120-year-old baby


As the trio began their potion, Albus was happily playing with the books and crayons that were given to him. Harry was trying to make his potion but couldn't get his mind of what the boy had said to him. How much did this boy know? What did he mean by he heard it in his head?

The door was suddenly thrown forward and in came Draco Malfoy, who was looking rather annoyed that he got into trouble with McGonnagal. He looked over to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat, and found that they were all so very near to Albus. Albus looked up and saw it was the boy who was bad, and started to whimper a little.

Noticing this, Harry turned and saw that Draco was glaring evilly. Harry leaned over so that Malfoy could no longer see Albus and glared back at him. Smirking at him, Malfoy took his seat next to Milcent Bullstrode.

"Well, I'm glad that you managed to make it to my class Mr Malfoy, we are making the contented potion, so with the time you have you should be able to finish it about the same time as the others".

Malfoy gave them one last glare before starting on his potion.

Turning back to his potion, Harry couldn't help but think again about what Malfoy had said about Albus. What if he has told his father? What if Voldermort knows?

Harry was so lost in his thoughts that he ended up adding a whole batch of Boomslang to his potion when he was only meant to add two teaspoons full.

"Mr Weasley, Mr Potter and, Miss Granger, are you all so incompetent that you cannot create a simple potion?" Harry looked up to find that Severus Snape was standing in front of their potions and looking down at them with dislike. Not knowing what he meant, Harry looked down at his potion and saw that it was not the colour that it should have been, which was green, but it was a yellowish colour.

He looked over to Hermione and Ron and found that there's potion weren't exactly the right colour either. "50 points from Gryffindor" said Snape, and with one quick movement of his wand, all of their potions were gone.

Before Harry could retort, he felt Albus tug on his robes. Looking down, slightly startled he saw that the boy was starring up at him. "Finished now" he said. Before Harry could say anything, the bell rang to finish the lesson.

Grabbing hold of their bags, Harry picked Albus up, while Hermione packed away the crayons and book Albus was playing with.

"Man, I'm glad that's finished" said Ron, "he is such a greasy git, anyway what we doing here, come on lets, go and get something to eat" As they started to head towards the main Hall, Harry couldn't help but think again about what the boy had said about Malfoy. "Hey Harry I have a good idea, what about eating lunch out on the grass?" asked Hermione. "An excellent idea Miss Granger, it is such a fine day that I don't think that many of us would be eating in the hall" came McGonnagal's sudden reply. Turning around they saw her coming towards them smiling.

"Hello Albus, have you had a good day?" Her smile quickly changed into a worried look as Albus shook his head roughly. "What's wrong then Albus? Has Mr Malfoy been interfering again?" she asked looking now at Harry.

Harry looked over to Ron and Hermione, wondering if they should tell McGonagall about what Malfoy had said. "Go on Harry tell her about Malfoy" pressured Hermione, looking at him with worry in her eyes.

Harry didn't know if he wanted to tell McGonagall, he knew he ought to, but he didn't want to cause a panic about something he could handle, after all, Albus was his responsibility. With this in mind Harry answered with," No, professor, it's just that Malfoy was glaring at him in potion class and, well Albus didn't like it" answered Harry not looking at Hermione, who was looking at him with an expression on her face that said "what the hell do you think you are doing?" but instead he just looked fixatedly at Albus.

"Well then, Started McGonagall with an angered expression on her face, "if he cannot act respectful to the headmaster after my words with him then I shall talk to Professor Snape about it." She looked back down to Albus who was looking at her with his beautiful blue eyes. Smiling at him, she placed a hand on his cheek and started to rub it affectionately. "Now don't you worry Albus, you have a good time with Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger on the grounds ok" Albus nodded, loving the gentle touch that gave him lots of comfort.

Five minutes later, Albus found himself sitting on a large towel, by the lake, picking out what he wanted to eat so that Hermione can put some on his plate. "What do you want to eat Albus, you can either have Ham sandwich or cheese sandwich or some fruit" asked Hermione. Albus tilted his head to the side. "Ham samwich pease"

(Please note, that I deliberately miss-spell words because a little boy is speaking, and this is how I imagine a baby to talk)

Hermione placed two half sandwiches on his plate and handed it to him. "There you go Albus is that ok?" Nodding at her he became to eat his sandwich. "Hey Hermione what do you think of this". Albus continued to eat the lunch he was given, while he watched the bigger people eat their lunches and talk. His eyes wondered over each of them as he thought about his new 'parents'. He looked over at the red headed boy and frowned. He didn't like him, he reminded him of his brother Alberforth, who would often get him into trouble.

He looked over at the nice girl. She is just like mummy, he thought with a little smile playing over his face.

All of these big people are lots like my family he thought happily, theirs Albie, and Mummy, and... He stopped; the smile from his face went as he recalled his daddy. If the big people are like my family, then Hawee must be like… Albus slowly looked up at Harry and saw him looking very angrily at Hermione. Albus eyes suddenly went wide with fear as he looked at Harry. Hearing the yells in the background he closed his eyes and started to cry.

"ALBUS, what is this? What are you doing with this in your crib? I TOLD YOU NOT TO HAVE A BLOODY TEDDY BEAR IN YOUR CRIB!"

"Alberton, leave him, Alberforth has a bear in his crib, why not Albus, ALBERTON WHAT ARE YOU DOING! Let him go, he is only a child" I don't care if he is a child Elisa; it's about time he learnt to do as he's told and act like a man". "Pease daddy I sowwy, I didn't mean to be bad boy, pease"

"If you can't do as you're told then I will have to smack you, now come here, ALBUS COME HERE NOW!"

"Albus, Albus talk to me, Albus its ok Albus, were here" Harry had been never been so scared when he heard Albus scream, he didn't know what was wrong, he could see that Albus was not responding. Panic rising quickly within him, he looked towards Ron and Hermione. "Hermione run down to the hospital wing and alert the nurse, Ron go and get Professor McGonagall" Both of them nodded with a look of terror on their faces and ran as fast as they could towards the castle.

Quickly, Harry picked up the limp Albus and ran as fast he could to the hospital wing. He couldn't understand it, it could not have been the food because they all would have been like this, and so what was it? Harry couldn't figure it out, what made him scream? Remembering the agonising high-pitched scream, Harry blinked back the tears that were forming in his eyes, he felt so bad, so terrible, that he just wished upon anything that Albus was going to be OK. Wait why am I feeling so bad?

Harry didn't bother to thing about it, instead he continued running through the corridors, towards the hospital wing, he heard a few gasps and cries from students that he passed; Harry hoped that he would not run into any Slytherins. As he neared the wing, Harry was sure that time had stood still, as it seemed to of taking him so long. Finally seeing the great double doors, he kicked them open and walked straight to the bed Hermione was near, still looking terrified.

Placing him down on the bed, Harry began to stroke his hair. The nurse came out of the storage cupboard and walked quickly towards them throwing Harry and Hermione aside, without even asking them what happened she began to examine him.

"Harry!" Harry turned towards the doors to find that Ron and Professor McGonagall were hurrying towards them. McGonagall Harry noticed looked terribly worried. "What happened Mr Potter, What is wrong with him"? She asked not taking her eyes off of the little boy. "He's unconscious" answered the nurse before Harry had the chance to reply, "Professor, tired himself out from fear"

Harry looked to Hermione and Ron who were looking at them with the same quizzical expression he had on his face, what was he afraid of that happened?

Finally taking her eyes from Albus, sitting down next to him, she looked at Harry. "What happened Mr Potter?

"I really don't know professor, one minute we were eating lunch and the next he was screaming, nothing happened that could have upset him" Replied Harry looking down at Albus.

"Mr Potter, their must have been something that upset him" said McGonagall sounding a little annoyed, " start again, from the beginning what happened?"

Harry took a deep breath and began to retell what happened.

"We were sitting down by the lake away from all the other students because we thought Albus would be more comfortable, Hermione called Dobby and asked if he would bring us some lunch, he then went and came back a few minutes later, he then went and we all grabbed some lunch, Hermione sorted out some lunch for Albus, which was a Ham sandwich and then we all began to eat, and then Ron, me and Hermione got into a bit of an argument about nothing and then, we heard him scream"

Professor McGonagall looked at them all for a minute before asking her last question. "Mr Potter, who were you having an argument with the most?

"Hermione" he said looking at Hermione's confused expression and then back at McGonagall. What would it matter who he was having an argument with?

"I now see what happened, Mr Weasley would you quickly go and shut the doors please". Looking back at Harry, she began to explain.

"Now then, what I am about to reveal to you is not to be told to anyone understood?

All three of them nod. "Well no one knows this but me, but since you will be looking after him, you will need to know. When the headmaster was a young child, he witnessed many of his parent's rows and saw his father do some terrible things to his mother in front of him".

"What sort of terrible things professor?

Professor McGonagall turned to Hermione's worried face and continued.

"Well the rows were always about him you see, which always frightened him, his father would often beat on her because she was always protecting Albus from him, he found that Albus was too 'loving' to be able to make it to high places when he grew up, so when he was a baby, he would hit him and allow him no love or toys to cherish.

This is what he called ' creating men', well as you can see, Albus is still very loving, but that is only because his father passed away when he was three and his mother loved him the way she wanted to, without worrying about the type of man he would become."

McGonagall looked at each of them in turn and saw that they all were completely horrified at the headmaster past. She then pointed at Harry and Hermione.

"I think that because you two are his main guardians, to him, it was like seeing his mother and father fight over him again, he must have seen you angry Harry and thought that you, like his father would hurt him"

"But I wouldn't hurt him" Harry cried. Starring down at the professor. "I wouldn't hurt a hair on his head". He couldn't believe it, how could parents be so cruel?

"Mr Potter I am not saying that you would hurt him, all I am saying is that is what it must have looked liked to him, In future Mr Potter, Miss Granger I would advise you not to argue in front of him". McGonagall turned to the nurse who had just come out of her office. "Nurse, would he be able to leave tonight?"

"Yes Professor McGonagall, I see no reason why he shouldn't be allowed to leave, however if this happens again I will need to keep him here"

"Of course, Poppy, thank you, well then Mr Potter, I suggest you go back to your rooms and allow him to rest, if you need me you know where to go don't you?

Harry nodded.

"Alert me if anything else should happen", said Professor McGonagall as she left the room.

Harry looked at the time on the fireplace; it was almost 10pm. He had been doing all of his homework that night just so that he had a reason to watch over Albus, who was asleep. Ron had gone straight to bed when they came in, claiming that he was tired, and Hermione did the same except she had gone to do her homework in the girl's dormitory.

Harry knew that Hermione was annoyed with him because he failed to for the second time to tell McGonagall about what Malfoy had said. That was what the argument was about in the first place, Malfoy. Harry threw his books across the room suddenly annoyed.

If it wasn't for Malfoy Hermione wouldn't be angry with him. If it wasn't for Malfoy looking after Albus would be a fun and not a fearful experience. If it wasn't for Malfoy, Albus would not have witnessed their row and got scarred of him.

Calming himself down, Harry decided that it was time to turn in for the night. After changing into his pyjamas, washing himself and brushing his teeth, he picked up Albus who was still asleep in his cot and placed him next to himself in his bed.

Once in bed, Harry placed a protective arm around Albus, and allowed his sleeping form to snuggle in closer to him.

"I'm sorry Albus" whispered a much tried Harry to the sleeping toddler. "I'm really sorry darling".


"Well, well, what have you got for me Darsa? Asked Lucius Malfoy; on the roof of Malfoy Manner.

He held out his hand and his owl landed down on it. "Have you got something for me? Asked Lucius. The owl hooted and stretched out its leg. Lucius untied the burden from the owl and opened the letter.

"Well, what news does my son have for me now?

As He read the letter his facial expression went from annoyed to a very evil looking satisfied expression. Folding it up and placing it in his pocket, Mr Malfoy continued to look satisfied. "Of course Draco, I will deliver this marvellous news to the Dark Lord for you, after all what type of father would I be if I didn't?


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