Ficlet: Fault Lines
Title: Fault Lines
Summary: Quirinus Quirrell discovers a true countercurse to Sectumsempra during the First Wizarding War.
Characters/Pairings: Quirinus Quirrell, Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody
Genre: General
Rating/Warnings: G
Medium: Ficlet
Word Count: 543
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Sure.
If yes, your Tumblr username: N/A
Ah, that was it!
The answer materialized before me in a beautiful epiphany, and a giddy rush of exultation bubbled through me -- that vicious little Sectumsempra curse could be counteracted. There was a fault in the intricately woven spell construct with its beautifully acute angles...I could see it in my mind's eye, just there...and if you pressed it just so, the whole thing would collapse in on itself.
I let loose a small whoop of laughter. The Death Eaters had been wreaking brutal havoc with the thing, and now there would be a means to counteract it.
But how to translate that crucial action into something that could be enacted with will, word, and wand? There was a rise and fall to it, a song-like rhythm...it reminded me of something...
Yes, of course. The Vulnera Sanentur countercurse -- it had that same almost Gregorian chanting structure. But...something about the words wasn't quite right. And the key of it was important to getting the precise twisting pressure on that construct fault. The utility of the countercurse would be considerably lessened unless it was in the right key.
I closed my eyes, clearing stray thoughts from my mind...
The answer surfaced, clear and bright as a bell: F minor modulating to G major, two times sung in F minor followed by once in G major. Chant the Vulnera Sanentur with all the nasal consonants denasalized and yes -- the collapse would be instant. The Vuldera Sadedtur would completely neutralize Sectumsempra.
Joyous anticipation surging through me, I hurried off to tell someone who would matter.
...
Dumbledore smiled benignly from behind his desk. "Alastor, I think you should listen to what young Quirinus has to say. It should be quite a boon to your aurors."
Mad-Eye Moody swiveled his notorious eye to me. "Well, boy? Speak up. Haven't got all day."
I swallowed convulsively, trying to control my nerves. "Sectumsempra. I...I found a c-c-c-countercurse."
Moody's eyebrows shot up. "What is it? Be nice not to lose so many good people to that blasted thing."
I took a deep breath, trying to still my stutter. "Vuldera Saded-ded-dedtur."
Moody squinted at me. "Vulnera Sanentur? Already tried it. Doesn't work very well."
"No. Different pronunciation. Vuldera Sadedtur. And you have to d-d-do it three times. D-d-d-different keys. F m-m-minor the first two, G major the third. Very important to hit the construct fault at the r-r-r-right angle."
Moody turned back to Dumbledore, his brow furrowed skeptically. "You think this will work, Albus?"
"I believe it is worth seriously trying, Alastor. At the very least, casting the Vulnera Sanentur three times in quick succession is something any auror can be taught to do."
Moody nodded once. "And this business about keys and different words? Can't say it sounds solid. Never heard of a countercurse that cared about key." He snorted once thoughtfully. "Half our aurors can't carry a tune in a bucket, anyway."
Dumbledore steepled his hands and looked at me. "Perhaps it is something you can explain to the battle mediwizards, Quirinus. Would you be willing to try?"
I nodded rapidly, only too glad not to have to speak anymore just now. My insight would help the fight against Voldemort, and that knowledge curled inside me, hot and sweet.
Jalen/Ravenclaw/18 points
Summary: Quirinus Quirrell discovers a true countercurse to Sectumsempra during the First Wizarding War.
Characters/Pairings: Quirinus Quirrell, Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody
Genre: General
Rating/Warnings: G
Medium: Ficlet
Word Count: 543
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Sure.
If yes, your Tumblr username: N/A
Ah, that was it!
The answer materialized before me in a beautiful epiphany, and a giddy rush of exultation bubbled through me -- that vicious little Sectumsempra curse could be counteracted. There was a fault in the intricately woven spell construct with its beautifully acute angles...I could see it in my mind's eye, just there...and if you pressed it just so, the whole thing would collapse in on itself.
I let loose a small whoop of laughter. The Death Eaters had been wreaking brutal havoc with the thing, and now there would be a means to counteract it.
But how to translate that crucial action into something that could be enacted with will, word, and wand? There was a rise and fall to it, a song-like rhythm...it reminded me of something...
Yes, of course. The Vulnera Sanentur countercurse -- it had that same almost Gregorian chanting structure. But...something about the words wasn't quite right. And the key of it was important to getting the precise twisting pressure on that construct fault. The utility of the countercurse would be considerably lessened unless it was in the right key.
I closed my eyes, clearing stray thoughts from my mind...
The answer surfaced, clear and bright as a bell: F minor modulating to G major, two times sung in F minor followed by once in G major. Chant the Vulnera Sanentur with all the nasal consonants denasalized and yes -- the collapse would be instant. The Vuldera Sadedtur would completely neutralize Sectumsempra.
Joyous anticipation surging through me, I hurried off to tell someone who would matter.
...
Dumbledore smiled benignly from behind his desk. "Alastor, I think you should listen to what young Quirinus has to say. It should be quite a boon to your aurors."
Mad-Eye Moody swiveled his notorious eye to me. "Well, boy? Speak up. Haven't got all day."
I swallowed convulsively, trying to control my nerves. "Sectumsempra. I...I found a c-c-c-countercurse."
Moody's eyebrows shot up. "What is it? Be nice not to lose so many good people to that blasted thing."
I took a deep breath, trying to still my stutter. "Vuldera Saded-ded-dedtur."
Moody squinted at me. "Vulnera Sanentur? Already tried it. Doesn't work very well."
"No. Different pronunciation. Vuldera Sadedtur. And you have to d-d-do it three times. D-d-d-different keys. F m-m-minor the first two, G major the third. Very important to hit the construct fault at the r-r-r-right angle."
Moody turned back to Dumbledore, his brow furrowed skeptically. "You think this will work, Albus?"
"I believe it is worth seriously trying, Alastor. At the very least, casting the Vulnera Sanentur three times in quick succession is something any auror can be taught to do."
Moody nodded once. "And this business about keys and different words? Can't say it sounds solid. Never heard of a countercurse that cared about key." He snorted once thoughtfully. "Half our aurors can't carry a tune in a bucket, anyway."
Dumbledore steepled his hands and looked at me. "Perhaps it is something you can explain to the battle mediwizards, Quirinus. Would you be willing to try?"
I nodded rapidly, only too glad not to have to speak anymore just now. My insight would help the fight against Voldemort, and that knowledge curled inside me, hot and sweet.
Jalen/Ravenclaw/18 points