Fifty-third Spell

[courageous_wit]

This hasn't happened in the castle for a while, but people are arriving who share faces with other people. It can be very unsettling. Especially if... if one of those faces is someone who was a very unpleasant person. You know these two people aren't the same but you can't help feeling uneasy.

[she's honestly still a little shaken up about it. She's told herself over and over that this is the Doctor, who is a dear friend of hers]

Anyway, I don't know if anybody's read it, but Dr. Saunders wrote a report some years ago detailing this phenomenon.

Comments

[acesarewild]

I don't need a report to know that some other guy has my face and I want him to just QUIT IT.

[courageous_wit]

He can't help it, I'm afraid.

[acesarewild]

Why the hell not?

[sorry, Hermione, he probably would read the report, but it's clear you already have, so why waste the energy when someone else can just tell him?]

[courageous_wit]

Well... you can't help how you look, can you?

[animusangelus]

Has it happened to you?

[courageous_wit]

I haven't met anyone with my face yet. But I have friends who have doubles.

[animusangelus]

I don't know what I would do.

[courageous_wit]

I'm not sure you have to worry about it.

[toobravehearted]

A physical double is not such an uncommon phenomenon; at least, in my home universe I have come across a few.

[His tone of voice is mild, a general question here.] You're all right, Hermione?

[courageous_wit]

Yes, I suppose you'd be more accustomed to it, Doctor.

[she hesitates] I'm all right. He just caught me off-guard.

[toobravehearted]

Well, when you've come face to face with a copies of your friends or yourself more times than you'd care to admit... [And he stops there and vigorously nods, adding hastily,] That's not to say that the situation isn't unnerving.

[Another nod.] The castle can do that. I think it rather revels in it.

[courageous_wit]

You've had so many adventures, Doctor. I can't wait to hear what you'll be getting up to in the future.

dictated

[dream_reality]

[There's a sigh and a voice that sounds very similar to someone who you've just spoken with, Hermione]

Quite interesting, thank you. Unfortunately it does little to lessen the unsettling nature of the situation. [And yet he doesn't sound too bothered by that]

dictated

[courageous_wit]

No, I agree. It's difficult to make it less unsettling, but it is nice to know people have experienced it before.

dictated

[dream_reality]

Perhaps for some but I make a living out of delving into the dark unknown recesses of the human mind and exposing their souls.

dictated

[courageous_wit]

Ah... Well, I think everyone experiences that with the castle.

[dog_eat_dog]

Why is this so surprising to people? I'm sure everyone knows of someone who looks like someone famous or a celebrity or something.

[courageous_wit]

It's one thing to find someone who looks like a celebrity. It's quite another to meet someone who is you, but from a different world.

[dog_eat_dog]

They wouldn't be me if they were from another world, kid.

[unexpected_adventures]

People with other people's faces? It all sound a bit odd to me. What sort of dark magic could cause such a thing? [Because magic exists within his world also.]

[courageous_wit]

There are spells and potions that can create that illusion, but it's always temporary. For there to exist an actual person... I don't believe that's magic. It's more likely that it's just the result of multiple worlds.

[unexpected_adventures]

Oh really? [Have a bemused hobbit in front of you now, Hermione.] I have to admit I am rather confused on the whole matter, as we hobbits are but simple folk. You seem a very knowledgeable young lady.

[freeslider]

So Paradisa brings in doubles too?

[courageous_wit]

"Too"? As in you've encountered this before?

[freeslider]

Mmhmm. I've met doubles of myself, my friends, even just people I knew in passing. I guess it makes sense. If they exist somewhere in the universe, Paradisa could bring them here.