20 Chapter 20: Ritual

Tonks quickly gave the oath, Narcissa took her hand and the pair apparated with Harry back to Grimmauld Place. When they arrived Tonks saw why she had to give an oath. Bellatrix LeStrange was standing in front of her.

"What happened to Harry?" Bellatrix didn't even notice Tonks standing there, she rushed over to Harry.

"Lucius hit him with a curse, it was the poison blood hex..." Narcissa began,

"Did Harry lose?"

"No. Lucius is..Harry cast a disarming charm and the force of it threw Lucius into a pillar breaking his neck in the process." Narcissa stroked his cheek, "We've got to hurry. I have to get him downstairs to the ritual table in the basement."

Harry moaned softly, his eyes opening for just a moment. Bellatrix looked down at him, he smiled weakly reaching up to touch her cheek before his eyes closed.

Narcissa rose, levitating Harry with her wand. Bellatrix finally noticed Tonks, her eyes widened. Tonks looked to Bellatrix, "We'll figure out if we hate each other later. I made an oath I wouldn't reveal you."

Narcissa led them down to the basement, positioning Harry on the table. "We need to strip him, I'll be back in a moment. If I'm lucky Lucius was too angry to go through the trouble of changing the wards. I need a book from from the Malfoy library." She apparated with a pop leaving Tonks and Bellatrix alone.

Bellatrix began removing Harry's shirt, she winced seeing the black veins under his skin. "I'm so sorry Harry. I should have came with you, to hell with the Ministry." The tears fell now as she continued. Tonks came forward but with a glare from Bellatrix she stepped back.

Narcissa was lucky. She was able to get inside Malfoy Manor. The house was empty, Draco is probably trying to find a way to keep his childhood home in his name...She rushed into the library. Lucius had never approved of her career aspirations, at Hogwarts she had expressed interest in being a Mediwitch. No wife of his would work He'd told her at the time. Going through the books she looked at title after title until she found the one. Kessel's Curses and Counters..this is it! Grabbing the book she apparated back to find a nude Harry and Bellatrix and Tonks eyeing one another warily.

"I have the ritual here, Bellatrix hand me the vial of runic ink. Nymphadora, the ritual I will have to undertake will require a few items from the apothecary." Narcissa said, making some notes on a piece of vellum. Bring these back as quickly as possible." Tonks left for the Floo upstairs.

Bellatrix looked at the book and then to Narcissa warily, "That's the book Uncle Orion gave you, the one of rare curses." Narcissa nodded, "I believe that Lucius learned the curse from this book. In order to cure him, I will have to use a cleansing ritual. It will bind our magical cores so that he can draw from mine in order to heal."

"How will you perform the ritual on yourself?"

"You'll have to read the ritual for me." Narcissa said. Bellatrix shook her head, "I can't. Perform it on me."

"You realize if this doesn't work, it could kill you?"

"It could kill you just as easily. Like you said, Harry needs you to act as his voice while he's at school. I'm just the crazy woman he sleeps with to keep her from killing him." Bellatrix said sadly.

"He cares about you. He would prefer that if this went bad, you were there to comfort him rather than if I were the one he saw."

"Is there a way to make this safer?" Narcissa thought about it before responding to Bellatrix's question. "Perhaps, the ritual says that if a coven cast the spell the impact on the casters is essentially diluted."

"How many witches make a coven?" Tonks had returned with a package, Narcissa took the package from her and set to shaking the crushed dried herbs into the runic ink. She stirred it swiftly, watching as the ink began to smoke slightly, "Three." Narcissa replied as she began to trace the patterns of the runes onto Harry's feet.

"I'm in. Whatever you need."

"So am I Cissy."

"Very well. Let me get these runes inscribed, then I'll explain the ritual." Narcissa went back to her task. Runes had to be placed along Harry's legs next, then up along his belly and his forehead, then a drop of blood from each witch had to be mixed into the ink and a final rune inscribed onto his chest just above his heart.

One by one, Narcissa, Tonks, and then Bellatrix added a drop of their blood. Finally, Narcissa inscribed the final rune. The runes glowed softly then vanished as they were absorbed into Harry's body.

"Now," Narcissa said, "You will need to take my hands and then put your hands on Harry's hands. Focus on the strongest emotion you can. Take that and use that emotion to push your magic into Harry. We will essentially be lending him our magic until his can heal him."

I promised myself that I would find a way to make up what I did to you.. Tonks thought, concentrating on the moment when she realized that she liked Harry.

You gave me an oath that you would spare my sons life, at risk to your own. You saved me from the clutches of a man who would never love me. Narcissa thought as she concentrated on how she felt when her marriage was annulled.

Live Harry, Live for me, for yourself, for us. Bellatrix concentrated on the first real kiss he'd given her, her first real kiss since...James, I'm sorry, but I think I'm in love with your son.

A warmth enveloped Tonks, it felt like sunshine after a cold day, she smiled softly as in her minds eye, she saw Harry as the carefree young man he would be after the war was over.

Narcissa felt like the breath that was being held in was suddenly let out, she felt a cool rush as her magic moved through her, she imagined a beautiful older woman dancing with a handsome young man.

Bellatrix felt as if she was standing in Azkaban and the her cell exploded around her. She saw Harry reaching out to her, pulling her free onto his broom, behind her she saw her mother, her aunt, and Rodolphus standing in the cell as it rebuilt itself, trapping them. I'm free.

The spell ended and the three women collapsed panting.

"Did it work?" Tonks asked after a time.

"It's too soon to tell. Give Harry some time to rest, then we'll check on him." Narcissa said softly, drawing in a ragged breath.

"Go upstairs, find Kreacher and tell him to make a proper dinner. When Harry wakes up he'll be hungry." Bellatrix said as she forced herself up and into a chair near the table. "I'll stay here with him."