Disclaimer: I DO NOT own anything! It all belongs to J.K. Rowling!
James's Wrath
It was nearly two weeks later and Al was deteriorating faster than he thought he would. Nothing that they tried worked. He was still taking his regular potion, but it wasn't helping anymore than the tweaked ones were. After throwing up for the sixth time that day Al decided to head to the library and finish some homework.
Al almost fell onto the floor when he collided with James. "Bloody hell James. Watch where you're going!" He hollered.
James picked Albus up by his ropes looking like he was going to punch him. "You lied to me!" He said as his fist collided with Al's face. It wasn't as hard as James usually punched him, but his lack of strength made it worse. "You made me believe you were spying for those greasy snakes when you were really sick!" He dropped Al to the ground gasping. It was late so the halls were deserted.
Al used the wall to balance realizing Rose must have ratted on him. He looked at the floor instead of facing his brother. "My potion isn't working. I've been taking it, but I think I've become immune or something. Scorpius, Rose, Georgia, and I are experimenting with it." There was no point in denying it now. James was just going to punch him again anyway.
Al could almost feel the anger radiating off his brother. "Do you realize how long it took those healers to get that potion right for you?" He snapped. Albus was surprised by this reaction. James hates him so why should he care what he's doing.
"Yes I know, but I can't help if it isn't helping." Al said throwing his arms up in defeat. "I'm sick all the time Jamie. I throw up five times a day sometimes even more. The shakes have become so bad I black out."
James watched the moving portraits trying to absorb the situation. "You never told anyone. How long has this been going on for? How long have you been sick? How long have you been forcing Rosie to lie for you?" He ran through the about the past couple of weeks before thinking he might have missed something. James felt like a complete idiot. How did he not see this? He thought Al was being sneaky because he was working with his house mates. He never expected this.
"I didn't want to worry anyone. I didn't want anyone to react like this!" He yelled almost losing his balance. He sat leaned on the wall behind him before he collapsed. "I thought once I got to Hogwarts things were going to be better. I could be normal and try things that Mum would never allow before. If Mum finds out about this she's going to pull me out of Hogwarts again and put me back in St. Mungo's. I hate St. Mungo's."
James glared, "Al you could die if you don't get treatment."
"I know that's why I am experimenting. You know how much I dominate at potions." Al needed his brother not to rat him out to his parents. "I just need a little more time..."
"No!" He said looking down at his brother. "Rose told me everything. I already wrote Mum and Dad. Al the more time you spend postponing going to St. Mungo's the more you suffer. I know you want to be normal Al, but you aren't. You have limitations and I can't sit around watching you kill yourself."
Al stood up face to face with his brother. "Watching me kill myself! Rose and I have been hiding this since the beginning of the term! You haven't noticed a thing!" He yelled before barging off to the Slytherin common room.
It wasn't long after that the head of house Professor Slughorn came and got Albus and took him to the infirmary. "You should have come straight to me when you found out the potion wasn't working Mr. Potter. It wouldn't have taken long for me to recognize that someone has been tampering with your potion." She scolded. "Just like your father. Always thinking you can handle things yourself."
He was trying to absorb what he was hearing. "Wait so I don't have to go to St. Mungo's?" He asked feeling a little lighter.
She smirked giving him some hope. "Your parents are bringing a fresh batch from the hospital. I will keep them here under lock and key until we find out who is responsible. You're regular dose should be enough to help you heal this time. A few nights in the infirmary should do it."
It wasn't long until his parents showed up. "Albus Severus Potter if you weren't sick I'd throttle you." His mother scolded.
"I just wanted to avoid all this." He coughed.
His mother stroked his hair lightly. "Where's Dad?" He wondered.
"He's talking to you brother and sister. They're pretty upset. I think they blame themselves for not noticing sooner. Honey do you know anyone who would do this? Another slytherin, someone you've had a row with?" She interrogated.
He shook his head, "Mum I'm good friends with most of the Slytherin's now. Even the ones who dislike Dad. But it has to be one of them. They're the only ones that know our password, well other than the teachers and James."
His father, brother, and sister appeared from behind the curtain. "I don't like this, Al you're so easy to get to and you played right into their hands." Lily lectured sounded exactly like his Aunt Hermione and Rose. "If Rose hadn't of ratted on you could have died."
"Your sister's right son. I talked with Headmistress McGonagall, Neville, and Slughorn. They agreed to let Madam Pomfrey administer your potion and to allow the Auror Department full access." His father sighed.
"Dad it was probably just a prank. It was probably James." Al accused.
His brother laughed sarcastically, but denied the remark. "Whoever did this wanted you to suffer and he knows your weakness. I agree with Dad. I may bend the rules, but even I have limits."
The next couple of weeks were smooth and sick free. The Auror Department was still conducting their investigation, but figured that any attack that would happened would be undetectable. The one thing that Al hated most about this new arrangement is that he had to go to the infirmary every morning to take his potions.
"So did you ask your parents yet?" Scorpius asked for the hundredth time as Al rubbed his temples trying to flush out his headache.
"What am I suppose to say? Hey Dad I know that I recently had an attack on my life, but is it ok if I stay at the Malfoy's for Christmas. Since they like me better than you lot do." Al mocked.
Scorpius gave him the most goofy look he could muster before finishing his breakfast. "I know our families aren't exactly on the same wavelength, but I think it's time that your parents accept that we aren't going to stop being mates. My parents love you. They'd adopt you if it was up to my Grandfather Lucius." Marrow, Scorpius's black screech owl swooped down dropping a letter into his lap.
"Score my parents don't even know I've met your family much less stayed with them." Al reminded.
Scorpius shrugged and continued to gaze over at the Gryffindor table. He fancied my cousin something terrible. They went out for a little while, but Rose's dad almost had a heart attack. I think she still fancied him, but was too scared to stand up to her father.
Al raised his eyebrows at his friends exaggeration. "Are you planning on confessing your love to Rose anytime soon?"
"Are you planning on telling your family you've been snogging Georgia Goyle for the past two weeks?" He shot back.
Al raised his hands in defeat. "Fine I'll ask them."
Even though he had promised Scorpius he would as he still couldn't follow through. He just sat in the common room for an hour or so staring blankly at the roll of parchment. What was he suppose to write. Hi Mum, hi Dad, is it okay if I go hang out with some death eaters. His parents would lock him up for life if they knew how well he got along with them. It had taken Al months to convince James and Lily not to tattle on him. Lily was easy to convince, help her with potions. But James firmly hated the Malfoy's on principle. Which was weird because he seemed fine with them until Albus started talking.
"Hey Al tell those greasy snakes to watch their backs!" James barked as he would pass him in the halls. He saw me as a traitor. A shame to the family of Potter's friends of mud bloods and blood traitors alike. To be completely honest Al didn't even know if James cared about him at all. He was pretty sure James saw keeping Al in line as a duty not a privilege. Which explained the constant bullying, pranks, and embarrassment. That's how most of his family were. Just another reason why he fit in with the Slytherin's and not the Gryffindor's. Al loved his family and his house.
It seemed like he had been there for hours when Rose joined him in the library. "Al get up you're going to be late to defense against the dark arts. Scorpius and I have been looking for you for ages." She bickered.
The way to class breezed by thanks to Scorpius's incessant talking. He fancied Rose, but knew her family would disown her. I on the other hand met his girlfriend in the dungeons every night. Albus planned on telling his brother and sister before they caught me, but then his brother started talking about how evil the Goyle family was.
It was halfway through transfiguration that Al's chest started to constrict. I could feel his hands shaking and tried to relax himself. This had never happened to me before. Usually his symptoms were slow. Scorpius most have noticed because he was talking to me. I couldn't understand a word he was saying. Then everything went black.
Scorpius knew something was wrong from the moment Albus started coughing. He got the shakes and threw up once in a while, but never this bad. I've known him for three years and knew most of Albus's symptoms. I tried to calm his friend down by talking to him about something stupid. Suddenly his best friend fell to the floor twitching and throwing up. Professor Dante and Rose were both trying to figure out what was going on.
