Here After

by Kiamii

Chapter Eight "A Potter Christmas"

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream - Edgar Allen Poe

The sound of giggling could be heard and Albus Severus Potter sighed loudly in his room, trying to block the stupid noise. Admittedly he found the newest Potter to be very cute, but he was irritated that even his own father was more concentrated on that kid than anyone else. James never stopped torturing him about being a Slytherin and he hardly ever got to see Rose. Scorpius wouldn't be welcomed here, he suspected, if his Uncle Ron appeared anywhere. If Scorpius ever, ever ended up with Rose he would never be welcomed here. Albus sighed once more and wished he could get some peace in this blasted house.

"Lex! No! That's Albus' toothbrush!" came James' loud voice and Albus' head snapped up in horror before growling in annoyance. Once again, that baby was really getting on his nerves. He fiddled with the muggle pencil in his hand and wondered what to get Rose for Christmas when he heard his door turning. Thinking it was his father, Albus turned only to see that ruddy kid enter his room with a grin on his face. The stupid brat had taken to toddling around quite everywhere, including his room. Albus could practically feel a vein pop in his forehead. Alex was really starting to get on his nerves with all the attention he was receiving from everyone, including James.

"A'bus?" Alex cooed cheerfully. He was curious as to why the middle Potter avoided him like the plague and after leaving James to clean up the mess in the bathroom he had created after his bath, he had made a dash for the other Potter brother's room. Albus, as usual, didn't greet him back and simply turned back around. Alex looked at Albus, puzzled, before toddling over to the boy. In his older mind, he was thinking that something was wrong possibly and he wanted to help this boy out if he could.

"A'bus sad?" Alex asked.

"No Albus is mad," growled Albus, startling Alex as the first year whirled around, "You're nothing but an annoying brat who can't even look after yourself without causing trouble. All you do is whine and cry! You're ruddy pain." Alex looked stunned and fell silent. Alex felt suddenly like a burden, something he had always felt at the Dursleys. With a frown, Alex turned around and left the room. Albus watched him go with a heavy heart. He thought maybe exploding at the kid would make him feel better, but seeing the baby's face afterward made everything worse in his mind. He could tell in that instant that the baby had understood him. But he was just a baby wasn't he?

Just a baby.

Albus groaned as he realized what he had just said. Alex didn't know any better on half of what he did, being only a year and a half. Why was he freaking jealous of him in the first place? He felt ten times worse for getting angry at the baby and he fell onto his bed, feeling miserable. When his mum called him down for dinner later that day, Albus saw that Alex had taken his words to heart somehow. He wasn't letting their parents or even James feed him, instead trying to do so himself and shaking his head firmly when someone tried to help him. Albus ate in silence and the room was somewhat quiet, though no longer peaceful to Albus. He watched when Alex finished, refusing to take his bottle.

"Someone is cranky," Harry said with a teasing grin to the youngest Potter and Albus realized what his dad had told him months ago. They had found the baby. Of course Harry would pay more attention to Alex right now. The baby was found in an explosion. Something had happened to him. Albus really wanted to kick himself but could only watch as his dad took Alex up to his nursery to put him to bed. When he came back moments later, he was frowning.

"What's up dear?" Ginny asked, concerned.

"He just wanted to go straight to sleep," said Harry, "didn't even want to do anything that he normally wanted to do."

"Maybe he isn't feeling well," voiced James. Harry shook his head. Lily looked at her father with a frown of her own.

"I checked him, he's fine/" Harry replied before sighing. Albus ignored them all, excusing himself to go write a letter to Scorpius. As he finished and worked on his homework, he finally realized it was midnight. With a sigh he got ready for bed and was about to head back to his room when he heard a muffled whimper. He blinked and realized it was coming from Alex's room. He cautiously entered and saw Alex lying on his side, trying to stay quiet and was keeping his head away from the baby monitor. Albus realized Alex was trying to make sure Harry and Ginny didn't hear him awake. He walked over to the crib slowly and had to unlatch the bar so he could put a hand to Alex's forehead, being too short to lean over.

"A'bus mad?" Alex whispered, his eyes wide.

"No kid. I'm not mad at you anymore," Albus reassure, feeling immensely guilty for having said all that stuff, "I didn't mean what I said Lex." Hopefully the nickname would comfort the little boy. Alex laid on his back, frowning at Albus before reaching his arms towards him. Albus relented and lifted Alex up, noticing how light the baby was. He found the dummy in the crib and placed it in Alex's mouth, giving him the stuffed rabbit Babs he carried everywhere. Alex allowed him to do so and Albus did his best to settle Alex on his hip before taking him down to the kitchen, noting that having Alex on his hip was the easiest. He made it to the kitchen and set Alex on the counter, looking unsure as to what to do next. He decided to get himself some milk and was pouring himself a glass when the light flicked on, causing him to freeze.

"I thought I heard something," James said with his trademark grin, "Why'd you steal Alex, little bro?"

"He was having a nightmare I think," Albus said reluctantly, "so I took him down here."

"Ah," James nodded, "want to feed him his bottle then?"

"His bottle?" Albus asked, blinking. James grinned and went to the counter, picking up an empty cylinder and filling it with milk. He placed it on the small charmed warmer and checked the bottle on his arm before instructing his younger brother to hold Harry in his arms, sitting down. Albus did as he was bid and James adjusted his hold until Alex was cuddled against his chest in a lying down position. Alex seemed to automatically know what was going to happen and let James take out his dummy before inserting the bottle into his mouth, handing it to Albus to hold up for him.

Albus was amazed when Alex began to suckle from the bottle, feeling like a big brother for sure. He was feeling even worse for what he had said to Alex earlier that day and hoped the baby would forgive him. Alex continued to drink from the bottle, his eyelids drooping. James poured himself a glass of milk and sat at the table. Albus noticed his older brother in his trademark muggle gray hoodie and black shorts. He was probably wearing a jersey underneath like he normally did.

"So what's up Al?" James asked. Despite all outside appearances, James was very protective of his siblings and always made sure they were alright.

"It's nothing," Albus said reluctantly, "I just had a bad day is all."

"That's not like you," James said in surprise, "did it have anything to do with Alex going into your room today?"

"How did you know?" Albus asked in surprise at how his brother had known Alex went into his room.

"I saw him and was about to get him when he came right back out, only he didn't want to play hide and go seek like we were originally doing." James said, frowning at his brother, "What happened?"

"I..." Albus began, looking at the baby who was still drinking, "I was jealous of all the attention he was getting and I kind of called him a brat and a pain." James looked at Albus, shocked at his words. Albus bit his lip, unable to look at James. The two brothers were quiet for a moment before James stood up.

"Dad told me he thinks Alex went through a lot of trauma before we found him," James said, "just as long as you let him know you didn't mean it, I think he'll be alright. Mind if I put him in his crib? He's asleep by now." Albus looked down and nodded, handing the snoozing toddler to James who sat him on his hip and, with one last look at Albus, left the room. Albus wondered how he'd make it up to the baby...

Christmas morning found an excited Albus, James, and Lily bouncing on their mother and father's bed.

"Mum! Dad! Presents!" Albus said happily.

"Alright already," yawned Harry, looking at them with a sleepy grin, "go get Alex ready for the day and we'll be down there soon." He chuckled as both boys raced out towards the nursery, Lily not far behind them. They heard giggling and a crash before James' loud laugh echoed through the halls. The parents looked at each other before getting dressed for the morning and walking down to the living room where Albus and Lily were now spotted, sorting the gifts. At Harry's questioning look they stated that James had shooed them out. Finally James entered the room with a giggling Alex Potter who was dressed warmly in a pair of denim jeans and a muggle Elmo shirt, socks on his feet and his hair touselled in every direction.

After getting all four kids settled and their presents sorted, they did their usual tradition of the parents opening first, exchanging pleasantries, and then came James. The boy had been given a few books on Quidditch, a football, a quaffle, and a new broom kit. Albus had received books on first aid, a basketball, a snitch, and a new broom kit as well. Lily had gotten a handful of girly toys, mostly muggle and magical mixed together to her delight. Finally came Alex who looked puzzled before Lily helped him unwrap his. James had gotten him a kiddy snitch which was very much larger and slower than a normal one. Harry had purchased a toy broom for him and Ginny had bought him a pair of quidditch robes his size. Albus had bought him a stuffed owl and Lily had gotten him muggle car toys. The toddler squealed happily and looked at his father in hopes of riding the toy broom. His father laughed and lifted him up, waiting for Ginny to adjust the broom before he set Alex on the broom and watched the toddler fly around happily, looking very much like a natural on it. Luckily they had charmed the stairs to prevent him from climbing them with it and the doors were locked.

"Thanks mum and dad!" James, Albus, and Lily chorused, grinning at their load this year. Being a sort of quidditch fanatic family had its perks really. James saw Alex zooming towards the kitchen and he made a dash for the toddler, reentering the room after a few minutes of chasing. The baby was protesting at being carried, wanting to go back on the broom.

"Jay! Down! `lex down!" Alex whined. James plopped him down in his mother's lap and Alex went quiet after a second, cuddling against his mother happily. It seemed she had that calming effect on him just as much as Harry did. The baby was given his dummy and he sucked on it happily as the other three Potter children began to chatter about their gifts. 16 year old Harry Potter could never remember having this much time, especially on Christmas. That decision to act as much as a baby as he could was one of the best things he had ever decided. Though the downsides were nappies and being unable to be understood, but he liked the constantly comfort and he had a family here. Playing dumb was also easy enough in the body of a 1 year old baby. He mentally grinned.

This was, technically speaking, his first Potter Christmas. He loved it.

Author's Note: It was the best I could do. Just got home from work and wrote this up. I didn't know how else to write this chapter anyways. Ignore errors and as usual, don't like? Don't read. Though if you did or want to add in ideas or questions, review!