InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Who's yo' daddy?"

Arcturus Black (arcturusfirst) wrote in compass_network,
@ 2022-01-12 14:08:00

Entry tags:

!open, astrid, miguel o'hara, ~arcturus black

I don't mean to be a bother, but is there anyone here who is knowledgeable about domestic magic and might be able to advise me?

I need a spell to get ink stains out of clothing. I've been getting by with an all-purpose dirt repelling charm, but it's not designed for this sort of problem.

In a not entirely unrelated matter, does anyone have experience with raising magical children? If you do, and you're not the sort of person from the future who thinks it is good or natural for children to be rude and hate their elders, I would like to ask you a few questions in private.

- A.C. Black

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Miguel | Arcturus

arcturusfirst
2022-01-13 01:35 pm UTC (link)

~~Are you certain you haven't studied magical theory?~~ The incantations are Latin. They don't have to be. I have a cousin who works physical spells in cuneiform. Latin is just much easier to use, because of the roots of the British tradition. If you're modifying a spell, sometimes it is only a matter of changing some case endings, but other times that doesn't work and you need to reorder the incantation, or change the words entirely. The movements have to be precise, but they're similar for related spells. But as I said, this is senior-level work, and I was only in the fourth form back home. I know the theory, but I've never tried more than very minor modifications. I suppose the worst that can happen is that I further ruin the shirt, though, so it is worth trying. My Latin is quite good.

Some people from the future are splendid, but they don't always understand cultural matters. I can tell you about my nephew, but I'd need your word of honor that you will keep it to yourself, no matter what you think of it.

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	Miguel \| Arcturus miguel_ohara 2022-01-15 09:48 pm UTC (link)
	I don't know Latin as a language, per se, only how it's used in taxonomy. And you could get other dirty things if you wanted to practice first. I wouldn't recommmend taking all kinds of different samples from the shirt to work on, given that the whole point is to be able to keep on wearing it afterwards. I won't tell anyone anything. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Miguel | Arcturus

arcturusfirst
2022-01-15 10:51 pm UTC (link)

Didn't you learn it at school? No matter. I shall see what I can do.

Very well. I am the one looking after him, and he is seven, and I do not have much experience with children that young. I don't really know what to do when he is upset about missing his mother, or when he behaves badly because of it. I don't want to be harsh, but I also don't want to encourage him in it. If he were a younger boy at school we'd distract him, or tease him a little if he kept it up, because it just isn't manly - but seven seems too young for that.

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	Miguel \| Arcturus miguel_ohara 2022-01-15 11:17 pm UTC (link)
	I specialized in biology, not languages. I only know Spanish, English, some Japanese and a bit of Russian. Does he miss his mom a lot? When I went to school, there were other kids who missed their parents. They were told to talk about their mom and dad, or to write to them regularly, or things like that. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Miguel | Arcturus

arcturusfirst
2022-01-15 11:24 pm UTC (link)

It is just strange to imagine a school that doesn't insist everyone learn Latin. Have you ever been to Japan?

When I was at school, the worst thing you could do was talk about missing your parents. Write to them, certainly, but not make a fuss over it. He is too young to be away from home, but there is nothing I can do about that. Today he said that he wasn't going to write anything during his lessons because he wanted his mother. That could be distress, or it could be obstinacy, and I don't want to guess wrong.

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Miguel | Arcturus

miguel_ohara
2022-01-15 11:43 pm UTC (link)

I went to a school for gifted kids, so you only learned what you specialized in. I went to a more regular school before that, up until I was nine, so I had to attend all the normal classes that they taught but even then, none of the classes were Latin. And I was in Japan for about a week, when I was studying for my degree. There was a genetics conference on, and some of the talks were very relevant to what I was studying, so I got to go along with one of my lecturers. I didn't see much of the country, though, beyond my hotel room and the conference venue. I had a really good view out of my room, though, since it was on the 200th floor.

Do you want me to ask my friend Sarah? She lives here, and she's got two kids. She's really smart. She might be able to help?

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Miguel | Arcturus

arcturusfirst
2022-01-15 11:51 pm UTC (link)

Where I am from we don't start school until we are eleven, and then everyone has to learn Latin, and I know the muggle schools teach it too. I suppose America must have a different way of doing things. It's splendid that you went to Japan, even if you didn't get to explore very much. I used to have some friends from Japan and it seemed like a very sensible place. It would take a tremendously long time to travel there from Britain in my time, though, and I don't think they like the idea much unless you are a diplomat or the like.

No thank you. That is, I appreciate the offer, but please do keep it to yourself, as you promised. I'll find some solution.

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	Miguel \| Arcturus miguel_ohara 2022-01-15 11:57 pm UTC (link)
	I've been in school since I was four. But yeah, I think we would be pretty different. I started school in 2075 so there's that to keep in mind as well. Sure, no problem. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Miguel \| Arcturus arcturusfirst 2022-01-16 12:02 am UTC (link)
	Four! ~~Didn't it upset your mother to~~ Then you must think that our Sirius is making an awful fuss to be unhappy to be away from home at seven. No wonder you were such a brave little fellow when I met you at that age, if you were already accustomed to being away at school. The future is a very strange place sometimes. I started school in 1846. Thank you. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Miguel \| Arcturus miguel_ohara 2022-01-16 12:16 am UTC (link)
	No, I was at home up until I went to the school for gifted kids. So when I met you before, I was still at home. I went to classes in the morning and early afternoon, and then went back home. ~~I wish I'd been away from home when I was f~~ If he likes being home, then it makes sense that he'd miss it. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Miguel | Arcturus

arcturusfirst
2022-01-16 10:58 am UTC (link)

Ah. ~~Like one of those charity day-schools for muggles who~~ That is somewhat different, I suppose. He did like being at home, and often when people leave home it can be difficult to get used to being in a new place. That is true even if you are older and want to leave home, so when you are young and it just happens to you, it can be worse. I know what that is like, and that is why I am trying to be very patient.

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