"Ah, Mr. Potter. Nice to see you walking in here rather than being levitated in."

"Yeah, thanks," said Harry as he took the seat opposite Healer Mary Spinnet. "You don't mind my saying that I'd rather not be here at all, do you?"

"To be quite honest, Mr. Potter, I feel the same way. It would mean that you were feeling better, and I could pop off for a quick nap, but, alas, it seems neither of us are going to completely get our way this morning. So let us make the best of it, hmm?"

Harry couldn't help but smile. She might seem a little formal at times, but Healer Spinnet knew how to keep patients relaxed, while still conveying a sense of authority. "Deal. So, what do I get to be prodded with first? Will it hurt?"

"The first prods will only be a few simple questions. As long as you make no inquiries as to my age or remark rudely about my lovely figure, I'm quite certain you will escape unharmed. Understand?"

This time, the smile stayed. "Yes ma'am."

"Good. So, how is your memory coming along?"

"I still don't really remember anything...at least, not anything that's real."

"Your memories of your other life remain clear though?"

"No, there are gaps too."

Healer Spinnet sat up a little straighter, becoming slightly more tense. "What sort of gaps?"

"I...I'm not sure. I think about it sometimes, when I try to think about things that are different. I mean, everything from that life seems so sad. My parents were dead, my grandparents, my godfather, and the war...but there were other things too. I feel like I'm forgetting something. Something that was important."

Healer Spinnet leaned back in her chair and studied Harry for a moment. "Are you sure you aren't just projecting your feelings from this life onto your remembered life?"

Harry frowned. "See, I don't know. This is what I was feeling last night when I couldn't sleep. I think that's why dad brought me in today."

"Was he right to?"

Harry absently ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know anymore. To be honest, Healer, I still don't know what's real. I mean, I can sit here, feel the wood grain on this chair, smell the toast and mint tea sitting on your desk, hear the people walking outside that door, see the texturing on the walls...but I don't know if it's real." Harry rose out of his chair in frustration and began wandering around the small office. "After all, it's in a world that, until a few weeks ago, I didn't know existed. The world I knew is only in my head. But I can remember 16 years worth of memories from it."

"But you can't quite remember everything, can you?"

Harry stopped pacing and looked right at Healer Spinnet. "No, I suppose not."

Healer Spinnet leaned forward in her chair and folded her hands on her desk. "Harry, I know this might seem difficult, but I think that this is actually a good sign. You are beginning to let go. That's a very important step in your healing process."

Harry now turned to face her. "How can this be a good thing? I feel like I'm losing my mind!"

"Harry, I think you should sit down. We have quite a bit of ground to cover, and I don't fancy your chances of being able to absorb everything I have to tell you while you are wearing holes in my lovely carpeting. It's a bit of a bother to have it replaced, you know."

Harry gave a small chuckle as he made his way back to his chair. When he sat down, he gave Healer Spinnet his full attention.

"Thank you, Harry. Now, let's discuss what is happening to you. You are not making any progress in remembering you current life. That is obviously causing great distress to your parents. Despite your lack of recall, you do seem to have formed a very powerful bond with your parents. So, naturally, their distress has an effect on you. When combined with your own frustrations and desire for progress, I believe your mind is gradually letting go of the illusions. This will, in turn, help with your own recollections. It will take some time though. No need to give me that dirty look. We've been telling you from the start that this wouldn't be easy. Part of you seems to be holding on to your old life. Isn't that right?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I mean, it just seems so important, you know. I feel like there's something I have to do, and I just can't remember it."

"Harry, listen to me, and listen very carefully, because this is important. The mind is a funny thing. It is beyond the understanding of even the brightest witches and wizards. It can be surprisingly frail at one moment, and strong as steel the next. One can never truly know how the mind will cope with the demands we place on it. Right now, at this very moment, you are feeling helpless and powerless. And yet your mind is still fighting. Some of your most basic survival instincts are guiding it right now. Your mind is searching for any foothold it can find, something to ground it, something to tell it what's real. Your mind wants facts. Facts are indisputable, and can end all doubt in your mind. But, I fear you cannot accept any facts right now. You have too many. You have facts from this world and the other. So you need the next best thing. Do you know what that is, Harry?"

Harry had leaned towards her in spite of himself, and now hung on everything Healer Spinnet was saying. "What?"

"You must believe, Harry. You must choose to believe. Your mind will follow you whichever path you choose, but you must choose. Do you understand?"

"I...I think so..."

Healer Spinnet smiled. "No, you don't, Mr. Potter. Not just yet anyway." She brightened. "But no matter. As we said, it will take some time. The best thing to do for now is keep reacquainting yourself with your life. To that end, I have something that might help you. Two somethings, actually. And, if I'm not very much mistaken, they are both listening at the door." Mary reached for her wand and waved a simple unlocking spell at the door, which flew open, depositing a mass of lime green robes onto the floor. The mass of robes rose to reveal a red-faced young woman who had rather bushy brown hair.

"Hermione!"

"Oh Harry, it's so good to see you!" Hermione quickly rose from the floor and ran to give Harry a hug. "I've been hoping to see you for weeks now, but they were limiting visits since the wedding! I've been so worried! I knew that you were taking it too fast after the attack, but you boys can be so stubborn, and then you had the fainting spell after the wedding, and it just seemed-"

"Ahem."

Harry couldn't help but laugh as Hermione looked a bit sheepish. She had been building up a head of steam until Healer Spinnet stepped in. He was reminded of a little girl on a train many years ago who was looking for a lost toad.

"Well, we have one of our eavesdroppers. The other is trying unsuccessfully to make a getaway. Isn't that right?" called Healer Spinnet out her door.

Another girl in the same lime green robes walked into the room, also looking sheepish. The effect was somewhat more pronounced as the young girl had rather red ears, which were only emphasized by her lovely red hair.

Harry suddenly became aware of the fact that the amount of oxygen in the room seemed to have decreased drastically, and he had apparently compensated by holding his breath. However, since he felt like he was turning a rather remarkable shade of blue, he decided that he should do something slightly more charming. He decided he should start by letting out the breath he was holding.

Unfortunately, the effect of letting out his breath was his also letting go of Hermione, who promptly stumbled forward onto Harry, who in turn, lost his own footing and somehow ended up on his back staring up at the ceiling. There was one advantage to his current state: a moment to reflect on the past seconds. He concluded that he had perhaps not been entirely successful in being charming.

This rather complicated analysis suddenly escaped him as he found the red head hovering anxiously over him.

"Harry! Are you all right?"

A goofy grin spread across his face. "Brilliant..."

"Ahem."

All three teenagers quickly scrambled to their feet and faced Healer Spinnet. She tried to look stern, but the events of the past minute had made that rather difficult.

"Ordinarily, if I found my apprentices eavesdropping outside my office, it would mean an afternoon of cleaning bedpans without magic." Hermione and Ginny suddenly found their shoes to be quite interesting. "However, the first rule of working at St. Mungo's is that patients come first, even before nasty chores. Therefore, your punishment will be spending the rest of the day with Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley, who should stop hiding on the other side of the door. After all, I know he was eavesdropping, too."

A rather gob smacked looking Ron stumbled into the room. "How did you know we were all there?"

"Call it a maternal instinct, son. Now, I believe I prescribed some therapy for my patient. Off with the lot of you!

888

After taking the Portkey from the lobby of St. Mungo's, the reunited gang found themselves with the rest of the day to spend in Diagon Alley. The extra moneybags provided by the Potters ensured that it would be a day well spent. Healer Spinnet had been gracious enough to allow Hermione and Ginny to take a break from their summer apprenticeship to help Harry in his recovery. James and Lily were feeling a bit anxious for their son, and they hoped that a few more familiar faces would help things along.

Either way, it would be a wonderful day for Harry, even if they did have to drag Hermione into Quality Quidditch Supplies against her will. Some compromises had to be made when there were three Gryffindor house players in need of some new dragon hide pads for the upcoming season. Harry and Ron were particularly anxious since it was to be their seventh and final year. Gryffindor's incredible run of 4four straight Hogwarts house championships had raised several eyebrows in the British and Irish Quidditch League. The past few years had seen several scouts attend Hogwarts matches to recruit house players. Seekers and Keepers always seemed to be at a premium, and Harry and Ron stood a good chance of being recruited.

Hermione was later placated when the group went in to Flourish and Blotts. Hermione, of course, wanted to dig straight away into the fall reading list and find a few supplements for her summer internship. Ginny also opted to find a few medical texts. Harry had been pleasantly surprised to see this turn of events, yet it all fit. Hermione and Ginny would make wonderful healers, so long as they weren't forced to put their considerable skills to other uses.

Harry thought back to that other life. He remembered a bushy haired little girl who was so eager to succeed, she had memorised all her books before school started. He remembered a brave girl who was willing to lie for him and Ron. He remembered someone telling him that books and cleverness weren't everything; that friendship and bravery counted for a lot more. There was the girl who stood by him when the rest of the school believed he was a monster, and the one who never stopped working to save Buckbeak, even when her two best friends turned their backs on her.

Harry was considering all this while watching Hermione eagerly devour the book in front of her. He was a little shocked to see Ron step behind her and put his arms around her, offering her a peck on the cheek. Was it so hard to believe things might turn out this way? He remembered the events of the past year in the other place. Hermione had gone out on a limb inviting Ron to the Slug Club party. He may have broken her heart, but it only stood to reason that he might be able to put it back together again. After all, at the end of the year they had...

Harry suddenly doubled over and clutched his forehead. It felt as though his skull might break in half. Suddenly, he felt a pair of soft hands on him and smelled a faint flowery scent.

"Harry, are you all right?"

Just as quickly, the pain went away. Harry opened his eyes and once again found himself staring into the face he had been thinking about for weeks now.

"Yeah, I just... got light-headed there for a second."

"Nice to know I still have an effect on you."

Harry grinned. "Was there ever any doubt?"

"You're sure you're all right? It's no trouble to go back to see Healer Spinnet."

"Nah, no need for that. I think I just need a bit of fresh air. Care to join me?" said Harry with a bit of a roguish grin.

Ginny adopted a very coy demeanour. "Mr. Potter, what sort of witch do you think I am?"

"One who wants to take a walk with me. Now, will you consent to beautifying my arm by being on it?"

"Only because I'm a sucker for hard luck cases. Oi! You lot! The Leaky's down the road, so why don't you get a room! I'm going to take a walk with this one. Meet us in two hours at the joke shop. Shall we?"

Harry laughed. He missed Ginny. A lot. She was so much like her brothers, and yet completely her own person. She had Bill's charisma, the twins' humour, Charlie's sense of adventure and Ron's passion. All those qualities, and yet she was undecidedly feminine. It was a very potent combination. No wonder he had fallen so hard. It would be a wonderful afternoon.

Harry and Ginny stepped out the door of Flourish and Blotts into the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. Everyone else seemed to be in such a rush to be somewhere, but Harry had no such concerns. He had everything and everyone he wanted right at hand. It felt rather nice strolling the streets with Ginny on his arm.

"So, Harry, tell me about her."

"What? Who?"

"The other me; from that other world. What's she like?"

"Oh, umm... is this a trick question?"

"You wound me!" exclaimed Ginny, once again feigning outrage. "Why would I ever take advantage of sweet, simple you?"

"Remind me again, those older brothers of yours, the ones that own the, you know, joke shop."

"Very well, point taken. No, this is not a trick question. It's just... Ron told me about that other life of yours. It sounded awful. But you still knew all of us there so I want to know what she's like. The other me."

Harry looked into Ginny's eyes. There was none of the familiar mischief in them. Rather, they were shining with honesty and vulnerability, as if this question was very important to her. Harry decided that it was best to be honest.

"She's brilliant. Feisty. Has a wicked sense of humour. Loves to make everyone laugh. And she's strong. Stronger than most people give her credit for."

Ginny looked down and shyly ran a hand through her hair over her ear. "Were you two ever... involved?"

"We were."

"What happened?"

"We broke up. I don't remember why. I didn't want to, but... we had to for some reason. It wasn't meant to be."

"Do you believe that?"

"I don't want to."

"Then don't."

Harry decided that he wouldn't believe it. Or, rather, he would make that decision much later, once Ginny's lips had left his and her scent and touch weren't hijacking his higher brain functions. For the moment, he was occupied with kissing Ginny Weasley, and that suited him just fine.