For Navity Play. Baby Jesus: the importance of Christmas.

Word count:2105

"And the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call His name Emmanuel." Isaiah 14,7

Liltle Eileen was curious. Her father had taken her out for the first time, he had said she had to learn to behave like a lady in public and she could start doing so while he had lunch with someone important. On their way there she had heard whispers and laughs about Christmas. What was Christmas? This was the first time she had heard about it. Her father hated and despised everything muggle. And he had educated her to hate them too, but little Eileen was too little to understand.

So when her father was busy she had run into the muggle London to ask people about Christmas. Was it a sweet or a toy or something different?

She had heard a powerful voice coming from a white building with pretty paintings. It had something about Christmas. She quickly climbed the steps and tried to open the door to enter and find the voice.

"Christmas,"the voice said,"is one of the most beautiful times of the year. It's a time for family and friends to reunite and celebrate the Birth of Jesus,the Son of God. To be thankful for all we have and for everything the Lord had given us because he had come today for us. To save us. He was born from the Forever Virgin Mary, His Holy Mother."

"And God had sent in the sixth moth His Angel in a village in Galilee called Nazareth, to a vigin engaged to man called Joseph and the name of the virgin was Mary." Luca 1,26-27

Christmas is a time for family." the voice paused.

"Do you want me to help you little girl?" a kind lady asked.

Eillen opened her mouth to say yes, when eyes wide with horror she noticed her father coming towards her and he was looking furious.

"Eileen Analyse Prince! What do you think are doing running away and talking with filthy muggles."

The nice lady looked offended.

"Hey, don't. ."

"Shut up. It's none if your business. Come."

"But dad.. Christmas.."

"Shut up."

"...is for family." she whispered a tear sliding down her face.

"So baby,I will take care of you. You are my family. My light. My little angel." she kissed his head and left the room."And that's why I pray for you."was left unsaid.

Severus sat up tears streaming down his face. So that was Christmas. And he was her family. That's why she spended every 25 December with him. Just this day was reserved for him. Yes, it was just for him, his father didn't matter. But it was only today. More tears left his eyes. Why? Why only today? One day he will ask.

One day he will figure out why his mother stayed with his father;he may be little but he was not blind, nor death. And even if he was five he understood that his mother cried because his father made her to cry.

Sometimes he wished he could turn back time, because he rembered a different time, a time where they all were s family. And the Christmas was for all of them. But the memory was blurred, he couldn't remember how important Christmas had been then, but now he wished he could, perhaps he could make things as before.

"Tobias! You will drop him!"his mother said.

His father laughed but not as he did now, sneering and mocking him, but laughing from the heart.

"Don't worry love. I will take care. He's my son."a kiss. a whispered "Merry Christmas"

Severus woke up with a jolt. It was the first time he had felt his father's kiss. And he knew it wasn't a dream. He couldn't dream something like this. No. It was his only happy memory with them as a family. For Christmas.

He got up and went to watch through the window. He looked at the moon. It was pretty. He wandered if Jesus watched him. He had too. That was why her mother had said. And if he watched could He make the Christmas from his dream real again? Could he have a family for Christmas? Because even if Christmas was for family, if there was no family...

His mother said that he was her family, her angel. But if he truly was why didn't they celebrate as in his dream? He really wasn't. Because the family were both him and his father and now everything was broken. And he was not an angel. Not like Gabriel was. His father had always said he was a bastard and even if her mother told him to never listen when his father was in one of his moods(which were so often that it didn't matter anymore) he couldn't help but wander :what was a bastard?

And the angel entering her home said "Rejoice, you, the one full with grace the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women "

And she was tulbured by his words was thinking"What kind of trick could it be?"

And the angel said to her "Don't be afraid Mary,you had found favor from God and you shall conceive and bear a son and you shall call His name Jesus." Luca 1,28-31

Severus put his face in his pillow. He didn't want to hear it anymore. His parents were fighting again. And it was because of him, because he liked too much to stay in the muggle world.

He wished again for that Christmas when he had been a baby. The dream was only a dream now, he couldn't remember it clearly even if it had happened only a year ago and he couldn't believe that it actually happened. Was there a time when Christmas was important?

"Christmas is always important, Severus."his mother whispered upon entering the room and closing it slowly behind her.

With horror he realized that he had spoken out loud. How much had she heard?

"Severus, you must never loose hope. Hope shall never remember this my sweet. You have to believe."

Severus wanted to object. How could such thing as hope exist? But his mother continued not letting him interrupt.

"No matter what. One day when you will have your own family you will see that Christmas is important. It will be important again. Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year. It's a time not only for receiving but giving as well."she repeated the words long ago heard.

Somehow Severus doubted. But he could hope..

"Merry Christmas Lily!"said Severus giving her his awkwardly wrapped present.

The girl opened it carefully before her face lighted up from joy.

"Oh, Severus! It's wonderful. Thank you so much. I hope you like what I've gotten you."

He smiled at her. She had been his best friend for a year now, she knew about his home how things were for him and she understood. And he believed that he finally had understood what Christmas meant with her family. Because his family..didn't exist anymore. He was sure of this.

And when he came back home his mother was waiting for him.

"Severus Tobias Snape! What do you think you are doing? Giving presents like that from our money!"she hissed.

Severus didn't know what to say.

"I...you said that Christmas was not only for giving but for receiving as well, that ..."

"I do not care. All care is for you not to spend our money anymore on silly gifts. Now leave. Me and your father will be celebrating tonight."and she left him alone.

"But..Christmas is for family. And I was your family."he whispered to the empty room. Where his mother had gone? Where was the mother who had loved and accepted him from the first moment? Where? And why she had disappeared on Christmas day? When today they should have been together. For Christmas was for family.

"Merry Christmas Severus!"said a smiling Lily.

"You took me something!"his surprise was evident. To him it seemed that their friendship was failing apart, like they weren't on the same road anymore. And he had tried, really but since her sorting four years ago...

"Of course. You are my best friend Severus. I love you. Believe me. And I always will. Christmas is a time when you stay when your family and friends, when you give and receive gifts. When you are good, but this does not means that you cannot be good in other days too."she said hugging him.

"But I didn't get you anything."said Severus, letting his head down ashamed. He couldn't afford to buy anything.

Lily had tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Severus! You have given me your friendship. Let me be your family this Christmas." she whispered.

Severus felt like crying too.

"Leave me alone! Go back to your friends! I need to go back to mine Snape. You have chosen your path and I have chosen mine. And she left.

"But you are my friend,"Severus whispered dejectedly,"my family. And Christmas is for family."

But he was alone in the corridor. His best friend was gone too. Was everyone bound to leave him? To disappear?

"Cheer up Severus! It's Christmas time. You should at least smile."the headmaster said grinning at him.

He didn't understand what will happen if he did, if Albus became family... Will he be taken too?

...

Yes, he was taken and in the most cruel possible way, by his own hand.

What did he had left? Merry Christmas! The only reason it still was a happy day, that he still celebrated it was because it was the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. And because he had never lost hope. Severus believed that He could help. Christmas was meant for family, to be good, to learn how to be good.

"And did you dad?"asked a five year old Amelia. "Did you learn to be good?"

"Yes, did you?" his son asked as well.

"No, your mother taught me. I had almost lost my faith, had it not been for your mother.. She had given me the hope back and she had reminded me..."

"How important Christmas is?"supplied little Amelia.

"Yes," Severus said." Sweety you will see too."

"I already did, dad. I miss mummy."

"I do too. But she will come back tomorrow." He missed Hermione so much.

"For Christmas?" the kids asked as one.

"Yes. Now sleep." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" Little Amelia said.

"You hadn't finished the story." said her brother.

Severus smiled.

"Alright."

And He will be great and He will be the Son of the Most High and the Lords will give him the throne of his ancestor, David.

... And Mary had asked the angel"How will this happen if I don't know any man? "

And the angel had answered" The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Thus the Saint will be born from you shall be known for the Son of God. See thy cousin Elizabeth; she is old, yet she too has conceived a son; she who was reproached with barrenness is now in her sixth month, to prove that nothing can be impossible with God.

And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be unto me according to your word." Luca 1, 32,34-38

Severus exited the room slowly and closing it behind him.

"Sleep well, my darlings. Tomorrow we will be together with your mother again."

"Or rather today."said a voice from his left.

"Hermione, you came."he whispered taking a step forward and hugging her.

"Of course I did. It's Christmas."she answered and kissed him softly.

" And Christmas is for family. One day when you will have your own family you will see that Christmas is important. It will be important again. Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year. It's a time not only for receiving but giving as well.". his mother's words came too him. It had been so long, but he remembered and he finally understood what she had meant.

What the priest from whom she had heard from meant.

"Christmas is for family."

And everyone can be your family if you allow them to be. Even if they do not.