Chapter 18: The Christmas at Prince Manor
(Apologies for not updating on Christmas Day. But for those of you who feel down with Christmas being long over and not quite looking forward to New Year's yet, allow me to offer you this last Christmas gift, (if you can call it that) today in the form of this chapter! I hope you enjoy it.)
The rest of the first term went by rather too quickly for Severus' liking. He didn't like the idea of time flying. He spent many hours in the library looking for books that explained Voldemort's key to immortality. All his efforts were to no avail, and there was no teacher he could turn to, to ask for permission to find such a particularly Dark topic in the Restricted Section. It would be too suspicious around Dumbledore for a first year to ask to go to that part of the library anyway.
Severus was running out of options on how to fight Voldemort. He tried thinking of all sorts of ways he could sneak into the Restricted Section, but none sprung to mind. And he had no intention or, to his mind, choice to ask Dumbledore for help.
November became December, and Autumn became Winter. Snow spread across the grounds of Hogwarts, and snowball fights and snowmen swiftly followed at the weekends off. The homework was becoming more frequent, and there was a fair amount of it to be done over the Christmas holidays, but to Severus and Lily, this was all exhilarating, even after a whole term. Lily was still getting used to the wonders of magic, and in just school alone. She couldn't get enough of it, even in the form of written homework essays.
James and Sirius were best friends again, and Pettigrew was now shuffling around behind them, like a germ that would not wash off. James didn't mind. Pettigrew acting like a chaperone made him look like a leader, and he had been a loyal friend when James was in that spate of having almost no friends at all. By now, he was Mr Popular all over again. The only girl whom didn't reinstate her fancying of him was Mary. She had become too good a friend to Lily, Severus and Quincey to get too close to James again. And after the way he acted in the past few months, she had gone right off him.
Remus had become very happy after the first week of December. He had gone to Dumbledore's office the week before full moon, and he and Professor Slughorn had presented him with a cauldron's worth of the Wolfsbane Potion. He was ordered to take it once every day on that week, or the effects wouldn't work. And so, after taking it in multiple doses, exactly at the times and days that Slughorn ordered, Remus was taken to the Shrieking Shack by Madam Pomfrey, and she wished him all the best.
He stood alone in the Shack, ready for full moon. Or at least as ready as he would ever be, and with more determination than he had ever had before.
The moon rose, and Remus felt his transformation begin. Immediately, he felt certain that the Potion didn't work. He was still feeling the horrific pain that came at every change. He howled in agony as he became furred and his nose became a snout and he collapsed on all fours, his hands and feet becoming paws.
He opened his eyes when the pain died down. He looked down at his paws on the ground. It couldn't be. He was him. Not the werewolf.
It worked!
He could think, he was of sound mind. He just looked like a werewolf. But he wasn't one. He wasn't a savage and infectious beast. He was Remus Lupin. He was a human being in an animal's tame body.
Remus was delighted and tried to yell with joy, but sadly, it still came out a roar. Disgusted by his own wolfish voice and incapability of speech, Remus decided to just stay put and rest. He saw the massive bed in the room, hopped onto it and curled up, his head in his paws, his tail curled over his hind legs and nuzzling the pillow, full of mingled joy at the success of the Potion, and the conflicting sadness of being trapped in his own mind for the night, he fell fast asleep.
The following morning, Remus rose, back to flesh, and feeling as poorly as he had the last time. He concluded that while the Potion maintained his mind, the effects of the transformation remained unchanged. He would still have to endure insufferable pain and feel horrendously ill.
Still looking on the bright side that his werewolf persona was now tame and under control, Remus made his way out of the Willow after getting dressed once more. Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore were waiting for him.
"Well?" said McGonagall worriedly. "Did it work?"
"It worked." panted Remus with a faint smile on his pale lips. "I was tame. I just curled up on the bed and went to sleep after the transformation…I looked horrible…but I was me. I was still me!"
"This is marvellous news." smiled Dumbledore. "I must boost Horace's salary by another percentage."
McGonagall and Pomfrey escorted Remus to the Hospital Wing shortly after the congratulations were completed. Remus was laid to sleep once again on the bed he was given. He was still ill and still exhausted from the ordeal of his monthly transformations, but at least he had something to smile about this Christmas. He had to stay at Hogwarts this first year though. He had to face transformation for the second time this month on New Year's Eve. He was terribly upset he couldn't go to see his parents.
Luckily, Dumbledore, being the great man that he is, put Remus out of that particular misery when he woke up from his extended nap.
"Mr Lupin." he greeted. "I have arranged under special circumstances that you can use a Portkey to get yourself home for Christmas Eve and Day."
"Oh, thank you, sir!" said Remus happily.
"You will need to take your first dose of Wolfsbane Potion just after using the Portkey, and the second whilst at your parents' house on Christmas Day. I will give you the Boxing Day dose myself upon your return to Hogwarts at midday." continued Dumbledore.
"Thank you so much, sir." said Remus quietly and contentedly.
"You rest some more, Mr Lupin." smiled the Headmaster. "And enjoy the last couple of weeks of term. Oh, and if you don't mind my saying so, I do hope you will reconcile with your friends soon. They're all worried about you."
Remus remained silent, and when Dumbledore left, he pretended to be asleep so as to avoid a similar topic with Madam Pomfrey.
The Christmas holidays were now in session. The term was over, and Severus and Lily were on the Hogwarts Express sharing a compartment with Mary, Marlene, Rebecca and Quincey. They played Wizard Snap and exchanged Chocolate Frog cards. Severus had two copies of Dumbledore's card and gave it to Lily for free, and she gave him a Rowena Ravenclaw card in return, despite his protestations.
The compartment door opened three times on that journey. The first time was when Sirius and James peeked in. Sirius was going home as Regulus wanted his company for Christmas.
"Hi."
"Hi." came the replies.
"We were wondering if we could talk to Severus." said James.
"Oh, it's Severus, now, is it?" asked the young Ravenclaw bluntly.
"Please, mate." said Sirius imploringly.
"Say your say where we are." replied Severus stubbornly. He had been pestered by the pair since the event of saving them from Remus' werewolf form, hoping to try and gain his friendship and his forgiveness. The latter was mostly for James' benefit, but Sirius didn't know that Severus still bore a deep grudge against him and his counterpart.
Lily didn't know why Severus still seemed to dislike them. Sirius had done nothing offensive to him since their first acquaintance on the train coming to Hogwarts. She could understand why he still bore a grudge for James, but his actions were confusing. One moment, he saves James' life, and then the next, he wishes James nothing but ill.
"Fine." said James as patiently as he could. "You saved us, and we're grateful. We just wanna make things up with you and maybe even be friends if you can manage that. I know we didn't start out right, but we could try and do better now. That's all I'm asking. A chance to be better than I was before."
"There has to be a catch." muttered Severus.
Sirius frowned. "Well, I'll admit there is."
"Aha." said Severus mockingly.
"We just want you to speak with Remus when we come back to school. He trusted you before he trusted me, and he never had a reason to trust James." explained Sirius.
"What did you two do to upset Remus?" asked Lily.
"Are you two the reason he's been avoiding everyone?" asked Quincey severely.
"He isn't talking to you guys either?" asked James, recovering from Sirius' mistake in bringing Remus into the discussion.
"No." replied Mary.
"Well, maybe it isn't us then." hinted James.
"Maybe." said Sirius. "But what do you say, Severus? Could you not give us a chance?"
Severus frowned. He didn't want to be friends with either of them ever, but he knew he had to act like he did eventually, or Lily might see him as a bad person for bearing grudges and not being able to let the past go. If only she could know what past he was being asked to let go of.
"I'll consider it over Christmas." he said at last with coldness.
"Thanks, Severus." said James and Sirius in unison, and they both departed.
The second time the door opened brought in Frank and Alice, and they were much more welcome.
"Everyone alright in here?" asked Frank.
"Yes, thanks." smiled Rebecca.
"Good." smiled Alice. "Have a Happy Christmas, all of you."
"Happy Christmas!" came the united reply.
Not long after Frank and Alice departed, the third and less wanted disturbance occurred. Lucius Malfoy opened the door, and he was being followed by Avery. Mulciber was absent.
"Well, if it isn't the Gryffindor's saviour and his lackeys, unlimited to Mudbloods." sneered Malfoy.
"If our presence is so disdainful, I suggest you get lost!" snarled Quincey with suppressed fury.
Severus smirked. His new best friend who wasn't Lily had come far since the start of term.
"Say that one more time." dared Malfoy viciously.
"Get lost!" yelled Quincey, without hesitation.
Malfoy made to draw his wand when he felt another wand press to his neck. Frank was holding it with Alice quickly disarming his smaller apprentice.
"Leave them alone, Malfoy!" snapped Frank.
Malfoy frowned, lowered his wand, muttered "Blood traitors." and skulked away, followed by the now timid but indignant Avery.
Severus heard Malfoy call out purposefully: "Wait till he learns what my father did!" He decided to ignore him. Like his son after him, Lucius Malfoy was all bark and no bite.
"Thanks, Frank, Alice." said Quincey.
"You're welcome." said Alice.
"Although, the way you stirred his temper, Quincey, I'd say you were doing very well yourself." said Frank appraisingly.
"Yeah." said Lily. "You've definitely become more brave and self-confident, Quincey."
The young Ravenclaw smiled. He looked to his best friend, Severus. Severus was smiling at him with approval.
"Nice one, Quincey." he said proudly.
The rest of the train journey was smooth sailing from there. And when they reached Platform Nine and Three Quarters, they gave their hugs goodbye until next term in a couple of weeks. James and Sirius faded into the crowd. Mary, Frank and Alice waved as they found their respective families, and Severus, Lily and Quincey saw their parents waiting. Quincey's parents stood not far from Lily's parents and Eileen.
"Mummy! Daddy!" shouted Lily as she ran into her parents' outstretched arms.
"Hey, sweetheart!" squealed Rose, with joy.
"How was your first term of magic school?" asked Trevor interestedly.
"It was great!" squeaked Lily. "We did matchstick transfigurations, we looked at these wonderfully odd plants, we learned to use the Bat Bogey Hex and we flew on brooms and everything!"
Lily was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet, making Severus and Quincey chuckle.
"Quincey, dear." said the woman assumed to be his mother.
"Hi, Mummy!" Quincey embraced his mother, whilst Severus rushed up to Eileen in a tight embrace.
"Hey, Severus." whispered his mother lovingly.
"I missed you, Mum." replied Severus quietly.
She smiled. "You and I are going to Apparate straight from here to Prince Manor. Your grandparents insisted we spend the Christmas week there. Lily's parents have accepted an invitation to come around for dinner on Christmas Day."
Severus was pleased to hear he would be with Lily and his grandparents, as well as Eileen this Christmas.
"Your grandparents are dying to hear of your first few months at Hogwarts, and are intrigued that you're the first Prince in several centuries to not be a Slytherin." continued Eileen.
Severus nodded along, happy to hear his mother's voice properly again, when he noticed something in her eyes. He had the sense of something forebodingly familiar. He almost instantly realized what it was: secrecy. Eileen was hiding something from him. Just like Dumbledore always did in his past life.
Before he could confront this, Quincey walked over to him.
"Mum, Dad, this is my best friend at Hogwarts, Severus Prince!" introduced Quincey.
"Splendid to meet you, Severus." said Mr Morris, taking Severus' hand and shaking it firmly.
"Thank you for making our boy feel so wanted and cared for at that school. We weren't entirely sure, you see." added Mrs Morris. "He never had many friends cos of his unique talents, but now he seems so happy, and we apparently have you to thank."
"Oh, um, uh…no problem, Mr and Mrs Morris. Quincey's a good friend to me too." stammered Severus. He still wasn't very comfortable with feeling praised or even liked by others.
"I'll see you after Christmas, Severus." said Quincey cheerily and the two friends waved until Quincey and his parents went through the barrier and back to the Muggle world.
After her parents explained to her that Severus was going to his grandparents' home and that they would join him there for Christmas Day, Lily went up to Severus and hugged him close.
"I'll see you at Christmas, Sev." she whispered.
"I'll see you then, Lils." replied Severus. He felt a little saddened. He would miss Lily. But she wasn't going anywhere this time.
After a longer embrace from them, and shared ones between Rose, Trevor and Eileen, the Evans family went through the barrier whilst Eileen took Severus' hand and they Disapparated.
Severus looked round to find himself just outside the Prince Manor. Eileen used incantations to bypass some magical protective barriers.
Severus watched her and then remembered that his mother was definitely maintaining some information of sorts from him.
"Mum." he said.
"Yes, honey?" replied his mother.
"What are you hiding from me?" asked Severus simply.
Eileen froze. She sighed deeply and turned to her son.
"I must look like Albus Dumbledore to you right now. I should have known you'd notice secrecy in anyone by now." she said.
"Yes." replied her son.
"Well, don't worry." she continued. "Your grandfather will explain later."
Severus was a little worried.
Later, after placing his belongings in his assigned bedroom, Severus went back down to join his mother and grandparents to luncheon. The dishes of mussels and whelks were splendidly piled by house-elves and snow piled by the windows outside giving a festive effect to the place.
Severus tucked into his bowl of mussels, whilst Septimus and Desdemona praised the head house elves for their efforts. Their attitude towards the elves had improved significantly as well since Severus came into their lives along with their lost daughter.
Severus was still waiting to hear from either Septimus or Eileen what it was that he was being hidden from. After luncheon was finished with, Septimus decided to speak up at last.
"Your mother has told me that you're a very perceptive child, Severus, and will see through any attempts of secrecy, so she, your grandmother and myself have decided to explain things to you today, before Christmas and before Miss Evans comes, so that way, time can pass, and you can still have a Happy Christmas."
"What is it, Grandad?" asked Severus concernedly.
Septimus nudged Desdemona and she handed him a copy of the Daily Prophet.
"Look at page 38, dear." she said morosely.
Severus flicked to that page, having not read the newspaper today, and his face darkened into a frown.
The headline read: AILING MEMBER OF THE WIZENGAMOT STRUCK OFF FOR REST LEAVE, PENDING RETIREMENT.
"Read on, Severus." said Eileen.
Severus did so, becoming more and more angered by the content.
'Septimus Beresford Prince, aged 68, has been suspended from the Wizengamot at the Ministry of Magic under the request of several fellow members and outside employees at the Ministry, under the grounds of highly deteriorating mental health.
Mr Prince, whilst refusing to give comment, has been spoken after by Ministry workers known to be his close comrades. One such person, a Mr Hermes Malfoy, spoke of his 'dear friend's' sad and tragic health drop. "I was dreadfully aggrieved to watch my good friend start to alter from the great man I knew into a bumbling man who speaks fondly of Muggles, a subject he used to express such fury towards. I asked my fellow workers what they thought of Septimus' attitude change, and all of them admit they found his change disturbing. A friend of mine, whom works at St Mungo's, explained to me, that Septimus has the symptoms of the common disease known to wizards and Muggles alike as dementia. My friend and myself expressed these findings to the Minister and the Wizengamot. I was terribly disappointed to learn of the decision that was made: that Septimus needed to be suspended and likely retired. He will be sorely missed by myself and many of us here at the Ministry."
Severus read on to see more interviews with more traitorous former comrades of his grandfather. He was irate with anger. Now he understood Lucius Malfoy's words, 'Wait till he learns what my father did!' It seemed that Malfoy's crude foreshadowing was not idle. His father had truly done something, and that was dismember Septimus from the Ministry, forcing him into retirement.
"They can't get away with this." fumed Severus.
"And they won't." replied Desdemona. "We'll take this up to the Wizengamot and we will show them all that Septimus is of perfectly sound mind, and is just a changed man. He will be back to work before Easter, as long as things go well."
"I hope so." replied Severus. He rose from his seat and hugged his grandfather. "I'm sorry this has happened to you, Grandad."
"Not your fault, boy." said Septimus, clapping his grandson's back. "It's just a bump in the road, that's all. Things will be perfectly fine in a few months' time. In the meantime, you just enjoy your Christmas holidays. I look forward to seeing your charming friend, Lily, again. I'm sure she'll fill the old place with Christmas cheer."
Severus had no doubt of that.
He looked to his mother and hugged her. But something else worried him. Despite the revelation of his grandfather's suspension from work, Eileen's eyes still held something in them that showed to him that she was keeping a secret. Another secret. And Severus intended to find out what it was by the end of the holidays.
Christmas Day came soon enough. But it couldn't come soon enough for Severus. He and his mother went to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade respectively via either Apparition or by Floo Network. They bought Christmas gifts for Septimus, Desdemona and Severus' friends back at Hogwarts.
In Lily's case, Severus bought her both a Christmas present and a birthday present to give her at the end of January.
The Christmas gift was Honeydukes' finest Christmas based sweets and chocolates, and for her birthday, he got her a book dedicated to Charms work, as that was the class she exceeded at the most so far. He knew full well that Charms was always her vocation, and he wanted to make her even better. He considered buying her a book on defensive spells next year, to make sure she would be doubly prepared for danger in the future, in case he failed to destroy Voldemort.
When Christmas Day came, Severus keenly woke and opened all his gifts from his mother and his grandparents, then he saw a pile of other presents with his name written on them. He had never seen so many in his previous lifetime.
"It seems you have made a lot of friends this time round, Severus." said Eileen fondly.
Severus smiled happily and unwrapped an endless supply of sweets, Zonko products and a fun facts on magical properties book from Remus. Severus was hoping this meant that Remus was willing to be his close friend again. He had really come to appreciate the Remus of this world.
At the end of the morning, after a hearty breakfast, and storing his presents in his bedroom, Severus heard the whoosh of the fireplace. He paced back downstairs to find Lily, Rose, Trevor and Petunia dusting themselves off after coming to the Manor via the Floo Network.
"Sev!" cried Lily.
Lils!" replied Severus.
The two best friends embraced and said in unison: "Merry Christmas."
Lily greeted the Prince family warmly, and Rose and Eileen embraced like best friends. Presents were exchanged, including several magical objects and toys for Petunia to keep privately.
"You mustn't show that Sneakoscope to anyone, Tuney." said Lily. "It's just to keep you safe and warn you of any danger. At least that's what Sev and Mr Prince say."
"Thank you." said Petunia cheerily, hugging her sister and her friend respectively.
They chatted and played all day. Snowball fights outside as well as building snowmen occurred, and Lily and Severus demonstrated broomstick flying to the rest of the Evans family. Petunia looked jealous as she could never fly a broom, so Eileen offered to take her for a ride. Petunia agreed and let her arms go free once they were up in the air, circling the mansion. She had never felt so elegant and free in all her life.
After that, Petunia and Trevor tried to show Severus and Lily how to ski. But neither of them were very good at it. In Severus' case, it was because he had never heard of skiing before, and in Lily's case, it was because, like her mother, she had no sense of balance, which was why she let Eileen take Petunia up in the air, as she could barely keep herself on the broom most times.
After all these festive outdoor activities, the house elves summoned them all back indoors, ready for the Christmas dinner.
There was a succulent and enormous roast turkey, complete with pigs in blankets, chestnut, sage and onion stuffing, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce and two jugs of rich gravy, mixed with the Prince family's finest vintage red wine.
The two families dug in to their meal, and even Petunia couldn't complain.
"This is lovely!" she practically sang to the Princes.
"You must really thank our house elves." said Desdemona pleasantly. "They do it all, albeit with help from Eileen on occasion."
Petunia promised to, though she was unfamiliar with elves, and Lily saw that she was hoping for someone to come with her to thank and introduce herself to them after the dinner was completed.
Puddings were almost as good as the main feast. Christmas puddings, ice creams, cheesecake and berry pies galore.
"Two families, more options." said Septimus with a chortle.
"Your elves have really outdone themselves." said Trevor.
"They don't…they're not um…" said Rose hesitantly.
"No, they are not exactly slaves, Rose." explained Eileen. "They love to work, there are some elves who don't like the house elf code of serving a wizarding family, but our elves have only ever had love and respect for us, although Dad has only just come around to treating them with respect in return."
Septimus frowned shamefacedly and finished eating his pudding.
Petunia was taken by Eileen and Lily to meet the house elves. They were delighted to meet her and were grateful for her appreciation. Petunia even asked for the recipe for their cheesecake, as it had special ingredients to emphasise the taste.
The Evans family soon had to depart. They were full, happy and content. They thanked the Princes heartily and Eileen and Rose promised to catch up upon their return to Spinner's End in two days' time.
Severus hugged Lily.
"See you before New Year, Sev." said Lily cheerfully.
"Definitely." replied Severus.
As the Evans family left through the Floo Network, Severus smiled hugging his mother.
"Can't wait for New Year's now." he said.
Eileen smiled in response. She still looked like she was hiding something from Severus. Whenever he tried to bring it up, she always responded with, "It's of no consequence, Severus."
He spoke to his grandparents, but they assured him that Eileen wasn't ill or anything serious like that.
Severus frowned as he went to bed that Christmas night. He hoped that he and Eileen would never keep secrets in this life, and sooner or later, he would find out what his mother was hiding from him now.
(Merry Christmas to my readers, and a Happy New Year too!)