A/N: I'm sorry, I had to split the chapter in three parts. Everything is about a certain aspect of their Christmas and I will begin with a nasty visit at Snape Manor.

Chapter 11 - Christmas is all around part I: Oh, what a happy family!

Christmas came sooner than Aven had expected it and he was afraid of meeting his grandparents. Not that he feared them, he was afraid of embarrassing his father by behaving in an inappropriate way.

He repeated the family tree over and over again, although he could already sing it backwards in his sleep.

Another thing was the Death Eater meeting. His greatest fear was blowing his cover or his father's cover. It would be their death.

It was the 24th of December, nine o'clock in the morning, when Aven knocked on the door to his father's chambers. The door opened and Aven was surprised to see Isabeau sitting on the sofa.

"Isabeau will accompany us, Avenarius!" Snape explained.

Aven shouldered his travelling bag and smiled. They would stay until the 26th and directly travel to the other meeting, although Aven wasn't sure what Isabeau would do then? "Well, I'm ready!"

Isabeau refused her great cousin's help with her bag and proudly led their little tourist party towards the Apparating point outside the wards of Hogwarts.

Snape pulled out a portkey and Aven groaned. "Not one of these!"

Severus smiled. "You can walk there, if you want. It's about 65 miles in this direction!"

Aven unwillingly grabbed the old cap and closed his eyes. "Come on, I want this to be over as soon as possible!"

"One, two, three!" counted Severus and Aven felt the familiar tug behind his navel.

I should have flown there!

xox

They landed in front of a beautiful big manor and Aven just couldn't stop staring.

"Close your mouth! I don't think that your grandparents would be too delighted by the view of you tonsils!" hissed Isabeau.

"Oi! Our little Princess has decided to speak again!" teased Aven and was rewarded with a smack across the head. "Shit, no matter how small they are, they always hit their target!"

"Get off it!" warned Isabeau while marching towards the huge entrance.

Severus knocked and the knocker grinned at him. "The 'precious' boy has returned home!"

"Not that you would appreciate it, would you? And now shut up or I will consider knocking harder!"

The door opened and they stepped in. Almost immediately they were overrun by a black-haired witch with the same pale blue eyes Isabeau had.

"Severus! My dear boy, how are you! And you brought them with you!" she exclaimed and Aven assumed that 'them' meant him and Isabeau.

Indeed, he was pulled in a tight hug and soon after Isabeau had to suffer the same treatment.

When he recovered he saw a rather tall man approaching the group. He was limping and didn't seem to be too delighted. He had neatly combed honey brown hair and amber eyes. It was only from his nose that you could tell his relation to Severus.

"May I introduce you? Mother, Father, this is my son, Avenarius. Avenarius, this is my Mother, Juliet, and my Father, Augustus."

Aven bowed slightly. "I am honoured to meet you."

Even when Augustus was seemingly unimpressed, Juliet was absolutely delighted.

"Oi, he has manners, Severus! Augustus, did you hear me?!" asked Juliet.

"Sure… there is no one who could not hear you unless they were deaf." Augustus looked up. "Well, nice boy. I didn't believe that you would be capable to produce at least something, son!"

"I myself might have been an unexpected success, but I know that Avenarius is a good wizard and he will be even a greater one once he finished his schooling."

"Um, Aunt Julie? I'd like to lay down a bit, if you don't mind!" interjected a pale Isabeau.

"Oh, dear! Of course you can lie down. Missy, please show Isabeau her room!" addressed Juliet Snape a tiny house elf.

"Yes, Mistress Snape!" Missy was about to detain Isabeau from carrying her bag but the house elf didn't seem to be able to do it. Aven stepped in.

"I'll take care of it. Missy, can you also show me my room?"

The elf blushed slightly and she whispered. "Of course, young Master Snape!"

"That is wonderful," Aven smiled and the three of them made their way upstairs.

"Boy, I need to talk to you. Library!" growled Augustus Snape and Aven stopped for a moment on the stairs to watch the scene. Severus jerked slightly and anger flashed in his eyes before he followed his father to the library. Aven sighed and continued his way to the rooms.

"He is a jerk!" snorted Isabeau. "And he never ceased to amaze me with that!"

"Who?" asked Aven.

"Your Grand-Fa-Ther! He's definitely the most… the greatest bigot ever! Never liked me, never liked Severus. Horrible old… bigot! Always favoured my father over his own son. I guess he doesn't like me because your father is closest to a respectable person for me. You saw the disapproving glance at your family crest?"

Aven had to shake his head.

"Hell, he rather would have wanted me to wear this crest. Then again I'm not quite the offspring he has expected from such an 'impressing' man like my father!"

"Miss Corva, this is your room!" Missy exclaimed and pointed towards a door. Aven laid the bag next to the door and smiled at Isabeau.

"Have some rest, you really look pale!"

Then Missy guided him to his own room. She opened the door and pointed towards a door at the wall left to them. "This door leads to your father's room. The other door leads to a bathroom!"

"Thank you. Missy, can you please not tell anyone about what Isabeau said while we were walking towards her room?"

Missy beamed at him. "Missy never heard anything, young Master Snape!"

"Thank you!" smiled Aven and walked into the room. The door closed behind him and he had a look around.

The ceiling was about seven foot high which really wasn't much for a manor of this size.

An old four-poster bed with black bed clothing stood in the right corner on the opposite wall, a chest of drawers stood against the foot of the bed.

On the left side of the door to the other room stood a desk with a chair and left to the desk stood a wardrobe. The furniture seemed to be made out of ebony and very dark, almost black, oak.

The first thing Aven did was to pull away the dark green velvet curtains to let at least a little bit of sunlight into the room. He realized that the walls were painted in a deep grey or a fading black, as well as the ceiling.

The youngest Snape shook his head and lit the candles scattered all over the room and put his spare robes and shirt into the wardrobe, as well as his cloak.

A knock on the door (that one leading to the hallway) signalled a visitor and Aven allowed them to enter.

Juliet beamed at him and had a brief look around. "Augustus almost insisted on giving you this room. A little bit dark and depressing, but you already found the candles. Gives it at least a little bit of atmosphere! How was the travel?"

Aven invited his grandmother in and she sat down on the bed while Aven took seat in the chair he had pulled towards next to the bed.

"Short and nauseating. We travelled by portkey and I never liked those."

He eyed the woman in front of him. She vaguely reminded him of McGonagall, although she wasn't as stern as the Gryffindor Head of house.

"Portkey… couldn't travel by portkey when I was carrying Severus. He never seemed to like it as well. He most likely passed it over to you. What about Hogwarts, you like it?"

Aven nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I haven't been there for long (he crossed his fingers behind his back) but it's quite nice."

"Oi, don't ever try to call me 'ma'am' again! I'm your Grandmother!" smiled Juliet. "Or call me Julie!"

Aven nodded and saw burned spots on the ceiling over the bed. He stared at them, then searched his mind. "This used to be my father's room!" Aven exclaimed after a while.

Juliet fixed her grandson and arched one eyebrow. "That's right! How do you know?"

"Well, he… 'told' me that he once used to shoot flies with his wand. And there are burned spots at the ceiling there!"

Juliet got more and more suspicious and sadder.

"That's right. I once watched him after his father had sent him to his room again. Seemingly he always shot flies from the ceiling when he was angry at his father. But that doesn't sound like a bedtime story to my ears!"

Aven lowered his head and stared at the tip of his boots.

"Well, he didn't tell me. I saw it… while he was teaching me Occlumency."

"Yet again this sounds like something my son would do."

Aven sighed. "I haven't seen much… but he didn't have a very nice childhood, did he?"

The witch sighed. "No, unfortunately it wasn't easy for him. Most of the time, Augustus and I disagreed in how to raise our son and Severus was the one who suffered most. You know why he is so fanatic about Occlumency? It isn't because of Voldemort - yes I know everything - it is because of his own father." Juliet sighed again. "Every time when Augustus thought that Severus had done something or was up to something he penetrated the boy's mind to find out about it. Imagine that! A boy at the age of five being bereaved of his secrets only because he jumped out of surprise when his father entered the room."

Again Aven sighed. "I know what it's like."

"I thought you lived with your mother?"

"Never read the article in the Daily Prophet?"

"Haven't read the damn paper since they started to rave about Harry Potter."

The teenager smiled. "I lived with my mother but she died shortly after I had started at my old school. I had to live with relatives during the holidays ever since. Horrible people they are. Muggles and afraid of every bit of magic, so they would try to 'beat the freakishness' out of me." Although the mere memories hurt, Aven smiled. When Harry Potter wasn't granted to officially live with abusive relatives, Avenarius Snape was. "When Dad suddenly stood at the threshold and told me he was there to take me with him if I wanted to, I must have been close to tears."

"You were beaten?" exclaimed Juliet. "Horrible!"

"I think that's nothing compared to what Dad endured, isn't it? I at least had my dreams of a better life while he couldn't hide them, not even in his mind."

"You are a clever boy. Yes, when Sev had learned to shield his mind, it already was too late. His hopes and dreams already were crushed by reality and his father. I wish I could have done more for him."

"I think we will survive it. It takes more than that to crush us Snapes."

Juliet smiled. "Dinner will be at seven in the dining hall. Please be on time!"

Aven nodded and the older witch left.

xox

The young Snape met his father at dinner and was surprised to see Isabeau.

She looked really sick, pale with dark circles under her eyes.

The only time Augustus spoke during the meal was to ask for the bowl of peas and even then he only addressed his wife.

Not that Aven minded, not at all. Like Isabeau he held a downright dislike for the man, to say the least.

When the seemingly endless meal was finally over, Aven followed his father to his rooms.

He noted that the room was much higher and brighter.

The teen settled on a cream canapé and hesitated for a moment.

"How was the talk with your father?" asked Aven warily.

Severus snorted. "Tried to tell me how to raise my son. Bastard!"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I… shouldn't have… I shouldn't be here… I mean, I should still be Harry Potter, shouldn't I?"

Severus frowned. "Apologizing for being my son? Nonsense! You don't have to be sorry… for nothing! Now I can prove it to my father that there is no need in beating children. I want to apologize for… the night I did."

Aven stared at his father.

"I'm talking of the night when you ran away from Dumbledore's office. I followed you down to the dungeons."

Aven smiled and shook his head. "No, that's nothing… that's nothing what would have harmed me. I have had worse experiences."

"You shouldn't have. No one should have those! Why one thinks that violence will properly educate their children I will never understand!"

"They told us in primary school that it was a vicious circle. Being beaten as a child usually caused beating their own children. They told us to talk to a teacher if we were beaten at home." Aven snorted. "Not that I tried it, not that they would have believed me!" He stared at his hands. Sometimes his past haunted him. "Listen, I'm tired. Travel was straining and I spent most of my energy to prevent myself from not strangling the man. I'll retire!"

"Good-night, son!" Severus said affectionately. "Have nice dreams!"

Aven yawned and could only answer with a mere nod. "Likewise, Dad!"

xox

In the middle of the night Aven was awakened by strange sounds. He realized that they came from his father's room and became worried. Silently he opened the door and was shocked by what he saw.

Juliet Snape sat in her nightgown on the bed, holding her crying son. "It's alright, sweetie! I'm here for you. I won't leave you. Sweet boy, it's going to be alright!"

She took sight of Aven and mouthed 'nightmare'. The boy nodded.

Juliet waved Aven to sit next to her and warily the teen followed the order.

He tried to calm his father by carefully rubbing his back.

After a while the wizard calmed down and cautiously looked up. He smiled at his mother and gasped when he saw Aven.

The teen smiled at him and was surprised when he suddenly held the man in his arms.

"Shh, it's okay… you don't have cry!" said Aven helplessly and stared at Juliet.

"He most probably mistakes you for his teenager self. You pretty much look like him at that age," the witch muttered towards Aven. "I'll leave him in your care. I don't think he will remember in the morning!"

And she was right.

When Severus woke the next morning he remembered a nightmare and a weird dream where he had met his mother and his younger self, but nothing concrete.

However, he was startled by his son sleeping in his bed.

When the teen woke Severus asked him about that and Aven felt a knot forming in his stomach.

"I-I had a nightmare and crawled in your bed. Remember, I'm a bit sensible about memories clinging to certain places?"

Severus nodded.

"You should get dressed. Breakfast is at eight and especially my father won't take it too easy if we are late."

xox

Aven and Severus arrived at the dining hall at five to eight and were greeted by the not so pleased Augustus Snape. He glared at the doorway.

"And where is our other dear guest?" asked Augustus. "It's not polite to stay in bed until noon when you are expected to be at breakfast!"

"She is ill!" explained Juliet with a soothing voice.

Augustus snorted again. "That's exactly what I mean. The ungrateful girl comes here and gets ill.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot see your point!" started Aven. Augustus looked up, interest gleaming in his eyes. "You don't want to see her, but still you complain about her staying in bed. She is sick and I cannot blame her for that!"

It took some time until the message sunk in and Augustus glared at his smirking son.

"You told me you wanted to teach him respect? You failed!"

"I have respect, but I cannot respect a man with such an ill opinion about others!" Aven had to suppress the urge of baring his teeth and to growl at his grandfather.

"If you don't have any respect, I will teach you respect!" exclaimed Augustus and tried to drag the teen out of the room.

A quite impressive magical outburst threw the wizard across the room.

That very moment Isabeau entered the room, still very pale. She had an expression of faint pleasure on her face, inwardly she must be celebrating the day.

"Isabeau, Aven, we will leave early, I suggest! Back to Hogwarts it is!"

No reviews to answer here!

No poems to explain...

No Latin to complain about...

Boring...

What's on the next chapter: Finally Aven talks to Hermione and Ron, buthe tries to justify and they mention nasty suspicions.

And because I'm sooo bored: What's on the chapter after that: Meatingthe devil in hell.