Lady Celestial Stars wonderful story

Part 189

: Avoiding a Mental BreakdownChapter Text

"Still don't see why we couldn't continue, or at least just me." said Harry sharply as the teachers began to wrangle the students to go to classes.

"It's best to take these things slowly, especially the parts regarding the future." said Dumbledore softly. "You are getting quite worked up."

"Says who?" said Harry with a scowl.

Dumbledore said nothing, but reached down and took a light hold of the ends of Harry's hair. The stark white color was climbing slowly up towards his scalp as he held the hair in hand. "I think this is a good indication to take a break. We will reconvene tomorrow morning...we will learn what these books have to offer in due time, but it won't help you if we do it all in one shot."

Harry growled softly.

"I can understand your frustration, but it's for the best in regards for your health. Perhaps...you can cook something for dinner tonight, would that make you feel a bit better?" said Dumbledore with a smile.

"Can we continue on reading at dinner?" said Harry hopefully.

"I do not think that would be wise, as with many of the teachers, (including myself) have planned on assigning homework today." said Dumbledore carefully. "There is quite a lot of schoolwork to be done."

Harry scowled once again. "Come on...we're finally getting answers...." and without any further speaking, he stood up and stalked out of the Great Hall.

"I was afraid of this." said Speckerton quietly as he came walking up to Dumbledore, both their gazes not leaving the Great Hall's doors. "This has always happens when it comes to the books of futuristic events. They get over excited, stressed out, and start to go down a massive mental breakdown. I've heard of one man nearly beat the reader to death because he wasn't reading fast enough."

"Is there any way to put an end to it, before it gets bad?" asked Sirius standing up and looking firmly at the Unspeakable. "Should we just get these books over and done with right away...forget the classes for a bit longer? I mean, he can't exactly hurt Officer McFinn, no offense meant to him in the slightest."

"It's been tried to get it all over as soon as possible, but it only made it worse. It made the subject of the books pretty ill, both mentally and physically. They became overly suspicious, paranoid, and then finally fell down a slippery slope of mental destabilization."

"Paranoid...sounds like Potter's already there." snickered Malfoy who was passing by.

"That's the scary thing...he has...at least when it comes to you." said Speckerton stopping Malfoy with a glare, and then turning back to Dumbledore. "He's already starting down that path."

"Should we take a break?" said Sirius.

"Holiday break is just around the corner, less than a month away, but frankly...even with the speed that we're going at, we'll no doubt finish this book before two weeks are up. That most likely would not help him."

"So give him his break early?" said Mrs. McFinn.

"Drastically early, and I think keeping him away from the books would be beneficial." said Speckerton.

"I thought keeping him from the books would be a bad thing." said Dr. Clark.

"Long term, yes, but short term has some benefits. He'll start to get back on track mentally...not that he's completely off the rails, we stopped it long before he can get that far. But it's better to put a halt on it now, as opposed to paying for it later." said Speckerton.