Chapter 12: Aftereffects

On the way through the streets of Hogsmeade, James, Ron and Neville passed by Honeydukes. Ron stopped rather suddenly, looking at the sweet shop.

"We should get some chocolate," he said, in a surprisingly matter-of-fact tone.

"Now? We need to get James to...oh, of course! Yes, go get us all some chocolate, especially for James," Neville suggested, remembering that eating chocolate after a dementor attack often acted as a temporary cure for the depressing feelings caused by those soul-eating monsters. Ron and Neville gently levitated the stretcher onto a bench, which Neville stood next to while Ron went into Honeydukes. After getting the chocolate, the three of them continued to go back to the castle, with the intended destination being the hospital wing, where Lily was currently laying in a bed. Albus was sitting next to her, and Madame Pomfrey was talking to him.

"So what you say happened was that Lily ended up like this because she got in a fight with James by the Whomping Willow?" Pomfrey asked, clarifying.

"Yes. He did Mum's Bat-Bogey Hex on her and then he went into a passage in the Whomping Willow. Then the tree started moving again and it was hitting her. Is someone going to be able to find James? I think that passage goes to the Shrieking Shack, and if he...I know he can be cruel sometimes but he doesn't deserve to have his soul sucked out!" Albus explained, suddenly starting to panic as he realized what might be happening to his brother.

"I should have blocked that passage after Professor Lupin left over 20 years ago," Madame Pomfrey sighed, "I just didn't think that anyone but myself and him knew about it, although when those Death Eaters took over the school in 1997, they did put dementors by the Willow, so one of them might have known about the passage too. That's another question. How did James know to use that passage?"

"Dad told us about it. He said he used it in his 3rd year when he rescued Sirius Black," Albus admitted.

"Yes, I do remember that night. That's why I regret that I didn't close that passage afterwards, since it should have been obvious that others could use it," Pomfrey sighed again, "I don't know what will happen to your brother, though. Hopefully Professor Longbottom and the Aurors sent to deal with the dementors will be able to rescue him." As if on cue, the door to the hospital wing opened. Bridget O'Blarney stepped inside, looking like she had good news.

"I have good news and bad news," she announced, "The good news is that Professor Longbottom and Mr. Weasley were able to fight the dementors and send them far away from Hogsmeade. The bad news is that there was a student in the Shrieking Shack who was badly affected by the dementors. He is being brought into the hospital wing for treatment. They were able to give him some chocolate, so he's already recovering. Albus, I'm sorry to say, but it was your brother James who was found in the Shack."

"I know he was in there. Is he going to get better? Or did the dementors get his soul?" Albus worried.

"I just said he was recovering, so yes, he will. We will also want to know exactly WHY he was in the Shack in the first place, too. Did someone not tell him that no students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade while the dementors were there?" Bridget asked.

"I don't know. I don't think he was ever given permission to go to Hogsmeade, unless Dad changed the rules and got a permission slip signed. He said he was going to fight the dementors and Lily tried to stop him and he got in a fight with her and then he went through the passage. Maybe he wanted to try to be a hero like Dad," Albus answered. During the end of Albus's explanation, Ron and Neville came in, levitating James on the stretcher. James was sitting up on it, eating a big bar of chocolate and looking rather pouty.

"You wanted to be a hero like Harry? Is what your brother says true?" asked Bridget, "Is that why you went to the Shrieking Shack when you knew that dementors were there?"

"What's wrong with that? Dad does dangerous hero things and he gets everyone to love him. Why can't I have that same glory? He doesn't want it anyway," James whined.

"Merlin, it's like looking into a mirror of the past," Ron muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean? I get it, I don't look like Dad! You don't have to rub it in that I take after the Weasley side more," James snapped.

"I'm not talking about your appearance, James. I used to be jealous of Harry too when he and I were your age," Ron admitted, "I understand very well how hard it is to feel like you're being ignored in favor of more accomplished family members, too."

"But then why are you punishing me? Why are you acting like I did something wrong? It's everyone else's fault for ignoring my potential for greatness! And I could have defeated those dementors without your help. I didn't need to be saved by a little toad and a dog," James pouted.

"How did you think you were going to defeat the dementors when you don't even know how to use a patronus charm? Don't lie, we found you on the floor, huddled and full of dark thoughts. They probably would have kissed you if we hadn't come, and a dementor's kiss isn't like a kiss from a human being. A dementor's kiss will suck your soul out of your body," Neville reminded him sternly.

"Fine, I get it! You're great heroes and I'll never be one! Don't blame me, though, blame my brother for looking like a perfect little clone of Dad! I'm sure I would get half the attention and praise HE gets if I looked like Harry too!" James ranted, pointing at Albus angrily.

"Please settle down, James, you need to try to rest. You're just delirious from what the dementors did to you," Madame Pomfrey butted in.

"I am NOT delirious! Just look at him! Albus is a PERFECT CLONE AND I'M NOT!" James shouted, "I WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN, YOU THIEF! YOU STOLE MY GLORY!" Albus backed away, terrified of his raving brother, and then bolted out of the door, wanting to put as much distance between himself and James as possible.

"James. Do you seriously blame your brother? The only reason people might praise him more is simply because he doesn't cause any trouble, unlike you. Trouble like stealing Polyjuice Potion or your dad's invisibility cloak and all the other reasons you have been repeatedly been given detention throughout your stay here at Hogwarts these past three and a half years. If you want to be praised and seen as a hero, then you need to start acting like one," Neville declared.

"Maybe I wouldn't make TROUBLE like you call it if you'd stop putting stupid rules on me and if everyone would stop acting like Albus is so wonderful just because he looks like Dad and talking about it! I don't even deserve to have the same rules as everyone else, I'm Harry Potter's oldest son! I should have special privileges!" James ranted back.

"So you think that you deserve to be special just because of what your father did? That belonging to a certain family makes you better than others?" said a posh-accented voice that James recognized and did not want to hear at this moment. Scorpius Malfoy was standing in the doorway, his hands clenching a package angrily.

"So it's the traitor. You were the one who was so excited to meet me when you found out I was Harry's son. You always said that the Weasleys and Potters were the greatest families. And then you changed and betrayed me," James hissed.

"Because YOU were stealing things and acting like my evil father! It's people like HIM who think they're better than others because of who they're related to! The reason I like the OTHER Weasleys is because the rest of them aren't thieving snobs like you!" Scorpius accused.

"Me? A snob? How dare you! I went out of my way and gave you MY friendship, and you turned it down! You should consider it a privilege that I even talked to you!" James huffed.

"I DID consider it a privilege! When I thought that you were noble like Harry Potter! Because HE doesn't steal things to play stupid tricks on people!" Scorpius ranted back. A loud cracking sound came out of Neville's wand, a sound that James and Scorpius both were familiar with, it being a technique that Neville often used in class to get the attention of rowdy students.

"That is enough from both of you. This is a hospital, Scorpius, there are people in here who need to rest and they cannot do that when you are fighting with James. Did you come in for a reason other than to argue?" Neville demanded.

"I'M SO SORRY! I wanted to give James some chocolate but then I heard him saying evil things but maybe he can't help it and the dementors made him say those things and I'M SO SORRY! I DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED!" Scorpius wailed, sobbing and crumbling to the floor in a ball.

"All you need to do is to leave the hospital wing. James was taken out of the prescence of the dementors in time, and I assure you he is already recovering," Neville said coolly. Scorpius whimpered and then ran out of the hospital wing as fast as he could.

"I said it before, and I'll repeat it again. You need to relax, James. The best way to do that will be to drink this Sleeping Draught," Madame Pomfrey said, bringing out a potion that was in a cup.

"Listen to what she says, James. We'll talk about this later, when you have had time to think about what you have done and your reasons for doing so. We will also decide your punishment later as well. Ron and I need to go back to Hogsmeade to make sure all the dementors are gone and cleared away before the signal can be given to allow people to come back outside," Neville said, and he left the room with Ron. James glared at them and Madame Pomfrey, but took the sleeping potion anyway. Madame Pomfrey looked over at Lily, who was still asleep, and was thankful that the same potion had worked on her as well, so that she did not witness her brother's tantrum.