Harry discovered that he could open the fluffy crystal ball by digging his fingers into the sides and pulling them apart. And if he had to learn that by watching Draco, well, so what. He was still newer to the wizarding world than his twin.
He blinked when a small lion tumbled out of the crystal ball. He doubted it was made of pure gold, but it looked like it. Draco had a serpent that also looked like it was made of pure emerald.
The really different thing about the lion, though, was that its claws were all clenched together and it held a bell between them. Draco's snake clutched a similar bell in its mouth. Harry tilted the lion upside-down, and noticed that the bell stayed absolutely steady and didn't move. It certainly didn't ring.
Behind Ted, Mother gasped. "Ted, you didn't."
"Wicked!" Tonks yelled, before Harry could ask what the lion and serpent were and why Mother seemed dismayed by them. Harry glanced her direction and saw that she was waving around what looked a silver shield on a cord. The cord shimmered, odd and misty, like fog condensed into a shape.
Tonks promptly hooked the cord around her neck. Her shirt was casual and Muggle—Father had grimaced when he saw it, Harry remembered—and it was easy to see what happened. The cord broke into mist, and the shield—
Sank into her skin. It winked for a moment, and then faded until it was almost the color of Tonks's skin. It was really hard to see, and someone who saw it might have thought it was an old scar.
"Tonks," breathed Father, from a corner, where he'd been busy scribbling in a ledger. His eyes were locked on Tonks, now, but Harry thought he was really talking to Ted. "Is that what I think it is?"
Ted gave everyone in the room a smug smile. "Yes, they're all what you think they are. And yes, I had to call in a few favors from old colleagues to get them. But they're priceless, I promise you."
"It's, it's not that we don't appreciate them," Mother said carefully. "But I think it might be a little drastic, given the boys' present ages."
Ted turned and looked sternly at her. "Narcissa, I do hope that you're not underestimating the level of danger the boys are in. Harry is at risk for who he was believed to be as much as because people on your husband's, ah, former side might decide to attack him. Draco is at risk because of Lucius's former allegiances and because as Harry's twin brother, someone might think they could kidnap him to force Harry to do as they want. If anything, they needed these years ago—"
"Will someone tell us what these are, please?" Draco asked loudly. Harry was grateful for him speaking up. Draco had a louder voice, in a lot of senses of the word.
Tonks jumped in before her father could. "They're protections charms that are meant to do this," she said, and gestured at the one embedded in her chest. "Except mine's a shield that will guard my thoughts against Legilimency, and yours are ones that will ring the bell when you're in extreme danger. Then someone who has the charm that corresponds to that one can hear it and track the sound to find you."
"That's brilliant," Draco breathed.
"I'm not against giving the children these charms," Father said quietly. "But why only one kind? Should they not have the Legilimency shield as well?"
Ted grimaced. "There's a limitation on what even Shadowfollower magic can accomplish. These charms work well—but only when worn one at a time. They depend on the magic of the wearer to fuel them. More than one charm being attached to the same person's skin splits the magic between them and causes them to function weakly or unpredictably. The shield wouldn't protect the wearer's mind from Legilimency all the time, and the bells would sound on the other charms very faintly. It's better if they have ones that play to their particular needs. I know my Dora can defend herself well enough, but she could have her mind read by Dumbledore what with spending all the time that she has in the school. Your sons, meanwhile, can't defend themselves during the summer yet and are in more danger of being kidnapped."
"And we know not to meet Dumbledore's eyes," Draco added.
"If she's even welcome in the school after what she pulled at the Yule Ball," Aunt Andromeda muttered.
Tonks laughed. "Dumbledore claimed it was the most fun he'd had all night. Sure, he Flooed you later to yell about it, but he applauded me in public, and then he toasted me. It would be strange to retract that and say I wasn't welcome in Hogwarts."
Harry felt a surge of relief. As funny as Tonks's prank had been—what with her transforming in the middle of the Yule Ball into a tall, pale, red-eyed man—he wouldn't have thought it was worth it if it meant she got banned from Hogwarts. He wondered if Dumbledore thought she would be a good influence on Harry or something.
"Where should we put these so people don't recognize what they are?" he asked, holding the lion up.
"Some place that you usually have covered by clothing would probably be best," Ted suggested. "High on your arms, or your shoulders or backs or legs. They won't hinder your movement in any way, but it's better not to prompt questions about what they do."
....
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