Avacyn Lily Potter

Merry Christmas

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where our breath rose in a mist before us and we kept as close as possible to our hot cauldrons. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed us both up at once. This would probably be the best Christmas we'd ever had. Fred and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie. When we left the dungeons at the end of Potions, we found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told us that Hagrid was behind it. Ron asked, "Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Once the holidays had started, Ron, Harry, and I were having a good time. They had the dormitory to themselves and I had mine to myself. Well kinda since it was only me Fred and I convinced Percy to look the other way and let him sleep with me. On Christmas Eve, I went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all.

When I woke early in the morning, however, the first thing I saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of my bed. Fred kissed my head "Merry Christmas," I was shocked "I've got some presents?" Fred said, "Of course, you did, it's Christmas." George came in with their piles of presents. Fred handed me one "Open this first." It was a promise ring that had both our birthstones in it. I said "I love it. Thank you." George tossed me one of my packages "I think this is from Mom." I said, "Your mom got me a gift?" George said, "Well makes sense, Fred did tell her you two are dating." Fred said, "It's a Weasley sweater." I opened it up to see a thick, hand-knitted sweater in gold and it had a giant letter A in the center of it. It also came with a large box of homemade fudge. Fred said, "Every year she makes us a sweater, Ron hates it." George said, "But we think it's love and warm." I smiled "Well I'll have to thank her." the last package was a small box, I opened it up and saw a beautiful necklace, it was a black choker with a pink pendant that says 'Always' in black. Fred put it on me as I read the note

Ava,

Your mom's last words were "Protect my daughter." she dropped this necklace in my hand as she died. I kept a hold of it all this time because I knew Lily and Petunia as children and that woman was horrid back then, I imagine she would have destroyed the necklace. Protect my daughter has been lodged in my mind for ten years, I knew eventually you and your brother would show your faces in these halls and I knew I had to do everything in my power to make sure her one wish was taken care of, so I placed a protection spell on you, to protect you from anything evil until I saw you again. I was supposed to raise you after your mom died, and I wanted to but Dumbledor insisted you'd be safer in the muggle world. And he always wins. He took you away from me and I didn't know where you were and by the time I figured out you were three and they were all you knew. There is so much that you don't know, and I can't explain it all to you yet. But I just want you to know, I'll always protect you Avacyn, always.

-Severus Snape

PS. Here's a letter your mom wrote to you the day you were born.

I grabbed the other paper that fell out and opened it up 

Avacyn Lily Potter,
July 31, 1980