Severus Snape was not amused. Surely the Dark Lord could request a Sleeping Potion if he was suffering from insomnia, instead of summoning his followers so late at night to provide entertainment. Now he had to walk up through Hogwarts' grounds and it was already past three o'clock on a cold and frosty morning. Not what he would have chosen after a dose of the Cruciatus Curse, even if the Dark Lord had been more lenient with him than with some of the others. He'd also had to perform full-on Occlumency to keep his thoughts of the Potter boy safely hidden. Ah well, at least Voldemort had informed the gathering that their services would not be required again until the New Year so perhaps Snape would be able to relax and enjoy this Christmas.

*
*
*

After quickly swallowing a headache remedy followed by a phial of post-Cruciatus potion to complement the pre-curse version he'd taken before leaving, Snape locked his death eater paraphernalia away securely with a sneer. Then he dismissed the house elf babysitter before looking in on his sleeping guest. The child was hugging his pillow for all he was worth, but it looked as though it would be a silent night: unlike last night, when Snape had found himself rocking a distressed child on his lap to dispel the bad dreams. Snape hoped Harry wouldn't consider himself too old for the soft toy which was wrapped up ready for Christmas and hidden on the top shelf of the wardrobe.  Who would have imagined that this - or any - child would have wormed his way into Snape's heart so quickly. He pondered on the last few days as he made his way to his own bedroom.

*
*
*

It had been the last Potions class of the year. Snape had allowed Potter and Longbottom to work together (Snape, you fool). Only Longbottom and Potter could have made the right mistakes to turn a fairly simple rejuvenating potion into a de-aging gas. As Potter had leant over to add the final ingredient to the mixture, the cauldron had emitted a cloud of green gas. By the time Snape had frozen the potion and stuffed a bezoar down Harry's throat he had de-aged considerably and fallen asleep.

"What child is this?" Madam Pomfrey had exclaimed when Snape rushed him into the infirmary. "Oh, my goodness - it's Harry! What have you done to him, Severus?" (Me? Nothing YET).

The mediwitch had ascertained that Harry was now around five or six years old, but otherwise unharmed by the potion, so Snape left Potter in her care while he went away to analyse the mis-brewed contents of the cauldron.

*
*
*

On being told that the effects would wear off in about ten days, but that Harry had no recollection of school or magic and only vague childhood memories, Dumbledore had been unyielding despite Snape's protest at being ordered to share his home with a Potter.

"Harry will have to stay at Hogwarts, and YOU will look after him. You can have help from the house elves. We will say that he has gone home for the holidays to recuperate but I expect you to make sure that Harry has a wonderful Christmastime. The New Year will be along in no time." he told his Potions Professor, fixing him with a steely gaze.

"If we make it through December," Snape muttered darkly.

In fact, the child proved quite endearing right from the start. Although looking slightly queasy when Poppy delivered him to the headmaster's office through the Floo, he had not been cowed by the sight of Snape in full glower when they were re-introduced and his new living arrangements explained. Instead he stood his ground, staring up at the tall wizard for several long moments before saying "Okay, but you won't hit me, Uncle Snape." (what!)

"Of course Uncle Snape won't hurt you," laughed Albus, eyes merrily twinkling. "Well, run along boys and get settled in together."

*
*
*

Harry had won Snape over almost before they reached his rooms. Somehow the small child bore little resemblance to his father, while he had all the curiosity and enthusiasm Snape associated with his mother. He had been delighted with the moving staircases, been impressed with the magical ceiling and the huge, decorated trees when he peeked into the Great Hall, and especially loved the way the torches magically flared up to light their way in the dungeon corridor. Snape wondered if it was only school age dunderheads who tested his patience so much, because the child's chatter was really quite pleasing.

While Harry was thrilled with anything magical, he also proved to be fairly obedient, seemed happy to eat anything he was offered, but was strangely puzzled to be given his own bedroom (where else were you planning to sleep, Potter?), the puzzlement giving way to hilarity when he caught sight of the house elf who was making up his bed.

*
*
*

Harry proved quite adept at entertaining himself, and spent a happy hour or so next day making paper snowflakes and snowmen which he embellished with glitter. He also embellished the table, the floor, his own face and (hmm) Snape's robes, from which the glitter was strangely resistant to a Scourgify. As he strung the snowmen into a garland he hummed to himself, a tune which Snape eventually recognised as Jingle Bells. Potter clearly had limited musical talent.

Hagrid appeared at the door in the afternoon with a small Christmas tree especially chosen to fit Snape's living room, inviting Harry and the Professor to tea on Christmas Eve before he left. The child was impressed to meet a real live giant, but not so keen when Sybil Trelawney knocked on the door. "The tea leaves told me you would need these," she said, the tiny silver bells on her bracelets jingling as she held out a box of assorted tree ornaments. Harry hid safely behind Snape's robes, and refused to speak to her.

He was happier to greet Minerva, who came to visit bearing silver and gold tinsel for the tree and stayed to help them decorate it. Professor Sprout dropped by with half a dozen poinsettias from the greenhouses, which she arranged on the mantelpiece and sideboard. "There!" she said, "It's starting to look a lot like Christmas now."

*
*
*

Snape left Harry building a snowman with Hagrid on Christmas Eve afternoon, while he took Fang for a walk into the fringes of the Forbidden Forest. He thought he might be able to harvest a few potion ingredients whose properties were enhanced when collected under snow, and had taken pity on the dog. Harry had been very keen to imagine that the boarhound was a little donkey, and wanted to ride on his back.

Even to the Potions Professor's jaded eyes, the forest was a winter wonderland. The rime on the bare branches of the deciduous trees sparkled in the afternoon sun, and the few leaves still tenaciously clinging on moved in the breeze like pretty paper baubles, while the fir trees glistened as if they'd been sugar frosted.

*
*
*

Snape returned from the forest carrying a basket full of useful barks and berries, plus extra mistletoe and holly since Harry had expressed a desire to decorate the suit of armour that stood guard in the small alcove just opposite the door to their (their?) rooms.

Hagrid and Harry were just putting the finishing touches to their large snowman. Hagrid had found a slightly misshapen carrot to use for the nose, so Snape conjured two pieces of coal to serve as eyes. Harry placed them in position and added a fairly straight twig he'd found for the mouth. He started giggling loudly. "It looks like you!" he grinned at Snape.

*
*
*

They left Hagrid's hut after tea, which had included some surprisingly edible, if rather large, mince pies baked by the half-giant himself, to find that it had started snowing again. Huge flakes were falling and Harry would definitely have no need to repeat Snape's seasonal childhood mantra "Let it snow. Please let it snow."

"Bye bye Snapeman," Harry waved as they passed the snowman. As they came to a patch on the path where the snow had drifted deeply, Snape cast a carefully controlled Wingardium Leviosa on Harry, who raised the mitten clad fist that Snape was not holding high in triumph. "Yes!" he shrieked, "I'm walking in the air!"

*
*
*

Snape woke at what felt like far too early an hour on Christmas morning. He'd had a strange dream in which Harry Potter was living with him. Unthinkable! He rolled over and burrowed under the blankets.

"Uncle Snape! Wake up! See what Uncle Albus gave me. He sent it through the Floo!"

Snape pinched himself. Oh. Not a dream then. He opened one eye to see Harry bouncing in the doorway, clutching a large Honeydukes selection box which looked to include chocolate reindeer (Albus, those things escape faster than the damn frogs) and with a toy drum (a DRUM!) slung around his neck from a scarlet cord.

Snape sat up as Harry continued "And Father Christmas came! The mince pie and sherry have gone, and the carrots too and I got a stocking! But I knew ‘cause I heard the sleigh bells ringing last night, but I kept my eyes tight shut like you said."

"Come over here then, little drummer boy," said Snape as Harry paused for breath. "I'll teach you a song for you to ...serenade...Uncle Albus with before lunch."

*
*
*

After they had investigated the presents which had appeared under the tree overnight, Harry was happily dressed in a child sized Weasley jumper knitted with a picture of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer on the front. He was also wearing bright red socks with a gold snitch pattern that had supposedly been left by Father Christmas (or the headmaster) and Snape had been forced to put on the larger, dark green, silver snake adorned pair which Harry had luckily discovered under the tree.

Harry was delighted with the big, purple, stuffed dragon Snape had gifted him, and shyly shuffled over to where the man sat on the sofa. Throwing caution to the wind, Snape lifted the child onto his lap and they had a few quiet minutes while Harry cuddled his new toy. "This is the best Christmas ever!" he declared. The professor had to agree as he planted a Christmas kiss on the top of the child's head.

*
*
*

Snape flicked his wand one last time to finish clearing up the kitchen after breakfast, then Summoned the discarded Christmas wrapping paper from under the tree in the living room. The room tidy, he moved through to collect Harry for his visit to Albus, cancelling a muffling charm as he went.

"Now bring us some figgy pudding," Harry was practising to a drum accompaniment. "Now BRING us some figgy pudding!"

"We WISH you a mer-ry Chris'mas and a HAP-PY New Year!!"

"A Merry Christmas, indeed," smiled Severus.