"Madam Pomfrey!" Angela called as she rushed into Madam Pomfrey's office. "Something's happening to Harry!" She said, it was currently night time and Angela had been the only student given permission to stay and watch Harry (thanks to being his vassal), as soon as the clock had struck midnight Harry had shot awake and found that he couldn't breathe.
"I'm coming!" She said before she rushed out along with Angela to Harry was, Harry was in his bed, his face was covered in sweat and panic and he let out strangled gasps as his chest kept heaving up and down, the Tonks family were next to him and looked incredibly worried and were doing their best to calm him down. Madam Pomfrey quickly waved her wand over him a couple of times, eventually Harry's breathing came back under control, after several long and short breaths he went back to sleep.
"What the bloody hell was that?!" Ted demanded once Harry had gone back to sleep.
"He had air in his chest," Madam Pomfrey frowned as she began casting diagnostic spells on him. "If you are overly anxious, you may get trapped wind in chest. Many people suffering from anxiety gulp air during a panic attack. Trapped wind in chest can be a painful condition, people often mistake this for a heart attack. What had happened before this?" She asked.
"He had been muttering something, he wasn't awake," Andromeda replied. "he must have been dreaming."
"Which caused the panic attack." Ted concluded.
"Three guesses at what he was dreaming about." Tonks replied, looking down at Harry with a worried expression on her face.
A day later Harry was sat in bed in the hospital wing with Daphne sat in a chair on his left while Tracey was sat on his right. Jet was curled up on Harry's lap while Thor was resting on Harry's shoulder. Harry had had many visitors, including Professor Babbling, Roman and Ginny. A few reporters tried to get in but there was always someone to stop them.
"We've only got a few minutes before we have to go make an appearance at dinner so I am going to be blunt, how are you feeling, Harry?" Tracey asked in a soft voice.
"I don't know." Harry admitted, one hand casually petting Jet. "I've...I've lost duels before, I've been injured multiple times and I've nearly died before...once again multiple times. But this...this was different."
"How?" Daphne asked, holding Harry's free hand in her own.
"I suffered from his torture curse, I suffered repeatedly, and I came far closer to begging than I ever wanted to. I felt like I was something that I haven't felt like in a long time. I felt weak. I…I am weak."
"Weak?" Daphne asked, Harry must have missed the disbelief in her voice due to how quiet it was, he continued speaking after giving a small nod, looking down at his lap while he did so.
"For years I've done my best to be strong, to learn as much magic as I could." Harry sighed. "I...I studied, I practised, and yet...I lost. He had me, if it wasn't for the fact that he wanted me to join him then I would have been dead right there and then."
"Harry, you're not weak." Daphne told him in a firm voice.
"Daphne's right," Tracey agreed. "if anything...the situation has proven just how strong you are." She added.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, looking up at her.
"Harry, first think about all you've done already, all you have achieved." Tracey said.
"Exactly, look at you, Harry." Daphne spoke up. "Best in your year, arguably the best student in school, you regularly practise advanced magic, you are the youngest known animagus, you're the youngest chaser in a century, you defeated Quirrell, you defeated Slytherin's monster, you've mastered the patronus charm, you can defeat wizards and witches much older than you and now you can even add the youngest Tri-Wizard champion ever to your impressive list."
"Exactly," Tracey said with a nod. "and you-know-who knows all of that, that's why he wanted you to join him instead of killing you like he would any other wizard. And Harry, despite remembering all of your very impressive achievements there is something that you have forgotten to think about."
"What?" Harry asked in a quiet voice as he replayed her words in his head.
"You're still just a fourteen year old," Tracey said, giving him a brief smile "a fourteen year old against a wizard with decades of magical experience, one who was incredibly feared by other wizards who are at least three times your age, a man that's been reported to only have Albus Dumbledore as his magical equal, both of them are considered to be the greatest wizards alive. So for you to fight him, to actually damage him and escape him, means that you're a great wizard, Harry."
"Harry," Daphne spoke up. "people have lived in fear of him for a very, very long time. For him to think your worth recruiting...well...like it or not, it's a compliment. You're not weak, Harry. You're just feeling weak."
"We've all felt weak and scared at some point," Tracey nodded. "I remember the incident in my first year's first flying class, you were there to save me and help me, Harry. Now, I want to return the favour. Please, it's alright to be scared, but don't let that fear control you. You're better than that, not because you're the boy-who-lived, but because you are Harry 'Bloody!' Potter! One of the greatest wizards of all time." She finished with a small grin.
Harry didn't say anything, he instead looked at her intensely. He was about to speak when suddenly he felt his mind be assaulted with images of himself smiling.
Please listen to me, Harry.
Please believe me.
I want my Harry Potter back.
Harry blinked and looked at Daphne who was giving him an encouraging smile, he looked and saw that she clearly hadn't been able to hear the voices that he had heard, either that or she was just pretending not to have heard.
"Tracey is right, Harry. And we'll both keep saying the same things over and over again until you believe us if that's what it takes." Daphne said, her blue eyes locking with Harry. Once again Harry experienced an odd sensation in his mind, he saw himself looking up into the green eyes of himself.
Listen to us, Harry.
Please believe us.
I'll do whatever it takes to make you better.
....
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