Chapter 6
"Why does everyone think I am unhappy? I am happy, see." Severus
said to himself as he tried to make his face twist into a smile, but it quickly
faded.
"Why do I let it bother me anyway? I have never cared what anyone
thought before." But Severus knew that this was a lie. If he didn't let it
bother him, then why did he hex Black too many times to count, and slowly
walled himself in. His skin became leather, and his tongue a whip; he would
not let anything get to him. If they ever found out the truth, he would not be
able to live with himself.
Severus continued walking around the castle trying to calm himself
down once again. He came by Minerva's office, and looked in. To his
surprise it looked as if she was wrapping a pair of socks, gold socks to be
exact. He was curious, so he knocked.
"Yes? Oh Severus, what can I do for you?" Minivera said placing the
socks in question down on the wrapping paper.
"What are you doing, Minerva?" He asked, as his eyebrows rose.
"Well, I am wrapping my Christmas present, what do you think I am
doing?" She asked,
"Socks? Really couldn't a Gryffindor like you come up with
something a little more creative?"
"Really Severus, what would you get, or should I say what are you
getting for your Secret Santa?
"I haven't really made up my mind, I have certain standards to uphold,
you know that."
"You know Severus, I have never fully understand how you can give
such lavish gifts for other people, and yet you yourself are never pleased by a
single one."
"I have no other use for my money, why not spend it."
"I am not protesting, but every year you never sign your gifts,
although I have figured you out, why do you do this?"
"Why? I do not need more unwanted questions and prodding. I am a
solitary man."
"Don't you find your solitude quite trying?"
"Honestly Minerva, I won't lie, if I could change the past I would. I
would give all of my gold in Gringotts to be a different person, but I can't
now can I." Severus said pushing his hair out of his face.
"No, but you can change the future."
"No, you see that is where you are wrong, why be someone I am not?
I am not some kind of puppet to be played with by you and Albus."
"Yes, you are right, I am sorry Severus I did not mean to offend you.
You know, Albus does it out of the kindness of his heart. He only wants to
see you happy. I hope you know that."
He sighed, "I do, and believe me I want it for myself more than you
could know but.." Severus choked.
"But what Severus? We have always be completely honest with each
other, even when you were my student."
"Never mind, I have to go get my gift, good evening Minerva."
Severus said quickly.
"Poor man, I wish I could help him, but he won't even listen to me."
******
Severus had to get his mind occupied with something else. He was
determined to find something for Hermione and then take a long, hot shower
and forget all about Christmas.
Severus made his way to the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder.
"Where to go, where to go?" He said to himself. He stepped into the
fire and shouted "Adriano's!"
He steeped out of the fire, and found himself in the finest wizarding
shopping district, located in Italy. Adriano's specifically was an ink and quill
shop. He himself purchased his own quills from here, and he remembered
one day when Hermione commented on his quill.
(Flashback)
"Severus, may I borrow your quill?" Hermione asked one day when
they were in the library together doing research to see if co-teaching would
be both productive, and beneficial to the students. But after that day in the
library, they both voted against the idea at the next staff meeting.
"And, where may I ask is yours?"
"I left in my rooms, come on I just need it for a minute." Hermione
said annoyed.
"If I let you use it for a minute, then who knows how long you might
have it? Or who knows, maybe you will think you can use it anytime you
like. No, I think not." Severus was having fun annoying her.
"Severus, just give me the bloody quill!"
"No, sorry try again."
"For Merlin's sakes, you are the most insufferable man!" Hermione
said as she stood up and started to walk out the door.
"Oh here! Just take it!" He said annoyingly.
"No, I wouldn't want to inconvenience the all mighty Potion's Master,
I will go get my own."
"Take the damm thing, I am not using it."
"FINE! Did that hurt you? Giving to another person like that?"
Hermione egged on, as she grabbed hold of the quill and started to write
down her notes.
Severus walked over to the Restricted Section and grabbed out a large
black silver book. Then with a wicked smile on his face he laid it open.
This book happened to be the same book that Harry Potter took out the
night he was in the Restricted Section in his first year, because it let out an
almighty bloodcurdling scream.
Hermione jumped out of her chair and yelled. Severus couldn't help
but laugh as he put the book back on the shelf.
To an outsider it would have looked like they were perhaps flirting,
but to Hermione and Severus the only thing they were flirting with were
each other's nerves.
"Here is your bloody quill back!" Hermione shouted as she threw it
down on the desk.
"Be careful with that, it is very expensive!" He said giving her a
look.
"Despite it owner, it has a very nice demeanor and I enjoyed using it
very much." Hermione said as she walked out of the library.
'How dare she!' He thought to himself, as he picked up the quill and
walked out of the library.
(End of Flashback)
"Well at least I know she might enjoy the quill." Severus said as he
walked up to the store counter and received help.
"Hello, may I be of some assistance today?" The clerk asked.
"Well that truly depends on you. I am in need of a Clarkson and Gable
quill."
"Someone knows his quills, yes our selection is right here." He said
pointing down to the case.
"We have an assortment of colors and shapes. These on the left are
our women's quills, and I am sure by your looks you are quite the charmer!"
The clerk exclaimed.
"Yes, you have no idea." Severus said rolling his eyes. He hated
Christmas shopping, not because of the crowds, but because of the clerks. It
seemed every year they went out of their way to make him jolly. He
smirked, the day he was a jolly man would be the day that he came down the
chimney dressed in a big red suit.
Severus surveyed the quills and found a beautiful iridescent quill that
changed colors in the light. If she didn't like that one, he supposed that he
could find it in the trash a few days later and use it for himself. That was
Severus for you, always thinking about the worst possible outcome, and then
trying to benefit from it.
"I will take that one." He said as he pointed to the iridescent quill.
"Very well, excellent choice, I am sure your girlfriend will love it."
"No, It is not for my girlfriend."
"Wife, then?"
"No, work colleague."
"Oh, I see what you are saying, you sly dog you, shame, shame!"
"No, you don't understand, oh never mind!"
"That will be 20 galleons please."
"Here, take it, and watch what you assume!" Severus hissed and took
the floo as quickly as he could back to Hogwarts.
"Well, gods only knows how I will last for seven more days. Oh please
help me find my sanity!" Severus shouted as he waked into his chambers
undressing as he went. He was going to get in that shower and never come
out, well at least not until dinner.
"Why does everyone think I am unhappy? I am happy, see." Severus
said to himself as he tried to make his face twist into a smile, but it quickly
faded.
"Why do I let it bother me anyway? I have never cared what anyone
thought before." But Severus knew that this was a lie. If he didn't let it
bother him, then why did he hex Black too many times to count, and slowly
walled himself in. His skin became leather, and his tongue a whip; he would
not let anything get to him. If they ever found out the truth, he would not be
able to live with himself.
Severus continued walking around the castle trying to calm himself
down once again. He came by Minerva's office, and looked in. To his
surprise it looked as if she was wrapping a pair of socks, gold socks to be
exact. He was curious, so he knocked.
"Yes? Oh Severus, what can I do for you?" Minivera said placing the
socks in question down on the wrapping paper.
"What are you doing, Minerva?" He asked, as his eyebrows rose.
"Well, I am wrapping my Christmas present, what do you think I am
doing?" She asked,
"Socks? Really couldn't a Gryffindor like you come up with
something a little more creative?"
"Really Severus, what would you get, or should I say what are you
getting for your Secret Santa?
"I haven't really made up my mind, I have certain standards to uphold,
you know that."
"You know Severus, I have never fully understand how you can give
such lavish gifts for other people, and yet you yourself are never pleased by a
single one."
"I have no other use for my money, why not spend it."
"I am not protesting, but every year you never sign your gifts,
although I have figured you out, why do you do this?"
"Why? I do not need more unwanted questions and prodding. I am a
solitary man."
"Don't you find your solitude quite trying?"
"Honestly Minerva, I won't lie, if I could change the past I would. I
would give all of my gold in Gringotts to be a different person, but I can't
now can I." Severus said pushing his hair out of his face.
"No, but you can change the future."
"No, you see that is where you are wrong, why be someone I am not?
I am not some kind of puppet to be played with by you and Albus."
"Yes, you are right, I am sorry Severus I did not mean to offend you.
You know, Albus does it out of the kindness of his heart. He only wants to
see you happy. I hope you know that."
He sighed, "I do, and believe me I want it for myself more than you
could know but.." Severus choked.
"But what Severus? We have always be completely honest with each
other, even when you were my student."
"Never mind, I have to go get my gift, good evening Minerva."
Severus said quickly.
"Poor man, I wish I could help him, but he won't even listen to me."
******
Severus had to get his mind occupied with something else. He was
determined to find something for Hermione and then take a long, hot shower
and forget all about Christmas.
Severus made his way to the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder.
"Where to go, where to go?" He said to himself. He stepped into the
fire and shouted "Adriano's!"
He steeped out of the fire, and found himself in the finest wizarding
shopping district, located in Italy. Adriano's specifically was an ink and quill
shop. He himself purchased his own quills from here, and he remembered
one day when Hermione commented on his quill.
(Flashback)
"Severus, may I borrow your quill?" Hermione asked one day when
they were in the library together doing research to see if co-teaching would
be both productive, and beneficial to the students. But after that day in the
library, they both voted against the idea at the next staff meeting.
"And, where may I ask is yours?"
"I left in my rooms, come on I just need it for a minute." Hermione
said annoyed.
"If I let you use it for a minute, then who knows how long you might
have it? Or who knows, maybe you will think you can use it anytime you
like. No, I think not." Severus was having fun annoying her.
"Severus, just give me the bloody quill!"
"No, sorry try again."
"For Merlin's sakes, you are the most insufferable man!" Hermione
said as she stood up and started to walk out the door.
"Oh here! Just take it!" He said annoyingly.
"No, I wouldn't want to inconvenience the all mighty Potion's Master,
I will go get my own."
"Take the damm thing, I am not using it."
"FINE! Did that hurt you? Giving to another person like that?"
Hermione egged on, as she grabbed hold of the quill and started to write
down her notes.
Severus walked over to the Restricted Section and grabbed out a large
black silver book. Then with a wicked smile on his face he laid it open.
This book happened to be the same book that Harry Potter took out the
night he was in the Restricted Section in his first year, because it let out an
almighty bloodcurdling scream.
Hermione jumped out of her chair and yelled. Severus couldn't help
but laugh as he put the book back on the shelf.
To an outsider it would have looked like they were perhaps flirting,
but to Hermione and Severus the only thing they were flirting with were
each other's nerves.
"Here is your bloody quill back!" Hermione shouted as she threw it
down on the desk.
"Be careful with that, it is very expensive!" He said giving her a
look.
"Despite it owner, it has a very nice demeanor and I enjoyed using it
very much." Hermione said as she walked out of the library.
'How dare she!' He thought to himself, as he picked up the quill and
walked out of the library.
(End of Flashback)
"Well at least I know she might enjoy the quill." Severus said as he
walked up to the store counter and received help.
"Hello, may I be of some assistance today?" The clerk asked.
"Well that truly depends on you. I am in need of a Clarkson and Gable
quill."
"Someone knows his quills, yes our selection is right here." He said
pointing down to the case.
"We have an assortment of colors and shapes. These on the left are
our women's quills, and I am sure by your looks you are quite the charmer!"
The clerk exclaimed.
"Yes, you have no idea." Severus said rolling his eyes. He hated
Christmas shopping, not because of the crowds, but because of the clerks. It
seemed every year they went out of their way to make him jolly. He
smirked, the day he was a jolly man would be the day that he came down the
chimney dressed in a big red suit.
Severus surveyed the quills and found a beautiful iridescent quill that
changed colors in the light. If she didn't like that one, he supposed that he
could find it in the trash a few days later and use it for himself. That was
Severus for you, always thinking about the worst possible outcome, and then
trying to benefit from it.
"I will take that one." He said as he pointed to the iridescent quill.
"Very well, excellent choice, I am sure your girlfriend will love it."
"No, It is not for my girlfriend."
"Wife, then?"
"No, work colleague."
"Oh, I see what you are saying, you sly dog you, shame, shame!"
"No, you don't understand, oh never mind!"
"That will be 20 galleons please."
"Here, take it, and watch what you assume!" Severus hissed and took
the floo as quickly as he could back to Hogwarts.
"Well, gods only knows how I will last for seven more days. Oh please
help me find my sanity!" Severus shouted as he waked into his chambers
undressing as he went. He was going to get in that shower and never come
out, well at least not until dinner.