argus? That is very kind of you, Severus." The headmaster helped himself to another cup of tea.
The potions master went searching for the caretaker right after breakfast. He found him at the trophy room, where the man was cleaning the glass showcases. His cat, Mrs. Norris, was watching him from a corner of the room.
" !" Severus hurried to the man´s side. "I´ve been asking myself whether you would like to open my advent calendar." He held out the pink box.
Argus Filch blushed with excitement. "Is it true, professor, that this comes from Santa himself?"
Severus nodded.
The caretaker took the box eagerly and opened it. "A chocolate bar," he cried, a little disappointed.
"A chocolate bar from Santa himself!" Severus pointed out.
"I was hoping for a magical gift!" Filch admitted.
"Not everybody gets one," Severus explained. "Just think of professor McGonagall."
"It´s true," mused Filch, "a nightdress isn´t magical, although rumor has it that the result was close to magical. – But a piece of chocolate! You can get that in every muggle calendar."
"True," hissed the potion master, angry now. "I will remember that next year and not pester you again."
"I´m sorry, professor," cried the caretaker, "I didn´t want to sound ungrateful. It´s only because," he hesitated, "I have no magic of my own. Therefore I hoped for a magical present. I´m sure the chocolate is great." He opened the wrap and tried a bite. "Mmmmh!" the man practically purred. "This is easily the best chocolate I ever tasted. It IS magical!"
Severus smirked and left the squib to his chocolate. He had lessons to teach after all.