Restricted

Chapter 45. Yuletide

25, December 1978

For years, Severus never understood the affinity that the world held for Christmas.

Though it was interesting to see Muggles so accepting of the Pagan celebration of the hibernal solstice, the homage to Saturnalia.

Perhaps they weren't as narrowed minded as he'd originally thought.

Growing up, the twenty-fifth was a day like any other in his household.

And just like any other day, he spent it alone.

It wasn't until he spent the first holiday at school that he had seen his first Christmas tree. At the time, he had pretended to loathe the festive decor, deeming it as gaudy, and overzealous.

Though secretly, he adored the look of them. All twelve of the massive fir trees were brightly lit, draped in dazzling tinsel and golden baubles, encasing the Great Hall in their warm earthy aroma. Every year he had mourned the loss of them come the turn of the New Year.

And from the moment he'd received his first ever Christmas gift from Lily Evans, he'd been consumed with adoration for the holiday.

Then, he valued the holiday only for its ability to draw Lily's attention. Good faith and spirits were meaningless at the time, if only a way that he would actually be seen by her.

Even if he'd spent the day alone in the castle, picking through the elves' feast for the few who had stayed behind, he liked to believe that one day it would be a tradition worth celebrating.

This year, it finally was.

If he thought the glow of lights and collection of colours were magnificent before, seeing Edith beneath them made for the world to stop turning.

She looked so incredibly beautiful as she put the finishing touches to the tree that they had chosen together. They'd cut down the enormous spruce from the lot, and nervously secured it on the roof of her 54' Ford Prefect before lugging it into her flat.

Well, Severus lugged it all the way up.

He wouldn't allow Edith to so much as stretch if he could help it.

But she'd declined his offer to help decorate, claiming she had a very particular way in arranging the baubles. So far, it was the most incredible tree he had seen in his life.

However, from where he stood in the small kitchen of their flat, the angel atop the apex was leaning a bit too far to the left.

He set down his mug of eggnog, and reached for his wand on the countertop. With a quick snap of his wrist, the angel flapped its wings once before standing upright again.

Edith scoffed.

He ignored it, happily plucking up his mug again. With hers secured in his other hand, he returned in his route towards her.

"I could have gotten it, you know," she admonished with a glare, though it lifted as he neared and extended her mug of ginger and peppermint tea.

"How could I live allowing you to exert yourself in such a way?" he replied, his now free hand interlocking with hers.

Edith raised a brow. "I'm not made of glass, Severus."

"I know—"

"I can do things without magic," she cut him off. "Have been my entire life."

Severus had told her about magic very early on. During their second date to be precise. She'd taken the news surprisingly well.

But ever since then, she had always encouraged him to do things the Muggle way. Even if they were tedious or difficult.