Cursed
By Cynthia Chen
- - -
Prelude
When Something Half-Forgotten Comes to Call
- - -
"What is it that you want?" Julianne Adhlar frowned at the old man standing before her, more because he was a familiar person than anything else, "If I must remind you, I certainly did turn my back on that world a long time ago."
There was silence for a few moments, as the man outside her door stood still and didn't look like he was going to acquiesce to her wish to be left alone anytime soon, and yet Julianne couldn't quite close the door on him either. Finally, and with a heavy sigh, she opened her front door wider, beckoned for him to come in. Might as well see what he had to say, right? That couldn't hurt.
"What we leave behind still comes back to haunt us every once in a while." He stated simply, but he accepted her invitation, and sat down at her kitchen table.
"Well, is there anything in paticular you came to tell me about?" Something in her would have laughed, of course something was going on.
Albus Dumbledore was not the sort to just suddenly come by for a chat with a student from days long over, especially one who had made it clear long ago that she no longer wished to have anything to do with wizadry or witchcraft. Indeed, as far as Julianne could remember, no matter what the old Hogwarts Headmaster said, no matter how inane or or entirely pointless his doings and words seemed, there was always some purpose to them. Of course, there had to be something in paticular that needed to be discussed.
"Someone has fallen through the veil." He said abruptly.
A chill hand seemed to grip her heart, her soul, her very being. No, part of her mind whispered. Even if she had left that part of her life, the one of wands, charms, and potions long ago, if for a moment someone had told her it was crucial for her to return, Julianne probably would have. But absolutely not to the other half of her inborn abilities.
Gods above, she'd thought that no one would dare call her on the abilities the Adhlar curse left her with. It was what had been the deciding factor in her leaving the wizarding world behind those fifteen years ago. To occasionally be able to call a person's soul back from beyond, or rather from the very precipice between life and death, but at great price. There was a reason why the Adhlar bloodline, once among the most prominent and powerful bloodlines had now faded to nothing. Not a single one of them left, willing to admit to such a curse being on their family, each and every one of them took flight from all that just as Julianne herself had chosen to do.
Usage of the ability to soul-chase, as it were was what made the familial 'gift' a true curse. It ate one from the inside out, body and mind. In the horrible times when You-Know-Who had first started his quest for power, just before Julianne had abandoned her heritage, she'd seen it happen to a cousin.
Not that Pyrane Adhlar and herself had been very close, to the contrary Julianne hadn't known her cousin much at all. She had been a courageous individual, though, bringing back several aurors from that edge before they passed on, some of the fortunate ones who hadn't been hit with the finality of the true killing curse. Avada Kedavra. Her own descent had been swift and debilitating, Julianne remembered the horror of seeing her cousin, wasted and in a catatonic state in St. Mungo's.
Maybe she had barely known her cousin, but that was not the natural state of any human being. To look like she had stared death in the face, even been taken away by it yet still retain that shred of being to keep them from being truly 'dead'. Worse would be what had been happening before they'd managed to subdue her with all manner of sedative potions. Raving madness, sudden bouts of violent screaming, even as she was wasting away from some manner of illness none of their doctors could quite pinpoint. Give in to the Adhlar gift, and that was your due - the horrible effects of the Adhlar curse.
Yet, Pyrane had been a unique example, even those of their family who stayed on in the wizarding world often did not use their curse of a gift so frivolousy. Even if it wasn't frivolous, she certainly saved lives. But it had been rash to over-use it all in a matter of weeks and months. Sooner or later, none of them could stand it anymore. To be viewed as a novelty of sorts, to be gossiped over, to be avoided in fear of one whose connection to that fine line between life and death. Or even in fear that the Adhlar curse could be contagious. Never heard many be quite that foolish though, it can't be passed on by contact any more than one can utilize it and still escape.
Maybe they were all fools, to leave a world that was firmly ingrained into their blood, they could certainly be fine as long as they didn't soul- chase. But how could they ever wave about a wand, even ride a broomstick, knowing that such a dark side existed as a foil to the wonders of magic? It could drive a person insane, just as surely as the effects of using the Adhlar gift could, only in a slower way. Sure, one could even say to live and let live, to use the gift and not fear the curse because one could save many lives beyond their own, if they could manage to reach a person still alive, but barely hanging on in time. But humans were by nature such selfish beings, Julianne knew she would never have been able to take it.
"Dumbledore. sir, you know it's not within the parameters of soul chasing to bring back the dead. I'm rather certain that we can't actually return someone whose crossed that boundary. If they were on the edge, perhaps, but not someone who's actually gone through." She also sat now, but avoided his gaze.
"Well, this someone is a rather unique case. By all accounts, he didn't cross the veil the conventional way." Matter-of-fact, but not overtly pleading that Julianne do something about this situation he was trying to explain.
Another part of why most, if not all of the Adhlar line chose to leave the wizarding world. It just didn't do to always have people trying to get their loved ones back, who thought their beloved brother, father, mother, sister. anyone, was worth taking away a little from another soul. Maybe they could soul-chase once, twice, more times without a shred of consequence but then one never knew which 'straw' would finally 'break the camel's back'. Old family stories said that some in the far past had done it dozens of times only to live a happy life beyond their soul-chasing. Still more precautionary tales told of people who barely managed it once, then gave in to the curse. To have their sanity and health eaten away.
"How is this 'he' a unique case then?" She looked up now, with some marginal disbelief, her eyebrows raised, "What is his story that brings him to beyond the veil?"
"Well, he fell through the veil. Quite literally, his physical form was pushed through the gateway, although I'm reasonably able to believe he was still fully alive when that happened." No, he wasn't joking, Albus Dumbledore never joked about such a grave matter.
"I'll give you one thing, it is quite unheard of. But what do you expect me to do about it?" She glared at him then, not caring that he looked. tired, for lack of a better word.
For just a moment, she wondered what exactly could be going on in her old world just now. While it was the truth that Albus Dumbledore had always been rather old, from her the few times she'd ever chanced upon meeting him, the rather ancient Hogwarts Headmaster had seemed beyond the constraints of his age. Silvery hair and beard along with basic math skills as to how long he'd been teaching and then been Headmaster showed to all that he was old. Yet, she remembered from back then that's he'd never seemed that way, but now? There wasn't that sparkle of youth in his eyes any more, he just looked exhausted like most older people could look. She bit back her questions about what exactly was going on.
"I think you know, Miss Adhlar." Yes, he definitely seemed to be much older than he had been all those years ago. "Soul-chasing might very well be one of the more costly gifts to use, and in truth I'm not sure if it can extend far enough to pulling someone physically from beyond the veil, but one never knows until they've tried."
"Right." She said, although she wasn't really believing just now.
"You know what could potentially be the price for you better than anyone else, I think. Please, I'd rather you feel no pressure in this, otherwise I think I could only be guilty whether you succeed or not. However, I'd very politely ask you to at least consider coming by, it can be discussed in further depth then." He took out an envelope - just a plain white envelope, and placed it on the finished oak surface of her kitchen table.
She didn't get out of her seat to see him out her kitchen door. Instead, she just sat there, and having chosen the chair with it's back toward the door, she wasn't watching as he closed the door with a decisive clicking sound. Now there was nothing but her silent kitchen with none of the electric lights turned on even as she could see the shadows growing deeper as the sky darkened.
Damn it all, but he'd obviously been correct. What one wishes to forget and just leave behind inevitably did come back in rather blatant and spectacular fashion. No pressure? Honestly, what did that old codger think she'd feel at having someone from a life she'd been eager to forget coming right to her back door and making any sort of request that made it clear a life could be hanging in the balance? Julianne sighed heavily, and slammed a fist down on the table. The hollow sound did little to break the deafening silence.
---
Author's Notes :
I'm not sure if all the italics and such will show up after Fanfiction.net finishes with it. but thoughts as opposed to speech and word emphasis should still be fine, I hope? I'm one of those still in denial of a certain character's death in Book 5, and the concept of this is probably entirely unrealistic, but I hope Julianne is a decently written character at least. The idea of soul-chasing isn't entirely original, and I feel it was inspired most by Lady Berenice's stories in the Tamora Pierce fandom. (In her Meeting of Magics piece, it's life-chasing though, and it's a bit different.)
Constructive criticism is always appreciated.
By Cynthia Chen
- - -
Prelude
When Something Half-Forgotten Comes to Call
- - -
"What is it that you want?" Julianne Adhlar frowned at the old man standing before her, more because he was a familiar person than anything else, "If I must remind you, I certainly did turn my back on that world a long time ago."
There was silence for a few moments, as the man outside her door stood still and didn't look like he was going to acquiesce to her wish to be left alone anytime soon, and yet Julianne couldn't quite close the door on him either. Finally, and with a heavy sigh, she opened her front door wider, beckoned for him to come in. Might as well see what he had to say, right? That couldn't hurt.
"What we leave behind still comes back to haunt us every once in a while." He stated simply, but he accepted her invitation, and sat down at her kitchen table.
"Well, is there anything in paticular you came to tell me about?" Something in her would have laughed, of course something was going on.
Albus Dumbledore was not the sort to just suddenly come by for a chat with a student from days long over, especially one who had made it clear long ago that she no longer wished to have anything to do with wizadry or witchcraft. Indeed, as far as Julianne could remember, no matter what the old Hogwarts Headmaster said, no matter how inane or or entirely pointless his doings and words seemed, there was always some purpose to them. Of course, there had to be something in paticular that needed to be discussed.
"Someone has fallen through the veil." He said abruptly.
A chill hand seemed to grip her heart, her soul, her very being. No, part of her mind whispered. Even if she had left that part of her life, the one of wands, charms, and potions long ago, if for a moment someone had told her it was crucial for her to return, Julianne probably would have. But absolutely not to the other half of her inborn abilities.
Gods above, she'd thought that no one would dare call her on the abilities the Adhlar curse left her with. It was what had been the deciding factor in her leaving the wizarding world behind those fifteen years ago. To occasionally be able to call a person's soul back from beyond, or rather from the very precipice between life and death, but at great price. There was a reason why the Adhlar bloodline, once among the most prominent and powerful bloodlines had now faded to nothing. Not a single one of them left, willing to admit to such a curse being on their family, each and every one of them took flight from all that just as Julianne herself had chosen to do.
Usage of the ability to soul-chase, as it were was what made the familial 'gift' a true curse. It ate one from the inside out, body and mind. In the horrible times when You-Know-Who had first started his quest for power, just before Julianne had abandoned her heritage, she'd seen it happen to a cousin.
Not that Pyrane Adhlar and herself had been very close, to the contrary Julianne hadn't known her cousin much at all. She had been a courageous individual, though, bringing back several aurors from that edge before they passed on, some of the fortunate ones who hadn't been hit with the finality of the true killing curse. Avada Kedavra. Her own descent had been swift and debilitating, Julianne remembered the horror of seeing her cousin, wasted and in a catatonic state in St. Mungo's.
Maybe she had barely known her cousin, but that was not the natural state of any human being. To look like she had stared death in the face, even been taken away by it yet still retain that shred of being to keep them from being truly 'dead'. Worse would be what had been happening before they'd managed to subdue her with all manner of sedative potions. Raving madness, sudden bouts of violent screaming, even as she was wasting away from some manner of illness none of their doctors could quite pinpoint. Give in to the Adhlar gift, and that was your due - the horrible effects of the Adhlar curse.
Yet, Pyrane had been a unique example, even those of their family who stayed on in the wizarding world often did not use their curse of a gift so frivolousy. Even if it wasn't frivolous, she certainly saved lives. But it had been rash to over-use it all in a matter of weeks and months. Sooner or later, none of them could stand it anymore. To be viewed as a novelty of sorts, to be gossiped over, to be avoided in fear of one whose connection to that fine line between life and death. Or even in fear that the Adhlar curse could be contagious. Never heard many be quite that foolish though, it can't be passed on by contact any more than one can utilize it and still escape.
Maybe they were all fools, to leave a world that was firmly ingrained into their blood, they could certainly be fine as long as they didn't soul- chase. But how could they ever wave about a wand, even ride a broomstick, knowing that such a dark side existed as a foil to the wonders of magic? It could drive a person insane, just as surely as the effects of using the Adhlar gift could, only in a slower way. Sure, one could even say to live and let live, to use the gift and not fear the curse because one could save many lives beyond their own, if they could manage to reach a person still alive, but barely hanging on in time. But humans were by nature such selfish beings, Julianne knew she would never have been able to take it.
"Dumbledore. sir, you know it's not within the parameters of soul chasing to bring back the dead. I'm rather certain that we can't actually return someone whose crossed that boundary. If they were on the edge, perhaps, but not someone who's actually gone through." She also sat now, but avoided his gaze.
"Well, this someone is a rather unique case. By all accounts, he didn't cross the veil the conventional way." Matter-of-fact, but not overtly pleading that Julianne do something about this situation he was trying to explain.
Another part of why most, if not all of the Adhlar line chose to leave the wizarding world. It just didn't do to always have people trying to get their loved ones back, who thought their beloved brother, father, mother, sister. anyone, was worth taking away a little from another soul. Maybe they could soul-chase once, twice, more times without a shred of consequence but then one never knew which 'straw' would finally 'break the camel's back'. Old family stories said that some in the far past had done it dozens of times only to live a happy life beyond their soul-chasing. Still more precautionary tales told of people who barely managed it once, then gave in to the curse. To have their sanity and health eaten away.
"How is this 'he' a unique case then?" She looked up now, with some marginal disbelief, her eyebrows raised, "What is his story that brings him to beyond the veil?"
"Well, he fell through the veil. Quite literally, his physical form was pushed through the gateway, although I'm reasonably able to believe he was still fully alive when that happened." No, he wasn't joking, Albus Dumbledore never joked about such a grave matter.
"I'll give you one thing, it is quite unheard of. But what do you expect me to do about it?" She glared at him then, not caring that he looked. tired, for lack of a better word.
For just a moment, she wondered what exactly could be going on in her old world just now. While it was the truth that Albus Dumbledore had always been rather old, from her the few times she'd ever chanced upon meeting him, the rather ancient Hogwarts Headmaster had seemed beyond the constraints of his age. Silvery hair and beard along with basic math skills as to how long he'd been teaching and then been Headmaster showed to all that he was old. Yet, she remembered from back then that's he'd never seemed that way, but now? There wasn't that sparkle of youth in his eyes any more, he just looked exhausted like most older people could look. She bit back her questions about what exactly was going on.
"I think you know, Miss Adhlar." Yes, he definitely seemed to be much older than he had been all those years ago. "Soul-chasing might very well be one of the more costly gifts to use, and in truth I'm not sure if it can extend far enough to pulling someone physically from beyond the veil, but one never knows until they've tried."
"Right." She said, although she wasn't really believing just now.
"You know what could potentially be the price for you better than anyone else, I think. Please, I'd rather you feel no pressure in this, otherwise I think I could only be guilty whether you succeed or not. However, I'd very politely ask you to at least consider coming by, it can be discussed in further depth then." He took out an envelope - just a plain white envelope, and placed it on the finished oak surface of her kitchen table.
She didn't get out of her seat to see him out her kitchen door. Instead, she just sat there, and having chosen the chair with it's back toward the door, she wasn't watching as he closed the door with a decisive clicking sound. Now there was nothing but her silent kitchen with none of the electric lights turned on even as she could see the shadows growing deeper as the sky darkened.
Damn it all, but he'd obviously been correct. What one wishes to forget and just leave behind inevitably did come back in rather blatant and spectacular fashion. No pressure? Honestly, what did that old codger think she'd feel at having someone from a life she'd been eager to forget coming right to her back door and making any sort of request that made it clear a life could be hanging in the balance? Julianne sighed heavily, and slammed a fist down on the table. The hollow sound did little to break the deafening silence.
---
Author's Notes :
I'm not sure if all the italics and such will show up after Fanfiction.net finishes with it. but thoughts as opposed to speech and word emphasis should still be fine, I hope? I'm one of those still in denial of a certain character's death in Book 5, and the concept of this is probably entirely unrealistic, but I hope Julianne is a decently written character at least. The idea of soul-chasing isn't entirely original, and I feel it was inspired most by Lady Berenice's stories in the Tamora Pierce fandom. (In her Meeting of Magics piece, it's life-chasing though, and it's a bit different.)
Constructive criticism is always appreciated.