Blind, Half-Veela Harry Potter

xPART 11x

Anthony: There's no need to panic, Terry. I'm sure Harry is fine.

Terry: B-but what i-if he isn't? What th-then? You g-guys are the first r-real f-friends I've ever had an-and if Harry's H-hurt, or being b-bullied, m-my mind immediately g-goes t-to thinking it's my fault for n-not p-protecting h-him!

Terry started to breathe heavier and he clutched his chest. He looked down at his lap but he still felt more and more people's eyes on him, not just his friends'. He heard a scramble of feet and someone landed on their knees beside him. His eyesight was more like tunnel vision now and all he heard was the wild thudding of his heart and a sort of background static, so he couldn't see who it was or hear if they were talking to him but he felt a warm and gentle embrace wrap around him and lead him up and out of the Great Hall. After a minute of speed-walking, the person pulling Terry along stopped and nudged him into a sitting position in front of them on the floor. The warm embrace came again but in a smaller version.

Terry (Thinking): Oh, those must be hands. But who's.

One warm hand gently pushed his head between his knee's and he let it. The other hand stroked from his shoulder to his elbow. It was such a delicate touch and it was so warm against his skin that Terry instinctually leaned into it. After his head was between his knee's the hand had moved to comb through his hair. Eventually, Terry calmed down from his anxiety attack enough to realize that the person had ceased running his fingers through his hair at one point and was now humming a lullaby. The next thing that his brain registered was that the person was actually Harry.

Terry whimpered and shot forward into Harry's arms. He clutched onto the back of Harry's robes and buried his face in his chest, starting to cry, and Harry's first response was to resume combing through Terry's hair with his fingers.

Harry: Shhhhhhhhh. It's okay. I'm here. No one will bother us here.

Harry turned to look at someone behind him and spoke.

Harry: Hermione, I need you and the others to go tell Professor McGonagall the situation. And tell her that I'll need another 20 or so minutes. And I need someone to stay outside the door as a lookout. Preferably Blaise.

Blaise: Yes, Boss.

Hermione: Right. Come on you three. Let's go. Oh, and, Charmer? Do you want me to inform Professor Flitwick as well? Just so that he knows?

Harry: Yes, but tell him not to interfere just yet. Blaise and I have it covered.

Hermione: Got it. Come on, boys.

Terry heard the door close behind them as they left and he hiccuped on a muffled sob.

Harry: Terry? Terry, look at me.

Terry looked up into Harry's bright green eyes.

Harry: Do you see where we are?

Terry looked around the room without letting go of Harry's robes. They were in an empty classroom, probably only a corridor away from the Great Hall.

Harry: Terry, do you know what to do when you have an anxiety attack?

Terry shook his head 'no'.

Harry: That's okay. I'll show you Blaise, come in here.

Blaise came in and closed the door behind him but stayed a few feet away.

Blaise: Yeah?

Harry: I'm showing Terry what to do when he is having an anxiety attack. I want you to know too, in case he's with you when one happens. And if his panicked brain won't let him do this himself, someone else will need to help him into position, okay?

Blaise: Sure. Of course, I'll help.

Harry: Okay. Now, when you see him start to breathe heavily, you take him into a quiet room and get him to the floor in a sitting position, like this.

Harry repositioned his body, forcing Terry to let go.

Harry: Next, you have to have him put his head in between his knees, face down.

Harry demonstrated again and Terry recognised the position as the one Harry had put him in only minutes before.

Harry (Looking up again): If he can't think clearly enough to do it himself you gently push down on his head. When a person has a panic or anxiety attack, they are easier to push around because the body wants to keep itself unharmed. This part is why it is a good idea for someone to be with the victim.

Blaise: Got it. What's next?

Harry: If, after two or three minutes, the victim has not calmed down, it is a good idea to make them feel as safe as you can. Do things like wrap a blanket around them, sing a soft song, or rub their arms from shoulder to elbow so they feel the warmth of someone next to them.

Blaise: What are things not to do?

Harry: No shouting, loud noises, arguing, no more than four people in a 20-foot radius, only one person talking to the victim, no background noise while trying to calm them down, and definitely no sudden or tight physical contact. You must not do any of this during or for an hour or two after the anxiety attack. As soon as everyone returns, I'm giving them the same lecture, so you'll sit with Terry while I do that.

Terry: If I can tell one's coming, how do I get a teacher to let me leave?

Harry looked at him in understanding.

Harry: That is a very good question, Terry. If you feel one coming, you should immediately ask an adult if you can go sit in the hall to calm down. Have you been in that situation before?

Terry: Yeah. But what if they think I am faking it and don't let me leave?

Harry: Another good reason to have one of your friends with you at all times. They can help you in whatever way you need when you have an attack, even talk to a teacher to convince them to let you go to a safer place.

Terry: And what if one of you isn't there to help?

Blaise: I can research a way to let one of us know if you're having an attack if you'd like.

Harry: Do you think that will help, Terry? We can get started right away once I get back from the Ministry if that is something you want to try.

Terry was quiet while he thought about the offer.

Terry: Nothing like Dark magic. That's my rule. And no one gets hurt doing this.

Blaise: I think I can make that deal. How are you feeling now, bud?

Terry (Smiling timidly): A lot better, thanks. Hey, Harry? How do you know what to do if someone is having an anxiety attack?

Harry: Me? Oh, I used to have frequent attacks when I was little. One of my favorite teachers learned so he could help me and he taught it to me so I could use it and teach someone else how to do it too.

Terry: That was nice of him.

Blaise: Yeah, it was.