Chapter 10 – A Strange Gift

Christmas Day ended quickly, much to everyone's disgust. Alana had experienced many Christmases at Beaubaton's but she had never felt as happy and as comfortable as she did at Hogwarts. She woke to the sound of squeals; the girls all had presents at the end of their beds. Alana had not gone home for Christmas; she never did. She was shocked to see the pile of neatly wrapped gifts, lavishly decorated with ribbons and bows. At her last school, you had to collect your gifts from the Owlery; a smart place, pristine and dainty, but there was something about Hogwarts and Christmas that made it seem…well, magical. Alana smiled warmly at everyone, and clambered over her sheets to start unwrapping.

Her parents ever practical but ever eccentric had bought her an essential potioneer's kit, and a jewelled knife. Alana grimaced and found immediately, she hated it. There was something not in concordance with the knife and the way she felt. Four months ago, she would have loved it. But now, she felt it attracted too much attention; it was gaudy. She did not know whether it was her father or mother's idea; perhaps they felt she needed something a little more personal and 'grownup'. But Alana had grown accustomed to the oak handled knife she used in the dungeons, and this felt like an impostor in her hand. Tucking it away into its pouch, she instantly felt a sense of extreme guilt.

Harry had bought her some sweets, as had Ron. Hermione had been as practical as her parents; a diary that told her when her homework was due in. Alana wasn't ashamed to show how much she loved this gift, seeing as she was always forgetting and having to run back to the common room. A few relatives had sent money, and her aunt on her mother's side, who was aware that they were wizards and witches, had sent her clothes. There was a large, soft parcel from Ron's parents who sent a polite card saying they had not met her but Ron had mentioned her, that they hoped to meet her soon, and enclosed was a traditional Weasley present. She pulled out a woollen sweater; hand knitted, and saw Hermione had one too. Hers was a dark blue with a large emerald green A on it.

"It's a bit Slytherin," one girl in the dorm commented.

"Don't mind that," Hermione said pulling her own jumper on; a pink one with a yellow H. "I think it'll suit you."

An hour later they were all in the Great Hall, enjoying breakfast. All the Weasley's and Harry had their sweaters on, so Alana didn't feel out of place. Draco passed her on the way to the Slytherin table, and mentioned something about giving her his gift another time, and remarking that she should sit with them on their table, as he eyed her jumper. Alana smiled, and apologised for not getting him anything. He shrugged and strode off, ruffling Crabbe's hair as he sat down.

Alana felt awful; having not gone to Hogsmeade, she had not been able to buy anyone anything, yet they'd all bought her something. She kept apologising throughout the day.

"Don't worry about it; we'll blame Snape," Harry said, taking another sausage.

Alana looked at the top table where the teachers sat and saw Snape smiling briefly at a joke Flitwick had got from a magical cracker.

She shook her head. "It's not his fault," she mumbled, but everyone had moved on.

The rest of the day was spent eating, having snowball fights, and playing cards. Hermione taught Alana how to play wizard chess, but soon regretted it after she beat most of the Gryffindor's who challenged her. When Alana finally got into bed that evening, her stomach full and her body truly exhausted, she couldn't help but think about Snape and what had he got for Christmas?

***

Boxing Day was a less jovial affair, with most people still full from the day before, and using their free time just to relax. Alana, however, had potions that evening and spent most of the day writing up her potion work for Snape.

"He works you hard," Ron observed. "I never realised he was such a slave driver. Git maybe," the ginger boy observed with a wicked grin, "but not a slave driver."

Alana shook her head and carried on.

That evening Alana headed for the dungeons. She was sleepy and the dim lights of the castle didn't help. She was dreading sitting in the dark potion's room. The thought of it sent a wave of lethargy over her. Alana didn't want to fall asleep in front of Snape again. Most of her house had gone to bed early, reserving any homework they had for another day. When Alana had left, Hermione and most of the girls were in their nightclothes yawning.

"Hello, Professor," she said quietly. "Good Christm…"she began to ask, but she had just spotted Snape standing, leaning against a desk with a jacket slung over his folded arms. He didn't look angry, but he didn't look happy either.

"What's going on?" she asked warily.

"We're going out, Miss Cross." He said it without any inflection in his voice.

"We are?"

"To Hogsmeade."

Alana looked shocked. "Why?"

"You will not give up the convention for your visit, so it has been arranged so that you can go to the village this evening."

"But there'll be other trips after that one surely…"

"Which no doubt you'll worm your way out of to," Snape interrupted. "No arguments, Miss Cross."

Alana stared at him open mouthed. "I…didn't bring a coat," she stammered.

Snape pulled out his wand and whispered something. A coat appeared on the desk beside her, with a hat and a pair of gloves too. She sighed and put them on.

"Ok," she mumbled. "Let's go."

Alana had never been in a more bizarre situation. It was pitch black outside, and snowing gently. Most of the lights in the parts of the castle where the dorms were had been put out. She walked alongside Snape, who, in his dark clothes, could have all but disappeared into the midnight sky. She tried to keep pace, but he walked quickly. Sensing her falling behind, he slowed a little and looked down at her. She could feel nose growing colder, but at least her hands and ears were warm.

"I didn't get you a scarf, Miss Cross," Snape said quietly. He flicked his wand again and handed her a green scarf. She murmured her thanks.

"Will there be many people around?" she asked after a while.

Snape stiffened as he walked. Was she embarrassed? "I should think not," he said coldly, colder than the air at least. "I'm afraid Honeydukes won't be open, or the prank shop."

"That's ok; I wasn't really interested in either. I really just wanted to see the village."

Snape looked at her with a sideways glance. She was cold; her nose and cheeks turning pink. It had been foolish to walk perhaps, but it hadn't been snowing this badly when they'd left. "It isn't far," he said, quietly, almost so she couldn't hear him.

A couple of times, Alana tripped on holes in the ground that were covered by the thick snow, but Snape, whose reactions were very quick, caught her arm before she so much as got a wet knee. After each fall, he let go of her again quickly, acting frostier than the snow.

When they reached Hogsmeade, there were a few couples walking around, and one crowd of local wizards who had been to The Hogs Head. Snape barely looked at them, but stopped in the middle of the village, by a lantern, and turned to her.

"This is Hogsmeade," he said blankly.

"I'd guessed."

"Would you like to stay with me, or look around yourself?" Snape didn't look at her as he said it, fearing her answer.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll just have a little wander…" she started. Snape nodded. "Stay in the village."

Alana headed off down the street without him, the pressure of his unpredictable behaviour lifting with every step. She sighed. This was not how she'd pictured her first Hogsmeade trip. Out with Snape? She bit her lip.

***

Snape waited for her to walk off to almost being out of sight before he began to follow her. Of course he couldn't really let her explore the village by herself in the dead of night. The locals were cooperative towards Hogwarts students during the day but at night, students were not expected to be here. He had promised Dumbledore he would watch her, yet he wanted her to experience a little freedom.

He had a gift for walking unheard. Snape's natural aptitude for stealth was not something he was proud of but it did come in handy. It was almost awkward tailing a student and as he followed her, he felt echoes of his reoccurring dream where he followed her to his room. He tried not to think about it, shaking his head as if he could shake the thought away. She was quite far ahead of him, looking at all the different shops with genuine wonder. Snape realised she was turning the corner towards the clearing where the Shrieking Sack could be seen. He picked up his pace, the snow crunching under his shoes with urgency. She shouldn't leave the lights of the village.

Alana was enjoying her stroll; she felt warmer and the village was pretty at night. It didn't have the beauty of Hogwarts but it did have a quaint charm. She wanted to see the Shrieking Shack which was supposed to be haunted, but she didn't know where to look, so she kept walking aimlessly, hoping she would reach it. Alana looked in the windows of all the shops she passed. The shop that was Honeydukes was obvious due to the thousands of sweets she could see, but couldn't count. She wondered where Snape was. Probably glad to be having a break she thought.

Turning the corner she saw there were no street lamps. Alana thought about turning back but further down she saw a clearing, and a fence and she wondered if the Shrieking Shack was nearby. Doing her coat up a bit further, she carried on walking, away from the village and through a small pathway covered by overgrown plants.

She was right; beyond the clearing which was bordered by a fence, was an ancient hut built upon an unstable looking hill surrounded by jagged rocks. The clearing was illuminated by moonlight and Alana realised that it had stopped snowing. In fact, it was very still here. She felt a sense of peace as she leaned on the fencing looking out at the shack. The forest was right next to her, but she didn't think she should walk off into that.

A crunch of snow beneath someone's feet startled her, and she spun round. A man stood about five metres away from her, very still. He was smiling, a strange smile that reached his eyes and made them look frightening. His hair was long and strand like. Alana put her hand in her pocket where her wand was and forced her own small smile onto her face.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"You look lost, missy," he slurred into the night. He had obviously been drinking.

"No, I know exactly where I am thank you," she said, trying to sound bold. She didn't dare try to walk away but knew that somehow she would have to get back to the village and find Snape.

"Let me help you get back," he said grinning, stepping closer. Alana instinctively backed into the fence.

"I'm really fine," she said, her voice sounding painfully sing song. "I have a friend who'll be here in a moment."

He cocked his head as he walked towards her. "You're a pretty little one aren't you," he whispered. "What are you doing away from Hogwarts?"

She didn't say anything.

"Yeah, you're very pretty," he murmured looking her body up and down, now half a metre from her. His eyes rested on her chest. "Let me help you into the forest, eh, Miss?"

Alana was about to pull her own wand out but she heard the sound of running to her left and looked. It all happened too quickly for her attacker, who heard the sound also, and looked as she turned, but was too slow to react as a furious voice bellowed "STUPEFY!" and a bolt of intense red shot from the bushes at his chest. With a choked sound, he flew backwards from the force of the spell. Professor Snape came running down from the surrounding trees, close to the village, his face more thunderous than Alana had ever seen before. She sank to the ground, frightened of him, but she realised he was not looking at her. He strode over to the man, who was now scrappling to his feet, looking terrified. Snape levelled with him and shoved his wand angrily against the man's throat.

"What do you think you were doing?" he uttered in harsh, low tones, the venom pouring out with every syllable.

"I wasn't…I wouldn't…I'm sorry," the man stuttered, no longer intoxicated having been sobered completely by Snape's entrance.

"If I ever," Snape said through gritted teeth, driving the wand into the man's throat a little, "ever, see or hear you speak to another young woman, I will kill you."

"It's not like that…" the man started but Snape pushed him back to the snow.

"You were going to take advantage of her, weren't you?"

"I…"

"WEREN'T YOU?"

"Yes! Yes, I was!"

Snape stood over him menacingly and hissed his words out. "You disgust me. I suppose after being rejected by every other normal warm blooded female, you have to take what you want. Preying on young women. Well, that ceases now." The wind was starting up again.

"Leave. And remember what I said," Snape crouched down towards the man. "I would not hesitate to kill you," he muttered in a low growl. The man made a noise like a whimper. Snape stood and held out his wand threateningly, but the man moved quickly and ran back to the village.

Alana realised she had barely taken a breath since seeing Snape stun the man. He now stood very still in the darkness. She could hear her own heart thudding in her ears. She closed her eyes and let the cool air calm her.

"Miss Cross," his voice said softly, startling her. He was now stood over her, his dark eyes looking down on her frightened figure. His hand was out to help her up. She took it and realised she was shaking slightly. His hands were large and strong, and he pulled her from the wet ground easily. For a second they were too close, but he let go of her hand and turned to look back at the village. She tried not to look at his face.

"I told you to stay in the village," he said after some time, in a low, quiet voice. Alana couldn't tell if he was angry with her or not.

"I'm sorry," she started but before she could stop herself, she began to cry. Snape looked at her shocked, and took his hands out of his pockets, unsure of what to say or do. He tried to contain his horrified expression, but Alana pushed past him and ran back to the village. He had no choice but to run after her.

"Alana!" he called out, attracting strange looks from the other people in Hogsmeade. She was much faster than him. He eventually caught up with her; she was perched on a rock on the outskirts of the village. He understood why she'd stopped. The direction she had come from, the bright lights of the village stopped abruptly here, and it was difficult to see Hogwarts. She needed him. She was afraid.

"Alana," he said bending down. She had stopped crying, and looked blank. Snape wondered if she'd gone into some sort of shock.

"Can we go now, please?" she said a few moments later, in a clear, hollow voice.

"Yes, we better had."

The walk back was even more awkward than the walk to Hogsmeade, with neither really knowing what to say one another. It was a different kind of silence; Alana didn't speak for fear of crying the shame was so strong. When they finally did make it back, Alana took off her gloves, hat and scarf, handed them to him without a word, and headed towards the Gryffindor cloakroom.

***

Alana crept across the dorm and got under the sheets of her four poster bed. It was warm, and after the iciness of the cold winter's night, she finally began to feel like her bones were warm too. Alana sniffed.

She tried to close her eyes, but she kept seeing the man standing, inches from her, and then…Snape…his angry face, coming to her rescue, saving her from whatever the man might have done. She swallowed hard. She was stupid to wander off the path. Really stupid. But thank goodness Snape had been following her; if he hadn't of been...Alana sighed. Thinking about Snape caused her heart to beat faster, until she thought it would come out of her chest. She hadn't been sure before, but now, now she knew what had happened.

If she hadn't been in love with Snape before, she was sure she was now.