The Sallow Saga - Vol. 1 - In the Shadows of a Legacy [a HL fanfiction]

Chapter 18. The Obscurial

Cassy cautiously approached the young face as Sharp and Sebastian watched with growing concern. There were so many questions Cassy wanted to ask, yet the first one that passed her lips was;
"What's your name?"
"Missy," the young girl looked at them tearfully, "my name is Missy. Are you here to help me?"

Sharp carefully joined Cassy's side and in his most caring voice, he comforted Missy.
"We are here to help Missy, but we need you to return back to your old form. Do you think you can do that for us?" He smiled encouragingly.
Missy sobbed, "I've tried!" As her distress showed more on her features, the mass of energy around her spasmed and recoiled.
"I have tried sir, but I can't!" She sobbed quietly.

Sebastian's heart broke for the vulnerable soul. Each of the children he'd rescued with Ominis had been so delicate and fragile. They'd looked emaciated, dirty, and above all traumatised. It was a wonder that not more of than had followed the same fate as her. Slowly, he pulled Cassy to the side as Sharp continued to sooth and comfort the distressed child.

"Cassy, we've both read about obscurials." He spoke under his breath to avoid Missy overhearing, "there's very little we can do for her, if what she says is true."
"We've at least got to try Seb';" Cassy hastily whispered, "she's just a child! It's just impossible to accept that there's nothing that can be done." She watched as Sharp managed to gain a weak smile from Missy.
"Cassy, believe me, I know! I felt exactly the same when Ann was cursed. Truth be told, I've come to accept that the closer I thought I was getting to a cure, the more harm I caused." Sebastian reasoned, but Cassy shook her head.
"Sebastian, that was different! Ann was cursed with an ancient magic, not unlike..." she paused and stared at the shadow creature attacking the remaining followers below; "Of course..." she whispered. She looked, mortified at Sebastian, who frowned.

"Sebastian, on the day she was cursed, you said Ann only saw goblins, but it was actually Rookwood that cursed her, yes?" She hurriedly asked.
Sebastian frowned, "yes, but I don't see how that..."
"Rookwood's words were, 'children should be seen, and not heard' – weren't they?"
Rubbing his forehead Sebastian sighed, "yes, but Cassy that has nothing to do with..."
Cassy shushed him impatiently, "what if Rookwood's initial cast wasn't actually a curse?"
Sebastian backed away, "that's impossible Cassy, it was! She was cursed by Rookwood with dark ancient magic!"
Cassy shook her head, "no, no – don't you see? If Rookwood had utilised dark ancient magic as a projectile to curse Cassy, he'd have looked like that... thing!" she pointed to the shadow monster.
Sebastian swallowed hard, "so... what? Ann made it all up. All the pain, the hurt?"
"No Sebastian! I think he tried to silence Ann with a silencing spell, it would have stalled her enough that he would be able to obliviate her and leave her non the wiser to what she'd observed!" Cassy hurriedly spoke as excitement got the better of her.
"I'm not sure I follow. How would a silencing or obliviate charm result in Ann's curse?" Sebastian puzzled.
Cassy sighed, "The site of the crime housed a repository, yes? Like Sharp indicated, if a spell impacts an area where tainted, ancient magic has been resting; it can latch on to an energy source if there's enough fuel to stoke it."

"But that makes no sense Cassy, if you're implying what I think you are" Sebastian shook his head vehemently, "Ann never looked like that!" he shouted, pointing at the shadow creature, towering over them.
"Of course not Sebastian!" Cassy sighed, exasperatedly, "Ann was a good and pure soul, she would never have appeared like that. What was she doing when you finally caught up to her that night?"
"She was in agony, she was contorting, gripping her sides. She was just like... like..." he looked down at the crumbling space where they had watched the follower struggle with the dark magic's possession.
"Ann was stronger than that man, Sebastian!" Cassy grabbed his hand and held it tight, "she fought so much harder than he did. She managed to subdue it and contain it."
"Her magic was always weaker after that night," Sebastian choked, "she knew that if she cast too violent a spell, she would be overwhelmed! She held back, she... suppressed her powers!" He looked at Cassy, mortified, before turning to look at Missy, who was still conversing with Sharp, her eyes were drooping now.
"You don't think she manifested her own obscurus?" His legs buckled from beneath him and he leant against the boulder.
"There is always a possibility Sebastian, but no. Ann was aware she belonged in the wizarding world and had no shame in demonstrating her capabilities. I think she was possessed by a strain tainted, ancient magic and had enough skill, strength and courage to fight an impossible fight to contain it! Had she have allowed that power to take over, I fear she would have become almost identical to... that." Cassy looked sadly up at what was once a wizard.