21
On the 21st, Snape missed breakfast. Or he didn't.
It was more than an hour before he had set his alarm clock that he was woken by a flare of pain in his left forearm. The potions master groaned but rolled out of bed obediently. He forewent his beloved morning shower, shrugged on a fresh set of robes after a quick refreshing charm on his body and – after a patronus message to the headmaster – was on his way to the Dark Lord's side.
Not only was the dark wizard wide awake and in a good mood, he was also in the company of a very disgruntled looking Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange who was fighting a losing battle against sleep.
"Severus!" the Dark Lord greeted Snape, "Welcome! Do sit down and break your fast with us!" He clapped his hands and one of the Malfoy house elves brought a pot of steaming hot coffee for Snape. Behind the small creature hovered a tray of various breakfast dishes.
The potions master thanked his lord, pointing out that he was not worthy to eat at the same table as his master, and ordered the elf to hand him a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, beans, tomatoes, sausages and black pudding.
"We received a message this morning," the Dark Lord informed him while Snape sampled the food. "We are invited to Hogwarts for the Christmas party. I called you here to ask what would be convenient for us to contribute to the party. Entertainment? Food? Drink?"
"I don't think food or drink would be necessary. Hogwarts has a small army of house elves," Snape pointed out. "And we have a nativity play for entertainment."
"We cannot come emptyhanded!" cried the Dark Lord. Lucius and Bellatrix ducked in fear.
"Of course not, my Lord," Snape replied smoothly. "I was not going to suggest that. I was just pointing out that the necessities are being taken care of. This leaves you to think of a contribution that is not needed but welcome. How about a special dessert? Or maybe a musical act? Have you ever thought of forming a choir?"
"A choir?" the Dark Lord was very interested. "I could be the conductor."
Snape performed a gesture half nod, half bow. "You would be a great conductor and it would be a subtle show of power," he agreed.
Bellatrix and Lucius were now both glaring daggers at the potions master.
"Lucius! Call my followers! All of them! I need to choose the best singers!" the Dark Lord ordered. He banished the blond's breakfast when he didn't rush to obey fast enough.
"Bella! Get me someone who is able to play the piano or guitar or something. We need instrumental accompaniment for the auditions! Find a deatheater who has musical training! I can't do everything myself!"
The witch put down her fork immediately. "I think Rookwood's mother made him take piano lessons when he was a kid. Dolph used to tease him about it. I'll look into it immediately, my Lord!"
"I think I have seen Alecto play the harp," Snape pointed out.
"Yes, yes, I think I have, too," cried Bellatrix. "And we may have a drummer in Dolohov. My Lord," she got up to leave but turned back to her master before she did, "we may even be able to have a band with our choir!"
"Excellent!" cried the Dark Lord. "Organise everything! Auditions start in two hours! Severus, have you tried that marmalade?"
Snape asked the Dark Lord if it was possible to audition first – which, he pointed out, was for naught anyway since he possessed no musical talent to speak of – because he had lessons to teach.
The Dark Lord refused. Instead he sent a letter to Dumbledore to inform him that Severus was needed and that he ought to organise for a replacement teacher for the day.
Two hours later, Snape followed the Dark Lord to the ballroom of Malfoy Mansion. The Dark Lord conjured a lectern on a small raised platform and spoke to his followers.
"Again, we have been invited to a Christmas party at Hogwarts. Since headmaster Dumbledore was a great host those past years, we must contribute to the festivities. I decided that we are going to perform a musical act to the delight of the castle's residents. I called you here to determine who has the abilities to contribute to the success of our endeavour. You will first divide into groups according to what you think you can do best. Over there, by the balcony, those who can play an instrument will meet. Over there the sopranos, there the tenors, you get the idea."
It turned out that the deatheaters were lacking in the soprano department. The only female deatheaters were Bellatrix and Alecto and the former insisted she was an alto while Alecto was the only one who was able to play the harp.
"What can we do?" lamented the Dark Lord.
"Well," said Snape, who had proclaimed himself a triangle player, "you can either go for a men's choir – there are some very famous ones – or I can brew you a voice clearing potion."
"There is a potion to raise your voice?" the Dark Lord asked.
"Of course," Snape snorted. "For centuries witches who wanted to enchant a wizard with their song have done so with the help of potions. I can give anyone a bell-like soprano voice."
"Excellent!" cried the Dark Lord. "Are there potions for the other pitches, too?"
"I'm afraid not," admitted Snape. "Enchantment by song is a typically female method."
"Well, better than nothing," said the Dark Lord and then the auditions began.
The Dark Lord was so engrossed in the project that Lucius had to order the elves to bring him sandwiches he could eat without pausing the auditions for lunch. Snape, Lucius, Bellatrix and for some strange reason Pius Thicknesse were the Dark Lord's co-jurors.
When the deatheaters realised how important the project was for their master, everybody gave their all to be chosen as a part of the choir and band. There were even volunteers for drinking the voice clearing potion which luckily took all of a half hour to make. Those volunteers were mainly lower level deatheaters who hoped to rise in the Dark Lord's good graces if they acted for the sopranos he so desperately needed.
It was well after curfew when Snape finally was able to return Hogwarts. He was tired and he was hungry since all he had got after breakfast were two tiny cucumber sandwiches for lunch. A quick bite for dinner would be nice, the potions master decided and made his way to the kitchens. It was not meant to be though.
The Bloody Baron stopped him before he reached the painting behind which the realm of the Hogwarts house elves was hidden and informed him that he was awaited in the Great Hall.
With a sigh, Snape turned on his heel and made his way there.
It came as a complete surprise that the entire student body as well as the whole staff was waiting for him.
"We haven't been able to open the advent calendar!" Dumbeldore informed the tired wizard. "Miss Barnes has the coin."
A shy Ravenclaw third year whom Snape knew well from potions lessons presented the coin.
"Miss Barnes," he hinted a bow. "I'm sorry I made you wait so long, young lady." He removed the spell from the tree.
The girl blushed and picked her box from the tree.
The box extended as soon as it was put on the Ravenclaw table. In it were ice skates for every single inhabitant of Hogwarts.
"Splendid!" cried Dumbeldore. "Why don't we skip lessons tomorrow and skate on the lake?"
The students cheered and the cheering even increased when Dumbledore announced a figure skating contest for the afternoon.
Once the children had been sent off to bed, Snape had to report about his day with the Dark Lord to Dumbledore and then, finally, he was able to sneak off to the kitchens to get a bite.