[MEANWHILE. IN THE LIBRARY.] #06* Luke got lost a couple times on the way here, but he always managed to straighten himself out after a few minutes by getting directions from a helpful portrait. He peeks in the door and looks around. #06* Simmie has found a small corner near a window. The library is pretty safe for the first few days of a new session, especially since the students tend to stay away because they're trying to get used to new schedules and classes. It's not terribly hard to sneak past a few stubborn Ravenclaws to find a place out of the way so she doesn't bother anyone. She's managed to find a table with two chairs next to each other. #06* Simmie has stacked up a number of books in one of the two chairs and on top of that stack sits a stuffed bear wearing wizarding robes, glasses, and a hat. He seems to be watching passively (as teddy bears are wont to do) out of the window. Simmie is partially standing on the chair and partially leaning on the table (big chairs are hard to manage) and is drawing something on a large sheet of paper and singing softly to herself. Next to them is a child-sized backpack, which is open showing a few books, some toys, a jump rope and other odds and ends. * Simmie is a little short for a seven year old. She is wearing a blue plaid jumper dress and a grey sweater covering her white top. Matching blue ribbons (neatly tied) gather her long, blonde hair into pigtails, though as the day has progressed, a few strands seem to have escaped their bonds due to rather heavy play. She has very intense blue eyes, which seem to always be wide with curiousity and wonder. #06* Luke wanders inside, closing the door behind him carefully. He walks as quietly as he can, but he still looks self-conscious at every little noise he makes. Time to find a quiet corner... He walks farther back, and blinks in surprise as he rounds a bookcase and finds a kid half his age standing in one of the library chairs. #06* Luke hesitates a moment, then says in his library voice, "Um, hello." #06* Simmie freezes, quite visibly startled by the voice. She turns her head to look, her mouth open in surprise. She doesn't move for a few seconds. #06* Luke startles in turn, eyes flying open. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." #06* Simmie blinks a few times. "im sorry. i can go... i was... i..." #06* Luke blinks. "You don't have to go..." #06* Simmie stands up and turns her head to the side. "it's okay.. i'm supposed to stay out of the way" #06* Luke smiles at her, a little hesitant even as he tries to be reassuring. "You're not in the way! You're all the way back here. I'm the one who came up and bothered you." Auntie is going to be mad. 'be like a quiet little mouse,' she says. 'nobody minds the quiet little mouse' #06* Simmie suddenly turns and looks at the bear on the stack of books and frowns. #06* Luke blinks. "Who's your auntie?" #06* Simmie sighs and turns back to look at Luke. "my mom's sister?" #06* Luke blinks more. "Um...that's not quite what I meant. Is she a teacher?" yes! #06* Simmie smiles. "she teaches arithmancy. numbers and stuff" Oh. So...you live here with her? And she told you to stay out of the way? #06* Simmie nods in that overexaggerated way that seven year olds do. Oh. #06* Luke smiles brightly at Simmie. "Well, you're not in my way!" What're you drawing? are you sure? #06* Luke nods, still smiling. "Yep!" * Simmie looks down at the paper. She picks it up and shows it to Luke. There are two rather large personly figures, one which seems to be in a dress, standing next to a smaller personly figure. the smaller one has blonde hair and blue eyes... not dissimilar to Simmie's blonde hair and intensely blue eyes (if she was drawn by a seven year old). The three figures seem to be standing under a tree having a picnic. * Luke looks closely at the picture and points to the smallest person. "Is that you?" yes Who're the other people? mummy and daddy as best as i remember Mr. Bear went to go get more honey because we were out and he saw some bees but there is his plate #06* Simmie points to a circle on the hash-marked square under the treething #06* Luke looks momentarily stricken at the "as best as I can remember" line. Maybe he shouldn't have asked, but...he tries to smile again as Simmie keeps talking. "Did he find it?" yeppers! he didn't even get stung once! #06* Luke 's smile gets better, actually reaching his eyes now. "Wow, that's really good!" #06* Simmie beams. "really?" Yeah. I bet getting honey without getting stung at all is really hard. it is... Mr. Bear gets all sticky. i can't do it. i get stung. Mr. Bear is an espert! #06* Luke smiles. "Good for him!" #06* Simmie smiles. She brushes a few strands of her long blonde hair away from her face and then sticks out her hand rather matter of factly. "I'm Simmie. What's your name?" #06* Luke shakes. "Luke. It's nice to meet you, Simmie." #06* Simmie bends down and picks up the bear-wizard. "This is Mr. Bear." She holds Mr. Bear out to shake hands with Luke, too. #06* Luke 's eyes crinkle but he solemnly shakes hands with Mr. Bear, too. "Hello, Mr. Bear." #06* Simmie beams. She then turns Mr. Bear to look him in the face. "There! Introductions!" She giggles a little bit and sets him back down on top of the stack of books. #06* Simmie turns back to Luke. She pulls herself up and makes a stern face. She drops her voice saying, "Now now... we have to be polite, Simmie" as if imiating someone. #06* Luke blinks, then grins. "Does your auntie say that? Or Mr. Bear?" Both. But Auntie says it like this, "Simmral... a lady is polite at all times" #06* Simmie wags her finger sternly. #06* Luke giggles, then covers his mouth with his hand. #06* Simmie catches Luke giggling and starts to giggle herself. do you like candy? #06* Luke blinks at the sudden subject change, but then he says, "Sure! Most candy, anyway." #06* Simmie bends over and reaches into her small canvas backpack, pulling out a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. #06* Simmie opens the box and hands it to Luke Oh, thanks! But, um...I don't have anything to share. that's okay! i have lots! #06* Luke looks over his shoulder at his backpack, as if expecting it to materialize something. Oh, well...if you're sure... yep! #06* Simmie smiles expectantly #06* Luke smiles at her again. "Thanks." He reaches over and takes a bean. Relatively quickly, because he doesn't want to be choosing over her candy that she's sharing with him, after all. He snags a bright green one and pops it in his mouth. #06* Simmie watches Luke closely #06* Simmie leans forward so she can have a clear view of his face. #06* Luke 's eyes flash wide open and his mouth puckers up. After a moment, he swallows, then grins at Simmie. "Lime," he says. Your turn! #06* Simmie claps excitedly. "okay!" #06* Simmie reaches into the box and picks out a light brown one. She looks at Luke and grins before putting it in her mouth (probably further than you would if you weren't seven). Soon she closes her eyes tightly and winces. "haggis!" she exclaims, and then breaks out into giggles. #06* Simmie sticks out her tongue. not my favorite #06* Luke laughs. "Better than dirt or something." #06* Simmie nods knowingly. "yep. so... what are you doing in the library? you aren't wearing their robes," she gestures towards the area near the entrance where the Ravenclaws are Oh, I was going to meet a friend here. She had to do something right after class, but we figured we could meet up here. We both like books. oh yeah? i like books too! Yeah? What do you like to read about? everything! #06* Luke grins. "Guess that makes sense. Do you have a favorite?" #06* Simmie puts her hand on her chin and thinks for a moment. "yes. i like stories best." arithmancy is boring #06* Luke laughs. "Better not say that in front of your auntie. I like stories, too, though." really? #06* Luke nods. "Mm-hm. I like history, 'cause the stories are all true!" #06* Simmie bends over and grabs her backpack and pulls out a history book on wizards and witches. "this has some really good stories" #06* Simmie grins #06* Luke looks at it, opening it up to flip past a couple of pages. Then he looks back up at Simmie, blinking. This book is at about *his* reading level - or at least, at about the level of his textbooks. He's a pretty good reader, too. "...this does look like a pretty good book. You can read it all by yourself?" #06* Simmie nods. #06* Luke 's eyebrows rise. "Wow. You must be pretty smart, then. Bet your auntie's proud of you." #06* Simmie shrugs. "she's busy a lot. but i guess so" #06* Luke 's face falls again, but he nods. "I'm sure she is." #06* Simmie points at a page. "that's my favorite one!" Hm? #06* Luke looks at it more closely. she was really neat! she went around to old sites finding things that were lost or making them safe for people to go to she found this one cave with a large statue in it and as she got close, the statue came to life! Oh, wow! What did it do? it started smashing things and chasing her around the whole place #06* Luke 's eyes go wide again. "Uh-oh. What'd *she* do?" she outsmarted it! #06* Luke grins. " 'Course she did." yeppers! and then she got this bracelet and she had to take it back to the Ministry because it was powerful and they didn't want it to get into the hands of any bad people #06* Luke nods. "That makes sense. What happened to the statue?" she set it free. it turns out it wasn't really a statue. it was another wizard who had been turned into the statue by the person who had the bracelet before Ohh. They must've been a bad wizard. #06* Simmie nods. i like that story lots you should read it Yeah, I guess I should! Is that a library book? yes, but i checked it out so you can borrow it just don't keep it. its a library book #06* Eliana comes rounding a corner between stacks, looking around at all of the books. She's been searching for a little while, as the library's huge and the books are varied, and it's everything a big, old library should be. "Luke?" she calls, trying not to be too loud. She's now ink-free thanks to Slughorn's spell, and she has her muggle backpack cross shoulder, just like before. #06* Luke was about to answer Simmie but he looks up as he hears Eliana's voice. "Over here!" he calls quietly. #06* Simmie stops and shoots Luke a panicked look. #06* Luke looks back at Simmie and blinks. "It's okay." Your auntie just doesn't want you going up to the students and bothering them, right? She can't get mad if the students come up to you. #06* Simmie looks worried. she sits down on the edge of the table, her feet kicking nervously back and forth. #06* Luke grins at Simmie. #06* Simmie nods. usually they don't see me so i don't have to worry #06* Simmie bites her lip nervously. "are you sure its okay?" #06* Luke nods. "It's not your fault I found you back here. I can tell your auntie so, if you like." #06* Eliana brightens at Luke's response and hurries over, then slows to a stop about ten feet away when she sees Simmie. "Hello?" #06* Simmie looks at Eliana and then back at Luke. she stops kicking her feet (because it is a nervous habit which ladies do not do, apparently) #06* Luke glances at Eliana and smiles. "Hi, Eliana!" He beckons her closer. "Sorry, this is Simmie. She's the arithmancy teacher's niece. I met her when I was looking for a place to wait for you. Simmie, this is my friend Eliana." Oh, um, and this is Mr. Bear. #06* Simmie waves a little. #06* Simmie looks at Eliana and then at the box of Every Flavor beans. she picks up the box and then offers it to Eliana. "want a piece of candy?" #06* Eliana hesitates, but she walks over when Luke waves her over. New people, okay. And a little kid, too. She focuses on Simmie. "Hi," she says, and then blinks at the candy. #01 Sure? Thanks. #06* Simmie smiles. #06* Luke grins at her a little. "Um, be careful. They're Every Flavor Beans. You never really know what you're going to get." #06* Eliana takes one of the beans, this one red, because red ones are the best ones muggle-side. She looks to Luke at his warning, then at the bean. don't worry... Auntie made me stop licking them and putting the bad ones back *ages* ago #06* Eliana frowns at the bean in her hand, then puts it into her mouth. Her eyes start watering. "I think it's a radish," she squeaks, before chewing-swallowing as quickly as possible. #06* Luke bursts out laughing and then claps his hand over his mouth. "Um...that's...good," he manages. #06* Simmie giggles. Simmie got a haggis-flavored one earlier. #06* Eliana wipes tears from her eyes. "*Really*?" She looks at Simmie, then at Luke. #01 Why do people still eat them! Radish isn't so bad. I got a bark-flavored one once. #06* Simmie reaches into the box and pulls out a bluish bean before offering the box to Luke. She puts the bean in her mouth and winces. "ink!" she giggles again. #06* Eliana starts at that before looking at her hand. And then frowns, puzzled, before checking bits of her robes. And then rubbing at her ear, and then trying to check her reflection in the window. #06* Simmie sticks out her tongue (it's blue). because they're fun! #06* Luke grins. " 'Cause it can be kind of fun, seeing what you get. I mean, there're normal ones like apple and everything, too..." He trails off as he picks a bean, and then looks at Eliana in surprise. Um...are you okay? #01 I got ink on my hand at the end of potions. Oh, um...and...it's gone? i get ink on my hands sometimes too #06* Simmie holds up her hands to show a few spots of different colored ink #01 Then I rubbed it on my robes a couple of times because I didn't know what to do, and later I put my hands on my ears when Professor Slughorn was saying the password to get into the headmistress' office. And just now I rubbed it on my eyes... #01 Do I have any on my face? It's gone somehow. Maybe it was magic. I- oh, um... that's a lot of ink. #06* Simmie 's eyes get really big. "You had to go to the Headmistress's office! eeep!" #01 Yeah, because I don't want to wear skirts. #06* Luke peers at Eliana. "I don't see any on you...oh!" He turns to Simmie. "She was going to ask her something, not 'cause she was in trouble." #06* Simmie looks puzzled. #06* Eliana is still kind of distracted, and she looks at Luke. "Do I have ink on my face?" #06* Luke shakes his head. "Nope, not any. ...maybe Professor Slughorn cleaned it off for you?" you want to walk around in your underwear? Auntie says you can't do that Mr. Bear won't approve either. underwear is what goes UNDER your clothes #06* Eliana pauses, thinking, as she folds her arms. "No, I'm going to wear pants, like the boys do," she says, clearly not paying full attention to Simmie quite yet. She closes her eyes briefly, then opens them. "The staircase!" #06* Luke looks at Simmie and can't help giggling. Then back to Eliana. "What?" #01 I was distracted on the staircase! I bet that's when he did it. Headmistress McGonagall *totally* wouldn't- oh. #06* Simmie frowns. but you're not a boy #01 She has a moving staircase. Kind of like an escalator, only it's spiral and more fun. Oh, really? Neat! #06* Eliana blinks at Simmie. "Well, *yeah*." Girls wear pants too sometimes, though. #06* Simmie nods thoughtfully. #01 She's kind of scary, though. The headmistress, I mean. I got mad at her because she seemed really unreasonable about it at first, but Professor Slughorn explained to me that she has to try to make everyone happy, even if their opinions are stupid and outdated, because they have power and that's the way things work. did she think you wanted to wear just underwear at first too? #06* Eliana rolls her eyes. "No." #06* Simmie nods. #06* Luke blinks at Eliana. "Oh. I guess that's true. But, um, she did let you?" #01 Yes! #06* Eliana frowns. Good! #06* Luke starts to smile, and then Eliana frowns. #01 But then she told me not to compare the non-magical world with the magical one, next time she saw me in her office. #06* Simmie takes a white bean out of the box of Every Flavor beans and pops it in her mouth as she listens. "ooooo!" she squeals. "sugar cane!" #01 And she wouldn't tell me *why*. Well...I guess they are really different, but...I don't really know how, since I don't know anything about the, um, non-magic world. #01 People are people. I bet they have the same reasons for doing things, whether they're magic or not. Wouldn't comparing them be valuable? #06* Simmie starts kicking her legs back and forth under the table again, listening to Luke and Eliana. #06* Luke blinks. "That's true, too. I dunno." Maybe it'd make those same people mad? I mean, the other people she has to try to make happy. #06* Eliana folds her arms, still thinking out loud. "Maybe. Maybe that's why? She is way older than me, and she's got a lot of stuff I didn't even think about that she needs to be worried about." #01 But... the non-magic world's all I really know. Why would I drop what helps *me* understand things just to make someone else comfortable? Well...it's not like she told you not to *think* about it, right? #06* Simmie listens intently, then quietly raises her hand. Maybe she just meant you shouldn't talk about it sometimes...hm? #06* Luke turns to look at Simmie. #06* Eliana blinks. "Yeah," she says. "I didn't think of that." And then she looks at Simmie, curiously, because well - people don't raise hands to get her attention. #06* Simmie waits patiently to be called on. #01 ... Yes? Simmie? what's so different between the world and the non-magic world? #01 I don't really know. That's why I'm kind of confused. I mean, there's the obvious differences. like? #01 There's a lot *more* non-magic people than magic people. non-magic people? like muggles? #01 And non-magic people don't have magic. So they use other things instead, like technology, which you develop through an understanding of science instead of magic. #01 Yeah, right. Exactly. science? #01 So instead of, um... a magically moving staircase, you have an escalator or an elevator, which works on electricity. #06* Luke has absolutely no idea what she's talking about, but he just listens quietly as Simmie's doing a pretty good job asking questions. #06* Simmie frowns. "um... electricity... what's that?" #01 Oh! You basically harness power, or energy, from one source, and you send it in an electric current through wires - it's kind of like lightning, I guess is the best way to put it - to another source. oh... do you need a wand to use electricity? #01 And then you use it to power that source. So that's how non-magic people can get things like television and computers and phones to work. Or escalators. #06* Eliana shakes her head. #01 Nope, they don't need wands. But I think it might get in the way, because at Hogwarts electricity doesn't work right. #01 Or I'd be able to use my phone, at least until it ran out of battery. #06* Eliana sighs. She misses her phone. Huh, really? #01 Yeah... I found out yesterday. #01 It sucks, too, because I really wanted to listen to music. My roommates are *annoying*. Oh. I'm sorry. How come? #06* Simmie looks thoughtful, but still somewhat puzzled. #01 They're just... kind of dumb. I don't know. Maybe they're not dumb, but they wouldn't shut up and didn't talk about anything interesting. Just like every girl I didn't like at my old school. #06* Eliana shrugs. "Maybe it's not their fault. I'm not used to having roommates." She moves her backpack from off her shoulder and sets it on the table, clear of any books or bears. Oh. Yeah, I share with Matthew and Mark at home. #06* Luke grins some. "Mark can be kind of loud sometimes." #06* Eliana blinks, trying to remember. "Which one is that?" Oh, sorry. Um, the thinner one. He has sort of reddish hair. #01 Oh! He's the one who probably has a phoenix feather core, right? #06* Luke blinks. "Yeah. Wow. You have a good memory." #06* Eliana smiles a little. "Yeah, um... I guess I do. It's really easy for me to remember things." #01 Uncle Nerius asks me about random things that happened all the time, just to see if I remember them. #06* Luke grins. "That's really cool. That you can, I mean. Bet it comes in handy in class." #06* Eliana smiles more fully. "Yeah!" #01 I don't generally like memorization tables, though. I mean, they can be useful! But they're usually not as interesting as other stuff. #06* Luke nods. #01 So you have to share with both of them? That's got to suck. I'd hate sharing with my brothers. #06* Luke grins. "It's not so bad. I get along with both of them, mostly. They just don't always get along with each other." #06* Simmie listens quietly. #06* Eliana giggles a little. "Yeah, well. That's good. I don't get along with my brothers that well." #01 Charles is a jerk most of the time, and Gabriel's just really quiet. He spends a lot of time with Mom still. Oh, that's too bad. #06* Eliana shrugs. "It's okay." #06* Luke glances at Simmie, but definitely thinks better of asking if she has any brothers or sisters. #06* Simmie has pulled Mr. Bear next to her, so they're both sitting on the edge of the table. If Mr. Bear's legs were longer, they'd probably be kicking back and forth like Simmie's are. Um, I was talking to Simmie before you came. She likes to read, too. Check it out. #06* Luke holds out the history book Simmie was showing him before. #01 Yeah? #06* Simmie nods. #06* Eliana takes the book and looks it over. "History, huh." She opens to a random place in the book and starts skimming. my favorite one is on page 84. #06* Eliana flips turns to page eighty-four. "An Account of Agatha Salamance, Curse Breaker." Her eyes scan the page, then she flips it and starts reading the next one. "Wow, this is..." She looks at Luke, then at Simmie. "This is pretty advanced." #06* Luke nods at her. "Yeah." #06* Simmie nods knowingly. "yes. you have to be pretty smart to be a curse breaker" and brave #01 Yeah? What's a curse breaker do? #06* Eliana hasn't finished reading, after all, and it's not like the book necessarily includes a job description. they go into ancient places and find things and bring them back. most of the time the places they go have spells or charms or curses protecting them Agatha found a bracelet in the story it is pretty dangerous work, though people die sometimes, even when they're really really really careful #06* Eliana nods. but it is their jobs #06* Luke nods, too. "It does sound dangerous. Interesting, though. I bet you can learn a lot from going all those places." #06* Simmie looks a bit misty-eyed. #06* Simmie nods. #06* Luke blinks at Simmie and then looks at her drawing, wondering. #06* Simmie wipes her eyes with her whole hand. "you can learn lots of things... important things" #06* Eliana tilts her head, book still in her hands. "Are you okay?" #06* Simmie blinks a few times and then looks at Eliana. she nods and squeaks out a rather unconvincing "yes". #06* Eliana nods and takes that totally at face value - or at least, she seems to. She hands the book back to Luke. #06* Luke takes the book, still biting his lip. Then he holds it out to Simmie. "Here. I'll check it out from the library after you're done with it." #06* Simmie nods. "ive read it. i was bringing it back" Oh. #06* Luke smiles at her a little. "Then I guess I can borrow it now. Thanks for showing it to me." #06* Simmie smiles. "you're welcome!" #06* Eliana digs around in her bag, coming up with a few click top ballpoint pens. She selects one and hands it to Luke. "Here." #06* Luke takes this, too, and then blinks at it. And then turns his puzzled expression on Eliana. "What is it?" #01 It's a pen. I brought some, like I said I would. #01 See, um... #06* Simmie looks at the pen curiously. Oh, um...thank you. does it work with electricity? #06* Eliana digs in her bag again and comes up with notes from earlier that day. She pushes the bag to the floor and flips the parchment so she'd be writing on the back. #01 Nope! It works on ink, like with a quill, but you can't spill it on yourself. #06* Luke turns it over, examining it, then pays attention to Eliana, as apparently she's demonstrating. #01 Electronics don't work in Hogwarts, remember? no i don't have any #06* Eliana blinks at Simmie, then says, "Well, they don't. Some day I'll find out why and then maybe a way to get them to work." maybe you can learn how to cast electricity like muggles can! #01 Um... non-magical people can't cast things, really? But something like that, yeah. they can't cast things? really? #01 Yeah, really. but... #06* Luke tilts his head. "I think they do other stuff, instead." #06* Simmie looks at Luke. #06* Luke looks at Eliana. "Well, um. On the train Eliana was telling me about something that she said was like Potions, but not." #06* Simmie frowns and then back at Eliana. "something like something but not that something?" like transfigured something? #01 No, like... i mean you could have a box with legs... which would be like a box, but more like a box with legs i mean because boxes usually don't follow you, but if it had legs it could follow you #06* Eliana sets her pen down. "Like, chemistry. It's a branch of science, and it's the study of chemical reactions and matter." a branch of science... like electricity... #01 So it involves a lot of experiments that are *like* the brewing we do in potions class. Only it's not, because in potions, we're not concerned with the elements off of the periodic tables, or atoms and molecules, but rather magical properties and something that seems kind of like spells stored into potions. #01 Chemistry doesn't have any magic in it at all. Anyone can do it, not just wizards. periodic tables? #01 Yeah, the periodic table of elements, um... I don't have one here and I can't get one off the internet because it won't *work*, but basically, there's a bunch of atoms that make up everything that people know about in the non-magical world, and each different kind of atom is a different element. so escalators have different atoms than a phone? #06* Simmie looks puzzled again. #06* Eliana furrows her brow. "Some of them are probably different, but it's a composition of those atoms that make molecules, and then the molecules make what we know as things like skin. Or steel. Or the wood in our wands." #01 And you use those to make machines, like escalators and phones. Or, you know, medicine. Or *anything*. #01 Chemistry's super important. so you can make anything you want out of atoms? #06* Luke frowns, trying to digest this. "So...you mix atoms together, and they make other stuff. Like in Potions. But, um, more different kinds of stuff?" #01 I dunno. I'm not an expert. I only barely got to *hear* about chemistry in science class before I came to Hogwarts. But yeah... if you figure out the reaction, and get all of the components right, you can probably make whatever you want. But I bet it's really hard, and chemists haven't figured it all out yet. what do atoms look like? do you have any? #06* Eliana grins. "We all have them." #01 They're really really tiny. #01 And they make up EVERYTHING. what do you keep them in? #06* Eliana points at Simmie. "You're made of atoms," she declares. me?! #01 Yup. #01 Teeny tiny atoms. #01 They make the molecules that make you. #06* Luke blinks, then grins at Simmie's reaction. #06* Simmie looks at her arm closely. molecules? #01 You can't see them. They're too small. #06* Simmie frowns. then how do you know they're there at all? #01 Scientists have microscopes that they use to see them. What's a microscope? #06* Simmie looks at Luke and then back at Eliana and nods. #06* Eliana blinks at Luke. Simmie's been asking all of the questions lately. But at least she's getting used to the fact that these two have no idea what anything is. #01 It's something that magnifies so you can see stuff that's really small. #06* Luke always gets beaten to asking the questions! Oh. Would it work at Hogwarts? #06* Eliana thinks. #01 One that isn't electronic, I bet... #01 I don't own one but the one I used for class wasn't. but if we could cast electricity! #06* Eliana rolls her eyes. "You can't *cast* electricity." #06* Eliana frowns. #01 Unless you could. #01 Maybe you could cast electricity and nobody knows they're doing it. #06* Luke blinks. "How do you cast something without knowing it?" #01 Well, I mean! like when you get scared? #01 Electricity is just energy, right? #01 So if you took it and converted it to the right form, then it'd be electricity. #01 And magic *probably* uses energy, or how would it work? Oh. I guess that's true. #06* Luke considers. "Huh. Maybe we can get your phone to work, and you can listen to music again." He grins at Eliana. #06* Eliana talks more and more excitedly. "So that could be why electronics don't work, because all of the magic is scrambling it, because it's electricity *too*. And it basically shorts!" #01 Yeah, that'd be awesome! #01 Professor Slughorn said it's really complicated and that he can barely understand it himself, but maybe if I get a hang of magical theory I can read a book that'd explain it, at least from the magical end. what's a phone? #06* Eliana is gesturing now, and clicking her pen, but then Simmie says that and she abruptly stops. And looks at her. And then shakes her head. "Right, right." #01 Non-magical people use them to talk to each other over long distances. #01 Mine can look stuff up on the internet - that's like an information network - and play music, too. And it has a camera. It takes pictures. it has a what? #01 A camera. I'd show you, but I can't. Huh. It can do a lot for something so little. Though I guess wands can, too. #06* Eliana makes a face. "That's what I hear. I haven't had to use it yet, except in potions." #01 I am *so glad* I'm not bad at potions. #06* Luke grins. "Nobody's bad at everything. You might have some classes you're not as good at, but of course you're good at some of them, too." #06* Eliana shakes her head. "That's not really true. Some people are bad at all of their classes, and some are good at all of them." how do you know if you're good or bad at something? #06* Eliana blinks at Simmie. "You try it and find out." hmmm but i'm not allowed to #06* Eliana frowns. "Yeah, that's pretty normal. Adults like to say it's for your own good." #06* Simmie nods. Well, um. Sometimes it is. Mark turned himself plaid once and couldn't figure out how to get back. #06* Eliana stares at Luke, then she bursts into giggles. #06* Simmie giggles. #06* Luke grins, too. #01 But he's not plaid now! What happened? Oh, Mom fixed him. Took her a while to figure out how, he couldn't really explain what he'd done. He, um, borrowed Matthew's wand right after he got it, and was playing with it. Matthew was really mad. Said it served him right. #01 Wands don't work as well with people who don't own them, right? #06* Luke nods. "Yeah. Some more than others." 'S why you have to be so careful to get the right wand. #06* Eliana nods, then grins. "I'll try to stick to my own wand, then." i have glue! #06* Simmie leans over and starts rummaging around in her backpack #06* Luke blinks at Simmie, wondering how glue is relevant to wands. #06* Eliana is also somewhat confused. #06* Simmie pulls out a small tub of Gorgoffs Sticky Paste. "you'll really stick to your wand with this!" she giggles uncontrollably at her obviously so hysterical joke. #06* Luke looks at Simmie and starts to giggle, as much because of her expression as the actual joke. #06* Eliana shakes her head. That joke was *bad*. #06* Simmie puts the paste back, still giggling to herself because that was the funniest joke in the history of jokes told at this moment by and for seven year olds. #01 So, um... right, so... #06* Eliana clicks the pen and looks at it, then leans over the parchment. #01 So you click the top to bring the ball down to the bottom, and that rolls and releases ink as it does so. It's smoother than a quill. #01 See... #06* Eliana starts writing: 'My name is Eliana, and I'm writing with a ballpoint pen.' #06* Simmie is still giggling, but trying to get herself under control as she watches Eliana with the clicky thing #06* Eliana removes it. "It's a lot easier to get fine lines this way, and it's also a lot less messy. It can't blotch as much, and all the ink's contained in the pen." #01 So you don't need to dip it or anything. #06* Luke leans over to watch, then looks back at the pen in his hand. He clicks one end, then goes cross-eyed looking at the other end trying to see this "ball" thing. #06* Eliana snortgiggles a little at Luke's expression, covering her mouth with both hands. #06* Simmie stiffles another giggle. Oh, I see! The ink comes down onto one side of the ball from inside the pen, and then the ball rolls as you write and the ink comes down onto the bottom to make the line. Right? #01 Yeah, exactly! Neat! Can I try? #06* Eliana nods. "Sure!" She moves aside, closer to Simmie, to give Luke room to write on the parchment. i want to try! #06* Eliana blinks at Simmie, then smiles. "Okay." She gives Simmie her pen. #01 Just don't press too hard. #01 I have notes on the other side. #06* Luke writes! His handwriting is kind of awkward at first, because the pen is bigger than the quills he's used to, but he gets the hang of it after a little bit. #06* Simmie shoots a look at Mr. Bear. She looks back to Eliana. "i mean. may I please try, too?" #01 Yes, you may. #06* Luke smiles at Simmie and steps aside for her, looking at the pen again. Doesn't it run out of ink really fast? It's really small, there's not much room in there. #06* Eliana shakes her head. "It doesn't use as much ink to write with as you'd think." #06* Simmie reaches into her backpack and pulls out another sheet of parchment. She lays it down on the table and then rolls over so she's laying on the top of the table, her feet up in the air. She's propped herself up with one elbow. She takes the pen in her free hand and writes her name. #01 It can dry out eventually - retracting the ball helps with that. Oh, hm. #06* Luke clicks the end of the pen again experimentally, and the ball goes away again. #06* Simmie seems really focused. when the pen starts writing, she giggles. #06* Simmie looks at her piece of parchment with the letters S I M M R A L written on it. she turns her head from side to side and looks generally pleased. so how do you make it change colors? #01 Huh? #01 Um, you can't, unless you have different colored ink. Or magic, maybe? But the pens aren't magic, so... oh #01 Some pens have a lot of different colors of ink, and you can use one color or another in the same pen. But most don't. #06* Simmie clicks the button on the end. #06* Simmie clicks it again. #06* Simmie clicks it again again. #06* Eliana watches Simmie click. #06* Simmie clicks it again again again. #06* Eliana offers, after a long series of clicks, "You can keep it. If you want." #06* Simmie stops clicking mid-click and looks at Eliana. "really?" #06* Eliana smiles. "Sure." thank you! #01 I'm gonna send my uncle a letter anyway. I could just ask for more pens. And some highlighters and stuff. #06* Simmie goes back to happily clicking the pen button. #06* Eliana blinks as she remembers. "Oh!" She looks at Luke. "Have you seen the owlery yet?" #01 Vesper said he'd show it to me after dinner so I can send my letter. #06* Luke shakes his head. "No, and I need to go see Alannah...oh. I was gonna ask Matthew to show me. Is Vesper your prefect?" I mean, one of them. #06* Eliana considers the question. "I... don't know. Are head boys prefects, too?" #06* Luke blinks, then stares at Eliana for a moment. "The Head Boy is taking you to the owlery?" #01 ... Yes? I mean, he took me to see Professor Slughorn yesterday. woooooooo! ...huh. #06* Eliana blinks at Simmie. That was random. #06* Luke shakes himself. "Um, I think the Head Boy and Girl are picked from the prefects, and they're in charge of them? So I guess they kind of are. But, um, usually it's the fifth-year prefects who take care of the first-years." #06* Simmie isn't really listening. she's managed to draw on her hand with the pen and seems interested in the fact that that worked. #06* Simmie is also kind of surprised it just tickled a little rather than being scratchy, like she's had some experience with quills being scratchy when you write on yourself or something. #01 Oh. Felix Blackstone! #01 Yeah, he showed us to the common room. If I didn't ask Vesper, I would've asked him. #06* Luke blinks, then nods. Um...can I come with you? Not that Matthew would mind showing me, but that way he doesn't have to, and...maybe Alannah can take your letter? #01 ... Really? That'd be great! #01 I'm sure Vesper won't mind. I'll ask him at dinner. #06* Luke brightens, grinning. "Okay. Thanks!" #06* Simmie writes more things on the parchment, sentences mostly... in perfect 7 year old handwriting #06* Eliana grins back before looking at what Simmie's doing, because she does have her notes. #06* Simmie has written the first four sentences on page 84 about Agatha Salamance, and seems to be continuing. #01 That's from page eighty-four, isn't it? #06* Simmie stops and looks up at Eliana. She nods. #01 You've got a really good memory, too. i guess so #06* Eliana smiles at Simmie. "I know so." #06* Simmie smiles back. #01 Not a lot of people can do that. This is exactly the same. really? #06* Luke nods. "I couldn't copy it exactly without looking." hmmmm... is that bad? #06* Eliana frowns. #01 If anyone says it's *bad*, they're wrong. What? That you can do it, or that I can't? #06* Simmie looks at Eliana and then at Luke and then just simply confused. #06* Eliana addresses both: "Not being able to remember something exactly is normal." #01 There's nothing wrong with it. That's just how most people are. #06* Luke glances at Eliana, then back to Simmie's confused look. "Sorry, Simmie. Didn't mean to confuse you." #01 You can remember words exactly, and that's not normal. But it's good, not bad. oh okay #06* Luke nods. "Having a good memory is really useful!" i can remember lots of things #06* Luke smiles at Simmie. "It helps you in school, and I bet you never lose anything the way other people do, right?" #06* Simmie shakes her head no in response to Luke's question. #06* Eliana nods, then says, "Hey, do you also... um." She stops, glancing at Luke, then looks at Simmie. "How do you remember stuff?" how do i remember stuff? #01 Yeah. #06* Luke blinks at Eliana's look, but stays quiet. #01 Like, do you just... visualize the page, exactly as you saw it? #01 Or do you remember the words, or do you remember things associated with the words...? i don't know... #01 Okay. i don't usually think about it #06* Eliana nods, then smiles a little. "I was just curious." but like this one... i... guess i just see it #01 Like the page itself, from the book you read? Page eighty-four? yes #01 Okay. That's really cool. #06* Simmie seems to be thinking about things. she nods. "yeah, i just start thinking about them and i see them" #06* Eliana nods, then glances at her watch. At least that works in Hogwarts. "Crap." She starts gathering her things. "I still need to write my letter to Uncle Nerius." do you need more parchment so you don't have to write on your notes? #01 No, I have more. I just didn't bring it to the library. #06* Eliana rolls up said parchment carefully, in any case, and puts it in her backpack. She also grabs the extra pens. #06* Simmie shrugs. "okay" #06* Luke goes briefly wide-eyed at the swear word, but then he nods vigorously. "Um. So, I'll see you after dinner?" #06* Eliana doesn't even think of it as a swear word, so she looks at Luke curiously for a moment before letting it go and smiling. "Sure!" She shoulders her backpack and turns to Simmie, holding her hand out to her for a seven-year-old shake. "It was nice meeting you, Simmie." #06* Simmie sits up and smiles. she holds her hand out and shakes Eliana's hand. "and you too!" #06* Eliana lets go and heads off, waving at both of them on her way out. #06* Luke waves back at Eliana, then looks down at Simmie. "Hm. Guess I'd better go do my homework, too. Can I take this book, if you're finished?" #06* Simmie nods to Luke. "yeppers... but its not mine, remember. its a library book." #06* Luke nods. "Right, of course. I'll return it for you and then borrow it myself. Thanks!" He heads off to do that, but he turns back for a moment and says, "I'll see you around, okay, Simmie?" #06* Simmie smiles. "okay. i'm supposed to stay out of the way of students, but if you find me, that's okay!" #06* Luke nods and grins at her. "I'll do that!" He waves, too, as he walks away. #06* Simmie smiles and waves, and then goes back to drawing and singing softly to herself. [End!]