Stay Awake

Chapter Four: Stay Awake

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DISCLAIMER: Still don't own HP or Mary Poppins.

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After Albus finished the work that had accumulated during their outing, he returned to their rooms and was greeted by Minerva wearing an emerald silk quilted dressing gown, sitting on their bed, reading a book. Fawkes was perched on her shoulder. She looked up as he walked in and opened his wardrobe, taking out his nightshirt and his own dressing gown. He went into the bathroom to change, and when he emerged, she was no longer reading her book, but had a bottle of potion, two spoons, and a small cup out.

“Time for your medicine,” she said to Fawkes and Albus.

Albus groaned. “No, I don’t want to take any nasty potions, Minerva! I’m a grown man – I can take care of myself!”

“Do we have to, Minerva,” Fawkes asked.

“People who overwork themselves must learn to take their potions,” she replied.

“I don’t want it. I’m not going to –” Albus began as Minerva poured a bit into the small cup for Fawkes. It was a bright green colour.

“Oh! Lime cordial! Delicious!” he exclaimed as he gulped it down. Minerva handed Albus a spoon and poured some into it for him. It was yellow.

“Sherbet lemons! Mmm!” he exclaimed as he swallowed the potion. Minerva poured a final spoonful for herself. It was dark red.

“R-r-rum punch,” she said, and hiccupped. “Quite satisfactory.” She turned down the covers and climbed between the sheets, Albus joining her.

“Minerva, you won’t ever leave us, will you?” Albus asked her. She avoided the question by taking off her glasses and letting down her hair.

“Will you stay if I promise to be good?” Fawkes asked.

“Och! That’s a piecrust promise – easily made, easily broken,” she told him.

“But what would we do without you?” Albus asked.

“I shall stay until the wind changes,” she told him.

“But, Minerva, how long with that be?” Albus asked.

“Quiet, please, Albus,” she said. “It’s time to go to sleep.”

“Oh, but I couldn’t possibly go to sleep! So many lovely things happened today!” Albus exclaimed.

“Did they?” Minerva asked coolly.

“Yes! When we jumped into the picture in your sketchbook! And we rode the merry-go-round, and all the horses jumped off, and we all went riding in the countryside! Tally ho! Tchunga! Tchunga! Yikes!”

“Really?” Minerva asked him.

“Minerva, don’t you remember? You won the horserace!” Albus questioned her.

“A respectable person like me in a horserace? How dare you suggest such a thing.”

“But I saw you do it!” Albus exclaimed, confused.

“Now, not another word or I shall have to summon an Auror. Is that clear?” she told him sternly.

“It did happen! I saw it!” he exclaimed.

“Go to sleep,” said Minerva.

“No, I don’t want to go to sleep – I’m much too excited!” Albus said stubbornly.

“Very well,” Minerva told him. “Suit yourself.” Fawkes began to hum a melody, and Minerva began to sing softly.

“Stay awake, don’t rest your head,

Don’t lie down upon your bed.

While the moon drifts in the skies,

Stay awake, don’t close your eyes.”

Albus began to yawn, and his eyes began to flutter closed.

“Though the world is fast asleep,

Though your pillow’s soft and deep,

You’re not sleepy as you seem.

Stay awake, don’t nod and dream.

Stay awake, don’t nod and dream...”

Albus had fallen asleep, and so had Fawkes. Minerva smiled tenderly at both of them and gently removed Albus’s glasses from his nose, giving him a light kiss on the cheek before she turned over and fell asleep as well.