Given what Ezekiel had planned for the day, the face of Healer Cohen when she saw him was a delightful bonus. Ezekiel couldn't help to chuckle as her jaw dropped in absolute shock. Andromeda had told him before she entered the room she had been the other Healer besides her when his condition... worsened. As such, Ezekiel didn't took it too badly when she fell backing out the room or when she poked him to make sure he was real. Cohen downright refused to believe Ezekiel was who he claimed to be and would almost spill the gravity of his injuries had Ezekiel not lowered his sunglasses enough for her to see his eyes.
"Hello, Healer Cohen." Ezekiel greeted her. "I know it might be a shock to you but we're actually here for Harry. I'd like to request a full examination this time."
"What?" Cohen said when she finally lost her stupor.
"A full, deep examination of Harry Potter."
"He's fine." Cohen replied confused. "I gave him a full checkup myself the last time he was here."
"I know." Ezekiel tried to smile kindly but failed miserably. "It's not his body what concerns me."
"You want me to take a look at his core?"
"Exactly." Ezekiel
"Has he experienced any sort of"
"That's what we came to check, Cohen." Andromeda angrily interrupted her. While she had understood why the Healer had stunned her, she had not accepted it. Nor forgotten. "Now, if it's possible. If not, too."
"Very well...is she going to join us as well?" The Healer asked gesturing at Dora.
"Yes." Everyone answered simultaneously.
Nodding to them, Healer Cohen guided them to one of the private rooms, sitting Harry on a stretcher and she next to him. Andromeda took the other side, Cohen noticed she sat in a position allowing easy access to her wand. Ezekiel and Dora had taken two chairs near her desk facing her. Trying to suppress her fear Cohen asked.
"What seems to be the issue, Harry?"
"I don't know." Harry replied unsure.
"Are you feeling unwell or perhaps different?"
"I'm fine but then I get this headaches but they go away."
"I see." Cohen said concerned. "Does this happen often?"
"They happen when things change."
"When things change." Cohen slowly repeated. "Do you mean when you're using magic?"
"I'm not using it, it happens!" Harry replied exasperated.
"Sorry, I understand it might be stressing." Cohen calmed him. "You need to understand that this isn't unusual. You've performed some acts of what we call 'accidental magic', those are normal in kids your age."
"Normal, you say?" Ezekiel raised an eyebrow over his sunglasses.
"Well, he has done surprising magical feats for a child his age."
"Transfiguration, maybe even Apparition if what he has told us is correct." Ezekiel counted. "Feel free to correct me but I believe such feats takes years and a wand to be done successfully, decades to do wandless."
"Why yes Lord Black, that's true." Cohen nodded. "Yet, we must take into consideration the source of this information. No offence Harry but you are a child. Your emotional state at the time does affect your ability to see memories objectively."
"No offense." Dora sneered, resting her feet on top of the desk. "Why is it thatevery time I hear it's followed by the most insulting, condescending and offensive words possible?"
"Is everything alright?" Cohen nervously looked around.
"Why wouldn't we? Andromeda smiled replying in a sweet, icily tone. Cohen tried to get up from the stretcher but she found Andromeda's hand gently pressuring over hers behind Harry's back. She looked at Andromeda surprised but she simply stared back without blinking.
"Harry, trade places with me please." Ezekiel said getting up from his chair. He gently messed up his hair as they crossed and then gestured at Cohen, who moved to where Harry was before. Giving a quick glance at Andromeda, he sat next to Cohen, leaving her between Andromeda's gentle hold and his calm facade. "Healer Cohen, I'm going to ask you something. I expect you to be honest with me, or at least I hope you know I'll know if you're lying to me. I also expect you to know there will be consequences if you try it. Have I made myself clear?"
"Lord Black, this is highly inappropriate." Cohen replied shaking.
"I'm afraid the subject at hand demands social etiquette to be dismissed, Healer Cohen."
"What on earth are you accusing me of?" Cohen replied baffled.
"There's no accusation, Cohen." Andromeda replied behind her, gently increasing the pressure over her captive hand. "Just a question."
"For Merlin's sake! What is going on with you people?" Cohen replied looking at both sides. "And you!" She pointed at Dora with her free hand. "Aren't you an Auror?"
"I'm on vacation." Dora shrugged.
"Now, Healer Cohen." Ezekiel asked removing his sunglasses. "My question. Don't worry, it isn't a very difficult one. What are you hiding from us?"
"I'm not hiding anything!" Cohen replied looking away from him.
"Cohen." Andromeda whispered into her ear. "That boy sitting by your desk, Harry, he's my family. Make no mistake, if you've done something to him, if there's anything at all you're keeping from us, I will find out."
"You're a Medi-Witch, you took a Vow!"
"A Vow to keep you alive." Andromeda replied softly. "Which I will do, of course, while I get the answer I want. Sadly, I'm not as good as my nephew here." Andromeda nodded to Ezekiel. "I don't posses the finesse my nephew has, lack of practice you see but I'm sure he'll be able to correct me if I'm doing it wrong."
"You've been here with him during the examinations! What on Earth do you think I could've done to him?"
"I saw you cast spells, yes." Andromeda nodded as she rested her head on Cohen's shoulder. "But I've never been sure what exactly you did. A wizard is capable of saying one thing and then use non-verbal magic to cast another one. So I'll be the one asking this time. There won't be another one. What. Are. You. Hiding?"
Ezekiel placed his finger below Cohen's chin and with a gentle but firm touch made her turn her face towards him but her eyes were closed shut.
"Open your eyes Cohen." Ezekiel caressed her cheek with his thumb as he held her cheek in his hand, Ezekiel whispered to her. "Open your eyes and look at me. I want to see your eyes when you tell me you've done nothing wrong to Harry Potter. "Cohen whimpered in panic. "I promise you, right here and now that if what you've said it's true no harm will come to you."
"Alright!" Cohen finally relented with her eyes still closed.
"Cohen, open your eyes." Ezekiel asked softly.
It took the Healer what felt like an eternity to comply but what she saw would forever be engraved in her mind. Ezekiel Black's eyes were disturbing on a primordial level. There was something profoundly wrong with them. His eyes showed nothing, a glimpse into oblivion. His eyes looked like the Dark, promising madness to those who dared to stare for too long.
"Speak."
"I think something is wrong about Harry." Cohen said with an empty gaze. "His core. Something is different about core."
"What is it?"
"His power. It's too much." Cohen said starting to drool. "His accidental magic. The thing he did to the Queen's butler. No child should be able to do that."
"Butler?" Ezekiel mouthed to Harry, who had been glued to his seat after witnessing Andromeda's change. Dora had to tap him in the shoulder to get him out of his stupor so he could nod in response. Ezekiel gave him an impressed look before turning back to the Healer. "Is there a way to check his core?"
"Yes." Cohen replied while she pointed at her desk. "There's a tool in my desk. It can help me check his core without using my magic."
"I see. Very well, Cohen." Ezekiel said loudly snapping his fingers right next to her ear. "Bring it here."
"What!?" Cohen said confused, she looked around wiping her mouth. "What just happened?"
"You were honest, dear. For once in your life" Andromeda said getting off the stretcher. "I don't think she broke her Vow, if all she had was a theory."
"Also her contract or whatever she has with Gringotts seems to be fine." Dora said as she checked the desk. "Knowing this place she could've start melting for all we know."
"No." Ezekiel said studying the Healer's face. "I think she might've done something. Is that true Cohen?"
"What did you do to me?" Cohen asked.
"Consider it a different form of Legilimency, dear." Ezekiel replied affably placing his sunglasses back . "Learned it from a beautiful vampire in America, she had a smile that could light up the night. It's particularly useful to throw Aurors of one's trail when people are suspecting you. Anyway, the reason I snapped you out of your little trance was so you could use that tool to check Harry."
"Why did you do that?"
"Well, as useful as this is, there are some limitations. Ordering you to do something like operating heavy machinery or performing any medical procedure could be catastrophic. It's a bit like heavy drinking, you see. Now." Ezekiel clapped his hands. "Quick question, Healer Cohen."
"What do you want to know?" Cohen replied shivering at the knowledge that he could do to her if she lied.
"In the event that something is wrong with Harry's core, who'd be the first one to know about?"
"I don't."
"Would you tell us first about the problem or would you inform your superiors first?" Dora interrupted.
"The goblins." Cohen replied. "There's a charm on my papers. I'd have to write down everything, it's standard procedure but anything I'd write will be copied automatically in another room."
"Then in that case I believe it'd be for the best if you don't copy whatever you might find, don't you think?" Dora asked.
"No." Cohen replied. "They must have other means to know."
"What do you mean?" Andromeda asked.
"It means that she only knows about the charmed paper because they told her about it." Ezekiel replied. "Is that right?"
"Correct."
"Fine, check Harry. The goblins were bound to find out one way or the other."
Nodding to herself, Cohen got up from the bed and walked towards her desk. Opening one drawer, Cohen took out a piece of cloth folded in a triangle. She carefully placed it atop the stretcher as she unfolded it.
"Harry, this is a measuring device." Cohen explained to the boy as she showed him what seemed to be a grain or rice. "This little thing will grow in response of your magical capacity. It should also mimic any damage that your core might have."
"Wait a minute." Andromeda said examining the artifact taking great care not to touch it. "I know what this is. This is an Orb of Ecnesse , this things were forbidden."
"Forbidden is a strong term." Cohen said defensively. "Their usage was simply discouraged."
"And why, pray tell, was this thing's use 'discouraged' as you say?" Dora said getting off the chair, her hair changing to a red shade.
"It's not unusual for this devices to try to emulate the core of the wizard touching it." Cohen explained. "There's been some cases where the Orb itself changes color. A completely unexpected phenomenon that some people read too hard into."
"It made people believe that they were better suited for specific types of magic." Andromeda replied angry. "You know, purple for Transfiguration, white for the Healing Arts. Entire generations followed what they thought was their core nature and then got disappointed when they failed."
"There have been some cases, extreme ones mind you, where those suspicions were proven right. Since we know better than those before us, we'll just use them to measure the magical capacity of Harry's core."
"Hang on, give it to me first. I will make sure this is just a measuring device." Ezekiel said reaching for the Orb.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Lord Black." Cohen said placing the orb out of his reach. "Given the... anomalies, your core has the Orb might be affected as well."
"In that case, let's see what it says about me " Dora said taking the artifact. She held the grain in her hand, an expecting look on her face. The grain began swelling up to the point it became a round sphere, roughly the size of a golf ball in purple color. Dora played with it, gracefully passing the ball from one hand to the other. "So, Transfiguration. Neat."
"You do understand they might've placed an enchantment on it, right?" Ezekiel said rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Yep." Dora happily replied. "I would've sensed it the second I grazed it. We're fine."
"Dora, I know it might come hard to believe but I do care about your well-being." Ezekiel replied exasperated. "And it'd be significantly harder for me to do what I need to do if I had to also deal with your health in my conscience."
"Ooh, look at you." Dora sweetly mocked him. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
"You better." Andromeda snapped.
"If you are done, Auror Tonks." Cohen said sternly. "Please hand over the Orb to Harry."
"Hang on." Dora said tossing the artifact to her mother. "Let's see what Mum's core is like."
Andromeda gave her daughter a withering look as she caught the orb on her hand. The orb this time deflated to the size of a marble and gave out a eerie white glow.
"Okay." Dora said warily. "I think I broke it."
"No, you didn't." Andromeda deadpanned. " It's not unusual for people who turn from Dark to Light. Our core, our very nature changes."
"Not too much, I see." Cohen muttered. She quickly shut up when Dora's angry stare reached her.
"Still, the Orb works." Andromeda said approaching Harry. "Let's see what's going on with you, Harry."
Harry shyly reached to Andromeda's hand but the orb didn't change. They could all watch baffled as the Orb reverted back to a small grain in the palm of Harry's hand.
"I don't get it." Dora said. "Is it broken?"
"No, that's impossible." Cohen said taking the orb and showing it changing color to a small blue marble. "See? I don't understand why it isn't working. It reacts to the magic we exude."
"Exude?" Harry asked confused.
"Think of it as sweating but for magic." Andromeda replied.
"Let me see." Cohen said taking out her wand. Her movement suddenly stopped when she felt Dora's wand on the back of her neck. Dora turned to Andromeda, who finally gave her a nod after some consideration. Given she was still alive Cohen resumed her spells, thoroughly checking every inch of Harry's body. "I don't get it, its almost as if Harry didn't had any magic at all."
"Which we know it's not the case." Andromeda said.
"Harry, when was the last time you did magic?" Cohen asked.
"I told you, I don't use magic!" Harry replied exasperated. "It happens!"
Harry's outbursts shocked everyone, not for his rashness but for a little tremor that came with it. Fearing for his family Ezekiel quickly readied the Black Magic in case he had to restrain him.
"Err... Zeke?" Dora asked.
"What?"
"What the bloody hell is that?" Cohen asked pointing at him.
"What?" Ezekiel replied checking his clothes. "What is it?"
"Your face..." Dora said wide-eyed pointing at him.
"What, do I have something on me?" Ezekiel replied feeling his face with his hands.
"Please take a look at this." Andromeda said conjuring a mirror.
The image reflected wasn't the one he expected. Ezekiel's skin had taken an ashen tone. His blood vessels had turned black, leaving him marked as a road map. Dark marks could be seen behind his sunglasses, removing them showed his eyes had been completely overtaken by the darkness that used to be contained in his iris.
"How did that happen?" Dora asked.
"I was reading my Magic." Ezekiel replied surprised.
"I take it from your astounded face that this hasn't happened to you before?" Cohen asked.
"I'm not vain enough to check my face every time I use magic." Ezekiel answered.
"What sort of Dark Art does something like this to it's caster?" Cohen asked curious.
"It's my Family Magic."
"Oh, that would explain it." Cohen breathed relieved. "I was afraid it would've an issue with your core again. The Darkest Torment is a far more reasonable explanation."
"Why is she..." Harry began asking.
"Long story." Ezekiel cut him off. "We're getting off topic here. You" He pointed at Cohen. "said that it's like he doesn't have magic. I know for a fact that he has. Matter of fact I'd risk to say he has lots of magic. Tons, even. So what gives?"
"I have absolutely no idea." Cohen replied. "Our core generates magic but it doesn't all stay in our bodies. We exude some of it like sweat, which is what many tracking spells use to find hidden people. Harry doesn't seem to do so, it's almost as if his magic stayed in his body. Building up forcefully inside of him but that would be impossible."
"How come?" Ezekiel asked.
"You'd explode." Andromeda explained. "Even Obscurials release their repressed magic. This would've made him a ticking time bomb."
"Unless something destroyed his magic." Ezekiel mumbled.
"Beg your pardon?" Cohen tilted her head confused.
"What would happen to a boy in Harry's position if somehow his magic was destroyed?"
"Destroyed?" Cohen laughed. "You can't destroy magic, Lord Black. Magic can only change, to even consider to..."
"Imagine that it happened." Ezekiel interrupted her. "Imagine that, somehow, there was a way to destroy magic. A way to remove the magic permanently from the world. What would happen to Harry if that happened to him?"
"He'd die, Lord Black." Cohen said looking at him with disbelief. "But why don't you tell me who'd want to do that to a child."
"When Harry's magic acted out he basically freezed my house. I guess freeze is a wrong term, it felt more like being glued to a paint shaker machine while being forced to remain completely still."
"And your answer was to try to murder him?" Cohen replied furious. "A child only has so much magic, Lord Black. He'd eventually grown tired of it, pass out at worst."
"But he didn't." Ezekiel replied. "He did all that to an entire building, Cohen. And it didn't end, it just kept going."
"And because of that you affected his magic, his very core?"
"No, Harry didn't received the full time, at least."
"THIS time?" Dora asked surprised.
"The first time I didn't even knew he was there." Ezekiel tried to justify himself. "And yet he's still here. Look at him, he talks, he walks, nothing is different about him."
Harry squirmed on his seat as their gazes focused on him but Dora smoothed him.
"That is simply impossible." Andromeda replied. "If his magic had been affected as you said Harry would've been dead."
"Not if there's something different about his magic." Ezekiel replied.
"You mean before you destroyed it?" Dora asked sarcastically.
"It didn't feel right. I've used that magic many times before and not once I've felt like I did when Harry's magic hit me."
"And how was that?" Cohen and Andromeda asked at the same time.
"Wrong, like indigestion or food poisoning."
"So your theory is that something else has affected Harry's core. You think that was the reason it took you so long to heal from your...injuries." Andromeda summarized.
"Pretty much." Ezekiel nodded before turning to Harry. "It's just a theory Harry but the thing is, you're not reacting the way a kid should. It's best to be on the safe side for things like this."
"Quite right, Lord Black." Cohen said walking to the door. "Please follow me, if Harry's magic refuses to come out then we'll have to force it out."
"Force it?" Harry asked frightened.
"I think I know what she means." Andromeda said holding back Dora and Ezekiel with her hand. "Come Harry, this won't hurt a bit."
The group left the office, walking through empty halls until they reached a door at the end.
"Now this room is usually reserved for dueling trainings or sparring." Cohen explained as she opened the door.
"Either one client that wants to have legal reasons to kill another or a young Heir that wants to avoid being killed." Ezekiel guessed as they walked in.
"Spot on, Lord Black. In this case we can use the facilities for our purposes, if you're right then we might end up saving a life in this very room. It'd be a first, truth be told." Cohen added exited.
The room itself wasn't anything special. A large oval room illuminated by torchlights. There was some furniture in two opposite sides, a pair of leather chairs along with a metallic three legged side table opposing each other. The center of the room was elevated displaying a perfect circle. This, Ezekiel assumed, was to allow the spectators a good view of the show.
"I'm sorry, it seems it has been used recently." Cohen apologized as she began touching stones near the door. The stage began to lower towards the ground, low enough to disappear with the rest of the ground as if it was never there. "It's immaculate as protocol dictates, we won't be seeing any blood or lost body parts."
"How comforting." Dora remarked.
"Now please stand in the middle, Harry. I'll get one more thing and we'll be ready." Cohen left the room as she spoke.
"Should I be going with her?" Dora asked concerned.
"Nah." Ezekiel dismissed it with a wave of his hand.
"If she wanted to leave." Andromeda replied. "I imagine she'd have the means to do so."
"Right, and what about that test she wanted to do?" Dora asked.
"I think I know what it is." Andromeda replied. "I think she'll try to force Harry's magic out."
"Will it hurt?" Harry asked anxious.
"No, dear." Andromeda assured him. "Think of it like sneezing."
"Like what?" Dora and Ezekiel asked confused.
The door opened and by the time they turned around to check the newcomer Cohen had reached the center of the room with a bag on her hand.
"Well, Harry." Cohen said showing the bag. "This is a special dust, a bit of fairy bones and the such."
"Bones!?" Harry asked baffled.
"Those things are illegal as hell, Cohen." Dora said swiftly placing herself between the Healer and Harry.
"Only for non-medical uses, Miss Tonks." Cohen said visibly surprised by Dora's speed. "As your mother can tell you, this is perfectly safe in the hands of a Healer."
"And how many people came looking for a 'safe experience' from the Healers of Gringotts?" Ezekiel asked raising an eyebrow.
"I'm afraid my contract prevents me from answering that question." Cohen said robotically.
"Right, and how does it work?"
"It's quite simple." Cohen explained. "I'll weight Harry, calculate the amount of dust and then toss it into his face. The reaction will force your magic out like a reflex, think of it as..."
"Sneezing." Harry finished the sentence for her.
"Correct." Cohen said happily.
"Andi told me it'd be like that."
"Very well, just let me weight you and well be good to go." Cohen replied taking out her wand. A few moments later she took a small measuring spoon and tinkered with it for a moment. "Alright, now if everyone could step aside we'll be done in no time. Harry, please take the Orb on your hands and once we get you to 'sneeze' I'll measure your core."
"The Orb?"
"Yes, the... I left it at the office didn't I?" Cohen deadpanned.
"I'll go get it." Dora said walking out.
"Dora!" Ezekiel called her. "Be careful."
"Always." Dora replied smiling as she left.
"Now, let's get ready. Place yourself besides Harry, at worst we'll get a light breeze."
Dora returned quickly to the room and handed over the artifact to Harry before joining the rest.
Cohen positioned Harry so the rest lined up besides him a few feet away. Once everyone was in position, she threw the content of the spoon on Harry's face. Just as the Healer said Harry's face contorted, he inhaled deeply as his back arched before finally releasing the air in a loud sneeze.
What didn't go as expected was the force that yanked everyone violently forward to where Harry sneezed to. The group was thrown before they even had a chance to understand what was happening and hit the wall Harry was facing with different injuries. Ezekiel and Dora took the impact head on, Andromeda and Cohen had been closer to Harry and as such they landed over the Aurors. Once they managed to stop groaning in pain and had their injuries treated. Ezekiel didn't had to be treated at all and Dora was halfway done already thanks to her abilities, Andromeda and Cohen just helped her to finish up. Both Healers were in better shape, mostly because they landed on top of Ezekiel and Dora.
The Orb had grown large as a Quaffle, and most worryingly, it presented the same deflated spots as one. The ball itself had become like thin sheet of glass, looking so fragile it could crack at any moment. While the Orb had taken a specific colour when it was held by the others, it had showed a strong colour that faded the farther away from the center. The ball in Harry's arms was the complete opposite, light areas appear dark and vice versa. Yet it was it's color what worried Ezekiel the most. The center of the Orb was completely black, the outer parts were white both kept separate by very defined limits. Yet there seemed to be little tendrils going from the white part towards the center, as if they were trying to dump the dark inwards.
"Harry, are you okay?" Ezekiel asked concerned as he approached him.
Andromeda and Cohen stopped treating each other and gasped at the sight. As they approached Harry, Ezekiel noticed Cohen's left arm wasn't moving properly and Andromeda limped with her right leg. Dora reached for Harry's shoulder but before she could reach him Harry fell on his knees with his face facing the ground. Both Healers rushed to his side but avoided touching him.
"What are you doing?" Dora asked. "Help him!"
"We can't." Cohen replied.
"Something is very wrong with Harry's core." Andromeda added. "If we do something wrong it could be disastrous."
Harry raised his head, his skin paled to the point that the contrast with the dark stones of the room made him look almost shining in comparison. Thick drops of sweat fell from his face, neck and started soaking his body. Harry began wheezing as he tried to raise to his feet his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell again to the floor. Ezekiel rushed and grabbed him before he could hit his head on the hard floor.
"Wait!" Cohen screamed, holding Andromeda and Dora. "Look!"
"Let me go you bastard!" Dora screamed angry.
"Dora, wait." Andromeda said pointing at the pair.
Ezekiel was too concerned with Harry's deteriorating state to care what they were pointing at. He didn't have to be a healer to know that Harry's core had run out far beyond what a child his age should. Ezekiel wasted no time and began pouring his own magic into Harry's body, closing his eyes and clenching his jaw to stop himself from screaming. By contrast his hands relaxed, holding Harry's body as if it were a treasure. Ezekiel had lied to Harry the morning he had healed him. It did hurt, it was agonizing. Ever since he had taken up the Black Magic the things that used to come as easy as breathing for him had turned into a torment. Still, his magic knew where to go and what to fix . Shortly thereafter Harry's breath resumed its normal rhythm, color following behind. It wasn't until he realized the deafening silence in the room that he turned towards his aunt and cousin, whose gazes fixated on the ball on Harry's lap. A fine thread extended from the Orb and reached to Ezekiel's chest.
Andromeda couldn't help but to stare a the pair. If what she saw was correct, if the Orb of Ecnesse was truly representing Harry's core then Ezekiel, whose magic was bounded practically bounded to the Dark then he should've been screaming in pain if not dead. And yet, had anybody else entered the room and were asked what they saw the only answer would've been that of a man gently rocking a young little boy as if he was a baby.
Dora wrestled herself free from Cohen's grasp and ran towards them. Ezekiel was too tired after healing Harry, who had begun to weakly wake up so she took out her want and levitated him. Looking around for one of the couches she found both of them had slammed against the same wall they had before and were now mere splinters. Her blood ran cold as she saw in fact how close they had hit and what could've been of her mother had Ezekiel not taken the worst part of it. She was still a bit shaky from the hit but being a Metamorphmagus meant her body acted faster than the average wizard. Ezekiel wasn't so good either, Dora noted when she offered her hand to help him up on his feet. He was certainly weak and his body stiff. Sharing a knowing look Ezekiel took Harry in his arms, who had fallen sleep again, whispering words of comfort as she slowly approached the wreck and magically repaired one of the couches. It was far from perfect but given the circumstances, the cushions were what she cared about the most. She turned around and between the two of them ensured Harry was comfortable enough.
"Did you saw that?" Cohen whispered slowly to Andromeda.
"I saw something." Andromeda replied unsure. "But what it was I'm not sure."
"You know very well what it was." Cohen said walking to her side.
"It can't be what you think you saw because last time I checked Ezekiel was a man." Andromeda replied. "Unless all those times I walked into his room unannounced I suddenly forgot everything I know about human anatomy. So no, it can't be."
"What the fuck are you two talking about!?" Dora asked scandalized.
"Nothing!" Andromeda and Cohen quickly replied. Too quickly for Dora's taste.
"Are you going to help him or not?" Ezekiel asked angry.
"I'll go get healing potions." Cohen answered. "They worked last time."
"I'll get him back into your office." Andromeda replied taking her wand out and levitating Harry again.
"Andi, wait. Is it safe to be moving him like that?" Ezekiel asked concerned.
"Don't worry." Andromeda assured him. "Harry is going to be fine dear, just do me a favor and grab his hand. Let him know you're there. Dora, please make sure the Orb stays on Harry's lap."
"Why?" Dora asked confused as Ezekiel placed besides Harry and grabbed his hand.
Andromeda watched as Harry's unconscious body relaxed and nodded to herself. She guided the group back to Cohen's office were the Healer was moving the stretcher, now turned into an examination table, to the middle of the room.
"I've already have a hypothesis based on what we just saw." Cohen said as she held another Orb of Ecnesse. "I'll also have to verify the connexion that seems to be between Ezekiel and Harry's core."
"Yes, I also have an idea." Andromeda replied ignoring the confused looks her children gave her. "And if it's anything like yours then I hope we're both wrong."
"Care to explain?" Ezekiel asked impatient. "And please remember neither Dora or I are Healers."
"You know that I said wizards exude magic, right?" Andromeda asked.
"Yes, yes, like perspiration. So what?"
"It's a self regulation mechanism." Cohen continued. "We generate magic all the time, sometimes the amount we use it's insignificant compared to what we produce. In order to deal with this our bodies exude a bit of magic, a completely unconscious act not so different as breathing but just as necessary."
"If we didn't our bodies wouldn't be able to take the pressure and our own magic would made us explode." Andromeda continued. "You might already be familiar with cases like that, Ezekiel."
"I might've heard something." Ezekiel said rubbing his neck in discomfort. "But what does it have to do with Harry's core?"
"In layman's terms, Harry's core is a mess." Cohen said examining Harry's sleeping face. "You saw the Orb, his core is doing the opposite of what it should."
"You said not to trust the Orb's color." Dora replied.
"There wasn't any color there, miss Tonks. Or if it was, it certainly wasn't as it should." Cohen shook her head. "No, what we saw was his magic behaving in contrary of what it should."
"How do you know its not an issue with the Orb? Maybe it's broken." Dora said.
"A valid point." Cohen nodded. "Which is why I've brought another one and three more are coming as we speak." Cohen took the Orb from Harry's lap and placed the new one on his chest. The Orb changed to the same shape as before but this time it shrunk considerably. "Yes, this is to be expected. he powder forced him to use more magic than expected. It'd be different if he had a wand, he'd be able to use environmental magic as well."
A knock on the door startled everyone but Andromeda simply opened it and took a silver tray a goblin was carrying before closing the door quickly. She carried the tray to Cohen and between the two of them they began testing the Orbs before placing them on Harry's lap. Each and every time the orbs would change the exact same way, the only difference would be their size. The first orb had been the size of a Quaffle but the rest had started to gradually shrink. Andromeda and Cohen spent the entire time speaking to each other and casting spells that neither Ezekiel nor Dora heard before. This continued until finally both of them became silent and concentrated with their wands pointed at Harry's unconscious body until it flashed in a golden pink light that filled the entire room.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Ezekiel asked.
"It was love." Cohen answered.
"Right... Andi could you be the sane one and tell me what was all that?
"That was love, Ezekiel." Andromeda replied. "Couldn't you feel it?"
Ezekiel turned to his cousin looking for support but Dora was looking at Harry in amazement.
"Could anybody please explain what's going on?" Ezekiel asked irritated.
"I'll do it." Andromeda said to Cohen, who began removing the orbs from Harry's body. "That was protective magic."
"Aha, and what's love got to do with it?"
"Ezekiel, love is the most powerful emotion there is."
"Please tell me we're not having this bullshit again." Ezekiel palmed his head in frustration. "Love is meaningless, it has no place in magic."
"Love has everything to do with everything, Ezekiel. We're not machines, we have emotions and they affect the way we see the world, the way we interact with others. Why would magic be any different?" Andromeda asked.
"Oh for the love of..." Ezekiel sighted. "Andi, please."
"Haven't you noticed some people seem to be stronger in life or death situations? How different is your magic when you have strong emotions? How "
"You know that's not the way." Ezekiel replied.
"It's not the Dark way." Andromeda countered. "But for those who are Light, specially for loved ones, emotions can make us do things we couldn't even imagine."
"And that's the sort of dumb thinking that almost made you idiots lose the war. Andi, please you've seen the Dark, you've used it."
"And that's why I can tell you: love is a force that can never be defeated." Andromeda replied with conviction. "Yes, I know the way of the Dark. To kill one's emotions, to force magic to one's will and I know what one can achieve through it. but what does that leave you in the end? A consumed carcass, paranoid of others who might try to take your power away."
"I forgot you only met the pathetic ones." Ezekiel muttered.
"Tell me this then, if emotions are so pointless then why did Harry's condition improved so much?" Dora chipped in. "We all saw you holding him and we could tell how scared you were for him. Do you think that's something that the cold, heartless Dark Arts could do?"
"That's not the same and you know it." Ezekiel replied annoyed.
"Healing others is born out of love, you can't use the Healing Arts without it." Andromeda continued. "Magic didn't hurt before wizards began hating. Emotions matter and the more you feel the more those emotions affect your magic. Harry has a protection,a Sacrificial Protection at that."
"'Sacrificial', do you mean...?" Dora asked.
"One of his parents, maybe both, died to protect him." Andromeda nodded. "Given what happened to Voldemort." Andromeda ignored Cohen's shiver. "It wouldn't be hard to imagine. This is what's been protecting him all this years, the reason why he hasn't blown up yet."
"That I must disagree, Miss Tonks" Cohen replied. "If you remember correctly the first Orb showed Harry's core. That isn't how cores develop, they grow because of the use of one's magic until they reach the age of seventeen. I believe it was one of your ancestors who came up with the term..."
"I know what The Harvester called it, Healer Cohen." Ezekiel icily cut her off. "So what, you're saying Harry has been using magic all this time but hasn't realized it?"
"No, I believe young Harry's core is being affected by something else but what that might be I don't know." Cohen tried to keep her composure. "His magic isn't leaving his body, that's a fact. He's being constantly protected from the damage that this is causing to his body by the Sacrificial Protection, also a fact but it's not working as well as it should. Harry's core is severely damaged, the Orb showed it to us."
"Will this affect his daily life?" Ezekiel asked concerned.
"Given what I've seen, I'd say he's on the way to a full recovery."
"How can that be?" Dora asked confused. "Core's are very delicate things, everyone knows that."
"This is where I have to disagree, Cohen." Andromeda said crossing her arms.
"You saw it too, yet you still deny it?" Cohen replied.
"Enough." Ezekiel said, his voice leaking the Black Magic.
"Yes, Yes!" Cohen excitedly said to everyone's surprise as she grabbed Ezekiel's hand and placing it on Harry's. "That's what Harry needs, that will be his salvation."
"Are you out of your mind Cohen?" Andromeda screamed as she moved to put Ezekiel's hand away but Cohen grabbed hers before she could touch them.
"I'm absolutely certain of this." Cohen replied with confidence.
"He's a man Cohen." Andromeda replied exasperated. "Men are unable to create such a connection. Even if he did Ezekiel's magic is far too Dark to be of any benefit for anybody but him."
"Yet you forget special cases such as single parents, widows and such." Cohen replied. "It might not be the same depending of which school of thought you follow but the fact remains, it is possible."
"Harry is eight, he's far too old." Andromeda countered.
"Not if..." Cohen's reply died on her lips as she noticed Ezekiel's ashen face and Dora's scorching angry look the pair were given to the Healers. "My theory is that Lord Black and Harry Potter are bonded in the same way a mother is to her newborn."
"WHAT!?" Both cousins shouted.
"Please." Cohen said placing Ezekiel's hand again on Harry's. "Let me explain, all I ask is that you keep your hand on Harry's, that alone is helping him. Once a baby is born their cores are unstable, this is true not only for wizards but for every magical species. In order to help their child a connection is formed between the mother and the child. Think of it as an umbilical cord but for magic. Harry's connection was sadly severed when his parents died and as such his core has been growing unchecked for the last eight years. Now Harry's core has been inverted, his own magic is acting against him. In order for him to be able to function he'll have to exhaust his core, perhaps daily, in order to make sure no damage comes to him."
"But that'd make his core grow more isn't it?" Dora asked.
"Yes." Cohen replied. "Harry will need to exhaust his magic and as consequence his core will grow, this will mean he'll have to use more magic and on and on until his seventeenth birthday. By then his core will become stable."
"And what does that have to do with him?" Dora asked pointing with her thumb at Ezekiel.
"According to Lord Black, he was able to remove Harry's magic without forcing it out. Is that correct?" Ezekiel nodded. "My theory is that when he performed that - let's be honest here - sin against Magic, he failed to completely eliminate all the magic in Harry's core. Tell me Lord Black, what happened after that?"
"Well I..." Ezekiel hesitated before Andromeda gave him the same look when she asked him if he had stolen a cookie. "Defended myself against his relatives and saw Harry was unresponsive. I send a message to Dora and then healed Harry."
"You" Cohen asked incredulously. "used Healing Arts?"
"Yes. Me."
"But what you're saying is that you used a Dark ritual, right?"
"No." Ezekiel replied annoyed. "I used some Healing Arts that I know of."
"Okay." Cohen replied still not fully convinced. "If what you say it's true - not that I don't believe you - then you used your magic to heal Harry. That'd mean that for the first time in years, Harry's core received any sort of beneficial influence."
"And?" Ezekiel made a rotating gesture with his hand.
"I believe that Harry's core latched to that influence the same way a baby would to his parents." Cohen replied. "And given the unique circumstances of Harry's core, I firmly believe that Lord Black's Magic is in fact helping Harry to heal his core."
"Didn't you just say that only happens with mothers and fathers?" Ezekiel asked uncomfortable.
"It can also happen with adoptive parents." Andromeda replied. "It's just a matter of love."
"Look I care about Harry, obviously, but..." Ezekiel said
"Caring is love too." Cohen replied
"Still, that sort of connection is quite rare, specially with Dark wizards." Andromeda continued. "The Dark has no use for sentiments and those who abuse it end up completely unbalanced. Lestrange, Rockwood. The examples of those who mishandled the Dark are abundant."
"I'm aware." Ezekiel replied with a dangerously soft tone.
"Now this is where you three might believe I've gone mad." Cohen said. "But I assure you that if you look at the facts as I did, you'll find my theory to be quite sound."
"That wasn't your theory?" Dora asked skeptical.
"That was just a part." Cohen replied. "The reason I believe Lord Black's magic is in fact beneficial to Harry is because his magic is inverted, just as his core. The Orb of Ecnesse didn't display colors as it did with me or any of the Tonks."
"It was almost like the negative of a photo." Ezekiel mused.
"Exactly like a negative." Cohen replied. "Now this might be because of the Killing Curse but given no one ever survived it I'm afraid there's no way to prove it. Still, if Harry's magic is like a negative then magic that would usually help him would in fact hurt him and vice versa."
"But Harry has been taking healing potions." Dora pointed out.
"Yes, but potions are in fact neutral. The only magic the brewer cast is to make the natural magic of the ingredients become active instead of dormant, like in nature. The natural magic isn't Light or Dark, it just is. Or to be specific, it's Magic."
"And where in that theory is the reason for Harry's absurdly abnormal magic capacity?" Andromeda asked crossing her arms.
"That I don't know." Cohen admitted. "Perhaps the Killing Curse..."
"What if it wasn't the curse?" Ezekiel asked.
"Well it must be." Cohen replied. Andromeda raised an eyebrow to her nephew as if to asking him to continue. "What else could it be?"
"When I first met Harry I was assaulted by a powerful ward." Ezekiel said. "I didn't gave it much thought since I destroyed it before it did more damage to me. It felt similar to what Harry did to me when his magic acted out. Harry was just below me when I destroyed those wards."
"You think Harry was the power source?" Dora asked sickened.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible." Cohen shook her head. "Harry would've died the very second those wards were casted if that'd been the case."
"Unless something else was protecting him." Andromeda said looking at Harry's body.
"But to even think to do something like that to a child is absolutely barbaric." Cohen replied. "I don't think even the previous Lord Black ever did something like that."
"That's because he didn't." Ezekiel replied. "It wasn't a Dark wizard who did this."
"You mean Dumbledore." Dora said. "But Zeke, that'd mean he's Dark. Children aren't to be messed with, you even made it a rule. Don't make that face." Dora said looking at Ezekiel's surprised expression. "People talk about that sort of thing, you know. If Dumbledore did something like this, specially to the Child of Light, then people would turn their back on him in a heartbeat. Hell, they might try to lynch him."
"No, they won't." Ezekiel replied gloomly. "Dumbledore will justify his actions and people will still kiss the floor he walks on. Besides when I destroyed the wards I destroyed the magic of the entire area, remember? You won't be able to find proof of any of this."
"Regardless, Lord Black you need to understand." Cohen said. "By staying with you, that connection that you have which would've consumed Harry is in fact restoring him."
"Ezekiel you can't believe this." Andromeda begged him.
"Do you have any other theory?" Ezekiel asked tiredly.
"No but..."
"Then this what we're going with." Ezekiel interrupted her before turning to Cohen. "You said he'll need to use magic."
"Yes, the sooner the better." Cohen nodded. "But no wandless magic."
"Why not?" Dora asked.
"It'd be like a giant shoving his arm in this room to get one of the orbs." Cohen replied. "Maybe after a million trials he'll be able to do it but it's more likely he'll kill everyone in the room before that happens. No, a wand will help him to channel his abilities."
"Is there even a wand for someone in his condition?" Dora asked concerned.
"I'd suggest to speak to Master Ollivander for such matters." Cohen replied. "He's the best wand-maker in Europe, although I don't know if he'll sell a wand to a child so young."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Ezekiel sighted as he conjured a stool to sit next to Harry still holding his hand. "Dora, go with Ted please. He's at the ground level trying to setup a meeting with the Goblin King. Tell him that I'll stay with Harry until he awakens and then I'll take care of the meeting myself."
"And what do you want Dad to tell the Goblins?" Dora asked.
"Nothing, they already know everything."
"You don't know that." Andromeda said.
"Cohen said she was going to get potions, do you see any?" Ezekiel gestured the room.
"Why you..." Andromeda said taking out her wand but Ezekiel stopped her.
"Don't bother." He said. "I'll need your magic here in case something happens to Harry while I'm gone. Dora, please hurry up."
The room felt silent as Dora left, the only noise was of the four occupants breathing. Cohen couldn't even move, every attempt was met with a murderous look from Andromeda. Ezekiel looked at Harry's hand on his own, at some point the boy had closed his hand on his. He couldn't help to sigh amused at the idea that perhaps this would've the first time his magic had actually helped someone. The Goblin King would live another day, that was for sure. Ezekiel checked a clock on the wall and saw it was almost noon. Best laid plans and all that, he mused. Still, he'd need the full support of the Goblin Kingdom and the best way to get it - and most importantly keep it - wasn't fear. That of course didn't mean they'll get scott free but what would he do to them Ezekiel didn't knew.
What worried Ezekiel the most was how in Morgana's name was he going to get Harry a wand. A wand-maker wasn't someone who could've intimidated, if that were the case then the Goblins would have taken their secrets generations ago. Money was an option, just because the man didn't sell to goblins it didn't mean he wouldn't sell to him but for some reason he didn't have much hope on that one. Still, he had seen Ollivander's shop and something told him the man didn't particularly cared for gold. Vanity was a somewhat more appealing route to take. One thing all people had in common was vanity, specially those who were at the top of their fields. Egos the size of skyscrapers weren't uncommon in Head-Healers and Law-Wizards, even Aurors and as Ezekiel heard the Muggles had it bad too. Still, Ollivander's shop was the complete opposite of one might expect for a man of such position. As far as Ezekiel heard the man was an intelligent man, with a perfect memory when it came to his work; he remembered the details of every wand he ever sold. That was good and all but he had never heard of anyone knowing him personally. If he couldn't find what made that man tick then Ezekiel would have to walk into a situation without any information whatsoever and that was something he dreaded. At worst he'd have to appeal to Ollivander's good will. He wasn't very good at that sort of thing either. In the end all he could do was hope for the best and prepare for the worst, just as he had done for the last almost two decades.
Great.
I don't own Harry Potter, all characters except OC belong to J. K. Rowling.