Here is the 28th chapter my darling readers! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please feel free to send me your reviews and personal thoughts!


Chapter 28

Christmas Eve! Man did this week feel like it was dragging out. But Aurora had to admit that today was one of the better ones. Severus was practically back to his normal grumpy self, every now and again he would lapse into a coughing fit but right now he seemed pretty…well…Snape like.

She knew that he would be perfectly well by tomorrow morning! At least that is what she hoped for, she really wanted to test out her snowball theory and see if Severus would kill her if she hit him in the head with a white, cold, wet slush ball.

"Rory."

Aurora looked up to see that her father was fully dressed and bundled up for cold weather.

"Dad…you can't go outside!"

"Oh would you relax," Severus sighed, "my temperature is normal, my throat no longer dry, and I have not sneezed in two days! You and Father Time will not keep me in these rooms for one more minute!"

"Dad…you are going to get into trouble again!" Aurora laughed.

Severus glared coldly at Aurora who continued to laugh and giggle hysterically.

"Do…do you think that Professor Dumbledore will ground you?"

"If you want to live to see Christmas morning, I would stop if I were you!"

Aurora shot up from the couch and grabbed her winter cloak.

"Can I come with?!" she asked.

Severus smirked and said, "Why should I let you after what you said to me?"

"I love you?" Aurora said sweetly.

"Yes…and I love you too…but, it does not mean that you are coming with me."

Aurora grabbed Severus' arm and squeezed it to her chest.

"Please!" she begged. "Please, please, please!"

"No, no, no and no…this does not have anything to do with you and I have to go alone!"

Aurora puckered her lip and made her eyes as big as physically possible.

"Do not even think about it Rory…your big green eyes do not work on me. I will see you in about an hour or so."

Severus placed a kiss on her forehead and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"I'll see you later, dear…if anything happens go and see Albus or Minerva."

"Okay dad." Aurora sighed.

Severus smiled as he walked out of the castle. He had several errands to run, one of which getting Aurora's Christmas present. Since this was Aurora's first present Severs wanted to get her something very special! He wanted her to be able to look at this gift and now that she had a father that loved and cared for her deeply.

He had an appointment set up to go to a jeweler in Hogsmead, and there he had her present waiting for her! He was so proud of it that he wasn't sure if he would be able to wait to show it to her tomorrow. Then, afterwards, he and Quirrel had a little bit of a meeting arrangement.

The Potions Master did not understand why Albus wouldn't just let him curse the spineless freak into oblivion! He had yet to pay him back for the broom incident! Severus had it all planned out to, he wasn't actually sure if he would need his wand to take care of Quirrel. He wouldn't be surprised if he could take out Quirrel with one punch!

"S-S-everus…l-l-leaving f-f-for the evening?"

Speaking of the Devil…well maybe he could take this one appointment off of his to-do-list!

"Quirrel…I was just thinking of you…"

"Uhh…"

Before another word could be uttered Severus had Quirrel pinned to the wall, his eyes etched with loathing and hatred.

"Trying to kill the savior of our world…and in broad daylight no less…tut tut…Quirrel you are losing your touch."

"S-S-Severus I do not…k-k-k-know what you…are…t-t-t-talking about…"

Severus slammed him against the wall.

"The Hell you don't you spineless bastard!" Severus roared. "I am not here to argue, I am here to relay a message… you even think of touching my child again…I will torture you to the point of madness!"

Quirrel's face became pale.

"To the point that you will be begging me for death!"

Severus released the Professor, who slid down to the ground.

"Do you understand me?"

"Y-y-yes…"

"Good…nice talking with you Quirrel."

Aurora sighed from over her book, she was so bored! Maybe it would be a good idea to go and see Hagrid, he usually proved to be very entertaining. Maybe it would be a good idea to take Ashley with as well. She knew that he was still feeling pretty down about his parents and she didn't like that he was feeling upset during what is supposed to be the happiest time of the year!

"I don't wanna go Aurora." Ashley whined.

"Fine…I'll just go by myself and risk getting hurt or killed!"

Turning her back on him and crossing her arms over her chest she began to walk towards the portrait hole.

"That's not going to work Aurora." Ashley said trying to ignore her.

"Fine…don't blame yourself if I slip on some ice and fall into the lake…or someone tries to kill me again." Aurora sighed, dramatically. "You just continue about your day and don't give me a second thought."

Ashley watched as the picture to the Slytherin Common Room slammed shut. Sighing he closed his eyes, grabbed his cloak, and raced after her.

"I hate you." He spat.

The school was completely white and the ground was no longer visible. It was like they were walking on a nice fluffy cloud! Giggling Aurora reached down and balled up a giant wad of snow. Very swiftly she tossed it at Ashley's head, which made contact two seconds later.

Aurora looked up at him innocently and turned to face the white sky. Ashley came over to her and smirked.

"You have something to say Snape?" Ashley purred, dangerously.

Aurora sneered and nodded, "yeah, you look a little soggy Blake."

Ashley bent down and grabbed some snow…and…well what happened next was self explanatory. They did eventually get to Hagrid's, but not before the sun had gone down and nightfall had arrived. Shivering, wet, and cold they knocked on Hagrid's door and slipped inside the warmth of his tiny abode.

"Aurora…yer not supposed ter be outta the school after dark…you know better."

"Well, technically we had planned on coming before dark."

Ashley chuckled and said, "We just got sidetracked."

"Yeah well…I'll let ya go this time…but ya both have to start behavin yerselves. It's not safe ter be out so late with the present circumstances."

"We will Hagrid." Aurora promised. "Just…not yet!"

Hagrid's dark eyes twinkled as he smiled.

"You are so much like yer mum and dad Rory!"

Aurora smiled proudly.

"So, how ave your classes been goin? All O's right?"

"I guess." Aurora sighed. "I haven't been able to go into classes often."

Ashley turned from Aurora to the corner of the room. His eyes widened and then he turned back to Hagrid.

"What is wrapped under that blanket Hagrid?" he asked bluntly.

"What?"

"That blanket over there?" he asked pointing to the little mound of cover's in the corner.

"Uhh…that's nothin…nothin at all."

"Hagrid…I think it just moved!"

Aurora walked towards it and pulled the blankest there. Staring back at her was a large dark egg.

"Where did you get the chicken that laid that?!" Ashley asked sarcastically.

"Is…is this a Dragon's egg?" Aurora gasped. "Hagrid, this is so valuable…where in the world did you get it?!"

"I won it off a bloke in a game o' cards…don't tell anyone about it…otherwise they won't let me keep em!"

"Hagrid…are you insane?!" Aurora spat. "This…this isn't a puppy…these suckers breath FIRE!"

"I know…but I can train it Rory…I know I can!"

Aurora placed both her hands on her hips and looked down at the egg. She didn't like this; she didn't like this one bit! And why would some random stranger carry a Dragon's Egg around? Not to mention, how the heck would he be able to carry it while going unnoticed?! It wasn't exactly the tiniest thing in the world.

"Hagrid…what if the Headmaster finds out? You won't be able to hide this thing when it get's older, and I know Professor Dumbledore won't let you keep it on school grounds!"

"I can change his mind." Hagrid spat. "An I don't appreciate yer negative attitude!"

"Hagrid I'm not being negative, I'm just warning you what will happen! Please, please give the egg back…I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Well, maybe you should start worryin about yerself and not me."

"Hagrid-

-You should both go-

-Hagrid!" Aurora yelled. "C'mon, you know that I just…I just want what's best for you…and…and you know that dragons are dangerous! You have to give it back; if you don't…I'll tell my dad!"

"Oh…I see…that's low Aurora."

"I will Hagrid," Aurora confirmed, "I don't want to, but I would hate myself even more if you were to get sacked."

Hagrid sighed sadly and looked down at his large hands.

"You are so much like yer mama…she would have done the same thing yer doing…" he blinked and a large tear slid down his cheek. "Alright…I'll…I'll try and find a home fer em."

Aurora went over to Hagrid and gave him a gentle hug.

"I'm really sorry Hagrid," she whispered, "but…but you still have Fang, Ashley, and Me!"

Hagrid chuckled and hugged her back.

"Well…when ya put it like that…how can I be upset?"

Aurora laughed and sat down next to Ashley, who had once again become quiet.

"Ashley, you should tell Hagrid how I whooped your butt!"

"Huh?" Ashley's eyes whipped to Aurora. "Oh…yeah…yeah she hit me in the face with a snowball."

"Well don't get too-

-we should probably head back up to the castle…Prof. Snape will kill us if he knows we've been out past curfew."

Aurora sighed but nodded.

"We'll see you at the Christmas dinner tomorrow, right Hagrid?" she asked before allowing herself to be pushed out the door.

"You bet Rory!"

The Great Hall had been decorated beautifully. It was actually kind of nice to have the majority of the students gone. There was more room for everyone to sit and Aurora felt she could really stretch out now.

"Ashley…this Sheppard's pie is awesome!"

"Yeah…it's pretty good." He said softly.

Aurora dropped her fork in defeat, she didn't know what else she could do to put him in a better mood and quite frankly she was sick of trying. Turning her back to the table she looked across the room. Ashley had told her that his brother was a Hufflepuff…now where was he.

There weren't many kids at the Hufflepuff table, but of the few she knew one of them to be Ashley's brother. It was an absolute given. He had white-blond hair and light blue eyes just like Ashley, only his hair was shoulder length and pulled to the side. He looked just as Ashley did right now, unhappy. Aurora stood from the table.

"Rory…where are you going?"

Aurora didn't answer, instead she walked over to the Hufflepuff table and sat down next to him.

"Oh…hi!"

"Hi…your Gregory right?" she asked smiling. "Ashley's brother?"

"Yeah…why?"

"Well," Aurora said. "I was just wondering if you could both stop acting so mean to each other and set aside your differences for the Christmas Holidays."

Gregory's one eyebrow shot up, and from his expression Aurora could tell that he was questioning her sanity. But after several minutes he gave up.

"I can't just go over there and expect him to talk to me…" Gregory sighed. "It would take a miracle."

"It's Christmas Eve; it's a time for miracles! C'mon, he hasn't been the same since you guys fought and I think he would really appreciate it if you just forgave him!"

"He never apologized for me to forgive him!" Gregory snapped.

"Oh technicalities."

Aurora took Gregory's wrist and pulled him over to the Slytherin table.

"Ashley."

Ashley looked up and his eyes widened a bit.

"Sit," Aurora said shoving him into her seat, "now, I'm going to the bathroom and when I come back you better have kissed and made up!"


Here is the next chapter everyone, remember I am trying my best to kind of stretch the chapters out. I really want to post the Christmas Chapter on Christmas Day! I just think that would be a very cool thing to do! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I hope you read and review!