On the evening of Wednesday, December 23, 1992, Sirius, Remus, Amelia, and Heather told Harry, Amy, Susan, and Hannah that the four adults wanted to take some adults only time with each other and to find something to do with themselves. Amy asked Harry, Susan, and Hannah to come up to her room and they agreed to this.
Upon entering Amy's room, Harry, Amy, Susan, and Hannah all sat down together in a row on Amy's bed.
"Harry," said Amy in a very serious voice, "You're not going to be very happy with me when I tell you what I have to tell you tonight. You are going to be very angry with me and very disappointed in me when I make this confession. But I need to get this off my chest and I also owe it to you to come clean with you and be honest with you about a time when I overstepped my boundaries and violated your personal space."
"I'm not sure when this could have happened," replied Harry, "What's bothering you, Amy?"
Amy, looking extremely nervous, took a deep breath and said slowly, "Harry, I am a Legilimens."
"Have you ever used Legilimency?" Harry asked Amy.
"I used it on my parents when I met them at Nurture's Orphanage the other day, " said Amy matter of factly, "They are muggles and wouldn't fully understand the art of Legilimency, although they correctly deduced that it is part of my magic. However, they did know that I had access to their thoughts and feelings when I made eye contact with them because I told them so. That is the point here. Harry, you have the right to know that in the first few months after we met that there were multiple instances of me using Legilimency on you without your permission or even knowledge. Harry, I'm sorry. I overstepped my boundaries and violated your privacy and personal space by accessing your thoughts and feelings without your permission or knowledge in full awareness that I was accessing them. Harry, I'm sorry for not being a better friend to you. I didn't respect my boundaries with you."
Amy started to feel a few tears coming down her cheeks as she made this confession.
"Amy," said Harry gently, "I understand, and I accept your apology one thousand percent. In all fairness to you, Amy, before you met me, you never had a relationship of any kind in which trust would be important."
"Harry," said Amy, who was still tear stricken, "You trusted me from the start, and I let you down. I really do wish I had been a better friend to you, and I really am sorry, Harry."
Harry, being the understanding and compassionate friend that he was, knew that Amy needed love and support in this moment.
Harry took Amy into his arms and gently stroked her hair with his left hand while patting her on the back with his right hand.
This made Amy feel a little better in spite of herself. It was hard to explain, but Harry's physical touch was very comforting to Amy.
"Amy," said Harry in a very serious crystal clear voice, "You have been a great friend from the start and making some mistakes doesn't take away from that."
Amy felt a little better still at that and wiped the tears off her face. She then asked Harry, "Do you honestly truly feel like I've been a good friend to you?"
"Yes," answered Harry a nanosecond later, "Amy, you were the very first person to ever be nice to me in any way. I haven't forgotten that you helped me with my trunk as the first thing you did when we first met. I remember that it was you, along with Susan and Hannah, who made those observations about me on the Hogwarts Express to realize that something was seriously wrong with me, thus enabling me to get some help. I still greatly appreciate how you helped me with my scar removal cream even when I was a very bitchy patient and didn't utter a word of complaint when I punched you in the face out of frustration in one of those scar removal cream sessions. And I also recall how you, along with Susan and Hannah, stood by my bedside at St. Mungo's when I had the Horcrux Removal Surgery and were very understanding and patient with me when I didn't want to do anything the next day. That's the Amy Alworth I know. That's your true character. All of that far outweighs the one mistake you made."
After letting what she had just heard Harry say sink in for a minute and a nanosecond, Amy looked Harry eye to eye and said, "Thank you for saying that, Harry. I needed to hear that."
"I don't expect you to be a perfect friend," Harry told Amy, "I haven't been a perfect friend myself, as is evidenced by the aforementioned incident where I punched you in the face in one of the sessions where you were helping me apply my Scar Removal Cream. When that happened, you didn't complain or judge me. You continued to work on me as though nothing had happened."
"I forgave you without even thinking about it for that incident because I understood that your background of growing in an abusive environment made having to deal with physical touch really challenging for you," said Amy matter of factly, "I knew how hard that was for you."
"In other words," said Harry gently, "You forgave me because you saw things from my point of view and had empathy and compassion for me. Well, now it's my turn to return the favor to you."
"Thank you for being so understanding and supportive, Harry," said Amy gratefully, "I should have expected that from you by now, but I fear being judged."
"Amy," said Harry seriously, If anyone has the right to fear being judged, you do. You were literally abandoned at birth by your parents because of your albinoness and your magic. I'm glad you were able to finally meet your parents and that you will start to build a relationship with them. I think your next meeting with them will be very positive. I really respected how you forgave your parents when you realized how much they have since matured. Nevertheles, by your own admission, you still feel some underlying hurt from your abandonment. This background gives you every right to fear being judged."
"Thank you for seeing things from my point of view, Harry, " added Amy thankfully, "Is there anything you do expect from me as a friend?"
"I do expect loyalty and I have no doubts about you there," declared Harry.
"Are you able and willing to trust me going forward, Harry, inquired Amy hopefully.
"As for trust," said Harry in a crystal clear voice, "I will actually trust you more after tonight because you were a stand up girl and admitted that you had wronged you and how. Did you share what you knew of my thoughts and feelings with other people?"
"No," said Amy matter of factly, "I used Legilimency on you to try to understand how you were feeling and why you were feeling the way you were during that time frame when I was acting as your caretaker."
"So," Harry told Amy reassuringly, "Even the mistake you made came from a place of wanting to be there for me and help me. I honestly don't have a problem with you having used Legilimency on me under those circumstances. I will admit that I would have preferred for you to have told me that were using Legilimency on me, but I would have granted you that permission had you asked for it."
"I should have asked for that permission and that's where I was in the wrong," admitted Amy, "You had the right to know I was doing that, and I overstepped my boundaries by not getting your permission before using Legilimency on you."
"I can confirm," interjected Susan clearly, "That Amy never shared any of your thoughts of feelings with me."
"Nor with me," added Hannah.
"See, Amy?" said Harry gently, "It's not like you went around spilling my secrets. If you occasionally made mistakes that come from a place of caring about me, I can accept that. Context matters. In fact, let me add that I would MUCH rather have a best friend who makes some honest mistakes and wrongs me every now and then because she made some honest mistakes and wronged me out of genuine care and concern for me than to have a best friend who never makes any mistakes and never wrongs me but is indifferent to me and my well being. I'd much rather the bestie who genuinely cares about me and you are a very loyal, loving, and caring bestie."
"Thank you, Harry," said Amy gratefully as Harry continued to stroke her hair, which made her feel better by the nanosecond.
"Susan, Hannah?" asked Harry, "Right now, Amy needs love and support, not criticism, Please reassure her of your support."
"Amy," said Susan supportively, "It takes a lot of courage to admit you were wrong. It takes even more courage to admit that you were wrong to the face of the person you wronged with the full expectation that person is going be upset with you when you do. To his credit, Harry is being understanding and compassionate. But you thought he would be a lot more upset and you still chosen to come with him. That takes a lot of courage and I am very proud of youu."
"It takes more courage still," added Hannah respectfully, "To admit you were wrong to the face of the person you wronged when you know that person will never know that you wronged them without you telling them. I am also very proud of you."
"Susan and Hannah are right," agreed Harry, "Amy, my respect for you has grown tonight. But you've always been a stand up girl. The day we met you stared at my scar for a bit and made me uncomfortable. When you realized you were making me uncomfortable, you immediately apologized and promised me that you were not a fangirl. You have kept that promise. You have never fangirled me and you never stared at my scar again after that one time. I'll always respect a person who owns his or her mistakes and makes a legitimate effort to correct them."
"Harry," promised Amy, "If I ever use Legilimency on you in the future, I promise that I will inform you and get your permission before doing so."
"I know you will, Amy,' said Harry confidently, "You learn from your mistakes because you are honest about them. You never had a relationship where trust was an important thing before you met me, so I can see how you wouldn't have realized at the time you were wrong. And, as for what kind of person you are, the fact that you got the ball rolling on that fundraiser for Nurture's Orphanage says a lot."
"I was actually surprised at how happy I was to see the kids at Nurture's Orphanage when I visited the other day," said Amy warmly.
"Amy, " said Harry clearly, "I know you were never close with anyone individually while you lived at Nurture's Orphanage, but you don't live with the same people for eleven years and then feel nothing for them."
"That meeting with the kids at Nurture's Orphanage the other day had a very warm feeling of being happy to see old friends again," cooed Amy fondly.
"Don't beat yourself up over you one mistake," Harry told Amy firmly, "I am truly the luckiest tween in the world to have Amy Alworth as a Bestie."
Harry and Amy exchanged a bone crushing hug as Susan and Hannah looked on smiling.
"Harry and Amy," cooed Susan fondly, "The start of the friendship between you two was one of the purest and most beautiful beginnings any friendship has ever had. "
"Hard agree," beamed Hannah, "Amy helping Harry with his trunk when he was struggling with it followed by Harry paying for Amy to get snacks from the trolley lady when she didn't have any money demonstrated that from the nanosecond they met, Harry and Amy were always looking after each other."
Harry and Amy smiled at Susan and Hannah.
"Amy," said Harry sincerely, "To reaffirm our friendship to each other and to reaffirm our roles as each other's besties, let's take off our socks and shoes and step on each other's feet."
"Yes, Harry," agreed Amy a nanosecond later.
Feeling deeply connected to each other, Harry and Amy both took off their socks and shoes and stepped on each other's feet as hard as they could.
As Harry and Amy continued to step on each other's feet, they felt each other inside each other. The feel of each other's feet on each other gave both Harry and Amy glowing feelings on their insides as it intensified their feelings of being part of each other and therefore their friendship as well. There was also an element that Harry and Amy simply enjoyed each other's physical touch while also finding comfort in each other's physical touch."
To represent the fact that they were a pair of besties, Harry and Amy continued to step on each other's feet for exactly two minutes and two nanoseconds before engaging in a second bone crushing hug.
Harry and Amy then put their socks and shoes back on.
When Harry and Amy both had their socks and shoes back on, Amy had an idea.
"To lighten the mood now," said Amy crisply, "I'd like to have some lighthearted fun."
Amy opened a drawer on her desk and pulled out a box of All Yellow Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.
"Why don't we eat some of these and have fun seeing what flavors we all get?" suggested Amy.
"I think we could do with some lighthearted fun," replied Harry as Susan and Hannah nodded.
"You first, Harry," said Amy happily as she opened the box and held it out for Harry.
Harry dug his hand into the box and retrieved a bean.
Popping it into his mouth, Harry piped up, "EW! A dandelion flavored one!"
Amy, Susan, and Hannah laughed and giggled.
"That was dandy," grinned Amy, "That takes one of the most disgusting ones out of the mix before I get to it!"
Helping herself to a bean, Amy cried out happily, "Yum, a lemon flavored one!"
At this, Harry, Susan, and Hannah all clapped.
"Amy, I'm happy to hear that you got the best yellow flavor," said Harry cheerfully, "You deserve it after what you just did tonight."
"Hard agree," said Hannah briskly, "Amy deserved to have something go her way."
"She certainly did," agreed Susan, "My turn now."
Amy held the box out for Susan, who dipped her hand into it and fetched a bean for herself.
After Susan had eaten it, Susan said "Ick, a pencil flavored one!"
Harry, Amy, and Hannah smirked and laughed.
"That was sharp," smirked Hannah.
"You try, Hannah," said Amy, offering her to box.
Hannah helped herself to a bean and declared, "Yuck, a sticky note flavored one."
Harry, Amy, and Susan all smiled at her.
"Ah, you got stuck with a disgusting flavor too, Hannah," smirked Susan.
They continued eating the yellow beans for a few more minutes and a few more nanoseconds, laughing at each other whenever someone got a disgusting or yucky flavor.
Finally, Amy said, "Let's all get a good taste in our mouths."
Amy then put the All Yellow Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans back in the drawer and took out four individually wrapped lemon Starbursts and passed one each to Harry, Susan, and Hannah while keeping one for herself.
All four of them ripped the wrappers off the candies and threw them in the trash.
They then held up the candies and all shouted out, "THE YELLOW QUARTET!" before eating them and getting that pleasant lemon taste in their mouths.
An uncomfortable meeting had ended on a very pleasant note.
A/N: This chapter is meant to be just as much about Harry's growth as Amy's. Amy has always had a high honesty coefficient. While this confession is difficult for Amy and takes a lot of courage, one thing the helps Amy bring herself to make the confession is that despite her expectation of anger and disappointment from Harry, she also trusts in Harry's ability to forgive her at the end of the day and knows their friendship can withstand it. The confession is a huge release and ultimately a huge relief for Amy. Harry's response is critical. By being forgiving and understanding, Harry both reassures Amy and strengthens their friendship. Harry has a very high forgiveness coefficient and so does Amy, but in the context of this chapter, Harry's forgiving response fosters a culture of being able to be honest with other between Harry, Amy, Susan, and Hannah because they all understand that they are all willing to forgive each other. But Harry also has a very high gratitude coefficient. Harry actually takes Amy's confession and her questioning of herself of whether she has been a good friend as an opportunity to really reflect on the friendship and on everything Amy has done for him since they met. This increases Harry's already strong sense of gratitude towards Amy. Harry ultimately shows his strength of character be stepping back and taking an attitude of "Amy may have a made a mistake, but all the ways she has helped me and been there for me since I met her far outweigh that. By both understanding the context of Amy's mistake and focusing on the overall positive impact Amy has had on his life, he shows that he sees the bigger picture and is deeply appreciative for everything Amy has done for him.
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