Work Text:
Unspeakable Granger submits her report, which is uncharacteristically slim, without saying a word. You’ve never seen her so rattled after a mission. Losing a partner is difficult, of course, but she was never exactly thrilled about mentoring the trainee. Besides, Greengrass was clearly unsuited to the work if she couldn’t handle a routine cryptid investigation.
Case: Local Muggle legends recount sightings of a “Word Eater.”
Finding: Confirmed.
Threat level: Extreme and urgent
Type: Unknown. Virus? Curse? New lifeform? Rogue horcrux fragment?
Methods to contain, repel, or weaken: Unknown. Muggles attempt to appease it with songs and book burnings with little effect.
Subject profile: Symptoms include losing control of speech, hearing, and writing in that order. Victims can only use short words. Late stage includes madness, writing and screaming in strange tongues, fugue state. Many Muggles prefer death. I agree. Strangely, afflicts Muggles and wizards alike.
I request a service medal for Trainee Greengrass. She saved me. She said her days were always numbered because of the blood curse. I was wrong about her.
I resign as of today. You should do the same.
Kill yourself before it spreads further.
It’s too late for us.
I’m sorry.
You must burn this.