A/N: I know, I know, it's been ages. I've struggled with this and the next chapter for long time. Thank you for sticking with me. This needed explaining before we went any further…
Harry spent the next several nights staying with Severus in their quarters instead of returning to the Slytherin dorm after classes. Neither seemed willing to let each other out of sight for very long and they spent many hours each night just sitting in front of the fire together, reassuring themselves of the other's presence. It was during one of these evenings that Harry voiced the question that had been turning over in his mind since his conversation with McGonagall.
"When I spoke to the castle, she told me not to judge those with an injury to the soul. When I told McGonagall she got really upset and yelled for the Headmaster. What does soul injury mean? What is your soul?"
Severus let out a huge sigh – when Harry asked questions recently they always seemed to be the 'big' ones: about souls or elemental magic or right and wrong. Not age-appropriate ones about girls or spots or sex. Yet another indicator of how much this now not so scrawny boy had to grow up before his time and how his innocence had been taken from him by his family. Would he even be able to form a normal romantic attachment to a witch? Something else to worry about thought Severus unhappily, deciding he'd have to add it to the mental list, with all the other things he and Harry may have difficulties with in the future.
"Souls and soul magic are complex questions and not entirely separate," Severus paused for breath and decided a cup of tea would be required for this conversation – the topic could get quite dark and as one's own soul understood the evil that could be done it chilled the body in an appropriate display of revulsion. "Fetch that book on the top shelf for me while I make tea, the red one with black bindings."
Harry retrieved the book as asked, marvelling at its weight: for all that it was a seemingly slim volume; it apparently weighed as much as one of the huge genealogy tomes that Draco was lugging to class with his everyday to discuss with Hermione. Harry grinned to himself - four months ago he wouldn't have been able to carry this heavy book, let alone get it from a shelf higher than his head. The sessions in the gym with Marcus were paying off. He was now as tall (or taller) than his peers and had musculature that most were envious of.
Severus returned with the tea set as Harry sat down with the book. He went to open it only for Severus to slap his hand away from the catch.
"Did I not teach you to always look at a book before opening it? That there more dangerous books in libraries than there are animals in the Forest?" asked Severus seriously, desperately trying to ignore the hurt in Harry's eyes at the gentle slap on his hand.
Harry looked away and nodded. He had forgotten in his eagerness to learn. He turned back to the book and picked it up once more, careful to keep his hands away from the catch to open it. The weight given its size should have been an indicator that this book was one of the more malevolent he realised. The black bindings were not actually black but a dark brownish maroon…Harry dropped the book suddenly when he realised the leather straps holding it closed were bloodstained, not tanned as he had first thought. Opening such a dangerous book without appropriate preparation would require blood to close it again
Shuddering, Harry gingerly picked up the book again and angled it so any inscriptions on the stained bindings would show. He turned the book this way and that, seeing nothing. Just when he was going to ask Severus, he saw it. Near the bottom on the third strap on the back of the book was a series of small marks. Grateful now that he had listened to Hermione about Ancient Runes, he mentally translated the runes.
"Speak desire, I will decide, speak nothing, I will not abide. Tell me true or you will rue. To enter circle cast with hand on heart, impart gratitude before we part."
Harry glanced at Severus, who nodded; impressed that Harry had found the inscription. The reason these books were so dangerous was that many never found the inscription so had no idea how to mitigate the potentially deadly effects.
Harry placed the book on the table, drew a circle on the front cover with his right hand and covered his heart with his left.
"I seek knowledge of injuries to the soul."
The book unclasped itself and began to flick through pages – far more than could be in such a slim book. It stopped about half way through the book, at a chapter entitled "The moste perilous of soule damyge".
"Before you read, I'd like to tell you what I know, what little I do know of the soul," said Severus. "Our souls are the core of our magic, the source of it. The reason those who dabble in the Dark Arts are not able to produce a Patronus is usually due to damage inflicted by Dark Magic on the soul. Dark Magic is not outlawed for the sake of it, it is magic used solely to hurt others, whether than be physical pain, or by changing the world in order to hurt them. Love potions are borderline Dark, do you understand why?"
"Because it removes choice, almost like the Imperious spell," replied Harry quietly.
"That's right. There are other potions considered Dark. One for example induces intense sexual pleasure in the drinker whenever the maker of the potion touches them. Many unwary married couples have used it to 'spice up' their marital relations, however few realised until too late that it renders one unable to achieve sexual satisfaction with anyone other than the maker of the potion. For the rest of their lives. Before you say anything, just think about that for a moment," he added seeing Harry about to object.
Harry subsided and pondered the ramifications. He realised that it could be used to remove choice in much the way Love Potions could. It would effectively 'bind' someone to another person, meaning they would not find sexual pleasure with any other partner. Young couples may potentially separate; two people who had taken the potion would not be able to enjoy themselves with anyone else. Or, his horrified mind suddenly realised, it could be used to make a victim of abuse enjoy what was being done to them. If Vernon had been a wizard and had made the potion, then…Harry swallowed the bile threatening to rise in his throat with a gagging noise.
"I see you have thought it through fully," said Severus with sympathy putting his arm round the shivering boy. "There are other spells or objects that are Dark, either by their intent or their manufacture. This book for example may be considered Dark by some given what its price is should it be opened without performing the appropriate actions. I do not consider it so as it is not inherently Dark; it states its intentions clearly – by not telling it what you are looking for or drawing the circle with one hand on your heart you ignore the warning writ upon it. At your own peril I might add."
"Soul magic is unusual even among Wizarding kind, simply because it is hard to perform. It is not usually something one can learn or practice, it is usually spontaneous, much like our bond to one another – neither really meant to make it, but our soul performed the magic given our intentions. Dark magic damages the soul, but one does not have to perform it to be damaged. Extensive close proximity to a Dark object or to one whose soul is corrupted with Dark magic can also bring about damage."
"What damage? What does it do to you?" asked Harry.
Severus nodded towards the book. "I do not know fully, only what I have learnt from this or second-hand from my time as a Death Eater spy. It makes some mad, or changes the way one thinks about the world. I know the Dark Lord had delved extensively into Dark magic concerning the soul, and it altered his appearance – the handsome man many had flocked to was not the man who attacked you as a baby, his appearance was not altogether human by then. Bellatrix Black, a cousin of Draco's was a beautiful young witch when she entered the Dark Lord's service at her Mother's insistence. Many years of love for her Master have polluted Bella's mind and body both – she delights in causing pain to others and her beauty has been ravaged by the evil spells she has cast. Even I am not immune, whilst my soul is complete as proved by the Patronus, I suffered Depression for many years as a result of the Darkness I had observed."
Harry nodded thoughtfully and began to read. It became apparent that the contents of the book changed at will and seemed to be giving him the basics rather than an in-depth analysis of soul injuries.
"Injurys of the soule are caused by Darke Magick, its use thereof, or the possession of ayn object made by its use. The mind of the Wyzard contains the products of his thoughts. Each evil thought be locked in a chest and thrown awaye downe the well of the mind so it may not impede him. Darke Magick be like acid on a lock, the evil may leaketh. When the well of the mind be poisoned with evil, the bodie will surely follow. While moste will not dabble with this most awful of magicks, there are those professions where contact with the Darke is not avoidable. Wardens of the gaol on the rock called Azykabyn are the moste notable, not due to their prisoners, but the Guards, they who are called the Dementored. Whilst their use cannot be disputed in keeping the gaoled contained therein, even within their own minds; the makings of such fell creatures was Darke. So Darke that their beginnings are as much in shroud as their faces. Wardens of the Rock be protected by ancient bindings to prevent their minds being poisoned by their contact with the Dementored. Moste of the gaoled lose their tenuous hold on their minds shortley after their arrival on the Rock.
The moste grievous of injurys to the soul be that caused by the murder of another. Murder ryps the soul. One can survyve a ryp but more than one maye make a tear. A tear maykes the soul loose and not stayble, more delycate and easyly damaged further. Bruising and tarnishing and wear may also occur by contact with the Darke withoute partaking in its evil. Damage to the soul will make a Wyzard unstayble of the mind, have obsession wyth a single thought or thing, or encourage a already unstayble mind into corruption further. Logic and romantick love are the first emotions to be loste, followed swiftly thereafter by the other 'human' faculties such as reason and empathy. These are replaced by the will to dominate, and the absolute assurance that this be a right and fit thyng to achieve, at whatever the cost.
The protections applyed to the Wardens are also used to protect the Enforcers of the Law. The protections that surrounds these Wyzards draw on the protection of the elemente of Earthe so that shoulde they be forced to kill in the defense of the people they do not suffer the same fate as those they try to capture."
"My thanks, I have learnt what I need," said Harry softly. The book shivered slightly, closed its covers and lay still.
Harry scrubbed his face with both hands. It was clear to both wizards that the years in Azkaban without the protections afforded to the Wardens of Azkaban and the Auror Division had seriously damaged the stability of Sirius Black's mind. Although in Severus opinion, he had never been that sane to begin with.