When Christmas morning arrived I had to admit to myself that I was incredibly excited.
"Come on Emily!" I exclaimed pulling her out of bed.
"So early." She grumbled into her pillow.
"But Emily it's Christmas!" I Whined making a puppy dog face even though she couldn't see it. Her full head of curls rolled in my direction. That was her attempt at ignoring me.
"Emily Smith I am going downstairs to retrieve our Christmas presents when I come back I expect you to be sitting up, awake, and ready to open presents!." I paused giving her a chance to protest. "I will take your lack of response as a yes." I returned ten minutes later my arms full of presents. Kicking the door open I called out into the room. "Just call me Alice Clause!"
"Good morning Alice." Emily responded in her usual cheery voice. Placing the presents on the floor in front of her, I notice she is now sitting cross-legged on her bed with a mug of hot chocolate in her hand. Beaming from the top of the hot coco mug she smiled.
"Aren't House elves just divine?" Finishing her sip of coco she pointed to her dresser. "I had Dobby bring you one as well." Smiling I reached for the second mug. I plopped myself down on the floor taking in slow gulps of coco.
"So," Emily said as she eyed the large pile of packages. "What's first?"
"Mine!" I said picking up a long package wrapped in thick emerald green paper.
As Emily took the package from me she pointed to a box with similar dimensions wrapped in pink stripped paper. "That one's from me!"
"Together then?" I asked. We smiled at each other knowing exactly what the other had gotten. Emily and I had been giving each other the same gift since our first year at hogwarts. It was always whatever the newest Syltherin Scarf was available at Madame Malkin's shop. Sometimes they were silk sometimes they were knit, but every year we would pick out a scarf and buy it for each other.
"I'm really glad we went with the knit scarf this year, some of mine are getting rather worn."
"I just hope it matches my dressing robes, Because it is going to be cold tonight! Here this one is from your parents." I said handing her a small round package. We quickly began wearing away at the pile of presents on the floor. This year Ron's mum had sent both Emily and I sweaters that she has knitted for us. I eagerly pulled mine over my head when I saw that she had taken the time to knit a dragon onto mine. Ron had sent his usual gift of chocolate frogs, Hermione had given me some Classic Muggle Books from her personal collection, and Harry had given me a delicate crystal barn owl Christmas ornament.
"We should probably clean up this mess." Emily said gesturing to floor around us that was covered in bows, wrapping paper and boxes of all sizes.
"Yeahhh." I scanned the room taking in the miss. "Or we could leave it for the house elves like the rest of the Slytherins do."
"Alice they have the whole castle to clean plus the ball to get ready for tonight, there's no need to make them clean up our messes too!"
"Relax Emily." I say pulling my wand from my pocket." I was only joking." With a few flicks of our wands we had cleaned our room. "Now that wasn't so bad." I exclaimed flexing my wand arm.
"Hey you never opened your dress robes." Emily said pointing to the large package on my bed.
"Since I have to go to the Ball tonight, Dumbledore is letting me floo home to see Remus before the Ball. He sent me the dress robes so I want him to see my face when I open them."
"If Remus picked them out, I'm sure you'll love it."
"Thanks Em." Except they're really from Severus. I thought to myself wishing again that I could tell my best friend the truth about my guardians.
"When are you leaving?" she asked me a small frown in her eyes.
"In just a few minutes actually." I answer after checking the time. "I'm sorry Em, I hate to ditch you on Christmas but I've gotta go." I snatched up my Dress Robes and head for the door.
"Don't worry about it Alice, I'll see you at the Ball tonight." She answered. "Tell Remus that I said hello, and that we all miss him teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Can do." I told her as I left the room. I carefully walked through the dungeons making certain no one was following me to Severus' office. Once inside Severus' office, I entered his private chambers where I expected to find him waiting for me. I was instead greeted with an angry hoot from Severus' Eagle Owl Eileen. "Hey there girl." I soothed as I stroked her head. "Where's Sev?" I asked her. "Severus! SEV!" I called throughout the rooms searching for him. A second angry hoot erupted from Eileen. I doubled back to the sitting room to see what she's squawking about. After closer examination I realize Eileen had a note tied to her. I delicately untied the note, unfolding the small piece of parchment.
Alice, please Floo to your Uncle's home. He is expecting you over for Christmas dinner. I will join you shortly. –Severus.
Don't the Death Eaters know it is Christmas? I sighed to myself. "Well nothing we can do about it is there?" I ask Eileen as she perched herself above the fireplace. "Ok I'm going, I'm going." I grumble as I dig my hand into the bucket of floo powder Severus kept by the fire.
"Good afternoon Alice." Remus sat in an armchair reading the Christmas edition of the Daily Prophet.
"Remus!" I set down the box containing my Dressing Robes jumping into his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck. We hugged in silence for several minutes before either of us spoke.
"How's school?" Remus asked. I rolled my eyes hopping off his lap.
"I haven't seen you in months and the first thing you say is 'how's school?' really?"
"No the first thing I said to you was 'good afternoon Alice'."
"I'm doing well in my classes. I've Got O's in Transfiguration, Charms, Potions of course, and Care of Magic Creatures. I've got an E in Charms, Muggle Studies, and History of Magic, but only A's in Herbology and Astronomy." I counted my class subjects off on my fingers as I listed them.
"And how are you doing in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" He asked leaning forward.
"I've got an E, though I think it is because Professor Moody is more interested in my fame than my school work."
"I see." Remus watched me for a moment. "Speaking of fame, congratulations on getting past the dragon." I shook my head violently.
"Can we please talk about something else, it's bad enough I've got to go to the ball tonight, I'd really rather not think about the Tournament right now."
"You are so much like your mother, it is astonishing. If your father had found his way into the Triwizard Tournament at only fourteen as you have, he would have basked in the glory. Your father loved to be the center of attention. Your mother on the other hand, would have been just like you. She preferred to let James catch all of the attention while she silently observed everyone else."
"Do you ever miss them?" I asked looking over at him.
"Every day Alice. They were my best friends." With that Remus pushed himself up from the chair. "But today is Christmas, this is supposed to be a happy day. What do you say we get dinner started?"
"Only if I can enchant the potatoes to peel themselves this year!" I said excitedly following Remus into the Kitchen.