Meat n' Greet

[cityship]

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. New crew-mates might see a tall

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[myboggartismoon]

Remus Lupin, looking uncomfortable and out-of-place in his suit, spent his time scanning the crowd, wondering if anyone else he knew might have been brought here as well -- whether friend or foe. At his side, in a position not hostile but quick to raise if needed, he held his wand quite firmly. Despite his cautions and concerns, he did his best to look polite and amiable. This seemed a particularly poor time to make enemies.

[myboggartismoon]

"I hope you're correct," Lupin said. "I sometimes feel, even now, I'm too old to learn new tricks."

Certainly, a magic school graduate of Negi's age made him feel very old indeed.

[hisfathersstaff]

"From what I've learned? There's never a time to stop learning," said Negi with a grin. "Don't worry Professor: you'll be great."

[myboggartismoon]

"Well, Mr. Springfield, now I see why you graduated so highly-placed." Lupin smiled, his bad mood dispelled or at least set aside.

[hisfathersstaff]

Negi blushed, rubbing his head. High praise coming from Professor Remus Lupin indeed! "Thank you," he said modestly. "I just did the best I could."

[myboggartismoon]

"And that was clearly very good indeed," he said with a smile. "I can only imagine, though, that your magic must be quite different from mine. Perhaps you could show me sometime?"

[hisfathersstaff]

"Of course Professor," said Negi eagerly. "I'd be more than happy to show you when you wish!"

"Magic is pretty easy to pick up by those who have a talent for it," added Chamo. "The distinguishing marks between the mundane and the magical people isn't as pronounced as some cultures, but it helps to know if you have strong magic."

[myboggartismoon]

Of everything that had occurred so far, the garrulous stoat seemed the least unusual. "That is unusual. In the wizarding world I knew, magic is something you are born with, or not, it can't be learned."

[hisfathersstaff]

Negi nodded, rubbing his chin in thought. "There's a similar concept with that in my world. Even if you can use magic or not, the amount of Magical Power cannot be increased or decreased. It's how you use it that matters. It also leads to faster exhaustion when using bigger spells, or depending if you have just a small amount, tiny spells. And of course there are those who are born without the ability to use magic, despite being born to a strong magical family."

He shrugged a little. "The instruments I found for doing so are here, and I myself and one of my students have been pegged as quote "The Strongest Mages of our Generation" unquote by the magical society, but it's a matter of earning that title than anything else."

[myboggartismoon]

"Well, that's not a bad title to have," Lupin said, a bit disconcerted. For all the child's modesty, is he talking to a what would be a young Dumbledore in another world? "It's certainly more than most could claim."

[hisfathersstaff]

Negi blushed. "Well it's all subjective really. I don't really feel I've earned the title, but being born with that much magic power just gives me pause at times."

"Then again," added Negi. "My magic is what you call unsubtle at best when it comes to attack spells. The basics are okay, turning, floating, making bits of fire and wind, things like that."

[myboggartismoon]

Lupin lifted a finger, offering a gentle smile. "Don't dismiss talent, Mr. Springfield. Any wizard can learn a spell with time and effort, but our talents, along with our enjoyments, make the paths we walk."

Attack spells? So dueling is not unknown to the youths of this other wizarding England as well. The Dark Arts must exist there as well. "I must confess that doesn't sound any less subtle than most of the jinxes and charms I could name."

[hisfathersstaff]

Negi rubbed his head, clearly embarrassed and flattered that Remus thought so highly of it. At the remark of the spells, he held up a hand, glowing with light as a ball of energy spun in it. "Something like this actually," he said. "I'm just gathering some magic arrows into a ball."

And he tossed it up and it spiraled out before fizzling. "Each has a strength of a magically charged punch."

[myboggartismoon]

"Not knowing your rules of magic, I can't be sure," Lupin prefaced his compliment with, "but at least amongst the wizards I know, it would speak volumes to your talent alone that you can perform any spell without a wand, or speaking the incantation."

[hisfathersstaff]

Negi shook his head. "Actually that's not quite true. I did speak the spell, but I spoke it in my head and my heart. They call it unincanted spells. And I've got a focus."

He turned his hand over to show the ring with the Latin script scrawled across the band. "This acts as a focus. Easier than clutching a wand in my hand while I fight hand to hand."

[myboggartismoon]

"I should have been more clear. That is what I meant -- performing the incantation nonverbally is exactly what I had in mind."

He ducked down to look more closely at the ring, quite curiously. "So... you may use any suitable object to cast magic?"