The Untold Story

Chapter 17: Christmas Challenges

December 24th, 1971

Potter Manor was nestled on the outskirts of Ilkley and was protected with various muggle-repelling charms. The manor was built in a neo-gothic style and had a stunning coffered ceiling in the ballroom. There was a large dining hall that could seat about twenty guests, a family room, a large circular library decorated with murals and nearly thirty rooms. The Lord and Lady of the house also had their own separate rooms. However, the rooms that were truly used by James's family were two bedrooms in the Western wing of the manor, a smaller resting room that had been converted into a dining room and the kitchen.

"Jamie master! Jamie master!" a high pitched voice excitedly squeaked.

"Blinky, go away. It's not even noon yet." James sleepily groaned with his eyes still shut.

"Mistress wants you down. The yule dinner is tonight!" Blinky continued.

"Hmm…" James groggily agreed.

"Blinky must punish master! Young master isn't responding…" Blinky frantically warned before she threw a bucket of cold water on James.

"Ahh…" James yelled flinging his arms before scrambling out of his bed. "Blinky, that was cold! I'll get you back for that." he flimsily threatened Blinky as he locked himself in the bathroom.

Blinky giggled before disapparating. James threats to Blinky were for naught because in a way Blinky was almost an elder sister to him.

"Mum! Why did you have to wake me up so early?" James demanded with a frown.

"Wipe that frown off your face, young man. You are going to help your father organize the living room." James nodded as he turned to find his father. "Where are you heading off to without your wand?"

"Opps, I forgot it in my room…" James said as he ran up the stairs which he had previously descended.

Dorea Potter shook her head in frustration. James was a sweet and brave boy but sometimes lacked common sense. "You are a wizard, James! You must always have your wand with you!" she yelled back for the twenty-fifth time since James had come home.

Joining his father, James asked, "Dad, what shall I help you with?"

Charlus Potter gave a slight smile before replying, "Why don't you first apply Sleekeazy to your hair? Your uncle, Fleamont, will be here and we cannot have him go on his Sleekeazy promotional tour.

"Uhh...I have to go back up for that. I'll do it later…"

Charlus Potter raised a silently raised a slightly incredulous and questioning brow.

"I promise, dad." James replied solemnly.

"Ok. I want to you make sure that all the rooms smell good. Flick your wrist upwards and say, "Unguentum rosa." Charlus Potter said demonstrating the said spell for his son.

"Got it!" James replied confidently before going to check the other rooms.

Later in the evening…

"Marlene, Happy Yule!" James said hugging Marlene McKinnon.

"Happy Yule, James!" Marlene replied.

James pulled Marlene aside as Lord and Lady McKinnon chatted with his parents, uncle Fleamont and aunt Euphemia. "So, how were your holidays?"

"They are going well. I'm just bored being the only child in the house without anybody else to play with me."

"I know what you mean...Sirius has his brother and his cousins to keep him company...but I guess that's what happens when you are only child.

"It's also because our parents are slightly older. Alice says that her family usually meets with their other family members and their parents' Hogwarts friends."

"I guess so. What is Lily doing over the break?"

"James...why are you so obsessed with Lily? Do you like her?" Alice teasingly questioned.

"Of course not. She is always so uptight. I was just wondering how muggles celebrate their holidays." James defensively replied.

"Sure…" Marlene laughed. "I am not really sure. She mentioned something about spending the holidays with her grandparents but I suppose they have fun just like us."

"Hmm...enough talk. You want to play Quidditch in our pitch?"

"Your mum won't allow us to play in the dark even if I said yes. How about chess?"

James shrugged. "I'm pants at that and I am not sure where it is..."

Marlene rolled her eyes, before pulling out the set from under his bed. "Don't worry, I found it."

James sheepishly smiled at Marlene. "You just want to play it so you can beat me."

"Not my problem that you have no brain."

"I do to!"

"Then prove it!"

James Potter, ever the Gryffindor, didn't back down from the challenge.

December 25th, 1971

"Merry Christmas Mum, Dad!" Lily yelled surprising her parents in bed. She proceeded to climb in between them before giving each of them a big hug.

"Merry Christmas darling!" they replied wrapping their arms around her. "Where is Petunia?"

"She is still sleeping. Can I open my presents and then meet Sev so that I can give him my present?" Lily asked with a little pout.

"Well, we also have to go to church today. So if you want to meet Severus, you need to wake up Petunia and open your presents quickly."

"Ok." she joyfully agreed.

"Wake up, it's Christmas! We have to open presents!" Lily said shaking Petunia.

"Freak, let me sleep."

"Don't call me that!" Lily said with a wince.

"You already have magic and proud parents. What more do you want to take away from me?" Petunia demanded, sitting up on her bed. Lily's eyes started to fill with tears as Petunia continued, "You are such a cry baby. Now, go tattletale on me before I come down."

I am not a tattletale Lily thought angrily as she wiped her tears. She also wanted to meet Severus today so she was not in a mood to waste her time with Petunia.

"Okay girls, time to open your presents!" Mrs. Marigold Evans yelled.

Lily rushed downstairs to start opening her presents.

"Wait till your sister also comes down. Did you wake her up?" Mr. Harold Evans questioned.

Lily was saved the trouble of replying as Petunia came downstairs. They both got knitted hats from their grandparents. After opening some other presents from her friends at muggle primary and from Hogwarts, she unwrapped a rectangular shaped box from her parents.

"We got those magical quill set at Diagon Alley. The cashier assured us that you use them frequently at school." Harold commented.

"Thanks, dad and mum!" Lily replied earnestly.

"Why do I get this stupid necklace while she gets a magical quill set? You guys always get her better presents." Petunia ranted before throwing the necklace to the ground and running back upstairs.

"Petunia Marie Evans! That is not how a young lady acts on any day much less Christmas..." Marigold sternly stated as she followed her daughter.

"She hates me." Lily dejectedly stated.

"No darling, she is just a little jealous. I was jealous of your uncle Rob too. He was a lot older than me and it always seemed that he could do whatever he wanted. He joined the war efforts, which at that time seemed so glamorous, while I was just sitting at home hoping not to get blitzed by the Germans. It's just sibling rivalry." her father explained wrapping his arms around her.

"Maybe it would have been better if I wasn't a witch."

"We don't get to choose the cards the universe deals out to us. Our duty is just to play with them as best as we can. Magical or not, we all have our good and bad, Lily. As your father, I just want both you girls to be good and happy."

"Petunia doesn't see it that way. She says it's my fault…"

"It isn't your fault." her father tone held finality.

"But…"

"No more excuses. I and your mother will talk with Petunia. Why don't you go meet Severus?"

Lily understood this was her cue and did not pursue the topic further. "Ok, I'll give Sev his present and be back soon."

"Sev!" Lily yelled as soon as she saw him sitting under their tree in the park.

"Lily, Merry Christmas!" he greeted her back giving her a tight hug with a huge grin.

"You are here early."

"Umm...well...father and mother were talking...and it's a beautiful day."

"It's cold, Sev. How are you not cold in those clothes?" Lily asked wrapping her arms around herself.

"I like the cold." Severus said with a shrug.

Lily pulled out a wrapped present from her bag and handed it to Severus. Snape pulled out sugar quills from his pocket and handed them to Lily with an embarrassed blush. Severus unwrapped his present: a bound hard copy of Influential Defensive Wizards and their Spells.

"Lily, this is too expensive… I can never pay you back." He gaped at the gift.

"You are such fool, Sev!" Lily replied fondly. "It's a gift not a loan. You don't need to pay it back."

"I can never afford to give you such gifts." Severus said shaking his head and trying to hand her the book back.

"You are my best friend, Sev. That's all that matters." Lily yelled before running so she didn't have to take the book Severus was trying to give back. "I have to go to church and my grandparents' home tomorrow. I'll see you in a few days."

Severus ran after her for a while before noting it was futile. Lily was a much faster runner. "Bye, Lily!" he yelled before turning back and heading back to their tree. He sat there for a while before deciding it would be wise to go face his quarreling parents.

"Oh look at who has decided to come home...Are you done talking to your red-haired girlfriend?" his father slurred as soon as he stepped inside.

"She isn't my girlfriend." Severus quietly stated. And it was true. Lily was like the little sister he'd never have.

"Severus, ignore your father and come here." his mother said interrupting the conversation between her husband and son.

"Ignore me huh! I am his father and not a cheating WITCH that saddled a man with an unwanted baby." his father yelled advancing on his mother.

"Father...no. Please not her. It's Christmas, father...please...father." Severus begged.

As usual his father ignored him before slapping his mother across the face and giving her a few more strikes. Then he proceeded towards Severus who was curled up in a ball and whacked him on his back. He pulled Severus's hair so that he looked into his hated father's visage. "You are the only reason she is here." Tobias Snape hissed at Severus before storming out of the house.

"Mother." Severus cried before picking her up and lying her on the couch. He found some healing salve in the secret cabinet and started applying it on her, "Mother, why don't you leave him? How did you even marry that monster?"

"He is your father and you will respect him." Eileen said glaring at her son. After a slight pause, she tiredly questioned, "Where will we go? I have nobody and nothing to go back to." She gently took the slave from Severus's hand and pulled his head into her lap and started to apply the slave to his back. "Merry Christmas, son." she muttered quietly once Severus had fallen into a light sleep.

AN: Sorry for not updating last week; Got bogged down with work. Thanks to our new follower SelinaSevinaMalfoy.