A Potion Induced Advent's Time
by Healer Pomfrey

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

December 22

"Harry, are you sure that you want to attend classes today?" Minerva asked in concern, observing that Harry did not make a move to touch his breakfast.

"Of course, I'm fine," Harry replied instantly, wrapping his hands around the mug, which had become his favourite during the last few days. It was dark blue, and a tabby cat and a lynx were chasing a Snitch that was trying to hide behind a group of snowmen. One of the children had charmed it for him, when they had been eleven; Harry wasn't even sure if it had been Minerva or Severus. 'Even if I don't feel one hundred percent yet, I wouldn't want to stay here alone again,' he thought. 'I'd only end up thinking about the time when they'll be back to their own age again like I did yesterday.'

メリークリスマス

Unaware that Minerva still observed him in concern, Harry looked around the classroom half an hour later. Most of his friends, among them Hermione and Neville, were still stuck in the hospital wing or had been sent home in the meantime. Sighing, he sat next to Ron Weasley in the last row of the classroom, noticing that it was a strange feeling to sit amongst the students again instead of teaching Transfiguration. "Hi Ron," he said, completely forgetting about the quarrel they had had a few days ago.

"Go'way," the other boy mumbled angrily. "One day, you take House points off me and then you come and want to be friends again?" With that Ron stood from his seat and chose to sit next to his sister in the front row.

'Thank you so much for your understanding Ron. I should have just stayed at home this morning,' Harry thought, feeling quite miserable. He only managed a weak smile, when Luna Lovegood slipped into the seat next to him, looking at him with a dreamy smile.

"Merry Christmas," Luna whispered. "Don't worry; he really needs to meet with a mandylow to be able to set his priorities."

Harry wearily nodded, not even bothering to ask what a mandylow was. 'Thank Merlin,' he thought when Minerva finally began with the class.

"Mr. Potter, please stay for a moment," he heard Minerva say, when everyone already began to leave the classroom an hour later.

"Harry, are you sure that you're feeling all right?" the young teacher asked, when they remained alone. "You don't seem well."

"My head hurts, that's all... And I'm a bit upset," Harry admitted and told her what had happened earlier.

"I will exchange a few words with Mr. Weasley later on," Minerva said calmly, "and I suggest that you return to our quarters and rest. You are barely recovered, and today is the last day of classes anyway. I will excuse you with your teachers." Seeing that Harry cast her a questioning look, she gently laid her hands on his shoulders and added, "The squid's flu affects people more than the Wizard's flu. Severus and I recovered much quicker, but that was because we were children. Children use to get well faster than adults."

"I still want to attend Potions," Harry said in a small voice, thinking, 'I need to see how Severus behaves in class now. At least Minerva is much nicer and understanding than before, even in class.'

"If you feel up to it, you may do so," Minerva said kindly. "I'm going to have lunch in my office today. Bring Severus along if you don't want to eat in the Great Hall or alone at home."

"Thank you," Harry said gratefully, feeling very much reassured he left the classroom. He slowly walked back to their quarters, deep in thoughts, before he finally made a decision. 'Severus will have to admit that this one tops all of his pranks,' he thought as he skimmed the Potions Master's books, which were meticulously arranged on the bookshelf in Severus' room. 'I just hope the recipe is in these and I'll manage to find it right in time before Potions is going to begin.'

An hour later, Harry sat at the desk in his own room, eagerly copying the recipe from the book onto an empty parchment. He added a few comments, before he folded the parchment and placed it into his book bag, a small smile playing on his lips. 'Oh no, I'm running late for Potions,' he noticed, terrified, as he glimpsed at his wrist watch. He hurriedly returned Severus' book and rushed towards the dungeons, arriving at the classroom just when Severus was about to close the door.

"I'm sorry sir," he mumbled, wearily glancing around, only to realise that the only empty seats were next to Ron Weasley and Blaise Zabini. "May I?" he whispered as he slipped into the seat next on the traditional Slytherin side.

"Of course," Blaise replied, smiling. "You didn't play favourites when you were teaching, so you're very welcome to sit here."

Harry quietly thanked the boy, smiling when Severus' telepathic words entered his mind. 'Well done, Harry.'

Wondering if he needed to glance at the recipe, Harry slowly made his way to collect his ingredients, knowing that he had been the last to gather everything in order not to provoke questions. He quickly placed charms on a few ingredients, which gave them the appearance as if they were something else, before he returned to his seat. Glad that Blaise had already begun to brew his potion and seemed to be completely engrossed in the process, Harry began to carefully brew his own potion, knowing that it would be devastating if he made a mistake. Most of his classmates were already cleaning up their workspaces, when Harry finally inserted the last ingredient. He quickly filled some of the light pink liquid into a small phial and was just about to cast the Evanesco spell on the rest, when someone bumped against his table, making the cauldron tilt, so that the remaining potion spilled out over Harry.

'Harry, are you all right?' Severus' thought penetrated Harry's mind an instant before he lost consciousness.

tbc...

Thank you so much for your kind comments - and I am very sorry for the delay! I will try my best to give you today's (23rd) chapter tonight. Sorry that this chapter was not very Christmassy. The next will at least be more interesting...