Twelve Snape Days of Christmas

Chapter 9 The Ninth Day of Christmas

Severus was over the moon with his newest gift, and replaced the lid on the box leaving the password as it was.  He carried the box over to his book shelf and tapped his wand on a certain book, muttering the encantation under his breath.  A small hidden door opened to reveal a secret compartment built into the wall.  He placed the box of acromantula venom into the compartment with the tylenium cauldrons, and the Slytherin scrolls, then smiled as he sealed the secret door and went on about his day..

He was a man of few pleasures in life.  He loved brewing, and inventing spells.  Something that he had even started to partake in that nobocy realized that he liked was to sit or stand leaning against a tree by the banks of the black lake and watch the students play in the snow, or skate on the now frozen waters of the lake. 

He walked out to his tree, and leaned against it thinking that nobody but him was out at this time in the morning, only to hear the sound of thundering hooves go rushing passed him in a white and blue blur.  He turned back to the lake just in time to see what looked like his snow phoenix Angel flying freely over teh black lake followed closely by the massive Abraxan winged horses, that belonged to the headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy.

Haggrid came running up gasping for air and came to a sliding hault beside Severus.  "Don't know where that snow phoenix came from but ever since the beginning of the year, she's been flying through the paddock where the winged horses are kept and rylling them up.  They escape, and then fly around the grounds for about an hour, before returning to the paddock.  Then the phoenix dissappears."  said Haggrid as he watched the phoenix and the winged horses frolic in the air.

They stood there for a while just watching as the phoenix would make rings of snow, and the winged horses would fly through them as they fell toward the ground.  As the morning bells rang out to signal breakfast the winged horses followed the phoenix back to the paddock, and started to drink the single malt whisky that Haggird had put out for them greedily.

Angel then flew back to Severus trilling happily as she flew around his head, before landing briefly on his shoulder and giving him a gentle squeeze and flying off toward the castle.  "She seems to like ya." said Haggrid as he turned to walk up to the castle for the morning meal.

"She should, after all someone sent her to me as a gift a few days ago." admitted Severus as they walked together through the snow toward breakfast.

For the rest of the day Severus was in a good mood and even smiled more openly letting, and volenteered to help decorate the great hall the night before the ball.  Later that night he retired to his bed and drempt again of dancing with the mystery lady at the ball.  This time the dream was a bit more vivid in detail.  He still couldn't make out people around him or exactly who his mystery lady was, but he felt joyful and happy when he awoke the next morning.

Again Angel was sitting on his chest with a letter in her beak for him.  He took the letter and jrjipped it open excitedly. 

"Dearest Severus Snape,

Your next gift is equally rare and hard to find.  it is rather large, so I've had it delivered to your living room. Do be very careful as there is still loads of venom contained within your gift.

All my love,

Your  Secret Admirer"

Severus lept out of bed and ran into his living room like a child on Christmas morning to see what his gift was.  There was a large box sitting on the ground under the small Christmas tree.  He grabbed a cushion from the sofa and used it to settle himself on the floor in front of his box.  He then eagerly ripped the paper that wrapped the box sending it flying all over the place, and gasped in awe at what was nestled within.

Inside the box nestled tenderly in straw and wrapped in dragon's hyde, was nine massive Basilisk fangs.  He wandlessly summoned his dragon hyde gloves and slipped them on to examine his treasure more carefully.  After all the note did say that they still had a lot of venom in them.  He wasn't taking any chances.

After carefully looking at each of the fangs, he got to his feet and opened his secret hiding spot for things that he didn't want others to find, and placed the box of basilisk fangs inside.  He then locked the room back and walked to the shower and sang at the top of his lungs  with merryment and joy.

"On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, nine basilisk fangs, eight phials of acromantula venom, seven sets of dress robes, six Slytherin scrolls, five Gringots keys, four kisses on my face, three ugly sweaters, two tylenium cauldrons, and a phoenix and a fig tree."