8All character credits belong to Queen Rowling.
James Sirius Potter has a very important job. At a fresh age of four years old his daddy appointed him as the protector of his two younger siblings. So when his brother Albus woke him up in the middle of the night, he was alert and about, ready to battle monsters under his brother's bed.
"What is it, Albie?" James asked as he pulled himself out of his big boy bed.
"Lilu crying. Me think she hurts. Me think there are inveesble monsters under her bed," his brother's worried replied came. "Me wants to go in her room and help her quiet but… me scared, Jamie. What if there are two monsters!" Albus held up two fingers for emphasis, his big green eyes shining with unshed tears.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you and Lilu." James gave his brother a swift hug and took his hand. "We'll go in Lilu's room together."
But before James went out of his room with his brother, he gave a gasp and quickly ran as fast as his toddler legs could carry him, retrieving his toy broomstick that was leaning at the corner of his room. He then moved to his bedside table where he opened a drawer and got a flashlight which he handed to Albus.
"We better go prepared. It might be dangerous," James told his brother seriously.
Albus nodded and silently admired his older brother's quick thinking as he turned on the flashlight.
"You think we should call, mommy?" Albus asked tentatively as the brothers slowly walked down the hall to their sister's room, passing by their parents' door.
"We can't, Albie. The monsters might hurt mommy," James replied.
Albus nodded, focusing on the light ahead of him.
As they stopped by their sister's door, James could hear Lily's muffled crying from the other side. He gently let go of his brother's hand and held his toy broomstick with both of his, gripping it with more force than usual.
"Here's what we're gonna do, Albie. I'll count to three and open the door and then you blind the monster with the flashlight. You remember to point it under Lilu's baby bed, okay?"James instructed his brother.
Albus rigorously nodded in response, his brows furrowed, and face scrunched up in concentration.
"And I'll peek under Lilu's bed and hit the monster with the broom," James said, puffing out his small chest.
"Jamie, can I be the one to count to three? I practiced my numbers," Albus said tightening his grip on the flashlight.
"Okay. But you hurry 'cause Lilu's been crying forever now."
"Okay." Albus drew a steadying breath as James reached for the doorknob of their baby sister's room then as fast and articulately as Albus could he began to count, "One… two… three!"
James turned the knob and swiftly approached his sister's crib. Guided by the light that Albus was holding, who was closely behind him, James crouched down to the empty space under the crib and started swatting invisible monsters with his toy broomstick that his Uncle Ron gave him for his birthday.
"Leave our baby sister alone!" James bravely said, now swatting sideways to completely scare the monsters away.
"Go, Jamie, go! Take that you meanie monsters!" Albus who was slightly bouncing cheered from behind his brother, causing the light to unfocus.
"I think the monsters are gone now, Albie," James said after a few seconds of battling with invisible monsters, wiping an imaginative sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand.
Lily who just happen to woke up at the middle of the night feeling lonely and just wanted to see mommy but could not do anything but cry. However, when she saw her brothers bursting in her room she could not help but feel happy to see them.
"Me thinks so too. Lilu quiet now." Albus tiptoed and reached a hand to his sister.
Lily took her brother's hand in a firm grasp and opened her mouth. Before Albus realized his sister's intention, he felt unwanted wetness on his hand and quickly withdrew his hand.
"Ew, Lilu! That's yucky," Albus exclaimed.
Lily who was surprised by her brother's reaction started to cry.
"Shh, Lilu! It's okay the monsters are gone," James placated.
"Me thinks Lilu is hungry, Jamie," Albus said wiping his drooled over hand on his pajamas.
"Albie, borrow the light," James said, knowing perfectly well what his sister needs.
Albus gave his brother the flashlight as James carefully laid his broom down on the floor. James then focused the light on Lily's bed. Spotting Lily's baby dummy, he carefully picked it up and placed it between his sister's lips.
"Hush little Lily don't say a word, Albie's gonna buy you a mockingbird," sang Albus.
"And if that mockingbird don't sing, Jamie's gonna buy you a diamond ring," James sang in with his brother.
Lily's faint cries were suddenly pacified and she sighed deeply. Tonight had been a little overexciting for her with her brothers' heroic but unecessary attempts. Nevertheless, she knew she was not alone now. Maybe mommy or daddy will come the next time around. But Lily was tired now and not long her eyes closed to sleep's slumber.
"Me thinks she's sleeping, Jamie," Albus said as he tiptoed to peek into the crib.
"I think so too. We should go back to sleep too," James said as he rubbed one sleepy eye with a fist.
"But what if the monsters come back and make Lilu cry again?" Albus asked.
"We'll sleep here with Lilu," James replied nonchalantly.
James then grabbed a pillow and a blanket from the nearby rocking chair where mommy usually naps when she puts Lily down to nap as well. He placed the pillow on the floor beside Lily's crib. And then the brothers were curled side by side beside their baby sister's crib on the floor with the blanket covering both of them.
"G'night, Albie. Don't worry about monsters. I'm here," James reassured his brother.
Albus nodded from his side and soon enough all three Potter kids were sound asleep.
"Ginny, the boys are missing!" Harry shouted after coming from both his sons' rooms to see empty beds the next morning.
"Hush, Harry, they're here," Ginny called from their daughter's room.
With his nerves calming down Harry joined his beautiful wife who was leaning by the door. He followed her tender gaze.
Sleeping on the floor beside their daughter's crib were his sons. Albus had his mouth wide open with drool at the side of his mouth. One of his arms was on James' face who despite his brother's unfortunate position did not seem perturbed in his sleep. Not far from where the boys lay was James' toy broomstick and a flashlight. From the crib was Lily with her baby dummy still clamp on her mouth peacefully sleeping like her brothers.
"Well, this just made my morning," Harry commented as he held Ginny close.
AN: Finally attempted a oneshot! Would really appreciate it if you leave a review. Have a good day! ~ E