Is Cassius death curse in effect already?

[Mira]

To be clear, we have exactly one instance of the "Cassius Effect."  We don't have any other person who has lost a coin in such circumstances.

I don't think it is theory, I don't have time right now to find the exact quote, but the text is clear, that is what happens once the coin is given up.  That is one of the things that upset Cassius so.  So while we don't perhaps have other examples I remember reading in Dead Beat that that was one of the effects when a coin is surrendered.

[morriswalters]

Certainly Cassius thought he could cast a death curse and Harry felt it hit. So no magic feather there.

there was a flare of ugly energies, a flash of unholy purplish light around him, and he spoke words that rang in echoes totally out of proportion to their volume.

"DIE ALONE," he spat.

A flood of power hit me and my vision went black.

The last thing I heard was the snapping of bone.

It's certainly open to discussion on what it means.  For me personally I take it as meaning that at the moments before his death that he will be alone fighting in some last ditch battle. But I am a romantic.

In terms of Cassius aging, his apparent age changed enough so that Harry did recognize him as who he was. So was it a magic feather???

[Mira]

Certainly Cassius thought he could cast a death curse and Harry felt it hit. So no magic feather there.It's certainly open to discussion on what it means.  For me personally I take it as meaning that at the moments before his death that he will be alone fighting in some last ditch battle. But I am a romantic.

In terms of Cassius aging, his apparent age changed enough so that Harry did recognize him as who he was. So was it a magic feather???

But didn't Harry also note how old he looked?  Cassius's may have aged, but he was still Cassius, it wouldn't have been hard to know who he was.. No, no magic feather for this Dumbo.

Well, considering Cassius himself was dying alone, and as bitter and pissed as he was because he felt it was unfair that he couldn't get another coin, he wanted that for Harry as well..  And if you consider at the end of Changes, yes, Harry heard his voice echoing in his head, but the truth of the matter was, Harry was only "mostly dead," he fell into Mab's arms, heard her murmur "hush," was dragged to Demonreach on life support and had his soul walk about.  1] He didn't die. 2] He wasn't alone..  Maybe a wizard would feel any curse thrown by someone dying, magical talent or not.. However unless it is a magical practitioner of some sort, there is very little sting in it.

[Second Aristh]

To be clear, we have exactly one instance of the "Cassius Effect." 

Sort of.  The half-rampires of the Fellowship of St Giles also had the rapid aging once their supernatural sponsor left the picture.

[Ed0517]

Take the shapeshifting.  Sure, Ursiel and Magog's hosts can turn into very impressive battle forms of grape apes and giant demon bears.  BUT, we know that the Alphas can do something very similar, on a smaller scale.  Perhaps the Alphas could turn into giant demon bears if they worked on that. 

MAJOR difference - change in mass.  Harry was quite impressed when Goodman Grey changed his mass, summoning it like Binder summoning his puppets. The Alphas do not gate in ectoplasm. They likely maintain the same - a large wolf is nearly the weight of a man, and some examples of the larger breeds of dogs weigh more than most men - heck, MOUSE does.

Perhaps Marcone had the tiniest bit of magical talents.  Another person with that same amount of talent has neither the need, inclination, knowledge or will to develop that talent.  And so, even with a bit of dabbling, that person is going to die before bringing themselves up to an ordinary wizard level, let alone to the Senior Council level of ability.  Marcone get's a shortcut.  What would have taken him hundreds and hundreds of years has taken him a decade.

What says he could EVER get there? Every little kid who wants to be a major league baseball player - he can work at it, and work at it... but unless you were born with exemplary reflexes, you will never be able to hit a big league fastball. You can hone what you have - but you have a ceiling. He might hit maximum potential - like the Paranetters Harry said will NEVER be White Council level. 

[Ed0517]

I think Lasciel wanted to take out Harry and Hannah with her grudge against Harry was the perfect fit..

Hell hath no fury like a woman Fallen Angel scorned... and Harry scorned Lasciel.

[Ed0517]

Maybe a wizard would feel any curse thrown by someone dying, magical talent or not.. However unless it is a magical practitioner of some sort, there is very little sting in it.

or if you do not have enough power, it just does nothing. You feel it, but it is pretty ineffectual. Like if I gave you a protective vest. Level IV. AR500 strike plates. I then pull out a 9mm pistol and shoot you right in the chest. You are going to feel an impact. But that bullet probably hardly even marked the protective plate. No harm to you at all.