Chapter 42

"I should have done more," Harry said, sitting in Alek's room. "You've been giving orders from in here."

"But I haven't been," Alek protested. "I'm trying to get better. I was being possessed. I'm sure the thing that was using me is using someone else now."

"Why should believe you? It would be the perfect plan: pretending to be getting better and not evil, but getting help, while actually still in charge of everything," Harry said. "That's very smart of you. I should send you to Askaban."

"Please, I am getting better. I want to be here for Albus. Id' do anything to protect him and I can't protect him by still being evil," Alek protested. "I love Albus."

"That's not enough to convince me that you aren't still in control"

"I'll tell you who is in charge. Axel. Axel took over when I was sent in here. He said he was cursed, along with Rosa. They're controlling everything now. Please believe me. I want t get better for Albs. Albus is so very sick. I need to be strong for him and that means not still controlling the dark wizard's army. I love Albus more than I love power."

"We'll look into it, bu if I find out you're lying to me, I'll kill you myself, for hurting Albus so badly," Harry said.

"I promise I'm not doing it," Alek asid."It's Axel and Rosa. They were just under me in the war. They're probably happy that I'm here and no giving orders. If anything, they'll try to keep me in here so I can' give orders." Alek paused. "Can I see Albus? It's been a while and I'm worried about him."

"It's up to the doctors, but I'll ask them to let you see Albus. I'm sure that it will make Albus happy too," Harry said. He got up. "The war should be done soon. We're raging a battle at _ . and then we're going to_. There shouldn't be that much left to take back. Axel and Rosa huh? Well we'll take them out then."

"If there's anything I can help with let me know," Alek said.

"I'll be sure to take you up on that." Harry got up. "I'm going to check on Albus, and I'll see about you seeing him too."

"Thank you. I just want to see him. I miss him so much," Alek said.

XXXX

"Albus? How are you doing to day?" Harry asked.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Harry asked.

"I feel kind of numb. I don't like the medications they have me on," Albus said. "Do I have to be on them?"

"The doctors think you need them," Harry said. "I can tell the doctors that you don't like the meds, but if they're helping-"

"How are they helping if I don't like how I feel on them?" Albus cut in.

"You just need to give them a chance. I'm sure there's just an adjustment time on them," Harry said. He walked over and hugged Albus. "We're all rooting for you to get better."

"I want to see James and Lily," Albus said. "I miss them."

"I'll see what I can do. You had problems last time James came here," Harry said.

"I know, but I miss them," Albus said. "It's not fair that I need get to trapped here and they can be out there, doing whatever they want."

"I know it's not fair, but you need help and you're getting help here now. I'm sure they miss you too. We all miss you," Harry said.

"Then why can't I go home?"

"Because you're still sick. You see Luis in here right? You're not all alone here," Harry said. "And I talked to your doctors and they think you should be able to see Alek again soon."

"Really? I really miss him too. You know he's not evil now, right? No. He was never evil. Alek has always been a good guy," Albus said.

"We believe he as possessed by something. If that's true, then you're right. It wasn't him. Something was controlling him."

"But- but he still loves me right? That wasn't the things that possession Alek right?" Albus asked, panicked.

"No. He really loves you," Harry said. "And he misses you a lot. The doctors won't let you spend a lot of time with him, but they said a little while would be okay."

"Because they think Alek was controlling me right?" Albus asked.

"It's more than that. It's complicated. You just need to get better and then you can come home," Harry said.

"But I don't understand what's wrong with me," Albus said. "And don't just say I'm sick. I'm sick of hearing that I'm sick. What am I sick with?"

"The doctors think that you're under physios. You don't see the world as it is. You're in denial about everything that happened when you were with Alek back before you both were saved. You have panic attacks when things get hard on you and you black out,"

"But-"Albus looked down. "I guess that makes sense. I don' like it though. What if I never get better?"

"Don't talk like that.. You'll get better. You just need some time,''Harry said.

"I feel like I've been here forever," Albus said.

"I know it's hard, but this is the best place for you right now," Harry said.

"Don't keep saying that. I don't believe this is where I'm supposed to be. All I do is group stuff, what I guess isn't so bad, but they have me on medications that I can't stand. They have to force me to take them. I hate them."

"I know-"

"Stop saying you know. You don't know what's going on. You don't understand anything!" Albus collapsed again.

Harry picked up Albus and put him on his bed and tucked him in. "Damn it Albus. I want to help you so much but I don't know what to do."

He left the room, leaning against the door to the room. "Damn it."

"You know this is why we don't want you to visit right?" A nurse asked. "Albus is extremely weak mentally. He can't take much before he shuts down. I don't think seeing his siblings right now is a good idea. We're not even sure having him see Alek is a good idea. Alek is a big part of the problem, since Albus is so dependent on Alek. If we're going to make Albus get better, he shouldn't see Alek at all. We only let him see him because he helps Albus when he shuts down like he has now. You need to take it easy when talking with Albus.

"But I do think it's a good idea that he sees his family, but you need to be more careful with what yo u say." the nurse said. "He's not getting better."

"What do you mean he's not getting better?" Harry asked.

"We haven't seen any improvement with him since he got here," the nurse said. "He's gotten a little better when he's with Alek, but he shuts down a lot when he's alone. We're working hard to get Albus to do things on his own, but I think he's under too much stress. He can't handle it on his own, so he tries to go and cling to Alek to make things better."

"Is there anything we can do?" Harry asked.

"We're not sure right now. We're working our hardest to help him. I think it would be good to see his family, just not right now. Give him a little time and then come in with his family,"the nurse said.

"But you're doing everything you can to help him right?" Harry asked.

"We won't stop until he's better," the nurse saids.

"He'll get better. He had to get better," Harry said.

"We believe we can cure him, but it'll take a lot of time. He's been through so much. I don't think he was that strong to begin with. He was in here not too long ago," the nurse said. "We're doing everything we can to help him."

"He has to get better. He's a Potter and Potters are strong. He'll get through this."

"I hope so," the nurse said.

XXXXX

"Albus?" Alek asked, coming into the room. Albus moved and hugged, nearly trampling, Alek.

"I missed you so much. I hate it. The only good thing that he's here is you," Albus said.

"I know you hate it here, but it's for the best for right now, so do whatever the doctors want you to do. I heard you were fighting taking your meds. You should take them. They'll help, even if you don't want to. They're there to help."

"If you say so then I will," Albus said.

Alek held onto Albus as they moved to sitting position. "I want us both to get better. If meds help with that then you should take them."

"Alright. Alright. I'll stop protesting taking my meds," Albus said. "I'm scared I'll never get better."

"Of course you'll get better. That's what they do here, make you better," Alek said.

"What's wrong with you? It doesn't seem like you belong here," Albus asked.

"I-I've been through a lot. My body was possessed. It takes a lot out of you to have that happen to you. I've just been able to hide it from you because I don't want you to worry about me. I'm doing better though, and you'll get better too."

"Possessed? Is that why they said you were doing horrible things?" Albus asked.

"Yeah, most of it was really me. The only real thing I felt is my love for you," Alek explained. "My love for you was always real, even with everything going on. I'll always love you."

"I love you too. I've always loved you," Albus said. "But you can't depend on me for everything. That's part of your sickness. You shouldn't rely only on me for things."

"I don't. I-I just trust that you know more about what's going on than I do. I'm not dependent on you. "

"If I asked you to do something would you do it? No matter what it was?"

"Probably. I mean, I would do something like kill someone or hurt someone. So I mean, I wouldn't follow you down a dark path. I love you, but I'm still my own person."

"Well that's good. I mean, I think that's good if you really think that way." Alek paused "but I think you would do something if I told you to. You're only taking your meds because I told. That's what they worry about. I know they don't even want us together.. If I didn't calm you down, they wouldn't even let me see you."

"But- I love you. We should be aloud to see each other whenever we want to,"Albus complained.

"I know you feel, but we have to do what the doctor says," Alek said.

Albus looked down. "I don't see why listening to you is a bad thing. I have nothing wrong because you told me to. I'm stronger than that. I'm not weak. I'm not."

"I know that, but the doctors don't. They still think you're dependent on me,"Alek said. "'I'm sure they'll see that and let you go soon. I'll be there with you no matter what happens."

"Thank you. I love you."