CHRISTMAS AT HOGWARTS
Christmas was never one of Severus's favourite holidays. Back at home, he never got any presents. One year he received an odd pair of socks. Another year he received an out-of-date box of chocolates that had been half eaten. Some years his family completely forgot that it was Christmas.
So when he started Hogwarts, he didn't expect much.
On Christmas morning, he woke up alone in his dorm – his dorm mates had gone home.
To his surprise, he saw a pile of presents at the end of his bed.
He opened the first present. A box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. A small card fell out of the wrapping paper.
'Sev,
Merry Christmas. I know it isn't much but I wasn't sure what you liked. I hope you have a wonderful day!
Love,
Lily xx'
A smile appeared on his face. He moved on to the next present.
A bottle of shampoo.
'Snivellus. Maybe you can finally clean your hair. –James Potter.'
He picked up the present next to it.
Another bottle of shampoo.
'Hey there Sniveltron! Give that greasy hair a good old rinse! –Sirius Black.'
He picked up the next present and unwrapped. Rolling his eyes, he set the next bottle of shampoo down on the bed next to him and read the card.
'Snivellus. Clean up. –Peter Pettigrew.'
In that moment, Severus didn't care that his presents were from James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. He didn't care that the presents were just statements against his cleanliness. He didn't even care that the bottles of shampoo looked extremely cheap.
All he could think was that they cared enough to send him a Christmas present when not even his own parents had bothered.
And although Severus knew that his Christmas was pretty awful compared to other people's Christmases, he smiled.
This was his best Christmas ever.
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