Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 40

Published: April 3rd, 2022

Trigger warning - intentional unwanted contact, threats, restraints, and panic attack

Harry's breath got sucked right out of his lungs. No, he screamed, internally. He leapt to his feet, ready to rabbit. Electrical crackling came from his hand as his greatest fear was becoming manifest.

"Who are you?" Joel demanded, still in front of Harry, protecting him.

"I'm Healer Trimdel. I'm going to need Healer Potter to come with us," she repeated, verbally brushing him aside.

Joel did not take kindly to that and growled, "And hear me, madam, no one is going anywhere until you explain yourself. This is a closed ward, and you are not permitted to be in this room."

Harry backed into the table, wanting a door, a window, anything. He knew he needed to escape. He tried to focus on trying to Apparate, but his thoughts were too erratic.

"There's no Apparating out. We reenforced the wards," one of the wizards behind the witch said.

Joel glanced back briefly at him, but looked back immediately when the stern witch pressed forward. "Oy!" he warned.

She stopped. "Healer Potter? I need you...."

"Who are you?" Joel spat, taking a step forward, putting himself firmly in between them.

The consideration was lost to Harry, though. He was losing it and shook his head, trying to deny that this was happening. He knew exactly what they were here for, and more electrical crackling came off his hands.

"This doesn't concern you, healer," she said, and Joel started to argue with her.

"Harry," Draco's soft voice, came through the dim. "Harry...."

His unstable emotions finally leveled as he met Draco's eyes. He took a swallow breath.

"Harry... calm down. It's going to be okay."

Harry did and slowly sunk back down into his chair. No escape, unless he wanted to be chased for the rest of his life. Just about every country in the world would execute a competency warrant. The secret must not come out. Tears came out as the realization hit him. It was over. Draco was still across from him, but he couldn't look at him, anymore. Draco was quietly trying to talk to him, trying to pull him out of the spiral.

"He's not going unless you tell me what's going on!"

"This is a confidential matter, Healer."

"I don't care. I'm his friend and his counselor. You will not be getting by me without telling me why!"

The older wizard stepped forward. "We are from the Magical Medical Malpractice Board. A complaint was lodged with the MMPB, and we are here to take Healer Potter to be interviewed."

"Without warning? Without notice? Without his solicitor?" Joel rattled off, but he was definitely nervous. He understood that this was serious.

"The nature of the complaint warranted immediate intervention," Healer Trimdel said.

"What kind of complaint...."

"That information is privileged, healer. Here's the writ of our authority. Healer Potter must meet with us today, or we will summon security or the Aurors, if necessary."

"There's no need for this," Joel huffed, shaking his head. "To show up, unannounced, at his place of employment, interrupting a private medical healing session, and then you think that you can just demand that he come with you? Who the bloody hell do you think you are?"

"We are the MMMB, and I suggest you stand aside. We can bring charges against you for obstruction. Healer Potter must come with us, now," an older wizard hissed.

"Why?" Joel pressed. The kid wasn't backing down, though the people in front of him had the power to strip him of his Healer's License. "This amount of aggression is not necessary. We are both healers, and this is where we practice healing. You could have simply asked."

The witch ignored him and tried to look around Joel. "Healer Potter, please come with us, now."

Joel again blocked her view. "No one is taking him anywhere against his will," he insisted.

"You cannot stop this," Healer Trimdel said, pulling out her wand.

"There's absolutely no need to pull out your wand, healer. If you would but explain yourself, we can resolve this matter peacefully," Joel said, and if Harry hadn't been so out of it, he would have been impressed. His mind was too fuzzy, too distraught to think rationally.

"Harry, look at me," Draco whispered. "Focus...."

"Healer, stand aside. You cannot change what is about to happen."

"Wanna bet!"

Harry met his eyes, briefly finding resolve and said, "Joel...."

The kid turned around. "Harry?"

"Don't...."

Joel knelt next to him. "Harry, they can't just...."

Healer Trimdel almost contradicted him, but Harry closed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah, they can."

"Harry, it was a minor injury that Healer Bones didn't even bother healing. I checked. He's lying! They can't remove your license for that!"

"It's... not about that, Joel," he whispered.

Joel's shoulders dropped. He hadn't seen that the world doesn't work in the way of right and wrong.

"Harry... what is it? Come on, tell me," Joel urged.

"Enough! We need to go!" the older wizard snapped, impatiently.

"Shut the bloody hell up. We don't live by your fucking schedule," Joel hissed and the old geezer pulled out his wand, too.

"Don't, Joel," Harry warned. "You can't stop it."

"Our authority is higher than the Wizengamot's!" the other wizard squeaked.

"Oh, shut it, too," Joel growled, losing his patience. "Come on, spell it out, Harry. What is happening?"

"They're here for... it's a competency exam."

"Competency?" Joel gasped and looked at Draco first. "Harry... you're competent. How could they think...."

"It's an ISS complaint, Joel."

The witch sighed. "It is. Now, please, we must interview you to put this matter to rest. We have another appointment at the Ministry of Magic to get to."

Joel stood up and rounded on them. "Oh, really? I'm sorry if our lives are getting in the way of your stodgy meeting!"

"Now, see here!" Healer Trimdel gasped, red-faced.

Joel turned back to him. "An International Statute of Secrecy violation? Harry, you haven't done magic in front of muggles... have you?"

Harry shook his head. He kept his eyes on the table.

The snotty wizard sighed. "But he might."

"Might? That's why you're here?"

"Accidental magic at his age? We must take precautions!" the witch insisted, almost scandalized at the thought.

"That incident wasn't accidental!" Joel shouted.

"We will find out. If Healer Potter has bursts of uncontrollable magic... then... we have to take precautions."

Joel's hands were shaking. "No. You can't do this."

"We have the power given by the International Confederation of Wizards! The ISS is the highest law in the land. Now, for the last time, stand aside."

"You said... interview. You haven't made your decision, right?" Joel clarified.

"That's none of your concern, healer, as I have said many times, now," she said, exasperated.

"I'm his counselor. I'm coming with him."

"Are you a mind healer? Only mind healers are permitted during the evaluation."

"I'll be taking my certification exam in two days. Can't you wait till then? Or at least make an exception? I'm a counselor, and I've been talking with him for almost a month now!"

"Talk? Talking is irrelevant. Has Healer Potter had any mind healing sessions with you so that you can testify to his mental state?"

"I've seen him every day for months! He's never accidentally did magic!"

"That will be ascertained at the interview, then. Enough of this delay! Healer Potter, come now, or we will have security drag you down to the room. If any of your... friends... interfere, we will have them arrested. Last chance," the obstinate witch ordered.

Harry nodded. There was no point to fight this. Joel even tried to argue for his Calming Draught, but it was expressly refused. In fact, they wanted him free of the calming effects of all potions, lest they try to hide his "craziness". Harry looked at Draco for support.

"It'll be alright, Harry. Just stay calm," he said, trying to reassure him.

Unfortunately, he didn't feel better, but he stood up. He walked forward, and the witch demanded his wand.

"I didn't bring it."

She regarded him and checked anyway with a flick of her wand. She was not satisfied and looked to Joel and Draco as if Harry had given it to them to hide. "Come. They stay."

"I can walk down with him. You're not going to whisk him away!"

"We are just going to the examination room. We will not leave the hospital."

Joel didn't give up and walked next to him all the way to the exam rooms in the mental health ward. Harry didn't like being there at all. Their white cold rooms unnerved him. He was shaking badly, and Joel tried again to reassure him. Finally, they stopped at the door, and the witch gestured him to enter. She still had her wand out, and there were many onlookers to this event. Assholes. Tears flowed even as he tried to stop them. Scared did not cover how he felt.

"Look, you are clearly causing him distress. He's been through so much lately that he's too emotional and distraught. Please... do this another time. You're scaring him," Joel pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but this can't wait, and it's better this way. We need to see if he releases magic to calm down. Not using a wand at all? This is very serious. Ph!" Healer Trimdel scoffed and shook her head at the horror of the idea of wandless magic.

"Just because you're a weakling and can't do it, don't take it out on him," Joel hissed and she went red.

"Why the nerve!"

"Get in the room, Healer Potter. Now!" the old wizard spat, glancing at a sundial.

"I'll be alright, Joel. Take care of Draco," he whispered and entered the room. Some part of him knew that he wouldn't get through this. Something bad was about to happen.

He walked into the creepily bright room. There was a table with two chairs on one side and one on the other. He didn't sit and remained standing trying to calm down. The witch sat down on the single chair side.

"Sit down, please."

Harry didn't want to, as this whole thing was freaking him out. But he had to try to get through this, so he sat down.

"Now... we need to..." she started.

Harry heard Joel arguing in the hallway, but tried to close his eyes to mute it all out. Suddenly, the door opened and shut, and someone else walked in behind Harry. He just opened his eyes when fingers brushed his arm where his sleeves had run up. Harry jerked his arm backward and glared up at the person who had touched him. It was Higgs.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to frighten you," he said, with mock concern.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" he hissed.

"Calm down, Healer Potter," Healer Trimdel demanded, as the older MMMB wizard stood obtrusively in the corner.

"No, I won't. What is he doing here?"

"We need a mind healer from St. Mungo's to be present during the interview."

"Find another bloody one!" Harry growled, as he rubbed the spot where Higgs had touched him.

"I'm sorry, my staff has tickets to Puddlemore's match. It's just me, today," Higgs said, so nonchalantly.

Harry's jaw popped open. Fucking fuck. The bastard had planned this all out... everything. Harry felt his heart pumping faster, and his hands start to shake. Fuck, Higgs knew so much now.

"Healer Trimdel... Higgs and I do not get along. This is just... wrong that you would allow him to stay. He's clearly acting against my interests."

"Come now, Harry. You only don't like me because I've been encouraging you to get the help you need. You're just projecting your fear of comforting your trauma onto me," he said, with that condescending smugness the bastard always had.

Harry glared, as his rage spiked, and he spat, "Shut the fuck up, Terrence."

"Healer Potter!" Healer Trimdel gasped, looking as scandalized as Aunt Petunia did when he said "magic". "Language! We are all healers here, and I need you to calm down and act properly."

"I'm not a child, and I certainly don't have to be polite. Get him the fuck out of here!" he demanded.

"No, you need a mind healer present to do the assessment."

Harry paled as he realized that Higgs might be forcing his way into his head. His heart was beating faster by the second as the fear was ramping up. "No... no! Anyone but this prick."

"That won't be happening, Healer Potter," she responded, shaking her head in annoyance.

"You're really going to force medical treatment on me?" he hissed at the gall of the MMMB breaking their own rules for the sake of the ISS. He was shaking worse, now, and his arm itched.

"Not treatment. It is an assessment. You have to understand that maintaining the integrity of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy is why the Ministry was founded, and it's our highest obligation."

"I'm not disputing that," Harry said, having difficulty controlling his emotions. They were all over the place, now, jumping from fear to anger in seconds flat. "I haven't done accidental magic since I was 13!"

She raised her eyebrow and said, with a snotty tone, "I find that hard to believe, Mister Potter."

He resisted snapping back, though it was so hard. Fuck, where did all this anger and rage come from? He tried to take deep breaths to calm his temper, but it wasn't working.

"Harry... you've attacked me, remember?" Higgs pointed out.

"Yes, I did. You were trying to get into my head without my permission. I intentionally did that, Higgs," he said, barely keeping from shouting it. "And wasn't all that private. You have no right to even mention it!"

"Harry, do calm down. We are having a nice and pleasant discussion."

"There's absolutely nothing nice or pleasant about this!" he roared.

The witch twitched toward her wand. "Calm down, Healer Potter!"

"I will not calm down!" he shot back, and that was true. He didn't know why he was so upset. He was scared shitless when they came in, and now he was filled with uncontrollable rage. It wasn't helping his cause.

"Harry, we are completely calm. There's no reason to shout. We are here to help you," Higgs said, smiling like the bastard he was.

"The hell you are!" Harry spat as he couldn't stop shaking. His breathing was so erratic, and his heart was beating out of control. It was getting hard to breathe. What was happening?

"Healer Potter! You better calm down, or we will restrain you for our safety."

His fear went from a distant concern to outright terror. Harry was riding the waves of his emotions, and stood up, backing into the wall. He wanted nothing to do with being restrained.

"No... no..." he said, as the panic was taking over.

The witch stood up, too. "Take your seat, now!"

He shook his head, trying to regulate his spiraling emotions. But he couldn't. He couldn't find balance. Why? "I-I... don't understand," he admitted, confused at his sudden radical upswing of anger.

"I told you to sit!" she growled and twitched her wand.

Another spike in adrenaline pumped through his veins, and it took everything he had not to lash out with his magic.

"What's happening?" he verbalized.

Higgs smirked and stood up. Harry locked eyes with him and couldn't stop shaking. Higgs stepped forward, deliberately. Harry froze, and his breathing got lodged in his throat. He held up his hands in the stop gesture. Higgs stared intently at him, and Harry felt his desire to hurt him... to destroy him. He pushed back further into the wall and managed to get a breath of air in.

"Don't come any closer," he gasped, as his emotions dropped, again. His shoulders tightened, and he was practically bouncing agitated off the wall, crying. What the fuck? Harry didn't normally have the best control of his emotions, but he thought he was better than this.

Higgs smirked wider and was almost chuckling. He knew. He knew what was happening. He did... something. He was causing this. Harry felt it in his soul, but he hadn't had anything today at work. He then looked down at his arm at the spot Higgs had touched. There was a red mark on his skin, and it hadn't been there before. Harry's stomach dropped, and he realized that Higgs had done something to his arm when he touched him. He was shaking more than ever before.

Higgs seemed to realize that Harry had figured it out and went for it. He reached forward as if to grab him, and Harry had to stop his knee-jerk reaction to repel him with magic. He took option two. He sucker-punched him in the jaw and sent him to the floor, cradling his jaw. Healer Trimdel and the older wizard readied their wands.

"Mister Potter! That was not called for!"

"He did this!" he shrieked, nearly sobbing, and he sounded like he was out of his mind.

"The complaint was anonymous! Now, calm down before we stun you!"

"Anonymous! It wasn't anonymous! He did it! Just like the trial... and he gave me something! That's why I'm acting like this!" he screamed, unable to control his voice.

The MMMB goons were not accepting it, though. "Mister Potter! He was down here in his ward all day, Healer Potter! Sit down, now!"

"He touched my arm!" he yelled, trying to explain what the issue was. However, his rage had ramped up again, and he was just coming off as completely deranged. He couldn't explain it. He could barely talk. His eyes locked onto Higgs, who knew that he couldn't let Harry explain.

He stood up and said, "You see how out of control he is!"

Harry was trembling and crying. But reason poked through the chaos. I didn't use magic, Harry thought, and that was key. Higgs set him up to take the fall, and he had held off that much.

"Healer Potter, I need you to sit, or we will have no choice but to commit you," she growled.

Harry winced and was bobbing uncontrollably, trying to calm down. His mind felt like it was on fire at this point, as whatever Higgs had given him was wreaking havoc on him.

"No... no..." he whispered, trying to find a solution, but knew it was hopeless. This induced panic was not going to abate anytime soon.

Higgs stepped forward, and his voice had so much fake concern. "It's going to be okay, Harry. I'll help you get better."

Yeah, right, help me off a bloody cliff, he thought as he backed away from him. "Stay away!"

"We can help you," Higgs said, and reached for him again.

Harry restrained his magic and instead launched himself physically at Higgs, determined to hurt him as much as possible. He saw the wand raise, and straps flew out and wrapped around him. He dropped to the ground, squirming and screaming, as panic took over. Whatever Higgs had given him was in overdrive now, upping his anxiety and fear to new levels. Somehow he remembered not to use his magic, but was still thrashing on the ground. He just heard Higgs say, "Stupefy before he passed out.

When he came to, he was lying in a hospital bed. He groggily made to wipe his face, but his wrists were restrained. His ankles were, too. He was wide awake, now, and pulled uselessly at the bands, that he could see were locked on. Natural terror pulsed through him, as he was tied down, trapped. He focused his mind and tried to release the bands, but nothing happened. His eyes widened as he tried a few other spells, including fire. Nothing. No magic. Then he remembered Higgs and his threat of a magic-free room. He was really trapped in this white emotionless room.

"F-aaa-laa..." he tried to say, but his tongue wouldn't work.

He couldn't talk. What the hell? he asked himself and tried not to panic more. Something was wrong... everything was wrong. How long had he been here? There was no window, of course. It was a stimulus-free room, and he was never getting out. He knew it... he always knew this was where he was doomed to be. He pulled at his bindings, but there was no give. He started to cry, realizing that this could be his life, now. He might never get out, and a few whimpers came out of his lips. But he stopped as the doorknob turned and the door slowly opened.

"Well, look who's awake," Higgs drawled and shut the door behind him, locking it with a muggle key.

Harry tried again to pull his way free as his fear was only building. He was alone with a sworn enemy and completely defenseless. No one was coming to rescue him.

"Don't you worry now... those are locked on and are magic-proof. You are mine, Potter."

Harry felt like he was going to throw up, and he looked away from Higgs to the corner like Draco did. It definitely felt better. He didn't have to see Higgs eyes... his desire. Higgs would enjoy this way too much.

"You fought well, Potter... but why couldn't you just use magic once? Then we wouldn't need to go through the charade of an evaluation. They would have issued the permanent incompetency right then, the moment you cast a spell. But don't you worry a lick. You're not going to get out of this. Your only hope is that that kid getting his license, and that won't happen. He couldn't pass that exam without a proper teacher. I didn't even pass mine. Had to bribe the examiner."

Harry idly wondered why Higgs would confess this to him, but Slytherins did tend to gloat, in his experience. Higgs obviously thought it was check and mate, and that was pretty much true. Getting a competency declaration lifted was much harder than getting one placed on. Thank Merlin, he didn't lose control. Higgs ran his finger across his arm and Harry tried to pull away, but couldn't. He looked back at Higgs, desperately willing him to stop.

"You certainly have bad touch sensibility. It's gotten worse. My plant knew exactly what to do to get you rattled."

Harry's eyes widened. He was talking about Wortchuck.

"Oh? You didn't guess that? Who would want you?"

Harry looked away, again. Higgs rubbed his shoulder, making him scoot as far as the bindings would allow.

"Oh, that guy did, didn't he? The one who broke you. Well, we are going to have lots of talks about him. Aren't we?" Higgs purred, and his fingers grazed his cheek.

Harry whimpered and tried to say stop, but it came out wrong. "Shosao."

Higgs laughed at his inability to speak. "You think I'd ever let you get another word in? Not until I know you're mine. No, I picked up a bit of muggle tech. A nice little shot to make sure your tongue is paralyzed. Even if your friends test you for curses or potions... muggle drugs don't show up. Little trick I learned from Harding."

Harry's eyes went wide, and looked at him, again, surprised he would resort to that. Harding the Head of Potions was in on it, too.

"Yeah... muggles have their uses. Very few... but some things are helpful, like these restraints. No one is getting you out of them without a key. My key. So don't think your buddies are going to bust you out, Potter."

Higgs stroked his cheek, and it made his insides curl up. He looked away, again, trying to move his head out of his reach. Fucking bastard. He was just trying to rattle him. There was nothing sexual about it. He wanted to show that he could do anything... anything to him. And there wasn't a damn thing that Harry could do to stop him. Tears welled and trailed down his face.

Higgs just laughed. "That's so sweet. We haven't even started, Potter. It's going to be so fun to rip you apart. No one is going to understand you. I have the wards set up. You're at risk, so quills or pens can't even enter the room. So, you're not telling anyone anything. And... just to make sure you don't find a way before I get that incompetency decree, I think you need to be... non compos mentis. I got it all worked out. I was a little impressed you figured it out."

Higgs then pressed the spot on Harry's arm, where he touched him earlier, and Harry, again, tried to pull away. He glanced back at him to glare.

Higgs chuckled, again. "Oh, Potter, that was just a small dose, and it worked perfectly. You looked absolutely mental thrashing around on the floor. This salve I got... just throws all your emotions into chaos and if you get enough of it, you'll even hallucinate, too. You will love it." Higgs pulled out and held out the small jar over his head.

Harry froze like an animal sensing danger.

Higgs laughed and looked at it thoughtfully. "I'm going to the Ministry when that pet of yours goes to take his test. I'm sure a little of this will throw off that punk during his evaluation. All I need is to put a little on his skin before he tests at the Ministry in two days, and he won't be able to focus enough to pass."

Harry felt a little for Joel as he remembered how wild his emotions got. Even someone as mild-mannered as Joel would find it difficult to keep his mind on target, and if he didn't pass, Higgs would be able to do his incompetency evaluation and would declare him mentally "fucked". There was no way that he would ever get out of the tiny white room with an incompetency brand on him.

"So, do you see, Potter? Have you worked it all out, yet? You're never leaving here! You are mine... forever," Higgs laughed, gleefully. "Now, I got some celebrating to do and, not that I don't trust my wardens, but we need to keep up appearances."

Harry warily looked at him as Higgs unscrewed the lid off the jar and lobbed a dollop of it onto his arm. Harry winced, realizing it was a full dose of the emotion-overdrive crap. His heart was pumping faster regardless of the salve's effect. Higgs laughed and then rubbed it in, enjoying the cringing he was getting from the contact.

"I'm going to go to a nice restaurant and order some nice sautéed foie gras. I will enjoy every satisfying bite."

Harry looked at his arm, and the minor irritation was already setting in, but more importantly, his fear was skyrocketing and he was losing his hold on the present. It wasn't helping that he realized that he would be stuck, strapped and alone, in this white room, without no relief.

"P-raz," he tried to plead.

"You should have thought of that before you treated me like shit, Potter. You choose to be an asshole... and you're paying for it. You'll have plenty of time to beg, but goodnight. Enjoy screaming yourself to sleep... if you can. I haven't seen anyone pass out until it's been about twelve hours in. I tried it out on a few of my long-term patients.

Harry's eyes widened in shock. Higgs did this to other helpless patients? Experimented on them?

"So, have a great night, Potter, and I'll see you in the morning to get you ready for your official evaluation in the afternoon."

Higgs brandished the salve jar with a smirk. Harry couldn't help but succumb to his downswing and started crying, again, as Higgs walked out the door, leaving him in his misery.