Disclaimer I do not own Harry Potter and everything recognisable belongs to J K Rowling.

Kat's Request - I would really like to see what happened between when Harry passed out
at the end of chapter 64 in the Darkness Within and a little after when he woke
up two days later in St Mungos.

Dedicated to Kat!! I hope you like it!!

Waking up after the Battle of Hogsmeade

Frank and Remus felt Harry suddenly go limp in their grips. Both men turned instantly to Harry's aid but there was nothing they could do. He had lost consciousness, eyes rolling to the back of his head as he collapsed in their arms.

"Harry! Harry!" Both Frank and Remus called out, attracting the attention of those around them.

James and Sirius looked back at them, while supporting Damien. James felt his heart plummet to his stomach at the sight of his son. While Sirius supported Damien, James ran over to Frank and Remus who had placed Harry onto the ground and were crouched over him.

"Harry! What happened?!" James asked as he knelt next to Harry and checked for his pulse. He was relieved to find it.

"He just collapsed." Frank answered.

"His adrenaline rush was the only thing keeping him going." Remus summarised, "He probably doesn't have any strength left in him."

James worriedly checked Harry and tried to revive him but even the spell 'Rennervate' did nothing to wake him.

"We need the hospital." Frank said, worriedly. "We don't know what he's been through. It may be more complicated than we think." The guilt in his voice was clearly noticeable. It was his son that Harry had gone to rescue. It was because of him that Harry was captured and subsequently tortured.

James turned to call to Sirius.

"Sirius! Apparate with Damien to St Mungos! I'm bringing Harry!" he yelled over to him.

Sirius nodded and within a second, he disapparated, taking Damien with him.

James caught sight of the large group of people gathering around the spot Voldemort had fallen. Their hushed whispers of awe were hard not to overhear. Aurors were already ushering people to stay back and had formed a circle around what remained of the Dark Lord.

James looked away and with a strong grip of Harry, he disapparated heading for St Mungos Hospital.

xxx

James paced the corridor, too worried to be able to stay still. Lily was seated but her eyes followed her husband. Next to her, Remus, Sirius and Frank sat in silence. No one knew what they should say, so chose to wait quietly.

At long last the door to one of the rooms opened and a young Healer stepped out. At once, James rushed to him. Lily stood up and followed behind him, bringing the three men with her.

"Healer Davidson, how is Harry?" James asked worriedly.

"How's Harry? Is he okay?" Lily asked simultaneously.

The Healer smiled at them with kind eyes.

"Everything is fine." He assured the frantic parents. "Harry is suffering from nothing more than magical exhaustion. He is still unconscious but there is nothing to worry about. His vitals are strong and there seems to be no complications."

James breathed out a sigh of relief.

"And my younger son, Damien Potter?" James asked.

"He's coping very well," Healer Davidson replied. "We treated him for several broken ribs and a cracked breastbone. He told me that he was hit with a curse, one that knocked him out." The Healer paused here, waiting to see is any further information was to be volunteered, but no one said anything. Healer Davidson continued, "He is asleep on the moment. I would like to keep both boys in a day or two, just to make sure everything heals properly."

"Thank you, Healer Davidson." Lily gushed, overjoyed that both her sons were okay.

The Healer walked away from the small group of people, on his way to attend to the wizards that had been admitted in the last hour, most of them Aurors.

Lily turned to James, embracing him tightly.

"They're okay." she repeated, sounding like she couldn't still believe it. "They're okay."

James tightened his hold on Lily. Both knew how close they came to losing not one but both of their sons today. It really was a miracle that they survived.

"We should go sit with them." Remus said quietly.

Lily pulled away from James, nodding her head. She didn't want her sons waking up alone.

xxx

Damien woke up a few hours later. He groggily opened his eyes to find both his parents by his side. Sirius was standing next to James, smiling happily at him. Damien opened his mouth to speak but as soon as he took in a breath, his chest throbbed and he groaned in pain.

"Ow!" he moaned, bringing a hand up to his bandaged chest.

"Don't move so much." Lily ordered gently, guiding his hand away from his chest and back to rest on the bed. She didn't let go of his hand.

"How do you feel, pup?" Sirius asked.

Damien groaned again.

"Like I went up against a Dark Lord, and had my ass kicked." He replied in a rasping voice.

Sirius chuckled; glad Damien was well enough to be making jokes.

"Does it hurt?" James asked, moving closer so he could sit next to him on the bed.

Damien shook his head, closing his eyes.

"No, just...a little uncomfortable." He answered.

"I'll get the Healer." Lily said, standing up.

"No, you stay here. I'll get him." Sirius offered and with a wink at Damien, he disappeared out of the room.

Damien lay back, taking comfort from the way his mum ran her hand softly through his hair. Her concerned eyes never left his face. His dad was sitting next to him and was also staring at him, hazel eyes taking in every inch of him to ensure he really was okay.

Damien coughed, grimacing at the pain that erupted in his chest. His sides hurt too and his head was spinning. He had never felt so sore in his life.

"Damy?" Lily asked in concern.

"I'm fine." Damien answered wearily. He looked at his dad before he asked, "Where's Harry?"

"His room is a couple doors down." James replied. "He's still unconscious."

Damien's brow creased in worry.

"Still unconscious?" he asked. "Is he okay?"

"Don't worry," Lily said, "Harry's fine. The Healers have checked him. They said he's suffering from magical exhaustion."

"I'll say," Damien said with a half smile. "Did you see him? He was duelling without a wand!" Damien grinned. "Is that awesome or what!" he said weakly.

James and Lily shifted uncomfortably. While Damien found his big brother's ability to duel wandlessly awe-inspiring, they found it unnerving.

"You should rest." Lily said.

"Someone should be with Harry." Damien said, ignoring his mum.

"Remus is with him." James answered.

"One of you should be with him." Damien reiterated. "When he wakes up, he should see one of you."

James smiled at him.

"I've been with him the whole time. Sirius came to get me when you showed signs of waking up. I only just walked in when you opened your eyes."

Damien relaxed, smiling at his dad.

"Okay, cool." He answered.

The door opened and Sirius walked in, bringing a nurse with him.

"Good to see you're awake." The smiling nurse told Damien as she approached him. "Let's just check you over then."

James walked out of the room, heading back to Harry's room. He was relieved to see Damien awake. Now, he just had to wait for Harry.

xxx

An entire day passed but Harry didn't regain consciousness. By this point James was getting hysterical.

"He should have woken up by now!" he argued with the young Healer. "It's been more than twenty-four hours since I brought him here!"

"As I've explained to you, Mr Potter, it's common for patients to stay asleep for a few days if they suffer from extensive magical exhaustion." Healer Davidson replied. "And if the account you have given is accurate then it's not surprising that Harry has yet to wake up." The Healer remarked.

"Even so, he should have woken up by now." James said. "Shouldn't you do something to try and wake him up? Have you checked him properly to make sure he's really okay?"

"Mr Potter, I assure you, your son is fine." Healer Davidson replied, a little tersely this time. "The best thing for him is to let him be. He will wake up when he is ready."

"He was tortured at Voldemort's command for almost twenty-four hours!" James snapped. "Anything could be wrong with him but you won't know if you don't check!"

"We have checked him thoroughly." The Healer replied. "He doesn't have as much as a scratch on him. No bruises, no broken bones, no fractures, no internal injuries, absolutely nothing. He is perfectly healthy."

"I already told you, he healed himself!" James answered hotly.

The Healer let out a sigh and shook his head slightly.

"Mr Potter, I apologise, but it's physically impossible to heal yourself..."

"Impossible it may be but Harry managed it. I saw it with my own eyes, as did the rest of the Aurors and population of Hogsmeade!" James answered.

Growing frustrated, James turned and walked away, leaving the Healer looking a little lost and bewildered.

xxx

James sat next to Harry's bed, watching his unconscious son with worry filled eyes. He heard the door click open behind him and knew Sirius had come in.

"Hey Prongs," Sirius spoke quietly. "Any progress?"

James shook his head, not turning to look behind him. He felt Sirius put a hand on his shoulder.

"They keep saying he's fine." James mumbled.

"That's good." Sirius said, sitting down in the chair next to James.

James shook his head.

"It's not good." He said. "It's not good because they don't believe anything is wrong with him so they're not treating him."

Sirius was quiet for a minute or so.

"They know what they're doing, Prongs." He said softly. "Harry's in good hands."

James shook his head and brought a hand up to run through his hair. He knew that too; he knew that the Healers were professionals and they were doing all they could but he was desperate to make sure Harry was okay and he couldn't believe that until he saw it for himself. He took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. He hadn't slept at all last night.

"Is Damy awake?" James asked, knowing that Sirius had come from his room.

"Yeah, he's feeling much better." Sirius offered the information. "He says he's still a little tender but that's to be expected."

James nodded; he already knew this, having spoken to Damien a few hours ago.

They lapsed into silence, both men sitting quietly in their own thoughts.

"I still can't believe what almost happened to Damy." Sirius said suddenly. James tensed at his words but spoke nothing. "If it wasn't for that pendant of Harry's...I don't want to think what could have happened."

James' eyes found Harry's face and he gazed at it, instead of meeting his friend's eyes.

"I know." He whispered in agreement.

"Did you see what Harry did?" Sirius asked, his voice quiet but full of admiration. "What he did to Voldemort...James, he didn't even use a wand!" Sirius whispered. "Everyone who hears about it wants to know only one thing; how did Harry do it?" Sirius shook his head. "I went out to stretch my legs earlier and you wouldn't believe the number of reporters in the main reception of the hospital, fighting one another to get information. They keep on asking if it's in fact true; is Voldemort really gone for good? In this last hour, the Minister gave an official statement, stating that Voldemort was dead. He declared Harry a hero."

James closed his eyes, breathing out a difficult sigh. His hand found Harry's and he gripped it tightly.

"I don't care," James whispered, "I don't care what's happening. All I want is for Harry to wake up." He held onto Harry's hand with both hands, tightening his hold. "That's all I care about. Please God; I just want my son to wake up."

Sirius reached out for his friend and rested his hand on James' shoulder. He couldn't find the words to say to his distressed friend.

xxx

It wasn't until the next day that James got his wish. It had been two days since James brought Harry to St Mungos, when Harry finally regained consciousness. James was sitting next to Harry, having refused to leave his side, when he noticed Harry's hand move slightly. He sat up in his chair, fully alert, keeping a careful eye on Harry.

Sure enough, he saw Harry's brow crease a little before his eyes fluttered open. For the next few seconds Harry blinked in confusion at his surroundings.

"Harry?" James spoke quietly.

Clouded emerald eyes found him. Harry stared at James before his gaze darted to the corners of the room, taking in his surroundings again.

"St Mungos?" Harry asked, his voice raw and hoarse.

"Yeah, we're at St Mungos." James explained, overjoyed that Harry was finally awake.

Harry stayed still for a second or two before he began pulling himself to sit up. James shot to his feet at once.

"Don't Harry. Just lay down, for now."

Harry paused momentarily before his eyes narrowed at James.

"I'm fine." He responded and pulled himself up so he was sitting. Almost instantly he closed his eyes and leaned back, his head spinning.

"Are you okay?" James asked. "Do you want me to call a Healer?" he asked uncertainly.

Harry opened his eyes and looked over at his dad.

"No." He said simply.

A few minutes of silence passed between them. James was too busy taking in the sight of Harry awake. Only once he convinced himself that his son really was okay, no lasting damage was done to him, did he speak.

"I'm so glad you're awake." James said as he dropped into the nearest chair. "It's been two days."

Harry looked over at him with surprise.

"Two days?" he asked, astonished.

James nodded.

"I was terrified something was wrong." He said honestly. "But the Healers kept reassuring me that the only thing you were suffering from was magical exhaustion."

Harry didn't say anything but pulled his gaze away from James. He looked at his own hands, resting in his lap. He closed his eyes again, scrunching them tightly before his hands lifted to rub over his face. A shaky sigh escaped him.

"It really happened."

James wasn't sure if the barely audible whisper was a question or a statement. He didn't answer it but studied his son. Harry's fingers brushed over his forehead as he rubbed at it. Slowly, his fingers traced over his scar before he abruptly dropped his hands away. He looked back up at James, his green eyes back to their usual sharpness.

"Damy?" he asked quietly.

"He's fine. He had broken a few bones but he's healing nicely." James reassured. "He's in a room, a few doors down from you."

Harry's eyes flashed at the mention of Damien's injuries. The green of his eyes darkened, just a shade but Harry closed his eyes, forcing the feeling of anger to subside. He opened his eyes to see James studying him.

Before James could say anything, the door behind him opened and Lily walked in with Remus. Both stopped at the sight of Harry sitting up in bed.

"Harry!" Lily cried with happiness. "You're awake!"

She rushed to him, embracing him tightly. Remus followed behind her, smiling at Harry.

"Good to see you're up." He said, as Lily pulled away from Harry. "We were starting to worry now."

Harry didn't respond.

"I can't believe you did that." Lily said, shaking her head at Harry. Her green eyes were already watering. "What were you thinking? Leaving like you did, going to rescue Nigel and Ginny, alone and unprepared."

Harry again, didn't say anything but he looked away from her.

"Lily, honey..." James started but Lily ignored him.

"Don't ever risk your life like that again!" Lily reprimanded. "I don't care who you were trying to save." She grabbed a hold of Harry's hands. "I thought I had lost you." She told him in a breaking voice. "Don't ever do that to me again." She embraced him once more, pushing back her tears.

Harry didn't protest to the hug, which was what alarmed James more than anything.

xxx

Once learning that he was awake, the Healers wanted to check Harry over. James waited outside his room, with Sirius next to him. Lily and Remus had gone to check on Damien.

"How is he?" Sirius asked his friend.

"In shock." James answered. "He didn't even push Lily away when she was hugging him."

"Maybe he didn't mind it." Sirius offered but James shook his head.

"No, it's not that." James said. "He's so...quiet. He just took what Lily threw at him. That's not him. He's in shock." He repeated.

The Healers that checked Harry seemed to agree with James. They told James that they thought Harry was in shock and was at risk of suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"It's common in cases such as this." Healer Thomas, the Head Healer, explained to both James and Lily in his office. "When a person goes through a traumatic event, such as Harry has, they are susceptible to developing PTSD. His behaviour ever since waking up supports the diagnosis that he is in shock." The older Healer shook his head, reaching to fix his glasses, which were perched on the end of his nose. "Given the unusual relationship he shared with, with You-Know-Who," he struggled with the mention of the Dark Lord, "being responsible for his demise will not only be distressing for him but potentially dangerous." James and Lily didn't say anything but both felt their hearts skip a beat. "In my professional opinion, Harry is a likely candidate to develop PTSD unless he gets help now." The Healer continued. "I would strongly advise he speaks to a mind healer, having regular sessions with someone he can talk to is the only way he can prevent suffering from PTSD."

"Harry won't be meeting with a mind healer." James interrupted. Lily looked around at her husband with surprise.

"James..." she started.

"Harry won't agree to it." James cut across her.

Lily fell silent. Healer Thomas studied James for long minutes.

"Could you not convince him that these sessions would be beneficial to him?" he asked finally.

James smiled as he shook his head.

"You don't know my son." James replied. "He decides what's beneficial for him. He won't speak to a mind healer, not about Voldemort."

The Healer's eyes grew large momentarily at the mention of the deceased Dark Lord but he didn't say anything about it.

"Mr Potter, I understand it may be difficult to get Harry to agree at first, but if you talk to him, explain to him the risks of developing PTSD; he may suffer from flashback memories, have recurring distressing dreams and even re-experience the traumatic event in his mind.

PTSD can also cause difficulty falling or staying asleep and problems with anger and concentration." The Healer looked James straight in the eyes. "I would strongly recommend you think about this carefully before dismissing it."

"I'm not the one dismissing it." James answered. "I'm only telling you what Harry will do. He won't talk to a stranger about what happened." James looked at the Healer carefully before adding, "I'll talk to him. I may not be a mind healer but I'm his father. If Harry needs to talk, I'm here for him."

Lily looked back at the Healer to see the disapproval in his expression.

"The treatment that Mr Harry Potter receives from us is not restricted to only physical injuries." The Head Healer said "It is a part of our job to assess his psychological needs as well and I believe Mr Harry Potter needs to speak to a mind healer to heal completely. St Mungos has a team of mind healers and we are more than happy to assign one to Harry, if that's what he wants."

"There is no need," James objected. "I will take Harry to a mind healer, if he is happy to go."

The Healer looked away from James, sighing deeply.

xxx

While James and Lily were in Healer Thomas' office discussing mind healers, Harry had a visitor. He looked up when his door opened and Dumbledore walked in. The white haired wizard smiled warmly at Harry.

"Good Afternoon, Mr Potter." He greeted.

Harry ignored him, looking away. This didn't deter Dumbledore and he walked further inside, closing the door behind him.

"I wasn't sure what I should bring you." Dumbledore said as he calmly approached Harry's bed. "I know you don't approve of candy but I think everyone enjoys Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans." He pulled out a large box of the said sweets and put it on Harry's bedside table. "In my youth, I was unfortunate enough to eat a vomit-flavoured one. I was put off Bertie Bott's Beans for quite a while." He chuckled. "Even so, I try my luck every now and again with them."

Harry turned to look at him, his expression blank.

"What do you want, Dumbledore?" he asked. "I thought you were finished with me. I did what you wanted, Voldemort is dead, what more do you want?"

Dumbledore's expression turned solemn. He pulled a seat closer to Harry's bed and sat down.

"I apologise, Harry." He started. "I know in the past it may have seemed to you that I was only interested in you for one purpose; the defeat of Voldemort."

A slow smirk spread on Harry's face.

"Let me guess, I misunderstood you." Harry said. "You actually really care, right?"

Dumbledore didn't say anything right away. His blue eyes raked over Harry's face before they locked with his fiery gaze.

"I know how you must be feeling." He said in a quiet, sincere voice. "Believe me, Harry, I know what it's like; to destroy someone you once loved. The pain is, unbearable." An emotion flickered on the old wizard's face but he hid it almost as soon as it came. "But you have to know, Harry, you have to understand that you only did what was predestined for you. The prophecy dictated that you..."

"I don't care about the prophecy!" Harry hissed at Dumbledore, cutting across him. "I don't want to know what it said or what you think it means! I did what I did because I chose to do it! So don't give me your rubbish about it not being in my control or that I had to kill Voldemort because it was written in the fucking stars, alright!" Harry fumed. "I don't need you telling me any of this! Stop pretending you care and just get out! You got what you wanted, he's gone, out of your way, so just go do what you want but leave me out of it!" Harry tore his angry glare away from Dumbledore. When he noticed that the wizard was making no move to get up, he added.

"You can shut the door on your way out."

Dumbledore sat where he was. It pained him to see how angry and upset Harry was and he knew, despite his intentions, he would only make him feel worse if he chose to stay. So, he gracefully got to his feet, feeling his heart break when Harry refused to look at him.

"I hope you feel better, Mr Potter." He said before he turned and walked out of the room.

Frustrated, Harry grabbed the box of Bertie Bott's Beans and threw it across the room. The box smacked against the wall hard, scattering the colourful beans across the floor.

xxx

It was the boys' third day in St Mungos when Damien was finally told he could go home. He could hardly wait. Strict protocols at the hospital meant that Harry and Damien couldn't spend time in each other's rooms. Needless to say that annoyed both brothers.

"I hate hospitals!" Damien grumbled as he got ready to leave.

"Kind of a universal statement that." Sirius remarked as he helped Lily gather all the gifts Damien had accumulated during his stay.

"I want my bed, my room, with my stuff in it." Damien explained. "And no restrictions on my brother spending time with me."

"Well, you may have that when we get home." Lily warned. "You have to rest in order to heal and both of you need plenty of rest."

Damien rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, okay, mum." He said. "Is Harry coming home today as well?" he asked hopefully.

"Your dad is talking to the Healer right now to find out." Lily answered.

In the corridor, just outside Harry's room, James was talking to Healer Davidson.

"I have no problems discharging him, Mr Potter." The Healer was saying. "His tests have all come back normal. However, there is one thing." He shifted a little uncomfortably before continuing, "Healer Thomas spoke to you about the suggested counselling recommended for Harry?"

James managed not to pull a face.

"Yes, he spoke to me about that." He confirmed.

"I would just like to reinforce what Healer Thomas told you," said the Healer. "It really would be in Harry's best interests to speak to a mind healer. He needs to talk about what happened."

James nodded at the young Healer.

"I understand." He replied.

He knew, without a doubt, that Harry would never go to see a mind healer. These Healers didn't know Harry. They didn't know how much of a private person Harry was. He would never open up to a stranger.

James told himself that he would not push Harry to see a mind healer. He was never going to make Harry do anything against his will. He was going to be there for his son and if Harry wanted to talk about Voldemort, he would be there, ready to listen.

xxx

What did you think? Please review to let me know. Cheers!!