Chapter 26
Hope and I darted for Harmione's bedroom. Harmione was in her closet trembling in fear, dripping with sweat and she had blood on her wrists.
"Harmione!" Hope screamed and picked her up.
"Mommy!" She cried.
Harmione continued to cry as Hope carried her into the living and sat her down on the couch. I got on my knees near her as Hope ran swiftly to the kitchen for the first aid kit.
"Harmione, what happened?!" I shouted over her cries. I got on my knee and grasped one of her hands tightly. Harmione squealed at me.
"Here sweetie, here!" Hope exclaimed as she took out a washcloth and a bottle of antiseptic. I got to my feet, picked up Harmione and put her in my lap. I held out her wrists to Hope. Hope sprayed them with the medicine and dabbed them with a cotton ball. Harmione cried out.
"Har...ssh..." I whispered as I held her tightly.
"Ssh...one more...one more." Hope advised as she sprayed a bit more and began to wrap Harmione's wrists. Harmione looked up at me, and then toward the hallway. Upon sight of the empty hallway she gave a shriek as if there was something there that neither Hope nor I could see. Even with Hope's powers she couldn't detect any sign of life.
We didn't discover the source of Harmione's injuries either; if something else made them or if they were self inflicted we weren't sure. Oddly enough, Harmione got better and went back to her happy go lucky self in a matter of hours. Even so, we weren't going to send her back to school. Instead we took her health and state of shock very seriously. I didn't want to do it but we took her to see a child psychologist. If there was a psychological problem we wanted to find that out.
At the clinic, Harmione seemed nonchalantly unenthusiastic and sat quietly watching television in the waiting room with me and Hope. The waiting room was downright dull in color, with plain white walls, and no pictures. The floors, though I wouldn't; were clean enough to eat off of. A pink sign near the receptionist desk read:
"Don't stress relax."
That was easier said than done. Hope filled out some paperwork for Harmione as she sat next to me. The receptionist continued to answer phone calls and type on her computer. It was quiet. It was chilly. It's actually strange to say that the place really didn't have a smell. The atmosphere was unwelcoming, unnerving, and unkind. It felt like once you entered, your mind became so focused on being analyzed that it shut off the other senses. Harmione began to swing her feet back and forth under the chair. Finally, a nurse called for her. Harmione was taken to a playroom while another doctor spoke to us about Harmione's problem. I didn't like the idea that Harmione had one, but she was clearly unwell and I was bound and determined to find out why. As was Hope.
We were taken to a special room, that looked like an ordinary office. The doctor took a seat at the desk and offered for us to sit down in front of her. We were then questioned.
"Name of the child please."
"Harmione..." Hope spoke up. "H...a...r...m...i...one. Kay Tennyson.
I watched the doctor take notes.
"Age, please."
"5." I spoke out after.
"Date of birth?"
"January 9th, 2018." Hope answered her.
"So...you're here to discuss the concerns, strengths, and weakness of your daughter?"
"Concerns really..."
There was a pause.
"Mr. and Mrs. Tennyson, I must tell you that as this treatment for her progress's we need to know each and everything about your Harmione; to know exactly what it is that's bothering her, and what started or caused the problem. She could be traumatized by something or have a behavior problem or a mental problem. If your Harmione does have special needs we can find a doctor for you."
"Harmione doesn't have a brain disorder or a medical condition." Hope explained.
"That you are aware of...now, what led you to assume she required help? There are several signs."
"Just that she has these fits from time to time, and we found her in the closet; her wrists were slit." Hope began again.
"Self-harm in a 5 year old?"
"We don't know if she did it herself." I spoke out of turn.
"Don't know?"
The nurse lowered her head and narrowed her eyes.
"Cuts do not just appear Mr. Tennyson...either she made them or I have to assume the worst."
"Like what?"
The nurse only nodded. I stood in anger.
"You're not suggesting we did that to her!"
"Ben..." Hope mumbled and pulled at my sleeve.
"We want to help her, not hurt her!"
"Well then, Mr. Tennyson I strongly encourage you to find acceptance. The first step to solving this problem is admitting your daughter has one."
"Ben... Hope said through gritted teeth.
"Now...here is a list of things you can check off so we can learn more about Harmione."
The doctor handed Hope a clipboard and a pen.
"I'll be right back."
I was still standing as she left.
"Ben...sit down."
Hope pulled my arm, and I sat back down.
"Don't make an ass out of yourself."
"Me?!" I yelled excitedly. "That woman thought we'd hurt-"
"I heard her baby...but we didn't...help me fill this out."
I sighed and took the pen and the clipboard. I looked through the list. I marked no on just about everything. Harmione's not a bad girl, she minds, she listens, she has respect. And no mental problems or physical problems to speak of. It's just her powers. It had to be her powers. I looked up at Hope.
"Are you sure it's not just her powers?"
"Ben even if it is, we agreed to just have Harmione checked out just to be on the safe side...and we'll also take her to a pediatrician...I just want to make sure she's okay...besides her mind block is still scary to me.
I just nodded in response. The doctor came back in with Harmione.
"Daddy!"
"Come here baby!"
Harmione ran to me and I picked her up and put her in my lap. The doctor sat back at the desk and read the checklist silently to herself, then aloud to us. She checked over Harmione's other paperwork and asked Harmione about the seizures and about school. She then said:
"Now, here at our facility, we have different categories to suit the therapy. This is for all our patients. We have to go through these categories in order to pinpoint where it is you went wrong in raising your children.
"Excuse me?" I asked rudely.
"Or where the problem lies. Mr. Tennyson, sometimes it is the parents other times it's something else about the child. Sometimes the cause is unknown, but some of the risk factors include: Gender –as boys are much more likely than girls to suffer from behavioral disorders. It is unclear if the cause is genetic or linked to socialization experiences, or another category is gestation and birth – difficult pregnancies, premature birth and low birth weight may contribute in some cases to the child's problem behavior later in life."
"My pregnancy was fine." Hope blurted out.
"And Harmione weighed?"
"7 1/2 pounds." I answered.
"Oh, big girl...so no problems there...well all we have left is: Temperament. But you and your wife said that Harmione is well behaved.
"She is. She better be."
"Hm...Do you consider yourself a strict parent Mr. Tennyson?"
"No I don't." I said softly trying to hide my hate for this woman.
"Well then I'm not sure where to place you as the last categories are learning disabilities and brain development. However you marked she has none."
"That's right." Hope intervened as I didn't want to say anymore.
"Hmmm...I must say this an extremely odd case, I've never seen one like it; but we aren't going to learn all about you in one session now are we?"
Hope and I exchanged glances.
"No...we will need to see Harmione once every two weeks...I understand you'll be using your insurance but we'll say with that it puts you at about $400 dollars a session...with a $30 co-pay."
It was with this last straw, I didn't care what Hope did or said, we we're out of there in a hurry and we didn't look back. We want Harmione to have help, not tossed around doctor to doctor just so they can make money off her. I should have known they wouldn't care about my daughter, my therapist didn't care about me either. That's a story for another time...
Upon a quick trip to our reqular family doctor, Harmione's vitals came up normal, in the weeks that followed we even had a brain scan done, but still nothing. It was getting close to Halloween and Harmione still had fits from time to time. I've even watched her pick up a pair of scissors and jab at the air, only for me to take them away before she hurt herself. Harmione is no longer aware of the fits and goes about her day unknown to her that anything had happened.
Hope and I grew more and more worried. Hope had been re-reading her magic books for help, but so far there's been nothing. Gwen even tried to read Harmione's aura to no avail.
Harmione's episodes seem like they are just a part of who she is now. We can't prevent them, stop them, or cure them; by the simple fact we don't know what's causing them.
Harmione practices her spells with Juju either outside in the yard or in her room. Her powers are growing rapidly but she seems to have very little trouble with them.
She's already mastered mana manipulation, and leviation. I watched her just the other day in the backyard with Hope as she taught her how to teleport.
Hope's bag of tricks have become like toys for Harmione. Even with the seizures we sent her back to school, all of her teachers have been made aware of her condition. Harmione's mind, body, and soul are growing stronger every day. She's learned more than any 5 year old should. Even her math skills have taken a turn for the better. She can now add, subtract, multiple, and divide big numbers.
I'm both really proud and really worried of and about my little princess. We have stopped the hero work for a bit to focus on family life. Right now, though I know it's not a perfect family life; I'd give anything to have my little girl well again. The seizures put her in a lot of pain, and I feel helpless because I can't stop it.
I sat down in the living room with my head in my hands. I felt Hope's delicate hands stroke my back and massage my shoulders.
"I know how you feel Ben, but we can't get run down...I'm working on a way to help her I promise."
"I...I just thought for the past 5 years we did everything right you know?"
"I know."
"But I feel I let her down someway...somehow."
"Sweetheart listen, whatever is going on with our Harmione was nothing you did...I'm still not for certain if it's something I did...but I'm not going to point blame...I just want her happy and safe."
"You know that's all I want for our little girl too."
"I know...and we will...We'll make it happen...somehow."
Hope wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me from behind. I held her arms and kissed her hand. She always had the right words.
"Besides even if we did everything right she's not a normal girl...I mean she's definitely human, but she's special and we'll have to take this one day at a time."
I sighed at her words and kissed her hand again. There was a knock at the door. Hope left me to answer it. It was Kevin and Gwen, who was now heavily pregnant.
"Kev, Gwen...hey what brings you by?" Hope asked and hugged them both, she even gave Kevin a peck on the cheek.
"Well we came to check on Harmione...and you guys...you doing okay?" Gwen asked.
I met them outside the hall to the kitchen and answered:
"We're here..."
"Yeah..." Gwen replied somberly.
"Hey Kev."
I shook Kevin's hand and hugged my cousin, Gwen pecked my cheek.
"What about you?" Hope asked of Gwen.
"Fine...just a few more months right Kev?"
"Right."
I wrapped my arms around Hope and held her, she leaned back into my chest.
"Won't be long now, then the real fun begins, right Angel?"
Hope laughed slightly.
"You bet'cha."
She then cleared her throat and played with my wedding ring as I held her from behind.
"Harmione's in the backyard she's been practi-"
Harmione let out a high pitched scream. It was different than the sound we were used to hearing, when she had an attack. All four of us rushed to the back patio door. I fumbled with the knob as if all of a sudden my brain forgot how to work it. We swiftly ran outside to the swing set. Harmione was under the slide's ladder, screaming.
"Har!" Gwen yelled from the patio door. Her extra weight prevented her from running.
"Harmione baby what's wrong!?" Hope yelled over her screams. "You were fine a few minutes ago after practice!"
"Harmione!" Hope cried again.
I bent down on my knees and approached her slowly. Kevin bent down and watched from a distance.
"Cousin Kevin, and cousin Gwen are here sweetie." I told her softly. "Come out from under there."
"Noooo!" Harmione squealed.
"Har..." I breathed.
"Don't let him get me Daddy!"
I gasped and looked at Hope. Hope was just as confused as I was. I looked back at Harmione and reached for her.
"It's just Kevin, he only hurts hamburgers come on sweetie."
"Hey." Kevin retorted.
Harmione whimpers loudly.
"Kevin show her everything's okay!" Gwen yelled.
"Here Har." Kevin said gently and held out his hand.
"Nooooo!" Harmione screamed again. "My imaginary friend!"
Hope bent down near me.
"What imaginary friend baby?"
"And if he or it is your friend, friends don't hurt each other do they?" I asked.
"Ben ssh...what imaginary friend honey?" Hope asked promptly.
"The one who makes me feel bad." Harmione said in tears.
"Who baby, who?" I implored.
"Zs'Skayr..." Harmione told us in almost a whisper.