Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter! I own nothing!

Brothers

When Lily and James woke up that morning it was still pouring outside. The faint smell of bacon, eggs, toast, sausage hung in the air. "Morning Mum, Dad." Lily said hugging her dad.

"Do you have to work today?" James asked his dad who normally would have been gone by now.

Harry shook his head. "Your brother's got an appointment so I took the day off."

"An appointment for what?" His parents seemed more avoidant than usual.

"Al's isn't showing the improvement the healers expected. If anything he's getting more weak. Your mother and I are looking into alternative solutions." Their parents exchanges thoughtful glances.

Lily looked at her father expecting an explanation. "What type of alternate solutions? Like the dark arts?" James couldn't believe his parents would even consider it.

"No!" Ginny interrupted. "But there are other healers out there that try more experimental methods."

"So you guys are just looking for a second opinion?" James felt better instantly.

Christmas was the worst it had ever been. Everyone was tired, grumpy, and depressed. Albus wasn't really ready for visitors and slept through the holidays and his sixteenth birthday. He received letters from his friends, but didn't respond. Harry and Ginny were about at the end of their rope. They were lost on what to do for their son. It was a position that would make any parent cringe, the idea of losing a child. Albus had already been through and overcome so much in his young life. Much like Harry had. The healers at St. Mungo's still had no solution for the worsening of Albus's condition and the experimental healers took more time and money with no results. Harry even convinced Madam Pomfrey to come take a look at Albus.

"Potter your son's condition was unique as it was. To survive and outstand the cruciatus curse just once, but twice. Then these side effects. I'm afraid all I can do for Albus is to make him more comfortable." Madam Pomfrey explained.

Al however had a plan and it didn't involve sitting around to die. Well it was more of an alternative if he was dying solution than a plan. He had been in pain for weeks and his siblings would be heading off the Hogwarts soon without him. Why did bad things always happened to him just when he was starting to be normal and happy. He knew the reality that faced him dead on, he was going to die. His parents and family had built up a thick wall to shield against anyone that told them different. Albus didn't blame them, no parent should have to bury their son.

"Harry he isn't even writing his friends back anymore." Ginny felt like she had been crying for weeks.

Harry stared into the fire place before turning to his wife. "There has to be something we're missing." He refused to believe that his son was going to die at sixteen.

"Maybe Al knows something we don't or he forgot an ingredient when he was writing the potion down." Teddy suggested.

James snorted, "Since when does Albus mess up on a potion."

Harry had to agree. Albus never skipped a beat when it came to potions. According to Slughorn he knew more than most seventh years. "What about Malfoy's?" Ron wondered. "They're a sketchy bunch."

Harry shook his head, "No Albus hasn't ever been over to the Malfoy's. As far as I know he's only talked to Draco once."

"Bloody hell!" James felt like an idiot.

"What?" Harry demanded at his sons' outrage.

James had never even considered telling his parents that Albus spend time over at the Malfoy's. Lucius Malfoy was a governor of Hogwarts which meant he spent loads of time up at the school. "Albus went over to the Malfoy's third year. I never thought anything of it. But Lucius spends a lot of time up at the school. He got his post as governor back. I forgot that Rose mentioned it at the start of term."

"That still doesn't prove that he hurt Al." Hermione insisted. "It's just speculation."

Harry hated the idea of pissing off Lucius Malfoy. Since Scorpius and Albus had become friends their families had been quite pleasant with each other. "What about Gregory Goyle? He still seems to hold a grudge." Hermione took her husband's hand.

"It can't hurt to interrogate them Harry. If they want revenge they'll probably admit they were involved." Teddy wanted to get Harry out of the house. He knew his godfather was putting on a brave front for Ginny.

"Do you need anything?" Lily asked for the millionth time.

Albus could tell she was scared to leave him alone. It's not like he minded. Lily was one of the few people who was treating him like a human. "Can you go get dad? I wanted to ask him if they're done with my potions book." His little sister rolled his eyes. That book was like a comfort blanket.

Harry wasn't shocked when Lily announced that Al wanted to see him. Albus and Harry had been spending a lot of time together. It pained Harry to shake Albus awake once he entered the room. "Lily said you needed me?"

"Are you done with my potions book?" It hurt Albus to talk.

Harry sat down on the bed next to his son. "The aurors are still looking over it for anything that could have caused this type of reaction. It may take a while." He knew Albus was likely to never see his book again.

"If it was a mistake I made they would have found it already." Al insisted.

Harry sighed, "Al I don't want you to worry about this right now. You focus on getting better. We will handle the rest."

"Better?" Albus huffed. "Dad I can't even walk without falling over. I can't even eat. You are kidding yourselves if you think I am going to survive this."

Harry stood up and glared down at Albus. "I never want to hear you say that again. We are going to find out a way to help you." Then without another word his father stormed out of the room.

Al knew his father wasn't mad at him. He was hurt that Al was willing to give up when everyone still was holding on. In the next few days Harry would be taking James and Lily to King's Cross to finish the year. Albus would once again be left at home.

"Dad if it's too much trouble I can apparate with Lily. That way Mum doesn't have to be alone with Al for so long." James offered.

Harry placed his hand on his son's shoulder. "I think not resuming our daily lives is a mistake. Us treating Albus like he's glass is not going to make him better. We need to accept the fact that your brother wants to be treated normal." As much as it hurt Harry to admit it Albus was right.

"Should I say goodbye to Al tonight or tomorrow?" James had been purposely ignoring his brother since he had come home. He never knew what to say to him.

"He will mostly be asleep tomorrow morning, but you could always wake him up. That's what Lily did tonight." Harry suggested.

James clenched his jaw at the thought of waking his brother up. He hated seeing his brother when he was sick. After the night Teddy and him had taken care of Albus in the hospital he knew he couldn't be the same around his brother. He just felt like breaking down in front of him. Albus deserved to be strong and happy. James was so lost in thought that he didn't realize he was at Al's door.

"Did you lose a bet?" Al smirked keeping his eyes closed.

James couldn't help, but laugh at his brother's half-witted attempt at a joke. "No I just needed to say goodbye. Lily and I are heading back to Hogwarts tomorrow." He could feel himself rambling.

"You don't have to feel guilty James. It's not your fault this is happening." His little brother reassured him.

James took a seat on the bed next to Al. Things had gotten better between them since Albus had been poisoned. Even though James had been boycotting of all subjects Albus his brother knew he cared. "I should have said something to Dad about you visiting the Malfoy's or about the potions you made." James couldn't help, but blame himself. Albus was a fifth year and James wanted to be an auror.

"Yeah and I could have said no to Slughorn when he asked for the untraceable poison. We all make mistakes James. So shut up and stop being a prat. Me being sick has nothing to do with you." Albus had to stop to catch his breath.

James couldn't help, but smile at his brother. Albus was so much smarter than him. Even when he is sick he makes more sense than James ever could. "Want to play some wizard's chess before bed?" Even though Al was sick he still loved to play games.

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