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I hope you enjoy this next Chapter 3
As Snape was striding down the central street of Hogsmeade with determination in his step, unsuspecting villagers quickly jumped to the side allowing him through. The normal strolled pace of Christmas shoppers evidently incompatible with the pace Snape hoped to set. It had taken some cajoling to convince Harry to spend the morning with Hagrid so that he could complete his Christmas shopping. Knowing that Harry would have insisted he come along if he had told him where he was going, Snape had been forced to come up with a lie for the child. He had explained that he would be attending a long lecture on acromantula venom that would be most boring and uneventful. It was this that had pushed Harry into accepting that he would naturally have much more fun with Hagrid.
"Surely it won't be the end of the World" Minerva had advised, as the teachers sat in their lounge yesterday evening. Snape had entered the staff room in a panic, shouting about silly order catalogues that didn't have their advertised products available. She was aware that the man was now set on buying a broom for the child and found his commitment to this most endearing. In all the years she'd known Severus Snape, she'd never seen him so committed to sourcing a present for someone save Lily.
Dumbledore glanced over at the man in question, knowing him well enough to know that once he had such an idea set in mind, he was unlikely to change it. "Have you thought of heading into Hogsmeade, Severus?" he asked, standing from his position to move over to the bookshelf on the far-right side of the room.
"and endure the shouts and screams of children whose Christmas wishes have been denied?" the man drawled in response, dreading the idea of going to Hogsmeade so close to Christmas. It wasn't just the children that were a problem, you see. Parents would shout and scream, toddlers would throw toys, and the bitter cold would only serve to sour his mood further. In fact, every adult in the world both magic and muggle knew that going Christmas shopping on the last weekend before Christmas was a death wish.
Minerva scoffed at this "don't be such a scrooge Severus, you only need to go to Dervish and Banges" she looked at him pointedly, "it's hardly a hardship".
The conversation with the headmaster and Minerva had led him to Hogsmeade this cold winter morning and he had remained comforted only by the fact that after visiting this one shop he could return to Hogwarts. He had no intention of spending any longer shopping than was absolutely necessary. It was with this in mind that he briskly navigated the busy streets of Hogsmeade, strolling villagers side-stepping to avoid him.
"Excuse me" he commanded of two teenagers blocking the entrance to Dervish and Banges. The pair quickly stepped aside, recognising the voice as that of their Potions Professor and the tone as being less than accommodating.
"Good morning and welcome to Dervish and Banges" a small, stout, and smiling man welcomed him, with too must gusto for Snape. "What can we help you with toda-?" he continued.
"I am in need of a broom" he interrupted brusquely, "one that is suitable for a child of five".
At this, the stout man's face contorted into one of sympathy, one he had clearly had practice using for the past few days. Many a parent would leave such shopping until the last minute, only to be disappointed when stocks ran out and the prospect of buying such a gift became ever more unlikely. "I'm sorry lad, sold the last one a week on Tuesday" he confessed, "we do have a great collection of quidd-"
"A broom shop with no brooms?" Snape scoffed in return, eyeing the man's shop with critical disdain before turning in a flurry of robes as he exited said broom shop.
"Did you learn lots about acromandalas Snape?" the boy chirped through a mouthful of spaghetti bolognaise, his new firm favourite of the Hogwarts dishes. It was such a firm favourite that Harry had been advised by Dumbledore to pay credit to the chef. A chief House Elf had then been mortified, though strangely happy, when Harry had offered her a sickle for what he described as 'the best masketti I ever had'.
Snape pulled a face of disapproval as he wiped the few strands of fallen spaghetti off the child's lap "chew and swallow before you speak Harry" he scolded. "There is not much to learn about Acromantulas" the man continued more gently, "though I suppose yes, it was quite riveting".
"After lunch d'you think we can play exploding snap again?" the boy asked, careful to mind his chewing and swallowing this time.
Snape thought about it for a moment before clearing his throat, "this afternoon I have a meeting with a very important client of mine, but I will be back to play a game of exploding snap with you before bedtime tonight". He watched with some guilt as the child's smile faded, clearly having been looking forward to an afternoon with the Potions Master.
"Well, if Dervish and Banges didn't have any" Minerva began sceptically, "and you've already tried the Witch Weekly magazine order- "
Dumbledore cleared his throat softly at this, eyeing the transfiguration professor over his glasses. He was well aware that Minerva remained ever so slightly amused at the sheer panic of their potion's professor, who was desperate to find a broom to gift the small boy. "Then we still have many an option" he inserted, with a confident nod towards said potion's professor.
"Whilst you argue amongst yourselves, I will be travelling to Diagon Alley this afternoon to enquire as to an available broom" he drawled in return before departing, missing the amused scolding the headmaster gave Minerva as he left.
If he had thought Hogsmeade a nightmare, then Diagon Alley at Christmas was hell. Not only had he needed to fight off what felt like half the wizarding population as he made his way towards Quality Quidditch Supplies, he also had to fight the streets of London for another request the child had made over lunch.
"Finish your broccoli Harry" the man had commented, pointing to said broccoli with his fork as he did so. The child had attempted to push it under a bit of spaghetti with little success.
Harry pierced the entire stem of broccoli onto his fork, holding it up and eyeing it critically as he asked, "What if I'm allergic to it Snape?"
At this, Snape almost laughed, though in his attempt to stop the laughter he ended up emitting a sort of snort. "Then you'd best hope Father Christmas doesn't fill your stocking with it" he raised an eyebrow at the boy, who promptly shoved said broccoli into his mouth.
"How was your time with Hagrid this morning?" the man asked, summoning himself a cup of tea along with a plate of biscuits. He gestured Harry towards the biscuits, having ensured the assortment included both jammie dodgers and bourbon creams.
"We played spot the will-o'-the-wisp" the child explained in excitement.
"And how does one spot the will-o'-the-wisp?" the older man enquired, for this appeared to be one of those imagined games that the boy took such interest in.
Harry smiled at this, leaning his elbows up on the table so that he could explain the game to Snape in all seriousness. "It's like when it's morning time Snape, and over the black lake" he started, "you know the black lake right?" he asked.
"I know of it, yes" Snape confirmed, stirring his tea ideally as he listened to the boy's chatter.
"Well, when it's kinda dark outside, but not all that dark, you can see the will-o'-the-wisp over the lake" he concluded proudly. "Hagrid says that sometimes you need to squint your eyes, and if you look away it won't be there when you look back".
"That sounds like an interesting morning" Snape confirmed, "and what plans do you have with Professor McGonagall this afternoon?" he asked.
Harry wasn't sure what he might do with the transfiguration professor. The last time she had looked after him, they'd gone to the hospital wing to see Madame Pomfrey and Harry had spent the time entertaining students who were in the wing at the time. "Maybe I can fold bandages for Madame Pomfrey?" the child thought aloud, looking at Snape for some confirmation.
"Is that what Minerva has you doing while I'm away?" he asked in surprise, sure that of all the Professors he chose to leave the boy with, Minerva would be the last to be setting him such tasks. "Do you enjoy folding bandages?" the man asked the child.
"Yep" the child nodded with a smile, jumping down from the table onto two feet. "I like those games" the child added, "its like playing Operation that Dudley had"
"Operation?" the man asked slowly, now concerned about what kind of games the boy's cousin had been playing or subjecting him to.
"Operation" the child nodded at the man "you know that game where you gotta pick bones out and stuff" the child explained, "and if you buzz the edge then you have to start again" he giggled, thinking of how many times Dudley had buzzed the edges.
Snape was lost for words. Buzzing edges? Picking bones? It did not sound like the type of game five-year-old children should be playing, but it did sound rather muggle. "Was it a frightening game?" the man asked seriously, looking intently at the giggling boy.
"No Snape" the child laughed, "it's even better than snap!" he added with enthusiasm, wishing that Snape could play it just so that he could see how fun it could be.
The older man simply hummed in response, unsure of what to say about such a game. "Maybe if Father Christmas brings it, we can play it together" the child added, before becoming distracted by the toy snitch the Weasley boy had offered him.
It was for that reason that Snape now had to visit muggle London during the height of Christmas. Games like Operation, that Snape had discovered were often referred to as Board Games by the muggles, where impossible to find in wizarding London. First, however, he needed to traverse Diagon Alley for the broom, Operation would come second.
"Good afternoon" Snape greeted the shop assistant as he reluctantly entered Quality Quidditch Supplies. Various children ran around their parents' feet as he approached the man behind the counter. "I am in need of a training broom" he spoke matter-of-factly, "one suitable for a child of five".
Just as the man in Hogsmeade, this shop assistant's face also contorted into one of sympathy for the man before him. "I'm sorry sir, sold the last one on Saturday" he confirmed, nodding over to an empty quarter of the store that had clearly once held a number of brooms. "We can put one on hold for the New Year if that'll do?" the man asked, picking up the quill to his right in preparation for taking the man's details.
"It will not do" Snape returned as he began exiting the shop. He had never been much into flying or quidditch in his own time at Hogwarts and was struggling to think of where he could locate another broom shop. While the wizarding population in the UK was not tiny, there were not copious amounts of shops he could visit. Diagon Alley had already been a last resort, and he was beginning to become much more concerned that Harry's first Christmas wish may not come to fruition.
"What good will it do the boy to start expressing his wishes, only to have them denied once again?" Snape asked in frustration as he collapsed into an armchair in the Headmasters office. He felt awful. Having just encouraged the child to be open to the prospect of Father Christmas bringing him the presents he so desired, Snape was now unable to source the one desire the child had.
"Our options are becoming limited, Severus" the older man confirmed calmly, "I would, however, implore you to speak with someone who has quite the experience sourcing children's Christmas presents" he added.
Snape looked on at the Headmaster in exasperated frustration. The man never spoke plainly, always alluding to things but never saying them outright. At the look of sheer disdain on Snape's face, the headmaster added "The Weasley's Severus".
Of course, Snape thought, the bloody Weasley's. He had nothing against the family at all. However, he wanted this trip to be quick. He wanted a quick trip to Hogsmeade, to buy the broom, and get back to Hogwarts. Now, however, a task that should have taken him no more than an hour was swiftly becoming an all-day event.
"What's old Snape doing here?" one small red head had asked as he stepped into the Weasley abode. Somewhere the disjointed voice of Molly Weasley had shouted for him to come in, but alas he was met by two identical looking red heads stood in the middle of the kitchen.
"Professor Snape" Molly Weasley greeted with a smile as she shuffled into the kitchen, a small girl in tow. "Dumbledore said you'd be coming through shortly".
"Good afternoon Molly" he greeted in return, though with somewhat less enthusiasm. "I am in need of purchasing a broom, yet both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley were unable to fulfil such a request" the man added, "I was hopeful you might be able to assist".
"Oh, what awful timing to buy one now" she exclaimed, not noticing Snape roll his eyes at such a statement. Didn't people realise that he knew as much as the next person that it was the worst time to be trying to buy such a gift? Hell, he was the one traversing the country for a bloody broom.
"Yes, the timing could be better" he responded through gritted teeth.
"Well, what you'll want to do is floo over to Paris" the red-haired witch began, grabbing an unidentified piece of chocolate out of one of the identical twins' hands as they ran past. This briefly interrupted her advice as she frowned at said child and inspected the chocolate briefly before throwing it into the bin. "There's a broom shop, Maison de Balais, and they'll have what you're looking for".
"Excuse-moi" the man spoke in a dull tone as he now pushed his way through the streets of Paris. The floo journey had been a nightmare, Christmas holidaymakers frantically trying to reach their destinations without losing a child, their luggage, or both. He had almost been shoved into the wrong grate by a particularly enthusiastic wizard who had been running towards the food cart just behind him.
"Bonjour" the shopkeeper spoke as Snape hesitantly stepped into the store. The man almost held his breath in anticipation for another disappointment, though this time an even greater one since he was in bloody France. If he was unable to find a broom here, he was convinced he'd have to break and enter some humble abode to steal one. Snape knew it was uncalled for, but he simply had to obtain a broom, by whatever means necessary.
"Bonjour, avez-vous un balai pour un enfant de 5 ans?" he asked in return, mentally preparing himself for the disappointment that was likely to come.
"Oui" the simple three lettered word was music to Snape's ears. If he wasn't the cold bat of the dungeons he might have danced for joy, but alas he did not. Instead, he chose the broom with relief in his chest, selecting a few pieces of Harry-sized safety gear that would allow the child to fly without sending him into cardiac arrest.
"I take it we will have a happy child come Christmas morning?" the headmaster asked with a twinkle in his eye as Snape stepped back through the floo, a small broom in hand. Dumbledore had done his own shopping for the child, and hoped his own gift would be something the Potions Master could bond with Harry over.
"Next year Father Christmas is on his own" Snape glared in return, though he couldn't deny his relief that he had secured the child's main present. Along with the sheer number of presents the staff faculty had ordered, the few muggle toys Snape had picked up whilst in London, and the broom, Harry was likely to be uncontrollably excited come Christmas morning. "I bid you goodnight" he added, as he left the man's office to make his way back to his quarters where he was sure Harry would be fast asleep.
"I thought you weren't gonna be late" the child yawned, eyes flickering open briefly to see Snape enter the darkened bedroom, gently sitting on the edge of his bed. The child was clearly in the space between dreams and reality, and Snape likely should have left him to rest. However, when he had returned from France and noticed the time, he had felt a small crack in his heart at the idea of having broken his promise to play a game of snap with the boy.
"I'm sorry Harry" the man whispered softly as the child's eyes closed again, "tomorrow we shall play as many rounds of exploding snap as you like" he added, carding his fingers through the child's hair. As Harry drifted off into sleep, a small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth to satisfy Snape that, at least for tonight, he was forgiven.