Severus and Harry were in the waiting room of a local mindhealer office, where the staff specialized in pediatric care. Harry had been gripping Severus' hand since the moment they sat down, and Severus could not say that he wasn't gripping back. He was out of his depth in a place like this, having never participated in mindhealing himself. Of course, he was used to working with healers in general, but this was a new experience for the both of them.
There were a few toys, both muggle and magic, in the center of the room, and Severus had invited Harry to play with them, but the boy had not wanted to move. As with any new encounter, he had asked Severus for reassurance several times, and Severus had patiently explained again and again the process: They would have separate intake interviews followed by an intake interview together. Then they would apparate home, eat a hearty lunch, and practice a short brew into the late afternoon.
When the staff led them to different rooms, he thought Harry would not let go of his hand, but with some coaxing, Harry was pried away into a room next door with a dark-haired middle-aged healer with stylish glasses named Thea. Severus was meeting with a mindhealer named Mohammed whom he had met with briefly before to schedule their first official meetings.
"Good morning, Healer Mohammad," Severus said and took a seat where the healer gestured after their handshake.
"Good morning, Master Snape."
Severus noticed that the healer did not sit behind the desk but rather in a chair across from him, looking comfortable, with his legs crossed. Severus was unable to make himself seem as at ease.
"Welcome, and thank you for coming for your intake appointment. I know making it this far often means people have crossed many barriers."
Severus shook his head. Where to begin? Hadn't everything seemed like a barrier up until this point? Isn't that why he was here?
"I—I must admit I am out of my depth," Severus said. "I have never seen a mindhealer before. Harry is my first. I have not been a guardian before. I was anticipating challenges, but I fear I am not well-equipped to give Harry what he needs."
"And what is it you believe he needs, Master Snape?"
"Severus, please. And I believe he needs a type of healing I am unable to provide."
"Which is?"
"Mind healing. Something. He needs guidance. Support. Something beyond what I am able to give from my own limited experience as a son myself. My parents both died young. I was an orphan at 17, but thank Merlin I had a Master who was able to step in. I don't—" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry I do not believe I am being as direct as possible. Harry needs someone to listen to him, who is not me. And that person should help him make sense of the world. He is still very new to living a life with some compassion and decency. He is still much more used to abuse and starvation and neglect."
"Yes, you spoke with me about Harry's past. Why don't we review those details so we have an accurate baseline? Shall we?"
They went over the details of Harry's past—what Severus knew, what the muggles had confessed at their trial, what Harry had confided, and what Severus had inferred. They agreed that Harry was a survivor of physical and medical neglect, as well as physical, emotional, and verbal abuse. Severus suspected other types of abuse and neglect as well but did not have confirmation.
True to his meticulous nature, Severus had a small notebook with him to take notes and to make sure he did not forget things he wanted to tell the healer.
"And what are your biggest challenges with Harry right now?"
Severus mentioned Harry's fear of fire and the challenge that that posed for them as master and apprentice. After a moment, he added, "It is rather challenging to convince him that he is safe with me."
He thought of all the problems that spurred from this central theme. "It feels like he has one foot out of the door, ready to go running back to those blasted relatives because he thinks he doesn't deserve anything more."
"And what else?"
"I find it…challenging to understand what he needs on a daily basis. Some days he is most clingy and other days it is like he wants to be alone. He is used to a solitary life, as am I, I suppose. His only experience of being around others, living with them, was his first year at Hogwarts. Other than that, his Aunt had him bouncing from house to house for work as soon as he was able. Before that, I do not think he was made to feel welcome in his home."
"That's good to know. Healer Thea is asking Harry similar questions, so we will see what he feels his greatest challenges are, too. My next question is about you, Severus. What systems of support do you have?"
"Me?" Severus looked surprised, into the man's dark eyes.
"Yes, people who you lean on, people who might help you with raising Harry. It takes a village as they say."
Severus paused, slightly taken off guard by the question.
"I must admit I am a fairly private man. I have a working relationship with another potions master, Master Patrick Whitherson who is also newly mastered to an apprentice who is Harry's friend. I am also in contact with Harry's Head of House Pomona Sprout."
"All right, and any other friends or family?"
"None that come to mind as…support, as you say."
"Having at least a few people to be in contact with is a good start, Severus. And it might be good to start thinking about how to expand your network in the months and years to come. This will likely happen naturally, as you've added another member to your family who will form his own connections in time."
Severus scribbled in his notebook, looking pensive. His solitary nature had not been a problem until now. He would have to think of ways to connect to other people.
"And what are your strengths?"
"Strengths in…parenting?"
"Just things that you consider yourself to be good at."
"Well, potions theory first and foremost, aided by my affinity. Secondarily, I am adept at applied potions. And generally, my problem-solving skills are likely more refined than most."
"And what are some of the strategies that you've used so far in Harry's parenting? These can be things that you think have worked or things that you might want to change in the future."
"Hmm, I have read a few books on parenting which have been helpful. And I am his master, as you are aware. The Potions Master Guide Book has several things to say on the matter. I like to give him independence in small areas, such as choosing his clothing and meals. He is also able to choose what he does with his afternoons and parts of his evenings."
"Good, that's good."
"As his master, we do collective meditation and journaling to get him more attuned to his affinity and clear his mind for work. This is likely a strategy of parenting, too, I should say."
"Meditation is an excellent skill. And does Harry enjoy this or is it more of a struggle for him?"
"I believe journaling is more enjoyable for him, but he improves each week with his meditation practice. And occasionally, he chooses to do more, himself at night before bed."
"That's good. It sounds like a tool that's working for him right now. What about things that you do based on his past. Is there anything there?"
"That is the trickiest, as I am not always sure how to approach matters. I employ some of the strategies in the books I've read. I try to point out differences between his old home and our home. I allow him to speak about his past but do not force him. I reassure him quite a bit."
"How often is quite a bit? Daily?"
"Hourly," Severus sighed. "Sometimes it feels like by the minute. Like today, he asked no less than 5 times to repeat what we would be doing here. I do not believe he actually forgot but that he wanted to hear it again."
"All right, that's good to now, Severus. It sounds like he is struggling with certainty and predictability, which is understandable."
"Yes," Severus said. "I have him on a schedule that aligns with mine, but I work full time. Since taking him in, I have lightened my load, but I will need to return to my full-time status in order to provide for us. And he will return to school. And it seems that as soon as we reach an equilibrium this summer, we will again face new schedules, new commitments, new challenges."
"And that seems difficult."
"It seems impossible, Healer Mohammad," Severus said gravely.
Mohommad nodded and looked through his documents a few more times.
"Well, our job will be to make that seem less impossible. It seems like both you and Harry are going through some very difficult challenges in your life right now," the Healer said. "You are new to being a single guardian. Harry is new to being a son. And on top of that, you are his master, and there are other obligations and duties that arise with such a position."
Severus agreed.
"We would love to continue seeing Harry here at least once a week. As you know, we specialize in pediatric mindhealing, but I would also recommend that you begin mindhealing or join a support group for people in similar situations, as you also need support right now. I can recommend a few places."
"That would be appreciated," Severus said.
After writing down the recommended agencies and centers, they set some immediate and long-term goals for Severus and Harry, before Severus was led into the room where Harry was. They would stay in the room, while the mindhealers consulted one another, compared notes, and would then re-enter to talk with them together.
"Are you all right, Harry?" Severus asked. This room was notably brighter, with some plushies and art materials on the kid-sized desks.
Harry hugged him and sat down on his lap.
"Is that a yes?" He brought his hand up to the boy's forehead.
"Yes."
"Was Healer Thea kind?"
Harry nodded.
"Are you feeling okay? Anything else to add?"
"It feels like—like a lot," Harry said rubbing his chest.
"Overwhelmed then?"
Harry agreed.
"Don't worry, out meeting with them won't be long, and then we can get some lunch in us. Did you draw this, Harry?" Severus asked, reaching for the colored picture on the table next to him.
"Yes."
"May I look at it?"
Harry gave the man permission, and then explained what he drew.
"That's Mrs. Baker's shed,"
"Is it now? Did you…spend much time at Mrs. Baker's?"
"She lived all the way at the end of town and had a big yard. I never did her yard, but her shed was always open so I stayed there a lot when I—when I couldn't go to auntie's house."
"Hmm," Severus said. "It looks like you drew a rainbow which is nice."
"Oh, it was nice there. There wasn't anyone around, and she had old blankets and stuff in there."
A short hum of acknowledgment was Severus only response, as he placed the picture back on the table.
When the healers returned, Harry scrambled for his own chair, but they let him know it was okay to stay in Severus' lap.
"Well Mr. Snape and Mr. Potter, it seems as if you're ready to start all this mindhealing business, huh?" Healer Thea said.
"We know it's new territory for you both, but we think it will be very beneficial for Harry to continue seeing us every week."
"Do you like that idea, Harry?" Severus asked.
Harry gave a shy nod.
"Excellent, well we think that you can continue meeting with me, Mr. Potter." Healer Thea said. "And we can incorporate some of the things you're already doing at home like journaling and meditation. And we can also explore new things that you might like just as much, like the coloring you did today."
"I liked your picture, Harry. It might be nice to make some more," Severus commented.
"I liked it too," Harry said.
"Brilliant," Healer Mohammad said. "Every week, we'll give you something to work on that might be like that picture, and then we'll come and have a chat about it. How does that sound?"
"Will you get to come?" Harry asked, turning toward Snape.
"I will not. It will be a private session with you and Healer Thea. But Healer Thea will let me know generally how things are going."
"That's right, Harry. We get to have our own conversations, so you can feel comfortable with sharing with me. And it doesn't have to always be things about your past. We can also talk about how you're doing now or what you're looking forward to in the future."
"Okay," Harry said. He seemed apprehensive, but not cowed, which Severus took as a win.
The group went over the short and long-term goals that he and Harry had articulated and bridged them together to make an initial plan of sorts. They collectively decided that it would be appropriate if Harry continued seeing them, even after his return to Hogwarts in the fall. It would be easy enough for Severus to meet with Harry at Hogwarts and then apparate to the clinic.
Before leaving, Healer Thea gave Harry his first homework assignment, which was a small worksheet booklet that he was to fill in, color, and bring back. It was a self-reflection booklet that would allow Harry to describe himself and his experiences through short fill in the blank statements and pictures that would appear based on his answers.
Severus apparated them back to the house, where he quickly reheated their shepherd's pie. Harry ate more than usual, but looked exhausted, so Severus sent him for a short nap. When he woke an hour later, they began a short brew, as Severus had promised.