Oh, I wasn't going to try any spells in here. Not without Peter's permission, anyway. I doubt the Machine would take too kindly to an elaborate working in its domain.
Maybe Peter put it back. *looks around at the lingering evidence of John's nocturnal explorations and realises this is unlikely* What sort of textbook was it?
Don't worry, I'll ask Sally to try and help me find a copy online when I get home. It's not that important, more of a sideline of inquiry really.
I've searched most of the top shelf already and there hasn't been much of any use - a few possible spells but nothing that hits the nail on the head. Perhaps it's a new curse and you're the guinea-pig...
Well, if Jacob is right it's a very old one, albeit with the light cycle reversed. Which was very considerate, I must say. Although it would have been more considerate not to curse me in the first place.
But I'm not putting much faith in the traditional remedy. It's so hard to find siblings willing to take a vow of silence and knit you a nettle shirt these days.
Yes, I wouldn't put too much stock in Mr Rees-Moggs analysis of the situation...
*John flicks through a book trying to find anything of relevance*
What worries me is how they managed to get to you in the first place; a long range runes cast would be far too simple for a hex of this complexity, but I'm sure you would have noticed someone close to you fiddling about with a curse. A potion would be easier to get into your system but they'd have to be an expert to ensure there were no tell tale signs in whatever food or drink they put it in... unless they injected you with it, I suppose. You don't have any never before seen track marks, do you, Chris?
Normally I wouldn't either, but it's a pretty close match, I must say. I looked the fairy tale up on Wikipedia this morning; it has a wide distribution, so it was probably a real spell that was in circulation at one point. I wouldn't rule out the possibility that someone wrote it down.
No. Or before-seen track marks, for that matter. And honestly, I'd be more worried about someone creeping up to me and injecting me with a needle without me noticing than I am about being a part-time swan.
I was wondering about that too. I was thinking, what about a trapped item? A letter, maybe? Someone could set it up in advance in the safety and comfort of their own home, stick it in my mailbox, and as soon as I touch it- wham. I'm a little surprised I didn't notice when I triggered it, but it seems more plausible than slipping something into my food. I've only eaten at home and in the Tea Room since Wednesday- I brought a packed lunch to my surgery- and some would have to be pretty bold to tamper with the kitchens right under your nose.
It's a good thought, certainly, but the issue with trapped items is delivery - letters sent to your constituency office would likely be opened by others and if your other half is anything like mine then no post at home is ever sure to be opened by the person it was sent to.
If we can work out how it got into your system we can narrow things down and hopefully find a cure. If it's a potion it'll likely work its way out of your system soon enough anyway...
My commons mailbox, maybe? It wouldn't be active until I touched it, so no one would detect it under the ambient magic in the Palace of Westminster. Someone could just slip it in. No one would even think anything of it, we're all passing notes to each other all the time. That's assuming the culprit is an MP, of course, but- well, this is so obviously Harper. Birds, and the timing, and it's just innocuous enough that I can't properly hate him for it because it's clear it could be so much worse. It's got his fingerprints all over it.
Unless the potion was just the transmitting agent rather than the power source and it's drawing off my energy. I haven't poked it enough to know, but in the fairytale the spell lasts for years, and I doubt the evil stepmothers were actively maintaining it the whole time.
Lets not jump to blame and conclusions too quickly. We don't have any actual evidence that it was an MP yet, let alone that it was Mr Harper.
Hmm... a swan... a mute swan at that... a joke perhaps? Yes, yes, Mr Harper and his birds, I'm aware of that - but a mute swan? Trying to shut you up, perhaps? Maliciously or in a twisted "it's for your own good" line of thought?
*John shakes his head*
We're getting ahead of what we know and into what we think. We need to diagnose it then we can look for who caused this fate to befall you. There aren't any more medical-magic books on the shelf, are there?
Don't worry, I won't confront him until I have proof. I'm still convinced, though.
Are there different kinds of swan? I thought they were all mute. Another question for Wikipedia. It's a pretty ineffective way of shutting me up, silencing me after dark but letting me run my mouth as much as I want during the day. It'll keep me from going on Newsnight about the BSkyB bid, I suppose.
I didn't notice any, but I wasn't looking. I'm terrified to touch it for fear of breaking the light cycle and making it permanent. Wait, maybe that's the point of the light cycle- if it were 24/7 I'd be completely incapacitated and we wouldn't be afraid to tamper with the spell because we couldn't make it any worse, but this way we won't touch it until we're sure we won't do more harm than good.
Perhaps, but once again these thoughts aren't helping us reach any meaningful conclusions.
*Checks his watch*
You've not got much longer, Chris, and my wife will be sure to inflict a great amount of pain on me if I spend another night in Peter's house rather than with her.
*John picks up a few books then changes his mind. Instead he takes the sheet of paper out of his pocket and copies the title and author on to a new piece.*
This is the book I was looking at before and I think it may help us work out what's happened to you. Unfortunately the copy I came across had a page missing that I'd really like to know the contents of. I'll have a look around and see if I can find it anywhere, but a second pair of eyes can't hurt. Could you attempt to locate a copy - this exact edition, if you please?
Thank you. I'll ask Sally very politely to help see if I can get a copy on the internet.
It wasn't intentional, I assure you. I was planning to head home but it got to about 3 a.m. and a copy of Janet Klossop's Animagi Through the Ages suddenly seemed like the most comfortable of pillows.
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 04:41 pm (UTC)Maybe Peter put it back. *looks around at the lingering evidence of John's nocturnal explorations and realises this is unlikely* What sort of textbook was it?
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 04:51 pm (UTC)I've searched most of the top shelf already and there hasn't been much of any use - a few possible spells but nothing that hits the nail on the head. Perhaps it's a new curse and you're the guinea-pig...
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 05:05 pm (UTC)But I'm not putting much faith in the traditional remedy. It's so hard to find siblings willing to take a vow of silence and knit you a nettle shirt these days.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 05:12 pm (UTC)*John flicks through a book trying to find anything of relevance*
What worries me is how they managed to get to you in the first place; a long range runes cast would be far too simple for a hex of this complexity, but I'm sure you would have noticed someone close to you fiddling about with a curse. A potion would be easier to get into your system but they'd have to be an expert to ensure there were no tell tale signs in whatever food or drink they put it in... unless they injected you with it, I suppose. You don't have any never before seen track marks, do you, Chris?
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 05:31 pm (UTC)No. Or before-seen track marks, for that matter. And honestly, I'd be more worried about someone creeping up to me and injecting me with a needle without me noticing than I am about being a part-time swan.
I was wondering about that too. I was thinking, what about a trapped item? A letter, maybe? Someone could set it up in advance in the safety and comfort of their own home, stick it in my mailbox, and as soon as I touch it- wham. I'm a little surprised I didn't notice when I triggered it, but it seems more plausible than slipping something into my food. I've only eaten at home and in the Tea Room since Wednesday- I brought a packed lunch to my surgery- and some would have to be pretty bold to tamper with the kitchens right under your nose.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 05:38 pm (UTC)If we can work out how it got into your system we can narrow things down and hopefully find a cure. If it's a potion it'll likely work its way out of your system soon enough anyway...
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 05:53 pm (UTC)Unless the potion was just the transmitting agent rather than the power source and it's drawing off my energy. I haven't poked it enough to know, but in the fairytale the spell lasts for years, and I doubt the evil stepmothers were actively maintaining it the whole time.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 06:02 pm (UTC)Hmm... a swan... a mute swan at that... a joke perhaps? Yes, yes, Mr Harper and his birds, I'm aware of that - but a mute swan? Trying to shut you up, perhaps? Maliciously or in a twisted "it's for your own good" line of thought?
*John shakes his head*
We're getting ahead of what we know and into what we think. We need to diagnose it then we can look for who caused this fate to befall you. There aren't any more medical-magic books on the shelf, are there?
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 06:17 pm (UTC)I'm still convinced, though.Are there different kinds of swan? I thought they were all mute. Another question for Wikipedia. It's a pretty ineffective way of shutting me up, silencing me after dark but letting me run my mouth as much as I want during the day. It'll keep me from going on Newsnight about the BSkyB bid, I suppose.
I didn't notice any, but I wasn't looking. I'm terrified to touch it for fear of breaking the light cycle and making it permanent. Wait, maybe that's the point of the light cycle- if it were 24/7 I'd be completely incapacitated and we wouldn't be afraid to tamper with the spell because we couldn't make it any worse, but this way we won't touch it until we're sure we won't do more harm than good.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 06:35 pm (UTC)*Checks his watch*
You've not got much longer, Chris, and my wife will be sure to inflict a great amount of pain on me if I spend another night in Peter's house rather than with her.
*John picks up a few books then changes his mind. Instead he takes the sheet of paper out of his pocket and copies the title and author on to a new piece.*
This is the book I was looking at before and I think it may help us work out what's happened to you. Unfortunately the copy I came across had a page missing that I'd really like to know the contents of. I'll have a look around and see if I can find it anywhere, but a second pair of eyes can't hurt. Could you attempt to locate a copy - this exact edition, if you please?
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 06:47 pm (UTC)You slept over here? Trying to figure out how to break my curse? *Chris is momentarily, and unusually, lost for words*
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 06:53 pm (UTC)It wasn't intentional, I assure you. I was planning to head home but it got to about 3 a.m. and a copy of Janet Klossop's Animagi Through the Ages suddenly seemed like the most comfortable of pillows.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-04-29 06:58 pm (UTC)See you tomorrow, John.