Harry almost jumped when he felt Crookshanks jumping on his lap. The cat was purring loudly and he settled in his lap. That cat knew when Harry was feeling bad and Harry began to scratch his ears to help him settle his nerves.

The door opened again and Osborn came in. She looked different than in the hospital wing. She was wearing black robes and her ginger hair was in a ponytail. She no longer had shadows under her eyes and was smiling warmly.

"Hello Potter. You remember me I expect ?" She said as she gestured for Harry to sit back down. Crookshanks immediately jumped back on his lap.

"Well that cat seems to like you Potter" Osborn said chuckling slightly.

"It's my best friend's cat. I think he knows when I'm nervous." Harry said.

"Well I believe animals can help you relax when in situations like this one. Oh I almost forgot." She went ruffling in her handbag and took out a strange looking whistle. She opened the window and blew it. Hedwig flew in and settled on the sofa next to Harry and began hooting excitedly when she saw her master.

"Hedwig ! Hey I missed you girl" Harry said, stroking her feather lightly.

"The Headmaster thought you would like to see her again." She said smiling.

"Yeah. I left her at Hogwarts because I was afraid.." Harry stopped himself a bit too late.

Osborn was looking at him expectently.

"You were afraid Potter ? Of what ?" She asked simply.

"Nothing." Harry replied.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

Osborn shook her head slightly and opened her notebook.

"Now Potter. You know why your friends wanted me to talk to you. However, I will not push the answers out of you. I don't work like that. I simply want to have a conversation with you. I will be writing in my notebook but don't worry it is simply for me to get a hold of who you are. Whatever you tell me in her will be strictly confidential. Do you understand ?"

Harry nodded and Osborn went on.

"Great. Now can you give me your name ?"

"You know my name."

"I don't know your full name"

"Harry James Potter" Harry replied.

"And when's your birthday ?" Osborn asked, and upon seeing Harry's face she chuckled. "I know these are dull questions but I need to get to know you a little."

"I was born on July 31st" Harry replied.

Osborn wrote the information on her notebook and settled it aside.

"So we have your name and your birthday. Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself."

"What do you want to know ?" Harry asked, confused.

"It's more. What do you want me to know about you ?" Osborn replied smiling still.

"Well. I don't know. I'm fifteen, I'm a wizard." Harry said still confused.

"Do you have friends? You told me about your best friend. Do you have any other friends?"

"I have two best friends actually. Ron and Hermione. This is Hermione's cat. Ron has an owl. The small one always hooting, you probably heard it coming up the stairs."

"I thought I had heard something yes" Osborn chuckled. " When did you meet your friends ?"

"First year at Hogwarts. I met them on the train. I got along great with Ron at once. Hermione came after that."

"Do you have any other friends?"

"Well yes. The Weasleys children. The guys in my Gryffondor year." Harry replied wondering if he had not forgotten anyone.

"So that's Hogwarts. What about in the Muggle world. I've been told you grew up in a Muggle household. Did you have any friends growing up ?" Osborn asked

Harry did not know how to answer this one. He knew Osborn was there to observe him. And she had already stumbled upon a problem. He did not have any friends growing up. Dudley made sure of that when he was in school.

"Potter ?" Osborn asked again seeing Harry was struggling to give an answer. "Scratch that we will come by it later. Your middle name is the name of your father right ? Do you know anything about him ?"

Harry let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, glad of the opportunity to dodge the question.

"Yes. I'm named after my father. I only know a few things about him. Remus was best friends with him in school. Apparently he was very brave. He was a quidditch player too. Everybody says I'm like him. I know I look like him a lot. But I don't know if I'm like him. I never knew him. But he was brave. And I know his patronus was a stag. People keep comparing me to him. They always talk about him. Never about my mother though. I only heard a couple of things about my mother."

"And what would that be?" Osborn urged him to continue.

"I have her eyes. Remus says she was very kind and very smart. But that's it. I have a few pictures of them but that's all. I wish I had known her. She sounds like a great person don't you think ?"

"What I think is irrelevant. I am interested only in what you think. You have absolutely no memories of your parents?"

Harry stiffened a bit on the sofa.

"My earliest memory is the one the dementors always brought back. A flash of green light and my mother screaming to save me." He said in barely a whisper

"And how does that make you feel ?" Osborn asked, her expression unreadable and her voice tone completely unchanged.

She did not care, Harry realized. She was just like Snape. She did not care that he had lived an unfair life. This made Harry feel angrier that he had ever felt. It was the first time since he was rescued that he felt something. He wanted to rip her little notebook and make Osborn react in some way.

He jumped on his feet.

"HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MAKES ME FEEL ? MY ONLY MEMORY OF MY MOTHER IS THE MOMENT SHE WAS MURDERED. ARE YOU SO HEARTLESS YOU CAN'T EVEN COMPREHEND THIS ?" He was yelling and was advancing on her. She remained still, even relaxed. And that made Harry even angrier. "DON'T YOU CARE AT ALL ? WHY DON'T YOU REACT ! DO SOMETHING!" Osborn remained still. She did not move a muscle.

"Do sit down Mr Potter. I have nothing against you yelling but you may as well remain in your seat." Osborn said gesturing him to the sofa. Her expression still unreadable. Harry lost it in that moment. He pointed his wand at her.

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! I CAN RIP YOU APART FREAK !" The words exited Harry's mouth before he could understand what he was saying. He stopped dead. Osborn put a hand on his and put his arm down. Harry stumbled to his seat on the sofa. He took his head between his hands. He had called Osborn "freak". That was how Uncle Vernon referred to him. He had lost it and had become his Uncle. He would have cursed Osborn, he knew he would have. That scared him. His hand began to shake as he raised his head to look at Osborn who was watching him intently.

"I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have called you that.. I shouldn't have yelled at you.. I'm.. I don't know what happened."

"I think it's pretty clear you were angry at me for not reacting at your story. For not caring. It is alright to vent at me, I won't take anything personally. However, you are not to threaten me. May I ask why you felt the need to call me a "freak" ?" Osborn's voice was soothing somehow. She spoke slowly and quietly. It made Harry feel a little bit better.

"I.. My Uncle calls me that. He says I'm a freak, because I'm a wizard." Harry said quietly.

"And why did you call me that when you were angry?"

"I.. I don't know. I never called anybody that before. But I lost control... I don't know. I'm afraid.." He did not finish his sentence, terrified that saying it might make it true.

"Yes, Potter ?"

"I'm afraid I'm gonna become like him. Like my Uncle." he said, defeated.

"Potter. The very fact that you are afraid to become like him means you are not going to become like him because you know how it feels to be treated like he treated you and you do not wish that on anybody."

Harry nodded slightly. Not entirely believing her.

"I think we are going to leave it here. You need to think about what happened and how you reacted. If you want we can see each other again next week. Would you be okay with that ?" Osborn asked

"My godfather said I shouldn't trust you." Harry replied. "But I do. At least I think I do."

"Then it's all that matters Potter. The opinion of other should not change how you think of someone. Even if it's your godfather's opinion and that you value his approval."

At her words she got up and began walking towards the door.

"Professor Osborn ?"

"Yes Potter ?"

"Thanks for saving my life" Harry said quietly.

"My pleasure." Osborn said smiling again.

She opened the door and made her way down the stairs. Harry heard her saying goodbye to Sirius and Remus and then she was gone. Harry went to his bedroom. He did not want to face anyone just yet. He thought hard about what happened with Osborn. She had made him lose his temper extremely easily. It was frightening. He had felt more angry than he had ever felt. And what's more, a small part of him seemed to enjoy yelling and being angry. He did not know where that came from. He didn't want to know. He stayed on the bed for a long time, staring at the ceiling.

He heard a knock and someone coming in. It was Mrs Weasley.

"Harry dear ? Time to eat. Do you feel ill ?" She asked concerned

"No. I'm fine. I was just thinking. I'm coming" And he followed Mrs Weasley down the stairs into the kitchen. There was a few new people at the table tonight. Mr and Mrs Weasley were seated on the other side of the table between Moody and an funny young woman named Tonks. She was an Auror. Ron was seating next to Hermione and Ginny was seating beside them. Harry took the place between the twins and in front of Sirius. Harry was quiet during dinner. He did not want to talk. He listened as the twins were showing him their new inventions.