I suppose it would be useless to remind you that you're not to take to the field?
On the other hand, I'm sure Bella will appreciate your help. More's the pity. Black will answer for inconveniencing you as well, in his final reckoning.
I've conferenced with our Lord and He is aware of what has transpired here. While the information the traitor carries is paramount, He agrees that it's better to have it dead than at large. Which leaves us...just under eighteen hours. With expiration imminent, I need all the eyes we can spare, including Barty's. He knows that he's to take it easy.
I don't know, Cissy, and frankly - I don't really care right now, either.
Black's supporters planted some kind of muggle explosive en route to Calais. The escort from Brest was thinner than I would have liked, but it was all they would provide for a man who, to them, seemed harmless enough, seeing as he had neither wand or weapon on him. He broke free in the smoke and chaos, but not before I got him.
The French lost some men and women in the blast, and Zuckerman was badly injured. At least one of Black's, a woman, is dead... anyway, he can't have got far. We'll find him if I have to burn down the whole country-side.
Well, try not to burn down the vineyards, if you please. But at least bring his corpse back, even if you must let your curse to do its work and wait for him to choke on his own blood.
That much, at least, Lucius made sure I heard! I'm sure we would have all preferred to pull down his whole organisation while Our Lord made him cry for mercy, made him watch as his supporters were executed one by one in front of him - but still, it's a relief to know that either way, we have heard the black sheep's last bleat.
Oh, he actually chokes on more than just blood. Far more. As Barty knows, I've spent a long time perfecting this particular curse, and not only is it foolproof - it's agonising. Whatever is left of him won't be altogether pretty.
I'm going to take the risk and leave now. Merlin knows that nobody's working a normal schedule today anyhow. I have some books on cursebreaking in my flat that may give us some leads.
Alice, ask Stephen, too. Maybe he might know something.
We Players will consult our personal texts, too. But nothing is coming immediately to mind.
Dorcas says she's afraid it may be a hex that Bellatrix designed and concocted on her own, which would be just like her. In which case we wouldn't have a clue what to do to treat it, especially since we don't have access to Sirius to run diagnostics.
Yes. We've told him about the choking on blood bit, and the timeline, and he's got a few possibilities in mind...
Draught of the Living Death for one. Apparently, depending on the dosage, it can take up to a week to finish someone off. He says he had to try and come up with an antidote to one once, but it's terribly tricky if you don't know the exact dosage to start, or how long ago it's been administered. But that slows the heart, it doesn't cause the blood to rise.
And then there's Animam Adere, it causes someone to choke to death, but he's never heard of it taking twenty-four hours to kick in.
He says no matter what it is, if it's a potion that's meant to work slowly over time, it most likely has been prepared specially to release small doses in bursts -- he says some Muggle pills are like that -- they dissolve slowly. So the sooner he gets help the better chance he has of stopping it before it builds to dangerous levels.
Decreasing acid amounts in the stomach by eating bread or drinking milk might slow it down a little and buy him some time.
From what she said, it sounds as if she's developed some new curse of her own, a slow-acting version of the killing curse perhaps. I find it hard to believe anyone could be so vicious, but if anyone could, it would be Bellatrix.
There's little chance of us developing a successful counter-curse in less than 18 hours and with no idea how the curse itself works.
I think we've managed to convince the children we were just doing another drill, but they've been bouncing off the walls all afternoon. And I've had to rock more crying babies in the last hour than I can count. Everything seems so surreal.
I just can't concentrate on anything right now other than what's happening to Sirius.
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(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-15 04:47 pm (UTC)On the other hand, I'm sure Bella will appreciate your help. More's the pity. Black will answer for inconveniencing you as well, in his final reckoning.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-15 08:11 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-15 08:17 pm (UTC)Well. I suppose we shall all have to postpone the day of jubilee. That will teach us to count dragons before they've hatched.
What did transpire, Bella - Lucius is in Dover and I've only had sporadic reports. Or must I wait until the official word has been given?
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-15 08:28 pm (UTC)Black's supporters planted some kind of muggle explosive en route to Calais. The escort from Brest was thinner than I would have liked, but it was all they would provide for a man who, to them, seemed harmless enough, seeing as he had neither wand or weapon on him. He broke free in the smoke and chaos, but not before I got him.
The French lost some men and women in the blast, and Zuckerman was badly injured. At least one of Black's, a woman, is dead... anyway, he can't have got far. We'll find him if I have to burn down the whole country-side.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-15 08:42 pm (UTC)That much, at least, Lucius made sure I heard! I'm sure we would have all preferred to pull down his whole organisation while Our Lord made him cry for mercy, made him watch as his supporters were executed one by one in front of him - but still, it's a relief to know that either way, we have heard the black sheep's last bleat.
ORDER ONLY
Date: 2010-06-15 08:47 pm (UTC)You'll have to wait a little longer.
And if it comes to that, I swear I'm taking you down with me first.
You and that sister of yours.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-15 08:48 pm (UTC)But it will be silent.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-15 09:08 pm (UTC)Now let's find him. I want to see the end.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-15 09:22 pm (UTC)The whole country is watching and waiting for word.
Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 08:29 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 08:37 pm (UTC)Poppy? Bill? Kingsley? She says something about choking on blood -- Does this sound familiar?
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 08:41 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 08:43 pm (UTC)I'm going to take the risk and leave now. Merlin knows that nobody's working a normal schedule today anyhow. I have some books on cursebreaking in my flat that may give us some leads.
Alice, ask Stephen, too. Maybe he might know something.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 08:44 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 08:51 pm (UTC)Dorcas says she's afraid it may be a hex that Bellatrix designed and concocted on her own, which would be just like her. In which case we wouldn't have a clue what to do to treat it, especially since we don't have access to Sirius to run diagnostics.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 08:58 pm (UTC)Draught of the Living Death for one. Apparently, depending on the dosage, it can take up to a week to finish someone off. He says he had to try and come up with an antidote to one once, but it's terribly tricky if you don't know the exact dosage to start, or how long ago it's been administered. But that slows the heart, it doesn't cause the blood to rise.
And then there's Animam Adere, it causes someone to choke to death, but he's never heard of it taking twenty-four hours to kick in.
He says no matter what it is, if it's a potion that's meant to work slowly over time, it most likely has been prepared specially to release small doses in bursts -- he says some Muggle pills are like that -- they dissolve slowly. So the sooner he gets help the better chance he has of stopping it before it builds to dangerous levels.
Decreasing acid amounts in the stomach by eating bread or drinking milk might slow it down a little and buy him some time.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 09:05 pm (UTC)There's little chance of us developing a successful counter-curse in less than 18 hours and with no idea how the curse itself works.
Alice..
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 09:11 pm (UTC)I know.
But he took their moment of triumph and shoved it right in their faces. And he didn't tell them a bloody thing. Not one thing.
And we've had one miracle today, what's to say we won't have one more.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 09:17 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 11:01 pm (UTC)I think we've managed to convince the children we were just doing another drill, but they've been bouncing off the walls all afternoon. And I've had to rock more crying babies in the last hour than I can count. Everything seems so surreal.
I just can't concentrate on anything right now other than what's happening to Sirius.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 09:05 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 09:07 pm (UTC)All right, Bill. You may be our best hope, with your background in curse-breaking.
Will his ability to transform protect him?
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 09:11 pm (UTC)To be blunt...well, if none of us can find him to monitor the effects or run diagnostics--well. That may be the best hope he has.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 09:13 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2010-06-15 09:18 pm (UTC)I hope it buys him some time.