"I have only ever tried it on demonic kittens."

"I thought you might have heard secondhand."

"I could ask, but mostly even the sort of people who'll admit to knowing Unforgivables won't admit to casting them on humans."

"Fair point. ...How much does literal aim matter, if I miss what happens -"

"If you hit someone else I think they still die. If you don't hit anything living nothing should happen. Maybe it'll leave a dent, powerful spells do that occasionally."

"So not for use in the open or crowds. How fast does it move, can I block it with stuff?"

"Maybe if there's a necklace for reflexes, it's not instantaneous but I've never heard of anyone dodging it. Most people around Melkor would be orcs and we can get 'em back, though."

"I'm imagining getting one of him and Sauron and the other finding shields."

" - plausible, yeah. Could try to teach Minor, strike simultaneously..."

Nod.

"It might have to wait a couple years, though, I don't know if you can even learn them at that age. I was fifteen.... I wonder if Mingling's Valar can hold theirs still for you?"

"Be useful data."

Squeeze. "We don't have to ask but we probably should."

"Yeah. Although, if it doesn't work, will that mean the curse can't kill Valar or that I'm just not very good at it?"

"No idea. I could ask."

"Ask who?"

"I know a guy who tried casting it on a daeva and it didn't work. I don't know if that felt different from failing to cast it right but he will."

"Ah, him. Will he answer an owl or will you have to go be creeped at again."

"He'd answer an owl but he might lie, if I go in person I'll notice a lie."

"Right. Eugh."

Squeeze. "Bothers you a lot more than me, for whatever that's worth."

"It's worth plenty, just, eugh."

"You can come with if you want. He's already seen a demon and I'll need to summon someone as backup."

"It would probably make me feel better to glare at him, am I allowed to glare at him."

"Yeah, probably, just don't expect him to be - chastened, or whatever."