Chapter Twenty Two: Unexpected Surprises

The students had returned to the school and with them, the work load increased for Severus. He had to practically bribe Dumbledore and Lily into keeping their silence concerning his…stint by the lake. The last person he wanted to find out about it was Professor Slughorn. He liked the man, he really did, but he tended to fuss when there was no need. He didn't want to be coddled or have the work load lessened because he was deemed "metal fragile." He merely wanted to go on with his life, pushing yet another bad choice towards the back of his mind.

He couldn't explain it but something had changed that night. Lily had continued spending time with him and now that classes had started, the days she didn't see him he could count on a note being dropped off at night. At first he found it annoying, the way she felt she had to check in with him everyday, but now he found he looked forward to getting her letters in the evenings he wasn't able to physically talk to her. He had spoken with Dumbledore about it, concerned she was coping with her grief by focusing on something, or someone in his case, else. But the Head Master had assured him that Lily was having sessions with him just as Severus was and Dumbledore was certain that she was dealing with her grief in a very positive manner.

"Mr. Snape!"

He immediately recognized Holly Avery's voice and relaxed his facial muscles. She hadn't spoken to him at all since she returned from the holidays and he wanted to convey to her that he wasn't angry with her in the least. Regulus had told him she was scared to death of seeing him again, fearing his infamous wrath although Severus never recalled losing his temper with any of the students.

"Yes, Miss Avery?"

She looked at him with wide blue-grey eyes, surprise on her features. "Um, are you alright?"

He smiled slightly. "Yes, quite. And you?"

Her face broke out in a huge grin. "I was so worried…my uncle-"

Severus held up a hand to stop her from saying anymore. "I know. It's fine. Did you have a good holiday?"

"Yes, I did. Oh, I almost forgot," she handed him an envelope. "I was asked to give you this."

He didn't take it from her, still wary of accepting anything from her. She must have realized this and laughed. "I promise, it came from a friend. A…red headed friend."

He really needed to learn who to be suspicious of and who not to be. Holly gave him another smile as he took the note and then went to catch up with her friends further down the hallway. Severus broke the sealing enchantment on the parchment and was greeted with the jolt of excitement at seeing Lily's handwriting.

Sev,

Dumbledore would like to see us later on tonight, around eight. He didn't say what this meeting is about. Do you know? See you then!

Lily

A meeting at eight that night? And did the "us" stand for him and her or where others going to be there? He pulled out his quill and wrote out his reply quickly on the same parchment.

Lily,

I have no idea what the meeting is about. I guess we'll find out when we get there.

Sev

He waved down the closest Gryffindor and handed them the note. "Do you know who Lily Potter is?"

"Of course, sir." The boy looked to be a first, maybe second year, and was scared to death. Was he really that intimidating?

"Could you please give her this when you see her in the common room?"

"S-sure."

He was going to thank the kid but he took off like a newly released snitch. Shrugging, he looked at his watch and found he only had three hours to grade yet more homework essays before going to the meeting. Usually he graded in the potions classroom in case a student wanted extra help or was just experimenting and wanting someone who knew what they were doing nearby but if that was the case tonight, he wouldn't finish in time. He headed up to the teacher's staff room instead. Thankfully, it was empty and he dumped the stack of papers down on to the desk.

Due to the constrictive time limit he could afford no distractions so he transfigured an extra quill into a band and tied his hair back. It was getting longer and longer, brushing his shoulder blades now, but he hadn't had a chance to cut it yet. Besides, Lily had made a passing comment that she liked it longer so any idea of cutting it quickly left his mind.

"No distractions," he reminded himself. Lily was definitely a distraction and he reluctantly pushed her to the back of his mind and pulled the top essay towards him. As he graded, the light in the wood paneled room dimmed and soon the wall scones lit on their own. He was three quarters of the way through the grading when someone cleared their throat. Looking up, he saw Professor McGonagall standing straight backed and prim at the door.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Professor Dumbledore sent me to fetch you as it is quarter past eight."

Severus looked his watch again and sure enough it read quarter past eight. "I'm so sorry Professor-"

"That's quite alright. You may leave the essays right there if you wish. They will not disturb anyone."

He nodded. "Thank you, Professor." He followed her all the way up to Dumbledore's office. He didn't have much interaction with McGonagall, although he knew she had been the most vocal in her suspicions of his recant. However, not once had she shown him disrespect or distain and for that he appreciated her. She had always been a hard teacher, expecting the best from her students and she usually got it. Although he would never admit it to anyone, but he had taken her strictness of the classroom and applied to his own lesson plans when Slughorn gave him the opportunity.

"Your wand please, Mr. Snape."

They had made it to the Head Master's office door and she stood there, hand outstretched. Technically, it wasn't his wand as he was still using the one he took from the fallen Lucius, but it had been serving his purpose for the most part. Quickly, he reached into his robes and handed over the ebony lacquered wand. There were very few people he allowed himself to be unarmed around but she didn't offer him any choice in the matter. She gave him the briefest of smiles and opened the door. He was still processing that odd little smirk when shouts of "Surprise!" assaulted his ears.

Dumbledore's office had been decked out with green and silver streamers, and the ceiling had been enchanted just like the Great Hall to have snow falling from the image of the night sky. All the chairs and spindly legged tables with their instruments had moved to the side of the room to accommodate the small group of people that had gathered. Then he did a head count and realized that small was as understatement, there had to seven or eight people there. Then a horrible thought came to him: he just ruined the surprise for McGonagall. Quickly he stepped off to the side, leaving her standing in the doorway. But then the silver and green trappings caught his eye again and he realized it should have been maroon and gold.

"Well," Sirius spoke up, dropping a noise maker onto Dumbledore's desk. "I think this should be the last surprise party we throw for Snape. The man didn't even bat a eye."

Surprise party? What in the world for? Apparently Lily knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Sev, it's your birthday!"

Was it? He mentally counted off the days in his head. "No, it was last week."

Lily rolled her eyes. "And would you really have come here, without suspecting anything if we did that?"

He probably would have though he wasn't about to admit that to any of them. He hadn't celebrated a birthday since his mother died ten years ago which would make him twenty-one. He hadn't really expected to live this long and he certainly didn't expect to have this many people show up for this event.

"Could you at least act surprised?" Remus asked with a huge grin.

"I can assure you," Regulus spoke up, "that is no act. I ask you, have you ever seen this man speechless?"

"Well," Dumbledore clapped his hands together, "I think we should consider the surprise a success and have some cake."

Severus allowed himself to be pushed towards Dumbledore, who handed him a plate. The scent of chocolate and peanut wafted up at him and he turned to look at Lily who was standing next to him in awe. She gave him a little smile.

"You remembered my mother liked to eat Oreos and my Dad taught you how to grill the muggle way, you think I would have forgotten your birthday and that your favorite thing to eat is chocolate and peanut butter? Before you run off to finish your grading, though, Sirius wanted to speak with you."

He looked across the room to see the two Black brothers engaged in conversation. "Should I wait until everyone leaves and there's no witnesses or get over it with now?"

"It's not going to be that bad."

Before he even had a chance to devise a plan, Sirius had approached him. Thankfully, Lily didn't move from his side and he sent her a silent thank you.

"Snape," Sirius nodded in greeting. "Look, you're not my favorite person in the world but…" Black's eyes slid over to Lily before returning to him. "You're Lily's friend and contrary to popular belief, I really don't want to see you dead."

"You could have fooled me." He hadn't meant it to sound waspish but it was reflex at this point. Sirius gave him a look of loathing but reigned himself in before any response was made.

"Anyway," Sirius continued, "I'd like to at least be civil to each other. So, if you're willing to start over, so am I." He extended his hand. "I'm Sirius Black."

Severus stared at the outstretched hand for a moment. He couldn't trust Sirius as far as he could throw him but he also felt Lily's eyes on him. After a few seconds thought, he grasped Sirius' hand. "Severus Snape."

"You know," Sirius grinned, "I kind of like your hair better loose."

Severus gave him a curious look. "Really?"

"Yeah, hides your face better."

"Funny," Severus shot back, "I rather like your mouth when it's not moving."

Sirius let out a bark of laughter and slapped Severus on the shoulder before heading off across the room. Sirius' response left him speechless, wondering what had just happened.

Lily was grinning ear to ear. "You two just may end up being friends."

"That's highly unlikely. Civil I can do. Friends, that may actually knock the earth off it's axis."

"Well, give it time." Lily sat down in one of the overstuffed wing chairs by the fire and Severus followed her example, taking the one next to her.

"Did you plan this?" he asked.

"I had some help. Dumbledore thought it was a great idea and Remus helped me pull everything together. Here," she held out a small box wrapped in green paper. "It's actually your Christmas gift. We all chipped in for your birthday gift but Dumbledore said that it's running late."

The trouble that everyone went through for this suddenly converged on him. No one had ever made a fuss over Christmas or his birthday before and he felt terribly awkward about it. "Do I, uh, do I open this now?"

Lily laughed a little. "It's your party."

After he glanced around to make sure no one was looking, he pulled the wrapping off and opened the box. A pair of black leather gloves were inside.

"I was getting tired of seeing you always trying to warm up your hands whenever we went outside," Lily said quietly.

It was, without a doubt, the nicest gift he had ever received and all he could manage to say was a simple "thank you" without revealing just how much it touched him but it seemed enough for Lily. The door to the office opened and Mr. Ollivander came shuffling into the office, carrying a large leather messenger's bag.

"So sorry I'm late, Albus. All that snow makes it difficult for an old man like me."

"I quite understand, Oswald, being an old man myself. I'm so pleased you could make it," Dumbledore greeted. "Have some butterbeer."

"Well," Ollivander set his bag down on a table, "business first, pleasure later." He started to pull boxes out of the bag, stacking them on the large Head Master's desk. "If my memory serves correctly, Mr. Snape, your wand was fir with a dragon heartstring, 11 ¾ inches."

Surprise once again took over him at how people remembered these details about himself that he himself forgot. "Yes, that's correct."

Ollivander opened one of the boxes and pulled out a wand that was the exact replica of his previous wand. "I've brought others should the fir not fit you anymore but I highly doubt that will be the case."

Severus took the offered wand and immediately felt the familiarity he had been lacking in the last few months of using Lucius' wand. He pointed it at the ceiling and green sparks shot from the tip.

"Excellent," Ollivander exclaimed, snapping the empty box shut. "Now, what would you like me to do with Mr. Malfoy's wand, Albus?"

"Whatever you wish, Oswald," Dumbledore responded as McGonagall handed over Malfoy's ebony wand. Ollivander gave it an appreciative look.

"This was one of my best. Elm with a dragon heartstring. I remembered he wanted it black, obnoxious child he was, so I had to lacquered it for him. Foolish boy. I trust this had been handed over to the Ministry for it's record of spells?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Of course. Though now that the Ministry has solid evidence of Lucius' affiliations, the eldest Malfoy is no where to be found."

Severus frowned. That was very Lucius. He didn't even have to ask to know that Narcissa and their son, roughly the same age as Harry, were left to fend for themselves in the negative spotlight Lucius had left for them. It sickened him to think that he ever looked up to Lucius, admired his clothes and charisma, thinking if only he had been better looking and wealth to back him he very well could have been Lucius. The silly ideals of a child.

A loud snap brought Severus out of his thoughts and he saw Ollivander holding the two snapped pieces of the black wand.

"This wand will do no more harm," Ollivander said before tossing the two pieces into the fire which turned a sickly shade of green before returning to it's former color of orange and red.

"Were you able to bring the other thing as well, Oswald?" McGonagall asked.

"Ah, yes," Ollivander went back to his satchel and reached far down into it. "There it is. I knew I brought too many wands with me." He pulled what looked like a very long stick out of the bag but once it was out, Severus saw it was a broom. A Cirrus 1900 from the looks of it, the Chudley Canons broom of choice for that year of Quidditch. "This was their last one, Albus. Very famous this year."

"I would think so," Dumbledore said, taking the broom from Ollivander. "Let us hope it brings speed and talent to the Canons this year."

Sirius snorted. "They're going to need more than brooms. Honestly, England needs a better team."

"Preferably one that can fly and think at the same time," Severus said and then noticed everyone's surprise. "What?"

"We just never thought you paid much attention to Quidditch," Remus said.

"I may not be able to play it, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy watching it."

"Well then," Dumbledore stepped towards him, "I daresay you should join us at more Quidditch games then. There are more than enough seats in the faculty box. But I digress," the Head Master held out the broom to Severus, "this also is yours, Severus."

He felt his heart freeze in his chest. He had never owned a broom in his life. He had always borrowed one at school from the broom shed and when he graduated he always used one of Lucius' old ones. He had sworn to himself never to own one since he had found out from his father that his mother's desire for him to have a broom had ultimately led to her death.

"Sev? Are you alright?" Lily broke through the horror that seized his mind.

"I, um," he took a step back from the broom, "I appreciate everything you've done for me tonight, but I can't accept this."

Dumbledore looked at him blankly. "You're going to need a mode of transport, Severus, especially if you join the Order."

As if enough hadn't been given to him already that night, Dumbledore had to go and give him the ultimate gift: trust. Everything seemed to come crashing down around him and he felt like he was suffocating. He was dimly aware of Lily grabbing his arm, begging him to sit down but he had wrenched his arm from her grip and stumbled towards the door. He mumbled a thank you before quickly bolting through the door. He paused on the other side just to get catch his breath when he heard Sirius' voice on the other side.

"I'm guessing he's not a party person."

Black didn't know the half of it. Severus pushed himself off from the wooden door and quickly made his way down to the dungeons. They all went through so much effort with planning, food, decorating and gifts. He still had his new wand clutched in his hand and he felt even more guilty for his abrupt departure. He stopped in the one of the hallways and leaned heavily on the wall.

"What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing."

He spun around to see Lily standing there, a look of compassion on her face.

"Nothing's wrong with you, Sev," she repeated before pulling him into a strong embrace. "You just need to get used to people being nice to you for a change."

But for as much as he tried to convince himself that her hug was because he was a good person and she liked him for that, he couldn't shake the feeling of just how unworthy he was for her.

Author's Note: I read that Rowling sometimes used Celtic Birthday Trees to determine what wood was used for a particular character. I used the same method to determine what wood Severus' wand should be made out of. I found this extremely interesting and wanted to share it with my wonderful reviewers. Here's what one website had as a description for Sev's Birthday Tree:

January 2 to January 11
Fir Tree, the Mysterious

Extraordinary taste, dignity, cultivated airs, loves anything beautiful, moody, stubborn, tends to egoism but cares for those close to it,rather modest, very ambitious, talented, industrious uncontent lover, many friends, many foes, very reliable.