Day 8

"What is the purpose of this, Spirit?" Jon Snow asked as he looked about the training yard of Winterfell. It was just as he had remembered it… before the destruction. Before the death. Before the Others and the Dragons and all else. "Why have your brought me to the past?"

The spirit, which appeared to look like a small child clad in white flames, smiled softly as they floated around him. "All you have dealt with, Jon Snow, has caused you to forget the joy of the season. How magical and special Christmas is. The pretty lights-"

"The only fires we have are the ones we use to warm ourselves."

"The gifts-"

"The greatest gift is waking up in the morning… though for others the greatest gift is to not."

"And of course Christmas snow." The Spirit held up their hand. "Yes yes, you'll complain about that too, I already saw it coming. I wish for you to remember what Christmases were once like, so you might recapture that joy. Look!"

Jon looked over at his younger self, playing with a toy sword.

"See how happy you are? How joyful? Do you not-"

At that moment Lady Stark stormed out and snatched the sword from little Jon's hand.

"You think I would let you learn how to wield one of these, bastard? You would try and take it up against Robb, the rightful Lord of the Winterfell and Warden of the North!" Lady Stark snapped the toy over her knee. "I can't even trust you with splinters, bastards!"

"Yes, this is so joyous," Jon complained.

"Perhaps another-" the Spirit began only to be interrupted… by Lady Stark.

"You dare show up here from the future, bastard? OnlyRobb should be having magical adventures with Spirits!" she grabbed the Ghost of Christmas Past's hand and pulled her towards the keep. "Come now, no more time shall be wasted with the likes of him."

"This isn't exactly how this is supposed to work!" The Spirit complained but Lady Stark still pulled her into the castle.

"So… you're me from the future?" Little Jon asked.

"Aye."

"Well… I guess things HAVE to get better, right?"

Jon stared his younger self down. "You know nothing Jon Snow."