With breakfast came another letter embossed with the Malfoy seal. Harry grinned as he plucked the letter from where it was perched against his plate. The now familiar cursive scrawled elegantly across the front.
Potter,
I imagine this will be my last missive to you before we reconvene for the school year, though I still expect a reply. These letters have been a welcome diversion to my normal summer routine and I am loath to forgo them just because you are too busy to spare a few minutes to jot down a response.
Having finally gotten the full story from you, I confronted my father to confirm on the particulars. He seemed pleased with your conduct and spoke at length in regards to the unbecoming behavior of many of the court. He also requested that I communicate his appreciation for the letter you sent and has given leave for us to continue our correspondence.
As such I may inform you that my summer has been as usual, mother and father have inundated me with tutors to prepare me for OWL year, I expect you have been afforded the same privilege and I hope you are taking advantage of the opportunity. After all not everyone can be so fortunate as we.
In my short amount of spare time I have been practising for Quidditch. Father informed me that Flint is to be captain this year, so I have to ensure I keep my skills sharp so as to impress him at tryouts in a few weeks. I refuse to allow Slytherin to loose the cup to any other house.
Yours sincerely,
Draco Malfoy
Placing the short letter next to his plate, Harry turned to the omelet that Kretcher had served while he was occupied and shooting a glare at the smug look Sirius was sporting.
"It is nice to see you branching out your friendships." He commented. Harry just rolled his eyes stuffing a large bite of egg in his mouth. It was far too early to pay attention to his father's teasing.
--- --- ---
"I believe it is time for your to receive your first piercings." Sirius announced once they had finished breakfast. "You have progressed well in your studies and have shown willingness to continue learning and upholding the families traditions. It would be a good way to celebrate everything you have achieved this summer."
"Really!" Harry asked, bouncing slightly in his seat. It was something he had been looking forward to for a few weeks now, he had even found some of Sirius's old jewellery and was sorting through with the help of Kretcher to figure out which would be suitable for him .
"Of course. I would not have brought it up otherwise." Sirius smiled. "Now we would usually perform this in the ritual room, but tonight we are going to be in the portrait gallery, can you tell me why."
"Well the ritual room is where the families magic is centred in the house" Harry began thinking over everything his father had taught him, "But it is traditional for the pericing ritual to be done with family. Oh, is it because we are the only two living members so we are using the portraits in place of our relatives?"
"Remus will be there too, but essentially yes. I don't think mother would forgive me if she was not witness to such a ritual. I know several of the other portraits have been excited about this for weeks." Sirius gave a shiver at the thought and Harry bit back a grin. Having gotten to know the portraits of his extended family, he knew they were all a bit eccentric even if they meant well. The Black family madness, while not as insane as some portrayed was well and truly a family trait.
--- --- ---
As the clock in the portrait gallery ticket close to midnight, Harry crept to the small ritual circle Sirius had set up in front of the portrait of Walburga and Orion. Traditionally the ritual was performed at either dawn or dusk, symbolising the transition of a young Wix to the next stage of their life. Kneeling in the centre he watched as Sirius closed the circle and stood at the Northernmost point, an athame in hand. With a soft smile at Harry and a nod to Remus who stood at the southernmost point, he took three deliberate steps clockwise and faced the east, raising the athame and intoning;
"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye Lords of Air; I do summon, stir, and call you up to witness our rites and to guard the Circle." With a slash of the dagger over the candle, the flame flickered to life. Sirius bowed his head to the element before moving to the southernmost point.
"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye Lords of Fire; I do summon, stir and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the Circle." Another slash of the athame and Sirius moved to the western point.
"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, ye Lords of Water, ye Lords of Death and Initiation; I do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the Circle."
"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, ye Lords of Earth; Boreas, thou gentle guardian of the Northern Portals; thou powerful God and gentle Goddess; we do summon, stir and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the Circle."
Slashing the dagger across the northernmost candle, it flickered into life, a thrum of magic echoing around the circle. Harry shivered, the feel of such concentrated magic something he had never felt before.
Smiling softly, Sirius approached Harry in the centre of the circle with a sharp needle.
"Harry Potter-Black, you came to our circle with perfect love and perfect trust. You have shown yourself to be willing to learn our ways and uphold the traditions of magic. In accordance with the family traditions, I bestow upon you these bars of silver for the purity of your heart. Toujours Pur."
Harry tilted his head as he had been instructed, trying not to flinch at the slight stinging sensation from the needle going into his right ear. First two in the lobe, then finally the very centre of his ear. Following the needle, he felt the small bars of silver being placed in the new holes before Sirius pulled him up into a hug.
"Childe of my Blood. My son and heir. Under lady magic's gaze I welcome you. May you follow in her footsteps and bring honour to your magic and your blood. Blessed Be."
"Blessed Be." Harry echoed, shivering slightly as he felt their magick swirl up around them.
Sirius gave him a grin before stepping back and closing the circle, thanking each of the guardians in reverse order before finally sweeping up the salt circle he and Remus had laid down before Harry had arrived.
"How do you feel pup?" Sirius asked, helping Harry to the chaise lounge that sat against the wall.
"Incredible." Harry said with a sleepy grin. "Just feeling all the magic surrounding me. Is that what all rituals are like?"
"More or less. You can tell when a ritual does not work as you will not feel lady magic surround you or you will feel the magic go bad, it is like getting sick to your stomach."
"Does that happen often?"
"Not if you respect the ways of magic and don't try any obscure rituals beyond your level before you are trained for it." Remus said from the floor where he had taken a seat. He did not look as worn out as Sirius, but then again, Harry thought, he had not been the one invoking magic.
"That sounds like you speak from experience."
"Me and Sirius here had a particularly interesting ritual experience back in our seventh year." Remus said with a grin.
"Ah nope, that story is for when you are older" Sirius cut in giving Remus a glare. "Just know we paid the price of having nearly no magic for a week. It was the scariest thing that happened to me, that was including everything that happened in the war."
Harry shivered at the thought of loosing his magic and vowed then and there to be careful with any rituals he might perform in the future. With a yawn he let Sirius guide him back to bed as the residual magic from the ritual cocooned him gently to sleep.
YOU ARE READING
A Sirius Summer
FanfictionThe summer before fifth year was unexpected in many ways. Harry did not expect to get attacked by Dementors or nearly expelled from Hogwarts. But most of all he did not expect his Godfather to take him to one side and tell him something that would s...
