Chapter 18: Downfall

The snow storm continued long into the night and again still lingered when the morning bells sounded. Hogwarts castle was secluded, alone and surrounded by white as far as the eyes could see. The clouds in the sky were still dark, grey and thick. The snow was heavy and damp as it fell in large clumps all over the ground. The trees were bare and alone in the great forest. Nothing but a bit of smoke from the chimney of Hagrid's hut could be seen. It was a sorry sight for a Christmas morning.

Once again Harry found himself rushing with Ron and Dominic to Belinda's class room and waiting for Dumbledore to arrived as he had promised to come. Dobby and Winky were also already in the class room setting hot tea and breakfast cakes out and ready for them to help themselves. Candles lit the room, as the weather outside was still dark and dreary and a fire was lit in the fire place casting shadows and reflecting off the ornaments. Amelia barged in followed closely by Ginny, who bore a great smile on her face.

"Hey," Ron exclaimed, "how did you get here?"

"Floo network," Ginny laughed, "linked to Dumbledore's office."

"Surprise Ron," Molly smiled as she came in the room followed by Arthur, Fred and George, Percy and Charlie, "Belinda had this planned with Dumbledore for months!"

"And I went home just to make you believe it!" Ginny giggled as she hugged her brother.

"Wow this is great!" Ron smiled as more gifts appeared under the tree and ready for opening, "why is the one I got for Hermione back under the tree?" he asked.

"Surprise," Hermione said as she stepped out from behind Fred and George, "I celebrated with my parents last night and they thought it would be a good idea for me to spend a Christmas with my friends," she smiled, "so I came by floo as well."

"First time?" Dominic asked.

"No I have traveled by floo a few times to see Ron," Hermione laughed.

"I hate that mode of transportation!"Dominic grumbled as everyone laughed at him.

Soon Dumbledore joined them and the room was filled with chatter, music and again a wonderful sense of the holiday spirit. All the family pets had joined the festivities as Pig, Hedwig and Backles flew after Fawkes around the room and Crookshanks cuddled close to Hermione and Ron. The mood was all around of happiness and togetherness and was not going to be disturbed by any matters of the order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore was set on only happiness for this day. Gifts were opened, tea and cakes were shared and despite the gloom outside, happiness resided inside the castle walls. Harry was happy with the Christmas activities, the singing and dancing and the sharing he witnessed. Dominic and Ron had begun to show off their anumaguses to their families and they even took to hassling Crookshanks, much to Hermione's dismay. Dumbledore was greatly impressed and heartily laughed as the artificial animals pestered the real ones.

"Well done boys," Dumbledore laughed as Ron and Dominic changed back.

"That is very impressive," Fred said.

"Yeah we should have stayed in school just to learn that," George laughed.

"Amelia could teach you," Ron smiled.

"And you, Harry, what is yours?" Dumbledore asked

"A colt, much to big to perform in the castle," he laughed.

"That didn't stop your father. He would do it inside just to bring an uprise to the teachers," Dumbledore laughed.

"Well it is good to know that Harry has more common sense at this age," Molly laughed as she hugged him.

"Oh I could bring an uprise to the teachers in other ways," Harry laughed, "I'll just take to letting my golden snitch loose in your class professor. The one you gave me for Christmas."

"I knew that gift would come back and bite me!" Dumbledore chuckled, "but I have had worse troublemakers in this school," he said as he winked at Fred and George.

"And you never thought we would make a living out of it Dumbledore," Fred smiled.

"Yes, really it is a monopoly now," George added, "we are the one and only joke supplier."

"You'll be richer than Donald Trump," Hermione stated as she looked up from the daily profit.

"Who?" Fred and George asked at the same time.

"Never mind," she said rolling her eyes.

The mood was light and playful for the rest of the afternoon. Dumbledore stayed as long as he could before his other duties called him away but the families that had now seemed to adopt Harry as one of their own. They did all in their power to keep him happy and enjoying the holiday.

Snape paced his office for a good part of the day. Uneasiness had set in and had taken over his state of mind. The death eaters were very active on this Christmas morning. The mark on his body burned for hours and he couldn't clear his head of the memories of his past. He was in a fowl mood and locked himself away from all the happiness that was in the castle. He was also bothered very deeply by Belinda's children and the events of the previous day. He had to accept that, even though he had regained her confidence, he would have to work very hard should he ever want to be anywhere near her with her kids hating him as they did, and yet he couldn't treat them any differently from the rest of the student. He knew that even if he could have a relationship with Belinda she now had children that he would have to deal with and the most important people in Belinda's life now were her kids. The children didn't trust him in the least and he knew that but they also had great amounts of hatred towards him as they had been made aware of his past. The burning sensation became intense again on his arm as he sat down and tried to force himself to correct some potion papers in an attempt to free his mind. It didn't work well but there wasn't much he could do about it. It was always a constant reminder of a part of him people would always hate.

"I need that bird!" Voldemort yelled at the group of death eaters gathered around him, "and I need that girl! Why have you all failed to get her?"

"My lord," Lucius Malfoy said, "how should we go about obtaining the girl?" he asked, "she is under great protection from Dumbledore and he wouldn't give up that bird without a fight."

"I don't care just get her!" Voldemort screamed, "that old man has stood in my way long enough!"

"If I may sir," Draco Malfoy said coming forward, "perhaps the way to Belinda and the bird is through her children."

"Ah my boy," Voldemort smiled as he came close to the Hogwarts student, "you are a very great asset to me. What do you suggest would be the best corse of action? Pay attention Lucius, your boy seemed to have a better grasp on our reality that you do!"

"Well," Draco started, "Belinda has two children, a boy and a girl, twins. The boy is very angry, very protective, he would never trust any slytherin but his sister Amelia is very trusting, very kind and I believe that our best root is through Amelia."

"The downfall of many parents are their children, if not by protecting them it is by out doing them," Voldemort laughed, "you have done well Draco and now it will be up to you to bring to me Amelia."

"I will get her for you my lord," Draco smiled and walked away.

"Your son may yet take you place Malfoy," Voldemort stared at Lucius, "you have failed me on too many occasions."

"Yes my lord," Lucius said and slumped into the shadows.

"Once I have young Amelia it will not be hard to get my hand on Belinda," Voldemort laughed, "soon I will be able to overthrow even Dumbledore. The downfall of his legacy of good is near, even Harry Potter will crumble before me."

By dinner time the storm had moved off and the sun had began to shine on the Hogwarts castle. Activity outside had become great as Amelia had taken Ginny outside to work on her Animagus as Ron, Harry and Dominic played around in their animal forms in the snow. The Weasley clan had returned to the burrow leaving Ginny for the rest of the holiday at the school and Hermione would be traveling back home, to her parents, before dark.

Belinda was happy that her holiday had been so joyful and yet she was disheartened. Severus had not come around and, even though her children had seen him, they returned to her angry and full of hatred toward him. She had a small box wrapped in red paper and topped with a green and silver bow. She took it in her hands and left her class room, destine for the dungeon.

The lower levels of the school were cold, damp and dark. Belinda, now, felt uneasy in this place. In her youth it had been a fun place to sneak around and to hide in but now it frightened her. The door to Snape's office was closed. All but a faint glow came from beneath it. Belinda knocked softly on the door.

"Who is it!" an angry voice called out.

Belinda opened the door slowly and looked in, "happy Christmas Severus," she said trying to smile.

"Belinda, I didn't know it was you!" Snape said as he stood up nervously, "come in, what can I help you with?"

"Oh nothing," Belinda smiled as she came near his desk, "I have this for you," she said placing the small box on his desk.

"You got me a present?" he asked looking at the box.

"Its Christmas Severus!" Belinda giggled, "of course I got you a gift."

"Thank you," he said still not touching it.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, not really," he sighed and sat down.

"Not really isn't a very convincing answer," Belinda said softly.

"I know," he said and trailed off.

"If its about the gift, I wasn't expecting anything in return," Belinda stated looking it.

"Oh its not that," Severus said reaching into the drawer of his desk and pulling out a small gold box, "it just doesn't feel like Christmas."

"What do you mean?" Belinda asked.

Snape didn't answer he just simply placed the little gold box next to the one that Belinda had brought and looked back at her.

"Why didn't you join us today?" Belinda asked, "that would have made it seem like Christmas."

"I wouldn't have been welcome in your circle," Snape said, "I never have been and really I never will."

"Now you know that is not true. Molly and Arthur have no problem with you and Dumbledore was there. You would have been welcome!" she said feeling a bit offended.

"Your children hate me," he said.

"you haven't given them any reason to like you," she stated.

"I can't treat them any differently than the other students!" he said angrily.

"Then you should be more kind to all the student, if their hatred really bothers you," she growled.

"I want them to hate me," He said standing up, "if they hate me then I will not become attached like I am to you!"

"Well if you hate my children then I have no reason to try and impress you," Belinda stated.

"I don't hate your children," Snape said sadly, "they just hate me."

"That's your own fault!" Belinda said, "you make no effort even outside of your classes to ...to interact with any students other than those in your own house! You favor them and you mock the others why else do you think you are so hated?"

Snape sat quietly at his desk.

"The least you could have done was come and be personable with my children," she said again pushing back her anger, "they would have been personable to you and if you really wish anything to happen with us again well you have to get along with them or they would never approve."

"I know," he said, "but you do not approve of us anyways."

"Severus, I do," Belinda said quietly, "but I cannot risk it so long as my life and my family are in danger."

"I understand," Snape said holding out the little golden box to her, "Happy Christmas Belinda."

She took it, "Happy Christmas, Severus," she answered and left his office.