Thank you to the beta of this chapter- Born-of-Elven-Blood

Chapter Seventeen- The Visit

Harry stood just outside the doors of 's psychiatric ward, studying his surroundings. It wasn't that different to a muggle hospital. Everything was a blinding white and the smell of disinfectant stung his nose. He played with the cuffs of his sleeves as he waited for Professor Snape to finish talking with the witch behind the reception desk, feeling lost. He didn't know what he was expecting to happen when he saw Lockhart, didn't know why he was doing this, he just knew that he needed to see the man.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Snape asking him to hand over his wand.

"What? Why?" Harry demanded anxiously.

"They won't allow anyone to enter the floor with a wand. You have to hand it in here," Snape explained, setting his own wand on the desk.

"I… what if… what if something happens and I need it?" Harry stuttered. What if Lockhart tried something? What if something happened and he didn't have any way to defend himself?

"The guards have wands," Snape replied, noting the fear in Harry's eyes. "They are trained to handle these patients. If anything were to happen, they would be able to stop it."

After a moment's indecision, Harry reluctantly pulled his wand from his sleeve and set it next to Snape's.

The witch smiled a little too brightly at him, shooting an avid glance at his scar as she opened up the doors to the ward. Harry hunched his shoulders, feeling exposed.

"If you want to turn back at any time, you can," Snape said quietly as they entered. The doors swung closed behind them. "You don't have to go through with this."

Harry acknowledged the offer with a nod, but gave no reply as one of the guards stationed inside the door approached them. What was there to say? He felt as though he were watching from outside himself as they were led down a long, sterile corridor to a heavy wooden door. The guard stationed himself at the threshold and turned the latch. The door opened onto a small, cheerless beige room. A narrow window, set high on the wall and covered by iron bars, leaked thin late afternoon light across a table and two chairs. In one of them, Lockhart waited.

Harry slowly made his way inside and sat down across from the man from his nightmares. His mind buzzed with a strange numbness. Lockhart looked so… normal. It was disturbing. A hand touched his shoulder and he looked up to find his professor standing next to him. Snape gave his shoulder a squeeze and then stepped back. Something inside Harry relaxed minutely, and suddenly he was back inside his own head. He could do this. He had to do this.

"Do… do you know who I am?" he asked with a little bit of a stutter.

"Of course! You're Harry Potter," Lockhart replied eagerly. "I read all about you in the papers!"

"Right… but do you know me other than from the papers?"

"Should I?"

Harry let out a little sigh. "No, I suppose not..." He glanced at Snape, then swallowed hard. "You… you were my teacher."

"Really?" Lockhart said, reaching out as though to take Harry's hand.

Snape took a step forward as Harry jerked away.

"No touching!" the guard snapped.

Lockhart obediently drew his hands back. "I bet you were my top student," he said, staring at Harry with the same smile Snape had seen inside the boy's mind.

"I… I came… I..." There was so much Harry needed to say, but he couldn't find the words. "...you hurt me… and I… I..."

"I could never hurt you," Lockhart interrupted, his voice chillingly gentle.

"You… you did… and… and...I..." But Harry was cut off once again, his throat squeezing shut at the feel of a foot sliding up the inside of his leg. A broken whimper found its way from the back of his throat as the toes flexed against the crotch of his trousers.

An instant later Snape violently yanked the chair backwards and the invasive press of the foot vanished. Relief warred with shame and Harry couldn't hold back the tears that began to fall. He felt frozen in place, as helpless as when Lockhart's poison had paralyzed him.

"This visit is over!" Snape barked. "Take him out of here!" The guard, no more immune to the force of Snape's looming personality than anyone else, quickly hauled Lockhart to his feet and escorted him from the room.

Once the man was gone, Snape was by Harry's side within seconds.

Harry took a few deep breaths to gather himself before he spoke. "What… what is it about me?" he cried.

"It has nothing to do with you. It's all about him," Snape replied as he took Harry by the arm and pulled him from the chair. "Let's get you out of here."

He led Harry to the door, brooding inwardly. Perhaps Dumbledore had been right; perhaps this wasn't a good idea after all.