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?"