Ner words in this chapter: 2,837
"Talking"
'Thinking'
{Talking on the phone/over the fireplace}
{Text message}
–Parseltongue–
Thinking in 3rd person POV/Dream/Memory/Flashback/Others
Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper
Time change/Date of time
Change of POV
Chapter I
–The Moving–
Thursday, 27 June 2013
HJP's POV
For the rest of the month Harry stayed in the Infirmary wing. When Dumbledore – who apparently was back to his job – had come to ask Harry what happened, 'Ginny' had answered how Harry had slayed the Basilisk and destroyed the diary that had been controlling 'her'. No more demands for answers had been made. Harry believed that Madam Pomfrey had had a hand in that. On the last night at Hogwarts Harry received a visitor in the Infirmary wing; Dobby.
"Master an order Dobby give. To Master Harry Potter Sir Dobby belong now."
Harry hummed and heard Dobby clicking his fingers.
"Why did your Master do that?"
"Master receive important letter and then that to Harry Potter Dobby belong tell."
Harry nodded.
"Can you help me pack my trunk, then? Just bring me a change of Muggle clothes."
"Dobby will." Dobby agreed ecstatically, before popping away.
Harry laid on his side only to realize that the magic Dobby had done earlier was to make certain the bedclothes wouldn't falloff. He huffed and closed his eyes. Not that it mattered if he had them open or not.
–BT–
Friday, 28 June 2013
Dobby was there in the morning to help him with the job of getting ready. He got dressed, combed, took out the scarf around his eyes and put on his glasses. Not because he could see, but because he felt undressed without them.
It was a long walk all the way down to the entrance doors. Harry could face Dark Lords and here he was, scared of any sound he could hear.
"Let me." Harry froze as 'Ginny' showed at his side as if in a reminder. A constant reminder. "Ron and Hermione didn't visit you?"
"They did. Just not today." Harry argued.
He could practically tell how the one at his side smirked. They climbed some steps into the carriages and the two rode in silence towards Hogsmeade.
"You lost your sight, your friends and your independence all in one day. I'd say that people are right. Sometimes living is worse than dying."
Harry would've glared if he could've, which only provoked in an icy laugh from the other.
–BT–
Friday, 28 June 2013
Harry was forced to ride alone and then to walk to the Muggle's side of the station by himself. Not even 'Ginny' came to help him this time.
"Boy!" Harry stopped at the sound and turned towards the side, waiting for his uncle to call him again. "What do you think you are doing?"
Harry turned and followed the tell-tale voice of his uncle through the masses of people. Finally, he was grabbed by the shoulder.
"Uncle Vernon?" He asked, almost pleaded.
There's a long silence and then Harry's glasses were taken out.
"Did those Freaks blind you?" Harry nodded and Uncle Vernon huffed, before his glasses were put on again. "They haven't even offered you an arm?"
"No, Uncle Vernon."
Uncle Vernon sneered and Harry started to be pulled with the hand on his shoulder.
"Do you Freaks have lawyers?"
"We have the W. Bank. They might know who to contact."
They arrived outside and Harry closed his eyes tightly. So much light! Something fell over his head, hiding him from the brightness. He opened his eyes surprised.
"You need shaded-glasses to protect your irises." Uncle Vernon grunted – would Harry dare say – almost kindly?
They arrived the car and he was put before the closed door. Harry opened and entered.
"Your trunk?" Aunt Petunia asked from the front of the car.
"House elf is bringing it, Aunt Petunia."
"Why?"
Uncle Vernon finished entering and closed the door.
"Put the seatbelt, Boy!" Harry was quick to obey. Getting punished would've feel ten times worse, considering every feeling he still could feel was intensified now. "Where's that Bank?"
"Charing Cross Road. In my kind's street."
Uncle Vernon grumbled under his breath and started the car. No one dared to speak during the quarter-hour it took, not even Dudley. Once parked, Dudley was left at an ice cream parlour with the biggest ice cream they could serve, before they walked into the Leaky Cauldron. Aunt Petunia, surprisingly, being the one to guide them.
"What's the brick?"
"From the bin, three up and two across."
Harry's hand was picked and his wand was taken from his pocket before being put on his hand and directed to the exact brick. Then, Harry was taken down the road by his relatives.
"Bank is…?"
"Huge white building saying Gringotts. Goblins run the place and they care more about money than anything at all. They don't care about anything except if that makes them rich… and if treated with respect instead of a thing like many Wizards and Witches do."
Harry was directed into a set of stairs and then inside Gringotts. Dealing with power hungry beings was Uncle Vernon's speciality. Human or otherwise.
Harry's mind started to go into overdrive with too many sounds left and right.
–BT–
Harry accepted the mug being forced into his hands by one of his relatives, suspecting Aunt Petunia, and sipped from his tea quietly as Uncle Vernon still discussed Harry's blindness with the Goblin in the private room they'd been taken to after Harry's freak out.
"Magic decontrol like what happened earlier from hyperventilating will start being a thing until he gets used to his new life." the Goblin explained.
"How long can that be?"
"Days, weeks, months, years… forever. Depends on the person."
"Well, Harry isn't returning to that school. His supposed friends didn't even bother being by his side." Aunt Petunia sniffed in outrage. "They made this to him and didn't even bother sending a letter with a warning this time!"
Harry lowered his head, mindful of the tea. It wasn't like he could argue.
"They wanted me to fight their war and now that I'm broken I…"
"You're not broken!" Uncle Vernon sneered. "You just need to learn to use that freakiness of yours instead of actual sight. Into something actually useful for once!"
"Hogwarts School isn't prepared for this kind of cases. There was a blind Professor before but he was a true Seer so he could see what was before him. Hogwarts is an Ancient Sentient School, it's always shaping itself. Even if Mr Potter would've try to, the ritual of same corridors and places so he doesn't need help, can't be found in England."
"But there are other schools who teach him that?"
"I know for a certain that Ilvermorny School even teaches how to fully feel their Magical Core and, by so, how to use it to see."
There's a silence and then Uncle Vernon spoke.
"Where's that school?"
"United States of America."
Harry raised his head and he was certain that his eyes even grew.
–BT–
Sunday, 28 July 2013
Harry moved back and forth in the swings. They would travel in a couple days. He knew he could have a normal, as much as possible, life without his sight. What really freaked him out was how many people actually turned on him for being handicapped. Was Harry's supposedly Hero Stamp all that had mattered to them?
A sound made Harry stop. He could hear brushes moving. It wasn't Dudley, though. The teenager didn't understand the meaning of quiet.
Harry dropped from the swings into his knees and offered his hand. The movement approached slowly and then a dog's muzzle was sniffing out his hand. Harry stayed still, letting the dog get used to him. In the end the dog approached, making Harry's hand fall over its head. Harry smiled and started scratching it.
"Hey, there." He whispered, not wanting to scare the massive creature. It could kill him with one single bite, after all. "That's it... I'm not an enemy. Are you alone? You seem amiable enough. Were you raised by Humans?"
Harry tried to feel for a collar or harness, but there was none. He sighed sadly as the Creature approached while making a dog-version of a purr. Harry started feeling the skin and bones and heard a whimper when he touched a place in the massive dog's fur. Finally, the dog's head snapped to the side and a growl like sound left its chest, while Harry noticed it stance itself in a protective position of Harry.
"Boy, I have to go make dinner in no time. If you want me to bring you back then let's go now." Aunt Petunia had probably come to get him.
Harry stood and set a calming hand on the dog's fur, before he approached the direction of the exit and where he supposed Aunt Petunia was. As they walked back, Harry smiled at hearing the dog following him.
"Aunt…"
"Bath and tomorrow checked by the veterinarian, then we'll see." Aunt Petunia retorted without needing him to finish. "If it can show some kind of enough intelligence to be a guide-dog then it'll be cheaper than any of those dogs me and your uncle have been looking through. Even with all the expenses to bring it along. It takes at least a year with all the shots it has to take."
"Bu…"
"Until then it'll stay with Aunt Marge." Aunt Petunia retorted in an it's final tone.
They arrived the front yard and Harry was released. Aunt Petunia walked away in fast strides and the dog showed at his side quickly. Harry snorted.
"All you need is the blind special leash, Boy…
"You're a boy, right? It would be really embarrassing if you were a girl now."
"It's a male. Underfed, black fur dirty with mud and blood, bear-sized and very much male." Harry froze and his head turned. "I see what Petunia meant. It looks to have already taken the job of a guide-dog. Come on, Boy, we have to bath It and you have to learn to do it while you are still under my tutelage."
What was Aunt Marge doing here?
He grabbed unto the dog's fur, walked inside and all the way upstairs to the bathroom. Slowly, he managed to get the dog to trust him enough to get into the tub. Next, for Harry's shame – and surprise -, Aunt Marge taught him how to bath the dog throughoutly.
When they were done and the dog was as dry as it would get, they left the bathroom.
"Go change clothes, you're drenched." Aunt Petunia told him as she passed by him into the bathroom and Harry could smell bleach on the woman.
He entered his bedroom out of practice and Dobby appeared with a pop.
"Need a change of clothes." Harry put in.
Before he could move already he was clean, dry and clothes changed.
–BT–
Monday, 29 July 2013
For some reason, Harry woke the next morning with the word Snuffles on his lips. To which, surprisingly enough, got him an armful of dog-fur as he was jumped upon.
"Down, Boy!" Aunt Marge commanded.
Harry sat as Snuffles got out of the bed.
"It was my fault, Aunt Marge. I accidentally called him."
"And It needs to learn not to jump over you. Have you decided for a name yet?"
"Snuffles."
Aunt Marge snorted and whistled.
"Come on, Snuffles. Walking time."
Harry stood as Uncle Vernon's sister left with the dog. A walk. Now that was something he wouldn't manage himself. Maybe their place in the States would have a massive backyard?
Harry changed and descended to help Aunt Petunia in his best with breakfast.
–BT–
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Harry was itchy. He had never been in a plane before and the thought of both Snuffles (on his cage), Hedwig and Dobby (inside the walk-in suitcase) were downstairs in the baggage's side of the plane made it even worse with worry for them.
By some miracle, the Veterinarian had said that Snuffles had all the necessary shots. Harry had almost hugged the woman when she declared Snuffles ready for travel, which had made her laugh. The thought of leaving the dog with Aunt Marge had given him awake nightmares!
Anything under the Dursleys family's paws ended up broken and battered. Harry huffed at hearing Dudley start to get antsy. This would be a long birthday…
–BT–
There was a taxi driver waiting for them when they arrived at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
–BT–
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Harry nipped on his thumb while he could hear Snuffles whine. He was scared. He was terrified. This would've be his first ever shrink.
"Behave yourself, Boy." Aunt Petunia sniffed down her nose as if he was an insult to her perfect imagery. "We've already moved to the States to better accommodate your condition. Stop complaining."
Harry lowered his arm, while frowning. It wasn't like Uncle Vernon hadn't gotten a better deal with moving into this city. More money and more people to shout at…
"Mr. Harry Potter." A strong accented male voice called and Harry stood at once, falling over Snuffles that had been sitting over Harry's feet. A hand grabbed him before he fell face forward, though. "I suppose that would've be you." The man added gently, yet amused.
"Yes, Sir. And that's my Aunt: Petunia Dursley." He offered to his side as he straightened himself and Snuffles stood at his side. "And my guide-oversized-pup."
"Very well. Your Aunt is to your other side." Harry went deep red. "Do you mind if I speak first with Mrs. Dursley?"
Harry shook his head and let Snuffles guide him back to the seat. A door closed and he went back to bite his thumb. Snuffles pawed at his arm as the dog whimpered. Finally, the door reopened.
"What did I tell you about doing that?"
"Mrs. Dursley, maybe you should let me address this newly formed reaction?"
Harry stood and bit his bottom lip as he felt Aunt Petunia's stare.
"I'll be back in an hour."
Harry listened to her stilettos walking away and then Snuffles was standing by his side.
"Shall we, Harry?"
Harry entered the psychiatrist room, uncertain.
He released Snuffles who sat down before a fireplace where the coals could be heard cracking.
"So, how does this work?" He asked as he let his hand look for the desk and chair. Only to feel an armchair instead. "Armchairs?"
"And the walls are filled with bookcases."
"Hmmm… may I know your surname, Sir? Can't keep naming you Doctor Shrink in my head."
"It's Hannibal Lecter."
Harry turned in the direction of the man with a raised eyebrow.
"Your parents gave you a name that – if changed one letter – means human-meat eater?"
"'Cannibal' is 'kanibalas' in my home tongue." Dr Lecter argued amused.
"Poland?"
"Lithuania."
Harry hummed and moved around the armchair, not wanting to sit down.
"Are we to spend a whole hour barely speaking?"
"We are speaking, are we not?"
"I asked about your name and homeland." Harry argued.
"And how does that make you feel?"
"Like you are bringing me into a false sense of familiarity. The couches to make it look like a drawing room instead of an office. To make the patient more at easy."
"Does that upset you? That I don't have you sit down on an uncomfortable chair and speak all your heart to a complete stranger?"
Harry frowned as he turned his head in the doctor's direction.
"It doesn't. That's what freaks me out. That I know it's all to make me do it but on my own terms as you write every single detail on your notebook about my personality. About my parents' supposed car accident while drunk and my aunt and uncle getting stuck with me. How I went to a 'reformatory' school, got blinded by an 'accident' and now they were forced to move to the States so I'd attend a good school who will teach me to survive without sight." Harry huffed. "Did I miss anything on my Aunt's report?"
"That makes you angry?"
"Nope. Not even resentful. I live with them since I was a-year-old. I'm used to their overprotectiveness of Dudley and complete neglect of me. Actually, I can't wait to have them leave me alone again. Since the first of July and their realization that I returned blind, that they started to overwhelm me and it's leaving me catosphobic."
"Claustrophobic." Dr Lecter offered and Harry nodded thankfully. "You aren't used to attention."
"It brings nothing good." Harry argued with a huff. "It's better to live underground where practically no one pays enough attention to you than to live in a pedestal and find that everyone that was with you didn't care about you at all… even if you almost died for them."
"Do you want to talk about that?"
"You do know I only have a month, right? In September, I'll be almost 8 hours drive away in my new special school."
"A month now, maybe. We still have your holidays." Dr Lecter argued.
Harry stopped mid-exploring to turn towards the Muggle's direction at his dark tone. What was that?
(TBC)