Marwood was slowly moving through the lake in what humans would call a pacing manner. He was deep in thought. He wanted to do something nice for his Dads. From their visits he had gathered that a special time was very soon coming up for all two-legged creatures in the world. Papa Remus had described it as a magical time, full of cheer and decorations and lights and warmth, where Papa Severus had been a lot less elated.
‘There is the necessary gift exchanging and well wishing and too much food and then it is back to your own lonely existence.’
Marwood was not sure whether Papa Severus had just thought that to himself, or whether he had actually said this out loud, but as Papa Remus had not reacted to this statement, the former was more likely.
Marwood was able to read Severus’ every thought and emotion ever since he had been brought forth out of his surrogate parent and they generally did not need to communicate out loud when they met under water. Only when Remus was also present, did they communicate through words.
So what to do for his Dads for this Christmas thingy?
Marwood decided that he might need the help from the merpeople with this.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The meeting with the council of merpeople had gone surprisingly well.
When Marwood explained what he wanted to do, the merpeople were highly amused that he wanted to decorate his underwater lair with illuminations and decorations, for some human celebration, but some of the mermaids were deeply touched by his wish to do something nice for his surrogate parents. The circumstances of his birth were not his fault and they liked the big friendly lake creature. If anything, the attention he was receiving from his two Dads had made this Giant Squid a much more humane and pleasant specimen than his predecessor. Some of the younger mermaids volunteered to help him decorate and even offered to make some shell necklaces that he could give to his Dads as presents. They used some naturally fluorescent plants, and some lake flowers and weaved long garlands to decorate Marwood’s underwater home. At first Marwood tried to help, thinking his eight arms could be of more use that the two arms everyone else was using, but this soon ended up in a tangle of tentacles and garlands that took an age to untangle. Smiling gently, the young mermaids pushed him out of the way and finished decorating in no time.
‘There’, the oldest of them said when they were finished, ‘Now all you have to do is invite your Dads.’
Marwood put four of his arms up to his head in despair.
‘Invite his Dads’, he thought. He knew he had forgotten something.
Normally he Dads just came to visit him when it suited them. He had never had to ask them to visit before. He hoped that his telepathic connection to Papa Severus would be strong enough to reach from the lake.
~ ~ ~ ~
A few days passed without any sign of his Dads. Marwood had tried to connect with his Dads through thought several times, but the connection did not seem to be working.
Feeling sad, he started to hum a melody that he somehow seemed to remember from a long time ago. The soothing melody rang out through the lake.
The group of young mermaids, who had helped him decorate, came to visit to see where the music was coming from and kept him company for a while, trying to comfort him by saying that they were sure his Dads would visit soon.
~ ~ ~ ~
That night Snape was woken by a familiar song that seemed to be calling out for him. It was not as strong or as demanding as the song from the past, and he was able to maintain his conscious thoughts, while simultaneously being drawn to the music.
‘Marwood’, he thought and grabbing some gillyweed, he made his way to Lupin’s room.
He did not have to knock on the door, as Remus was exiting his room, just as he arrived.
‘Is it Marwood?’ he asked, when seeing Snape standing outside his door.
Snape shrugged, ‘I suppose so.’
‘Hold on a second,’ Remus said, going back inside and returning a few seconds later with a bag of chocolate frogs.
‘I got him some for Christmas’, he explained in response to Snape’s frown, ‘Might as well bring them along now, seeing that it is Christmas Eve.’
‘Do you have the gillyweed?’
Remus took Snape’s curt nod as a yes and the pair headed down to the lake.
~ ~ ~ ~
When they reached Marwood’s underwater home, they were overcome with emotion at the sight of all the decorations. The two Dads looked at each other with a look of sheer pride. ‘Their son did good’, was the message they wordlessly exchanged between them.
Marwood was overjoyed to see them and enveloped his two Dads in all of his eight arms.
‘Happy Christmas, Dads’, his voice sang out brightly, giving each of them a big kiss and a necklace made out of shells.
‘Happy Christmas to you too, Marwood,’ his Dads replied handing him the chocolate frogs.
They spent the rest of their underwater time telling Christmas stories and teaching Marwood carols.
Who would have thought, back when Severus Snape was first called to the lake, many moons ago, that one day he would be celebrating Christmas as a family in an underwater lair with his squid son and his co-parent.
THE END