Severus woke up earlier than he would have liked, but seeing as he did have plans this Saturday, he decided he would force himself out of bed rather than try for an extra fifteen minutes of sleep. He showered to wake himself up more, then dressed in muggle clothes for the day before heading downstairs to see if his morning paper had arrived yet. He decided he would give his kids a few more minutes of rest before waking them up for the day, though he was sure one of his kids might already be awake.

               His first stop was the kitchen to grab a mug of steaming hot coffee . . . except the coffee pot was empty. It took Severus a moment to register that his coffee was not waiting for him, and another second to realize Harry was not awake. Severus snorted softly before making his own pot. Maybe he had gotten a little too used to being spoiled with premade coffee ready for the taking, but he was fine with Harry taking a day off. He could make his own coffee just fine.

               Once the pot was steaming up, he stepped outside to see if Tum had returned, and the owl was waiting patiently on the rail of his porch with the Daily Prophet in his talons. He paused in preening his feathers and gave a gentle hoot when Severus opened the door. Severus accepted the paper and allowed the owl to fly in before he stepped back into the house, sitting down at the head of the table to read while he waited for the coffee to finish.

               Finally, the coffee was made, and he took a grateful sip before deciding he should wake his kids up. He went to Harry’s room first, wanting to make sure everything was okay with his usual early riser. Harry was still wrapped up under his blanket lying on his stomach with Spikes tucked under his arm. Severus smiled as he approached his son, sitting on the edge of the bed before rubbing Harry’s back.

               “Time to wake up, son,” Severus encouraged. “Usually, you’re the one waking me.”

               Harry whined before covering his head with the blanket.

               “Now, now, none of that,” Severus said as he pulled the blanket off his son. He lifted Harry up into his arms, then hesitated as he felt how warm Harry was. Harry wrapped his arms around his neck and snuggled into his shoulder as he muttered, “It’s cold, Daddy.”

               “Are you feeling okay, honey?” Severus asked, brushing Harry’s hair back to feel his forehead.

               Harry shook his head against his father’s hand.

               Severus pulled out his wand and ran it over his son’s head. Numbers appeared in red shimmer along Harry’s forehead before disappearing just as quickly: thirty-eight point two degrees Celsius. Severus sighed as he ran a hand through Harry’s hair, allowing his son to rest his head on his shoulder once more. He rubbed Harry’s back as he used his wand to wordlessly summon a cool washcloth.

               Laying Harry back in bed, he draped the washcloth over his son’s head.

               “No,” Harry whined, reaching up to remove the washcloth, only for Severus to grab his hand. “It’s cold.”

               “I know,” Severus said. “It’s to help your fever.”

               “Daddy,” Iris complained as she stepped into Harry’s bedroom. “I don’t feel good.”

               Severus sighed as he reached up a hand to feel his daughter’s forehead when she paused next to him. She felt as warm as Harry, and at that moment he realized it was going to be a long day. He summoned another damp cloth and held it to her head while picking her up and settling her in his lap.

               “It looks like you two picked up whatever was going around at your school,” Severus said, knowing this from Tori, who said Joshua and Ruth had come down with a bug earlier in the week. Severus stood with Iris in his arms. “I’ll give you both a Pepper-up and then you can sleep some more in our beds.”

               “But I don’t want a Pepper-up,” Iris sniffled, her lip quivering and her eyes starting to water.

               “What’s a Pepper-up?” Harry asked, sitting up in bed, the cloth falling from his forehead.

               “A gross potion,” Iris answered before Severus could stop her.

               “I don’t want a gross potion,” Harry said, now his eyes watering as well.

               Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a heavy sigh before carrying his daughter back to her room. He set her down and repositioned the cloth on her forehead.

               “I’ll be right back,” Severus told her.

               Heading downstairs to his storage closet that he kept locked, an adjacent door to his study. He found two Pepper-up potions and two Fever Reducers. He was sure getting his two stubborn kids to take both potions was asking for a lot, but he also knew that if he didn’t heal them up fast, they would be ten times more cranky than usual. Severus stopped in the kitchen next and set a pot on the stove to start a hot lemon and honey tea with a few shavings of ginger.

               While the tea simmered, Severus headed back upstairs, heading for Iris’s room first to give her doses.

               “No, I don’t want to take potions,” Iris whined, puckering her lower lip out.

               “It’s to help you feel better, Iris,” Severus reminded as he sat on the edge of her bed. “Just a tablespoon each, and you know the sooner you take them, the sooner you’ll be done with it for the day. Then I can get the honey tea you like so much.”

               “But they’re gross,” Iris argued. “They make me feel worse.”

               “They do not. I know they are not pleasant tasting, but they’ll make you feel better as soon as you swallow them, just as they have done before. You want to feel better, don’t you? Would you like some juice to help chase the medicine down to make it easier?”

               Iris pouted for a moment before nodding her head. Severus snapped his fingers and a cup of juice appeared on Iris’s nightstand. Severus handed the small vial of Fever Reducer to Iris first, wanting to bring her temperature down as quickly as possible. Iris still pouted as she took her dose of medicine, then took several gulps of her juice to chase it down. Severus smiled softly at the dramatic display before handing over the next potion, the Pepper Up. Iris repeated the process of taking the potion and gulping juice before lying back in her bed.

               “Thank you, sweetheart,” Severus praised, giving his daughter a kiss on the temple. “I’ll bring your tea in once it’s ready. Get some rest.”

               Iris nodded as she wrapped herself up in her blanket once more.

               Severus dimmed her light before pausing in the hallway to consider his approach with Harry. Having raised Iris, he could usually convince her that potions were in her best interest, and if he made it seem like she had a say in how she took her medicine, she usually followed through with no more than a pout and grimace. Harry, on the other hand, well—he was still searching for what tactics worked best with his son. Reasoning only helped so far, and often, giving Harry any choices in the matter turned into an argument. Severus sighed before stepping into his son’s room.

               Harry instantly covered his head with his blanket.

               Severus said nothing as he sat on the edge of Harry’s bed.

               “I’m afraid the potions are not optional,” Severus began. “They will make you feel better, Harry.”

               “Yucky,” Harry’s muffled voice said from under the blanket.

               “Yes, they are not very tasty, but no medication is meant to be. Harry, I don’t want to fight with you on this. What can I do to make taking the potions easier for you?”

               “Nothing,” Harry said. “I don’t need them.”

               “I disagree. One will make your fever go away and the other one will help you feel better a lot sooner.”

               “No.”

               “Can you at least try a sip of each potion? You don’t have to take the whole thing all at once.”

               “I hate potions.”

               “And here I thought I might make you my little prodigy,” Severus joked lightly. “Would you prefer muggle medicine?”

               “Muggle medicine?” Harry peeked out from under his blanket.

               “Like what . . .” Severus hesitated as he considered when Harry may have encountered muggle medicine. “Like what your cousin Dudley would take if he was sick.”

               Severus pointedly avoided using the forbidden name.

               Harry seemed to frown, as if recalling moments of Dudley being sick, before the child shook his head and retreated under his blanket once more.

               “No. Yucky.”

               Severus sighed. His next option was just to wrestle the potions into Harry’s mouth, but the first and last time he had resorted to that was for a Sore Throat Reliever and Harry had screamed, kicked, nearly bit him, and spat out the potion everywhere by the end of it all. It had been draining and time wasted, as well as a wasted dose of a good potion. He had ended up just giving Harry a spoonful of honey and tea after, which may have been counterproductive, but in the moment, Severus had felt completely defeated.

               But not this time. He was going to avoid getting to that extreme point. Potions couldn’t be a forever battle he would have with Harry every time his son ended up sick. He needed a technique that worked to get Harry to willingly take the potion on his own. Severus thought back to his own mother’s tricks she had used on him, but he had exhausted those options with Harry. He recalled Lily’s mother, Mrs. Evans, and the tricks she had used on her daughters, including one that convinced Lily to take muggle medicine every time.

               “Harry,” Severus asked, pulling the blanket down from Harry slightly. “Would you like an ice lolly?”

               Harry gave his father a curious look.

               “Like a red one?” Harry asked.

               Of course, he wanted a red one, Severus couldn’t help but think. He smiled nonetheless and nodded.

               “I believe I have a red one,” Severus promised. And if he didn’t, he would just spell the ice lolly red. “However, after a couple licks, you have to take one of the potions.”

               Harry pouted.

               “You probably won’t even be able to taste it after having the ice lolly though.”

               Harry frowned, then asked, “Really?”

               “Really. The flavor of the ice lolly should disguise the taste of the potion, but if it doesn’t, the coldness might make your tongue numb enough you won’t even notice the potion.”

               Harry frowned, his fingers fiddling with the fringe of his blanket.

               “Are you lying to me?” Harry asked.

               Severus felt his heart break just a little at that.

               “No, Harry, I am not. I can’t guarantee it will work every time, but it should hide the taste of the medication. Your mother used to take her potions with an ice lolly. It seemed to work for her.”

               “Mummy really did that?” Harry asked.

               “She did. That’s why I’m hoping it will work for you. You need the potions to get better, but I don’t want to force them on you. It’s not pleasant for either of us, and this shouldn’t be a difficult process. Do you want to try an ice lolly?”

               After a few seconds of serious thinking on Harry’s part, Harry finally nodded and sat up on his bed. Severus summoned an ice lolly from his freezer with a snap of his fingers, and luck was with him as a red one appeared for them. He unwrapped the treat and handed it to Harry.

               “Remember, a few licks then you take one potion.”

               Harry happily began enjoying his treat, quickly turning his lips, tongue, and teeth red. Severus allowed Harry about thirty seconds with the treat before he slowly took the treat from Harry, who reluctantly gave it up to his father. Severus handed Harry the fever reducer.

               “Quickly, before the effects wear off,” Severus said.

               Harry’s lower lip puckered out as he took the potion, but he had a hopeful look in his eyes that maybe the ice lolly would work, and with a trustful look at his father, Harry quickly drank the small dose. Harry blinked as he smacked his lips, then gave his father a very red smile.

               “It worked, Daddy!” Harry exclaimed. “I didn’t even taste it.”

               Severus couldn’t help the breath of relief that escaped his lips as he smiled back at his son. No arguing, no fighting, no struggling, and no spiting the potion up. Thank you, Lily and Mrs. Evans, he praised loudly in his head.

               “Okay, let’s do it again one more time, then you can finish the ice lolly.”

               Harry readily took the treat back and began eating it once more. When Severus handed him the next potion, Harry didn’t hesitate to take it, and Severus ruffled his son’s hair, kissing his temple before leaving the room to check on the tea. He was still feeling the thrills of finally finding a way to get Harry to take his potions with no arguments. Finally!

               Severus heard the whistling pot in the kitchen, and he poured tea for both kids, adding a tablespoon more of honey to each cup, knowing his sweet tooth children would have it no other way. Severus planned to make a vitamin packed soup next for lunch, but he would let his kids rest for the rest of the morning once he gave them their teas.

               Iris stirred when she heard her father enter her room, and she accepted her tea, sipping slowly. Severus checked her temperature, glad that it had dropped some. He went to Harry’s room next, who had managed to turn the rest of his face red from the cold treat. Severus cleaned his face and teeth with a quick freshening up charm, earning a giggle from Harry at the ticklish sensation. Harry took his inhaler at his father’s reminder, then accepted the tea but stared down at it curiously. Once he tried it, however, he seemed to enjoy the taste, and drank half of it in one go. Severus was sure Iris would drag Harry in for proper tea etiquette lessons once they were both feeling better.

               Severus told both kids to rest, and he headed downstairs to start the soup. He wanted it to simmer for a few hours to soak in the most nutrients possible from all the ingredients. It was a basic vegetable and chicken soup, a family recipe he learned from his mother, and it always made everyone who ate it feel a lot better. Sometimes, even the simplest cures were the most effective. 

               Once the soup was simmering, he checked on his kids, finding them both sleeping in bed, and he decided to work on grading while he had the downtime presented to him. While working on fourth year essays, the floo flared, and he glanced up to see who was stepping through.

               “Hi Severus,” Tori greeted as she stepped out of the green flames, Esther in her arms.

               “Good morning,” Severus greeted, standing up. “What brings you over?”

               “Well, you know how it works in a family,” Tori explained, as she adjusted Esther on her hip, “when one gets sick, everyone gets sick. Esther spiked a fever this morning, and I had a Pepper Up but no Fever Reducer. I was hoping I could borrow a few doses. Ruth and Joshua are better, but I think after Esther, Sam and I will be next.”

               “Of course,” Severus said, heading to his storage closet to grab the potions in question. As he reentered the living room, he said, “Perhaps I should pretreat myself. Harry and Iris are sick right now.”

               “Aww, poor dears,” Tori cooed. “These bugs really knock them off their feet. Okay, Esther, ready for one more potion?”

               Tori used one hand to sign to her daughter, and Esther’s eyes widened, and the little girl shook her head, putting her hands over her mouth. Tori gave her an amused look.

               “Care to assist?” Tori asked Severus.

               “Must I? I just had to drug my two kids.”

               “Then what’s one more?”

               Severus sighed and stepped forward. Tori pulled Esther’s hands away and Severus quickly tilted Esther’s chin up, then gently lifted her lip to pour the potion into the girl’s cheek since Esther had her jaw clenched shut. He quickly put a hand over Esther’s mouth, which encouraged her to swallow the liquid to get rid of the gross taste.

               “There,” Tori said. “Look how quick and easy that was.”

               Esther glared at Severus before moving her hands in fast and assertive movements.

               “Esther,” Tori mock-scolded.

               “Oh,” Severus said with a chuckle. “That looked aggressive. Do I even want to know what she said?”

               Tori smiled at Severus.

               “She’s holding you in contempt.”

               “Is that so? What are my dues, Your Honor?”

               Tori signed to Esther, who frowned for a minute then signed, “No more potions.”

               Severus understood without translation, and he smirked at Esther.

               “I think I can make that happen,” he said as he pulled out the rest of the potion vials. “Because I’m going to give these to your mother, and she can give you them as needed.”

               Tori signed what Severus was saying and accepted the vials with an annoyed huff at Severus.

               “Make me the bad guy, huh?” Tori teased.

               “How’s that?” Severus asked Esther in sign.

               Esther had watched in horror as her mother was handed several vials of potions, then she reached her arms out for Severus, who chuckled as he accepted Esther into his arms, her mother handing her over in order to pocket the potion vials. He rocked Esther slightly as the girl laid her head on his shoulder, and he could feel the heat she was emitting, but the potion’s effect was cooling her down quickly.

               “I think I have been forgiven,” Severus said.

               “She’s always had a soft spot for you,” Tori said. “Smitten little thing. You’re welcome to keep her until she’s all healed.”

               “Nope,” Severus said, handing Esther back to her mother once Tori had everything pocketed. “I’ve got two sick ones of my own.”

               “Bummer,” Tori said with a smirk as she accepted her daughter back. “Once Esther’s better and Samuel and I somehow manage to evade this, we’re hoping the kids will be up for a little road trip. We had quite the Easter break planned for everyone. What did you plan on doing?”

               “For the Easter holidays? Absolutely nothing. No work, no school, just rest.”

               “You’re no fun. Maybe you should take Harry and Iris on a road trip and go to Cornwall . . . or Lake District—that would be fun! There’s a really nice hotel with a spa out that way. You should do that, take Harry somewhere nice with his new family.”

               “I don’t know . . .”

               “Oh, come on, he deserves it, after everything he’s been through. Besides, it’s been a while since you’ve taken Iris somewhere that wasn’t Hogwarts.”

               “Which she treats like an adventure every time anyway. I’ll think about it. Honestly, it might be nice to get out of the house for a change.”

               “I’m telling you; a road trip will be so much fun. The kids will love it. You can go somewhere really nice and enjoy the trip there on the way, that’s half the fun.”

               “Harry can barely stand being strapped into his car seat to get to school, you think he’ll enjoy a long car ride to some surprise destination?”

               “Of course, you’ll need some activities for them to do when they ultimately get bored, and they always do. But I think he’ll love it. Some family time with just you three, no visits, no trials, no godfathers, no kidnappings. Just you and your kids having a great time at some luxury hotel.”

               “Yes, because I can afford that. I’ll think about it.”

               “You won’t regret it,” Tori said as she turned back to the fireplace. “You will if you don’t do it.”

               “Get out of here, and get some rest,” Severus said.

               “Bye, Sev. Say bye, Esther.” Esther waved goodbye as the green flames swallowed them away, sending them home. Severus shook his head fondly. He checked on the soup, then headed upstairs to check on his kids. He stopped at Iris’s room first, but she was not in her bed. Thinking she may be chatting with Harry, he stopped at his son’s room next, but Harry was also not in his bed. Frowning, he glanced in the bathroom, then walked down the hall to his own bedroom, where he smiled softly.

               Harry and Iris were sharing his bed, cuddled under the blankets, and sharing the same pillow. Severus tiptoed up to his bed and tucked the blankets around them more snugly, feeling their foreheads at the same time, then closed the curtains in his room.

               He closed his door partly so no sounds would disturb them. The idea of a road trip doesn’t sound so bad right now. After all, Harry never had a real vacation before. He would want something special and memorable for Harry’s first family outing. Lake District wasn’t a bad idea, but Severus would research a few more. There were plenty of family friendly places all over the UK, he was sure others would have some recommendations. Easter holidays were a week away so he would need to plan fast as he was sure many other families had already made their reservations.  

               He wasn’t entirely fond of the idea of driving for hours anywhere with Harry and Iris in the backseat, but apparently, that was “half the fun.” It would be worth it, he was sure. What could possibly go wrong with an innocent family vacation?