Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or The Peanuts. Lichen is mine, as are all the other faeries.

Author's Note: I'm sorry this was a long time coming. I thought a little Christmas cheer in the middle of May was in order. As always, please review.

Next story up will be the epic battle of the faeries versus Fluffy!

Story #7

Lichen spreads Christmas cheer

If one was foolish enough to enter into the chambers of one Severus Snape, Potions Master, they would be surprised that his room is not completely barren. There is one piece of greenery that sheds a bit of light in his otherwise drab quarters. It is a single evergreen branch in a vase depicting a faerie battling a hawk. This is its story.

***************

"So, how do you like it?" Lichen asked, displaying his gift with a flourish. "Isn't it just jingly?"

Lichen was currently displaying his latest addition to Severus' chambers. Severus had explained Christmas to Lichen a few days before to help clear up some misunderstandings. Apparently the plant-talent faeries were not happy that their handiwork was annually chopped down by a very ferocious looking Big with a bushy nest on his face.

Rather than being angry at the destruction of his fellows' work, Lichen had taken the whole idea of Christmas back to the Faerie Village. He had given them the whole lecture about holly and mistletoe and reindeers and snow and a very fat Big that delivered presents to all the good Big children. Now all the damned sprites were filled to the brim with Christmas cheer.

Lichen decided that Severus needed his own Christmas tree to lighten up his room. It had taken ten faeries to bring it in, with the Prince of the Forbidden Forest Faeries at the head of the procession. They might as well have been carrying the Queen on a pedestal, they looked that proud.

It was a Christmas twig.

Severus wasn't sure if the "tree" would even hold a jingle bell, let alone a Christmas ball. Sadly, Severus had seen the Muggle special 'Charlie Brown's Christmas' and his gift bore a startling resemblance to the bald Muggle's tree. However, Mr. Brown's tree had one advantage over his; Charlie's could stand on its own. All ten of the faeries were supporting his twig's supposed trunk.

"It's…jingly Lichen," Severus couldn't help but say the term with a hint of bitterness in his voice. It sounded foreign coming from his mouth; a spying Death-Eater did not express happiness. Then again, with Lichen around all of the time, Severus found himself having to pretend on a daily basis that he was bitter to keep up appearances. It was rather odd. "Thank you."

"Okay everyone, you guys can leave now," Lichen said to his fellow faeries. "We're all set."

Obeying orders, all ten of the faeries let go of the "tree" in unison. They quickly flew off as Severus watched the twig tip over. It nearly squished Squash, who disappeared in a shower of sparkles just in time.

Lichen's face fell.

"Your…tree," Lichen said softly. "It fell."

Snape watched as the faerie began to cry. He had never seen Lichen cry before, and it was not as he expected. Instead of wailing like a minuscule banshee, the tiny pixie began to sob. His little shoulders were hunched and small tears trickled down his face. Severus awkwardly patted him on the back with a single finger.

"It's alright you silly sprite," Severus replied, pulling out his wand. Lichen looked up at his tall friend who was smiling in spite of himself. "It just needs a little…assistance is all."

With a flick of his wand and a silent spell, a silver vase materialized around the branch. A series of inexplicable lights began to meander about its dwindling branches as well. Faerie-sized Christmas balls in an array of colors hung themselves on the needles as well. Lichen was beaming within moments.

"Jingly!" Lichen yelled as he flew into the air, giving himself an aerial view of the Christmas twig. "It's beautiful! I knew you'd like it!"

"I appreciate your gift Lichen," Severus said, turning to the faerie as it settled on his shoulder. "However, I do not understand why you would bother getting me a tree. There are several large ones in the Great Hall, as all of your fellows have pointed out on numerous occasions. Why is this…tree…so important?"

Lichen cocked his head to the side in puzzlement. His blonde eyebrows furrowed as he flew over to the tree. The lights parted as he pointed to a grouping of pine needles.

"Don't you recognize it Sev? It's the branch that hawk attacked me on. The hawk you…saved me from."

Severus' eyes grew wide add the mere mention of the attack. Lichen hated to show weakness, as did Severus. The hawk attack had shown weakness in both of them; Lichen was not able to defend himself and Severus gave into a faerie's wails. Or did that branch show something more?

Bending down to study the evergreen branch, Severus thought it over. Lichen had learned humility because of this branch; for the first time in his life the faerie had accepted help. Severus had learned that having a friend was not a sign of weakness, but of strength. Lichen had surely tested the strength of his will on numerous occasions, and had in turn made him a better man.

It was the most…jingly Christmas twig in the world.

Lichen watched in awe as Severus muttered two incantations. The first would conserve the branch forever in the green and healthy state it was in. The other was another story. The vase began to engrave a picture of Lichen and the hawk engaged in an epic battle. Severus tweaked the scenario a bit, showing the hawk about to fly away in terror. He assumed Lichen would prefer the engraving that way.

He was wrong.

"That's not how it went!" Lichen said as he frantically pointed at the hawk. "It didn't fly away because of me; you were the hero. You have to be in there."

"Fine," Snape smiled as he rolled his eyes. The engraving changed slightly, showing part of Severus' hand trying to shoo the bird away. "There. I'm in the picture."

Lichen sighed in contentment as he settled down on Snape's desk in front of the twig. Snape sat down as well, pulling up a chair to enjoy the light show. It was almost peaceful as they looked at the vase in silence.

It was too good to be true.

"I think the hawk should be a bit more pointy…don't you?"