X B X
Rosemary awoke bright and early Christmas morning. Actually, she awoke earlier than need be. She and Marie were originally planning to surprise Harry by waking him up. Of course, with Marie in the hospital wing, she couldn't come. Rosemary instead snuck out of her dorm room, into the common room, and up the boys' staircase.
Very quietly, Rosemary opened the door of the room the first-years were staying. Looking at the feet of the beds, Rosemary read the initials on each of the trunks: S.F., N.L., D.T., R.W., and finally, H.P.. Rosemary tiptoed over to the slight crack in the curtains hanging off the canopy bed.
'Aw, he's so peaceful-looking!' observed Rosemary.
Very slowly, she opened the curtains most of the way, making sure the shadow was still over Harry's eyes. She backed up as far as she could… took a running leap…
Landing on her brother's chest she yelled, "Rise and shine, Harry! Happy Christmas!"
"Rose! Are you crazy?"
"Maybe a little…" Rosemary answered, jokingly. "But if all of us were perfectly sane, would life be any fun?"
"Oh, hah hah. Why are you here?"
"Because, stupid, it's Christmas morning!"
At that moment, Ron jumped out of bed with a look of pure joy on his face. "Aw, wicked, look at all these presents!" Ron started opening the biggest present. Looking over at Harry's pile he said, "Harry! You have some too!"
"Me? I've got presents?"
"Of course, silly! What did you think you were, chopped liver?" Rosemary playfully punched Harry in the shoulder.
Harry simply looked down at his lap.
"Well, hurry up and get your presents opened!" Rosemary put her arm around Harry's shoulders, steering him off the bed and toward his mound of presents. "We do have to see Marie, you know!"
Harry opened his presents, receiving a roughly cut wooden flute from Hagrid that sounded like an owl when Harry blew it. He also received a tiny package containing a fifty-pence piece.
"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron, turning pink. "My mum. I told her you didn't expect presents and- oh, no, she's made you a Weasley jumper."
Harry opened the lumpy parcel to reveal a box of home made fudge and a hand-knitted, emerald green jumper.
Harry also received a large box of chocolate frogs from Hermione.
Harry opened the box from his sisters. "Oh, yum! Chocolate wands!" he hugged Rosemary. "Let's go see Marie now!"
"Wait a moment, Harry." Rosemary picked up a light parcel.
Harry unwrapped the unmarked package. A fluid and silvery grey substance slithered to the floor. Ron and Rosemary gasped.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"Some sort of cloak." Rosemary answered.
"I think it's an invisibility cloak!" Ron added. "Yeah! Try it on!"
"Oh my gosh!" Rosemary gasped when Harry draped the cloak over his shoulders. "It is! Look down!"
Just as Rosemary was going to ask who the gift was from, Ron pointed to the floor. "a note fell out of it!"
Harry read off,
'Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you.
Use it well.'
Harry stared at the page for a while. "There's no signature."
Let me see it." Rosemary took the letter from Harry. "I recognise the handwriting… but who's it from?"
A/N – Mary: this was one of the entries that I used direct quotes… I wanted it to be accurate.
Victoria: So Disclaimer, we do not own anything of Harry Potter… except for a blanket and posters…and the books we bought.
Mary: …and the clothes, and the dolls, and the board games, and-
Victoria: -enough. Don't rub it in.
X M X
The double oak doors opened slightly and a dark figure strode in quickly.
"Good morning, professor! Happy Christmas!" cried Marie when the man came into view. Marie was wearing the necklace Aberforth had given her.
"Happy Christmas to you as well, Miss Doué. He said, a slight grin tugging at his lips. Marie was dressed all in green and red with holly earrings.
"Good morning, Severus, happy Christmas." Said Madame Pomfrey, running out of her office with a potion at hand. She was cleaning the already spotless wing.
"To you as well. Poppy, I need to talk to Miss Doué about something in my office." Said Severus, looking at the pale pink flower, then to Marie's necklace. Madame Pomfrey nodded, and then continued her frantic cleaning. Marie jumped out of the bed and tripped over her shoe. Severus caught her and sat her back on the bed.
"This just goes to show you need to always get up slowly." He chuckled. Marie glared at him.
"No offence, sir, but shut up." She said, standing up and throwing a pillow at him. He laughed and Marie's hand, leading her to the dungeons.
"So professor, what did you name the bird?"
"That is why I wanted to speak to you… I can't think of anything." He admitted. His cheeks became a very light shade of pink. Marie noticed this and chuckled silently.
'Wow, just… wow.' She thought, moving closer to the tall man. He put his arm around her shoulder.
Marie had never seen the potions master's quarters. The room was big, and it had a king sized mahogany bed in the far corner. On the bed there was a cage. Marie smiled, and went to look at the bird. It chirped happily, recognizing Marie.
Severus silently walked over to the old record player and turned it on. Marie jumped and spun around on her heel, only to be pulled into a strong hold. Before she knew it she was waltzing with her potions mater. She gasped and looked into his coal coloured eyes. They were staring into hers with an intensity she couldn't explain. She dropped her gaze to her feet. When he lifted her chin to the rhythm she squealed inside, only her facial expressions revealing her emotions. He smiled and leaned in…
'This isn't happening!' she thought frantically.
"Wait!" she yelled. He jumped back, almost falling to the floor.
"What?" he asked exasperated and a bit irritated. Marie thought quickly, remembering a list some other students were making, 'ways to annoy Snape'.
"YOUR ROBES ARE ON FIRE!" she cried, saying the one that came first into her head.
As he spun around to check she darted out the door. She ran and ran until she almost trampled Dumbledore.
"Miss Doué? Why on earth are you running so quickly? Practicing for the McGonagall–to-Trelawney race?" the race was from one end of the school to the other, and up a few flights of stairs and a ladder.
"Oh, um… I have to find R-Rosemary!" she panted. Dumbledore nodded and told her Rosemary was probably in the great hall, eating breakfast. Marie barely had time to thank him before sprinting away.
X B X
When he realized it was a lie, she was already gone.
'Dammit! Why, Severus, why!' he scolded himself in his mind. 'Why did I fall for it? My robes were nowhere near the torch!' he smacked his forehead. 'I'm an idiot!'
Sensing the man was upset, the tiny bird began to sing. Slowly Snape regained his cool calmness. He headed upstairs to the great hall for breakfast.
A/N – mary: the 'ways to annoy Snape' list is also found online… Victoria will include a link…
Victoria: .
mary: apparently, fanfic decides to hide all links, so... guess not... but when it was a word document, it was there.