Harry Potter and the Destruction of a Home

2

2 years later, Lily, James and Charlie were outside on the modern patio of Potter Manor. They were enjoying a fancy afternoon tea of cucumber finger-sandwiches, scones and tea with Sirius and Remus. Harry, however, was not allowed to partake in this meal, even though he had been the one to cook it, because he had to complete his other chores. Why the 3-year-old had chores was unknown to anyone outside the Potter family — though if you asked Harry it was because his mother didn't condone the slavery of house-elves.

Both twins had grown a lot since that fateful Halloween. Charlie had become, as his father would describe him, a 'strapping young lad' and was quite a bit pudgier than before, as though he had been regularly over-eating. He was just over a metre tall and his hair had been trimmed back to make him seem well cared for and presentable. Even with this added height, he would still be considered to be morbidly obese by the muggle healthcare system.

Harry, however, was almost the complete opposite of his brother. While Charlie was fat, he was undernourished since he was unable to eat healthily or regularly. And while Charlie was tall for their age, Harry was short as he was only 70 centimetres tall. His hair made him look like a sheepdog since it hung down over his eyes and caused him to have to peer up through it to see anyone taller than him.

It was as he munched on his second sandwich that Sirius realised that there was a member of their family missing:

"James where is Harry?" he asked.

"He's inside in his room reading, why?" James replied.

"Just wanted to talk to him for a bit. Yesterday I realised I didn't really know much about my godson. That's all." Sirius replied.

"I'll go get him." James said and with that he went to find the child that was drawing Sirius's attention away from the Boy-who-lived.

When he found him reading a complex book on transfiguration he sighed, "Harry, Padfoot wants to talk to you" his voice was filled with venom but Harry passed it off as annoyance that he had to come all the way up to find him. He nodded, setting down his book and ran to the stairs followed by a bemused James.

"Ruinam Trimus." James spoke quietly feeling satisfaction at seeing his attention-seeking son tumble down the stairs.

"Ahhhhhhh" Harry screamed loudly, drawing the attention of Remus lupin and Sirius Black to his broken body. He hit the end and struggled against the urge to let the darkness pressing against the sides of his vision consume him.

Remus ran towards the sound of his cub's voice and upon seeing him how bad he looked shouted at Sirius to call some healers. He was worried about Harry and turned to talk to him knowing that he needed to stay conscious "Harry? What happened?" Remus asked the broken boy and Harry knowing that James was within hearing distance said that he just tripped down the stairs. Remus saw Harry's eyes beginning to close and softly spoke, "Harry I need you to stay awake just until we know if you've got a concussion or not." Silently he was hoping that Sirius would hurry up as he didn't think he would be able to keep Harry awake much longer, just as he was starting to give up hope he heard the Floo flare to life once again and Sirius came followed by a group of healers.

"Hi kid, we're just gonna lay you on this stretcher and take you to the hospital okay." One of the healers told Harry gently which Harry consented to before falling unconscious.

* * *

"Harry? Harry? Please wake up!" A desperate voice was cutting through the silence, "Come on Harry please."

Harry struggled to open his eyes, the voice sounded familiar... "P-Pad-dfoot!" The young boy murmured as he opened his eyes only to quickly close them again, against the onslaught of light.

"Harry! Do you remember what happened?" Remus Lupin asked quickly.

"T'was Da-ad." The youngster murmured stifling a yawn as he noticed the darkness pressing in on him, "What's the damage?"

"A concussion-" Remus started

"James? He can't have pushed you Harry, he's your father. It's not good to lie." Sirius cut in

"Ruinam Trimus."Harry muttered before falling back into the hands of unconsciousness. Leaving a frozen Remus and a disbelieving Sirius.

"You- You don't think? Prongs do that to his son? No way." Sirius started

"Yes I think Prongs used a tripping jinx on his son making him trip down some stairs. It's too much of a coincidence not to be." Remus replied bluntly.

"But why would he?"

"I don't know, but don't you realise Prongs isn't here? His youngest son has fallen down the stairs and he doesn't care?"

Beep, beep, beep... the only sound that could be heard in the hospital room was the streaky sound of the machine measuring Harry's heart rate until until it began to slow to a small quiet, beep... beep... beep.... beep.... beep..... beep. Hearing this Sirius felt his own heart rate speeding up at the sound of Harry's, his pups heart slowing down he saw Remus run out and yell for a healer but he knew it would be too late.

But then all of a sudden the young boy's eyes opened and he saw the eerie green of his godsons eyes as he breathed out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding in one single word, "Harry."

He registered the healer come in with a tray of potions and pass them all to his godson to drink but nothing truly stuck until he heard the thick, raspy voice that came from the source of his panic slur out, "Pads it's rude to stare, if you don't stop soon we might have to see if they have a manners potion in stock."

He smiled that's all he seemed able to achieve for a bit before suddenly he snapped out of it and he went to see when his pup would be discharged.