The Almost Death of Harry Potter

Description: Harry is hurt and Albus feels guilty. "He saw his mom, Uncle Bill, and Uncle Ron yelling around the room. And then whether he wanted to or not he saw his father's face again. Only this time the pain had been replaced by an odd color. Blue."

Disclaimer: ...I don't own...

He normally would be asleep by this time of night, but after today sleep eluded him. Every time he closed his eyes images of his father's face flooded his mind. Broken. He saw his dad's face twisted in pain. He saw his mom, Uncle Bill, and Uncle Ron yelling around the room. And then whether he wanted to or not he saw his father's face again. Only this time the pain had been replaced by an odd color. Blue.

Albus Potter pushed the thoughts out of his mind and quickened his pace down the small hall. A gasp pulled him up short at the entrance of the living room. Even though his father had been in the exact same spot on the small sofa earlier– he was hoping for some movement. Maybe his dad would be reading a book or the Daily Prophet.

Instead, there he laid. Motionless. A rush of emotions clogged Al's throat. And worse, the guilt that had been there since the events of the night thickened. It settled deep in his stomach and made Al want to throw up. "This is all my fault," he choked out, now frozen in place as he stared into the dark living room.

The young boy had hoped that seeing his father would bring some peace, but it only brought more turmoil. The lack of improvement did not sit well with the boy's already tried emotions. With the day's events flashing again through his head, he forced his foot forward. His heart beat so wildly that he felt it in his ears as tried to search his father's face. He need to see something there...breath or pain or not death.

"Easy there, mate." The words were startling enough, but when a hand landed on his shoulder Albus jerked and screamed.

"Shut up, you git! Do you want to wake this whole house?" the voice hissed.

"Teddy?" The young boy gasped as he whirled around to face his god-brother.

"Yes, Al, who did you think? Voldemort?" Teddy whispered back tiredly. "And what are you doing out of bed so late?"

Silence.

That comment stung more than Teddy had intended. Al had heard the stories about his father and fighting against Voldemort. And all the danger that his family had faced in those times. And now today, with one jealous selfish move, Al had almost killed his father. Something that a DARK Lord had worked years at. Oh, the luck of Albus Potter.

"Albus, it was just a joke." Teddy mumbled seeing the odd mix of emotions cross Al's face. "It just me," he added lamely after seeing tears start to well up in the young boy's eyes.

Albus hated the idea of crying. He rarely saw his dad cry, and then only it had been on joyous occasions. He blinked a couple of times, but his emotion got the best of him and silent tears started streaming down his face. Teddy's surprise and comment had not helped matters, but it was more than that. It was the guilt and fear. The whole damn day.

Sighing loudly, Teddy scoped Albus up into his arms as big brother mode kicked in. And that was all it took. Silent tears became wrecked sobs. The boy latched on to Teddy's neck and sobbed into his shoulder. "Shh, shhh," Teddy whispered as he instinctively pulled Albus closer to him. "It's okay, Al. I am here now. Everything is going to be okay." He whispered trying to soothe the boy. "Surely I didn't frighten you that badly, hmm?" he tried to joke.

Albus managed to shake his head back and forth into his shoulder. "Hush then. Shhh...calm down, now. And tell me what's got you so upset." Al bit back another sob as Teddy calmly rubbed his back. Finally, brown eyes looked in to bright orange ones.

"He IS breathing, right, Teddy?" Albus felt foolish after the question left his lips. Yet, the image of Uncle Bill pounding on his father's chest flooded his mind. The words from his Uncle still echoed through the air: "Harry! Come on, breathe!" It sent shivers down Al's spine just thinking about how afraid his Uncle had been and how blue his father face had turned.

"Al," Teddy's voice was gentle but amused, "Listen."

Two sets of eyes turned and stared at the man laying on the couch. At first nothing, but then as if on cue a soft snore escape from Harry Potter's lips.

"Does that answer your question?" Teddy asked as he looked down at the younger boy with a smile. Every muscle within Al's body seemed to relax at that moment and he let out his own deep breath. Albus felt the tears return to his eyes but this time it was relief.

"More water works?" Teddy asked hugging him close again. Al quickly swiped at his eyes. He did not want to cry anymore especially in front of people that could potentially tease him about it later.

"Just needed to check on dad." Albus mumbled pathetically, as he once again sniffed back the last few tears and slide back to his own feet.

"I was worried about him too, Al. That's why I am here. I sent your mum to bed a couple hours okay. She's been overcome with worry as well." Teddy paused to dig through his pocket and finally pulled out a hankie. "Here."

Albus took the hankie with wide eyes, thankful that Teddy did not make him return straight to bed or start teasing him about crying.

"She was practically falling asleep standing up." Teddy mussed.

The guilt that had momentarily eased, returned. This time it pounded against his head. Mocking him. Mocking him and reminding him how HE was the cause of all this pain.

"Albus, what's really going on with you?"

The question hung in the air as Albus thought about the day. He thought about the disgusted look on Uncle Ron's face as he sent him to his room. He shivered as he thought about the rest of the family and how they would react when they found out the news. He shuddered not wanting Teddy to despise him, at least not yet. "I am fine," he managed to get out around the blob that was trying to form in his throat again.

"Al, it is me. You know, Teddy. I have been around since you were born. That lie might work on someone else, but we're...brothers." He raised his eyebrows at Albus. "Now, tell me what's really bothering you. And don't say nothing cause you've nearly had two break downs in the last five minutes."

Al dropped his eyes. Teddy was being so nice to him, he probably deserved to know. He at least deserved to know parts.

"I'm afraid."

"Come on, mate, you've seen your dad hurt before. I know this looks bad now, but most of the bruises are gone. And the ribs should be healed. My bet is that by tomorrow he'll be as good as new."

"But this is my fault!" Al snapped his lips shut not believing that those words had escaped.

"Albus Potter, I do not believe that for a minute."

"It's true. I almost killed him, Teddy."

Al managed to slowly look up into Teddy's face. He did not see any of the expected anger there. Just Teddy's now brown eyes looking doubtful.

"Well then, out with it."

"It all started when dad promised that me and him would spend some time together. He's been really busy lately." He sighed heavily as he started his story. "He promised me that we could work on some quidditch moves."

"Okay, continue..." Teddy prompted deciding that bit was pretty basic.

"Dad promised, but he had been really busy."

"Busy?"

"You know, James needed his help with some girl advice. And Mum needed him to cook lunch because she had some office work that had to be finished. And then Lilly had practically begged him to play dolls."

"I was really trying to be patient. Until.."

"Until?" Teddy prompted. "Until what?"

"Until I saw him taking a nap."

"And, what? You beat up your own dad? All this time I thought you were a wimp letting James pick on you. But you're telling me, that you actually have a chance of being the next Hogwart's bully?"

Teddy's teasing did not faze Albus now. Being honest had started to easy some of the guilt. His stomach began to untwist and he took a deep calming breath.

"Teddy, I stole his wand." Al said bluntly looking over at his sleeping father on the couch.

All traces of humor left Teddy's face as he stared down at his younger brother.

Albus quickly added, "I was going to return it. It was just to goof off a little, you know with Hogwarts coming up in a few weeks."

"Well, I had just made it to the living room when Dad came running in. I thought I had already been caught. Yet, he just mumbled something about a job and was throwing green powder and disappeared."

Al licked his lips. He had already told Teddy this much – he better finish the story. "Anyway, here I am with his wand. I was worried and thought about following him to return it. You know, he might need it. But I had no clue where he went."

"Well, I decided just to wait. He'd come back for it soon. Mad, but at least he would be able to find it. But as I waited, I sorta...well feel asleep."

"You feel asleep?" Teddy asked flatly

Al felt his face burn red, but continued. "Next thing I know Uncle Ron is carrying Dad through the door screaming for my mum. Then Uncle Ron dropped dad on the couch. He was in so much pain."

"Well I think I must have been in shock because next thing I know the wand was gone, Uncle Bill was there, and –" Al felt his voice catch as the memory came rushing back.

Teddy gently reached out and place a hand on Al's thin shoulder. Albus jumped for the second time that night and turned his tear-filled eyes towards his god-brother. Teddy felt his heart break as he saw blatant fear in those watery eyes.

"Al, I'm not going to hurt you." Teddy mumbled feeling a lot older than his mere twenties. "How could you ever think that?"

Albus felt his checks color with shame. He had just naturally assumed that Teddy had turned his wrath on him. That Teddy had been so angry about what happened that he was going to hit him.

"I—I- deserve it." Al sobbed bitterly.

Teddy inwardly groaned. He was awful at situations like this and wish that Harry was the one dealing with this problem. He looked to the sleeping man on the couch and then back to the sobbing child. "Come on, bedtime."

"What?" Al tried to ask between sobs but wasn't sure if Teddy could understand him.

"It is really late and you have had an emotional and draining day." Teddy mumbled as he placed his hand back on Al's shoulder and bent down to his eye level. "Shhh...you'll feel better after you get some sleep."

"But I didn't finish the story," he mumbled. "It gets worse."

Teddy sighed. "I know."

"You do?"

"Yes, I have heard the 2nd half a few times now. But you can finish telling me your side of it in the morning." Teddy said as he scooped the boy into his arms.

"But, Teddy – "

"Hush now, Albus." Teddy whispered feeling sleepy himself, "Besides three strikes or in this case breakdowns...you're out."

"You—you-don't hate me?"

"Hate you?"

"I almost killed him." Al repeated as Teddy started to leave the living room but stopped.

"Look at him Albus, he's going to be okay."

Albus raised his head from Teddy's shoulder to take one finally look at his father. Motionless, but snoring lightly on the couch.

"He turned blue."

"He's going to be okay." Teddy repeated as he continued with Al in his arms down the hall.

"Uncle Ron was really angry, Teddy."

"Uncle Ron is hot headed, like your grandma. He'll get over it."

"But he's right, if I hadn't-"

"Al, stop. You can't blame yourself for this. A lot of people are at fault here, not just you. So you can't take the whole blame." Teddy dropped the younger boy into the bed and pulled the covers up.

"I didn't mean for it to happen." Al miserably answered.

"Yeah, well I didn't mean to kiss my best mate's girl either." Teddy answered absently as he pulled out his wand and whispered a spell. A cup formed and he handed it to Albus. "Drink up, Al. You need some sleep."

Al obeyed, recognizing the warm liquid from his childhood. "Mum gave us this when we were sick."

Teddy smiled, "Yeah she made up a batch earlier for your father. I just zapped it on over from the kitchen. Pretty cool trick, huh?"

Al wanted to say that he shouldn't be taking any of the medicine that could potentially help his father. But his tongue became thick and his eyes heavy as sleep threatened.

"He'll be okay, you'll see little brother." Teddy repeated as he stood and crossed to the door. Al mumbled something and then finally drifted off to sleep. Teddy sighed in relief. He knew that Albus must have felt a little guilty for today, but he did not realize how much.

Back in the living room with the still sleeping Harry, Teddy slumped into the air chair. "It's a right mess here, Dad" he mumbled to the sleeping man. "Mum's frantic, Uncle Ron's pissed, and your son basically thinks he killed you. It'd be great if you could wake up and fix all of this, because I don't think I can."

Another loud snore left Harry's lips.

"Yeah, tomorrow works better for me too."

Author's Note: Well first off, thanks for reading this short story. They say write what you want to read. I really wanted to see Teddy morph into big brother mode, so viola this story. I am planning on making it into a two-shot. I'll be answering some of the problems in more details and hopefully bringing everything to an happy ending (cause that's the way I roll...at least in this story).

I am always open for positive and negative reviews. That's how we grow, right?