Open Hand

When Harry entered the room for his next session, the puzzle were nowhere in sight, this was expected as they were going to do Legilimency today.

"Good evening Harry," Mary greeted from behind her desk.

Very much nervous, Harry murmured a hello before sitting down in the chair that was once in front of the desk but now had been moved further back to make room for the other chair settled in front of it. Mary stood.

"Today, we're going to do Legilimency, and depending on how far we get today, we may have to do another session next week."

Harry grimaced,

"I'll start looking through you earliest memory, and work from there. I'll will only pry in what is required, however, if you don't want me to see, you can let me know, and I will leave it."

"How do I do that?"

"When I enter your mind, you'll be able to know, and even feel me probing at your memories. All you have to do is push at me."

"How?" Harry asked.

"Think of it has physically pushing me away, understand?" she asked.

Harry nodded, in fact the more he thought about it, the more he wondered if that's what Snape meant when he said "resist". Apparently satisfied, Mary nodded, before sitting in the chair that was in front of Harry.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Giving a reassuring smile, Mary began.

Unlike Snape who ran through like a charging bull, Mary is gentle, so gentle that if it wasn't for the probing feeling, Harry would have thought she wasn't there. But she was, going through the earliest of his memories, moving away from any that Harry pushed at just like she told him to.

Just like she said she would.

Then came his years at Hogwarts, first year, second year, then she stopped. Easing out of his mind just as gently as she entered.

"That's enough for today," Mary said.

Harry nodded, noticing that he didn't feel as shaky, or tired as he remembered feeling with Snape, a welcomed change.

"Here."

Harry blinked down at the small package, it was gummi bears. Harry took it, smiling, Mary sat back down on the chair, and opened her own small package.

"How do you feel? Tired?" Mary popped two bears into her mouth.

"No," Harry answered, having opened his own but didn't eat any of it. "Which is weird."

"Oh?"

Harry nodded, "The last time I dealt with Legilimency, it um…didn't go well."

Mary hummed, "The mind is very delicate, all kinds of squashy stuff underneath a hard skull."

Harry giggled, and popped a bear into his mouth.

"If done wrong, Legilimency can be dangerous, it can hurt the mind."

Mary took noticed that Harry went a little pale at that. "However, if done right, it can help, and even heal."

The two talk, not about what Mary saw in the teen's head, or anything related to it. They just talked, until finally Mary ended their session and once again escorted the boy to his dorm.

Date: September 26, 1996

Patient: Harry James Potter

Second session with Mr. Potter went well, the patient was obviously nervous. Today I preformed Legilimency on Mr. Potter, and went through his earliest childhood memories, and his first two years in Hogwarts. Upon witnessing the memories, I can conclude without a doubt that Mr. Potter had been abused by his relatives, more emotionally then physically, however there have been signs that it came close. Mr. Potter's relatives have also neglected him.

His first two years in Hogwarts have showed Mr. Potter in extreme danger, along with his friends, and many other students during the second school year. It has also come to my attention that no one had made sure that Mr. Potter or friends were alright mentally, and physical beyond the basic.

This is worrying in general, and confirmed my other suspicions of Mr. Potter having PSTD.

Next session we will continue from where we left off.

(There is a sticky note with Ron and Hermione's name on it. Next to that note is another, stating that once again Mary had ran into Snape on her way back.)

~.~

There next session, Harry was less nervous.

Mary noticed, but said nothing, just welcomed the boy before beginning.

Like before, she is gentle as she goes through his memories, stopping when Harry pushed. And when she was done, Mary said nothing as she gave him more gummi bears.

"So," She started as she opened her own pack, "you fought a big-ass snake."

Harry nearly choked on the candy in his laughter.

Date: September 31, 1996

Patient: Harry James Potter

We finished up the Legilimency this session, Mr. Potter has been though a lot for a boy his age. As did his friends, and all the students in this school. The fact that the students still return says more then I'm comfortable with. After, we talked about his first and second year, I started with them, because I noticed during his memories that the feeling around them aren't as troubled as the others. By doing so, I will know what to do when we get to the more difficult memories. Especially the ones, Harry pushed me away from.

(There is sticky note with Madame Poppy's name, next to that note was another, this one stating that Mary received a letter from the Headmaster informing her that the other Professors were asking questions about her. And he was wondering whether she wanted him to tell them the truth. Written in a different colored pen is a time, and the Headmaster's name)

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