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Tangled Relations

Chapter 15 - Christmas

The day before Christmas Ron and Hermione both left with most of the students on the train to go home for Christmas. So Harry found himself actually studying. There were only a couple of Gryffindors staying, a fifth year and a first year, so Harry had plenty of time to finish all of his assignments that were due when classes resumed. This left him the rest of the holiday to relax. He and Uncle Sev decided that he should sleep in his rooms Christmas Eve so that they would be together Christmas morning. Severus had instructed the house elves to bring all of Harry's gifts to his room. After dinner in the great hall Harry went to the owlery to send Ron and Hermione their gifts, grabbed the cage with the runespoor and headed down to Uncle Sev's room.

Upon reaching the portrait, Salazar was excited to hear the runespoor.

~Harry, what is the runespoor for?~

~It's for Uncle Sev for Christmas~

Of course, hearing their language, the three heads started talking.

~Now there's a painting that can talk to us?~

~Siperna, this is Salazar Slytherin, one of the most prominant parselmouths ever~

All three heads looked up at once ~Lord Slytherin it is an honor to meet you~

~It is my pleasure. Harry, this is a wonderful present. He can use their eggs in his potions~

~That's why I bought her~

~Them~, the runespoor added.

~Them~ Harry corrected, giggling.

Salazar let Harry in and Harry hid the cage under his clothes he brought with him. He looked around the room at all of the decorations. He hadn't expected to see a Christmas tree in the dungeon but here it was and it was decorated beautifully with fairies.

"That was a longer conversation than usual, what were you and Sal discussing?"

Harry turned around to see his uncle. "Oh, nothing important. We were just chatting."

"Indeed"

Severus and Harry sat on the sofa discussing their week. With Harry's friends leaving for the holiday Severus didn't give him detention so that he could spend some time with his friends before they left. Severus was shocked when Harry told him he was done all of his assignments. Harry wasn't shocked when his uncle mentioned the various cauldrons that exploded and the second year that ended up with red skin. The conversation moved to quidditch where Harry said that slytherin didn't have a chance. Severus scoffed, and they thought they could here Salazar yelling about it out in the hallway. Severus said the only reason Gryffindor did well at all was because they had a Snape for a seeker.

Harry was surprised by how much he and his uncle had in common. Over the past month they had grown quite close. At a particularly quiet moment Harry's thoughts were drifting when Severus let out a hiss, grabbing his left arm.

"He's calling. Floo the headmaster and let him know that I'm gone."

"Yes sir. Be careful I need you."

Harry gave his uncle a quick hug and watched him leave. After talking to the headmaster, Harry tried to fall asleep to see if he could make the connection. As his eyes closed he realized that there was no ribbon of energy that he could follow. Voldemort had his mind closed so Harry would just have to wait this one out.

It seemed like forever before Harry heard footsteps coming up the hallway. He ran to the door and helped in his shaking uncle.

"Harry, just get me the potion I gave you. It was only the cruciatic curse this time."

Harry grabbed the potion and brought it to the sofa where his uncle had sat down. "Only the cruciatic curse? You say that like it's nothing."

"Well, Harry, he has worse things in his arsenal. He just needs me to make him a few potions. It wasn't a full meeting."

Harry put the now empty bottle on the table and sat on the sofa next to his uncle. "Yea, he couldn't have been very upset either because I couldn't form the link."

"I'm glad you couldn't. You don't need to feel my pain Harry. One of us feeling it is enough."

Harry put his arm around his uncle; "you shouldn't have to go through this alone. I don't want to lose you."

Severus placed a kiss on Harry's forehead. "And I don't want to lose you. The day Voldemort dies I want to get full custody of you. Now I need some rest, as do you. I'll see you in the morning Harry."

Harry helped his uncle to his bed, which Harry noticed had been replaced with two full size beds for tonight. 'He must have transfigured it or something.' They both fell asleep quickly.

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Harry woke up the next morning to the smell of eggs and sausage billowing into the bedroom. He groggily got out of bed, took a quick shower, and headed out into the sitting room.

"Good morning sleepy head." Severus stated cheerily and sat a plate of food in front of Harry.

"I think the house elves went a little over board this morning. We have enough food in that kitchen for ten people."

Harry smiled in return and dug into the food on his plate. When he was finished he put the empty plate in the kitchen and made his way to the sofa where Uncle Sev was waiting.

Under the tree was a huge pile of gifts. Enough to rival one of Dudley's.

"Are you just going to stare at them all day or open them?" Severus asked.

Harry grabbed the first box, which said it was from Hermione. It was an amulet that was similar to a sneak-o-scope. It was charmed to warm up slightly if someone untrustworthy was nearby.

"That's a very good thing to have Harry. I'll have to thank Ms. Granger myself."

Harry nodded and grabbed the next present. It was for his uncle so he passed it over to him. He was amused to see that it was a pair of green and red socks from the headmaster. "If you don't intend on wearing those I know a house elf that would like them." Harry smirked.

Severus raised an eyebrow, "He can have them. But wouldn't that free him?"

"No, he's already free. He was one of the Malfoy's elves."

"Ah, yes. I heard that story. Very nice thing you did for that elf. If you could see the way Lucius Malfoy treats his elves."

The next several gifts were for Harry; a new jumper from Mrs. Weasley, some more tricks from Fred and George, and a selection of candies from Ron. There were also several pieces of clothing that weren't labeled but Harry figured that they were probably from his uncle. He got new dress robes, school robes, and casual robes. There was soon only one gift left under the tree. Severus picked it up and handed it to Harry.

"This is something that my father gave to me. It was his father's and his father's before that. I was supposed to give it to my first born son. As I am certain that I will never father a child, I would like you to have this, as you are the youngest heir of the Snape family."

Harry held out a tentative hand and took the gift. Opening the box revealed a silver cloak clasp with the Snape coat of arms on it and an onyx stone in the center. "This is beautiful sir. I will treasure it forever." Harry said before hugging his uncle tightly.

"Well Harry, I suppose that's all the gifts. You can do whatever you wish from now till dinnertime. Just be sure to meet me there."

Harry smirked at his uncle. "There's still one more gift. Close your eyes."

He went to his hiding spot and picked up the cage and carried it over to his uncle. "Okay, you can open them now."

Severus opened his eyes and looked around before his eyes settled on the cage and the orange and black creature inside. His eyes widened when he realized what the creature was.

"Harry, a runespoor, this is wonderful. I'm always having to order their eggs. They need to be fresh for most potions. They are very rare and expensive. It's very difficult to get a runespoor."

"Well when the clerk saw me talking to them, he figured I was the perfect person to take them home. They have already been informed that you will need their eggs. And the one on the right said that you should try her venom in a potion. Most wizards don't know its uses because the right head is usually missing."

"Oh Harry I don't know what to say. I love it."

"I'm glad. Just try not to startle them when you get eggs from the cage. Make sure they're awake first."

"Why do you keep saying them?"

"The three heads all have different names. I have talked to them quite a bit. If they give you any trouble just let me know and I'll talk to them. They seem to be rather fond of Salazar as well. If I'm not around he could probably talk to them for you."

~ Siperna, Salissa, Serticus, this is my uncle, Professor Severus Snape. He will not hurt you.~

The three heads all nodded in unison. ~We will obey him. We won't hurt him~

Harry smiled and turned back to his uncle. "I introduced you to them. They won't bite you."

"Thank you Harry. This means a lot to me. Now go play. Have fun. I know there are a few other students around."

"Okay. Bye Uncle Sev."

"Bye Harry"

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