Despair

[Savannah Brooks]

Vannah stood outside of the Counsellor's office. She had been standing there for what seemed like ages. Her sense of time was off these days. She had walked away from those doors multiple times today, but each time she got to the end of the hall she would turn around and walk back. Vannah was supposed to have scheduled a meeting with the counsellor every week since she came back. It had been three weeks now and at the end of the previous two weeks, she had found different excuses not to schedule the meetings. She was a big girl, she told herself, she didn't need anybody watching over her.

Vannah took a deep breath in and raised her hand to t he door. She knocked gently, making silent prayers that the Counsellor was busy at the moment or not in. She was still having doubts about the meeting. She had already been forced to relive the past one time this week, could she handle doing it a second time? It was still a fresh wound, even if it did happen a year ago.

[Kane Garrett]

Kane was always busy, but never so much that he wouldn't set it all aside for a student. He answered the door personally rather than flicking a wand from across the room, and immediately offered an encouraging smile. "Can I help you?" he asked, gesturing lightly into the room. "Come on in," he said.

[Savannah Brooks]

Vannah's eyes widened. Now she was sure she didn't want to be there. It suddenly hit her that nothing about talking to a counsellor appealed to her. She hated it. Having to tell a complete stranger what was wrong with her, it was terrible. Although, if he had read the Prophet, as most of the school had, he could probably have guessed why she was there. At least, part of the reason. If it had been her choice, she wouldn't have gone to the counsellor at all. She would have convinced herself that the nightmares would end some day and the memories would grow less painful. Then again, it hadn't been her choice at all. None of it had been.

Vannah stepped into the office, reluctantly. Can I help you? She couldn't help but let a bitter laugh out. That's why she was there, right? To get help. She opened her mouth to explain why she had come, but instead got choked up and immediately closed her mouth again. She took in a short breath. "Hi," was all she could manage. "Y-You're Professor Garret?" She asked. He looked like he wasn't old enough to have graduated from Hogwarts let alone be working there. He especially didn't look old enough to be her Counsellor. How was she supposed to be able to trust someone that she couldn't even be sure was any older than she was?

[Kane Garrett]

Kane's smile eased, gentled with the emotion he could see in the girl's eyes. "Call me Kane, if you're comfortable doing so," he said. He gave a brief glance out the door, then pushed it closed. "I get that a lot," he said, referring to her moment of confusion. "I'm an old soul." He gestured for her to take a seat, then took his own. "We don't have to get right into things unless you want to," he told her.

[Savannah Brooks]

Vannah gave a small nod and sat in the chair. She crossed her legs and sat back. “Professor Garrett,” She said. She still wasn’t comfortable opening up to him, but what choice did she have? “I’m Savannah Brooks.” She introduced, in case he didn’t already know. Vannah looked up at him with her eyes wide. "Where would you like me to start?" She wanted to get this over with.