Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter! I own nothing!
Complications
"Where the bloody hell is everyone?" James hollered banging down the stairs. His mother and father were always the first up. Even Lily was nowhere to be found.
"Shush!" Lily snapped coming out of the den. "Al got really sick last night. Mum and Dad took him to St. Mungo's this morning. Teddy just got here to baby sit."
James huffed, "I'm fifteen I don't need a babysitter. I'm going to see my brother."
Teddy laughed at the thought of Lily needing a babysitter. She was more mature than James even though she is twelve. "They'll be back soon. It was just a visit not an admission." Teddy clarified.
Lily couldn't believe her brother was sick again. Her parents never told her anything. "Did Mum and Dad say what was wrong with Al?" She wondered.
"Apparently he had a bad seizure last night. Your dad had to give him a dreamless draft and draught of peace to calm him." Teddy didn't want to worry them, but they deserved to know.
Lily had always admired her older brothers. James was a pain in the arse, but was always there to defend family. Albus was the bravest person she ever knew. When she was younger she used to ask her brother about what happened to him. James didn't know much until after he left for Hogwarts. She could see how strong Albus was just to get up every day and try to be as normal as he could.
"I thought the seizures were gone?" James said interrupting her thoughts.
Teddy shrugged not really knowing how to answer the question. "How about a game of wizard's chess while we wait?" It was a good distraction for the three. James lost to Teddy and swore to get revenge. Then Lily played Teddy and won. Lily was amazing at wizard's chess like most Weasley's.
It was a mid evening when Ginny and Harry brought Albus home. They could tell how tired he was from the trip and the episode he had last night. Ginny made sure he was settled in on the lounge couch according to her overbearing mother standards before joining the rest of the family in the den.
"How is he?" Teddy asked his godfather who looked exhausted.
Ginny looked just as warn out from worrying all night. "They said that we should expect him to get seizures, shakes, and sometimes physically sick from the trauma he's suffered." Harry knew it was not good news, but at least his son was alive. "They gave us a potion to use to treat the symptoms while they make a special one for him."
Over the rest of the Christmas break Albus remained on bed rest. Sometimes the shaking was so bad he would collapse. It took almost a year for the healers to get a potion that helped Albus's symptoms. During that time Albus wasn't allowed to attend Hogwarts. His fourth year was home schooled and Harry went back to the Auror Department. Albus hated that after everything he was back to where he started. Clearly someone didn't want him at Hogwarts.
It seemed like throughout Albus's illness many things had changed. For one over the course of the year he started speaking normally. Georgia and Scorpius were allowed to visit on holidays, but mainly wrote owls. Although Ginny and Harry were thrilled their son was speaking to them and had finally broken out of his protective shell it didn't change the circumstances. Al would likely be sick forever. Even with the medications he still had bad days where the shakes were unbearable. His relationship with his family however better than before was still strained.
At the start of Albus's fifth year his parents finally agreed to let him go back to Hogwarts. Both Harry and Lily had grown very close to Albus over the course of the year. While Ginny and James were still hesitant that Albus should be allowed to return to Hogwarts. It took the healers a long time to get him stabilized. That was the good news. The bad news was he was going to be forced to deal with James as seventh year. Albus couldn't begin to understand why his brother hated him so much. Before Albus got sick and started speaking James was always nice. He never went out of his way to help him, but was never cruel. Now James was a living nightmare, constantly pulling pranks and making fun of Albus's Slytherin friends.
Albus was sitting at his favorite desk in the library lost in thought when Lily's books banged against the wooden surface. Bandit his ferret burrowed further into his robes.
Lily took the seat across from him not realizing she had startled him. "Hey Al do you think you could help me write my essay for potions?"
He nodded, "Yeah sure."
She her books out across the table. "Professor Slughorn expects so much from me. Why did you and Dad have to be so good at potions?" She whined dipping her quill in ink.
He may be gifted at potions, but James and Lily were both excellent at quidditch. Albus couldn't even fly without being thrown off. Plus he was too much of a liability considering his condition. "Dad wasn't good at potions, he just cheated. How come your so good at transfiguration?" He rebutted.
"Touché." She admitted laughing. "Ok so the assignment is one roll of parchment on the differences between the draught of peace and the draught of death."
"Ok well there are a whole lot of differences. For instance the draught of peace one of the potions I take every morning. It's decreases anxiety and pain. The draught of death if brewed right automatically kills you. One thing I know that they have in common is that all you need is one drop and the ingredients are the same, but brewed in a different order." He stated noticing his hands shaking in his lap.
She gave him a confused look. "Wait so the healers that brew your potions could easily mess up and kill you?"
He laughed, "No I usually brew my own. It isn't that complicated of a potion. It's the other one that's complicated."
Before the hour was up she set down her quill with a deep sigh. "Done, would you mind proof reading my spell check quill is running low on ink."
"Yeah." He agreed dipping his quill in ink. As he tightened his grip around the quill his hand started to shake more.
"Al, are you ok?" Lily asked looking at his hands as he struggled to continue writing.
He dropped the quill rubbing his hands together before hiding them. "I'm fine just having a rough day." His eyes dropped to his hands that were still shaking.
She took his hand and set it up on the table. "You know Mum and Dad will want to hear about this."
He pulled his hand away suddenly ignoring her gaze. He didn't want his parents freaking out about him being sick again. It was bad enough that he had to take two potions every morning. The last thing he wanted was to be pulled out of classes and go into St. Mungo's again. Ever since he was little he has been in and out of the hospital with one problem after another. All he wanted was to be normal. "Only if it gets worse. I don't want to worry them." He argued.
After Lily got back to the Gryffindor tower she took the time to write her parents before heading to the great hall for dinner. She knew that her brother was having more problems than he claimed. Her cousin Rose had told her earlier in the week he skipped class because he was feeling ill.
Mum and Dad,
Sorry it took so long to write, but I have piles of homework. The new defense professor seems fun! I'd love to tell you more, but I am running short on time.
What I am really writing about is Albus. He has been off all week, even missed potions one day (his favorite!). Today he was helping me with my paper for Slughorn's class and his hands started shaking so much he couldn't write. I am really worried that he is skipping his potion or something. He says he's just having a rough day, but you know how he is about his health.
Love,
Lily
"Harry!" Ginny shouted from the kitchen. "Did you read this letter from Lily?"
He came into the kitchen carrying his files from the office. "Yeah I read it this morning."
"Do you think we should pull him out of school?" She asked her husband sitting across from her at the table. Ginny always overreacted when it came to her children.
"I know you're worried and I am too, but I think we should write to James, Headmistress McGonagall, and Neville first. They will know more about whether Al is really sick or if he's just stressed." They agreed that it would be better to write to their son and friends before upsetting Albus.
James,
Congratulations on making quidditch captain again! (Like you weren't expecting it for the third year in a row) You're mother and I are proud. I hope this means you are planning on staying out of trouble this year. Seventh year is always the hardest because of NEWTS. Study hard so you can join me in the Auror Department.
I wish I could say the only reason I am writing is to hear about your first few weeks of classes, but it would be a lie. Lily is concerned about Al. Apparently he has been missing classes and having shakes. Do you know anything about this? Please look after your brother this year your mother and I are really worried.
Love,
Dad
P.S. Take it easy on the pranks this year!
After James read the letter he gave his brown owl Marauder a treat and some water. James searched the great hall for his brother's jet black unruly hair. He wasn't anywhere that he could see. "Hey have you seen my brother?" He asked Fred before finishing his dinner.
Fred shook his head since his mouth was full. "Why are you considering slipping him a puking pustule because I have one?" The red head whispered.
"No. I just need to find him." James said as his food disappeared. "See you in herbology." He murmured before heading to the Gryffindor common room.
Once he got to his dorm room he pulled out the Marauder's Map. Even though Albus was in Slytherin it wasn't hard to sneak into the dungeons. James had swiped the passwords last year. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
As soon as the footprints started to appear he started searching for his brother. He waited in the dungeons in an empty classroom for his brother to pass by. "What were you doing in the second floor girls lavatory for the past three hours?" He asked as his brother who luckily was alone.
"Just hanging out with Myrtle." He croaked.
"Lily wrote to Mum and Dad about you being sick all week. Three hours is a long time Al." James knew his brother lied about his health most of the time, but he also knew his brother would never purposely miss a potion. "Can you just tell me what's going on before people show up and see me being nice to you. It's really bad for my image to be seen lecturing by little brother."
"I'm brewing a potion ok. No big deal." Al admitted stroking Bandit's black fur.
"In the restricted lavatory? What are you brewing polyjuice potion?" James blurted.
Al decided this was his way out. "It was Rose's idea. I'm fine James I've just had a rough day. All the stress is getting to me I guess, next term is OWLS." He lied.
James shrugged, "Ok just tell those slimy mates of yours to watch their backs. I find out any of them is planning something and you're a part of it I'll tell Dad about your visit to the Malfoy's." He purposely knocked into him as he passed.
Al took a deep breath before heading to the library. "I can't believe you lied to his face." A voice echoed. "He's going to kill you when he finds out what we're up to."
He turned around to see Rose behind him. "We still haven't finished tweaking my potion. I just need time. James thinks I'm helping my house mates. Let him, please." He pleaded with her.
"Al we've been at this for weeks. You're not getting better, if anything you're getting worse." She whispered. "Even Bandit is worried about you. I've never seen him sit so still."
He shook his head at her dramatics. "I'm not dying ok. Stop being such a drama queen. I only told you this because you threatened to tell my parents if I didn't let you help." Al didn't mean to be so cold to her. She was only worried, but he needed her to keep her mouth shut.
She shook his arm in attempt to show him how much pain he was bringing her. "Fine, but if the next potion we brew doesn't work then I am ratting you out to your brother." She got up and stormed out of the library.
Al thought about what would happen if she did rat him out. James probably wouldn't care. The only thing he cares about is quidditch, girls, and making the Slytherin's lives a living hell. He would write their parents, but in the end Al was just dirt on his shoes. Someone to make fun of. If he found a time turner the first thing he would do was go back to the first time he had spoken to James and keep his trap shut. James treated him like a snake.
AN: I had so much trouble naming this chapter! Review please! If you do review please let me know if you would like me to expand on Albus's fourth year at home. I have been considering it for a while.
