Megan had just finished lighting all the lavender and soothing candles in her therapy room when she returned to her office desk in the make-shift waiting room
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"Now, please follow me." She counted the steps, of course to herself, to the door beyond her desk where she grabbed a clipboard stuffed with a thick file labeled: Harry Potter.
Opening the door let a soft wave of lavender surround Megan and Harry. She found that the scent helped her clients relax and feel like they were in a safe place.
Leading the way into the office, she looked over her shoulder at Harry, "Close the door behind you, if you could." She took a seat at the far end of the round table in the center of the room. "Sealing the room activates a charm that blocks any type of eavesdropping spells or gadgets. This is a totally secure area, and I hope that you will feel completely comfortable expressing yourself here."
The room was a small, circular room, filled with soft, pastel colors. The walls were filled with water color paintings, sconces with white flickering candles, and window baskets filled with fresh flowers. "It's a synthetic window," she commented as Harry took in the room, "It helps the room feel more open, but, I assure you, you won't see anyone peaking in," there was a hint of kind laughter with her words.
The whiff of lavender hit him harshly in the nose, his throat growing scratchy as he tried to muffle the cough creeping its way past his lips.
He did as he was told, closing the door behind him, hearing the latch click into place. The privacy was important, Harry realizing he never did have much of it his entire life. He eyes followed her as she walked, him standing there dumbly, not sure what to do. He nodded, listening to her, his hand reaching to rub at the back of his neck.
Megan noted Harry's discomfort immediately. She flourished her wand, and a draft went through the room taking much of the scent with it. "I hope you find this to be more comfortable."
She crossed her ankles under the table and waved her hand in the direction of the chair opposite her. "Please, take a seat."
Her finger tapped on the clipboard with each step he took, and once Harry was settled, Megan opened his file.
"Why don't you tell me what brought you in today."
Once again, he followed orders, crossing toward the table. He took the seat she pointed out, settling into it, his legs crossed at the ankles underneath the chair, his elbows propped on the table and his chin resting on his knuckles.
She was checking things. He didn't know what that meant, really, but he didn't think it was good. He shifted in his seat, bringing his arms across his chest as she looked up at him.
He rubbed at his face, cracking his jaw slightly as he looked back.
"I have a shitty temper-" he said, shrugging. "It's been a stressful couple of months."
There was the checking again. He tried to crane his neck, see what she was writing without causing attention but it didn't work. It just left him with a slight crick.
"Oh, um, yes-" he said, reaching into the pocket of his jacket and pulling out the rumpled parchment. He made a face, glancing down at it as he smoothed it out hurriedly before pushing it toward her.
Megan reached over and added the paper to her pile, glancing over it first to make sure it was complete. Of course, much of this information was public information, especially the material about his parents, but it was still required paperwork.
"I see you grew up with your aunt and uncle," she commented on as she read over each section.
Living in a closet for eleven years could leave you feeling that way. But it was more than just physical, it was stifling mentally and he was shocked he'd survived at all.
That was not a look he wanted to see again, even the mere raise of her eyebrow making him shift again in his seat. How a simple look could make him feel so uncomfortable he had no idea.
"I'm not sure where to begin," he said, raking his hand through his hair, then flattening it down again as he looked at her. "I didn't enjoy my time there- I'd really just like to forget about it, to be honest."
Megan nodded her head lightly and waved her wand toward the cabinet. Hot and ready tea served itself into teacups that had placed themselves in front of the pair, shortly followed by milk and sugar.
"How do you like your tea, Harry?" She had a self-serving tea set," little tricks like that really pleased Megan. She was never very good at wand work, and sets like this helped her feel more apart of the world she was born into. A person needed only say how they liked their tea, and it makes their perfect cup.
He watched the tea pot begin to do its thing, everything moving about in a rather precarious way. He turned back toward Megan, then, as he shrugged down into his seat.
"Two sugars," he said, offering her a hapless smile. "That should be just fine."
Two sugars floated into Harry's cip and stirred themselves into the tea. Megan's cup was already made and she was sipping merrily in the meanwhile.
She took a couple more notes before carefully placing the cup back onto its dish. It occurred to Megan that Harry had made quite the scene in their Divination class in school, but it was a customary practice in her field that it would be odd to not read his tea leaves.
Megan considered her notes for a moment to get her mind back on track. "I'm sorry that your aunt and uncle didn't accept you as a child, that sounds really hard."
She felt her heart beating a little faster, she really empathized for Harry. She remembered growing up and hearing his name every so often- he wasn't just famous, he was sort of a savior at the time. Everybody, young and old looked up to him, and while their world gave him thanks every day in their own way, his family rejected him. How awful.
"You wrote here that you had a cousin, Dudley, as well? How was your relationship with him?
"Not exactly ideal," he said, kicking his foot at the ground. The tea hovered toward him and he didn't realize how grateful he was for it until it sat in front of him. "Dudley was the spitting image of his parents- bigoted, spoiled and abusive-"
But he had to admit, things had gotten significantly better since Harry moved out. At least with Dudley. There was some sort of mutual understanding and respect between them, even if it was hard for Harry to forgive what he'd been put through.
"Now, please follow me." She counted the steps, of course to herself, to the door beyond her desk where she grabbed a clipboard stuffed with a thick file labeled: Harry Potter.
Opening the door let a soft wave of lavender surround Megan and Harry. She found that the scent helped her clients relax and feel like they were in a safe place.
Leading the way into the office, she looked over her shoulder at Harry, "Close the door behind you, if you could." She took a seat at the far end of the round table in the center of the room. "Sealing the room activates a charm that blocks any type of eavesdropping spells or gadgets. This is a totally secure area, and I hope that you will feel completely comfortable expressing yourself here."
The room was a small, circular room, filled with soft, pastel colors. The walls were filled with water color paintings, sconces with white flickering candles, and window baskets filled with fresh flowers. "It's a synthetic window," she commented as Harry took in the room, "It helps the room feel more open, but, I assure you, you won't see anyone peaking in," there was a hint of kind laughter with her words.
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He did as he was told, closing the door behind him, hearing the latch click into place. The privacy was important, Harry realizing he never did have much of it his entire life. He eyes followed her as she walked, him standing there dumbly, not sure what to do. He nodded, listening to her, his hand reaching to rub at the back of his neck.
"Well, uh- that's good, then?"
Reply
She crossed her ankles under the table and waved her hand in the direction of the chair opposite her. "Please, take a seat."
Her finger tapped on the clipboard with each step he took, and once Harry was settled, Megan opened his file.
"Why don't you tell me what brought you in today."
Reply
He let out a huff of breath as he looked at her.
"Don't you know?" he asked, brow furrowing.
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After a moment, she looked up and smiled, "I know why Mr. Shacklebolt sent you here, Harry. I'm interested to hear why you think you're here."
Reply
He rubbed at his face, cracking his jaw slightly as he looked back.
"I have a shitty temper-" he said, shrugging. "It's been a stressful couple of months."
Reply
A few more boxes checked, accompanied by a few more nods.
"Do you have the form I requested?" A bright smile returned to her face.
Reply
"Oh, um, yes-" he said, reaching into the pocket of his jacket and pulling out the rumpled parchment. He made a face, glancing down at it as he smoothed it out hurriedly before pushing it toward her.
Reply
Megan reached over and added the paper to her pile, glancing over it first to make sure it was complete. Of course, much of this information was public information, especially the material about his parents, but it was still required paperwork.
"I see you grew up with your aunt and uncle," she commented on as she read over each section.
"What was that like?"
Reply
Living in a closet for eleven years could leave you feeling that way. But it was more than just physical, it was stifling mentally and he was shocked he'd survived at all.
"They hated magic."
Reply
Harry was not going to make this easy.
Reply
"I'm not sure where to begin," he said, raking his hand through his hair, then flattening it down again as he looked at her. "I didn't enjoy my time there- I'd really just like to forget about it, to be honest."
Reply
"How do you like your tea, Harry?" She had a self-serving tea set," little tricks like that really pleased Megan. She was never very good at wand work, and sets like this helped her feel more apart of the world she was born into. A person needed only say how they liked their tea, and it makes their perfect cup.
Reply
"Two sugars," he said, offering her a hapless smile. "That should be just fine."
Reply
She took a couple more notes before carefully placing the cup back onto its dish. It occurred to Megan that Harry had made quite the scene in their Divination class in school, but it was a customary practice in her field that it would be odd to not read his tea leaves.
Megan considered her notes for a moment to get her mind back on track. "I'm sorry that your aunt and uncle didn't accept you as a child, that sounds really hard."
She felt her heart beating a little faster, she really empathized for Harry. She remembered growing up and hearing his name every so often- he wasn't just famous, he was sort of a savior at the time. Everybody, young and old looked up to him, and while their world gave him thanks every day in their own way, his family rejected him. How awful.
"You wrote here that you had a cousin, Dudley, as well? How was your relationship with him?
Reply
But he had to admit, things had gotten significantly better since Harry moved out. At least with Dudley. There was some sort of mutual understanding and respect between them, even if it was hard for Harry to forgive what he'd been put through.
Reply
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