Secret Santas Fight Snakes
A loud groan drifted through the Common Room where the Gryffindor first years were clustered around tables piled with books and rolls of parchment. There was an answering groan followed by two loud thumps. With a sigh Briar looked over at the source of noise.
James, Sirius and Remus sat around a table pouring over books. Well, Remus was, James and Sirius had their heads on the table moaning.
"Will you two be quiet?" asked an exasperated Lily. "Honestly, if someone heard you they'd think you were dying instead of just studying!"
"'Just studying,'" repeated Sirius, turning his head to stare incredulously at where the girls sat together around another table. "We are fighting a battle here! A battle against the worst possible thing anyone has ever thought to inflict upon our poor selves."
"A battle," continued James, "against the most horrendous monstrosity to ever be suffered by a student."
"We're studying for our History of Magic exam," Remus explained blandly, not even looking up from his notes.
"So are we, but you don't hear us complaining about it," Marlene shot back.
"We actually find it quite enjoyable," Alice chimed in.
At that even Remus looked up to stare at them incredulously.
"You enjoy it," Sirius gasped, recoiling in horror.
"Nooo! Evans, how could you do this to me?" James wailed.
"Shut it, Potter! Unlike you some people know how to make even the most. ."
"Boring," Supplied Marlene.
"Horrifyingly depressing?" Sirius suggested.
"Gut wrenchingly awful?" James added.
"Coma inducing?" Sirius shot back.
"Soul crushing?" James returned, eyeing Sirius challengingly.
"Lifeless?" Came the answer to the unspoken challenge.
"Horrifically depressing?"
"Appallingly dull?"
"Cruelly uninteresting?"
"Disgustingly dry?"
"Mind numbing?" Remus muttered into the silence as James struggled to think of another adjective.
"Tedious?" Alice offered.
"Tedious, yes. Thank you Alice." Lily said, ignoring the boys pouting about having their think – of – another – adjective game cut off. "Some people know how to make even the most tedious of subjects interesting, and even fun."
She was met with blank stares.
"'Interesting'?" James turned to Sirius.
"'Fun'?" Sirius looked at James. "Can those words and that subject be used in same sentence?"
As one they turned to Remus, who shrugged.
"'Interesting?' maybe," Remus said contemplatively.
"If anyone," James interrupted, "other than Binns taught it, but –"
"But nothing can make History of Magic fun," finished Sirius as all three turned to look at the girls. The girls smirked at each other.
"Not even pictures?" Lily asked, dangling a roll of notes in front of them.
Sirius snatched it and laid it on the table. The roll of parchment looked like a long muggle comic strip, but involving goblins and wizards with little notes explaining dialogue and dates next to each picture.
"Wow," he breathed.
"Woah," James gapsed, "this is –"
"Amazing," Remus finished.
"Too bad that nothing can help make history interesting." The cartoon riddled notes were snatched off the table.
"Wha – No! Evans! Kind, sweet, beautiful, generous Evans –"
"Sorry, Potter," Marlene cut in as a blushing Lily hid behind a book. "She's not the one you need to beg. She is."
Marlene pointed to the end of the table and the boys blinked at the, until then, unnoticed girl.
She looked up at them and Remus was hit with a feeling of déjà vu. With a sigh she turned to her table mates. "Thanks guys, now I'm never going to have a moment of peace again."
"Sorry," they mumbled.
She turned back to the boys, raising a hand when James and Sirius opened their mouths. "Save it. As much as I'd enjoy watching you grovel, I value my sanity more."
They pouted as the girls giggled.
"May I?" Alice handed her the scroll. She tapped her wand against it and a second scroll appeared. She handed one back to Alice and the other she tossed to Remus. "Now each table has one."
"How did you do that," asked a stunned Sirius, and Briar cursed mentally at her carelessness. Duplication spells weren't taught until forth year.
"I'll tell you after our last exam, which happens to be tomorrow so you may want to study."
Blushing they did, but not before Lily demanded, "You will tell us, right?"
"Yup, right after the exam." 'If you remind me,' Briar added silently.
"Ya know," James muttered after several minutes of quiet studying. "This is our last exam before we leave for the holidays."
Sirius looked up. "You thinking we should leave them something to remember us?"
"Teachers deserve presents too." They grinned at each other while Remus groaned.
Over at the girls' table Briar smiled.
Within an hour of the last exam letting out people began turning striped, polka –dotted, checkered, or solid red and green. The next morning Renegade retaliated.
Four snow people dressed in robes from each of the four houses burst into the Great Hall during breakfast, engaged in a furious snowball fight. They chased each other around the hall until one of them was hit with a spell from an irritated teacher at which time they seemed to realize they were in a room with hundreds of other potential targets. They began pelting the students and teachers.
For the remainder of the week they roamed the castle, throwing snowballs at and shoving handfuls of snow down the shirts of anyone they came across. When Dumbledore showed up at one meal covered in snow from his head to his toes, rumors flew about how all four had attacked him, using a method called a 'dog pile' to completely cover him in snow.
It was the night before most of the students would be leaving that they once again appeared together in the Great Hall. They walked up to the teacher's table where they bowed, first to the staff, and then to the students. After which they dissolved into a flurry of snow that formed itself into familiar purple words:
Happy Christmas,
Renegade!
The words exploded in a shower of snow that covered everyone in the Great Hall with a gentle dusting of white powder.
"Looks like you were bested again," Remus told his friends. Both of which replied by trying, and failing, to replace smiles with pouts.
"Are you ready?"
'I do not suppose you will reconsider asking someone for help?'
"You are my help."
'Very well,' sighed Teagan.
Briar grinned as she stepped out of a stall and into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. The Hogwarts Express had just left the station, but Briar didn't want to wait. As far as she was concerned waiting three and half months was long enough.
A quick glance showed the room was empty of both people and ghosts. She shifted, grabbing the hat in her beak, and flew over to the sinks. She watched as the sinks slid open and then closed behind her at a second hiss from Teagan, still surprised he could speak parstletongue. Then again he was made from knowledge of the four founders, as he was constantly telling her.
She flew through the tunnels and after several wrong turns spotted the door her brother had told her about. She landed, shifting back into her human form.
'Ready?'
"Hold on, let me find. . ." she rummaged in her pockets and pulled out the sound ball. "OK, ready."
'Are you certain it will work?'
"It's the pitch and frequency of a rooster's crow that's fatal, not the actual crow from a rooster*."
'You did not answer my question.'
"Teagan, I'm facing a giant basilisk with nothing but a ball of sound and a hat, no offense. Do you really think I feel prepared?"
'None taken and very well.'
He hissed and she watched the door slide open. She stepped into the chamber.
"Remember, talk to it. If it seems sane and can be reasoned with, convince it to help me. If it's insane, which given that it's been isolated for centuries with the exception of Riddle, I suspect it might be, let me know."
'Understood.' Teagan wriggled lower, making sure Briar's eyes were covered before letting out a long string of hisses.
Briar tensed as she heard stone shift, gripping the glass ball and her wand tightly. After several minutes of listening to the sound of something sliding against stone get louder and louder, Teagan started hissing. The replying hisses were terrifying.
'Now!'
Briar dropped the ball and a long, loud crow filled the cavern, soon followed by a stomach turning, hissing scream. She stood frozen, the sounds of thrashing much too close for her liking, but she didn't want to draw the snake's attention while it could still kill her and Teagan hadn't told her to move. Eventually the thrashing stopped.
'It is over.' The death grip the brim of the Hat had had on her head relaxed and she pushed Teagan back far enough to see.
"Sweet Circe," she breathed and took a shaky step forward, lowering the volume of the crow but keeping it going, just in case.
The snake was huge, much bigger and deadlier than she had imagined. Her stomach churned at the thought of her twelve year old brother fighting the monster. Her Harry being bitten; those teeth cutting into him. Harry's body disappearing inside that large mouth. . .
Something hard landed on her head.
"OW!" Yanking off the hat she rubbed her head. "Holy mother of Merlin's whore, that hurt!"
"Language!" Teagan scolded.
Grumbling she removed the ruby encrusted sword and jammed the Hat back onto her head. "You couldn't have warned me?"
'You were drowning yourself in imagined horrors and nearly made yourself sick.'
"And banging me on the head with a sword was your idea of fixing that?" She asked scathingly.
'It worked,' was the unrepentant reply.
"It really hurt!" she sniffed, making her way over to the head.
'Remember don't look at the eyes, they can still kill you.'
Briar removed her cloak and draped it over the head. "Are the eyes covered?"
'Yes. Now get out your vials and funnel. And be careful!'
Teagan talked her through the process of milking the dead snake and then onto skinning and harvesting what would be useful or sellable. When asked, he claimed that several headmasters and headmistresses had been avid hunters, and brought their catches back to skin and dress.
'Of course, none of them can boast of basilisk.'
"Yeah, well I bet none of them had to skin their catches with a sword either," she grunted.
'True. Now focus, this part is tricky.'
"And I wanted to be done with this by Christmas," Briar groaned.
'Not likely, deary,' Teagan said, far too cheerfully. 'It will take at least two weeks to harvest.'
It was dark and cold. Down stairs he could hear the sounds of shouting and the bangs of over turned furniture.
Severus Snape shivered and wrapped a thin blanket more closely around himself as he stared out the window wondering why he had allowed his mother to convince him to come home for the holidays. It was Christmas Eve, a time of hope and happiness. For everyone but him. He sighed and watched a star shoot across the sky.
"A shooting star is a falling wish." His mother had once told him. "All you have to do is catch it."
He'd long ago given up wishing, but a small part of him still hoped. So Severus closed his eyes and hoped with all his might, for a Christmas miracle.
Remus Lupin ran into his parents' room, childish eagerness for presents not dampened in the slightest by the full moon two nights earlier.
"Happy Christmas!" he shouted, jumping on the bed.
His parents groaned, but sat up.
"Wha' time's it?" his father managed around a yawn.
"Six!" Remus answered happily, bouncing up and down, "time for presents!" He hopped off the bed and ran back out of the room.
"Six?" Mr. Lupin repeated weakly.
"A whole thirty minutes later than last year," Mrs. Lupin commented dryly as she pushed the covers back. "Come on; let's head down before he decides to drag us out of bed." Neither was willing to ruin the one time of the year their son didn't let his lycanthropy stop him from acting like a normal, happy child.
They reached the sitting room to find him bouncing up and down next to a pile of presents.
"All right son, go ahead." Remus beamed at them before diving on the pile.
Oh how he loved Christmas! The music, the lights, the excuse to drink hot chocolate whenever he wanted, and the constant happy atmosphere.
His parents watched with matching smiles as he tore through the paper, exclaiming happily at each surprise. His mother brushed away tears of happiness as he open two badly wrapped present from his roommates and explained the ludicrous gifts his friends (he had friends!) had given him. His father swallowed a lump in his throat as he listened to his son laughing as he told them about all the crazy adventures his friends (more than one!) had dragged him into. Looking at each other, his parents shared a silent moment of thanks at their son's happiness, something that had been far too rare in the past few years.
"No way."
They looked up at the sudden change in tone to see Remus staring at a sparkly purple present with a strange expression on his face.
Remus bit his lip. He knew that handwriting; he saw it every time he woke up in the hospital wing after a transformation.
To: Remus
From: Guess who!
Carefully, and much slower than with the other presents, he unwrapped the glittering, purple paper. Inside was a small bag with a note attached sitting on top of a box. With trembling hands he removed the small scroll and unrolled it.
Happy Christmas, Remus!
I hope it's a good one. Sorry I couldn't send my usual care package, but I wasn't sure where you'd be and I didn't want anyone getting spooked by a teapot. And yes, it's happened before; long story and not pleasant!
I hope you're getting this on Christmas and not back at Hogwarts. Guess I'll have to trust Seraph will find you, hu?
Anyway, I'm going to explain your presents, well, one the other one doesn't really need explaining.
The pouch! Now don't freak out when you open it, it's made of unicorn hair not silver, I swear! Go ahead and get it out, it'll make it easier to understand the explanation it you can see it.
Curious, and more than a little wary, Remus picked up the bag and tipped it upside down. Something long and silver looking fell into his hand.
"It doesn't hurt," he said quickly hearing his parents' gasp of horror.
"What is it?" his mother asked shakily. He held it up so they could see it.
"A . . .necklace?" his father said uncertainly.
"Yeah," Remus muttered, running his hands over the red and black stones woven into the silvery strands. He picked up the letter.
Have you got it? I'm going to assume you do.
Ok, I know it's a necklace but I made it as 'manly' as possible and it's a very special necklace a friend of mine made for me. . .for you.
It's made of unicorn hair, as I wrote above, and the stones, those are onyx and carnelian, with runes carved into them. Everything this necklace is made out of is meant to promote healing, protection, and wellness.
The stones will help protect you from disease and injury and will help you recover faster from those you do get. The runes amplify the power. Since it's made with unicorn hair, unicorns being pure creatures, the hair'll help the stones and runes against injuries you receive as a result of your, ah, problem.
The stones get their power from the sun and moon, so once a month they will need to soak for 24 hours in both sunlight and moonlight. Suggestion, take it off the morning of the full moon and place it somewhere that the sun and moon light can hit it, that way it'll be ready to go when you get let out of the infirmary the next day.
The runes get their power by absorbing your excess magic, so as long as you wear it they'll continue to cycle magic out of and back into you.
I've already had it soaking up moon light and sunlight for a full two months now and gave it a shot of my own magic so it's ready to be worn and used right now.
Well, that was kind of heavy for a Christmas present, wasn't it? Lucky for you the other thing is much easier to take!
Hope you wear it. Hope it helps. Hope you enjoy your holiday.
I'll see you again at Hogwarts,
Your friend that knows and DOESN'T care
(and currently, your secret santa!)**
Next to the signature was a picture of St. Nick wearing a bandit's mask and sneaking around.
He put on the necklace and immediately felt the aches fade.
"Remus?" He looked up. His parents' eyes were filled with worry after watching the flow of different emotion cross their son's face. "Is everything ok?"
He glanced back at the present and saw a box of chocolate with a note reading, I noticed you liked it, stuck on top. He smiled and made up his mind.
"Mum, do you remember me telling you about the girl I met when we were shopping for school robes?"
His parents looked at each other. That had not been what they were expecting.
"Yes." How could she forget? In her mind that day was the catalyst of all the good things that had happened in the past few months. Remus had talked of little else but her and Hogwarts during those last few weeks, and his letters always made some reference to her.
"I take it you've figured out who she is?" Oh, how she hoped so. She desperately wanted to thank the young girl who had given her broken little boy some of his confidence back.
Remus shook his head and laughed.
"No, but she's not had trouble finding me! In fact, well, here. Read this and I'll try and explain."
Sirius Black grinned down at a sleeping James Potter, so innocent, so helpless, so defenseless. He really should let him sleep; let him wake up on his own. After all, it was thanks to James that Sirius was here at Potter Manor instead of being left, unwanted, at Hogwarts like his parents intended.
Yes, Sirius owed James, more than he would ever admit, but it was Christmas. And Christmas meant presents. And Sirius had already waited two whole days. Sirius' grin widened. Yes, he'd waited long enough. Besides James would thank him later anyway. He pounced.
"AHHH!" James shrieked, struggling against the impossibly heavy weight on top of him.
"Wakey, wakey, Jamsie," sang Sirius.
"Ge' off!" James bellowed, pushing the annoying lump away.
"Aw, come on, Jamsie," Sirius pouted as James buried his head under his pillow. "Don't tell me you forgot what day it is?"
James poked his head back out. "Wha' day'z it?"
"It's Christmas, Jamsie," Sirius said slowly.
"Christmas?"
"Yes, Christmas, and Christmas means. . .?"
James blinked blankly back at him and Sirius sighed.
"It means," he said leaning closer. "PRESENTS!"
James yelled and threw himself backwards as Sirius bellowed in his ear, landing in a tangled heap. He surfaced, red faced, to find Sirius doubled over with laughter.
"Why you!" James tackled him, beating him with his pillow. "I don't care what day it is, Sirius Black, if you ever–! Wait, did you say presents?" he paused, pillow raised threateningly above Sirius who nodded, a wide grin on his face. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go get my parents!"
Laughing, Sirius let James pull him to his feet and they raced to the master bedroom. Getting an idea halfway and dashing back to James' room. They'd almost reached the master Potter's room a second time when the door opened and a bleary eyed Mr. and Mrs. Potter stared down at them.
"Surely you wouldn't be planning on pulling something this early in the morning on Christmas?" Mr. Potter asked, eyebrow raised.
"Especially when you haven't even opened your presents yet?" Mrs. Potter eyed them, the threat clear in her tone and crossed arms.
The two boys looked at each other, wide – eyed.
"Nope!"
"Wouldn't dream of it!"
Lips twitched as the adults stared at the far too innocent looks. "Well, in that case why don't we head down stairs?"
"Presents!" the boys screamed as they raced ahead, followed more sedately by their elders.
The next hour saw a storm of wrapping, ribbons, and bows, and a constant stream of "check this out!" and "wow, no way!"
Smiling and dodging random missiles, the older Potters watched the chaos, occasionally unwrapping one of their own presents and laughing when one of the boys came up for air with pieces of paper or bows stuck in their hair.
At long last the storm seemed to pass.
"What a great haul," Sirius sighed contently, falling back onto a pile of wrapping.
"Wait, we missed some."
Sirius shot back up, "really?"
"Yeah, look." James pulled out two packages wrapped in sparkly purple paper. Behind them Mr. and Mrs. Potter exchanged questioning looks.
"Who are they from boys?"
"Dunno," James replied. "Mine only says 'to: James, from: your secret Santa."
"Same." said Sirius.
Receiving a nod from his wife, Mr. Potter pulled out his wand and waved it discreetly at the two presents. After receiving an answering nod, Mrs. Potter turned back to the two youngsters on the floor***. "Well, go ahead and open them and maybe that will solve the mystery."
Needing no further encouragement, they ripped off the paper.
"A book?" James stared at the book in his lap. Everything you Need to Know About Animagus: the How, the Why, the What. He opened it, scrawled inside cover was a simple message.
In case you should have any furry problems.
Confused, but curious, he turned the page. Several chapters in the table of contents had stars next to them. Flicking through the book he saw numerous notes scribbled into the margins as well as many highlighted passages and little diagrams.
"Wicked." A quick glance and he already knew the book would be useful.
"Sirius? Honey are you alright?"
James looked up, startled at his mother's worried tone to find Sirius looking close to tears as he stared at a letter.
"Wha – Oh yeah," he blinked and stuffed the letter out of sight. "I'm fine Mrs. P. Hey James, check this out." Hanging off a thick leather band and made entirely of obsidian, except for the eyes which were small sapphires, was a bear –like dog, muzzle twisted in a mischievous looking smile.
"Woah!"
"I know, wicked looking ain't it?"
Above the two boys, the adult Potters exchanged significant looks. It was hours later before James got a chance to ask Sirius about the letter.
"All right Sirius, what's the deal with the letter?"
There was a long, tense silence as Sirius looked anywhere but at James. He watched as Sirius looked down, frowning and fingering the necklace. James eyes narrowed.
Finally he looked up at James and nodded. "All right, I'll show you."
James felt a bit thrown by the lack of fight as Sirius pulled the letter from his pocket and handed it to him. Feeling much more nervous at the look on Sirius' face he read the letter.
Dear Sirius Black,
A little bird told me about the . . .letter your mother sent you, and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to do something about it. I was short on time and supplies, not that that is an excuse.
I won't pretend to know what goes on in your parents' heads, but please believe me when I say the only disgrace to the Black family I am aware of is their treatment of you.
Now while I don't know what your home life is like, the letter I heard about has given me some idea. As I'm not one to take chances, in the pouch you will find a pedant upon which I have placed many types of protection spells. As long as you wear it you will be safe from all minor, and several major, curses and hexes. Should you ever find yourself in a truly dangerous situation the pendant will let me know and I will personally ensure you are rescued.
That said, don't hide from the people that truly care about you, believe in your friends.
May you find shade in the light and a candle in the dark,
Guardian
P.S. I've taken the liberty of including one for your brother, please see that he gets it along with an explanation. The dog is yours. ****
James stared at the signature.
"You," James swallowed, "you got a letter from the Guardian? The Guardian?"
"Pretty wicked, right?"
James nodded, and looked at the letter again. "Hey Sirius, why does the Guardian think you need protection?"
Sirius stiffened.
"You don't need to tell but –"
Sirius shook his head. "You're my best mate and you've been straight with me so," Sirius swallowed thickly. He couldn't remember a time he'd been this nervous. "So I'll be straight with you. Straight as I can, anyway."
He looked at James, who nodded, accepting that Sirius would only say so much.
"My folks are pretty set in their way and they don't like that I don't agree with them; that is, that I don't want to be like them. We argue about it all the time and sometimes it can get a little. . .ugly" Sirius lapsed into silence, then, "Reg, Regulus my brother, he doesn't have it so bad. Nah, he's the 'good boy,' does all the 'right things.' Still. . ."
"You worry about him."
". . .yeah."
"And now you have a way to protect him."
Sirius looked up.
"Yeah, yeah! I do." He smiled a little. "You won't, ya know, tell anyone, will you?"
James looked at him lips pursed.
"It's just they are my parents, even if. . ."
James sighed and shook his head. "I won't tell unless you want me to or the Guardian has to rescue you."
Sirius tackled him, squeezing James in hug so hard he wheezed.
"But!" James gasped as soon as he got his breath back and pointing at the dog pendant, "you are never taking that off!"
"Deal!" Sirius laughed, scrubbing his eyes free of tears and rolling off James' bed and into his own. He smiled as burrowed deeper under the covers. For the first time in a long time he felt protected, safe, and . . loved.
"You better send the other one to your brother."
"First thing in the morning," Sirius agreed with a yawn. "Hey James?"
"Yeah?"
"What are we going to tell Remus?"
"Well, you told me the truth."
"So, the truth, then?"
"It's up to you mate."
Silence.
"The truth. You think he'll tell us what's up with him?"
"Dunno, maybe."
Severus Snape stared at the sparkly purple box.
It sat unmoving at the foot of his bed, just as it had the past ten minutes he'd been staring at it. A bird sounded outside his window and he jumped. He looked at the. . .present and decided it was real.
With trembling hands, Severus picked it up and, like every other child, ripped off the paper. Inside was a large box with a letter on top. Curiosity growing, he unfolded the letter.
Dear Severus Snape,
It has come to my attention that your home life is. . .less than ideal. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to do something about it. I was short on time and supplies, not that that is an excuse.
Please believe when I say I know from personal experience what it is like to grow up in an unpleasant atmosphere, and wishing that somehow someone could help, even a little. I am now in a position to help those like myself in a way I had always dreamed someone would help me. I don't pretend to be able to help everyone, but those I can I fully intend to, you being one of them.
My method is rather simple; in the pouch you will find a pedant upon which I have placed many types of protection spells. As long as you wear it you will be safe from all minor, and several major, curses and hexes. In addition, there is a compulsion placed upon it that will deter those wishing you harm. Unfortunately those truly determined will not be affect, or not for long; my apologies. Should you ever find yourself in a truly dangerous situation the pendant will let me know and I will personally ensure you are rescued. I wish I could do more, as it is this is all I can give you right now, along with some advice:
Don't hide from the people that truly care about you, believe in your friends and that goodness does exist in the world.
May you find shade in the light and a candle in the dark,
Guardian
P.S. I hope you enjoy the other gifts. I went a little overboard. Happy Christmas!
In a daze, Severus set down the letter and opened the box. Right on top was a small pouch, opening it his breath caught. Inside was a raven, made a beautiful red stone that looked like fire, its eyes an obsidian black like his own, and hanging on a woven band of what felt like silk. Head spinning, he set it aside and picked up the next thing in the box.
It was a robe, a new robe, that looked to be his actual size. Next, were a standard set of muggle cloths, all new and well made, enough to last three days without washing. Next came a pair of equally new and well made shoes. He reached in again.
It was small box and inside were potions. He picked one up and read the label, Nutritional Potion. Tied around the neck of the bottle was a note and a set of instruction for how to make it. He checked the other vials, a healing potion and a pepper –up potion, each with their own writings. Eyes burning, he pulled out the next item. Another box, this one containing the ingredients he would need to make the potions in the last box, and enough of them to last quite a while. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he pulled out the last two items.
A book, Everything you Need to Know to Become a Potions Master, with its own potions journal, and a bag a muggle and magical candy, because apparently, Every child deserves something sweet.
In a daze he picked up the necklace and slipped it on. The weight of the pendant against his chest was strangely comforting. He stood up and looked at his reflection in the window. The bright, red bird stared back at him with eyes that seemed to know and understand.
"It's real," he muttered. Severus stumbled back to his bed and ran his hands over the other gifts.
"Real, real, real, it's all real!" he cried and hugged them to him.
It didn't matter if the magic of the pendant didn't work. The rest was real and that was more than Severus had ever gotten; more than he had ever dreamed of getting. To expect to be protected on top of that would be utterly selfish of him. For now he was happy, because he, Severus Snape, had a real Christmas miracle.*****
Those few students and staff spending the holiday at Hogwarts chattered happily over the Christmas feast. No one noticed a young girl with glasses sitting at the far end of the table, watching and listening. No one noticed the happy smile that played across her face when she saw the staff showing their surprise gifts to each other. No one noticed how her smile slipped a little as she watched them exchange presents. No one noticed how she didn't receive any, not from friends or family or even a fellow student. No one noticed the shadows under her eyes or the dried blood under her nails. No one noticed when, with an owl shaped shadow trailing after her, she disappeared.
Author's Notes:
* I'm sorry my inner nerd exploded when it heard that a rooster's crow could kill a giant, magical snake. Sorry, not buying it! And it (my inner nerd) demanded an explanation, so this was the only one I could think of that would fit the mythology and made a least a little sense. The logic (if you can call it that) behind the thinking: the pitch and frequency each species can hear at is different, for example people can't hear dog whistles but dogs obviously can. Going with the dog whistle, dogs always seem to be annoyed/pained by the sound, and if you think about certain sounds are painful for people to hear too (nails on a chalkboard anyone?). Based on that, it didn't seem so far fetched to me that a certain frequency could kill. I'm not a scientist and I don't have the patience to research the theory, so don't take my word for it. But anyway that's the thinking behind the idea.
** My inner nerd was at work again. Runes and stone magic (does it have a name?) always fascinated me, and making them more scientific (I use the term very loosely) makes them seem more real. That and I just have fun thinking of stuff like that. Oh, side note: I don't actually know Remus' family history just that he doesn't seem to have any by the time Harry meets him in the books, but I liked the idea of him having one for at least a little while.
*** I vaguely remember reading somewhere that James' parents, or at least his dad, were Aurors. If so, them being paranoid about gifts from total strangers seemed justified. That and I do remember reading that they spoiled him because they were lucky to have him, makes sense then that they'd also be a bit protective too.
**** Rowling was pretty vague about what went down in the Black household, but everyone seems to agree that Sirius' childhood sucked. I read enough stories in which Sirius was physically abused that it started to seem logical. It would explain his sort of 'devil may care' attitude and darkish sense of humor (I mean who sends someone to meet a werewolf on a full moon? Even if they do hate them?), which are a bit characteristic of abused children seeking an outlet. it would also explain why he was so affected by Wormtail's betrayal; loyalty and a sense of security would have been rare for him and finding it in his friends he would have clung to it tightly.
***** (internally groans at having to do another one of these) OK, so I know Snape seems a little weak willed and crybabyish, but he is only 11/12 at the time and this is probably the 1st true gift he's gotten. I think it's only fair for him to be a little human right now, he's a kid! But don't worry, the Snape you all love to hate and hate to love will surface soon enough.