Chapter Fourteen: Christmas Surprises:
Harry woke up on Christmas morning, stretched and yawned. He was back at Grimmauld place at Christmastime. He grinned, put on his glasses and threw a pillow at Ron who grunted and woke up and threw it back at Harry. The house was once more safe and Max was very happy to be here with his father. He got away with so much even with Mrs. Weasley, just last night he had been flying through the house with Padfoot in hot pursuit barking madly as the boy was teasing him with his favorite ball. Molly had come storming up the stairs but instead of yelling at the boy she had firmly taken the ball and made Padfoot turn back to Sirius.
"It's Christmas Ron." Harry said throwing the pillow at his friend again. "You know presents, food, pranking Snape."
"I value my life. " Ron grunted and as Harry finished pulling on his jeans and sweater and raced out the door. "Oi wait for me!"
They ran down to the drawing room where the large tree stood in the corner and piles of gifts were under the tree. Max was there with his father who was sitting cross-legged on the floor watching the small boy wait for the others to come down. Severus loved Christmas, he always had, he loved to give gifts and see the happiness from others in that act. It had always made his day and to see the joy in his son's face and in the teen's made him smile. If the students at Hogwarts saw him now they would think the end of the world had come.
"Morning Shrimp." Fred and George said to Max grinning identically as they walked into the room wearing bright green dragon skin jackets.
"Morning Fred, George." Max said grinning up at them.
"Ah presents!" Sirius said grinning and walking into the room to sit next to Severus who just glared at him. "Splendid!"
"Good morning children." Molly said coming in with Arthur and Remus.
This was the signal for the gift giving to began and the presents were handed out. Everyone got a new sweater from Mrs. Weasley, chocolate from Remus and Sirius got everyone some muggle joke products that were very funny and fun to have. Severus gave Remus rawhide chews as Remus loved these and he got Sirius a collar and leash in green for when he was Padfoot. Sirius just laughed and handed over his gift, which when unwrapped was a bottle of sun block. Severus smirked, he enjoyed the friendly banter he could now have most days with Sirius Black instead of intense hatred. They had shared too much to hate each other now though they always tried to one up the other with harmless funny pranks. Severus then handed out to Harry, Ron and Hermione three book sized packages.
"I wished you to have these first." He said solemnly watching as they unwrapped the books.
"Advanced Potions Sixth Year by Edward Prince." Harry read the tile allowed.
"You wrote this." Hermione said looking up at Severus. "That is what you have had us work from this year, your text book."
"I think it is brilliant." Ron said. "So you published these then?"
"Yes, school teaching is a noble profession but not a high paying one." Severus said. "Besides the old texts are inefficient."
"You should have been Ravenclaw, really you should have." Sirius said.
"Thank you, however I wanted to be Slytherin." Severus said nearly smiling at the complement. "My mother was, it is the house I wanted to be in."
"Which is why you knocked me down the first week." Sirius said recalling their first fight , a fight he lost. "You were a tiny scrawny guy."
"Yes but I could take you then as I can now and always will." Severus said smiling.
"You better behave." Molly warned them.
"Yes Molly." They said at once and the look Severus gave her softened her gaze, he really had a way with staying out of trouble with such a soulful gaze.
Finally the gift giving was done and the family had breakfast. There was one more surprise for the day, Dumbledore had invited them back to the school for a "bit of fun" as he put it. That "bit of fun" included swimwear and Harry wondered just what why he needed his swim suit at Hogwarts. He packed them along with a large Gryffindor towel in his satchel as did Ron and in no time the family had taken the floo to McGonagall's office. Max was excited, he loved to swim and was a natural at it, and was already able to swim around the pool with his father's help. McGonagall smiled when she saw Max and he ran to her and let her pick him up. Sirius gasped in mock horror and McGonagall fixed him with a stern glare.
"So why are we here?" Ron asked.
"Must be a pool around here somewhere." Harry said.
"Yes, remember the rooms you found in your first year Harry?" McGonagall asked.
"Yes, when Gryffindor unfairly got the cup?" Harry asked almost laughing at the priceless look on Severus's face. "Well Slytherin had won fair and square and I know the headmaster was trying to make me feel better however that might not have been the right way to go about it."
"Mental!" Ron said staring at Harry as if he had grown a new head.
"No little bro." Fred said grinning.
"He is right, our dear professor Snape was unhappy." George said.
"An unhappy professor Snape…"
"Is a dark day indeed…"
"He is happy…"
"Now Max is here…"
"And we made something of ourselves!"
"Indeed." Severus said narrowing his eyes at the twins, they just grinned broader at him. Was it too much for them to pretend he intimidated them just once? "Indeed, I thought for a time your only talent was to cause trouble."
"So what of the rooms I was in back then?" Harry asked McGonagall.
"Well they are now a new pool for the school." McGonagall said.
Harry grinned and followed her out and down the stairs to stairs he knew lead to the Hufflepuff common rooms and kitchens. They came to a long corridor and walked down this and came to a large spacious room lit by large torches and an enchanted ceiling that showed an eternal sunny tropical day. The pool was the size of an Olympic pool and along the sides thick columns held up the ceiling far over head. At one end were diving boards and at the end they were at were two doors that lead to the locker rooms and a large hot tub.
"It's brilliant!" Ron said in awe.
"I agree with that." Came the voice of Draco Malfoy.
"So your mum let you come?" Harry said turning to face the taller blond boy.
"More like kicked him out." Sirius smirked, "bet Lucius is giving Narcissa her Christmas present right now."
"Sirius Black you behave!" Molly and McGonagall said together as Draco turned pink.
He gave a mock salute and walked into the boy's locker with the other boys. In short order everyone came out and took advantage of the pool. There were a few students who had stayed at school over the holidays that were enjoying their good fortune as were a few of the teachers. Flitwick was in the pool clad in an old fashioned swimming suit in navy blue, Sprout was in an old fashioned pink one and of course Severus came out clad in his black swim tee and trunks with a sliver snake on the front of the tee. Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and every other Gryffindor was clad in swim trunks and tee of crimson with a golden lion on the tee, even the girls. The other houses of course had their swim suits in their house colors and of course quite a few of the young lady professors had eyes only for Severus, then again a few of the older girl students did too.
"He is quite a handsome man." McGonagall said to Molly as the two witches along with the headmaster were not swimming.
"I agree" said a voice behind them and they turned to see Tonks there in a pretty pink tankini. "Though Remus is cuter, has a nicer butt too."
"Tonks!" Molly said trying not to laugh.
"Well when I was in school I did have a bit of a thing for professor Snape." Tonks said.
"You and nearly every girl, it seems that Severus and a certain other head of house got the most attention that way."
"Flitwick?" Tonks said wrinkling her nose, "but he is so old!"
"But he is kind of dreamy." Molly said, "I mean brains, charm and a way with a wand…"
"Which one." Tonks said then colored, "um that was wrong I am so sorry."
"I have heard worse dear." McGonagall replied. "Now why don't you go say hello to Remus?"
Tonks smiled and dove gracefully into the pool and went up to Remus. Severus meantime was talking with Charity who was here and clad in a one piece swimming suit in her house colors. Draco was headed to where Max was swimming under the watchful eye of Ginny, Luna and Millicent. He did not see Sirius under the water swimming towards him. Molly wondered if she should warn the boy but it was too late as Sirius came up and drug Draco away from Max and the girls and into the deep water and under. Severus turned and he smirked, the reason why was a blond blur shot up out of the water and took his cousin down. A water war was well underway between the two cousins.
"Who do you think will win Harry?" Ron asked.
"Draco, I love my godfather but professor Snape just came up behind me." Harry said.
"Yes and you are wise not to say anything." Came the silkily reply.
"Come to drown me sir?" Harry asked not even turning around. "I will fight back."
"I would expect nothing less Harry."
Ron swam out of the way as Severus lunged for Harry, he of course would not hurt Harry. No but he would take him under to get Sirius off his godson. It worked and once Sirius let Draco go Severus let Harry go who swam to the same side Draco had and turned to watch the battle of the two wizards. Remus came up to defend Sirius and Severus did something no-one (well no-one but the headmaster) was expecting. He took his wand out of a pocket of his swim trunks that had an extendible charm on it. Sirius looked from the wand to Severus and back again. A cheer went up among the students and it took a moment to realize the cheer was for Severus.
"I don't know why you would cheer for that." Severus said silkily. "I believe in always being prepared, most swim trunks come with a pocket, if not a simple sewing charm and extendible charm work well…"
"Yes I know that trick too Severus." Remus said taking out his own want and turning on Sirius. "What color?"
"No, Moony, please don't, I beg of you!" Sirius said looking really scared. "Headmaster please no discoloration!"
"Severus Remus don't." The headmaster said trying so hard not to smile.
"Very well." Severus said, "for you headmaster I will not change Black's hair color."
"I will behave in that aspect but it is a great place for other charms!" Remus said.
He started with simple sparks and Severus followed with twittering birds. Flitwick joined them and soon the columns had flowers and vines and there was music in the air. Even though Severus and Remus were very good Flitwick was just that much better. They saluted him with their wands and bowed giving the contest to him. Harry grinned, it was fun to see magic used for fun things like this not for evil like what Voldemort and now Bellatrix used it for. He smiled and watched as Max practiced floating with help from Ginny. He was content, yes there was still a war on but things like this made life all the better for living.
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What is best to do with old dungeons once used for prisoners and for torture? Why turn them into a swimming pool for the school! In an old castle like Hogwarts there has to be many rooms and tunnels not known by all and still waiting to be explored. This pool was just one way to put to use some unused part of the castle.
Oh, and please review!