"Draco has more training to get through. It's not going to happen for a while. He wants to help you... and he feels obligated to help you in a way. He knows that he can help you, but he also knows how you feel about it."
"I never wanted to relive that trauma, again, but... I know I'm not okay. I'm not getting better on my own. I can't tell you how many times I've had to rely on Calming Potions to get through normal conversations," Harry admitted.
"Things don't just magically go away, Harry. Calming Potions are a tool to help you ease your stress, not a cure-all. The anxiety won't go away without trying to resolve what happened, but I can walk you through some techniques to reduce your anxiety without the potion."
Harry nodded. Joel reminded him of the deep breathing exercise that Harry kept forgetting to do. He also made him meditate for a bit and asked him to consider writing his thoughts and worries down in a journal. Joel stressed that it didn't have to be organized, just write what worries him or causes him stress, and they could work on addressing it. Harry was dubious about it working but remembered Draco's diary. He said it was cathartic. Maybe, it would help.
Harry felt better at the end of it, but that changed when he walked out of his office and found Susan. She looked at him from Natalie's desk, as if she had been waiting for him to get out of his appointment with Joel.
"Susan? Is something wrong?" he asked, nervousness returning.
Joel came from behind him and looked at her. "What's going on?"
She looked at Joel, dubiously, but decided to let him stay. "Harry, please don't get upset or concerned, but there is a small ethics review board meeting set for this evening... about... well...."
"Draco and I?" Harry guessed, a lump now forming in his stomach.
"It's a formality, really. We just need to make sure that everything is... on the level," she said, awkwardly.
"Am I allowed to be there?" Joel asked.
"You are on the review board as the Head of Mind Healing. It's just going to be me, Head Healer Convaba, Stebbins, the Head of Compliance, and the Head of Witch and Wizard Relations... who is Hannah, if you didn't hear about her being hired."
"Abbott?" he asked, curiously.
"Finch-Fletchly, actually. She and Justin married three years ago. He's working in the Ministry under Arthur Weasley."
Harry nodded, taking in this information. "When?" he whispered, not meeting her eyes.
"At five, after your last appointment. Harry... this is just a formality. I'm on your side, and Joel is too. I'm sure the head healer and Hannah won't be against you either. You... your reforms put this into place. A step below a MMMB hearing. We have to conduct a review to be fair and impartial and to make sure that there wasn't undue influence, which I'm sure there wasn't," Susan said gently. She tried to move her hands forward to take his, but seemed to reconsider it.
Harry did not want to be touched. He was barely holding back tears.
"Harry? Harry, look at me," Joel said, and Harry looked up at him. "Calm down... breathe... it won't be like... the other hearing. No white room... no interrogation... I promise."
"We will ask questions, but it's more about making sure your patient is okay," Susan reaffirmed.
"Can I go?" Harry asked.
"Of course. We can reschedule... but I thought you'd want it over and done with, rather than letting it drag out."
Harry did ask her to do that. He looked at Joel, who looked like he wanted to come with him, but Harry went back into his office to floo to Grimwald. He walked out the front door and Apparated to Blaise and Neville's manor. He nearly ran inside and located Draco, who was walking, not shuffling into the kitchen. He was doing a lot better at it since Harry started massaging him every morning.