A Potion Induced Advent's Time
by Healer Pomfrey

Please refer to the content/warnings/disclaimer note above page 1.

December 16

"May we go to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley today?" was the first thing Severus remembered to ask when Harry opened his eyes in the morning.

"If Poppy allows you to go, we'll go right after my last class," Harry promised, inwardly groaning at the prospect of walking along the probably crowded street with two energetic six-year-olds. In order to avoid any further discussion about the matter, he scrambled out of bed and went to fetch Poppy.

"You may go in the afternoon; however, I want you to stay here and rest during the morning," Poppy decided and turned to Harry. "The three of you still need to continue taking the potions until tomorrow morning."

"The three of us?" Harry asked, looking at the Mediwitch in confusion, only to receive a glare in return.

"Of course. I told you to take it as a preventive method. Don't tell me you did not take the potion during the weekend."

"No. I'm sorry," Harry replied in a small voice. 'I can't even remember that she told me so,' he thought. 'Probably I was too distracted by Severus. He really is a handful.'

"Oh well, we'll see," Poppy said sharply, shaking her head in annoyance as she left the room, muttering to herself.

"Well, you heard what Poppy said," Harry told the children after breakfast. "Stay here in our rooms, behave yourselves, and in the afternoon, we're going to have some fun." With that he left in order to teach his Transfiguration classes.

メリークリスマス

Severus smirked as he turned to Minerva. "I think I'm going to have some fun much earlier."

Minerva chuckled in anticipation. "What are you planning now?" she asked with interest.

Severus thoughtfully looked at the Christmas tree in their bedroom. He couldn't recall having seen a stranger tree ever before. It was decorated with colourful baubles as well as with bubbling cauldrons, animals that were running over the branches, trying to catch each other, and Snitches, which were flying around the tip of the tree. From the ceiling, snowflakes were slowly falling down; however, they only barely reached the top branches, which were almost completely white by now. "Do you remember the story of Skippy the reindeer? I'd love to be a reindeer myself, but since that's not possible, perhaps we could transform all the house-elves into reindeer?"

"Or better yet... Mrs. Norris," Minerva suggested, giggling, before her expression became stern and she asked, "How do you think you'll be able to change all house-elves? They have their own, very strong magic."

Severus grinned broadly, shouting, "Cicero!"

An instant later, his personal house-elf stood in front of him. "Yes Master Severus?" the tall elf queried, leaning down to the six-year-old.

"Take me to my lab and assist. I wish to brew something."

"But Severus..." Minerva threw in, glaring at him; however, Severus interrupted her immediately.

"Sorry Minnie. I'll be back in two hours. You'll see; we're going to have fun." With that he held on to Cicero's arms, and his elf popped away.

'Anything Severus can do, I can do better,' Minerva thought in a huff and stepped in front of the door that led out into the corridor.

"Where do you think you're going?" the old witch in the portrait asked with apparent suspicion.

"Out," Minerva replied, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"I'm sorry dear, but you must ask Madam Pomfrey if you may leave first," the old Healer replied, pointing to the portrait of Helga Hufflepuff.

Rolling her eyes, Minerva turned her back to the portrait and quietly pondered her situation for a few minutes, before she pulled her wand. Completely ignoring the witch's protest, she pointed her wand at the door and added a cat flap right below the portrait. 'That'll do,' she thought contentedly, before she transformed into her feline form and slipped through her newly made exit.

tbc...

Thank you so much for your kind comments. Sorry that this chapter is a bit shorter than usual; I'm just glad I managed to finish it :-)