Chapter 837 - Godparent Ceremony Ⅱ

Much like the time before Rowan and Severus begin to feel an eerie, but the sentient presence of ancient magic. The godparent ceremony was not merely a show, but an actual magical binding. It was precisely why godparent ceremonies were never entered into lightly as they were just as binding as marriage contracts tying two families together.

Normally the silver dagger would be handed to the parents, but with Tobias dead and Eileen removed from the Prince-line, there were no parents to bless Rowan and Severus. Instead, Reginald and Georgine would serve and fulfill that role as well. They each exchanged the silver daggers accepting the dagger by the hilt binding themselves further to the vows.

The sharp blade cut into their palms as blood wells up and they carefully drip the blood on the top of each of their shoulders staining the white silk robes with crimson drops that blossomed like the darkest of roses.

"I, Reginald Prince, Head of the Prince household seek a sword and a shield. I am old and my grandchildren are young. For I am an old sailor on the sea of life and death, and my voyage will some come soon to an end," Reginald solemnly declared. "My grandchildren have newly embarked on their journey on seaworthy vessels. And thus, I seek protection and aide for these traveling sailors."

Georgine carefully takes the blade from her brother, before bowing towards the would-be godparents. Bowing to her close friend, Dorea Potter first, Georgine says, "These children were born under the gaze of the great mother moon. They were born within the depths of winter under the cold night sky that lacked the warmth of the sun. Fire is that which we seek, the warmth of the hearth. To that fiery inferno that protects, we seek its loyalty, determination, and honor."

Bowing again, Georgine bows to Fleamont Potter. "These children were born under the gaze of the waning moon amidst the shadows of the night. The wind that knows all is that which we seek, the wisdom and guidance of age. From the raging tempests that crushes its enemies, we seek the wind's cunning, and fearlessness."

Georgine bowed again to the would-be godparents, before crossing her arms and extending the bloodied bladed for each of them to take by the blade. "To Fire, the role of Godmother, Dorea Potter, and to the Wind, the role of Godfather, Fleamont Potter. Here in the presence of these witnesses and in the presence of magic itself, we solemnly ask for the truth. Do yea willingly accept this great honor of your own free will and choice?"

"Aye," Dorea and Fleamont Potter answered in unison, before accepting the blade by the blade itself rather than the hilt. The blade cuts deeply into their hands leaving a long, thin wound across their palms.

They both step forward with Dorea in front of Rowan and Fleamont in front of Severus. They both drip blood on their shoulders, before switching places and doing the same to the other. They take a step back and retreat to their previous spot.

"So, mote be," Reginald said as a string of golden light appears to swirl around Dorea and Fleamont connecting them to Rowan and Severus.

Rowan instinctively had to fight the urge to counter the intrusive magic invading her. She did not like it even if she knew there was no real harm nor malice behind the connection. It simply felt far too invasive for comfort. And she wasn't the only one as Severus's expression looked uncomfortable as well. This was why the godparent ceremony in the wizarding world was done when the children were infants. It was a very uncomfortable feeling for an older witch or wizard to feel. And as mere babes, it wouldn't be so uncomfortable as their magic was rather undeveloped and would not naturally battle the magical connection.

With great solemnity Reginald solemnly asks, "And to that which is Fire and Wind, do you accept the role of sword and shield to these children born under the gaze of the winter moon, Rowan and Severus Prince?"

"Aye," Dorea and Fleamont Potter answered again as a second-string interconnected between the four of them.

"And does Fire and Wind solemnly bind themselves to protect, guide, and cherish, their charges Rowan and Severus Prince?"

"Aye," the godparents replied for the last time before the last remaining golden string appeared interconnecting the four of them.

"That which was unspoken has been pledged," Reginald steadfastly declared. "And so, mote be!" A powerful surge of golden magic engulfs the four of them like a crashing ocean wave. It was painful to an extent especially for Rowan more than Severus as the magic forcefully bond itself to their magic cores and connected them to their godparents.

With a final burst of wind, the candles in the chamber abruptly go out plunging them into darkness. The candles all at once light up again and brightly lit the chamber once more. Rowan rapidly blinks at the sudden change in the light, and she was not the only one. The presence of the sentient magic was all but gone, but still, there was a touch of wariness left behind.

Whatever had been done to them had changed them all to an extent. For Rowan major scarring left in her magic core from the death magic surges had been removed causing her magic to become less turbulent and volatile. She would never regain the original delicate magic that she had been born with, but her magic for the moment had stabilized enough to allow her to attempt delicate works she had been previously unable to attempt up until now.

Rowan eyes Severus pensively for a moment, before shaking her head ruefully to herself. It was not her place to ask on the subject and Severus had his own right to keep his own secrets. It would be rather hypocritcal of her to argue otherwise.

The Verninac family moves forward and begins to earnestly congratulate and greet them. Even Philippe Verninac was sincere in his congratulations for it was a solemn event to be part of. And even he could not deny the political clout that would be warranted to the Verninac family for being graced by such an event in their chateau. Whether Philippe liked it or not, he owed the Prince family far more than hosting a simple presentation ball.

With the crowd beginning to thin around them, Rowan slips away and makes her way over to the pensive figure of James Potter. "What are you thinking about so intently, James?" She loudly asked causing James's hazel eyes hidden behind his round spectacles to blink in a rather startled fashion at her.

A wry smile appears on James' face, before quietly replying, "I had not realized that a godparent ceremony was so powerful." He had made Sirius his son's godfather, but he had never thought to forge a pureblood ceremony. His own father had never practiced it on him, and he saw no value in such an archaic ceremony. But he had found himself to be wrong again for there was power in the ancient ways. And maybe if he had respected them-, but what if was a painful answer to swallow.

James closes his eyes with old aching agony. With the passage of time, his grief had slowly become bearable, but the enchanted mirror had viciously torn up all his aching wounds. No matter how much he tried to stay away, he found himself standing before the enchanted mirror every single night unable to bear the sight of his loved ones nor tear his gaze away. He had not even realized how quickly he had begun to wither away until Rowan had forced him to go to the infirmary.

With Madam Pomfrey's aid, James began to gain weight again, but still, he had not been able to tear himself from the enchanted mirror until returning home for the holidays. Without the enchanted mirror, he often felt restless and bad-tempered. He had even found himself snapping at his mother for no apparent reason, before apologizing sheepishly afterward.. Still, he had slept for a full night even if his dreams were only filled with nightmares or rather memories of the past.