Romancing the Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter 8: Weasleys

It's pure luck that Bill Weasley is in the area on Cursebreaker business when he feels the magical cry, and he arrives by Harry's side to find him passed out and bleeding profusely. He instinctively reaches for his wand to stop the bleeding when he feels it. The faint thrumming in his blood that tells him something very Dark indeed is near, the instinctive urge to bolt. He usually has to be close enough to touch before the reaction is this strong — whatever this is, it's perhaps the Darkest thing he's ever encountered.

He spots it then — the faint circular outline in Harry's favorite pocket. He tries to levitate it out, mindful of contact poisons, but his magic fizzles when he tries. His brows creep toward his hairline. Interesting.

He takes a deep breath, steeling himself, and then reaches forward and edges it out to take a look. His breath catches in his throat as the gleaming gold medallion slides out into his hand.

He can feel the Darkness now — radiating off it in waves that send his pulse skyrocketing. What on earth is Harry doing with something like this? He whistles softly and slips the thing back into Harry's pocket. He'll ask him about it later — right now he needs to make sure Harry will be around later at all.

He steps back until he can feel the Darkness fading and casts a few cursory diagnostic spells over the medallion and Harry together, furrowing his brow as he concentrates and nodding as the results shimmer in the air. As he'd expected. He slices his wand through a complex pattern, then another, ritual words falling from his lips like stones into a pool. He can feel the ripples spreading out from them, lapping gently against the medallion and sticking, coating and muffling it.

He squares his shoulders as he prepares the healing charms in his mind. He'll only have one shot at this — he has to get it exactly right.

He steps forward, closes his eyes, centers himself, and casts.

The edges of the gash knit themselves together and he gets in a quick enervate before the spells ricochet back at him with little time to brace and shield for the kickback. He manages it, barely, but it still leaves him sweating and dizzy.

For a long moment, nothing happens, and then Harry sits up with a gasp.

"Don't do magic!" he rasps frantically, and Bill smiles.

"I gathered."

Harry wobbles and Bill catches him before he can fall back to the ground.

"Easy," he says softly. "You've lost a lot of blood. I've cobbled you back together for now, but I don't have any blood replenishing potions on me at the moment, so you'll be weak for a while yet."

Harry nods faintly, barely moving his head.

"The medallion?"

Bill gives him a tight-lipped smile. "It's safe. I quieted it while I patched you up, but I won't be able to fool it again, so try and stay out of trouble for the time being, yeah?"

"Bill," Harry says seriously, "when have I ever wanted anything else?"

"I should just leave you here," he says, exasperated.

Harry shakes his head. "No. Please. I'll be good."

"Hmm." Bill studies him for a moment, then exclaims, "Harry! What in Merlin's name are you doing with something that Dark anyway?"

Harry closes his eyes. "I have no idea. None."

He opens them again, as Bill shoots him a commiserating smile. "Malfoy?"

"Malfoy," Harry agrees wryly.

"I'm not sure you know what you've gone and gotten yourself into with him," Bill says, still studying him. "But I suppose if you're happy, then that's all right. I think it's safe to move, now. Rather, I think it's safest to move now, even if not strictly 'safe,' because we still have to get you back to civilization. I don't suppose you know the way?"

Harry shakes his head. "My guide abandoned me. I was following the trail of cuts he made on our way in, but I seem to have got turned around while those goons were chasing me."

Bill sighs. "Best get going, then. It will be dark soon enough, and I'd like to get as far as we can from here before the light fails."

Harry nods, and Bill helps him to his feet.

"Harry," he says slowly, "I don't know if you'd be interested, but I have a shielded pouch we use to contain things we're trying to break really Dark curses on. It might dampen the medallion a bit. It's not strong enough to shield it completely, but—"

Harry nods quickly. Once the medallion is sealed into the bag, Harry drops it back into his pocket and sighs with relief. "Thank fuck. It was worse than wearing the Horcrux."