Video: Wednesday, Week 85

[infourbooks]

It took a while for me to work out all the numbers, but it's official. I'm now only breaking half as many wizarding laws here by doing magic.

[He's smiling at this realization. Some people would say it was just their birthday. But there's something about Gryffindors and rules.]

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[Video]

[professorwolf]

[The werewolf on the other end looks vaguely puzzled.]

Why would that number change?

[He's smart, but birthdays aren't quite as big a thing in his time, okay. Nor does he know much about wizarding laws.]

[Video]

[infourbooks]

We're not supposed to use magic away from school when we're under age.

[professorwolf]

[That one, he puts together.]

Ah. Congratulations on coming of age, Mr. Longbottom.

[It's a mark of respect to use a young man's last name rather than first name-- especially since they don't really know each other well.]

[infourbooks]

Thank you.

It's too bad there's no one here who can teach Apparition. It would be useful.

[professorwolf]

Appearing?

[No, he didn't hear that wrong, he's trying to parse what exactly that means. And the only other meaning he has for "apparition" is related to ghosts, and he's pretty sure that's not what Neville is after.]

[infourbooks]

Apparition. It's a spell to move instantly from one place to another. We're not allowed to use it without a license that we can't get before turning seventeen.

[professorwolf]

Oh, that would be useful, yes. And you have no way to learn it without a teacher?

[infourbooks]

It's really easy to accidentally leave parts of yourself behind. We call it splinching. And without the Hogwarts infirmary...

[professorwolf]

Oh dear. It isn't as easy as it sounds, then, even for someone with magic. Best you not try it-- though I suppose if you wanted to be particularly reckless, death here isn't exactly permanent. Just still painful.

[infourbooks]

It would be useful, but I don't think I'm that much of a Gryffindor.

[Somewhere he can just hear Inara yelling NO!]

[professorwolf]

That much a what?

[He knows what a "gryphon" is, and obviously what a "door" is, but he doesn't know what they mean put together... or in relation to this particular young man. Sorry, Neville, he just hasn't done a lot of chatting with people from your universe yet.

It does sound kind of silly, though.]

[infourbooks]

One of the Houses at my school. We're supposed to be brave. I never really understood whey the Sorting Hat insisted on putting me there.

[None too swift sometimes]

[professorwolf]

I've never seen any evidence to the contrary, from you, Mr. Longbottom. How does this hat... choose?

[infourbooks]

It's supposed to sense our innermost self. The traits that truly define us.

[And yet he was in Gryffindor]

[professorwolf]

[That dubiousness isn't exactly well-concealed, Neville. He offers the insight of a 300 year old werewolf, who has seen a whole lot of reckless behavior coded as "nobility" and "honor" and "bravery", and generally scorned it, himself:]

There are more kinds of bravery than merely leading the charge into battle or tearing down unjust regimes, Mr. Longbottom. Perhaps the quieter kind is what this hat saw.

[infourbooks]

I still think... loyal and hard working would have been better.

[His father wasn't a Hufflepuff.]

Made more sense.

[professorwolf]

Is loyal and hardworking another house trait?

[infourbooks]

Hufflepuff. It was the one Helga started.

[professorwolf]

Oh, yes, Miss Hufflepuff. We spoke a few times. Can no one in the other houses also share these traits? How strictly regimented is this school of yours?

[He's asking out of curiosity, rather than judgment, honest.]

[infourbooks]

Sometimes he takes a long time figuring it out if more than one's really strong. If it takes five minutes, we call it a Hatstall. Hermione and I both almost were. Sometimes I'm surprised she didn't end up in Ravenclaw.