Chapter 52

"The process is relatively simple. The practitioner must draw a rune in blood on an inanimate metal object, which will bind the iron in the blood. Typically speaking, runes are often drawn on things like armor."

As Flamel finally finished his lecture, Harry decided it was time to give voice to his thoughts on what he learned.

"It doesn't sound to me like the benefits of having your soul bound to an object outweigh the costs."

"Of course it doesn't," Flamel chuckled. "This method of binding was not used as any form of repireve or reward. It was punishment dealt for people who had committed a capital offense. Back during the Founder's Era and even during the time of ancient Greece, binding souls to objects were done for those who had committed the most heinous of crimes. These criminals would have their souls bound and a slave rune placed upon them to ensure they would obey their master's every whim. They were normally used as guards for high profile peoples and places."

"This process has been around for that long?" He had not realized such advancements had been made so far back.

"Well, the process itself is not that difficult," Flamel shrugged. "It's just that people were so disgusted by the idea of it that all knowledge on how to do it was banned by the ICW."

Which would explain why Flamel knew of it, but no one else. Or no one else who was willing to try and write it in a book at least.

"So the Founders used this technique as well..." Harry mused to himself.

"Naturally. It's a very stable technique if used correctly, and creates an inexhaustible guard force. How do you think all those suits of armor came to be capable of movement?"

Harry blinked.

"That would make sense," his eyes glazed over in thought. "I had always thought it was some form of permanent animation charm, but they were always just a little too... lifelike for that, a little too animated. I sometimes wondered if there were actually people in those suits of armor."

"Technically there are," Flamel said dryly. "They're just not in any position to talk."

"True."

"In either event, what the Founder's did was more than just binding souls to suits of armor," Nicolas continued on this tangent for a moment. "As I said before, souls will fade eventually as the object and soul repel each other. To solve this problem, I suspect a more permanent binding ritual was used after the souls were initially bound."

"Though I will admit, I have no idea what ritual the used. My passion is alchemy, not magic rituals."

Harry nodded his head as he went through everything he was told. It was something of a startling revelation to learn that Four of the most looked up to wizards in British history, those who had pioneered the way for magical learning, had actually done something most people in this day and age would consider some of the darkest type of magics.

It also went to show just how different this age was from the Founder's time. Such practices may have been accepted two thousand years ago, maybe even as far back as six hundred years ago, but in this day and age magic like the Blood Rune would have earned a one way ticket to Askaban.

A knock on the door startled Harry from his thoughts. He and Flamel looked over at the door to see Perennelle enter the room, looking absolutely stunning as always.

"Penny dear, is something wrong?" asked Flamel, concerned. Perennelle rarely ever came into his alchemy lab. Usually, the only times she would enter was when she had decided either he or Harry had spent too much time in their and needed to get out for some fresh air.

Today's lecture had been relatively short. They had only been in there for about an hour give or take a few minutes.

"Nozzing is wrong," Perennelle assured her husband with a smile that showed her pearly whites. "Unless you consider our guest waking up." Harry blinked in surprise as she turned to him. "She has requested to see you."

"Me?" Harry blinked again, dumbstruck. "Why?"

"Why, to thank 'er savior, of course," Perennelle replied with a lilting giggle that no woman over six hundred years old should possess. No woman over twenty should possess that kind of laugh. And just why did her voice send such pleasant tingles through him?

"Ah, well," Harry looked uncertain for a moment. "I guess, I should, go see her then, yes?"

"Yes, you should." Perennelle looked amused by his uncertainty. Harry was sure she would tease him later. Every women he had met over the age of twenty so far seemed to enjoy messing with him via teasing lately. He just wished he understood why.

"Right, well..." Harry turned to Flamel and bowed slightly. "... thank you for the lesson."

"Oh, no worries, no worries," Flamel also looked amused. Harry was sure that man would be taunting him later too. Stupid old man who didn't look a day over twenty. "You should go. Wouldn't want to keep your fair damsel waiting now, would you?"

Harry's right eye twitched slightly, but thanks to his Occlumency skills that was the only sign of his irritation. Offering another nod, he quickly left the alchemy lab and made his way to the room where the vampire girl he had rescued resided.

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