Disclaimer: I DON'T own. Okay? What do you mean no? Well JK says that it's okay…never mind, just let me write, okay?
AN: Written for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition round one and the story beginnings challenge.
AN2: Madame Alton, who is the school nurse in this fic, is the character Pamela Alton who turns up in the Playstation 2 version of the game Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Nintendo DS version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Other than that, her very existence is dubious in terms of canon.
He almost died yesterday.
He almost died and James was feeling guilty. But then again, James had good reason to feel guilty. If he hadn't said anything, if he hadn't dared him to go there…
"You aren't guilty you know," Albus told him, breaking James's train of thought. James raised a questioning eyebrow at his younger brother, who appeared to be examining his fingernails. "It's not like you forced him to climb by putting a wand against his head or imperioing him."
"Well no, I didn't do th-"
"And it could just have easily been you that was hurt," Albus continued, cutting his brother off before he could launch into an explanation as to why it was in fact his fault. "You might be the oldest son of the man who defeated Voldemort but you aren't invincible you know."
"Well yes, but-"
"And I'm pretty sure mum and dad don't blame you for what happened to Fred and neither do Auntie Angel and Uncle George," he said, cutting James off once again. James glared at his brother, but Albus didn't seem to notice and instead he looked James in the eye. "You might be my idiot Gryffindor brother and leaving you to stew would probably put you off your game against us this Friday," he paused and put a hand on his chin. "It is this Friday that we have to play against you, isn't it?" he paused again and shook his head. "Anyway, I am going to tell you this and I want you to LISTEN to me. You. Are. Not. Responsible."
"He wouldn't have been there if I hadn't-"
"He had a choice in the matter. He knew what he was doing when he started, you know that. And yes, you were both stupid to go ahead, especially when the rain started to fall and the tower became all wet and slippery and yes I imagine that mum and dad will hit the roof when they hear and-"
"That's what I love about you Al. You can always be relied upon to point out the good points," James said dryly. "I hadn't even thought about what mum and dad are going to do when they see me."
"Probably a howler or two and I imagine that Fred will get the same from Auntie Angel and Uncle George when he's feeling better," Albus said nonchantly. "You have to admit, really stupid ideas like climbing the Astronomy Tower with no magic was a pretty dumb idea though."
"We wanted to do something that nobody has ever done before! It was meant to be a glorious achievement and bring honour and glory to Gryffindor!" James protested, before a gloomy expression came over his face. "It wasn't meant to end like this."
"Gryffindor has no shortage of those two traits," Albus pointed out dryly. "I guess that's what happens when you leave a lot of stupidly brave people in a tower. They come up with stupid ideas."
"You do remember that mum and dad were both Lions, right? And so were almost all of our family right?" James asked with a dubious look and Albus smirked.
"Ah, but they had a war to worry about and pureblood mania and all that stuff," he replied. "You don't have that," he paused and leaned back. "What you really need is a Dark Lord to fight or a war to face. That's where all that Gryffindor courage and occasional stupidity is good for."
"Well, I'm pretty sure that Scorpius Malfoy could count as suitably evil. He's got the right family background and he's in Ravenclaw so…" James's eyes glazed over.
"I wouldn't say that in front of Rose if I were you," Albus pointed out dryly and James shivered.
"Well, I wasn't proposing that I go out and duel him," James said with a frown. "But it's something for Fred to look forward to after he gets out of the Hospital Wing."
"He's going to have a LOT of homework to look forward to," Albus pointed out with a grin. "And I hear he has a pounding headache."
"I'm trying to cheer him up, not depress him," James said, before a look of surprise came over his face. "Hey, how do you know anything about his condition? Madame Alton isn't letting anyone in to see him."
"My dear James," Albus began in a faux pompous voice. "You forget one tiny, insignificant detail," he paused for a moment. "I'm the first Potter to ever go into Slytherin. I'm just too good to be kept out."
(There was also the small detail that Albus had managed to plant an extendable ear under Fred's bedside table, but he wasn't about to tell his brother that. After all, a good Slytherin never gave up his tricks. Especially good ones.)
"Suitably bigheaded too I see," James replied and Albus pretended to preen himself.
"Just acknowledging the fact that I'm in a superior house and a superior wizard James," he replied with a smirk before leaning close to his older brother. "That's why we're going to trounce you on Friday."
"Fred's on the team. I hope he's okay," James said as his expression suddenly became dour once more. "I never should have dared him to go with me. I should have tried to go on my own."
Albus gave a snort of derision.
"Between you and him, you compete for the most idiotic members of our family," he pointed out. "I doubt you could have avoided him coming if you wanted."
"Probably."
"And even if by some miracle you did manage to get away without him, do you think he would have been happy?"
"Well…he wouldn't be in the Hospital Wing right now," James pointed out and Albus rolled his eyes.
"No, he'd be sulking that you didn't take him with you instead," Albus replied. "You two have done every prank together and why would this be any different?"
"Well…no I don't think-"
"James, you're a Gryffindork. Thinking is the one thing you don't EVER do," Albus cut in, before looking thoughtful. "Not sure how Aunt Hermione fits in, but I'm sure I'll figure it , it's not like he hit anything important or hurt himself too badly or he'd be in St Mungo's now."
James opened his mouth to reply, but was suddenly interrupted when Madame Alton opened the door and her severe brown eyes came to rest on James and Albus.
"You can see him now," she said, gesturing to the door and James nervously stepped forward. Madame Alton then turned to look at Albus with a small smile. "I see you're keeping your brother company. Good, I suspect he needed it," and before Albus could say anything, she swept back into the Hospital Wing and shut the door.
"Of course I was there. What else are brothers for?" he asked the empty corridor and walked off towards the dungeons.