Safe! – safe, and in his own chamber, in his very own bed! The sheets were his own, the gray nightshirt was his own, and best of all, the time before him was his own, to make amends in!

“I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future,” Snape repeated, wondering at how easily these words passed his lips – he did not sneer them, did not scowl as he spoke them, no! – he meant them! Meant them from the bottom of his heart, and would never forget them as long as he lived.

Never had Snape’s silent chambers seen so lively a morning! Their occupant rushed to and fro, pulled garments out of the wardrobe, throwing them hither and thither in his search for the festive blue robes that had been a gift from his friend, his first love, Lily. There they were, and they fit him still!

“Ha!” cried Snape. “She always said that I looked good in blue.”

And he did – quite a dashing sight! The lank black hair was tied back with a ribbon, and there stood another wizard where the bat of the dungeons had been – an elegant and mysterious gentleman, quite ready to leave his abode and take part in this merriest of feasts, the celebration of Yule!

And leave Snape did – he sprinted down the gloomy corridors of his dungeons, lighting torches in their brackets as he went, his smile bright enough so that no artificial illumination would have been necessary at all! Down another corridor – past a clanking suit of armor which shrank back in fright – up the stairs – into the Great Hall!

The sight of the majestic Christmas trees, adorned with hundreds of glittering lights, filled him with sheer joy. How had he never seen their beauty before? Why had he worried about the needles on the floor which caught in his robes, about the students who would secretly put up ornaments that resembled teachers’ faces? Wasn’t it a grand joke?

Snape laughed out loud, and belatedly noticed a group of Hufflepuff first-years who were staring at him as if they’d seen a ghost. Seen a ghost! Wasn’t it funny? Snape broke into laughter once more, and the Hufflepuffs fled, running as fast as they could for the stairs to their dormitory. Snape wanted to call after them, but found himself breathless with laughter. And did it feel good? I can assure you, gentle reader, that it did.

There – two students from his own House! Seventh-years who had opted to stay at the school for the Christmas break.

“Miss Webster – Mr. McCulloch – what day is today?”

Miss Webster stared at him with wide eyes. “Um, it’s Christmas, sir?”

“Christmas Day! What a fortunate coincidence, isn’t it?”

These words – and perhaps the wide smile that accompanied them – seemed to frighten the two students out of their wits.

“Professor,” McCulloch began tentatively, “are you feeling okay?”

“Okay!” cried Snape. “Better than that – much better! I’d go as far as to say that I feel splendid – really splendid!”

The two Slytherins shared a look.

“Maybe you should come with us to the hospital wing, sir,” suggested Miss Webster. “You, er, don’t seem quite yourself…”

“And I’m not!” laughed Snape. “Not myself, and better off for it! Here-” he tossed a bag full of Galleons to McCulloch, who caught it as a reflex -  “do me a favor and go down to Hogsmeade, and see if Honeydukes will do a special order! I want sweets delivered to every common room, and Zonko’s Lucky Bags for every student who signed up to stay for the holidays! I would go myself, but I have an owl to send to the Werewolf Protection Association! Fifty points to Slytherin if you get it done within the hour!”

McCulloch looked from the purse in his hand to his teacher. “Are you quite sure, sir?”

“Of course, of course! Oh, and have five pounds of assorted chocolates delivered to the staff room – I daresay my dear colleagues need a cheerer-upper!”

“Um… yes, sir, Professor Snape,” replied the two dumbfounded students, and made haste to retreat to a safe distance. “We’ll – we’ll take care of it.”

“Splendid! Splendid! You’ll excuse me now – but I shall see you at the feast tonight, and do make sure you keep the change, for your troubles! I hear Madam Puddifoot offers excellent eggnog at this time of year – just what the ladies like, Mr. McCulloch!”

He winked at the young man, who blushed furiously and avoided pretty Miss Webster’s eyes. Snape smiled at this – indeed, there was little that could now draw a smile from him on this fine, fine morning! There was so much he had to do, every task a greater pleasure than the last! He hurried across the hall towards the stairs, unaware of his students’ eyes following him with an expression of the greatest astonishment a Slytherin ever showed in public.

Two hours later found Snape striding down a narrow lane close to Diagon Alley. Nothing had changed about the place – the little, well-kept houses – the carefully swept pavement – the modest but cheerful decorations the inhabitants of Rustic Alley had hung in their windows. The street was the same, but the man who strode purposefully toward his destination had changed beyond all recognition. He looked merrily about, smiled at a group of children who were having a snowball fight, stopped to pet a cat, laughed out loud at the two duelling snowmen an inventive sculptor had set up in his front garden! Snape had never enjoyed a morning as he did this one, and the bundle under his arm made him feel even merrier, gleeful with anticipation. Oh, how he was looking forward to their faces!

He finally came to a halt in front of a green door and rung the bell. Just before the door was opened, he paused and endeavoured to put on his worst scowl, as near as he could feign it. He, who had been the master of scowls and sneers, found it hard to muster even a frown!

Harry Potter opened the door, his smile fading to a startled expression when he beheld his employer. “Professor Snape!”

“Potter!” spat Snape. “What do you mean by not coming in to work?”

“But – sir!” stuttered the poor man. “You – you said I could have the day off!”

“And you believe that is an acceptable excuse? How like your father you are! Well, Potter, I’m not going to stand for this slipshod attitude any longer, and I’ve come here to tell you-“ -with this he drew menacingly forward- “-that I’m going to double your salary!”

Potter blinked. “S-sir?”

“I’ll double your salary!” laughed Snape. “And don’t think about coming in until New Year’s Eve – you’ll want to spend the time with your family!”

“Sir,” said Potter, coming forward as if to support Snape, should he suddenly pass out. “Are you feeling quite alright?”

“Fine, I feel fine! Here-” With this, he took a tiny box out of his pocket and cast an Enlargement Charm on it. “I think you may find a use for this.”

Hands trembling, Potter took the wooden box and carefully lifted its lid. Inside, neatly lined up, were a bottle of Nerve Restoring Potion and year’s worth of Advanced Wolfsbane.

The poor father nearly dropped the box. “Sir! Why-”

Snape held up a hand. “The only ‘why’ involved, Potter, is why I didn’t give you this far earlier. For this I apologize. I have released the recipe to the WPA today and the potion should be available in every apothecary soon, but don’t let me hear you’ve been going to Slug and Jiggers for little Albus’ supply. I insist on brewing that personally.”

“Professor Snape?” Ginny had arrived, just in time to hear the last few words. “Is there a problem?”

“Ginny!” Potter’s voice was choked. “Professor Snape’s given us Advanced Wolfsbane and – and Nerve Restoring Potion for Albus!”

Ginny’s pretty face paled at the news. “What-”

James chose this moment to poke his face around the door. “Oh,” he said, clearly intimidated by the sight of his father’s employer, but Snape smiled at the boy.

“Just the man I wanted to see, James!” He put his bundle on the doorstep and cast another Enlargement Charm. The fabric fell apart, and out rolled-

“A Firebolt Junior!” squealed James, all shyness forgotten. “Three of them!”

“To further your enjoyment of your winter holidays,” said Snape with a wink. “Give your brother and sister my best!”

His original plan had been to make his excuses and leave, but of course the Potters would have none of it. He was asked into the house, offered repeated thanks by the thunderstruck parents, which he firmly declined, and soon found himself in an armchair by the fire, being plied with mulled wine and home-made mince pies. Little Albus was speechless for an entire five minutes when presented with the Firebolt, then left the room and returned with a large chocolate Hippogriff.

“For you,” he said to Snape, and absolutely refused to take back what must have been an exceptional treat to the little boy. Snape eventually accepted it, after Harry had indicated behind Albus’ back that the boy would not take ‘no’ for an answer.

“How can we ever thank you enough?” asked Ginny when Snape finally made his leave.

“Thank me? For something I should have done years ago? Do not thank me. But – bring the children to work every now and then, Potter. I enjoy their company.”

“Professor,” said Harry, “won’t you stay for Christmas dinner? We’d love to have you.”

“Thank you very much,” said Snape, “but I’m afraid I have another engagement and must decline your kind offer.”

A last look at the little family at the door, waving him goodbye! And little Albus in their midst, alive and smiling, clutching his new broom! What better sight could there be – what better Christmas present could he give himself?

Snape went on, elated as he hadn’t been in years, to his final destination. He lingered an entire ten minutes in front of the door before he could summon the courage to knock. Perhaps – perhaps no one was at home! Perhaps he was too late!

But no! The door opened and revealed his godson, attired in his very best and looking rather festive.

“Uncle Severus!” exclaimed Draco. “You came!”

“I have,” said Snape, and felt rather timid all of a sudden. “I’ve come to dinner if – if the invitation still stands.”

Draco broke into a smile, a sight that would have made many a young witch swoon and which lifted his godfather’s heart tremendously. “Of course it still stands – come in, come in!”

And they were there, all of them – Astoria, little Scorpius who ran forward to show his picture to ‘Uncle Sev’, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle, Miss Parkinson, all with smiles on their faces to greet their old teacher!

“Merry Yule feast, Godfather,” said Draco, and Snape vowed that he would never, as long as he lived, fail to answer this greeting.

“A merry Yule feast to you to, godson of mine – to all of you!”

###

Snape was better than his word. He did not return to his old ways, and to little Albus, who did NOT die, he was a dear uncle and honorary godfather. He became as good a friend, as good a teacher and as good a man as Hogwarts had ever known. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset (and besides, he could always send a Stinging Hex their way; he was not a Slytherin for nothing). His own heart laughed, and that was quite enough for him.

He had no further encounters with ghosts (except those that are at home in Hogwarts castle), and it was said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if anyone possessed the knowledge. May the same be said of us, and especially of you, gentle readers, who have shown so much patience with an old man’s wheezing waffle and long-winded story-telling. And so, with my purposes met and on my way back to the Beyond, I shall offer you one last greeting and wish you a very merry Christmas, joining my little namesake in his announcement: Merlin bless us, every one!

I remain as ever, your faithful servant and meddling old coot,

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore