Snape's Christmas Carol

Stave Five: The End of It

Snape's eyes snapped open, and he sat up in bed. His heart was pounding hard in his chest. He took great gulps of air and expelled them forcefully. My god, what a nightmare! He sat very still. Is it over? He'd thought so before after all. His eyes looked around carefully. The bed curtains were in place. Shoving them aside, he got out of bed and glanced around the room. All was quiet and as usual. Still unsure he strode across the room and looked into the sitting room. Everything was in place. The clock on the mantle read half past six.

Snape frowned to himself and slowly walked back into his bedroom. It must've been just a nightmare after all. What would have brought something like that on? It was too dreary to believe that his subconscious simply felt that it was time to turn over a new leaf. He was the man he was...period; it was far too late to make changes...even if he wanted to. Anyway, he'd always rather believed that the world should change to accommodate him rather than the other way around.

Stop thinking about it! It was just an unpleasant dream...a nightmare. More creative than most...more vivid...but still just a dream...nothing worth wasting more time on.

Suddenly he paused. At the foot of his bed lay a lone package wrapped in colorful paper. He bent down and picked it up. His yearly Christmas gift from Albus. An interesting manuscript perhaps...or occasionally a bottle of brandy. A faint smile flitted across his features. Once it was a large box of chocolate frogs, really...what possessed the man at times?

The Potions Master walked to the side of the bed and sat down. He glanced down at the package in his hands. Then he looked up. Thoughtfully he reached out a hand and fingered his green bed curtains in silence. What harm would it do to humor the Headmaster for one day out of the year? A present, if you will, for a man he respected.

Snape smiled to himself. It would also have the added benefit of surprise. He hated being predictable, much better to keep them guessing, keep them off balance. Yes, there could be entertainment value in that. Chuckling low in his throat, he put aside his gift and went to get dressed. He had some arrangements to make.

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Snape stood in his classroom with his arms crossed and his darkest glower plastered to his face as he watched the hands of his classroom clock tick towards four minutes after eight.

Suddenly the door was flung open, and Harry Potter raced in only to come to an abrupt halt at Snape's feet. His eyes bugged out, as he looked up at his teacher in absolute dread.

Snape let a small nasty smile creep across his face as he purred, "Well, well, four minutes late, Mr. Potter. Now, what do you think we should do about that? I know I warned you not to keep me waiting. My cauldrons do all need to be thoroughly scrubbed out, and it's been simply ages since anyone has disemboweled my kancerworms. Ah, I know!" He smirked down at Harry, who blanched and gulped nosily. "I think I'll simply send you on your way."

Harry frowned in confusion. Huh? Was Snape toying with him? That must be it. Harry would get one foot out the door and bang Snape would lower the boom. Then Harry would be disemboweling kancerworms until Easter!

As Harry hesitated, Snape smiled nastily. "A tad slow on the uptake, aren't we Mr. Potter? I told you, you...can...go."

Harry's jaw dropped. "Go...Professor?"

Snape gave him a disgusted look. Really the boy was thicker than he thought. He leaned down and put his face closer to Harry's. Then he spoke very slowly. "Yes, go Mr. Potter. As in, leave...my...sight...as soon as possible."

Harry found himself nodding imbecilely and backing out the door as fast as he could. As he turned to flee, Snape's voice paused him momentarily. "No more pilfering, Mr. Potter, or you won't get off so lightly next time."

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Harry practically ran all the way back to the Gryffindor tower. He blurted out the password, and threw himself through the portrait hole as if an army of trolls was after him. What the hell was wrong with Snape anyway? Why would he let Harry go like that? Surely torturing Harry would be Snape's favorite way of spending Christmas. Why give that up? Harry shook his head in bewilderment. Oh well, why look a gift horse in the mouth? He should just enjoy his freedom and not worry about Snape's mental health.

As he entered the common room, he spotted Neville standing by one of the tables looking down at a large open box with a confused expression on his face.

"Hi Neville. Happy Christmas!" said Harry.

Neville looked up, but it took him a moment to respond because his mind was somewhere else. "Oh...Harry...yes, Happy Christmas."

Harry walked over to join him. "What's in the box? Is it a present?"

Neville nodded in wonderment. "Yes, when I came downstairs, I found it here on the table addressed to me."

"Who's it from?"

Neville shook his head. "I have no idea. There was no card. I don't get it, Harry. It's full of potion ingredients!"

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What? The ones you need?"

Neville nodded dazedly. "Yes, it contains everything you need to make a "Be-Of-Good-Cheer" potion...enough for two batches, actually. Harry, who could have sent this? No one but you knew I needed them."

Harry pawed through the box of ingredients. He pulled out the box of ribbonworms. The handwriting on the label looked very familiar. "Neville, these came from Snape's storeroom!"

Neville's jaw dropped. "What? How do you know?"

"I recognize the handwriting on the label. It's Snape's all right."

The two of them stared at each other wordlessly. Neville swallowed. "You don't think...Snape...could have sent them...do you?"

Harry looked down at the box of ribbonworms and then back up at Neville. Then as one they both laughed loudly and exclaimed, "Nah!"

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Snape leaned back in his chair and swirled his brandy around in his glass. He and Dumbledore were practically the only ones left at table after an unusually lavish Christmas dinner.

Dumbledore sighed and regarded Snape fondly. "Thank you for the Christmas present, Severus. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed 'Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans'."

Snape inclined his head briefly. "You're welcome, Albus. Although, strictly speaking, those particular beans were not 'every flavour'. I used a strong sorting charm on them to weed out the unpleasant ones."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, that explains why I've enjoyed them so much. Thank you, Severus. I don't know why using that charm never occurred to me. I do appreciate your efforts on my behalf."

Snape nodded pleasantly once more. "My pleasure, Albus."

Dumbledore eyed Snape closely. "Well, I believe this is the longest you've ever remained at Christmas dinner, Severus. Yesterday you gave me the impression that we wouldn't be seeing you for long today. What brought about this change of heart, my boy, if I may ask?"

Snape smiled enigmatically. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Albus...but don't expect it to last."

Dumbledore smiled happily. "I'll take what I can get, Severus." He raised his glass to Snape. "Happy Christmas, Severus, my boy!"

Snape smiled a satisfied smile and raised his glass in return. "Happy Christmas, Albus. Happy Christmas, indeed."

Finite Incantatem