Chapter Six: Christmas
Christmas morning woke Hermione with sun directly in her eyes.
Remus ran into her room like she did with Harry and Ron every year. "Wake up presents!"
"One more minutes." she moaned turning on her side away from the light.
"Come on! It's only Christmas once a year!"
"Tiward!" she moans louder, and hit his head with her spare pillow.
"You're violent, come on wake up open your gifts, then you may go back to bed." he rationalized.
However, being tired wasn't the only thing keeping her in bed; the one thing that she by far most afraid of was the fact that she wouldn't be getting presents from her family.
Surly someone was bound to notice, and she wanted to ward that off for as long as possible.
She sat up, which Remus took as a sign that she was getting up, and left.
Gwen dressed in her traditional robes with a red and green skirt, and emerald top.
Yawning she walked over to her stack of gifts and picked them up, and placed them on her bed.
Some one knocked.
"Come in." she called back.
Remus walked in with a large grin on his face. "It's just Snape me and you here, so the teachers want us to open all of our gifts in the great hall, come on!"
He grabbed her gifts form her bed and she walked behind him, completely shocked. She had a chance to glace at her pile and though it was small, it wasn't as tiny as she had expected.
"Wow! You have a gift from Malfoy!" Remus commented as they walked down.
"Yes, well we are friends according to our agreement." she stated back.
"Did you send him something?"
"Of course!" she looked at him appalled.
"You really are one of a kind you know that Gwen." he shook his head as they entered the great hall.
All the tables were gone, there were only chairs and couches out, they were around one of the fires and everyone was waiting for them.
Severus motioned Gwen to sit beside him on the green couch, and she accepted. Remus sat beside her in a chair.
"Well first all gifts to the center!" Dumbledore raised his hands and all the tiny piles found their way to the middle between all of them. "First gifts form people who are not here."
Severus only got on from his parents and one from Lucius. The one from his parents was a simple blanks book. Green leather with a silver 'S' on the front.
Hermione could tell his family was one of those 'Proud Slytherin' ones. At least she gathered as much from the color scheme. She wasn't so naïve to believe that the 'S' stood for Snake or Slytherin. It was more than likely Severus or Snape.
Remus got lots of presents from his immediate family and the Marauders. It mainly focused upon one main theme. Jokes and More jokes.
His mom and Dad sent him pick bunny slippers.
James sent him a calendar, with wolves in it.
Peter found him a set of ear muffs.
And Sirius sent him some 'snacks' and I'm not saying what. *coughs fido*
Lily had a bit more sense, she sent him a comforter. Guess what for.
Hermione had better luck. The Maruaders sent books and candy.
What really shocked everyone, was the fact that she got nothing from her parents.
Suddenly without question, Two boxes, one green and one red, appeared in front of her.
The red one held little silver loop earings with stars on them that glowed at night, so you could be seen, and so that you could see.
the Green one held a set of dress robes.
They were from here 'mother' and 'father'.
Though Severus wasn't really her mother, nor was the head master her father.
Now it was time for the one from Lucius.
opening it up she saw the most beautiful set of quills and inks. 24 different colored inks surrounded four quills.
Each had a note attached.
The Green one stated. 'To whom you wish to deceive.'
The silver one stated. 'To whom you wish to explain.'
The red said 'To whom you wish to curse.'
And the gold one said 'To whom you seem to trust.'
Inside the box was a note.
'Enjoy the holidays, enjoy the gift and use it well.
L.M'
"Isn't that nice." she stated.
Everyone else finished up the gifts quickly.
"Now we go around clockwise. All from Remus." Dumbledore announced.
Two to Hermione and Snape along with one to Dumbledore went around from the pile.
"I'm old, I can wait, Ms. Granger why don't you go first, as this is your first year here." Dumbledore suggested.
"Alright." and she opened up the tiny silver package.
Inside was a silver dagger with gold with red jeweled phoenix.
"Oh my god!" she covered her mouth, "Remus this is too much! I can't accept this!"
"Think nothing of it, and welcome, Gwen." he said in a semi official way, "Plus if you really are that worried, this about it as a gift from all of us." she knew who 'us' was. "Read the card later, it'll explain a bit." Remus waved Snape to open his.
Snape opened his gift, with all of the professors looking anxious as to see what Remus would give his suppose of 'enemy'.
It was a book, to be precise, it was book about the effects of the phases of the moon on different spells and potions, with in fact, a moon chart in the back that changed to the month and year you were at.
"Thanks Lupin." he flipped a few pages. "This is absolutely perfect." he said in an 'I'm busy alright' way. Almost in fact, as if he was interested in the book.
"Your turn professor." Lupin urged.
He opened it. It was also a book. Nothing magical to tell you the truth, it was about how one makes socks.
"What a marvelous gift Mr. Lupin, thank you." and he too looked through it shortly, and then sat it down. "Ms. Grangers gifts."
A flurry of presents went to everyone in the current room.
Madame Hooch received a broom care kit, similar, but far under the one Harry received in second year.
Most of the professors received books and charts that went along with what the taught.
To list a few, she gave Twlarney a Moon chart; McGonagall received a book about animagis.
She gave Dumbledore five completely different pairs of socks, to of which he hugged her for.
But the most surprising was what she gave Professor Bit.
It took a long time to locate, but she finally found it. It was a complete history of Salazar Slytherin and his house.
"Hold onto that." Gwen warned, "I'm sure you'll need it. Then I require you give it to whoever succeeds you as Slytherin Head of house."
"Why, Ms. Granger?"
"Trust me." she begged. "If you never trust me on anything else, just trust me on this."
"alright." she looked at the girl oddly and they went on.
Severus opened his next. It was a teacher manual. Accompanied by a silver flask set. Each flask had his initials surrounded by snakes. "Thank you." he whispered, in complete awe.
Most of the teachers saw, and realized that he was planning on becoming a teacher.
"Ms. Granger." The old bat of future reading spoke up. "How good are you at divination?"
Hermione looked up, Snape joined her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean you've known us all for less than a month, and yet you've managed to get us the things we have been looking forward to getting."
"I guess I am." she said simply.
"Then join my class! We could use a real seer."
"No, I'm sorry Sybil. She can't." Dumbledore spoke up.
"Why?"
"Her parents forbade it."
"Oh."
"Remus, I want you to open your gift later." Gwen asked Him nicely, "It's something I don't want everyone to know about." she said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Alright." he consented, but in a bit of a forlorn way.
"Now Mr. Snape's gifts."
Only four flew around. Hermione, Remus, Bit and Dumbledore received gifts.
Remus went first. He received a set of Robes with anti-tear charms on them. But he also received a strange potion ingredient inside the robes.
"You'll understand that later." Snape notified him. "And 'Gwen', don't open yours here."
"alright." and she set the gold package aside with out a second thought.
Bit opened her gift to find a book titled in I quote 'the 50 most horrible assignments for detentions.'
"My! Thank you Snape, though I hope your not being too cocky." she eyed him warningly.
"No, Professor, I just figured that it would give you a laugh, and with the idiots in your classes, you might need It." he shrugged.
"I see." she eyed Gwen who was giggling.
Dumbledore started to open his envelope when Severus stopped him, by leaping up and snatching it from him. "Not here, Head master, later, later." and he handed it back.
The gifts went on and on, most professors just exchanged gifts among themselves.
Finally it was Dumbledore's turn.
He gave all the professors gag gifts, but then it came to the three students.
Gwen received a book Titled 'To Travel Time; The Proper Use of a Time Turner.' she ran up and hugged the professor.
"I believe we shall discuss it later Ms. Granger?"
She nodded, tears coming to her eyes.
Snape received a Letter, of which was a, 'not open here' gift.
Remus opened a large box, which turned out to be a model of the solar system.
"I know how much you love maps Mr. Lupin." he winked.
Remus just nodded.
"Well I do believe that we have on gift for Mr. Lupin to open alone, one for Ms. Granger and one for Mr. Snape, as well as myself. From the four of us, so would it be fine if just us four remained for the gifts?"
"That would be fine professor." Snape answered.
Gwen nodded.
"Then it is settled. Minerva Sybil everyone, mind leaving us be?"
"Of course not," and they all left.
"Alright, Professor open yours first."
Dumbledore opened the envelope. Inside was a letter, that as he read, his eyes grew and grew, until he looked up at Snape. "You sure about this?"
"Positive." he nodded to add emphasis.
"If you're sure, I'll ask you upon any time correct?"
"Yes."
"What are you two talking about?" Gwen asked.
"You can tell her professor, Lupin close your ears." Snape said.
Remus did as told.
"Mr. Snape has promised me his loyalty in anything and everything." he held up the document. "Officially."
"What brought that up?" She asked.
"Well, I was hoping on teaching here at some point in time.er. um he waved at Lupin, "I think he should know, professor, I mean I do."
"What know what?" Remus asked.
"Yes it's true, I told Severus a while back."
"Then Mr. Lupin should know." Dumbledore looked at the confused teen. "Ms. Granger is not, well one should say, born yet."
"What." he stated more then asked as he looked at Gwen.
"My name is Hermione Remus." she stated. "I was born on September 15th 1980."
"So, you are from the future?"
"Yep."
"And she told me professor." Snape continued. "I believe that she knew what she was doing. Well onto what I said, its true, you have my complete loyalty, no matter what may happen, I will help you in what ever."
"I see." he nodded. "Open yours"
He did. and it was a request to be the Potions master once Bit retired. Snape laughed at the Irony. "Of course professor, I'll do it."
"Do what?" Remus asked.
"It's nothing important Moony." Snape waved him on. "Open your gift."
He did, it was a few other potions ingredients, and a recipe.
"What's this?"
"Sorry Remus, but I forgot one ingredient, so Snape gave it to you separate." Hermione said quickly.
"I'm no good at potions!"
"Well, you might want to learn this one." Snape said simply. "Read what the potion does at the bottom."
He read, and read, and re read again. "Your joking." he whispered.
"No. It is no joke." Hermione said simply. "I learned about it in my third year, and I researched it in my fourth and fifth, that's the recipe."
"Ms. Granger, would that Potion have not been made yet?"
"Yes, professor." she prayed that he wouldn't make him give it up.
"Alright, as long as you understand Lupin, that it may not be told to anyone outside this room."
"No, professor, for this I'll gladly pay that price." he was reading over it again for the tenth time, as if memorizing it.
"I could help you master it Lupin." Snape offered.
"No, that's fine, I can manage."
"Well then, Ms. Granger, your gift."
She opened up the golden box. What was inside made tears come to her eyes and forced her to set it down and hug Severus until he couldn't breathe.
"We are waiting to know what it is." Dumbledore mentioned.
"His Time turner Professor." Hermione whispered, as tears fell.
"I see, well you can return then tonight if you wish."
"No that's fine, I want to be here a bit longer," she sat back down and placed it around her neck. "Plus it would be odd if I left before the others come back, they'd be worried."
"I see your point, then we'll plan for the," he thought. "Eleventh of January then, that sound fine?"
"Yes." she nodded.
"Good, then we shall retire then, good day."
And he left.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN:
Ok so how is it going? Now I want you all to understand that Christmas isn't over yet, no, and the next one you'll all love.
So be patient!
Review
and have a wonderful day.
Relena~
Christmas morning woke Hermione with sun directly in her eyes.
Remus ran into her room like she did with Harry and Ron every year. "Wake up presents!"
"One more minutes." she moaned turning on her side away from the light.
"Come on! It's only Christmas once a year!"
"Tiward!" she moans louder, and hit his head with her spare pillow.
"You're violent, come on wake up open your gifts, then you may go back to bed." he rationalized.
However, being tired wasn't the only thing keeping her in bed; the one thing that she by far most afraid of was the fact that she wouldn't be getting presents from her family.
Surly someone was bound to notice, and she wanted to ward that off for as long as possible.
She sat up, which Remus took as a sign that she was getting up, and left.
Gwen dressed in her traditional robes with a red and green skirt, and emerald top.
Yawning she walked over to her stack of gifts and picked them up, and placed them on her bed.
Some one knocked.
"Come in." she called back.
Remus walked in with a large grin on his face. "It's just Snape me and you here, so the teachers want us to open all of our gifts in the great hall, come on!"
He grabbed her gifts form her bed and she walked behind him, completely shocked. She had a chance to glace at her pile and though it was small, it wasn't as tiny as she had expected.
"Wow! You have a gift from Malfoy!" Remus commented as they walked down.
"Yes, well we are friends according to our agreement." she stated back.
"Did you send him something?"
"Of course!" she looked at him appalled.
"You really are one of a kind you know that Gwen." he shook his head as they entered the great hall.
All the tables were gone, there were only chairs and couches out, they were around one of the fires and everyone was waiting for them.
Severus motioned Gwen to sit beside him on the green couch, and she accepted. Remus sat beside her in a chair.
"Well first all gifts to the center!" Dumbledore raised his hands and all the tiny piles found their way to the middle between all of them. "First gifts form people who are not here."
Severus only got on from his parents and one from Lucius. The one from his parents was a simple blanks book. Green leather with a silver 'S' on the front.
Hermione could tell his family was one of those 'Proud Slytherin' ones. At least she gathered as much from the color scheme. She wasn't so naïve to believe that the 'S' stood for Snake or Slytherin. It was more than likely Severus or Snape.
Remus got lots of presents from his immediate family and the Marauders. It mainly focused upon one main theme. Jokes and More jokes.
His mom and Dad sent him pick bunny slippers.
James sent him a calendar, with wolves in it.
Peter found him a set of ear muffs.
And Sirius sent him some 'snacks' and I'm not saying what. *coughs fido*
Lily had a bit more sense, she sent him a comforter. Guess what for.
Hermione had better luck. The Maruaders sent books and candy.
What really shocked everyone, was the fact that she got nothing from her parents.
Suddenly without question, Two boxes, one green and one red, appeared in front of her.
The red one held little silver loop earings with stars on them that glowed at night, so you could be seen, and so that you could see.
the Green one held a set of dress robes.
They were from here 'mother' and 'father'.
Though Severus wasn't really her mother, nor was the head master her father.
Now it was time for the one from Lucius.
opening it up she saw the most beautiful set of quills and inks. 24 different colored inks surrounded four quills.
Each had a note attached.
The Green one stated. 'To whom you wish to deceive.'
The silver one stated. 'To whom you wish to explain.'
The red said 'To whom you wish to curse.'
And the gold one said 'To whom you seem to trust.'
Inside the box was a note.
'Enjoy the holidays, enjoy the gift and use it well.
L.M'
"Isn't that nice." she stated.
Everyone else finished up the gifts quickly.
"Now we go around clockwise. All from Remus." Dumbledore announced.
Two to Hermione and Snape along with one to Dumbledore went around from the pile.
"I'm old, I can wait, Ms. Granger why don't you go first, as this is your first year here." Dumbledore suggested.
"Alright." and she opened up the tiny silver package.
Inside was a silver dagger with gold with red jeweled phoenix.
"Oh my god!" she covered her mouth, "Remus this is too much! I can't accept this!"
"Think nothing of it, and welcome, Gwen." he said in a semi official way, "Plus if you really are that worried, this about it as a gift from all of us." she knew who 'us' was. "Read the card later, it'll explain a bit." Remus waved Snape to open his.
Snape opened his gift, with all of the professors looking anxious as to see what Remus would give his suppose of 'enemy'.
It was a book, to be precise, it was book about the effects of the phases of the moon on different spells and potions, with in fact, a moon chart in the back that changed to the month and year you were at.
"Thanks Lupin." he flipped a few pages. "This is absolutely perfect." he said in an 'I'm busy alright' way. Almost in fact, as if he was interested in the book.
"Your turn professor." Lupin urged.
He opened it. It was also a book. Nothing magical to tell you the truth, it was about how one makes socks.
"What a marvelous gift Mr. Lupin, thank you." and he too looked through it shortly, and then sat it down. "Ms. Grangers gifts."
A flurry of presents went to everyone in the current room.
Madame Hooch received a broom care kit, similar, but far under the one Harry received in second year.
Most of the professors received books and charts that went along with what the taught.
To list a few, she gave Twlarney a Moon chart; McGonagall received a book about animagis.
She gave Dumbledore five completely different pairs of socks, to of which he hugged her for.
But the most surprising was what she gave Professor Bit.
It took a long time to locate, but she finally found it. It was a complete history of Salazar Slytherin and his house.
"Hold onto that." Gwen warned, "I'm sure you'll need it. Then I require you give it to whoever succeeds you as Slytherin Head of house."
"Why, Ms. Granger?"
"Trust me." she begged. "If you never trust me on anything else, just trust me on this."
"alright." she looked at the girl oddly and they went on.
Severus opened his next. It was a teacher manual. Accompanied by a silver flask set. Each flask had his initials surrounded by snakes. "Thank you." he whispered, in complete awe.
Most of the teachers saw, and realized that he was planning on becoming a teacher.
"Ms. Granger." The old bat of future reading spoke up. "How good are you at divination?"
Hermione looked up, Snape joined her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean you've known us all for less than a month, and yet you've managed to get us the things we have been looking forward to getting."
"I guess I am." she said simply.
"Then join my class! We could use a real seer."
"No, I'm sorry Sybil. She can't." Dumbledore spoke up.
"Why?"
"Her parents forbade it."
"Oh."
"Remus, I want you to open your gift later." Gwen asked Him nicely, "It's something I don't want everyone to know about." she said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Alright." he consented, but in a bit of a forlorn way.
"Now Mr. Snape's gifts."
Only four flew around. Hermione, Remus, Bit and Dumbledore received gifts.
Remus went first. He received a set of Robes with anti-tear charms on them. But he also received a strange potion ingredient inside the robes.
"You'll understand that later." Snape notified him. "And 'Gwen', don't open yours here."
"alright." and she set the gold package aside with out a second thought.
Bit opened her gift to find a book titled in I quote 'the 50 most horrible assignments for detentions.'
"My! Thank you Snape, though I hope your not being too cocky." she eyed him warningly.
"No, Professor, I just figured that it would give you a laugh, and with the idiots in your classes, you might need It." he shrugged.
"I see." she eyed Gwen who was giggling.
Dumbledore started to open his envelope when Severus stopped him, by leaping up and snatching it from him. "Not here, Head master, later, later." and he handed it back.
The gifts went on and on, most professors just exchanged gifts among themselves.
Finally it was Dumbledore's turn.
He gave all the professors gag gifts, but then it came to the three students.
Gwen received a book Titled 'To Travel Time; The Proper Use of a Time Turner.' she ran up and hugged the professor.
"I believe we shall discuss it later Ms. Granger?"
She nodded, tears coming to her eyes.
Snape received a Letter, of which was a, 'not open here' gift.
Remus opened a large box, which turned out to be a model of the solar system.
"I know how much you love maps Mr. Lupin." he winked.
Remus just nodded.
"Well I do believe that we have on gift for Mr. Lupin to open alone, one for Ms. Granger and one for Mr. Snape, as well as myself. From the four of us, so would it be fine if just us four remained for the gifts?"
"That would be fine professor." Snape answered.
Gwen nodded.
"Then it is settled. Minerva Sybil everyone, mind leaving us be?"
"Of course not," and they all left.
"Alright, Professor open yours first."
Dumbledore opened the envelope. Inside was a letter, that as he read, his eyes grew and grew, until he looked up at Snape. "You sure about this?"
"Positive." he nodded to add emphasis.
"If you're sure, I'll ask you upon any time correct?"
"Yes."
"What are you two talking about?" Gwen asked.
"You can tell her professor, Lupin close your ears." Snape said.
Remus did as told.
"Mr. Snape has promised me his loyalty in anything and everything." he held up the document. "Officially."
"What brought that up?" She asked.
"Well, I was hoping on teaching here at some point in time.er. um he waved at Lupin, "I think he should know, professor, I mean I do."
"What know what?" Remus asked.
"Yes it's true, I told Severus a while back."
"Then Mr. Lupin should know." Dumbledore looked at the confused teen. "Ms. Granger is not, well one should say, born yet."
"What." he stated more then asked as he looked at Gwen.
"My name is Hermione Remus." she stated. "I was born on September 15th 1980."
"So, you are from the future?"
"Yep."
"And she told me professor." Snape continued. "I believe that she knew what she was doing. Well onto what I said, its true, you have my complete loyalty, no matter what may happen, I will help you in what ever."
"I see." he nodded. "Open yours"
He did. and it was a request to be the Potions master once Bit retired. Snape laughed at the Irony. "Of course professor, I'll do it."
"Do what?" Remus asked.
"It's nothing important Moony." Snape waved him on. "Open your gift."
He did, it was a few other potions ingredients, and a recipe.
"What's this?"
"Sorry Remus, but I forgot one ingredient, so Snape gave it to you separate." Hermione said quickly.
"I'm no good at potions!"
"Well, you might want to learn this one." Snape said simply. "Read what the potion does at the bottom."
He read, and read, and re read again. "Your joking." he whispered.
"No. It is no joke." Hermione said simply. "I learned about it in my third year, and I researched it in my fourth and fifth, that's the recipe."
"Ms. Granger, would that Potion have not been made yet?"
"Yes, professor." she prayed that he wouldn't make him give it up.
"Alright, as long as you understand Lupin, that it may not be told to anyone outside this room."
"No, professor, for this I'll gladly pay that price." he was reading over it again for the tenth time, as if memorizing it.
"I could help you master it Lupin." Snape offered.
"No, that's fine, I can manage."
"Well then, Ms. Granger, your gift."
She opened up the golden box. What was inside made tears come to her eyes and forced her to set it down and hug Severus until he couldn't breathe.
"We are waiting to know what it is." Dumbledore mentioned.
"His Time turner Professor." Hermione whispered, as tears fell.
"I see, well you can return then tonight if you wish."
"No that's fine, I want to be here a bit longer," she sat back down and placed it around her neck. "Plus it would be odd if I left before the others come back, they'd be worried."
"I see your point, then we'll plan for the," he thought. "Eleventh of January then, that sound fine?"
"Yes." she nodded.
"Good, then we shall retire then, good day."
And he left.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN:
Ok so how is it going? Now I want you all to understand that Christmas isn't over yet, no, and the next one you'll all love.
So be patient!
Review
and have a wonderful day.
Relena~