A Change of Feeling

Family Matters, part II

Startled, Harry also fell to his knees and cupped his cheeks lovingly. "Are you okay Rabastan? I didn't want to hurt you!"

"It's not pain that I feel, love. It was just.. bloody intense."

Corvus cleared his throat and straightened his posture so that he lived up to the name Lestrange. He looked dangerous and intimidating, completely in control of the situation. "Harry! Basty! Control yourself. Harry, if you want to let go of my son and take a seat on the couch. Then we can continue this conversation in a calm manner."

Harry turned red after these chastising words and hurried to the sofa. Behind him, he heard a hoarse laugh that made his stomach contract longingly. He fell on the couch in embarrassment, his head in his arms, and his legs spread dramatically. He didn't look up until he felt the sofa dip next to him.

"Don't worry about my father, little raven. We will soon find a moment for ourselves." Rabastan whispered in Harry's ear.

Corvus sat in a comfortable armchair in front of the couple. "What was that reaction, Rabastan? And don't come up with nonsense like 'good' pain or anything like that. You couldn't stand on your feet anymore, that's not normal. Damn it!" Corvus's voice was harsh and unyielding. Even Rabastan had to restrain his teasing behavior and listened intently to his father.

"My apologies, father. Since my stay in Azkaban, my 'filter' has disappeared. I will work on this."

Corvus seemed to soften a little when he heard these words. "Nobody expects perfect behavior after staying in that terrible place. But try to think about propriety, especially in company."

Corvus looked closely at his son and lingered on his mark. His eyes widened, and he strode toward his son. "Dear Merlin! It has changed! The symbol has turned black."

Rabastan and Harry looked in surprise at the mark on Rabastan's skin. The symbol seemed no longer burned into the skin, no blisters or redness were visible. The symbol was the same in shape and consistency as Harry's tattoo. It was slightly on the skin, and the lines were black. The symbol was now proudly drawn on the chest as if it had been there for years.

"Well, that confirms my hypothesis," Rabastan said amid the silence.

Harry looked uncertainly at Rabastan. "What is your hypothesis?" he asked almost in a whisper.

"I expected that this symbol is linked to yours. The dates, I think, have to do with you too. The spot became restless and angry after you accepted my request to court you. That was the beginning of our union. Then the red spot became a mark just after Yule. I think something happened to you then too, but I'm not sure. After your touch, I know for sure, our symbols are related to each other."

Harry thought back to his Yuletide at Grimmauld Place. He thought of the conversations with Sirius and Remus, of the feeling of family and togetherness. He couldn't find anything strange, the Yule celebration was fantastic, from the cutting of the tree to the ritual in the sitting room of Orion, Sirius' father. Suddenly Harry was overcome with an oppressive feeling. He felt rotting hands gripping his shoulders, the foul breath of the Dementor. In realization, Harry opened his eyes.

"After Yule, I had a dream of a Dementor. It just seemed real and when I woke up I had blisters where the Dementor had gripped me."

Corvus nodded, thinking. "That would certainly fit the picture that Rabastan paints. Indeed it looks like you are connected, how this could happen I can only guess. Magic can work in a special way. Unfortunately, it doesn't bring us closer to the truth, we don't know what the symbols mean. "

Rabastan sat up and cleared his throat politely. "I can help you with that. I know what the symbols mean."

"We went through all the Runes and languages, we couldn't find any reference to these symbols, no matter how obscure the books were," said Corvus in amazement.