home (reader at hogwarts)

sixty two

you sit cross legged on the emerald green sofa in the slytherin common room, smiling as theo narrated his christmas story from a few years ago with flailing hands and facial expressions straight out of a pantomime.

"and then we crashed our brooms into the dining table- and i looked up and saw pansy's face pale-"

you all let out laughs.

"you don't get it! the tail of his broom had just whacked all of rodolphus' lestranges food onto his suit." serena giggles.

"no way." blaise chuckles. "that poor man."

"oh, he deserves a little more than shepherd's pie on his blazer." daphne sneers, filing away at her nails.

"he's a criminal and one caught far too many times to salvage his reputation."

"he's evil." you add.

the slytherin first years look at you strangely.

oh no.

then, blaise scoffs.

"i mean we all have a few questionable relatives here and there." he explains. "rodolphus is just draco's- i guess."

phew.

"you two getting along then?" you ask him.

serena sucks in a breath. "it's hard to tell."

"well, i sent a happy christmas eve to him." blaise admits, his face going the slightest bit pink. "even if we are going through a rough patch, he's been my best friend forever."

"i know." serena smiles, a hand on his. "you did the right thing."

"i guess we'll just have to see if he answers." says daphne, a smirk on her lips.

it's a challenge.

"he'll write back." you assure blaise and he nods.

"how come you aren't home, daphne?" asks theo.

"my sister, astoria, has some sort of pox. she'll be better soon, we're sure of it- but it only means that i've missed the train back and am going to have to stay here for the holidays."

"sad." serena tuts. "i just got a letter saying that something was happening."

blaise nods, the same had happened to him and theo too.

"the winter gala isn't happening either."  says daphne. "everything's a bit fishy this year."

you get up from your seat.

"where are you going?" theo asks. "the story's not done."

"i'll catch up with you later, i need to go do something."

you make your way out of the common room and shiver in the cold corridors. your jumper does little to keep you warm and you head over to the teachers quarters, take a quick scan for any prying prefects and run a hand over the onyx handle of your father's door.

it swings open.

"dad?" you call out, shutting it behind you.

your jaw drops as your eyes land on the main living quarters.

it's seems to have been decorated for christmas in the most subtle but beautiful way. strings of lights hung from the ceiling, and wreaths of holly hung on the walls.

there was even a christmas tree, decorated with candles and what looked like potion bottles enchanted to bubble in colours of crimson and green.

you grin.

festive snape.

who would have thought?

"do you like it?" he asks tentatively, walking out of the kitchen.

you almost tackle him into a hug.

"it's perfect! oh, it's wonderful!"

"i'm glad you think so." he chuckles, steadying you. "it was hard to figure out where to put everything- i sort of just copied the slytherin common rooms, back when- well, when i was in slytherin."

"what like 1834?" you ask, dodging a whack.

"shut it." he laughs.

"happy christmas eve." you say.

"you too, dear."

"i have-" you stammer. "there's a few things i wanted to ask you about."

"do you want to sit down?" asks severus, and you nod taking a seat opposite him.

"you look worried." he comments.

you give a smile, but it's not a genuine one.

"some things have been propping up, but they weren't in the books i read before i got here." you start. "for example, the winter gala everyone keeps talking about-"

"come to think of it..." you say. "so much is different here. like blaise and draco, are so much closer than they were and the friend circles in slytherin are so different."

severus listens intently. clearly, none of what you have just mentioned seem abnormal to him, out of place.

"i can't help but think that-" you slowly conclude. "things are changing because of me, not even because of things i might be doing- but because i'm even here."

"say something." you plead him.

"here's the thing. all of those things seem perfectly normal to me, the malfoys have had a close tie to mrs. zabini and her son and that slytherin group doesn't shock me- kids of a similar upbringing, with parents that all sort of get along- ending up in a circle together."

severus pauses.

"but, i don't wish to make any premature conclusions, given that there are many possibilities as to what may be happening."

"big words." you groan, rubbing your head. "you don't have to be my professor when you're helping me figure this out."

"i'm always your father." he tilts his head, "classroom or not- pay attention."

"goodness me." you whisper to yourself, leaning forward to indicate your attentiveness.

"possibility number one-" severus says but freezes in his tracks.

his eyes go bored, a way you have never seen him look so fed up before.

"just walk through the door like a normal person, sir." severus drawls, his face turned to the side.

he hits a pillow into the air and you gasp as albus dumbledore glimmers into place, sitting on the sofa beside severus in a long dark red cloak.

a smirk breaks across your lips.

"what are you doing here?"

"knowledge is everything in a situation such as yours, hence the listening in." albus shrugs.

"how did you know to be here?" you ask him.

"i know everything." albus taps the side of his nose.

"no you don't." severus grumbles. "you're just extremely nosey and eavesdrop on the castle when you become bored."

"perrrrhaps..." albus slurrs, making you laugh. "or, i just felt a gut feeling because i'm an all-knowing being and poof! here i am with my best friends."

"you weren't invited." severus rolls his eyes.

"i invited myself." says the old headmaster. "besides, y/n doesn't have an issue with it, does she?"

"it's kind of creepy how you can just be here and we wouldn't even know, like-"

"hush." he cuts you off, "now, both of you let's talk changes."