Private message to Padma Patil

[alt_sally_anne]

If you're having trouble sleeping, I have a potion that will help you and won't make you see things that aren't there.

Dreamless Sleep causes waking hallucinations if taken repeatedly, I'm not sure if the St Mungo's Healer of the Day warned you about that.

It's called 'Small Mercies,' Pansy brewed it, and I can tell you exactly what's in it if you're concerned. It will help you relax your mind and fall asleep, and it will make your sleep more restorative. It won't stop you from dreaming, but you'll find it much easier to put the bad dreams out of your mind when they wake you.

I can send a bottle of it over with one of the elves, if you'd like.

Comments

[alt_padma]

Who says I saw anything? Balastiel ought to know better than to sneak up on people like that.

My brother's a Healer. I know better than to take Dreamless Sleep too much. I've been taking half-doses and--and trying not to take it every night. I did ask the one...the Healer who was here last Thursday, if they didn't have anything else, though.

Hoarding it for your mates, are you? Well, yes, if you can spare some. That would be...very nice of you.

[alt_sally_anne]

Obviously you saw something. The spell you used on Balastiel was that battlefield spell for slowing down inferi if they got too close, I recognised the effects. Not what you'd cast on a student just because he startled you.

Halving the dose won't solve the problem. You can't take it more than two nights in a row, more than three nights in seven, or more than six nights in thirty.

I've sent over a bottle of the Small Mercies and some soothing tisane. Brew the tisane and add a drop or two of the Small Mercies.

If it doesn't help enough and you still need a sleeping potion, tell the Healer on duty you'd like both Sleep-Easy and two doses of Tummy Tonic. Take one dose when you take the Sleep-Easy, and use the second when you wake up in the morning. You can take Sleep-Easy quite a bit longer, and it won't make you hallucinate.

[alt_padma]

He did startle me. I mean, out of the corner of my eye, I saw.... And I thought for a moment that he was one.

It's just that when I sleep, I keep seeing a whole village and every single kid is Sanji and those things are ripping

[alt_sally_anne]

The hallucinations caused by Dreamless Sleep frequently take the form of movement in the peripheral vision, and mistaking things that are really there for things you might see in dreams or memories. So: seeing a second-year out of the corner of your eye, and thinking you see something much more dangerous.

I can understand why you want the Dreamless Sleep. Remember, I was there, too. Is there someone you trust who you can talk with? Finnigan, or Su Li?

[alt_padma]

I'll take care of it. Thank you.

[alt_padma]

Why are you doing this, anyway? So you can tell everyone about it? Or just so you, Pansy and Daphne can have a good laugh at my expense?

[alt_sally_anne]

I consider myself bound by the same confidentiality as the Healers from St Mungo's.

If we had a proper Matron, I'd have told her about it and let her handle talking to you. But, if we had a proper Matron, she'd have been paying attention to how often you were taking it. Since right now it's never the same Healer twice, there's not much point. I could leave a note telling them not to give you any more Dreamless Sleep, but I thought I'd try talking to you about it, first.

[alt_padma]

Just remember, Daphne may be Head Girl but I'm a Councilwitch now. Think about that very carefully before you do anything you'll regret.

[alt_sally_anne]

Patil, I take Healing seriously. I'm not going to blab your secrets any more than I'd tell you which Firsties take Dry Dreams.

The absolute last thing this school needs is for someone with the privileges and responsibilities of a Councilwitch who's seeing dangers that aren't there. So believe me, I thought about what actions I might later regret.

[alt_padma]

So you say.

Fine, but if anyone starts making a meal out of all this, we'll both know who's to blame.