I cannot help you if you don't tell me where you are. Alex, you must understand that Harry is in terrible danger if you don't lead me to him. The ritual that you performed is highly dangerous if you do not know how to handle the repercussions. I cannot promise you anything right now, but if we meet, I'm sure we can work things out.

Alex had read the letter through three times before throwing it away. Everything was falling apart. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. They were supposed to live in Somerset until it was time for Harry to go to school. He would send Harry to Hogwarts, where he'd have friends and live happily. But now Harry was sick, possibly dying, and he didn't know what to do.

Dumbledore was offering help, and a smart person would've taken it. Alex knew better. Dumbledore was very clever at manipulating people, and he was certain that's what he was trying to do know. He wanted Harry back, and would say anything to get him.

Alex shook his head at his ridiculousness. He knew the headmaster better than that. The man was trying to help and he did say he'd work something out. After all, if you couldn't trust Albus Dumbledore, who could you trust?

The doorbell rang. Alex was confused now. He had chosen a little cottage out in the middle of nowhere, who in their right minds would come way out here?

When he opened the door, he received his answer.

Finding the headmaster of Hogwarts on your doorstep was slightly unnerving. Especially if you weren't always well-known for how good you were at school.

"Morning Headmaster," said Andry, stepping aside. "Please come in."

"Sorry to call on you like this Andromeda," said Dumbledore apologetically. "However a state of emergency has arisen and I'm afraid I need your help. Madam Pomfrey herself said that you had most unnatural Healer abilities."

Andry blinked a few times before answering. "I'm not so sure about that Professor. I'm pretty decent."

"Excellent from what I've heard," said Dumbledore stepping into the living room. He paused there, looking thoughtful.

Andry could've cursed herself twice. Tasha and Hermione were both in there. She followed behind him and saw both girls looking at Dumbledore.

"Good morning girls," said Dumbledore cheerfully. "May I ask your names?"

"Natasha sir," said Tasha dutifully, "and that's Hermione. She's staying with us for a while."

"Well, it's nice to meet both of you," he said, extending his hand. "I'm Albus Dumbledore. I hope you two will attend my school one day."

"Tasha, Hermione, why don't you go to your room?" asked Andry, following Dumbledore in.

Hermione nodded and dragged Tasha upstairs. Tasha waved at Dumbledore. "It was nice meeting you headmaster," she said before she disappeared up the stairs.

Andry smiled as Dumbledore chuckled. Despite that, his eyes were active and she was sure he suspected something. The question was if he was going to say anything.

"You have lovely children," said Dumbledore. "I sometimes despair that I never married or adopted. But," he took a seat on the couch, "that is not the matter at hand."

"What did you wish to talk about Headmaster?" asked Andry, grateful that he wasn't going to push the subject of children.

"I'm sure you've read the paper. It's the talk of the wizarding world." There was a bit of sadness in his eyes.

"Harry Potter. Yes, I read that he is missing. It's quite a mystery. But what does that have to do with me?"

"I must ask you not to disclose this to anyone Andromeda. Not even Ted. It is of the strictest confidence that I ask this of you."

"Have you located Harry?"

"I may have. I'm not certain yet. But before I can tell you anything, I must have your word that nothing of this will escape your lips."

Andry bit her lip. She was keeping enough secrets from Ted as it was. She was certain he already knew about where Hermione came from, but how she had received her is what he didn't know.

"I promise Headmaster," she said firmly. "On my word as a Black."

Dumbledore nodded. "Excellent." He sighed. "Harry Potter is ill. In fact, he is dying. And you are the only person that can save him."

Harry moaned as he rolled over in his bed. Just a minute ago, it had been hot. Now he was freezing. No matter how many times he wrapped the covers around himself, he couldn't warm up.

It hurt badly. Not just the cold, but everything on his body. Harry was uncertain if he could even move anymore. His body was tense and he was shaking. He needed his potion, but it was so far away.

He tried to open his mouth to call for Alex, but all that issued out was a faint gurgling noise. It even hurt to talk.

Please make the pain stop, he thought as the room started spinning. Please someone, anyone.

Alex wasn't surprised to see Dumbledore on his doorstep. However, the last person he expected to see was Andromeda Black.

Tonks now. She married a while back if I remember correctly.

"You didn't reply Alexander," said Dumbledore. "I was hoping you would, so as not to be rude and intrude upon your hospitality. I'm sure you know Andromeda."

The two nodded. They had met briefly, a very long time ago. The impression that he had gotten from her then was not flattering to say the least.

"Where's Harry?" asked Dumbledore, stepping inside, Andry close behind.

"I've moved him downstairs. It used to tire him to go downstairs. Now he barely moves at all."

"When was the last time you saw him move?" asked Dumbledore.

"Well, he's been sleep for awhile and usually when he wakes up he calls me to him."

"Are there any other symptoms besides what you described to Dumbledore in your letter?" asked Andry as he led them to the living room.

Alex hesitated before answering. "His voice is giving out. He's been having hallucinations, and he can't hold anything down. He has a fever constantly and mutters to himself in his sleep."

Andry glanced at him. "That's all?"

Alex nodded. "Yes, that's all."

"This ritual, Magical Suppression, did you read up on it at all before you decided to perform it on a seven-year-old boy?" Andry's voice was icy.

Alex hesitated before answering. How did she know about the ritual? Deciding to ask later, he answered her question.

"Of course I did," said Alex defensively. "I took all of the necessary precautions. I brewed the potion to combat magical exhaustion and have been giving it to him every day."

"Well you obviously miscalculated something or he wouldn't be like this," said Andry. "Where is he?"

"And what exactly do you plan to do?" he asked angrily.

"Be quiet, both of you." Dumbledore spoke very quietly, but there was a tone to his voice that both knew he wasn't to be disobeyed. "Harry will need the both of you to cooperate to survive. Now Alex, where is Harry?"

"In the guest room, on the left," said Alex. As Andry left the room, Alex said, "Professor Dumbledore? What did you mean survive?" The last word was choked out, despite how much Alex was trying to keep his voice steady.

Dumbledore turned very somber eyes to Alex. "I believe it would be best for Andry to evaluate Harry's condition before we discuss what may result from the ritual you and Harry performed."

As Dumbledore left the room, it seemed as if the world had become a much darker and colder place.

Ted looked up from his work as a tawny owl came soaring towards him, carrying a purple envelope. Ted took the envelope from the owl, confused. He didn't usually receive letters this early.

Especially from Andry, he thought, recognizing the handwriting.

Ted,

I have been called away for an emergency. I'm sorry, but it was extremely urgent. Please go home and check on the girls as soon as possible. I have all of the wards in place and have instructed them not to leave the house, but I can't help but worry. I'll return as soon as I can.

See you soon,

Andry

High fever, thought Andry, running a cooling spell over Harry. Clammy hands, hallucinations, consistent shaking. It's worse than I could've imagined.

"Alex!" she yelled, not bothering to keep the anger out of her voice.

The dark-haired man came running in quickly. "Yes?" he asked, his eyes darting to Harry.

"I'll need a tub of hot water," she said. "And then call Dumbledore in here. I need to ask you both some questions."

Andry expected Alex to talk back, but he only nodded and disappeared without a word. She had used all of willpower not to hex him as soon as he had come in the room. It wasn't the fact that the Boy-Who-Lived was dying; it was the fact that it was a child, no older than her own daughter, was lying here, in more pain than a child ought to be.

Because of him, she thought as Alex brought the water inside, Dumbledore behind him. Because he wanted Harry for himself and did something careless in the process to keep him.

Andry waved away Alex, who was hovering over her, trying to peer at Harry. She didn't trust herself to speak as she conjured a bottle silently and filled it with the hot water, pressing it against his back. She had found a black-purple bruise there.

With the addition of the water bottle and Fever Reducing Potion she had given him, Harry's shaking eased, but he was still muttering.

Andry took a deep sigh before turning around to face Alex.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she yelled. "You could have killed him, do you know that? Do you realize how hard it is going to be to bring a child, a child, back from the brink of death?"

She was upon him now, but she hesitated when she saw how low Alex's head was. Andry backed up and studied the attitude of Alex. He looked defeated and lost. Andry almost, almost, felt a bit of pity for the man.

Dumbledore stood up and placed a hand upon Andry's shoulder. "I believe that Alex has realized that what he has done is life-threatening and sees his error."

"I don't," said Andry, the fire rekindling in her, "so let me enlighten you." She tugged at his chin and made him look at her. "You better be listening Alex, because I won't be repeating this."

"The Magical Suppression Ritual was used on wizards and witches that no longer desired to be a part of a magical community. They are usually very powerful wizards, wizards with very little magical ability at all, or Muggle-born children whose parents decide that they don't wish for their children to join our world.

"The ritual's name obviously speaks for itself. However, the magic can also be channeled out of the body into another or released. The process is not to be taken lightly. Containing magic within the body without an outlet is very dangerous, especially with children. It takes an extremely powerful wizard or wizards to do this ritual." With this last sentence, she scrutinized Alex, who was staring at her hollowly. "Do you believe that you're that powerful?" Without waiting for an answer she continued.

"In the ritual, there are usually two people involved, the Receiver and the Inlet. The Receiver will take the magical power from the Inlet, and using a specially brewed potion, will repress the rest of the magic within the Inlet, leaving as little left as possible. If the Receiver takes too much magic, or does something wrong in the process, both will die. Most of the magic is released if the Receiver isn't interested in taking the magical power. The rest is suppressed within the body until a later time when it can be released.

"So that the magic that is released does not escape and cause chaos, powerful wards must be set up. Also, to keep the repressed magic from breaking out of its barrier, a potion must be taken every day to keep it in check. Did you know all of this Alex?" she asked her voice soft.

For the first time, anger entered into Alex's face. "Of course I did. Like I said, I read up on everything. I did everything completely right, I didn't miss a step. I checked, double-checked, triple-checked. I knew the consequences and followed every step thoroughly. I'm powerful enough to control the ritual."

Andry was taken back by this. "And how would you know that?"

Alex didn't answer, but Dumbledore did. "Believe me Andromeda; Alex is certainly powerful enough to control the Ritual. He did perform every spell involved perfectly. However, you were missing something Alex."

"Obviously, or else Harry wouldn't be in this condition," muttered Andry, but Alex had focused his attention upon Dumbledore.

"What did I overlook?" he asked.

"Harry is young," said Andry. "At this point in his life, the functioning of his magic is as important as the functioning of his heart or liver. That is why most Magical Suppression Rituals are not performed on Muggle-born children until they have reached eleven or twelve, when their bodies do not need magic to sustain them."

Alex shook his head. "I don't understand. Are you saying magic is important to a child's development?"

"Essentially, yes. At least, for children born with magic," said Andry.

"You have brought up an excellent point Andromeda," said Dumbledore. "However, the problem with Harry doesn't lie in his age. Harry stopped depending on his magic quite a few years ago. There's also the fact that Alex gave him a potion against magical exhaustion, which overrides your theory, does it not?" Dumbledore looked at Alex for confirmation. Andry remembered that Alex had said that he had given Harry that potion, which acted as a substitute for Harry's reduced magic.

"Harry's illness," Dumbledore said, "lies with the fact that his magic is fighting against the spell."

"Why?" asked Andry. "He was willing, wasn't he?" Dumbledore and Andry looked at Alex, who was nodding.

"I wouldn't have tried it if he wasn't. It wouldn't have worked."

"So what's fighting against it Headmaster?" inquired Andry, turning back to Dumbledore.

"His magic," said Dumbledore quietly, "and Lord Voldemort's."

A/N: So now we're getting to the climax. Everything is explained in the next chapter as tensions run high, a solution is found, and Black escapes to find his godson. Things seem to be getting worse in Escape and A Decision