Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 80: Blind as a bat

[Author's note: Trigger warning for this chapter as Harry works through severe depression.]

The nutritional potion that Healer Jordan had given Harry not only was delicious, he felt full in a way he hadn't ever experienced before. He didn't remember ever feeling full until he and Ron ate their way through all those pumpkin pasties on the train to Hogwarts in his first year. After a big feast at Hogwarts, he would feel uncomfortably full—wonderfully satisfied, but on the edge of too full. This was a just-right full and it was helping push away the sticky wetness of grief that seemed to be pulling at him. Maybe not push it away completely, but to help keep it at bay. Maybe he could leave the safety of the dormitory and try stretching with Ms. Midgeon—especially if Gemma was there with him.

I could try it.

He reached over to his desk and found the schedule and when he pulled on it, he heard the Mami Wata necklace scrape against the wood. He slipped it over his head, fingering the shells and hairy cord. He ran his fingers over the braille and recognized a few letters, but couldn't read it. He reached for his staff to summon his anagnóstis.

Half way through saying the incantation, he remembered that he was supposed to go back and get the anagnóstis from Figora the next morning.

When was that?

He was surprised when it snapped into his palm.

Who put it back in here? I sure was out of it.

"Hey, Harry," Mei's voice came from behind her wall with a splash.

He paused—setting the anagnóstis on the desk with his schedule, then stood up, shook out his staff and asked, "yeah?"

He walked toward her area... a little shakily and stood with his staff touching the base of her tank, but as far away as he could. He could hear the water lapping against the sides and briny odor was stronger on this side of the wall.

"Hey, are you doing okay?" she asked, her voice not as gruff as it often was. It sounded like she was hanging over the edge of the tank.

He shrugged.

"Yeah," she said quietly and the silence wasn't uncomfortable. There were little noises that made Harry wonder if she was lightly slapping the water with the tips of her tail.

"You scared us yesterday," she continued after a bit, "It was weird being on the other side of it. Seeing someone so weighed down by depression and nothing we could do to bring you back. It was scary."

"Sorry... I didn't mean to cause problems," Harry said.

"No, I get it. I really get it. Like you don't know how much I get it... or maybe you do, I don't know," Mei said. "I heard that you went flying with Arig on Wednesday and then spewed spectacularly when you crashed."

"We just fell—we were already on the ground, but yeah," Harry conceded.

"Was that it?" Mei asked hesitantly.

Harry shrugged, not trusting his voice.

"Yeah," Mei said. "Join the club. It sucks."

Harry shrugged again. He felt really tired and was tempted to just crawl back into bed again. But he had promised Healer Jordan and Gemma was waiting for him.

"Well, I've got to head out to sea. Hǎi rén is waiting. They say that I'm getting the hang of it. I might be able to try a magical chair while I'm on land—maybe something that would help with keeping me hydrated, too." She paused. "Hey, did you go to the workshop? Did you work with that goblin?"