A/N: I would like to thank all of my wonderful reviewers, and I am trying to
write as fast as I can, but I have a lot more chapters to go, so I will try and
get at least two up a day if not more. It might extended a bit beyond
Christmas. I have fixed the quotes thanks to Manic. I am still having
trouble with the single quotes, but at least that occurs less often. Well I hope
you like this chapter. The last two chapters were a blast to write.
Chapter 7
"Good Evening everyone! It looks like it is the first day of our gift
exchange already! I hope everyone has fun thus far; remember we still have
7 more fun-filled days to go." Albus said to the faculty as they gathered in
his office on the 18th of December.
Thus far Severus had only gotten today's gift taken care of, as for the
rest, they would have to wait. He prayed that by the end of this all he would
still be in one piece.
Hermione was finding her shopping at a standstill, after the
chocolates, she was once again no further than before she had left the castle
that previous morning. She was determined to go to the source, even if that
meant she would have to revert to her schoolgirl days of sneaking around.
"Shall we, everyone? All of the gifts are on the table with your name
on it, so do come up and pick your gift." Everyone got up and approached
the table, there were some small gifts, and some that were quite large.
Obviously like everything else at Hogwarts no one pays attention to the
rules. Cost clearly was not an issue with some of these gifts.
Hermione felt a twinge of guilt, all she had gotten Severus was
chocolates, 'At least no one has to know.' Or so she thoughtÉ
"All right everyone, open your gifts and we will go around and share."
Albus said with a smile on his face. Although others around him were not
smiling, one in particular.
"How about starting us off, Filius?"
"All right, it looks like I have gotten a nice new silver money bag."
He squeaked. There were several ooh's and ahh's as he held it up for
everyone to see.
"You next Poppy." Dumbledore said after the commotion died down.
"It looks like I have received a lovely charm bracelet with several
healing charms on it, very convenient."
And on it went around the circle, rather peacefully until they got to
Sirius.
"Now let's see, it looks like I have gotten a lovely new Quidditch set.
Obviously Snape isn't my Secret Santa, or else I wouldn't have gotten
anything but coal from old Scrooge! I was worried there for a while." Sirius
laughed. Snape's hand clutched his wand. Then next few moments were a
blur to everyone in the room. Severus had just about had enough of Black's
antics and sent a curse to the gift Black was holding. The bludgers released
themselves from their case, and started swarming around his head. Snape's
curse intended just to scare him, but with all of the moving around he was
doing he got a few bludgers to the head.
It finally ended with Albus casting Finite Incantatum, leaving Black
with a bloody nose, and Snape bound to his chair.
"We will continue as planned, then afterwards I would like, both
Sirius and Severus to stay and we will have a discussion on adult behavior!"
Albus said staring at both of them.
"Hermione I do believe you were next." Albus said as he sat back
down in his chair.
"Um, yes well it looks like I have gotten a new quill." She held it up
for everyone to see.
"Very nice, that looks like an import!" Albus exclaimed.
"Severus?"
"I have gotten a silver tin, it appears." He said still quite annoyed at
Black.
"Why don't you see what is in the tin, Severus?" Minerva urged.
"Right, it appears to be chocolates, I am so glad that I received a gift I
can not use!" He exclaimed sarcastically.
"Come now, Severus everyone likes chocolate." Albus prodded,
seeing the disheartened look from Hermione.
"Not when you are allergic to them!" He bit out.
"Well you could always feed them to Stryker." Filius chimed in.
"Right, I am sure the liqueurs inside would make him healthy as a
unicorn." He said still in an extremely foul mood.
"And it looks like I have gotten a lovely pair of gold socks!" Albus
exclaimed urgently changing the subject.
"Sirius, Severus, you will stay." Albus said.
"Wait, what did you get Minerva?" Poppy asked curiously.
"Oh, it is a lovely gift." Minerva said as her faced turned the color of
her gift.
"Well lets see then." Remus questioned.
"No, I'd rather not." She said, making quickly for the door.
"Oh come now, it can't be that bad, we are all adults here."
Hermione knew exactly what Minerva had received, but how could
Albus do that? Was it meant as a gag gift? Surely they cannot have a thing
for each other! She had just learned way too much information about her
former Head of House.
"Good Day, everyone!" Minerva said, as she took off in a sprint
towards her room.
Hermione, on the other hand took her time to get to her rooms.
'How could Snape be so shallow! He could have at least not divulge
all of that information about not liking her gift!' She thought. Thankfully
because of Hermione's demeanor this drove her even more to find the perfect
gift for Severus.
'Perhaps a book of curses?' She thought to herself as she made her
way to her rooms.
**********
"Severus, Sirius, it has been too many years for you both to still act
like schoolboys! I must remind you that the conduct you showed this
morning, makes me think less of both of you. You should be ashamed.
Sirius there is no need for your harsh and rude comments to Severus. And
Severus I expected better behavior from you. Do you not know the
consequences of your actions by now?"
"Headmaster, I cannot continue to work in an environment where I am
constantly belittled by this half-brained." Severus said in his defense.
"And I cannot continue to work with this bearer of bad news, who
thinks he is the almighty Merlin himself." Sirius said while he was using his
hand to catch the blood dripping from his nose.
"Why, youÉ" Severus threatened.
"ENOUGH! I have had it from the both of you, if you can not control
your tongue Severus, and your wand Sirius, you will both be looking for
new jobs, do I make myself clear?" Albus said fed up with both of them.
"Stay out of my way Black or I swear you'll wish you had never been
born."
"Then bloody well stay out of my way!" Black retorted.
*****
Severus walked down the hallway down towards the Slytherin
common room. It was in desperate need of checking up on, but with only
two Slytherin's staying over holiday, he did not make it a priority.
"Severus, may I have a word with you?" Poppy Pomfrey the school
nurse said to him.
"Yes, I suppose but can we make it quick I have things to do." He
said feeling a headache coming on.
"Walk with me to the infirmary." Poppy and Severus walked up the
staff hallway up to the infirmary. Severus sat down on the edge of one of
the many beds that occupied the space.
"What did you need to speak with me about?" He asked calmly.
"I am afraid that over the summer when we performed the 'spell' that I
did not time it very well, you see you will have to have it redone on the 25th
of December, so that means that you must come in on the 24th.
"I care not, it will occupy my mind." Severus said as his face paled.
"Severus, why do you make yourself go through this? It would be so
much easier if you.."
"If I what, Poppy? Put myself on display and become the public
spectacle of Hogwarts? I think not!" Severus shouted.
"But I hate to see you in so much pain. We all do." Poppy said as she
placed her hand over Severus's arm.
"Look, I will be here on the 24th, just leave me be!" Snape hissed and
got up and walked out down towards his chambers.
Sirius was on the other side of the curtain, waiting for Poppy to heal
his nose, when he had heard Severus talking to Poppy. He didn't understand
what they were talking about, a spell that caused Snape pain?
"Poppy, what were you just talking to Severus about?" Sirius asked.
"That Black is a matter between Professor Snape and myself, and you
should be ashamed of saying what you did this morning, it serves you right
that your nose is broken." Poppy said retrieving her wand and some
antiseptic.
"When you mend my nose just make sure it doesn't end up as crooked
as Snape's." At Black's words Poppy found her hand coming around and
slapping him in the face.
"Oww! What was that for?" Black looked at her suspiciously.
"Sorry, my hand just must have slipped." Poppy said trying to
suppress a smile.
"Just be careful, I have worked hard for a face like this." Black said
egotistically.
"Yes, well Black you could take a very good lesson from Snape to
know looks are not everything."
"Me take lessons from Snape, I think not. Poor bastard must have to
be tough, he certainly isn't as good looking as he use to be when we were in
school. I must have sent too many bludgers to his face."
"Black, do shut up." Poppy said as she finished with Black's nose and
sent him on his way.
"I wish bludgers to the face were the only things that Snape had to
worry about." Poppy said to herself while cleaning her potion's stores.
write as fast as I can, but I have a lot more chapters to go, so I will try and
get at least two up a day if not more. It might extended a bit beyond
Christmas. I have fixed the quotes thanks to Manic. I am still having
trouble with the single quotes, but at least that occurs less often. Well I hope
you like this chapter. The last two chapters were a blast to write.
Chapter 7
"Good Evening everyone! It looks like it is the first day of our gift
exchange already! I hope everyone has fun thus far; remember we still have
7 more fun-filled days to go." Albus said to the faculty as they gathered in
his office on the 18th of December.
Thus far Severus had only gotten today's gift taken care of, as for the
rest, they would have to wait. He prayed that by the end of this all he would
still be in one piece.
Hermione was finding her shopping at a standstill, after the
chocolates, she was once again no further than before she had left the castle
that previous morning. She was determined to go to the source, even if that
meant she would have to revert to her schoolgirl days of sneaking around.
"Shall we, everyone? All of the gifts are on the table with your name
on it, so do come up and pick your gift." Everyone got up and approached
the table, there were some small gifts, and some that were quite large.
Obviously like everything else at Hogwarts no one pays attention to the
rules. Cost clearly was not an issue with some of these gifts.
Hermione felt a twinge of guilt, all she had gotten Severus was
chocolates, 'At least no one has to know.' Or so she thoughtÉ
"All right everyone, open your gifts and we will go around and share."
Albus said with a smile on his face. Although others around him were not
smiling, one in particular.
"How about starting us off, Filius?"
"All right, it looks like I have gotten a nice new silver money bag."
He squeaked. There were several ooh's and ahh's as he held it up for
everyone to see.
"You next Poppy." Dumbledore said after the commotion died down.
"It looks like I have received a lovely charm bracelet with several
healing charms on it, very convenient."
And on it went around the circle, rather peacefully until they got to
Sirius.
"Now let's see, it looks like I have gotten a lovely new Quidditch set.
Obviously Snape isn't my Secret Santa, or else I wouldn't have gotten
anything but coal from old Scrooge! I was worried there for a while." Sirius
laughed. Snape's hand clutched his wand. Then next few moments were a
blur to everyone in the room. Severus had just about had enough of Black's
antics and sent a curse to the gift Black was holding. The bludgers released
themselves from their case, and started swarming around his head. Snape's
curse intended just to scare him, but with all of the moving around he was
doing he got a few bludgers to the head.
It finally ended with Albus casting Finite Incantatum, leaving Black
with a bloody nose, and Snape bound to his chair.
"We will continue as planned, then afterwards I would like, both
Sirius and Severus to stay and we will have a discussion on adult behavior!"
Albus said staring at both of them.
"Hermione I do believe you were next." Albus said as he sat back
down in his chair.
"Um, yes well it looks like I have gotten a new quill." She held it up
for everyone to see.
"Very nice, that looks like an import!" Albus exclaimed.
"Severus?"
"I have gotten a silver tin, it appears." He said still quite annoyed at
Black.
"Why don't you see what is in the tin, Severus?" Minerva urged.
"Right, it appears to be chocolates, I am so glad that I received a gift I
can not use!" He exclaimed sarcastically.
"Come now, Severus everyone likes chocolate." Albus prodded,
seeing the disheartened look from Hermione.
"Not when you are allergic to them!" He bit out.
"Well you could always feed them to Stryker." Filius chimed in.
"Right, I am sure the liqueurs inside would make him healthy as a
unicorn." He said still in an extremely foul mood.
"And it looks like I have gotten a lovely pair of gold socks!" Albus
exclaimed urgently changing the subject.
"Sirius, Severus, you will stay." Albus said.
"Wait, what did you get Minerva?" Poppy asked curiously.
"Oh, it is a lovely gift." Minerva said as her faced turned the color of
her gift.
"Well lets see then." Remus questioned.
"No, I'd rather not." She said, making quickly for the door.
"Oh come now, it can't be that bad, we are all adults here."
Hermione knew exactly what Minerva had received, but how could
Albus do that? Was it meant as a gag gift? Surely they cannot have a thing
for each other! She had just learned way too much information about her
former Head of House.
"Good Day, everyone!" Minerva said, as she took off in a sprint
towards her room.
Hermione, on the other hand took her time to get to her rooms.
'How could Snape be so shallow! He could have at least not divulge
all of that information about not liking her gift!' She thought. Thankfully
because of Hermione's demeanor this drove her even more to find the perfect
gift for Severus.
'Perhaps a book of curses?' She thought to herself as she made her
way to her rooms.
**********
"Severus, Sirius, it has been too many years for you both to still act
like schoolboys! I must remind you that the conduct you showed this
morning, makes me think less of both of you. You should be ashamed.
Sirius there is no need for your harsh and rude comments to Severus. And
Severus I expected better behavior from you. Do you not know the
consequences of your actions by now?"
"Headmaster, I cannot continue to work in an environment where I am
constantly belittled by this half-brained." Severus said in his defense.
"And I cannot continue to work with this bearer of bad news, who
thinks he is the almighty Merlin himself." Sirius said while he was using his
hand to catch the blood dripping from his nose.
"Why, youÉ" Severus threatened.
"ENOUGH! I have had it from the both of you, if you can not control
your tongue Severus, and your wand Sirius, you will both be looking for
new jobs, do I make myself clear?" Albus said fed up with both of them.
"Stay out of my way Black or I swear you'll wish you had never been
born."
"Then bloody well stay out of my way!" Black retorted.
*****
Severus walked down the hallway down towards the Slytherin
common room. It was in desperate need of checking up on, but with only
two Slytherin's staying over holiday, he did not make it a priority.
"Severus, may I have a word with you?" Poppy Pomfrey the school
nurse said to him.
"Yes, I suppose but can we make it quick I have things to do." He
said feeling a headache coming on.
"Walk with me to the infirmary." Poppy and Severus walked up the
staff hallway up to the infirmary. Severus sat down on the edge of one of
the many beds that occupied the space.
"What did you need to speak with me about?" He asked calmly.
"I am afraid that over the summer when we performed the 'spell' that I
did not time it very well, you see you will have to have it redone on the 25th
of December, so that means that you must come in on the 24th.
"I care not, it will occupy my mind." Severus said as his face paled.
"Severus, why do you make yourself go through this? It would be so
much easier if you.."
"If I what, Poppy? Put myself on display and become the public
spectacle of Hogwarts? I think not!" Severus shouted.
"But I hate to see you in so much pain. We all do." Poppy said as she
placed her hand over Severus's arm.
"Look, I will be here on the 24th, just leave me be!" Snape hissed and
got up and walked out down towards his chambers.
Sirius was on the other side of the curtain, waiting for Poppy to heal
his nose, when he had heard Severus talking to Poppy. He didn't understand
what they were talking about, a spell that caused Snape pain?
"Poppy, what were you just talking to Severus about?" Sirius asked.
"That Black is a matter between Professor Snape and myself, and you
should be ashamed of saying what you did this morning, it serves you right
that your nose is broken." Poppy said retrieving her wand and some
antiseptic.
"When you mend my nose just make sure it doesn't end up as crooked
as Snape's." At Black's words Poppy found her hand coming around and
slapping him in the face.
"Oww! What was that for?" Black looked at her suspiciously.
"Sorry, my hand just must have slipped." Poppy said trying to
suppress a smile.
"Just be careful, I have worked hard for a face like this." Black said
egotistically.
"Yes, well Black you could take a very good lesson from Snape to
know looks are not everything."
"Me take lessons from Snape, I think not. Poor bastard must have to
be tough, he certainly isn't as good looking as he use to be when we were in
school. I must have sent too many bludgers to his face."
"Black, do shut up." Poppy said as she finished with Black's nose and
sent him on his way.
"I wish bludgers to the face were the only things that Snape had to
worry about." Poppy said to herself while cleaning her potion's stores.