AN; A Grand and Lovely Thanks to My Wonderful, Superb Awesome Beta Readers "TheDarkLadyofSlytherin" and "dragonheart971". SO sorry for the terribly long delay, I was camping up where there was no Wi-Fi or even service, but on a regular bases chapters will be updated each week. And I just want to ease your concerns in saying I do have a written plot… also thanks for the support! Everything you recognize belongs to J.K. Rowling. Xoxo
Chapter two;
To Trace your thoughts
"He smiled softly, but this time it was different, his face smiled but his eyes didn't"
-(da)
Harry tapped his foot impatiently. Before the war he would have agreed that he was a fairly patient person. And perhaps he was, and still is, but at the moment harry wanted to do nothing more then remove his glamor make these people part for him like the red sea. But he didn't. he waited in the painfully long customers service line. Waiting.
Harry hadn't been bluffing when he said he would revaluate his denial in regards to Magical Therapy. Not for him of course. But to consider pursuing it as a carrier. In every way the job fit Harry like a glove; besides the point that harry needed his own Magical Therapist.
Harrys life experiences made him wise beyond his age, and no matter how many excuses harry made, he had, in the end, grudgingly admitted he was well equipped for the job. From harry childhood with the Dursleys, his adventures at Hogwarts and the weight of the Chosen One, there wasn't much harry wouldn't understand, and if someone came to harry in regards to depression, loss, or self-hate, well he had experience them all. And on the sunny side harry would get his wish in helping people in a peaceful, quite, and non-adventurous way.
Thus why harry was under a glamor waiting in a customers' service line at St. Mungo's Hospital. Harry was there, waiting, to meet with the head of the MMHD; the Magical Mental Healing Department. From what harry had gathered the Wizarding words therapy wasn't much different from the muggles world, the only exception was the magical atmosphere.
Harry glanced up. Thank Merlin! He thought. The only thing keeping him from the kind desk lady was a dark haired man in a suntanned trench coat.
"Hi! How many I help you today, sir?" her over enthusiastic voice made Harry shift uneasily.
"Um, I'm actually looking into the NEWTs I need to become a magical Therapist, I reckoned this would be the place to come"
"Oh, how wonderful! We've been looking for a young fellow for that department for age's. If you ask me, every one in that department is a couple of decades to old." She whispered from the corner of her mouth, finishing off with a breathy laugh.
Harry smiled politely.
"Well I'll just call for the Healer Callaghan, he's the current head of that department." She exclaimed, ringing a yellow bell.
Harry had only been to St. mungo's a handful of times, but anyone was smart enough to assume the series of colourful bells on her desk represented their own department.
Harry cleared his throat, catching the attention of the secretary, "I'm curious, I go to Hogwarts, and I've never heard of a healers or therapist course. Do they have one?" if they didn't it wouldn't matter, there was no way harry was not going to Hogwarts.
"well, yes, Hogwarts does offer a sufficient course, but not many students will enter. And those who do usually don't pass." She said sounding grim, as though she was one of those students, "oh but by all means, don't take it from me! You go right a head and try it, I'm sure Hr. Callaghan will cover it in your meeting." She continued with a huffy voice, "speaking of the devil, he coming right this way."
Harry noticed a kind, but professional looking man making his way over to the desk.
"Hello, Hr. Callaghan," she all but purred, and Harry couldn't help but raise an arched eyebrow, "this young man would like to enroll in the MMH course with Hogwarts. Would you be so kind as to give him the thorough details of what that would look like." She battled her eye, and not so subtlety looked him over. Harry couldn't help but wonder what their history was.
The Healers cheeks were flaming red as he cleared his throat, "of course right this way…."
"Harry, sir"
"Well then Harry, lets take this to our office then, shall we?"
Harry nodded. As they were walking Hr. Callaghan leaned towards harry, asking in a hushed voice; "Would I be correct in assuming you're the Harry?"
Harry blushed, "If you mean Harry Potter, then yes." He said with sheepish smile. The Harry? Harry thought sarcastically, made him sound like a teenage popstar.
The Healer nodded understanding why Harry would choose to hide under a glamor. Coming to a halt, Hr. Callaghan swung the door open for harry.
"Aah, here we are." Hr. Callaghan sat down in a plush purple chair gesturing for harry to take a seat.
"Now Mr. Potter, what can I do for you?"
"I want to sign up for the MMH course at Hogwarts, but, err, well I don't believe I have the required OWLs for it, and I haven't a clues in the slightest which NEWTs I'll need." harry explained.
Hr. Callaghan hesitate, seemingly having an internal debate with himself, "Mr. Potter," he paused, sighing before continuing, "I advise you to throw away this dream."
Harry look shocked. He felt shock! Why would he say that, to disregard him so quickly, without even having a conference or letting him even start the course.
"Well lets just share are feelings then, right?" Harry bristled, almost snarled.
"Mr. Potter, I… that's not what I meant." Hr. Callaghan explained kindly, "I just meant you should take a couple years off, maybe get a couple of consoling sessions for yourself. Just… relax for a year. The War put more pressure and stress on you then any person should ever have to bare."
Harry visibly relaxed. And when he looked up at Hr. Callaghan his eyes where shadowed with a deep tiredness. "I wish I could, but realistically, that's not going to happen. Sir, I need to do something, I need to keep going, and getting a job is exactly what I need."
Hr. Callaghan looked confused, "In that case I would expect you to become an Auror. Why would you want to become a Magical Therapist?"
"I want to help people." Harry said with defiant, "sir" he added a little to late to be considered respectable.
"But I don't want to be involved with any more violence. I'm sick of it. And on the other hand the Daily Prophet would go nuts with articles if I became an Auror, my sessions within this building and with my clients would be privet." Harry looked Hr. Callaghan in the eyes with so much conviction and determination he felt as though they were a window to his soul. "but besides it all! I want people to heal through my suffering! I want to use my experiences, from the ridiculous trials and bullying and prejudice from Hogwarts, and my experience from the war and my loses, all of them, I want to help people from my experiences. I want the person that sits in the chair across from me to spill their troubles and their trials and feel like their understood, to have someone to connect to. Dose this make sense? Any of it?" harry ask almost desperately. Oh how he just wanted to be understood.
"Well Mr. Potter!" Hr. Callaghan exclaimed cheerfully, "I do believe you thrive in this carrier!" he started digging around he desk until he found a file, "Aha! Here it is, ill just quickly send it to Madam Pomfrey. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have you as here student, Merlin knows she hasn't had a student in years."
"umm… sir…?" Hr. Callaghan looked up from where he was scavenging around his full desk. He laughed upon seeing Harrys utterly confused face.
"Mr. Potter, I was just a test! Of course your fit for the job, I've been itching to get someone as perfect as you in this system." He beamed. And his smile was contagious causing Harrys face split into a wide grin too.
"Brilliant!" harry laughed. "So what are my requirements?" he asked a great deal cheerier then before.
"Well…" Hr. Callaghan said distractedly as the owl's soar into the green flams addressed to Madam Pomfrey. " There are a few things you'll need to complete, for experience, but you can do those at Hogwarts." He muttered, to himself or to harry, harry did not know.
"first of all," he directed this to harry, "your going to have to step up your grades in potions young man," Hr. Callaghan scolded. Harry internally groaned. Potions. Great.
"secondly, this program you'll be entering is going to is going to be intense and demanding, so if your looking for a laid back school year leave now." He paused, then continued when I became apparent harry wasn't going anywhere. "you will be apprenticing under Madam Pomfrey, as I mentioned earlier, but you know here well enough, I'm sure." Oh harry had been to the infirmary enough times to be best friends with the motherly nurse. "Under her guidance you'll study the brain, calming techniques, 1,2, and 3 grade medical, and you'll need to participate in multiple consoling session with a student and madam Pomfrey, for experience, so you'll be acting as the therapist."
Harry nodded accordingly, showing his understanding. Honestly if harry didn't want to keep his mature, professional stance up he'd be whopping in excitement.
"… you'll also be required to have three consoling sessions for yourself."
Harry snapped his eyes up to meet the Healers, excitement distinguishing like a candle under a water fall.
"not to worry though Mr. Potter, these sessions don't necessary have to be with a professional. As long as a friend or teacher even, writes a note saying you talked about required this it will be condemned acceptable. We have these sessions so your positions are reversed, and you experience what it would feel like to be the client." The Healer explained when he sensed Harrys discomfort.
"now on to required NEWTs; you'll need to have O's in Ancient Ruins, Potions, Charms and you Healing course."
"sir, I don't have Ancient Ruins in my class curricular." Harry explained nervously, he swore if he didn't get into this course because of one class, he was going back in time to murder the wizard who discovered Ancient Ruins.
Hr. Callaghan laughed at Harrys worried expression. "and worry not, Mr. potter. There's a fast track course you can take to meet the requirements for ancient ruins, it is extracurricular, but I'm sure you'll be able to handle it."
"right, of course sir. But I was wondering because I have a free block from where divination used to be could I not use that as my time with Madam Pomfrey?"
"well I assume that's what she is going to do." The healer said curiously, "but I'm not sure, although you are her only MMH student there is one other who is apprenticing to become a medical healer. Believe he's specializing in magical bugs, but who knows, my mind is failing me lately." He said with a chuckle.
Mean while harry was quickly taking a liking to Hr. Callaghan. The man was in his late thirties but he lights the room with laughs and smiles.
"well from what I can remember that's all you need to know, but I have a list of recommended books, just something to teach you the basics of psychology, and theirs a few books on that list that have great consoling strategy's and tips. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey would be vary impressed if you came to her class with this knowledge." He gave harry a look that said read the books or your going to fail. "but besides that Madam Pomfrey will send you a list of her own with books and supplies you'll need for the course."
"thank you, sir." Harry said genuinely.
"of course, of course, my pleasure Mr. Potter!"
….. now harry just had a load of book shopping to do. Merlin, he could practically hear Hermione's squeals of delights.
Coofffffeeeeeee…
This was the first thing Remus' ultra-sensitive nose picked up as he stretched in bed.
Wait. Coffee? It was usually him who made the brew. But who…
Harry!? Harry up this early!? Oh what has happened to the Lunar Cycle. Remus thought as he rolled out of bed.
Grabbing his night robe on the way out he wrapped himself in the silky material. He walked through the halls of number 12 Grimmauld place. The renovations harry had made on this place wiped all traces of the old dark magic that had been imbedded in the walls. All house-elf heads gone. All old dusty and stiff furniture gone. The only rooms in the house that remanded the same where Sirius' old room and Regulus' room. Otherwise the house had a historic look but at the same time all modern. Remus entered the kitchen, yawning as he walked through the doorway.
"Good morning, Remus." Came Harrys cheerful voice.
"G'morning, too." Remus rubbed his eyes walking over to the pot of dark brew. "what's got you up at this ungodly hour?"
"just cramming in the last bit of this book. You know I always figured the brain worked as separate sections, but their really all connected one way or another! One thing sparks another, while another calms the other. Its truly fascinating." Harry murmured his head still in the thick tome, highlighting something rather interesting or important.
Remus' interest was caught at learning harry was up at this time, what happened to be 5 o'clock in the morning, to study. He was impressed.
"Really? Fascinating." Harry nodded absentmindedly, "Your really serious about this aren't you?"
At this harry looked up, "Of course I am. I promise you by Merlin's… by Merlin's whatever, I will get my degree, and I will become a brilliant therapist." He said with pure determination.
Remus smiled, pouring his coffee he congratulated harry, "Well good for you, kiddo, not many people would try to do this much in one year. But besides that! How are you feeling? Exited for Hogwarts?"
Remus knew for a fact harry was more eager to go back then most first year would, he'd been packed for a whole week now.
"Can't wait." Harry answered into his book. Behind said book Harry had stopped reading, a slight frown on his face.
A matching expression painted Remus's face at the dispassionate voice
To throw the naked truth out in the open, harry had been gawking on his nails with anxiety. The excitement he felt when his letter had first arrived had quickly began to diminish; now all harry could think about was what Hogwarts would be like. He was under no illusion that his home would be the same; whether it was because his hero status was through the roof and to the heavens, or perhaps because Hogwarts had been through reservations due to the war, or even because staff had change, students had change, the curricular had change, circumstances had change! But Harrys problems went deeper then the visible changes of Hogwarts. His relationship with the Weasleys had been stained like a allice-band stretched to far. When Harrys feelings for Ginny weren't the same after the war molly had been, to say in simple terms, disappointed. And when molly had tried to set them back up, well harry didn't come back for a little while. But the awkwardness had been painted over with multiple visits. Because in the bigger picture, why would he let his relationship to the closes thing he had to family get tarnished because of a little mishap. But his friend ship with Ginny… harry was still getting used to the sound of silence.
So as harry waited for the clock to tick its way to quarter to eleven, he couldn't help but worry himself over pointless, and not to mention inevitable, changes.
Bellows of white steam danced around children and guardians, swirling up and out of the red 4-6-0 Hall Class steam locomotive.
Harry sigh.
He was doing a lot of that lately, sighing. But this wasn't a tired or an unhappy sigh, this was a sigh of content. He was almost home.
Hauling his trunk onto the train Harry sighed again, this time out of sadness.
Hedwig.
His beloved Familiar. At the time Harry didn't have a chance to really mourn her death, but Hedwig had been his first friend, animal or not. And now being in such a conversant place, a place he had been to repeatedly, without the one present he always had; the memory breathed painfully on Harrys soul.
He pushed the memory away, locking it behind his Occlumency induced walls. It was a bad habit, but it worked. Ironically this was something he would be, hopefully, encouraging other not to do.
Harry scanned each compartment, looking for a bushy hair head, and a carrot top.
A first year's eyes meet his. Oh bloody hell! He saw more then heard the child gasp animatedly, jutting out a finger in Harrys general direction, causing the brats friends to whip their head around and look at him with wide fascinated eyes.
Harry threw his hood over his head, obscuring his vision slightly. Bloody wizards, Harry couldn't help but think a tad bit bitterly, staring at me like I'm an animal on exhibition. If Harry wasn't the famous one, he admitted, he would probably be no different, but as it unfairly was, he was.
Abruptly Harry collided with some one. Or rather some one attacked him with a vicious hug.
"Oh Harry! I'm so happy you decided to give it a shot! You do great I promise. You'll be a therapist in no time!"
Hermione.
Harry looked down at her when she pulled away. How she knew it was him was beyond him.
"Hey, Hermione." Harry said smiling, "Mate."
Ron clapped him on the back good naturally.
"Did you guys get a compartment? I looked everywhere, all the first-y's are eager this year, compartment look pretty full." He rambled.
"Well, we do. Its at the vary end of the train, it has our stuff in it so one should be there, but me and Ron really should be on our way." At Harrys confused look, she elaborated, "Oh we're so sorry, Harry. I swear if we didn't have to go I wouldn't, but well… apparently our prefect duties haven't expired yet."
Harry tried to hide his dismayed expression. "Right, of course. Well hurry back when its done, I want to discuss that homework planner you got Ron and I back in fifth grade." He said with a smile.
Hermione practically squealed, and Ron looked between disgusted and horrified.
"Thanks, mate" Ron hissed sarcastically as Hermione dragged him along.
"when you are asked what you are thinking about, you can normally answer. You believe you know what goes on in your mind, which often consists of one conscious thought leading in an orderly way to another. But that is not the only way a mind works, nor indeed is that the typical way. Most impressions and thoughts arise in your conscious experience without your knowing how they got there. You cannot trace how you came to the belief that there is a lamp on the desk in front of you, or how you detected a hint of irritation in your spouse's voice or the telephone, or how you managed to avoid a threat on the road before you became consciously aware of it. The mental work that produces impressions, intuitions, and many decisions goes on in silence in our mind."
Harry scrambled quickly for a highlighter in his bag, he new he left one in here somewhere, this was a must highlight paragraph. Of course a certain book worm would think such an act of defacement was blasphemy, but if it helped him memorized such bobbling knowledge then he could face her wrath.
Harry place his book face down, getting on his knees to check is he had dropped the troubled some, but admittedly useful vibrant felt. Harry fished for the highlighter ducking his head under the seat to get a better look…
There it was! The little cast away…
He swore; a heard of Hobgoblins followed him around just to make his life harder.
Harry heard the compartment door open. Snatching said highlighter, he tried to sit up, instead he bumped his head on the bottom of the seat. "Ow!" he hissed. he slid from his obscured place, "I'm surprise you guys are back so soon, I reckoned the perfect meeting would take longer, you know, with reservations and -" a cough interrupted him.
But that wasn't Hermione or Ron's cough. This was from a voice he knew as well as his own, perhaps even better.
Harry whipped around, eyes the colour of sun shining through emerald jewels widen comically.
"Potter."
AN; okay…. So here's the second chappie. Once again sooooo sorry for the delay, I'm terribly behind on my English, ironically, and I don't think my teacher will accept a fanfiction instead…
But any who, like before I promiseI'll have chapters in faster. Also BIG DISCLAMER! ITALIC TYPEFACE IS QUOTED FROM THINKING, FAST AND SLOW; BY DANIEL KAHNEMAN. You can find the paragraph on page 15, second paragraph.
Also I there will be a lot more next chappie of our favorite blond…
