Betsy's 2009 Christmas Fan Fic

A Christmas Carol: 
Severus Snape edition

Prologue:

Severus Snape was not a pleasant man. He didn't like children, he didn't like animals. He didn't even like adults (even though he was one.)  He really didn't like Ronald Weasley (or Ron, as he was known to everyone but his mother), or Hermione Granger. He hated Harry Potter. Ron Weasley was Severus's employee. He was poor. He and his wife Hermione had four children: Rose, Molly, Jean, and William. Jean was in a wheelchair. She had been born premature. Some people had affectionately taken to calling her Tiny Jean. Severus knew that Ron would want to go home with his family on Christmas. He didn't like that at all. He didn't want to have to give Ron a day's pay, for no work.

Chapter one

"Weasley. Close up shop. I'm going home," Severus yelled. Why couldn't that boy ever be near when Severus needed him for something? "I need you to be here at 5:30 Monday morning. " Christmas was on a Sunday that year.

Ron entered the room. "Have a good Christmas."

Severus ignored him as he made his way to the door. He was just about to open it, when a man and woman entered.

"Merry Christmas, sir. We are taking donations for the poor. How much would you like to give?" asked the man. He was wearing a Christmas wreath as a hat. The woman standing next to him was wearing a chain of wooden cranberries around her neck like a scarf. Severus snorted.

"The poor? They have never given to me. Why should I give to them?" He pushed past them, grabbing his cloak as he went out. Ron shrugged apologetically at the man and woman.

"I'm Ron Weasley. Five galleons is all I can spare. " The man pulled out a clipboard and wrote that down.

"Thank you sir," the woman said. The two left.

Ron sighed. He locked the safe where Severus kept the money, checked the storerooms, saw that everything was in order, grabbed his cloak and left.

Severus walked home through the snow. He grumbled the whole way home about poor people. "If they're so poor, they should get jobs. They shouldn't have people begging for money. Bah, humbug."

He turned a corner and saw something. Was that.......No. That couldn't be Harry Potter's orange stand? That had closed years ago. Of course, Harry hadn't died, but the ministry had closed it. They had accused him of selling poison oranges. Ha. That was a joke. Harry Potter, The Chosen One. Selling poison oranges. They said that Pansy Malfoy's husband Draco had died from one of the oranges. Severus blinked, and the orange stand disappeared. Just his imagination. He kept walking.

"Oranges sir?"

Severus jumped. He looked to the left of him. There was a boy. He had black hair, green eyes, glasses, a scar on his forehead. "No. No. Get away," Severus flapped his hand and the boy disappeared. He shivered, and continued walking home. He reached home very shortly after that. He hurried to the door. His knocker turned briefly into the face of Draco Malfoy. Severus yelled and jumped back. He ran around the house, and unlocked the back door.

Chapter two

Severus settled down in his chair by the fire. He had a dinner tray. "Blast those neighbors," he muttered. His neighbors were obsessed with Halloween. Or at least, that would explain the clanking chains he was hearing. Were the neighbors coming to his house? Was that why the chains were getting louder? There was a knock on the door. The chains rattled against the door.

There was a muffled shout.

Severus jumped to his feet, spilling his food on the floor, and ran into his room. He locked the door. He backed up till he was pressed against the wall. His door banged open, and a figure walked in. He was dressed in a satin dressing gown, and fur slippers. It was Draco. He had no chains. Then he drew a radio from behind his back. He turned it off. The chains stopped rattling. He pointed to his mouth. It was duct taped shut. Severus stepped forward and grabbed the tape. He found that he could touch it. He pulled it off.

"Thanks. That tape was really itchy." Draco rubbed his jaw.

"Why didn't you have real chains?" Severus asked, though he was thankful they had just been a recording.

"Too old fashioned. I'm here about your attitude."

"My what?"

Draco didn't stop to answer Severus's question. "You will be visited by three ghosts." He looked at his wristwatch. (A ghost wearing a watch?)  "Oh gosh! I gotta go! My spa appointment is in ten minutes."

"Your what?"

"Don't forget, three ghosts! The first one at midnight. Later."

"Wait! What are you talking about?" Draco vanished. "Okay. This is crazy. I need some sleep." Severus lay down on his bed. He fell asleep.


Chapter Three

The clock struck one. Severus woke up when he heard a voice.

"Severus. I am the ghost of Christmas Past."

"Bah. Humbug. What do you want?"

"I need to show you something."

"Why?"

"You've been having a bad attitude."

Severus looked up. There was a figure standing there. A spirit.

"You're coming with me. Come on, get up."  The spirit took Severus's hand. The scene changed. They were sitting in a small building. A young woman came running in. "Darling, your father says that you can come home. He has sent me to get you." Severus recognized his mother. She had cried when her husband had sent little Severus away.

The scene changed again. A beautiful woman with flaming red hair and green eyes was standing there facing him. She was crying. Lily.

"Severus, I'm sorry. I don't think I can be friends with you anymore." She handed him back a ring. "I'm sorry." Severus opened his mouth.

The scene changed. Lily was standing there with James Potter. She was holding a small child. That child could have been his; he could have married Lily instead of that Potter. Severus felt tears pricking his eyes. He was back in his bedroom. The ghost was gone. She had shown him the past. The past he wished he could change.


Chapter 4

"Severus. I am the ghost of Christmas present," a voice boomed.

"Of course you are," Severus muttered into his pillow. He looked up. The ghost was sitting on a large pile of food.

"Come on." The ghost took his hand. The scene changed. They were standing watching Ron's family. Hermione standing over the stove, her hair frizzing even more then usual in the steam, three children running around. Ron came in, pushing a wheelchair with Jean in it.

"How was Jean on your walk?" Hermione asked.

"As good as a saint," Ron answered.

Hermione called the other children to set the table. She served up the food, and they all sat down to eat. "God bless us," they all said.

"And, God bless Severus," Hermione added. The children looked at her. Severus did too.

The scene changed. He was in Harry Potter's house. They were having dinner. "I hope Severus isn't alone tonight," Ginny said. Severus was back in his room.

"Spirit, tell me. Will Jean live?" Severus asked.

"The Weasleys have little money. They cannot afford a doctor. Unless you do something, she will die."

The spirit disappeared.  Severus lay down on his bed. He lay awake, waiting for the third ghost.


Chapter 5

The third and final ghost didn't speak a word when it appeared in Severus's room. It just glided forward, a long cloak covering its body.

"Who, who are you?" Severus stammered.

The ghost just took Severus's hand. The scene changed. There was a grave yard. There was a grave in front of him. It had his name on it. It had the day of his birth, it had the date of his death. Severus looked closely at the date of death. He was to die in two weeks!

"Please spirit! Tell me this isn't final!" The ghost turned and began gliding away.

"Don't leave me here! Tell me what to do to change this!" The ghost turned around again. Severus understood what he must do. "I will change my ways. I will give Ronald Weasley a raise. I will pay for Jean's hospital bills. I will be good to Harry Potter. Please, please."

Severus was back in his room. The sun was rising. He leaped out of bed. He ran to the window. He threw it open.

"You there! Boy!"

A young boy turned. "Yes sir?"

"What day is it?"

"December 25! Christmas!"

The spirits had done it all on one night! "Is the turkey still in the shop? The large one?"

"I'll check sir!" The boy ran off. Severus jumped about his room. He leaped off his bed to his closet. He threw it open. "Bah! Black, black, black, black! Have I nothing that isn't black?"

He ran to the bathroom. "Urg! Look at my hair!" He took a shower. He ran back into his bedroom when he heard the boy calling.

"Yes sir, it's still there."

"Very good. I'll get you a galleon, young man, if you can get it for the Weasley family."

"Thank you, sir!" He ran off, then back again five minutes later. "It will be delivered before noon."

"Two galleons then!" Severus tossed them to the boy. He ran back to his closet and pulled out his black dress robes. He grabbed his wand and turned them yellow. He pulled them on and ran downstairs and out the front door. He ran around town all day wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

Chapter 6

Ron entered the shop the day after Christmas at 5:30, just like Severus had demanded.

"Ronald Weasley!"

"Yes, sir?"

"I think it's about time."

"For what, sir?"

Severus stood up. He looked angry. Ron cringed.

"Time to give you a raise!"

"What?" Ron stared at him. Severus was beaming. "Do you feel alright, sir?"

"I feel fine my boy! You need a raise! And take Jean to the hospital."

"We can't pay for --"

"Go home! Spend more time with your family! Tell them you've gotten a raise! And that an anonymous donor has given you enough money to pay for Jean's hospital bills!"

"Sir, do you mean.....?"

"Yes, my fine lad! Now go! But don't tell anyone who this anonymous donor is."

"Thank you, sir!" Ron grabbed his cloak and raced out the door.

Severus smiled. It was good to see that boy happy.

High above, a woman with flaming red hair, and green eyes, was smiling, and crying.

THE END