Christmas Shopping
A few months later, which turned out to be a week before Christmas, the first Hogsmeade visit was taking place. "Sev, do you know if your dad is going to Hogsmeade today?." Ron asked his friend that Saturday morning. "He is, why?" Sev replied while he was filling a small vial with headache potion for his private stores that he had been collecting. "Thanks mate. I just need to ask his opinion on something important." Ron explained. Sev nodded and got his pocket money ready and a satchel to carry his purchases in. Sev, Ron, and Hermione walked out to the carriages in a joyful mood and they got into the carriage behind one of the professor's. The three of them talked until they got to Hogsmeade and Hermione went to the bookstore. Sev and Ron found Professor Snape and went to talk to him. They went into the Three Broomsticks and ordered some butterbeers and sandwiches.
"So what are you getting me for Christmas, Dad?" Sev asked his father cheekily. His father scowled at him. "I have already gotten your present, Severus, and you don't find out until Christmas." Professor Snape said to his son.
"Hey, Sev, when is the next Defense meeting?" A voice said from behind Sev. He turned around in his chair and answered the fifth year girl. "The next meeting is after the hols." He replied earnestly. She nodded and left the pub. Sev turned back around and finished his butterbeer in one gulp. "I have to get Ron's Christmas present as well as yours, Dad. I'll be back soon." Sev said as he got up. Ron blinked at him knowing what he was doing. Professor Snape and Ron watched the door as Sev left.
"Professor Snape, can I get your help for something please?" Ron asked nervously. "Yes, I suppose so but I need to know what for Mr. Weasley." Professor Snape said. "I'll tell you but you have to promise not to tell Hermione or Sev." Ron said. "I promise I won't tell Miss Granger or my son." Professor Snape replied. They left the pub.
Meanwhile, Sev was purchasing his dad's Christmas present; a set of glass potions implements. He had already bought Ron's present which was a huge box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. He was just leaving the apothecary when he ran into Ginny. "Hello Ginny." Sev said shyly. She smiled at him warmly and brushed a piece of hair out from his face. "How is your day going, Sev?" She asked. "All right, I suppose. I just got my dad's present." Sev replied holding up the bag from the apothecary. There was an awkward silence until Ginny said goodbye and left. Sev sighed inwardly and made his way to the Three Broomsticks to meet his friend and father.
Ron was waiting for Hermione and Sev outside of the Three Broomsticks with his hand in his pocket. Sev saw Ron first and walked over to him.
"Are we waiting on Hermione?" Sev asked his friend. Ron merely nodded. Hermione spotted them and walked to them. She took Ron's arm and they headed for the carriages. The three of them chatted happily on the way back to Hogwarts. It only took a few minutes before they returned to Hogwarts and when they did, the three friends headed off to Gryffindor Common Room.
"You're staying here for Christmas, right Hermione?" Ron asked.
"I'll be here for Christmas but I have to go see my parents on Christmas Eve. I have already arranged it with Professor McGonagall." Hermione explained. "I'll be here Christmas morning." She added hastily. Ron smiled at her and she smiled back. Sev said the password to the portrait of the fat lady and they walked into the common room. There were only a few Gryffindors staying for the Christmas holidays and the majority of them were seventh years studying for the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. "Do you guys want some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans? I bought tons of them." Sev said pulling out a huge box of the confection. Ron and Hermione nodded and pulled a handful from the box.
They spent the evening talking about a lot of things before they went to the Great Hall for the end of term feast. As usual, the Great Hall was bedecked in Christmas decorations. Hermione, Ron, and Sev sat down at the Gryffindor table and Malfoy sneered at them.
"Hey Snape, did you buy some shampoo in Hogsmeade today?" Malfoy drawled. "I shouldn't have asked. By the looks of your hair, you obviously didn't." He added. Malfoy didn't notice the large, black figure of the Potions Master behind him.
"Mr. Malfoy, 50 points off Slytherin and detention for a month after next term starts. I told you not to taunt my son." Professor Snape said from behind him. Malfoy turned around and was looking into the face of his professor. He was speechless. "That's what I thought, Mr. Malfoy." Professor Snape added before he walked away to the head table.
"I wish Malfoy didn't exist. He's a git through and through." Ron said before stuffing his mouth with some chicken. Hermione nodded her agreement because she too had food in her mouth and she wasn't apt to talk with her mouth full.
At the end of the feast, Professor Dumbledore rose to wish everyone a happy Christmas and sent them off to bed. Sev was going down to the dungeons to stay with his father for Christmas. For once, he could actually spend Christmas with true family, someone who cared for him and accepted him. "Caput Draconis." Sev said when he arrived at the entrance. The portrait swung open and he walked in to find his father still wasn't there. He put his trunk in his room after enlarging it and went out to the sitting room to read. A few minutes later, his father walked in.
"Hello Sev. Do you have any headache potion?" Professor Snape asked his son. He was pinching the bridge of his nose and looked as if he had a migraine. Sev nodded and went into his room and returned with a vial of blue potion. His father gulped it and smirked. "I should have known. You made the potion taste like raspberries. I must say, you are a natural." The professor said. Sev just smiled right back at him.
"I can't wait until Christmas, Dad. It'll be the first Christmas I'll have spent with family. The Dursleys don't count." Sev said warmly. He still was reading his book. "I could use this book for the DA. We could use these counter-curses." Sev added thoughtfully.
"Consider it yours then, son. I have no use for that particular topic anymore." Professor Snape said. He yawned. "Anyways, I'm off to bed. I'll see you tomorrow." He added, stifling another yawn in the process. He retired to his room leaving his son alone. Just after his father went to bed, Sev followed suit and retired to his own room for a good night's sleep.