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Seven-year-old Regulus pressed his ear to the keyhole of Father's study, desperate to hear what was said. Father, his tutor, and some unknown visitor spoke so softly he could only decipher snippets of conversation.
Father said, "-join us-."
The unknown visitor added, "-next full moon-" in a high, hissing voice which made Regulus' skin crawl.
His tutor responded, "-ritual scarification-."
Regulus didn't understand "ritual scarification". He tried to listen, but the voices became quieter. Hearing footsteps on the stairs behind him, he turned, seeing the shadow of his mother with her elaborate hair-do. Not wanting a whipping for eavesdropping, Regulus hurried down the corridor, slipping into Sirius' room.
Sirius stopped reading when Regulus entered. "Don't you knock?"
"I eavesdropped at Father's study and didn't want to get caught. Mother was coming, and your room's closer."
Sirius nodded. "You can stay if you're quiet. I have to memorize this page of Nature's Nobility before tomorrow. Why'd your lessons finish early?"
"Father stopped my lessons because a guest wanted to speak to Tutor Nott."
"Father never stops my lessons."
"Mine either! The visitor must be important so I eavesdropped."
Sirius closed his book. "Hear anything interesting?"
"Not really. Father said something about 'join us', the visitor mentioned the next full moon—his voice is really creepy, and Tutor Nott said 'ritual scarification'. What's 'ritual scarification' Sirius?"
"A ritual is something you repeat for a formal occasion, so everyone knows it. Like when Father makes us recite our ancestry at every dinner party. I don't know 'scarification', but we can look it up." Sirius got off his bed and pulled a large dictionary from the shelf above his desk.
"Here it is." Sirius read aloud from the dictionary.
Scarification: the act of or an instance of scarifying.
"That's not helpful!"
Scarificator: one who scarifies
Sirius snorted. "Oh, here we are."
Scarify: 1. to make scratches or superficial incisions in the skin, a wound, etc. as in surgery.
"That sounds painful!" Regulus exclaimed.
"A Healer would use a pain relief potion. Honestly."
"Father and Tutor aren't Healers. Do you think the visitor is?"
Sirius shrugged. "Here's a picture." Sirius pressed his finger to the small square near the entry, enlarging it to full-page size. Regulus looked over Sirius' shoulder.
Both boys gasped as the picture expanded, showing a naked man tied spread-eagled between two trees with people in black-hooded robes carving runic symbols all over his body. The man screamed and cried as blood dripped from each wound.
See also 'Runic Blood Sacrifices' and 'Scar Magic'
Sirius shrunk the picture. Regulus shuddered and grasped Sirius' arm. Sirius' voice wavered, "There's another definition."
2. To hasten the sprouting of hard covered seeds by making incisions in the seed coats.
"Planting seeds isn't scary or painful!" Regulus enthused hopefully.
"Maybe the visitor in Father's study's an Herbologist. Maybe Father and Tutor Nott are planning an Herbology project for our lessons?"
Regulus nodded, but as he looked at his brother, he saw the doubt in his eyes.