Chapter Forty-Three, Talks and Appointments

After classes were over for the day, Remus and Sirius asked Izzy to come to their rooms after dinner, Sirius having been filled in by Remus during lunch earlier that day and they had also contacted Healer Fawley asking for a possible earlier appointment due to the effects the Dementors have had on Izzy; they were hoping Izzy wasn't going to begrudge them for contacting Healer Fawley as they only wanted to help their daughter. Feeling nervous Sirius and Remus barely touched their food as they kept a close eye on their daughter at the Gryffindor table surrounded protectively by her friends and Fred.

Upon noticing Izzy had finished and was climbing from her seat, Remus and Sirius drained the rest of their chosen drinks (milky tea with one sugar for Remus, and a black coffee for Sirius) they ambled over to their daughter hugging her tightly with a kiss to her temple; however, when they saw her worn appearance and black bags beneath her full emerald green eyes their decision was solidified in their minds.

"Ready sweetheart?" Sirius asked.
"Ready." Izzy agreed. "I'll see you guys later." She waved to her friends. "See you soon Freddie." Izzy kissed his cheek, a blush upon her own cheeks and pink streaks appearing in her hair.
"Okay Izzy love." Fred agreed, kissing her cheek under the intense hard stare of Sirius.

Up at the staff table Minerva, Narcissa and Andromeda had smug smiles on their faces as they accepted galleons from the other staff as all of the staff including Remus but minus Severus and Filch and unbeknownst to Sirius, that Sirius would react the way towards Fred by being extremely overprotective of Izzy and frightening Fred Weasley. Minerva had to win back what she lost two years previous after all.
"No need to be so smug, Minerva, you lost two years ago, remember." Filius Flitwick teased, but Minerva just ignored him and the others' laughter and drank her tea.

"That's enough Siri." Remus reprimanded his soulmate, pulling him out of the Great Hall to sniggers from the students they passed and a giggling Izzy following them all the way to their quarters. Arriving in their quarters, Izzy immediately settled into the stuffed navy blue armchair by the fireplace, her legs curled up beneath her and her bag on the floor by the chair. With a wave of Remus' wand the kettle refilled and started boiling as three cups with matching saucers landed in the sideboard with a teabag, a spoonful of honey and a generous amount of milk in one, just coffee in another and a spoonful of sugar with the teabag and milk in the last one.

"Here you go, cub." Remus said, handing Izzy the cup of milky honey tea and a chocolate frog from his personal stash.
"What!" Sirius squawked. "You never let me have any of your stash." He grumbled, a small smile appearing on his lips hearing Izzy giggle. She had been quiet ever since he told her - while Remus left the tea - that they had contacted Healer Fawley asking for an earlier appointment.
"That's because you don't appreciate chocolate like Izzy and I, and I know she has bad stomach cramps so the magnesium in the dark chocolate will help." Remus countered, smiling smugly.

"Okay Professor Moony." Sirius teased. "Sweetheart," Sirius muttered, getting up and crouching beside her chair, a hand on her knee comfortingly while he pulled a mild pain relief potion out of his pocket and set it beside her teacup on the side table. "You know that we only asked for this appointment to help you. We know the Dementors stirred everything up for you and made it all raw and painful. Believe me, I know what they do, what they make you think and feel...we just wanted to help, pup." Sirius whispered softly, a tender comforting tone to his voice but a raw pain in his eyes.

"I know Dad. I know you and Papa just want to help...but...I'm scared. They...they make me relive THAT night over and over again, every time I close my eyes. Do you think that's why my Boggart was a Dementor." She whispered brokenly.
"Oh sweetheart!" Sirius surged forwards wrapping his sweet girl in a secure and comforting hug that was joined by Remus as warmth enveloping her on all sides made her feel safe.
"That's why I jumped in front of you." Remus agreed, wrapping his arms tighter around both Sirius and Izzy.

"I had first thought it would be Lord Voldemort but when I saw the pain in your eyes I couldn't stand it. However, what the Dementor suggests is what you fear the most is fear which is very wise. Hopefully Healer -" A loud tapping on the window interrupted Remus where a regal-looking Eagle owl sat with a letter pouch attached to its leg - it was Healer Fawley's owl. Detangling himself from the group hug, Sirius rose from the floor allowing Izzy to hug her Papa, he let the owl in checking both the owl and the letter for any tampering. They trust Healer Fawley but hardly anyone else.

Relieved to find no tampering, Sirius offered a treat and some food and water to the owl while he read over the letter.
"Looks like you have an appointment with Felicia on Friday just before the Hogsmeade trip on the weekend." Sirius informed them.
"Perfect." Remus replied happily, hugging
Izzy and pressing a kiss to her forehead. They stayed like that for a while before separating to their own chairs so Izzy could complete the homework she'd received that day and Sirius and Remus could mark the summer homework.

* * *

After a few solace-filled hours spent with her Dad and Papa, Izzy headed for the library for some more information on Boggarts as she felt her homework needed something else to round it off, but ultimately she wanted information on Dementors. In particular how to protect herself against them when she was intercepted by Zacharius Smith a snobbish Hufflepuff in her year who thought he walked on water and was superior to everyone else because he was distantly related to Helga Hufflepuff. His twin, Sally, was much more tolerable.

"Well if it isn't scaredy cat Potter. Afraid of the big bad meanie Dementors." Zacharius Smith mocked in a baby voice, earning laughs from his posse.
"Oh, it's you." Izzy drawled rolling her eyes but she carried on walking.
"Hey! We're not done!" The pompous ass yelled, grabbing her arm in a vice like grip while yanking her backwards causing her to stumble at the force of his pull. "Did you go crying to your adoptive Daddies over your Dementor Boggart? You're a pathetic little girl who is nothing but a crybaby and one day Wesley will leave your pathetic ass whether your soulmates or not!

I mean, what could you possibly see that's so terrifying when an actual Dementor is near that a Dementor becomes your Boggart? And you're supposed to be our saviour." He scoffed, tightening his hold on her arm until he was hit with a Strong Stinging Jinx to the face causing him to release Izzy as he fell to the floor with his face ballooning. Not looking behind her as she shouldn't turn her back on him and his posse - Dudley and his gang had taught her that - she addressed them with a voice tight with anger but she knew the one behind her was Freddie.

"Yeah okay." Izzy scoffed sassily. "Fortunately no one asked for your pompous opinions, Smith. Not that I need to explain myself to you, but I see and hear my parents being murdered and I'm no one's saviours that was all my parents. Finally your appearance matches the size of your ego, Smith." Izzy mocked, turning on her heel she headed over to Fred who had his wand pointed at the posse while sending a dark glare at them as he wrapped an arm over Izzy's, accompanying her to the library.
"Thanks Freddie."
"Anytime my love."

* * *

"How has your few weeks been?" Healer Fawley asked that Friday afternoon after lessons, the pair were set up in Sirius and Remus' quarters while they marked in their office.
"It's been...eventful." Izzy muttered with a sigh.
"And why's that?" Healer Fawley asked, trying to be neutral but concern leaked into her tone.
"I've had a few people mock me for my....reaction to the Dementors despite Professor McGonagall's anti bullying policy, and it only got worse when my Boggart became a Dementor." Izzy sighed, running her hands down her face tiredly.

"I'm sorry Izzy. What have they been saying, and who are they? I'll need to report them to Headmistress McGonagall." Healer Fawley replied, glancing at her quill to ensure it was recording everything properly before turning back to Izzy giving the teen her undivided attention as Izzy explained who they are and what they said or did.

"I'm sorry this is still happening to you, Izzy." Healer Fawley apologised sadly. "I know this was one of the reasons why you didn't wish to return but don't worry I'll report them to the Headmistress and their Heads of House in a meeting later today. But tell me how the Dementors make you feel?"
"I'm scared. I don't want to hear them die over and over again every time I close my eyes. Hear them sacrificing themselves for me. But what scares me more is I know if I hadn't seen and spoken to their portraits then I know that would've been the first I had heard them.

I know I would want to hear their voices again but not like that. I feel like I'm treading water and I'm one strong wave away before I succumb and drown." Izzy confessed, looking down at her fingers that were playing with the sleeves of her robe.
"Thank you Izzy. I know that was incredibly difficult and painful, but everything's going to be okay and it's okay to have bad days like this. Especially when Dementors make us feel nothing but the bad memories, our trauma. You are not weak, like I know you're thinking, you are incredibly strong and resilient as you have true horrors in your past that no one should have to deal with.

Least of all a thirteen year old." She said compassionately. "How about we increase our sessions to twice a week while the Dementors are here? Your mental health is just, if not more important, than your physical one. Your Dad is also doing the same to help him cope with his own childhood and his time in Azkaban." She told her, having gotten permission from Sirius beforehand.
"Okay." Izzy agreed quietly.
"Great. Our next appointment will be this coming Tuesday as I know there's a Hogsmeade trip tomorrow and Sunday and you'll have to go past the Dementors. However, if you need me beforehand please send Hedwig to me and we'll reschedule for Monday.

But in the meantime I want you to write how you're feeling, what you're thinking in this journal every night." Healer Fawley said, handing over a green leather bound journal.
"Okay. Thank you Felicia." Izzy said gratefully, accepting the journal.
"You're welcome sweetie. I promise everything will get better." Felicia assured the teenage witch compassionately as they ended their session and headed back to Gryffindor Tower - with Pettigrew still at large, the Healer wasn't taking any chances - talking about the upcoming Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

It was supposed to be against Slytherin but according to Draco who had told Izzy rather angrily that morning - Marcus Flint had declared the team unable to play via Professor Snape, when really he and the rest of the team didn't want to play in the strong wind and rain. Izzy told Felicia that both she and Draco were rather looking forward to this match against each other (for a change). While Felicia was just glad that Heir Malfoy had grown up and became an actual friend for Izzy.

With how the rest of the school treats Izzy, Felicia was glad that the younger witch had a larger friend network around her. Supporting her. But no one was more dedicated to Izzy than Frederick 'Fred' Gideon Weasley.

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Author's note: DO NOT ask me to update in any way shape or form. There are other ways of telling me what you thought of this. Anyone who does will get one warning before they are blocked.