Ch. 53
The Introduction

The words seemed to echo.

Underground Mansion.

That sounded like the most luxurious thing Harry had ever thought of. It brought forth images of sprawling rooms with cave walls and stone floors, old fashioned stairwells leading to nowhere, dungeons filled with treasure and bedrooms a mile in width and length that housed only one person each.

It sounded fantastic.

But Katrin's face suggested otherwise. Her expression was sour and so was Aunt Marcie's. Everyone seemed to simultaneously turn to look at the front door carved into the wall behind them. Harry wondered why everyone was outside, and felt an aching to go and explore every inch of the mansion. He wondered what treasures he would find there...

Then the Boyle's were staring at him with the same longing as with the mansion. Their eyes gleamed and glittered as they stared him down, their gazes nailing his shoes to the floor when he felt like running.

Harry wished Ginny was with him. She would know what to do. He realized that through the years of being Bonded to her, he'd come to rely on her so much that he felt incomplete and worthless without her. He wondered if she would feel the same, but knew she would never tell him if she did.

Was he strong enough to do this?

"Mr. Potter," The man across from him leaned forward to study him.

"Yes, sir?" Harry's voice was tight as he stared straight into the man's green eyes. There was a deep intake of breath, but the man's mouth only curled in somewhat of a smile then dropped.

"I assume that there is something you wanted to request of us?" He raised his eyebrows, voice lilting. Pleasant to Harry's ears, but like nails on a chalkboard to his instincts. He felt insecure in this man's presence, unsafe. Like his very being was afraid of him. But he pushed the feeling to the back of his mind, replacing it with the thought of the pain Ginny must be going through. Heavy resolve settled in his stomach and his voice was more confident the next time he spoke.

"First, I need to know your names." Harry decided, his spine straightening. He saw Katrin's smile curl in satisfaction.

"Gregory Sr." An old man who sat at Harry's side said. He looked at the Bonded boy with milky eyes, blind but still seeing. His voice was sort of whimsical and crackly, like you would expect a very old man from a storybook to sound like.

"Zuzana Boyle," A dark skinned woman across from Gregory Sr. said, her brown eyes looking up at Harry through thick, black eyelashes. Her hair was up in a sort of wrap type thing, and Harry took a moment to look at the patterns on it before looking to the man beside her who clasped her hand.

"Xander Boyle," He said softly, his deep set eyes not meeting Harry's. He looked young, almost fresh out of Hogwarts. He had a British accent that seemed to be watered down. His tan skin was covered in deep scars. The most noticeable being right under his fringe of blond hair, crossing from his forehead and stopping at the top of his high cheekbone.

The boy across from him spoke eagerly, child-like, "Carter Boyle, your Majesty!" He gasped. Harry's eyes widened at the title. The boy looked young enough to be in Hogwarts, maybe even the same age as Harry. A woman who stood behind him shot him a warning glance. He had warm brown hair and deep blue eyes that sparkled with innocence.

Marcie sat beside him, scooting as far away from the man at the head of the table as she could. She was practically leaning on Carter.

And the man opposite her was Greg, his hands folded in his lap and his mouth sealed shut.

Now everyone's attention was turned to the man at the head of the table, who seemed to bask in the light before turning his eyes to Harry once again. He smiled as he spoke, his teeth perfect and white surrounded by his black beard. His green eyes, mint green eyes sparkled and suddenly Harry saw an uncanny resemblance. Under his facial hair and fake smiles Harry saw in his eyes a truth. Lazy grins and trim hair, he heard the infectious laugh of Cain Boyle. He saw brooding looks and long kept secrets, he saw the wide, incredibly sad eyes of Katrin Boyle. Harry took in a deep breath as the man said his next words, hearing the whistle of cold and damp air being sucked in from between his teeth.

"Ratican Boyle, at your service." He crooned.

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