Nov. 1903

I find one of the most pressing questions that many people wonder about Rituals is how multiple Rituals on one subject combine. That is if someone performs multiple rituals throughout their life how do they react with each other? Well the short answer is, most of the time they don't. And by that I mean they have no effect on each other, they will take their sacrifices and give their boons as if the other rituals never happened. However there are two cases in which they do affect each other. The first is Contradictory Rituals, rituals that have a conflict in boon or sacrifice, and the second is Chained Rituals, rituals that are all performed on one subject in a very short time. Chaining rituals is very complex and requires extremely advanced knowledge of rituals, so I will leave that for a later entry. Contradictory Rituals, however can be described briefly.

For the boons, the ritual with the greater sacrifice will win out over the one with the lesser sacrifice and continual sacrifice is always considered greater than instant sacrifice. Death, of course, is the greatest sacrifice and is considered instant and continual simultaneously. So if you decide to do two rituals that give similar boons be sure to figure out which one of the sacrifices is greater so you know which boon will apply. Now, if the sacrifices are similar things get more interesting. Instant or one time sacrifices can be done repeatedly assume you have the sacrifice to give again. You could for example sacrifice an object of great personal value as long as you have items of great personal value. You could never sacrifice the same item twice because the item will have been destroyed or vanished from our world, but an 'object of great personal value' can be sacrificed many times. Continual sacrifices however cannot be sacrificed multiple times. This is where as it were the devil is in the details. One could sacrifice their taste of sweet with the Ritual of Soured Tongue and sacrifice their taste of sour with the Ritual of Honeyed Words. However you could not perform the Ritual of Many Tongues, that sacrifices all taste but give great linguistic prowess, and perform either the Ritual of Soured Tongue or the Ritual of Honeyed Words. The reason is that the Many Tongues removes all taste including sweet and sour which is required for the other two mentioned rituals. If you perform a ritual that has a continual sacrifice you have already sacrificed that ritual will fail every time.

This was Dumbledore's fault.

At least that was what he was going to tell anyone and everyone that asked after this ordeal was over. Any stupid things he did like saying the activation phrase to a ritual while inside of a runic array would never be mentioned. It was a hundred percent Dumbledore's fault.

Harry looked around at his surroundings again. He was falling. At least it felt like he was falling. He was moving backwards at great speed with a sensation that felt like falling deep in his stomach. However everything was white as far as he could see so it was hard to tell for certain. He tried to turn around but he found himself unable to do so. It is hard to turn around when there was no air resistance. Or at least he thought there was no air resistance as there was no wind despite his great speed. He wondered briefly if this was what it was like being a muggle astronaut floating in space. He didn't get to contemplate the sensation for long though as he felt himself slowing down.

In the distance far below him he saw something coming towards him… or he was going towards it. Harry determined this was a very surreal experience that he wasn't sure he liked. He strained his neck trying to look behind him to see better when his body suddenly flipped and rotated so that the thing was below his feet. He soon realized that the something was in fact his office. Sure enough the walls rose above his head and he saw his desk, with various papers strewn about, his walls of bookcases somewhat neatly organized, and of course the wonderfully plush carpet that felt lovely between his bare toes.

Wait, carpet? No that's not right his floor was hardwood. Certainly not carpet because how would one draw a runic circle on carpet? Especially, with chalk!? Harry frowned. Everything looked correct and even felt correct, including the obviously incorrect but quite lovely carpet. Well, if there weren't clues here he'd search outside of the office.

Taking a step towards a rather lovely wood door, Harry paused as he heard a moan. No it was a hiss. He looked around, where had that come from? He wondered. There it was a again, definitely a hiss, but also definitely a moan. A hissing moan perhaps, but then how does one do a hissing moan. Harry walked towards his desk where the sound originated from. As he walked around the polished wood the noise of the hissing moaning got more distinct. Looking underneath the desk, there was something hiding in the deep shadows. Harry squinted his eyes as he tried to see what it was. He reached down and grabbed the thing when it twisted and bit deeply into his wrist.

"OW! You ruddy bastard!" He yelled in pain. He cradled his wrist as he glared at the thing. It was a snake… baby… thing? It looked like a human babe covered in disgusting red goo, but had a long tail and a snake like face. With its little arms Harry thought it looked almost like a demented salamander. "Ugly little bugger, aren't you."

"I will destroy you mortal," it hissed at him. Oh Parseltongue, that's how you hiss-moan.

Harry was never one to back down from a fight especially from demented snake baby salamanders that had delusions of grandeur. He quickly grabbed the disgusting creature under jaw and pulled out from under the desk. "Alright you ugly demon baby, how did you get in here? And where is here?"

The thing only responded by screeching in pain as it struggled to get free from his grip. Globs of red goo dripped off it's body and fell to floor. It then vomited a combination of blood and red goo all over Harry. He reflexively tossed the demon baby away from himself and onto the desk, where it bounced once and flopped onto the floor. It scrambled it's way over towards a bookshelf with a small alcove of shadows.

"Oh no you don't!" Harry shouted as he lunged over the desk and dove for the thing. He managed to grab the disgusting thing by the tail as it squirmed under his hand. Harry grabbed it by the back, his one hand covering most if it's back behind both of it's tiny shoulder blades. "Alright start talking."

But it didn't talk instead it struggled in his hands wriggling back and forth trying to squirm it's way out of his hands again. It was at this point that Harry finally noticed a foul black steam rising from it's body. The smell of putrid burnt flesh reached his nose as he gagged almost dropping the thing a second time. It's screams suddenly stopped as it hung limply in his hands. He shook the thing. "Hey, I'm talking to you."

He shook it again. This time it's head and arms fell off turning into the same disgusting red goo it had smeared all over his carpet. He dropped the rest of dissolving body but it never reached the floor and it disappeared into black steam. In fact all of the red goo even the stuff that was vomited onto his chest was disappearing into black mist that faded from sight a few inches above wherever the goo had dropped. Harry felt a shiver go down his spin. It was official this was either the weirdest dream he's ever had or someone put some serious narcotics into his tea.

Harry walked back to the desk and peered under it where he had originally seen the thing. There was still red goo sitting in the shadows. He reached out scooping some onto his fingers as he inspected it in the light. He rolled it around and sure enough it started dissolving into black steam. Yet the goo in the shadows remained. Having reached his sanity's limit he grabbed the whole desk and flipped it over scattering papers and other bobbles on the floor, but revealing the rest of the residue the creature left behind. Sure enough as soon as the light hit it, the final globs of residue disappeared into black mist.

"That's it I'm out." Harry proclaimed as he walked towards the door. "I didn't see anything and I sure didn't touch anything. If anyone has a problem with that it's Dumbledore's fault."

He quickly reached the door flung it open and without even thinking twice walked into the great white nothingness and was overtaken by light.

-o-

"Creepy demon baby!" Harry exclaimed as he sat bolt upright. His heart was racing as his eyes darted around the room he was in. It was an almost serene picture view. He was currently lying in a bed with white sheets, surrounded by white walls. A small brown wooden night stand lay next to him on top of which sat a vase with some yellow flowers in it. The curtains danced lightly in the breeze created by the open window. He heard the distant sounds of traffic and busy city life below. A few chairs were set up around the small room.

Harry took a deep breath through his nose. The sterile smell of hospital sheets finally registered as he realized he was in St. Mungo's. He groaned as flopped backwards throwing his arm over his eyes to shield himself from the light. A chuckle reached his ears.

"Yeah I had the same reaction when I woke from my first ritual." A surprisingly familiar voice said in a playful tone. Harry moved his arm slightly to peek at his visitor. Standing the the now open door to the room was one James Potter in all his roguish glory. Smirking as he leaned casually against the door frame like he hadn't been dead for the past 48 some years. "Although, two hours is a surprisingly quick turn around. I think I was out almost five hours after my ritual."

"Ritual?" Harry squeaked. His voice cracking.

"Yes, ritual. The Ritual of Inheritance?" James said. "Only the ritual you've been bugging me for permission to perform for the last, oh I don't know, three years? Ring any bells?"

"Uh…" Harry so eloquently responded.

"The ritual to make you Heir of the Potter Lordship. Sacrifices include a small amount of blood and the ability to back out of the Lordship should I die?" James stood up starting too look concerned. "Should I call a mediwitch back in here?"

"Er… No it's starting to come back to me." Harry lied. He honestly had no idea what was going and was still hung up on his 48 years dead father was chatting with him looking no older than 30. In fact his father was wearing standard Auror gear including a rather hefty dragonhide shirt that was sticking out from under his robes.

"Sure thing, son. I know how you hate mediwitches." James said with a grin. "Anyway as I promised we would do the inheritance ritual this year on the summer solstice. But I figured since it was a big day I could get you something special a little early."

With that he tossed a small parcel onto Harry's lap. It was wrapped in brown paper and landed with a light thud. Harry looked from the parcel to James and back to the parcel again feeling like he missed something important.

"Go on then open it." James said encouragingly. Harry slowly unwrapped the gift and found himself holding a wand holster with a wand sticking out of it. He looked back to his father with confusion. "It's a wand holster with a training wand in it. I know I said you'd have to wait until your tenth birthday but that's only a month away. And I am the greatest father ever you know."

Harry just looked down at the wand and holster again feeling even more like he had gone off the deep end. He looked back, only to startle slightly, as his father was now towering over him. Sweet Merlin! When did he get over here?

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" James asked concern etched over his face as gently grabbed Harry's facing looking him over.

"Yeah I'm fine just a little overwhelmed." Harry said for once actually saying how he felt.

"Well the healers did say confusion and shock could last for a few hours after you woke up," James said after a moment of looking for something in Harry's eyes. "Anyway, I've got to go to work. Sirius got here just a few minutes ago and can watch over you until my shift is over."

"Sirius?" Harry exclaimed. "He's here?"

"Yes, he took an earlier shift so someone would be here when you woke up. I was actually on my way out when the healer said your monitoring charm signalled you woke up." James explained as he started walking towards the door. "I'm going to send a mediwitch in just in case there was some unforeseen side effect, but I'll see you later tonight."

James reached the door when Harry found his voice again. "Dad?"

"Yeah, Harry?" James replied turning slightly to look at his son.

"Thanks for being here for me," Harry said. "You know when I woke up from the ritual."

James smiled. "Of course, gotta look after my only kid after all."

With that James finally left the room leaving Harry in a very confused state. What in the name of Merlin is going on? Harry looked down at the wand and holster again before flopping backwards into bed for the second time. Wait! TENTH BIRTHDAY! I'm a fifty year old man not a ten year old kid!

Harry sat up and removed the training wand from the holster. It was better than nothing even if it didn't feel as nice as his original wand. Harry quickly conjured and small hand mirror. It was a plain circular mirror without embellishments, and when Harry looked closely he noticed the glass was warped slightly. He knew that a training wand wasn't as effect at channeling magic but come on he could casually conjure much fancier mirrors ten times the size of this one perfectly. He sighed, well it can't be helped and at least he conjured something. Holding the mirror up to his face, he was shocked to see staring back at him was the childhood version of himself.

It was official he was going crazy.

"Well if I'm going nuts, I'm might as well get out of this dump of a room." Harry said to no one in particular. Tossing the mirror to the side, Harry stretched his back trying to get the kinks out before flipping the sheets off of himself. He was dressed in rather plain medical robes and was currently barefoot. He swung his legs over the side closing his eyes as he braced himself for the cold tile floors.

"And where do you think you're going?" A voice growled out at him from the doorway. Harry looked up and tensed. Standing in the doorway was none other than Bellatrix Lestrange wand out and glaring at him menacingly.

"Oh, bugger."

-o-

Page 39

Ritual of Inheritance

Alignment: Light

Prerequisites: One must be the heir apparent of a family with the title of Lordship, a runic circle as seen below, and have the approval of the current Lord to be their Heir.

Sacrifices: A small amount of blood, no more than a few drops while acting the ritual, Instant Sacrifice. The inability to to pass on the title Lord should the current Lord be unable to attend his duties permanently, Constant Sacrifice.

Boon: The title of Heir of the Lord of the family, along with all legal and magical implication that comes with said title.

A fairly common ritual that most lords perform with their oldest son between the ages of 8 and 12, certainly no later than when they receive their first wand. It simply ensure the line of succession through magical and legal means to avoid inter-family conflicts. One can no more purposefully try to harm their Family Heir as they could harm their Family Lord. This ritual became popular back in the 1640s after a number of households fell due to squabbling among members after the Lord passed on. Some members would try to claim the Lordship over the designated Heir and this ritual firmly put a stop to that.

AN- So for whatever reason won't allow lines with just a dash to go through. So my line breaks haven't been appearing. Which is annoying to say the least. I've gone through and fixed that and looked for errors.