It was Niamh’s first Christmas without Harry.  Ever since their first year, they had been together for Christmas and now her friend was lying in a coma one floor above.

It made her ill.

Christmas holidays had come and Mika had rallied everyone into staying at Hogwarts with Niamh.  Ron and Ginny had had a little trouble convincing their mother to allow them to say but the moment they had mentioned Niamh, the Weasley matriarch had agreed.  Thomas had been unable to stay due to the fact that he and his parents were going to visit relatives in Germany.  Neville had barely managed to convince his grandmother to let him stay but Amanda had stepped in and begged her until she was hoarse.  And she had convinced her.

So they were all there (well, with the exception of Thomas and Harry) to support their friend.  But they needn’t have worried.  Severus had invited Niamh to come spend Christmas with him before the holidays had begun.  When he found out that the rest were staying, he had extended the invitation to them as well.  Ron had attempted to decline but at glares from Hermione, Amanda, and Ginny, he had swiftly stopped his attempts.

“I need to go to Hogsmeade,” muttered Niamh as few days before Christmas Eve.

< And why is that, youngling? > asked Jardin.  The raven was perched on the back of the couch in the Hexer’s Corner, upon which Niamh was currently sprawled.

“I want to buy Professor Snape something.  Y’know…to thank him for inviting me to spend Christmas with him.”

Jardin gave her an amused look.

< He doesn’t need thanking, youngling.  Just you to come.  He needs the company, after all. >

“I know,” said Niamh, rolling over onto her stomach.  “But still…I feel like I should  I just don’t know what to get.”

< Ask Rebecca, > said Jardin, preening a wing.  < She knows him well. >

“Rebecca?  Professor Figg?”

< That would be her.  Unless there is another Rebecca Figg wandering around Hogwarts that I don’t know about… >

“They know each other?”

Jardin bobbed his head in response, his bronze eyes twinkling for the first time since Harry had fallen into his coma.

< Indeed, they do.  They were Aurors at the same time.  In the same squad for a few years, even.  And judging from how many times she’s been in his rooms… >

“JAR!”

< What? >

“I so don’t need to know that.”

< Sorry.  It’s nothing serious, you know. >

“JAR!  GOD!  I don’t want to know!”  Niamh then scowled at the bird and growled, “And now you’ve got me thinking about it.  Argh…”

Jardin gave her a smug look and said solemnly, < My work here is done. >

“Urgh.”  Niamh scowled at him again before she frowned and said, “But…I thought after Harry’s mum…”

< It’s got absolutely nothing to do with love, youngling, > explained Jardin.  < It’s about comfort.  You see, they’ve both lost something.  Severus lost Lily and Rebecca lost her sister Brittany.  Rebecca is one of the few people who knows about Severus being a Death Eater and his relationship with Lily.  He was in Azkaban at the time of her death and when he got out, she told him.  That’s when their little…agreement started. >

“Oh.  Thanks, Jar.  Now I can’t look at them the same again.”

< You could ask her if she would walk with you down to Hogsmeade.  I believe she was going shopping anyway… >

“Then what are we waiting for?” exclaimed Niamh, leaping off the couch.  She ran into her dorm, leaving Jardin to shake his head in amusement.

< Youngsters.  So full of life.  I do envy them. >

“I heard that,” said Niamh as she returned, a heavy green cloak pinned at her throat.  The cloak had been a birthday present from Harry and was a perfect match for his except for that fact that it had a hood and was lined with fox fur instead of silver thread.  “Let’s go then.”

< As you wish, > said Jardin, flapping over to her shoulder.  < Forward, youngling. >

Niamh nodded and touched the brick on the fireplace that opened the entrance.  She swiftly left Arx Serpens, making her way towards the stairs that led up to the first floor of the castle.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Professor Figg!”

Rebecca Figg turned at the sound of her name and smiled when she saw who it was.

“Niamh,” she said cheerfully as the Slytherin came running up to her.  “How are you?”

“Fine,” replied Niamh, slightly out of breath.  “Are you going to Hogsmeade, Professor?”

“How did you…”  Rebecca trailed off as she spotted Jardin perched on the young witch’s shoulder.  “Jardin.  How pleasant to see you out and about.”

< You as well, Rebecca. >

“I assume you told Niamh here about my little trip?”

< Who else? > asked Jardin smugly.  < She needs to buy a present for Severus. >

“For Severus?”  Rebecca gave Niamh an odd look.

“To thank him,” explained Niamh.  “For inviting me.”

“You needn’t do that, dear, but if you wish…  Let’s get going then, shall we?  We can shop together?”

“Who are you shopping for?  If I may ask.”

“You may,” said Rebecca with a smile.  “Severus and our feathered fiend here are my objects today.”

< I am not a fiend. >

“So says the fiend.  Is Severus the only person you’re looking for?”

Niamh nodded and winced as Rebecca pulled open one wing of the main doors.  A cold wind struck her full-on and she pulled her cloak closed across her belly.

“That’s cold!”

“That’s winter, m’dear,” said Rebecca with a smile.

“I hate winter,” grumbled Niamh as they set off through the snow.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Two hours later Niamh and Rebecca trudged back through the snow to Hogwarts.  Rebecca had conjured up a sled to carry their things, which was running pleasantly along behind them.  Niamh had showed so much interest in the charm that Rebecca had agreed to teach them to her.

When they entered the entrance hall, Hermione came rushing up to Niamh with a murderous expression on her face.

“Where…have…you…been?” demanded the girl, her wild, bushy hair reminding Niamh of some animal going on the attack.  “We’ve been looking all over for you!”

“With Professor Figg,” replied Niamh.

< And me. >

“And Jar.  Is something wrong?”

“No,” said Hermione, relaxing.  “You just vanished on us.  We thought you might have gone to the hospital wing.  When you weren’t there, we started to worry.”

“No need to have worried, Miss Granger,” assured Rebecca.  “Niamh and I just went down to Hogsmeade to do a little overdue Christmas shopping.”

“Oh?”  Hermione arched her eyebrows at Niamh.  “For who?”

“Professor Snape.  Y’know…a assort of thank-you for inviting me to spend Christmas with him.”

“Oh.  Well, let’s see it!”

“What?” asked Niamh, dumbfounded.

“What you got!  C’mon!”

“Okay, okay…”  Niamh picked up a covered cage form the sled, which was floating now and dripping melting snow on the stones.  She smiled at Rebecca and said, “Thank you for letting me go with you, Professor.”

“A pleasure, my dear,” assured Rebecca with a warm smile.  “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few presents to wrap.”

“Okay.  Will you be coming to Professor Snape’s rooms for Christmas?”

Rebecca just nodded and disappeared down the corridor.  Niamh looked after her for a moment before she went into the Great Hall where Hermione was sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table.

“So?  What is it?”

“I’ll show you,” said Niamh with a smile as she sat the cage on the table.  She then whisked the cover off and Hermione’s face split into a smile.

“Oh, its so sweet!  And so tiny…”

Niamh smiled and reached in through the bars of the cage to prod the tiny cat.  The little ball it had curled itself into unfolded and it bounced to its feet, blinking golden, almond-shaped eyes at the two of them.

“Do you think he’ll like it?” asked Niamh.  “I mean, he doesn’t have any pets…”

“’Course he will,” insisted Hermione.  “Who couldn’t like such a cute kitty?”

Kitty? thought Niamh.

“Okay, who are you and what did you do with Hermione?”

“Huh?  Niamh, what are you talking about?”

“I’ve never heard you say ‘kitty.’  That’s normally a thing preppy girls say.”

Hermione looked perturbed at that.

“Hey, just because I hang about with guys mostly doesn’t mean I can’t have a girly moment or two.”

“I never said you couldn’t.  It’s just weird.  Like me wearing make-up.”

Hermione giggled.

“Now that would be weird.”

“Oi!”

“Well, it would!”

“Yeah, I know.  C’mon, let’s take this little guy down to Arx Serpens.”

The cat meowed and batted at the side of the cage.

“Oh, sorry.  Girl?”

“Mrooooow.”

Hermione laughed and said, “I think that’s a ‘yes.’”

“Guess so,” said Niamh with a smile.  “C’mon.  You can help me find a box to put her in.”