The Hogwarts Mental Institution || Harry Potter AU || ✔️

Happily Ever Never IV

The handsome young boy tousled his hair and had a twinkle in his eye. "So, find out about what? I'm a particularly good finder, if I do say so myself."

Harry was still speechless, so Dean took over for Harry: "We're escaping Hogwarts."

"Dean!" Harry exclaimed, shock taking him out of his reviere.

"What?" Dean asked. "We can trust him. He's the most trustworthy person here."

"He used to go here," Seamus added.

"Until you died," Harry said, remembering that dreadful night as clear as day.

"No, Harry. I used to go here until I got released. I just volunteer here now," Cedric supplied kindly.

"Everyone: the nurses, the doctors, the staff, they all love him. He's like the only patient who actually got out of here. He's their golden boy," Dean said, smirking.

Cedric blushed. "I wouldn't say that."

"They would literally do anything he asks," Seamus continued, not minding the volunteer's shyness. "We could definitely use him to get out of here."

"And what makes you think I would want to help?" Cedric raised a brow.

"Do you?" Harry asked, nervously. He hoped Cedric wouldn't tell anyone and expose their plans.

"Definitely." Cedric nodded. "I owe you, Harry. You're the one who got me out."

"Huh." Harry scratched the back of his head. That was a better alternative to Harry being the one who led Cedric to his death.

"Cedric!" Nurse Sprout waddled over to the group. "What are you doing here?"

She hugged the boy as Cedric explained, "I'm just checking up on everyone, Pomona. I missed you," he said with a wink.

Pomona Sprout blushed deeply. "Well, boy, let me know if you need anything," she said, pinching his cheeks in a motherly fashion, and whispering not so discreetly, "and if those heathens are causing you any trouble, I can take care of them."

"Of course, but I'm sure they won't be a problem." Cedric smiled a 100 watt smile.

When she walked away, Harry turned to Cedric. "So everyone loves you."

Cedric shrugged, his bashfulness disappearing. "Pretty much. Sprout is one of the tame ones."

From the distance, the quartet saw Slughorn approaching.

"I have to go," Cedric said. "Slughorn is obsessed with me. We'll be talking for hours if he finds me."

Harry notified him about their dinner meeting and watched as Cedric ran in the opposite direction of Slughorn with the latter screaming out his name in excited glee.

Harry sighed. "What a team we have so far."

"What a team indeed," Dean agreed.

"Who else do we ask?" Seamus questioned.

"I guess, just Neville now," Harry concluded.

"You think Neville wants to be a part of this?" Seamus asked surprised.

"Why not?" Harry was curious as to why no one believed in Neville. He remembered the tame boy, so scrawny and scared. But he also remembered who he became. The brave man who pulled Godric's sword out of the Sorting Hat and slayed Nagini, the horcrux.

The three of them stood in front of Seamus's room. "That boy has severe anxiety and who knows what else," Dean reasoned.

"Yeah," Seamus agreed. "If anyone were to crack under the pressure and reveal our plans, it would be Neville."

"I believe in Neville," Harry asserted. "I trust him."

Dean and Seamus sighed and exchanged weary galnces.

"Whatever Harry," Dean concluded. "It's your plan. We'll see, I guess."

After Harry dropped Seamus and Dean in their respective rooms, he went to knock on Neville's door.

When Neville opened the door, Harry smiled and asked, "Can I come in?"

The boy looked confused, but allowed Harry to enter anyway. Harry didn't waste time beating around the bush and cut to the core of his escape. After he finished offering Neville his escape plan he waited patiently for him to process the whole idea.

"You want me to help?" Neville asked quietly.

"Of course, I want you to be a part of this. You would be so helpful," Harry encouraged.

"Did you ask the other people in the group if they wanted me in?"

At Harry's silence, Neville continued, "They didn't want me, huh?"

"I want you," Harry insisted. "I need you, Neville."

"I'm just the kid with issues and anxiety," Neville countered sadly.

"We all have issues, Neville. And in my world, my fantasy world, you were the bravest one out of all of us."

Neville half-smiled. "Your world sounds pretty great. Wish I could be in that one."

"Me too," Harry agreed. "But we have to make do with what we have and if we get out of here, we might actually have a chance at a better life."

"I'm almost 18," Neville almost whispered, as he fidgeted with his hands. "After Hogwarts, they're going to put me in St. Mungos."

Neville looked at Harry with terrified eyes, his voice shaking. "I can't go there."

Harry knew the reason why: Bellatrix.

"You won't have to go there, Neville. You won't."

"Alright, I'm in. I want to get out of here," Neville finally agreed.

"I'll see you at dinner, okay?"

At Neville's tentative nod, Harry stood and walked to his own room to begin his plan of escape.

His very own ragtag group of crazies reminded him so strongly of Dumbledore's Army. He missed his old Dumbledore.

Both Dumbledores, in this world and his fantasy, were good people. Harry knew that. But they had to put the greater good first, above everything else.

The old Dumbledore knew that Harry had to die to save the wizarding world. As Snape had put it, Harry was raised as a "pig for slaughter." But Harry had understood. He knew that Dumbledore really did care for him, but he had no other choice than to let Harry die. In the end, Dumbledore gave his life for that same greater good.

The new Dumbledore was also willing to sacrifice Harry for the greater good. For the advancement of the field of medicine and psychology. Fix one broken, schizophrenic boy, fix them all. Harry understood where this Dumbledore was coming from. He had to remain objective and not develop any attachment to his patients, but Harry sensed a sort of kinship with this Dumbledore as well, the same bond he had with the former.

Both Dumbledores wanted the best for Harry, but they also had to put the people first. And that was what made them such good leaders.

Harry wondered how Dumbledore would react to his escape.

If everything went according to plan, perhaps Dumbledore would never find out about it until it was too late.

Yes, this was Dumbledore's Army, but this Dumbledore would certainly not approve.

Once he was settled in his room, Harry began brainstorming a way to escape. Each person had to have a role in the escape and they all had to act perfectly for everything to go according to plan. How he wished Ron and Hermione were here to help him finalize the plan. He missed them when they did not show up as they had promised.

Something would definitely go wrong, Harry realized.

When had something ever gone right in his life?

Harry had a backup plan for every step, but in the end, he concluded that if all else fails, they would just run. Run for their lives and for their freedom.