Harry's eye's widened. He could not distinguish between his heartbeat and the warm, hard, throbbing mass of stone in his hand. The sunlight flooding the bed-nest intensified the feeling, blanketing him in light and even more warmth. George locked eyes with him, and all that he saw was a field of light blue. The core – his core – he had touched only once before flared and bathed him with his own escence and powers.
`So mote it be.` – And the link he had established with Ana on the vow spread to the entire family. Too intimate, too fulnerable… Harry shrunk back, and the link receeded alongside the reach of his core.
Blinking his eyes after the intense mental and spiritual experience felt jarring, disorientating. But the slew of questions bursting to get free from his mind was greater, and he was finally able to focus his vision – only to find that he was still staring at George.
"What did you do?" he croaked.
"Fulfilling your wish and sealing the vow you made with my daughter," George answered matter-of-factly. Harry wondered if Ardila got this trait from the man. But she was adopted…
"And so are you, child," George said softly. "Half-way as it is, but you are ours in many ways already."
Could he read his mind, too?
Harry did not know should he be frightened or elated on the news. He opted to inquiring further.
"W-what about the s-stone?"
He just wished his voice was not so shaky. And on the reminder, his hand twitched, sending the blue stone plopping onto the sheets.
George arched a small smile. "You have to ask your sisters for that. It is from Ana's collection, and Dila tinkered with it. I only made use of it."
`Sisters!` But then suspicion crept in, replacing the flabbergasted joy. From all his experience, reading and research, he had concluded that the twins were strange as strange went. What unthinkable things had they put into the stone? True, he had not been harmed by the stone – "Why did the stone sting me?" That night in the clearing…
"It took your blood." Again, the blunt, frank answer. "Your parents died to protect you, and your mother specifically gave herself in your stead. All the accumulated protection resides in you – your being, soul, mind, and blood. We just magnified and maximalised what your parents started. We hope the stone would act as your shield, messenger and comforter."
Harry had always heard that truth was cold and bitter. But he had never expected to be hit by this much truth at once. Too much…
He curled into himself, his breathing laboured and his body shivering. Sacrifice… His parents had sacrificed themselves for him. Would they be angry now that he was adopted? They were still his parents, however poorly they had conducted themselves in their lifetimes. Was it right for these people – his new family – to make use of his parents' sacrifice so callously? But would he not permit them anyway?