Tweak

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Tweak says, "Salvation on the thumb of God!"

Professor Neville Longbottom (profplant) wrote in silverage,
@ 2011-07-12 23:15:00

Entry tags:

!log, galen, neville longbottom

Who: Neville Longbottom and OTA
When: Tuesday evening
Where: Outside/inside Macy's
What: Neville arrives to our fair city.
Rating/status: TBA, incomplete.

This- this was not where Neville was supposed to be. He was meant to be in Surrey, outside his cottage. Well, he said outside- about half a mile away, thanks to all the protections he and Hermione had put up. But still- this was a seemingly busy street in a city, with people all around. He looked up at the building he'd Apparated in front of. The sign above the door read "Macy's". Huh. He shrugged, deciding it was worth a shot to go in- maybe there was a map or something?

As he walked in the doors, he realized more and more people were looking oddly at him. He looked down Still in my robes. Brilliant. He continued to the front counter. "Excuse me," he said, "but do you happen to have a map? I'm- I'm on my way to a fancy dress party and I've become lost."

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technogalen
2011-07-14 12:47 am UTC (link)

Galen had been indulging in something the locals called 'window shopping'. It was easy enough to have his ship run up new clothing, but he needed more images of local fashions for reference.

He was in Macy's when he noticed an unusually dressed younger man approaching one of the clerks. Listening in shamelessly, he soon had an idea about what was going on.

"New in town and lost your way, have you?" He knew his accent would mark him as a fellow countryman to the other. "Perhaps I can be of some assistance?" He held out a hand. "The name is Galen. I'm fairly new here myself, but have learned a little about getting around town and where things might be found."

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profplant
2011-07-14 02:09 am UTC (link)

Neville jumped, about to pull his wand when he remembered where they were. Pull it together. He turned to find a man behind him, holding out his hand. He relaxed, shaking the offered hand and smiling. "I'd love a bit of help, yes. How'd you guess I was new in town?" Some things never died- including the instinct to question any and all connections people made, and to be wary of strangers. "Neville. Neville Longbottom. Where am I, exactly?"

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technogalen
2011-07-14 02:47 am UTC (link)

Galen motioned to the younger man that they should step away from the counter a little. "Oh, British accent, lost, unusual clothing." He waited to continue until he was a little farther away from the counter and clerk. "Unusual residual energy signature."

"Put your seat in the upright position and prepare for a rough landing." He pointed up. "This is Macy's Department Store." Then Galen flashed Longbottom a wry grin. "It gets worse." He pointed down. "This is New York City, in America, and the year is 1964 and no I am neither joking nor mad. For some reason people from all sorts of places and all sorts of times have been dropping in. I should know, it happened to me as well. The frosting on the cake is that it seems there is no way to leave."

"Questions? Conniptions? Care for a strong drink?"

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profplant
2011-07-14 04:30 am UTC (link)

Neville followed the other man away from the counter, smiling politely at the girl behind it. "Energy signature? That's not something I've ever heard of." He frowned slightly. But yes, lost. British, and in my robes. I'm not- I'm not very good at Muggle clothing."

"New York City? I thought- I mean, I assumed I'd just Apparated a bit farther than usual, not- what?" New York? In the sixties? What- why? What was the point? "What do you mean, no one can leave? Where did you come from? Is this- are these people Muggles, or are we in the Wizarding world. Are you a wizard?" Neville's heart began to race, his breath quickening. Deep breaths, Nev. You'll be alright.

He took a deep breath. "Strong drink sounds about right."

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technogalen
2011-07-14 04:52 am UTC (link)

Galen just nodded calmly as Longbottom went through the babbling stage of his shock. "The word is out and about. Someone or something is keeping everyone in the greater New York area."

He frowned. "Muggles. I've come across that word before. People without magic. Another new arrival used it. You may just have someone you know here. This is primarily a non-magical universe, however. Best get you into some of the local costume in the near future. To further complicate things, those in my order refer to ourselves as mages, not wizards. I was born in deep space on my parents ship a couple of hundred years from now, and used to live many light years from Earth."

He gestured to the nearby escalator. "Now that I've ruined your day by telling you the truth, I can at least make up for it by purchasing you a drink. There is a perfectly suitable bar and grill in the lower level of this store. Shall we retire there and see about getting some strong medicine into you?"

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ooc: sorry! fussy baby + HP = difficulty responding!

profplant
2011-07-16 12:43 am UTC (link)

Neville frowned. "Someone who used the word 'muggle'? Do you remember their name? I'd love to have someone at my back. Non magical, huh? Are you sure there's not a Ministry around here somewhere?" Neville started running through a list in his head- wand, yes; possible allies, that's good; possible ally in the Galen fellow? "Mages. You were born in space? That's- wow. Alright." Not the weirdest thing he'd ever heard, anyway.

He smiled. "If you don't mind buying, I'd love a drink. I'll pay you back, whenever I manage to find some sort of work. "Is there anyway you would loan me enough money to buy an outfit? Again, I'm hoping to find work soon- is there somewhere I can stay, do you know?"

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technogalen
2011-07-16 04:51 am UTC (link)

"There are bulletin boards around town. They work by a... call it a magic, if you will, that I have not been able to discover. You post a message on one and it shows up on all. People can answer you in a similar fashion. That's where I saw the term."

Galen gave a small shrug. "But there are at least two magic users I know of here." He began to head for the escalator.

"Fortunately, this is a store, and we can surely find you something appropriate to wear later. There is a place called the Welcome Center. You can obtain more clothing and a temporary place to stay there if you wish. On the other hand, I do have a few guest cabins on my ship if you would prefer to remain more anonymous, as I do."

"Assuming you to be a wizard from your questions, I'm intrigued. What sort of a wizard are you, what sort of magic do you command?"

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profplant
2011-07-16 05:27 am UTC (link)

"I thought you said this place was non-magical? How do the bulletin boards work, then? Where do you get them? And are you counting yourself as a magic user, or are there others like me- like the person who used the term?" Neville followed him to the stairs, stopping short and taking a step back when he realized they were moving. What the hell? How did they work? "Galen, I- I'm sorry but how do these stairs work?"

"Right, thanks. Can you point me in the direction of the Welcome Center after our drink? I'd like to get some clothing." He eyed the strange stairs apprehensively, still not setting foot on them. "Hmm? Yeah, yes, I am a wizard. Graduated- well, not actually graduated Hogwarts, since it was blown up and everything- but I took some remedial courses and they gave me the N.E.W.T.s, and I passed those. I'm a professor. Herbology, at Hogwarts. I was an auror for a bit-" he looked up, smiling. "Sorry- N.E.W.T.s are Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, it's what you have to take to qualify for jobs and things- like final exams, I guess. Herbology- the study of magical plants and their properties. I went to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry- finest school in Europe for wizarding, my Gran always said. And an auror is sort of the wizarding please-men. We kept the peace, we took care of criminals and things. We were mostly taking care of Death Eaters- war criminals. But I quit that to teach. Better for me. Anyway- I'm the sort of wizard who uses a wand, I suppose?"

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technogalen
2011-07-16 05:54 am UTC (link)

"Your guess is as good as mine. If you don't know how it works, might as well call it magic. These stairs, on the other hand, are a sort of machine." He stepped forward onto the downward moving escalator. "Mostly harmless. I only know the bulletin boards work. I saw a note from a Tonks, from England, and a reply from a Severus Snape. They seemed to be from the same bunch of magic users. Snape said something about there not seeming to be an American Ministry."

"And I did meet another user of magic, a woman named Zatanna, and of course there is my own sort of magic - which seems to be unrelated to all of those others."

Galen listened with interest to Longbottom's explanation. "Please-man? Ah, do you mean policeman?" He broke the word down into syllables when he said it. "They have those here, not aurors. War criminals? A wizarding war? Always war, I suppose, no matter the culture. Went through one of those myself. Don't have much use for wands; I prefer a staff."

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profplant
2011-07-16 06:27 am UTC (link)

Neville followed Galen on the moving stairs, nervous. He listened with only half his attention as he kept his eyes on the machine under his feet, but he looked up and came to attention with a snap at the names he heard. "Tonks? And Sn-Snape, you're sure those were their names?" He swallowed, his mouth dry. "You're positive?" If Snape was here- if he was alive- and Tonks? She was dead, they were both dead, he'd helped move the bodies out of the Hall after the battle, he just saw Teddy last week- Teddy the orphan, he was going to start Hogwarts in a few years. This was wrong, this was very wrong.

"So there are magic users or my kind, and then other magic users here as well? So it's probably not just us. Are there non magic users here too? People who don't belong?"

"Po-leese-man. Yes. And yes- there was a war. Ten years...a dark wizard tried to kill or enslave all those who weren't purebloods- those without a purely magical family. My friends and I, we fought him. We won- but at a cost. Always a cost in wars, isn't there?" Neville frowned again, lowering his head. And Tonks and Snape, they were part of the cost. Not that I miss that bastard, but- Tonks saved me at the Ministry, we fought together.

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	technogalen 2011-07-16 06:34 am UTC (link)
	Galen nodded as he stepped off the escalator at the bottom. "Those were the names I read." He headed for the door to the bar across the foyer. "All sorts of people from all sorts of times and places. Some seem to know each other, and some all alone." "Always a cost," Galen agreed, and pulled open the door to the bar. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

profplant
2011-07-17 05:38 am UTC (link)

"That's- well, it's a bit impossible. You said your ship- and you're from space. The future. So it's possible they were pulled from any time, right? I don't know- it's impossible, is what I know." He wanted to seek out Tonks, but what would he say? Hi, how've you been, it's been ten years since I saw you! Why? Oh, because you're dead. Teddy's good though! Had she even had Teddy yet? Had she even met Remus? This was why people shouldn't travel in time. They were supposed to have one life, in one way. Complications.

He frowned. "All times and places...maybe that makes it a little more possible. Not much."

"The cost is always too high, as well." He followed Galen into the bar, smiling and hoping no one else would stare at his clothing.

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technogalen
2011-07-17 05:54 am UTC (link)

"Impossible describes it all. Any time and any place, and for one reason or another unable to leave the greater New York area." Galen led the way to a table, pausing to signal a waitress. "Bourbon, a double straight up, with a water side. Something for my nephew as well, we're celebrating his graduation." When the waitress moved off he continued, "Needed something to explain the robes."

"Impossible, implausible, pick your adjective - they all fit. My ship draws power from hyperspace, it should be impossible to interrupt the feed. Yet I arrived here on a collision course with the city, main engines dead. Had just enough power in the batteries to land safely. I know there should be intelligent alien races out there, but the hypercom is dead; nobody seems to be out there at all."

He nodded. "Ah, the cost. Most gave some, some gave all. It never changes."

"We can get you properly dressed in a little. I can guide you to the Welcome Center after. For that matter, I do have two guest cabins on my ship if nothing else develops for you."

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profplant
2011-07-19 12:58 am UTC (link)

"This is- well." Neville shook his head again, feeling like that was all he'd been doing lately. "Do you know if anyone can get word out, or- I guess you can't, because of your hypercom thing, but what of the rest of us?" He nodded and gave the waitress a terse smile as she brought back two drinks.

"If you don't mind guiding me to the Center so I can get acclimated- I'll see what I can do before I ask you to put me up- maybe I'll get lucky. You've been such a help already." He raised his glass. "Well, cheers. To being foreign."

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technogalen
2011-07-19 02:35 am UTC (link)

"I don't know for sure, but I assume not, or I would have read something about it in the newspapers." He shrugged. "I am not sure if this is a different universe, or what, but we do seem to be cut off."

Galen raised his own glass. "Foreign, and a long way from home."

"Any idea what you might do here? I would guess you could apply to the police department. What of this Herbology? Is that the sort of magic that could work here? I don't even know if there are any magical plants - not something I ever studied myself." He helped himself to another stiff belt from his glass, then chased it with a little water. "Or can you work your magic with regular plants. I might be able to suggest something if I knew a little more about you."

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profplant
2011-07-26 09:10 pm UTC (link)

"Well. Brilliant." He frowned again, taking a sip of his drink in response to the toast. This was just...wrong. Very very wrong.

"Magical plants, but I might be able to work my magic on regular plants. Then, of course, I've got Charms skills, and Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology, obviously. I'm rubbish at Transfiguration, and Divination- not too bad at Care of Magical Creatures, I suppose. But I'm not- I'm a pureblood." Neville didn't care about blood purity, but- "I've never even met a Muggle, until I suppose that nice girl behind the counter. How am I supposed to live among them without, you know- tipping them off?"

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technogalen
2011-07-27 12:28 am UTC (link)

Galen raised an eyebrow. "None of those things are the sort of magic I know anything about... but the descriptions of the Arts do suggest that the local law enforcement might do with some of your skill, and from what I understand of you, that might mesh with your background as an Auror."

He thought for a moment. "Use the bulletin board at the Welcome Center and see if you can contact any of the other people from your universe. This pureblood thing; I don't know. If it once mattered to you, I don't think it does any more. And tipping people off probably doesn't matter either. There are a lot of strangers in town - myself for example. We are all learning our way around this new place we find ourselves in. You are just another castaway trying to learn the ways of the natives."

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profplant
2011-07-27 04:39 am UTC (link)

"It doesn't matter. About me being pure, I mean, it doesn't. Only idiots care about blood purity- idiots and Death Eaters." He shook his head, his expression grim. "As long as it doesn't matter if I tip people off I should be alright then- hope I don't make anyone uncomfortable."

"I didn't- I didn't do very well. As an Auror." He smirked, looking down. "They call it 'post-traumatic stress disorder', the muggles do. According to my healer at St. Mungo's, anyway. After the war- I had some trouble. I was, er, I was a little too free with my wand, a bit too jumpy." He looked back up. "D'you think it would be any better, here? I mean, no Death Eaters, no war- it has been a while. I might try it out. Otherwise- I'll think of something."

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technogalen
2011-07-27 05:20 am UTC (link)

"Sounds like an entirely unpleasant group, your Death Eaters. How does one identify them? The way things have been going, some of them might show up here. As a Mage I might feel inclined to put them in their place."

Galen shrugged. "I know about war and the lasting emotional effects, even on the winning side. I could tell you to bear up and it will get better, but the words would be hollow. The - muggles, you call them - did develop ways of counseling for PTSD, but the local psychologists would still be very limited. I know talking to someone about what you experienced can help. It did me."

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profplant
2011-07-27 06:06 am UTC (link)

"They have a mark, a mark that won't ever really go away, just fades. On their left forearm. The Dark Mark. It's a snake, sort of coming out of a skull, like-" he grabbed a napkin and doodled a passable likeness. "D'you think, they'd show up here? Blimey, we just- we just put them all away." A terrible thought occurred to him- if Lupin and Tonks and Snape were all back, what about Bellatrix- or, Mum and Dad. Mum and Dad before they were tortured, Mum and Dad when they were sane..

He cleared his throat, trying not to hope. "I think talking does help. We used to talk about it, back at home. Ron and I, we tried to make some sense of it. He lost his brother, in the war. Harry was just glad it was over, didn't want to dwell, but Ron and Hermione, they were good to talk to. And Hannah, and Ernie as well. Lavender..." He'd been able to find a lot more friends, after the war. They were all just so happy to be alive, the should have been Class of 1998. "Still didn't do enough to let me do my job. But I liked the greenhouses better anyway."

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technogalen
2011-07-27 06:14 am UTC (link)

"A memorable mark."

Nodding, Galen continued, "If law enforcement isn't for you, than it isn't for you, unless you were to work in a support function of some sort; forensics or something, to get your feet wet, so to speak. And they do have job listings at the Welcome Center, so you may just find something else to take your fancy. Maybe even a private investigator to use your training, and let the police handle the crimes."

"I had thought to shut myself away, after the war. It just seems there really aren't any other Mages as good as I am, so I ended up back to helping people rather than hiding away. I was headed to Earth to consult on a little matter - seems silly now - when I ended up here."

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