CHAPTER FORTY-TWO—Christmas Morning
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Hermione found all the presents at the foot of her bed aside from one that was on her bedside table. She immediately recalled Severus leaving the tiny potion on her bedside table at Hogwarts—and blushed to think he had gotten her a gift as well. It was very unlike him, she had thought, anyway.
But when she pulled the package, wrapped in gold paper, to her lap, it read From A.D. She was more curious about why the headmaster would gift her something than disappointed it wasn't from Severus.
Ginny was not yet awake. She didn't see anything similarly wrapped on Ginny's pile, so she opened Dumbledore's gift first in case it was meant to be kept private.
It was a well-used book titled Tales of Beedle the Bard.
She recognized these stories—they were fairytales she'd heard of. But why did Dumbledore want her to have them?
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Severus showered and put all thoughts of Carrow and Granger out of his head. The only thing he pondered was what he might have on hand he could give as a plausible gift. Any book he had she could read (if she hadn't already) so that was a lazy option he would not stoop to.
Now that he was alone for the first time in several months, he walked from the shower to his wardrobe sans clothes—and jumped when Crookshanks darted out in front of him.
The cat circled back to twine around Severus's bare ankle.
"I don't like you."
The cat purred against his leg.
His mother, too, had stuck him with an odd name, so Severus could not fault the cat for that. But he was very large and very orange and was constantly in his business when Hermione was not around.
Crookshanks watched him dress. Severus tried to ignore the cat's stare. It was a little Dumbledore-like, as if the cat knew things.
Crookshanks darted out of the room the moment before Severus did. It walked with him to the private lab. Severus tried to mind the tail. But if he stepped on Crookshanks, well, that was Crookshanks' fault.
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Hermione took advantage of the washroom since everyone else had a lie-in. The only other person awake was Molly in the kitchen. Hermione readied for a day of cleaning before the guests arrived in the evening. She put off opening the rest of her presents until Ginny or the boys woke up.
After she brushed her teeth and hair, she charmed some garland around the vanity mirror. She put garland over everyone's doors on the way back to her room with her pajamas folded in her arms.
She found Ginny was reluctantly awake. "Happy Christmas," she yawned.
"Happy Christmas. Presents?"
Ginny blindly felt around for them. Her hand landed on a squishy package. "There's the jumper."
Hermione opened hers at the same time. Without warning, her eyes filled with tears. Her dad always liked Molly's sweaters, how she knitted them with "Muggle needles but used magic at the same time."
Mum would always wish she could have "the knitting do itself!"
"How did I know you'd get me a book?" Ginny asked with vigor. "Oh, the new version of Quidditch Through the Ages. I bet that last World Cup is in here."
Hermione wiped her eyes. They both pretended Hermione had not been sniffling.
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Severus dug through his locked cabinet. He had to lock the cabinet in his private lab lest another Gryffindor witch steal from him.
The irony, he thought, since Hermione was now the one warding the cabinet as well.
He threw out potions that would expire soon, since he was already in here. None of these ingredients made a suitable Christmas gift, even for a potions apprentice.
He heard something rattle in the back corner in the topmost shelf. He reached in and found a single vial had rolled onto its side.
When had he brewed Felix Felices last?
Right. Potter's first year here. As soon as Dumbledore mentioned that and that they'd be housing the Philosopher's Stone, Severus had a stupid hope that a little luck would prevent the Dark Lord from returning.
It was a small vial, no bigger than his hand lengthwise. He rubbed the dust off with his sleeve. It was either this or a boomslang skin, and he needed the boomslang skin.
He put it on her bedside table with a sticking charm with a side-eye on Crookshanks the whole time. The cat twined between his ankles.
Severus looked at the lint roller still on the bed, and then Banished the orange hairs instead.
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The Weasley clan, including Harry and Hermione, all wore their jumpers as they did last-minute cooking, cleaning and decorating.
Hermione declined the offer to help with the appetizers. "I'm no chef," she said with a laugh.
The twins stepped up but Arthur had to monitor them lest they served Puking Pastilles as snacks.
Harry and Ron took charge of dusting the place. It gave Harry something to do other than think about Sirius.
Hermione put a Silencing Charm on Mrs Black's painting.
Ginny held a book in one hand and her wand aloft in the other.
Snow began to fall in the hallways ala the Great Hall.
"Now all we need are the candles," Harry said.
Ginny bowed. "Don't tell Mum it was me," she said. Since there were a bunch of wizards around, and it was Christmas, she didn't think anyone would be at the Misuse of Magic office trying to catch children doing magic—but she didn't want an earful from Molly.
Remus arrived with the ham around midday. Tonks was asked to not assist with anything. She followed Harry and Ron around the house and promised to only use the broom as a Muggle would. Hermione noticed the unusually baggy Christmas jumper Tonks wore—the Auror was more into leather jackets and band t-shrits. But then Hermione had to hunt down pain relievers, magical or Muggle, to stave off the headache. The decorating had taken more out of her than she'd anticipated.
She wondered if Severus would come to the party. If he didn't come today, he'd have to come tomorrow. She wouldn't be able to Apparate back to school otherwise.
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Severus realized he had spent the morning cleaning his lab instead of, for one, going to breakfast. He had to stop for food at lunch time.
His step nearly faltered when he entered the Great Hall. Alecto and Amycus had taken the seats nearest his. He didn't want to discuss his and Alecto's last interactions, even less so with her brother nearby.
But Amycus left before Severus took a seat. It seemed he had had even more to drink than his sister.
Alecto looked tired but no one would necessarily think her hung-over.
"You don't look like you went to any party at all," she remarked when he sat. "You have some sort of potion for that?"
"Water," he replied.
Alecto didn't seem to believe him, but switched from pumpkin juice to her water goblet.
Albus and Minerva entered the hall next. Severus wondered why Albus had chosen to dress as brightly as possible when there was only a handful of staff and three students here.
Then he recalled the Order Christmas party. If his bones weren't scratching him from the inside out, he would heartily decline that invite.
"What are your plans for this evening?" Alecto asked.
Severus had thought of this lie before Hermione had left with the other students: "I believe tonight will finally be the correct temperature, as well as the correct phase of the moon, to harvest a plant I need for an experiment. I have been informed of where I might find the plants but will have to Apparate nearer to the forest and hope I stumble across it."
Alecto tinged a bit green. "I can't even think of Apparating right now."
Severus scooted his water closer to her.
She murmured a thank you then downed her glass and his in quick succession.
Severus ate more than he usually would. He thought it might help with how weak he felt without Hermione's presence.
Alecto's plate was barely touched when she pushed it away. She cleared her throat. "I suppose you were a perfect gentleman last night."
Severus remained silent.
"I hope you would tell me if I made a fool of myself."
"I don't recall anything," he said. "You did keep adding water to Amycus's mead when he wasn't looking."
Alecto laughed but held her stomach. "And he insists he'd never had such fine drink." She carefully rose from her seat. "Thank you for ensuring I made it home safely." She let her hand linger on his shoulder.
"It was no trouble." He drank his tea.
She left.
He had never been more thankful for finely aged wine.