The rest of the semester was a busy one. For both Snape and Harry. For Harry and his friends, it is looking for answers about the stone, why one of the teachers' wants it and how to stop him. Not getting any help from Severus, since he wanted to deal with Professor Quirrell by himself. Not needing students to be involved.
For Snape it was meetings with the headmaster and staff, making potions; requested by Ma'am Pomfrey for her sick and injured patients, dealing with Professor Quirrell. Being exhausted at the doorstep of his chambers, trying to not pass out.
On this night, he was sitting in his recliner with a wine glass in one hand and a book on potions in the other. Exhausted from this whole week. Looking down at his reflection in the red liquid, seeing his baggy eyes staring back at him. Sighing as he still needed to grade papers after this, relaxing for a few minutes. He peered at his worn-out hands, traces of scars from being a follower and some were burnt scars. The ones that happened by brewing and not being careful. Dumbledore seeing the carelessness behind his spy's work, gave him gloves. Magic gloves that he supposed to wear when making potions. Now he does not need worry about burning his hands.
Sighing ones again, he sets his empty glass aside, going out of his chambers and over to his office to start grading his students' papers.
"How come your up so late?" he heard by the door.
Snape peered over to Harry, "I can ask you the same thing?" he said, looking over the clock then back at him, "it is nearly midnight."
"Could not sleep," he looks down at his feet, "tomorrow is Christmas."
"It would appear so," Professor Snape said, not caring the least, since Christmas has always been the darkest times of his life, "Go back to sleep Potter, I got work to do," he points at his papers.
Harry could see that, deciding to leave his teacher be, "Well then good night Professor," he smiles over at him.
Snape nods back, "Night, Potter."
Harry heard shouting downstairs as he woke up, Ron was telling him to wake up, that it was Christmas. Getting up he runs over to the stairs, seeing him down below by the Christmas tree. The biggest Christmas tree, Harry had ever seen. Bigger then what the Dursley's get every year. Thousands of ornaments hung on it, Harry was blown away how beautiful it looked. Wishing his parents were here to enjoy this moment with him.
"Merry Christmas Harry!" Ron says, smiling over.
"Merry Christmas Ron," Harry says back with a huge grin, "What are you wearing?" he noticed Ron wearing a red sweater that said R on it.
"Oh…" Ron looked down at himself, "mom made it," he tugs at the wool, "Well, come down here Harry, you got presents."
Harry was taken back by that, never in his life did he receive a present of any kind, "I got presents?" he gapped, thinking he heard wrong.
"Yeah…" Ron said, wondering why Harry was asking that, watching him run downstairs, with an excited face.
Harry grab is one of his gifts, looking at the note written on it, "Your father left this in my possession before he died, use it well," Harry looked over at Ron with confused eyes. Ron shrugs, not knowing who gave it to him.
Harry opens his gift, feeling the warmth of the material. Taking it out, thinking it was just a warm blanket.
"Try it on!" Ron exclaims, Harry does has he was told, wrapping his new gift around him, his body suddenly disappeared, "Whoa I know what that is! It is invisibility cloak!"
Harry look over at himself, "I am invisible?" he gapped at himself open mouth, looking over at himself. Sure, enough the only thing that is visible was his head.
"Those things are rare; I wonder who gave it to you?" Ron wondered, looking at the note that came with it.
"I have no idea, it just says, use it well."
Harry breathed out a sigh, before setting out of his corridor. Wrapping the cloak around him. Tonight, was the time to look for any information about the immortal stone. Hermione telling them to look in the restricted section before leaving to see her parents for the Holidays. Ron became worried that they became a bad influence on her.
Going towards the restricted floor, Harry carefully looked around before opening the door. Holding up his lantern to check out the titles. Setting the lantern aside, he took a book out, opening the pages. Suddenly a head poked out of it, starting to scream. Frightened Harry quickly shuts the book and puts it back.
Suddenly he heard Filches voice, asking if anyone was there and if so to show themselves. Harry quickly gets his cloak that was under his lantern, making it crash to the floor. Silently he walks backwards as Filch gets near him. Opening the back door of the library to sneak out. Hearing a cat meowing next to him. Realizing it is Filches' cat; Harry quickly makes an escape. Walking around the corner; Snape and Quirrell suddenly appear before him.
Snape pushes Quirrell against the wall, "Severus…I…I"
"You don't want me to be your enemy Quirrell." he hissed at the other teacher.
"I…don't…know…what you mean?" Harry silently moved around them. If it were just Snape, he would have said something to him, but since Professor Quirrell was there too, he decided it was best to sneak past them.
"You know perfectly well what I mean?" Harry watches the commotion while sneaking around. Snape heard some breathing near his ear, his face turning to towards the noise. Not seeing anything, still hearing breathing though. Harry covers his mouth. Thinking that there is something fishy going on; Snape reaches out, Harry moves backwards. 'Sorry Professor, I will tell you later about it.' Snape's hand did not feel anything, looking at it. Snape realizes who it could be, keeping quiet about it, turning back over to Quirrell. "We will have another chat soon…when you have time to decide… where your loyalties lie?"
Filch noticed them lurking near the library, holding a broken lantern, "Oh…Professors. I found this in the restricted section," Snape looks over at him confused on why he is telling this, "It is still hot…that means there is a student out of bed!" he croaks. Severus pretending on not know who it is, leads them away from Harry. Planning to deal with him later. As they walked back to the library, to search for the student who supposed to be in bed.
Harry had a chance to sneak inside another room, with a mirror in the center. He walked to it, curious at what it was doing here. Looking at the words carved into it on top. Two people were in there, as he walked slowly over, 'What is this?' looking closer he realized who they were, he looked behind him. There was nobody, but him there. Looking back at the mirror, he looked at his father and mother, "Mom?" she nods back at him with a grin. Looking at his father, "Dad?" his grins back.
Sadness suddenly washed over him as reaches over to the mirror, only touching glass. His mother noticing his sadness, put a hand on his reflection's shoulder. Harry reaches over to his shoulder, hoping to feel her hand. Nothing there.
Wanting to show Ron what he discovered, he snuck back out of the door, heading back into the hallway. Snape was right there waiting for him, "Well, well…Filch was right about someone being out of bed?"
"Snape?" Harry looked to see if he was alone, walking over to him.
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in? Not only were you out, but you were also in the restricted section,"
Harry gulps at that, "I was looking for information is all…about the stone. Quirrell was trying get it tonight, wasn't he?"
Snape looked around, worried about Filch coming back. Harry grabbed his arm, wanting to show him what he just discovered. Dragging him over to the room with the mirror inside. Snape realized what this room is. Knowing everything there is to know about this castle.
"Look Professor it is my parents," Snape did not want to look, knowing what this mirror is, "Professor?" Harry noticed him covering his face, "what's wrong?" Harry looked over at his parents. Lily was the one appearing in Snape's reflection. With Harry next to him, "You know about this mirror, don't you?" his teacher nodded, keeping his face hidden. If he sees Lily, it will break him apart. Just like that night when he found her body. Harry noticing this, put a hand on his shoulder, "OK I get the hint…" he steered Snape away from the mirror, reaching out to his hands, taking them of his face, "it is ok Professor…I got you away from it."
Snape looked over at the frame of the mirror, then back at Harry, "Get back to bed…" he walks away disappearing inside another door nearby, Harry wanted to make sure he was alright, but he also wanted to introduce his parents to Ron. Deciding to pick Ron for now. Planning to wake him up.