Chapter 7: A Hastened Recovery

"Cissy!" said Andromeda joyfully upon answering a knock at her back door just after noon on the same afternoon Sirius Black had formally taken up the mantle of Lord Black of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. Embracing her youngest sister, she added, "It's so good to see you again without that ingrate Lucius Malfoy lurking about."

"Oh, Andie, I can't thank you enough for realizing all was not right with my marriage to Lucius," cried Narcissa, embracing her sister with vigor. "If it weren't for you, my son, Alphard, and I would still be subjected to the wretched miscreant's tyranny, and we can never repay you for your alerting Siri as to our plight."

"Cissy, you're my sister, and Alphard is your son, and I would never leave you and him in the clutches of that reprobate our father forced you to marry," replied Andromeda, continuing to embrace her sister "Now, please, all of you come inside, and if you need a place to stay, you are more than welcome in our home as long as you need."

"Thank-you, Andie," replied Narcissa, leading her son into the Tonks home.

"Mother, who she?" asked Alphard, being led by his mother into the Tonks home.

"Alphard, dear, this is my sister, Andromeda, but can call her Aunt Andie," answered Narcissa.

"You mean like Auntie Bella?" asked Alphard. "Is she here?"

"No, dear, Aunt Andie is nothing like your Aunt Bella," replied Narcissa. "Auntie Bella is being punished for doing bad things like your father used to do to you and me, and we probably won't see her again."

"You mean like father punishes you and me for being bad?" asked Alphard.

"No, dear," replied Narcissa, kneeling so she and her son were looking at each other eye to eye. "Aunt Bella is being punished for doing to others what your father used to do to us."

"Crucio bad?" Alphard further asked.

"Yes, dear, using Crucio on someone is very very bad," replied Narcissa.

"Cissy, our grandfather kept the originals of all Black family betrothal contracts and record of all dowries paid by the Black family in a vault at Gringotts, which is only accessible by the Black Head of House," said Sirius. "I have yet to visit this vault, so when we take Harry, his twin sister, Alphard, and Andie's daughter Nymphadora in for their inheritance tests and for me to declare them as Heirs to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, I'll have Gringotts make us copies of the contracts to see if there is anything in Lucy's treatment of you and Alphard that we can use against him."

"As long as we can make sure he can't do anything else to my son or me, anymore, you can neuter bastard, for all I care," said Narcissa.

"We're just about to sit down to lunch, and you're all more than welcome to join us," said Andromeda. Ushering them into the Tonks dining room, she added, "My Nymphadora, who prefers to be called Dora, and two neighboring magical children eat upstairs in Dora's room. You see, they are suffering from a somewhat severe bout of magical exhaustion and have been doing little more than eating, sleeping, and taking care of personal needs such as bathing, using the loo, and such."

"What caused their magical exhaustion?" asked Narcissa.

"Professor Dumbledore, do you have any further explanation as to the children's conditions?" asked Andromeda.

"I am still researching the matter, and thus far I have discovered nothing definitive other than young Harry and Hermione are for lack of a better explanation magical sponges," replied Albus. "I have never seen or heard anything like it, but it appears that whenever the two young ones touch someone magical they in essence draw magic and magical abilities from those they touch. This is why I theorize, that they became Metamorphmagi after touching young Nymphadora and Animagi after touching Lord Black."

"How much longer will it be before they recover?" asked Narcissa, seating Alphard for lunch.

"According to Poppy Pomfrey, they should recover within three to four days, but they have yet to show any significant signs of improvement," answered Andromeda. "If you want, when we take you and Alphard up to show you your rooms, we can visit them."

"Mother, a ghost," said Alphard somewhat fearfully, seeing Lily upon entering Dora's bedroom with his mother not long after they'd finished their lunch

"Lily, Lily Potter, is that really you?" gasped Narcissa, looking stunned at what her son was pointing to.

"Yes, Narcissa, it's really me, Lily Potter," replied Lily. "Somehow, when my two children were reacquainted three days ago my spirit was called from the Great Beyond. However, I am unable to leave my son's presence and can only be seen or heard while in his presence."

"Your two children," queried Narcissa. "I thought Harry was your only child."

"Due to the dark times in which we lived, James and I told no one that I was in reality pregnant with twins, and when our daughter was born about fifteen minutes after Harry was born James took her to be adopted by another family," answered Lily. "It was by far the hardest decision we ever had to make, but with us already being targeted by the Dark Lord, we decided to give the younger of our twins up for adoption so we could better insure the Potter line would continue after we were gone."

"Oh, you poor dears," said Narcissa remorsefully. "Just the though of parents having to give up your own child makes me sad to know the crazed madman my now former husband and his ilk willfully served caused many so much sorrow and heartbreak."

"Mother, why they have blue hair?" asked Alphard, looking at the three blue haired children sleeping together in Dora's bed.

"Alphard, dear, these three are all Metamorphmagi, which means they can change their hair color," answered Andromeda, seeing that Narcissa looking her way for an answer.

"Wow," said Alphard, reaching out to touch one of the sleeping children.

"Alphard, no, don't touch them!" shouted Lily, as Alphard's hand passed right through her ghostly body when she stepped between him and the children on the bed.

"What's wrong with my son?" cried Narcissa, seeing her son fall to the floor sound asleep the moment he touched one of Dora's hands.

"No, Cissy, don't touch them," cried Andromeda, seeing her sister fall to the floor sound asleep, as well, the moment she reached out and touched Alphard.

"Narcissa and young Alphard are in much the same state as was young Nymphadora when she touched Harry and Hermione but three days ago," said Albus, examining the now five sleeping people in Dora's bedroom. Pausing he added, "If you would please lift Narcissa and Alphard off the floor, I will transfigure this bed into a much larger one, and five of them may slumber more comfortably. Although, I believe there is no lasting harm done to any of them, I will call upon Poppy to examine them all, and we shall abide by her prognosis and treatment for these five."

"These two, are both showing signs of repeated exposure to the Cruciatus Curse, which has in turn severely weakened their magical cores," said Poppy. "Because of his age, young Alphard's magical core at this time is little more than that of a squib, and whoever did this to him and his mother deserves to be kissed by a Dementor. Both mother and son are essentially drawing magic from the three children who have already had their magical cores weakened, which is why a magical infusion is needed for all five of them. Andromeda, please contact your husband so the he and you may once more pass some of your magic to these youngster and your sister However, as it has only been three days since you did the same for young Harry and young Hermione, I am going to ask Albus and Lord Black to join you, and I am only allowing the four of you to pass along some of your magic for twenty seconds. Any longer than that could cause irreparable harm to your own magical cores.

"I'll ring Ted and have him come home asap, then I'll ring the Grangers and the Wilkinson's and let them know," said Andromeda, exiting the room.

"Madam Pomfrey, will this new development delay the recovering time for Harry, Hermione, and Dora?" asked Lily.

"No lasting harm has been done to any of them from Narcissa and Alphard drawing upon their magical cores, and the five of them will most likely need an additional three to four days for their cores to recharge" said Poppy.

"Poppy, I'm just as perplexed by what we just witnessed as you are," said Albus, as Ted, the Grangers and the Wilkinson's entered Dora's room. Nodding to the newcomers, he added, "Poppy, is there a special way you would like us to touch the children and Narcissa?"

"Yes, there is," said the Hogwarts matron. "As there are five now before us on the bed, I would like for you, the Tonks, Lord Black, and myself to each lay our wand hands on the forehead of one of these five. As the five of them are connected by touch with not one break upon the lot of them, our magic shall recharge all of their cores with more a less a circuit type effect."

"That sounds just like an electrical circuit," commented Barry, as he looked on.

"Yes, yes, I concur," said Albus. "While not totally familiar with Muggle electricity, I do remember it travels as a circuit which is very similar to what our magic shall do."

"Barry, as you wearing a watch, would you please time us?" asked Poppy. "When you tell us to begin, count down aloud and when you reach twenty we shall all stop."

"As you wish, Madam Pomfrey," said Barry, holding his arm up so he could better see his watch.

"Okay, lad, when you are ready please begin your countdown," replied Poppy.

"Okay, everyone ready," said Barry. Seeing everyone nod, began, "Twenty, nineteen...two, one."

"What was that?" exclaimed Sirius, as they saw and heard a black tar like substance followed by a black mist that took the shape of a screeching Voldemort come from Harry's scar.

"That, that was 'You-Know-Who,'" gasped Lily, as the dark mist dissipated As Albus and Poppy examined Harry with their wands, she asked, "Professor Dumbledore, Poppy, what does this mean.?"

"I only know for sure is that when we passed some of our magic into the five sleeping on this bed, something very dark and evil was cast from Harry's very soul," said Albus. "The combined magical pulse from ten separate individuals drove something, of which, I am not completely sure what it was from your son. I have my suspicions as to what it was, but I will have to do some research into what it may have been. Suffice it to say, if what was removed from young Harry was what I suspect it to be, I shall not divulge what it was to anyone, for what I suspect it was is the most evil magic I have heard of and such knowledge needs to be forgotten. I, myself, will know about this and no one else, so please, do not ask what me it is, for most likely I will not tell you."

"Albus, growing up in the House of Black, I think I once read about what I believe you are talking about, and you are most correct that such knowledge should be never told," said Sirius. "When I go to Grimmauld Place I will search our family library for the book I read about this abomination in, and if I find it I will destroy it, or have your destroy it for me. However, what scares me the most is, what if Lord Moldy-dork made others. From what you described as to his downfall, could it be the one we just saw exorcised from Harry have been an accident and there are more of those evil things hidden about Britain?"

"Lord Black, part of what I am going to research involves what you are questioning," answered Albus. "If indeed you find such material in your childhood home, then I will gladly destroy it for you. Poppy, can you tell how young Harry is now faring."

"Whatever that thing was, it was leeching off of young Harry's magical core, and, now, his magical core is spiking at an incredible rate and is now beyond the level of most third year Hogwarts students, and he's only four years old," said Poppy. "Furthermore, as they are touching him, both Hermione and Dora are receiving the same magical core spikes as Harry is. Both Narcissa and Alphard are receiving spikes to their magical cores as well, but only about 2/3 of the other three."

"Does this mean they are going to recover sooner, because to me it looks like they're all starting to wake up?" asked Glenda, seeing Narcissa and the four children beginning to stir.

"Who are you, what's your name?" asked Dora, waking up face to face with Alphard, who was waking up, as well.

"Dora, this is your cousin Alphard Black, and the lady on the other side of him is his mother and my sister, your Aunt Narcissa," Andie answered for the groggy Narcissa and Alphard.

"Wow, Mum, other than her blonde to your brown, Aunt Narcissa looks just like you," said Dora.

"Dear, our family always did say we looked alike," said the smiling Narcissa.

"They did indeed, Cissy," added Sirius. Hearing several stomachs growl, he added with a chuckle, "I'd say everyone is rather hungry at the moment."

"After I examine all five of them, you may feed them all, once more," said Poppy.

"Dobby," said Narcissa.

"What can Dobby being doing for Mistress Cissy?" asked the house-elf, appearing in their midst.

"Dobby, would you be a dear and prepare a meal for myself and the four children?" replied Narcissa.

"What is you being wanting Dobby cooking for yous and the childrens?" asked Dobby.

"Aunt Glenda, Uncle Barry, can go play on the swings?" asked Harry, as Dobby popped away to prepare a meal.

"If Madam Pomfrey lets you, you can go outside to play after you clean up for the day, put on some clean play clothes, and eat your lunch," replied Glenda.

"I cannot explain it, but other than eating more to build up their strength, they have all recovered and may resume the normal activities," said Poppy. "They most likely will yet again tire a bit rather quickly and have rather voracious appetites, but for the most part they have mostly recovered from their ordeals. Going outdoors to play will also hasten these youngsters recoveries, and it won't hurt Narcissa to at least be outdoors enjoying fresh air and sunshine. Just remember, all of them, including Narcissa are going to tire more quickly and may need to take an occasional nap for the next several days. I will return this coming Saturday morning to check them again, but I suspect I will find them all recovered."

"Madam Poppy, in the meantime, would it be safe for us to take them to Gringotts for inheritance tests?" asked Sirius.

"If you get the goblins to cast numbing charms on the hands their blood will be drawn from and heal their cuts straight away, then it will be quite safe for them." answered Poppy. "I know the goblins charge double for doing this, however having them do so saves the children involved quite a bit of pain and discomfort."