Father Christmas' Gift
by Healer Pomfrey
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
During the rest of the day, Harry's condition did not improve, and Rose decided to not bother the sick child with her private matters. Only when she checked on him early on Christmas morning, she noticed in relief that his ears had become a bit better and his fever was considerably lower. 'Thank Merlin,' she thought. 'I wouldn't want his condition spoil Christmas Day for him.'
HP
When Harry's mind turned back to awareness, Rose was sitting on the edge of his bed, engrossed in a small book.
"Happy Christmas, son," she said, smiling.
"Merry Christmas," Harry mumbled, sleepily.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" she asked, laying her book aside.
"Much better," Harry replied, smiling. "Is Snape gone? Did you make up with him?"
"It's not as much better as you might think," Rose admitted, "as I've already given you your next dose of potions, but at least an improvement. Professor Snape helped me to finish all the potions that I had to finish yesterday, and I took the liberty of asking Blizzard to take them to the apothecary. I hope that was all right."
"Of course it was," Harry said, indignantly, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "You look very happy."
Rose smiled and carefully pulled the child into a hug. "You're very observing, Harry," she commended the boy. "Yes, I am happy that I finally had the chance to meet Severus again. In fact, he asked me if we could get back together again," she admitted, "but I told him that you and I are a family now and that I can't make such important decisions alone."
"But Mum," Harry replied, horrified, "of course you can live together with him. Don't make any mistakes that you'll regret later, just because of me."
"Harry," Rose admonished him, lightly, "don't make yourself so upset. You're my son now, and so far, Severus was not very nice to you, was he?"
Harry sighed. "No, but he apologized, and if he tries to behave civically, I won't have a problem with it." He remained thoughtful for a moment, before he asked, "Can we, perhaps, try it out during the holidays? I mean, he could stay here with us from today until New Year's day, and by then you decide if you want to live together with him."
"That's a good idea, Harry," Rose replied, thoughtfully. "However, not I will decide, but we, and it's not if I want to live together with him, but if we want it. On a different note," she continued in a lighter voice, "I was thinking about adopting you. Would you like that?"
"Then you'd be my Mum?" Harry asked, excitedly.
"Yes, son," Rose replied, smiling. "I already am your mum if that's what you want, but it would be official then."
"I'd like that," Harry blurted out, feeling very happy at the idea.
Rose stood from the spot on the edge of Harry's bed and excused herself for a moment to fetch the adoption parchments and a quill. "You only need to decide if you wish to leave your name at Harry Potter or if you want to change it to Harry Evans and then sign here," she told the boy, who sat up, put on his glasses and readily put his new name as well as his signature at the indicated spots.
The parchment rolled itself up and vanished into thin air.
"Later we'll get the confirmation from the ministry," Rose said, smiling. "Now you're really my son."
"Thank you... Mum," Harry replied, grinning. "May I get up now?"
"Yes you may," Rose agreed. "Are you feeling up to inviting Severus and tell him about your suggestion? It doesn't have to be today though. It's Christmas day."
Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Harry said, "Of course. He's Father Christmas' gift to you anyway. Invite him right away. I'll be downstairs in ten minutes." In a smaller voice, he added, "If you're sure that I won't be in your way."
"Harry!" Rose blurted out in shock, reaching out to pull the boy into a hug. "Harry, never ever say let alone think that again. You'll never ever be in my or our way. You belong to me now."
"All right," Harry mumbled, trying to free himself from the embrace.
HP
By the time Harry entered the living room, Professor Snape had just arrived and was placing two presents under the Christmas tree.
"Good morning, Professor," Harry spoke up in a soft voice, causing the man to turn around and look at him.
"Good morning, Mr. Potter," he replied, equally friendly.
Harry smiled. "As of today, I'm not Harry Potter anymore, but Harry Evans," he explained, "but please feel free to just call me Harry."
The professor nodded. "Well, in private I'm Severus then."
Smiling at her two wizards, Rose threw in, "Severus, Harry has a suggestion to make."
Inwardly rolling his eyes upon feeling everyone look at him, Harry repeated his earlier idea to try out living together until New Year's day.
Severus looked at Rose, quirking an eyebrow in silent question.
"I think it's a fantastic idea," Rose voiced her opinion, and the adults decided to agree with Harry's plan.
"Tonight, I have to go to Hogwarts and attend Christmas dinner though," Severus said, darkly, "provided that you can't come up with a brilliant idea that would save me from it."
"Hmmm, that's difficult," Rose replied, chuckling. "Let me contact Harry's godmothers later on. Maybe they'll be able to help with that."
"Harry's godmothers?" Severus queried, raising an eyebrow at the boy.
"Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall," Harry offered.
"Ahhh," Severus replied in understanding and smirked. "With those two behind us, Professor Dumbledore won't have a chance."
"Exactly," Rose said, dryly. "And they'll surely understand the need for us to have a family Christmas today."
"If not, you could always accompany me to Hogwarts," Severus suggested, causing Rose to shake her head.
"Harry's still not well enough," she said, firmly. "Now would you like to have breakfast first or presents first?" she asked, giving Severus and Harry questioning looks.
Harry let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry, Mum, but I'd like to go and brew a potion first," he said in a small voice. "I didn't have time to make my present for you yet."
Rose sighed. "That's not important enough to aggravate your condition," she replied, firmly. "You can brew it when you feel better."
"I'm well enough," Harry replied, stubbornly, causing his new mother to roll her eyes in annoyance.
"Would it ease your mind if I accompanied Harry and assisted him?" Severus suggested in clear amusement, causing Rose to give up and agree.
HP
'How strange,' Harry mused, while he busied himself brewing chocolate drops with small pieces of sweet fruit and bitter herbs inside. 'If anyone would have told me that Snape was going to spend Christmas day with us assisting me to make mum's present, I'd have thought that they were delirious. But he's actually really nice, and it's fun to brew together.'
"Well done," Severus commended him, when the potion was finished, and with a flick of his wand transferred the liquid into the respective moulds, before he magically cleaned the workspace.
"Thank you sir," Harry replied, gratefully, as he - as usual - had left his wand in his bedroom and was not feeling well enough to cast wandless magic.
"In fact, I'd like to speak with you about something," the professor continued to speak and pulled a parchment out of his robe pocket, holding it out to Harry.
Harry stared at the parchment, trying to figure out what it was.
"It's the contract that would make you my student assistant," Severus explained, "provided that you want it." Seeing Harry look at him with a combination of surprise and interest, he explained, "As my student assistant, you'd assist me with potions for the hospital wing, whereby assist means either assist or brew, or in special cases, you might be asked to teach one or the other class on my behalf. As compensation you'd receive certain privileges, about which we'd have to discuss with the headmaster. You don't have to decide this now though."
Harry cast the professor a genuine smile. "If you deem me able to fulfil the position, I'd love to become your student assistant, sir," he replied, happily.
HP
Back in the living room, he immediately signed the parchment, which like the adoption parchment rolled up itself and vanished from the spot, however, in two different directions - one copy going to the Ministry of Magic, the other to the headmaster's office at Hogwarts.
In the meantime, Rose had written a letter to Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall asking them to explain to the headmaster that his Potions Master was stuck with her and Harry that evening and would unfortunately be unable to attend Christmas dinner at Hogwarts.
It was a few hours later that Blizzard returned carrying a colourful Christmas card in his beak. As soon as Harry opened the card, it began to sing in the voices of his godmothers "We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year." Just when Harry thought it was finished, Poppy said, "Congratulations, Rose, Severus and Harry. We're very happy for you, and we wish you wonderful winter holidays together." Finally, Minerva added, "And of course, Severus, you'll be excused from Christmas dinner no matter what Albus says."
'I just love Christmas,' Harry thought, when he was lying in his bed late in the evening, listening to the voices coming from the living room that felt very comforting. 'Father Christmas' gifts are the best. Now I have a real family with two parents. I'm the happiest boy in the world. Thank you Father Christmas.'
The End
Happy Christmas!