Books, Broomsticks and Butterbeer Oh My! ((Jim))

[mudblood_andproud]

Hermione was excited for the day ahead of her. It was finally time that she could bring Jim to Diagon Alley with her, so he could see a part of the Wizarding world. It had taken some time, since she had needed to talk to Minerva McGonagall and Arthur Weasley, and sign off a few scrolls to bring a Muggle to Diagon Alley. But Hermione had followed the letter of the Wizarding laws in these regards, so there was no worries on her end.

She had decided to open the PINpoint portal in her own home, a small cottage located in Wiltshire. After all, it was best that a portal wasn't open in Diagon Alley, where any wizard or witch could discover it, and try to gain access to the Nexus themselves.

Hermione send out a quick message to Jim, hoping that he was available.

Good morning! Feel up to exploring some of the magical world with me? Hermione

Comments

[boldygoing]

Jim doesn't really know what to make of that, but he remembers the name of that hospital she'd mentioned before. And even if this author is some kind of... magical amnesiac now, it still doesn't feel right to support his lies by buying his books.

"So," he says instead, slightly changing the subject, "has anyone written anything about the effects of isolation on the magical community? Or at least a history of how and why it happened?" He figures that he might be able to give better feedback and suggest better ideas if he knows more about the background of the whole thing, although they've made significant progress already.

[mudblood_andproud]

Hermione pauses to think for a moment. "I think the closest we have to that, is History of Magic."

She searches the bookshelves, until she comes across a copy. "Most students at Hogwarts are encouraged to read this book, as part of their studies."

"I have my own copy on me at all times..." She shakes her pouch lightly.

[boldygoing]

Jim wonders how far back the book goes, but that's a good start. "Three books seems like enough to get me started."

[mudblood_andproud]

"Excellent." Hermione takes her book selections back to the counter. She sets them down there. A large collection of Arthimancy books were also waiting by the counter for the witch to return.

"Put all of these, and his, on my account please."

"Certainly Miss Granger!"

[boldygoing]

Jim puts his books up with hers, so they can be properly accounted for, and once the transaction's done he slips them into his shoulder bag. It is beyond weird that the weight of the books just disappears, and he resists the urge to peek inside and make sure they're still there.

"Thanks."

[mudblood_andproud]

"My pleasure. Is there anywhere else you would like to check out?" There are a lot of place around Hogsmeade that are interesting to see. Shops to tour, even if one is not interested in purchasing anything.

[boldygoing]

"I think we'll be doing a bunch of window shopping today," Jim says with a smile. Being an actual tourist is a novelty, and he intends to enjoy the opportunity. "How about that wand shop? I'd love to know more about how all that works."

[mudblood_andproud]

"Sure thing. The one here is a branch of Ollivanders, which is the main supplier of wands to the wizarding world." Hermione guides him down the road to the store.

There is a family of wizards that enter the Ollivanders branch right before Hermione and Jim does. She stays back, as the family goes to the counter top, to get a wand selected for their youngest child.

"Watch this..." Hermione whispers to Jim.

There is a process of different wands being given to the child, and then the child being asked to perform a simple charm. Either levitation or an Accio. And when those spells fail, the Wizard in charge of wands will put that wand away and get a new one. Until finally, a magical light appears in the child's hand when they touch the final wand given to them.

[boldygoing]

"They're that picky on compatibility!" He had assumed a wand was more like a phaser: mass-produced, identical design, able to be used by anyone with the right anatomy for it. Apparently not, given how many this kid just went through.

[mudblood_andproud]

"It is much more than just compatibility, Jim. That light... it was the wand picking the wizard."

"The connection made between the wand and the wizard is so strong, that properties of wands can also reveal aspects of their owners' characters."

"All wands are crafted by wand wood, collected by tree guardians. Then a magical core is inserted into the wand, to give it that magical strength. Phoenix feathers, unicorn hairs, and dragon heartstrings are used most commonly, since they are the most powerful and best of magical cores."

"No two wands are the same."

That was meant to be a question... Curse this tiny iPod keyboard

[boldygoing]

"What happens if the kid doesn't find a match? Do they have to go all over the place to other wand stores?" The whole idea sounds kinda bonkers to him, but he doesn't know enough about it to really judge. Besides, if it's up to the wand, it isn't like they can do anything about it.

i took it as an astounded question

[mudblood_andproud]

"We are wizards, Jim. There is a Floo network in the back, so they can send or receive other wands, if the need requires."

Hermione gestures to the shelves and shelves of wands. "But usually, the wand ends up in the shop where it will be found by its owner."

That works

[boldygoing]

He frowns, a bit uneasy with the implications of that. That means that the wands somehow know where they'll need to be... whether through clairvoyance or fate, it's still unnerving. "And there's only one wand per wizard, so if yours gets lost or destroyed, you're out of luck? Or does it not work like that?"

[mudblood_andproud]

"There is no two wands the same, but that doesn't mean there is only one wand per wizard." Hermione explains.

She takes out her own wand. Vine wood, like her first.

"During the war, I had my first wand taken and broken. This one is my new one."

"And I had to use another Witch's wand for a little while. It is possible, but the wand can give you difficulties since it can sense you are not its chosen owner."

[boldygoing]

That's really weird, like the wands are somehow alive or sentient. But that's kind of been consistent since he started looking into this whole magic thing; there's a lot of stuff that either doesn't make sense with what he knows, or is just so far out of his realm of experience that it's all new to him.

"How does it actually work? Does the wand channel magic from you, or does the power come from the wand itself?" They'd talked about wandless magic on the train, of course, but with as difficult of a feat as they made it sound, it's possible that either situation could be true.

[mudblood_andproud]

"The wand is like a... conduit for your magic. It helps direct the magic that is within the wizard or witch into their charms, spells and potions."

She holds out her wand to Jim, with a slight nod of permission. "The wand would only work with someone who had the magical ability. If a Muggle found my wand, they couldn't go around casting spells. If another Witch took it from me, my wand would make it harder for them to cast properly."

"But I don't need my wand to feel my own magic. It is still there, no matter what."

[boldygoing]

Jim takes the wand in hand, turning it over to examine it. It's obviously been crafted by an expert and shaped a certain way, but it just feels like wood to him. While it's what he expected, he is a little disappointed not to feel something more... well, magical. "So it's more like a focus."

[mudblood_andproud]

"Sometimes, wizard children will cast spells randomly during their youth, before they get their letter to Hogwarts, or a wand. The ability to cast wandless magic is an ability we are all born with. But we have to train, to have a good handle on it."

[boldygoing]

Jim gives the wand an experimental flick, like testing out a melee weapon to get a sense of its weight. He may not be able to cast spells, but he can see a couple of ways it could be useful in close-quarters combat anyway. Flipping it around, he offers it back to Hermione, handle first.

"So Muggles can't use wands because they don't have that inborn magic, or at least not enough to use." Because there has to be some reason why magical children are sometimes born to nonmagical families, and he hasn't seen any reason to believe genetics are necessarily involved. "Are there any kinds of magic that Muggles can use? Like potions or enchanted items or something."

[mudblood_andproud]

Hermione nods with a smile. She goes up to the counter. "Good afternoon, Mister Corrigan. Would you happen to have any Weasley Wonderful Wands available?"

"Hmmmm I would have to check Miss Granger." The elderly wizard takes his time searching through the shelves.

"Yes. Yes, here are a dozen. Here you are Miss Granger."

Hermione carefully takes the wand from him, then returns to Jim. "Here. You would be able to cast a couple of simple spells, by using it."

[boldygoing]

"Really?" That hadn't been what he's expected, and he finds himself already interested. Depending on what spells are included, that could potentially be useful in the line of duty. Hard for an enemy to defend against an unprecedented weapon, especially one that can't be explained by science. "How's it work?"

[mudblood_andproud]

"It is naturally imbued with three spells."

"And depending on how you move the wand with your hands, the enchantment will take effect," explained Hermione.

She pulls out her own wand. "The first is the Accio charm, a summoning spell."

"You have to concentrate on the item in question, then flick your wand gently like this..." She slows down her wand movement so he can watch. "And cast the spell, making sure you have proper pronunciation. In this case, you want to say the word of the object, you want to summon."

Then with careful pronunciation, Hermione speaks clearly, "Accio chair."

And a chair comes across the room to her side.

"You don't want to jerk your wand too quickly, or else the object in question will knock you over."

[boldygoing]

Jim watches closely, but lets out a slightly nervous chuckle when she demonstrates. "Maybe we'd better let me try it out outside." He can already imagine doing a hell of a lot of damage on accident before he gets the hang of it all, and he doesn't particularly want to get stared at once the locals figure out there's a nonmagical person around.

[mudblood_andproud]

"Good idea. I know the perfect place... come on." Hermione will take him outside, and heads down the road towards the Shrieking Shack. Even though there has not been any screams from the place for years, the area is very deserted.

They won't be able to get close to the Shrieking Shack itself, because of the wards around the place.

But there is a field nearby, where they can practice.

Hermione reaches into her pouch, and pulls out a few items. A stool. A pile of books. An apple. And a few stuffed animals. "How is this?"

[boldygoing]

He doesn't really have a preference about where, just away from people, which this is. He does a double-take when she pulls an entire goddamn stool out of her pouch, and shakes his head slightly as she sets it up with the other objects.

Standing shoulder to shoulder, he nods at her, bringing up the 'Muggle wand' in his right hand, like she did before. "Show me again?"