Part 23 – Something in Common
The next day Severus was at breakfast when his grandfather's owl came flying in with a reply to his hastily written note of the previous afternoon.
Dear Severus
Glad to see that you are still drawing. Hope you are settled in at Hogwarts and making lots of new friends. Sorry this is so short but your owl arrived just as your grandmother and I were about to leave for Africa. Will write more when we have arrived. It's going to be an extended trip and we won't be back until next year. Sorry we won't see you for Christmas this year.
Keep working hard and don't forget to write to your mother. She worries when she doesn't hear from you.
Will write again soon.
Love from
Grandpa Jack
Severus read the letter and felt his face fall back into its regular frown. Christmas with his father's parents was a tradition that was rarely forgotten. New Year was spent with his mother's parents but they were much stricter and were far more critical of him. Severus had also noticed an increasing tendency over the last few years of his mother's family to be critical of his father's family. He didn't know what was at the root of the animosity between the two sides of his family but he felt a keen disappointment that this year he would not see his favourite grandparents at all.
"Who's the owl from?" asked Bellatrix from across the table as the greedy bird nibbled at her breakfast. She shooed it out of the way with a frown and it moved on to beg scraps from Severus who, now he had read his letter, remembered to feed the bird.
"My grandpa," Severus answered absently as he fed the owl who was determined to clear the rest of his plate.
"Bad news?" asked Bella.
"Not really," said Severus with a sigh. "They're going away for Christmas and New Year so I won't see them, that's all".
"I hadn't heard Mortimer was going away," commented Lucius from further down the table.
Severus looked up to see him frowning at him. He hadn't realised that Lucius even knew the name of his mother's father. "My other grandfather," he explained.
"Oh, that one," said Lucius with a faint sneer on his face. Bella's face twisted into a similar expression of disdain and Severus ducked his head and petted the owl to avoid their looks.
Tucking the letter into his robes he headed off to Madam Hooch's flying lessons. The Hufflepuff v Ravenclaw match of the previous Saturday had given her renewed energy and she was determined to get the first years whipped into shape before too much longer.
A fine rain was falling outside. It was close to December and the last of the Quidditch matches was over for the year. Consequently the students were restless and no one really wanted to be outside in the rain when they could be discussing and planning for the holidays.
But Madam Hooch was having none of it and continued to put the first years through their paces with routine flying manoeuvres and throws and catches of the quaffle.
No matter that the holidays were approaching, there would be no slacking in her classes.
Unlike the other students Severus found that the weeks to the holidays did not drag on. Now that the favourite part of his holidays was cancelled he found that the weeks were flying past. He looked with envy on the students that were staying at school for the holidays.
In fact as far as Severus could see, the only student who seemed to be more dismayed than him at the approaching holidays was Sirius Black.
Severus was sitting in front of Sirius and James in Potions class the week before the holidays when he overheard a conversation that explained his strange reaction to the Christmas break.
"Mum and Dad are throwing a New Year party like they do every year," James announced as he added dragon scales to his potion. "You've got to come and see the fireworks they put on."
"Can't," mumbled Sirius, keeping his face averted as he sliced the roots on the table with a fervour he rarely showed in potions class.
"But everyone's going to be there," James argued.
"The Black family have a New Year bash every year too," said Sirius in a tone that made it sound like his family party was perhaps not the highlight of the year.
"Couldn't you floo over for an hour or two?" pushed James.
"I doubt it," Sirius scowled at the roots that were now too thin to use. He went to fetch some more from the store cabinet across the room.
"Can you get us some too?" called Remus with a sigh, as Peter scrambled on the floor for the roots he had just dropped.
Sirius came back to the table and deposited some roots on Remus's bench before turning to slice his own again.
"Everyone's going to be there," James insisted.
"The Black family won't be," Sirius muttered. James didn't seem to hear him but Severus, who was now listening intently did.
"There'll be live music too," James announced. "Not sure who yet but mum has contacts and always gets someone great."
"I won't be allowed to come over." Sirius forced the words through gritted teeth.
"Well can I come over to your house for an hour then?" James asked casually. Severus glanced behind him and saw Sirius's face blanche in horror.
"Okay, bad idea," James backtracked. "If you didn't want me there you only had to say."
"It's not that mate," whispered Sirius. "You've not met my family. They're…well…they…"
"What?" asked James curiously. Severus wondered how much Sirius had told James about the Black family. From the sound of it, not everything. James obviously knew what a lot of the members of the Black family were like. Bellatrix and Narcissa were well known in the school and not popular at all with the Gryffindor students.
"They're like him," Sirius hissed with a nod in Severus's direction. Severus quickly turned back to his own potion as he continued to listen.
"Like Snivelly?" James snickered.
"Well not exactly like him," Sirius amended. "They aren't cry babies for one thing. But they are purebloods and they think that all other wizards should be too."
"Is Snivellus a pureblood? I've never heard of the Snapes. Anyway Sirius, the Potters are as pureblood as the Blacks. Why can't you come over?"
"Because the Potters are very vocal in their campaigns for equal rights for muggle-born wizards. Something the Black family has been against since forever. They'll never willingly let me set foot in the house of a Potter. As for you coming over to us…" Sirius's voice trailed off and Severus caught a glimpse of him shaking his head."That bad huh?" asked James. Sirius nodded.
"Doesn't sound like you're going to have much of a Christmas."
"Never do," Sirius joked with a flash of his usual humour returning.
"Well if you can, try and sneak out for a while."
"I'll try," agreed Sirius as he added the newly sliced roots to the potion and sat back to watch it simmer.
Severus returned to concentrating on his own potion, a thoughtful expression on his face. He wondered how many other students mistakenly believed him to be a pureblood just because he was in Slytherin. As he turned back to his work he pondered over Sirius's dilemma. He'd never thought he would have anything in common with Sirius Black but it seemed that he did after all. Neither of them was looking forward to returning home for the holidays, and both of them were longing to be with anyone but their parents for the season of goodwill.
He wondered for a moment where Sirius had got the idea that he was a pureblood before dismissing the thought from his mind. He didn't care what Sirius thought about him. Let him think what he wanted.
