He placed the items in the centre of the room, drew his wand and began burning runes into the floor around them, leaving enough space for someone to sit amongst the needed implements.
When he had completed the runes, none of which Harry recognised at all, he gestured for the boy to join him.
"Remove all of your clothes except your underwear and sit between the daggers" he instructed, his tone rather grave.
Harry did as he was asked and waited for the man to give him his next set of instructions. "Take the dagger on your right and cut across your left palm over the cauldron".
Harry complied and watched as the previously white liquid turned a bright green with a golden hue surrounding it.
Charlus nodded.
"Now do the same with the other hand" he commanded.
Harry complied and the potion grew brighter still.
"Now place your palms together over the solution" the man prompted. "I will draw some of your magic, it may be a little painful" he warned.
Harry nodded and placed his pressed hands over the cauldron. Charlus waved his wand around the boy's hand chanting in a tongue that was nothing like Harry had ever heard before. A burning sensation could be felt the more and more the man chanted and eventually a grey substance with a golden glow began leaking from his hands and pooling into the potion.
Once Charlus was satisfied he had extracted enough he stopped and the wounds on Harry's hands sealed.
"I had a feeling it would be grey" Charlus mused aloud. "You have done and witnessed too much to be a light wizard, but you are righteous and act with good intentions so you are not dark either" he explained.
Harry simply nodded his understanding.
"You must drop your occlumency shields and allow the potion to see you for who you really are, it will only cause you more pain if you fight it" Charlus informed.
Harry swallowed deeply and completely relaxed his occlumency, something he had not done since he allowed Charlus to look through his memories. "Now drink" Charlus stated. "All of it".
Harry picked up the cauldron and gulped down the potion, completely expecting it to taste awful. It tasted of nothing however, much to the teens relief.
The moment the last drop had disappeared he began to feel light headed and Charlus began chanting once again, waving his wand over the boy.
Harry began feeling magic begin to flow through every part of his body, a very strange feeling indeed, though he felt as though he was breathing for the first time in his life, that something that had been imprisoned had been set free. The feeling was nothing short of euphoric and he basked and reveled in it, hoping and praying that it would never end.
Soon however, the pleasure gave way to pain as his skin began to burn and itch, feeling as though it was being hacked into. This is the last thing he remembered as he lost consciousness and dreamt of Thestrals, Dragons, phoenixes and basilisks that all seemed to stare at him calculatingly before bowing and simply sitting in front of him, watching over him almost as he slept.
Charlus watched the boy as he chanted, his eyes glowing brighter and brighter, his body following soon after. He shook his head worriedly as he saw the look of pure contentment give way to one of sheer agony, but the boy did not even whimper. The man remembered his own ritual and his screaming that left his throat raw for days after.
He finished the required spell and conjured a blanket, covering Harry with it before placing a kiss on the boy's forehead and exiting the room.
"How did it go?" Dorea asked worriedly when he entered the kitchen. "The boy didn't make a sound" he explained a little sadly.
Dorea nodded.
"He's had too much pain in his life" she sighed. "He has" Charlus agreed. "We will do yours when Harry wakes up" he added to James who swallowed deeply and nodded.
"Is Harry ok" the boy asked, clearly concerned. "He will be fine, all we can do is wait but it will be very interesting to see the changes, I expect there to be a few, his magic is really strong, stronger than I thought" he mused aloud. "How long will he be out for?" Dorea inquired. Charlus shrugged.
"I was out for just over a day as were you" he reminded his wife. "It might be longer for him" he warned. Dorea nodded her understanding and cringed at the memory of her own ritual. Of course, she had married Charlus so was allowed to have the family magic, but the memory of receiving it was not pleasant.
She knew all she could do was wait and that Harry would be ok. This knowledge did not keep the woman from worrying however.
(BREAK)
Bellatrix Black awoke the day after Boxing Day feeling relieved, confused and so many other emotions tha she did not how to differentiate them all.
The last 24 hours had been more than a little difficult for the young woman. Although her father had always been aloof, even uncaring at times, she never expected him to try and pull something like he had. It left her feeling rather disheartened that the man who was suppose to love her unconditionally could sell her off as though she was nothing more than an object.
Then there was the other male that was occupying her thoughts; Harry Potter.
She did not understand at all how the boy could go from being so indifferent towards her to literally put his life on the line for her and her sisters, whom he did not know that well, to ensure that they could be free, something that Bellatrix would certainly not take for granted again after this experience.
She shook her head and sighed. The boy simply added to her confusion though she appreciated what he was doing. She could not think of anyone else in her life other than her grandfather or mother who would consider doing such a thing.
There was something about Potter that left her pondering him more than she would care to admit.
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