spider_nerd (spider_nerd) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-04-07 23:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, hermione granger, pansy malfoy, peter parker (spider-man) |
Who: Peter Parker and Hermione Granger
When: First Week in April
Where: Library
What: Random Interaction
Rating/Warnings: LOW
Status: Complete when posted!
Peter was at the public library, and in front of him were a couple of books on dreams and dream understandings; in fact, he pretty much had everything that could be deemed relevant to the dreams people were talking about on the Network. He was determined to get to the bottom of this, and had even brought up articles on his StarkPad, or whatever it was called, that could be double-referenced. It also included mentions of past lives, and alternate realities, and he had every intention of understanding every single bit of information regarding anything to do with these dreams he, and others like him, had been having.
The library itself was pretty scarce and almost too quiet, so he’d moved outside on the veranda where he could study in a much more campus-like setting, giving him a nice settled feeling. Plus the sun was warm, and his phone could buzz without him getting sniped by the librarian.
Hermione had done a few laps of the library today. She was feeling a bit on the nosey side, and since she spent almost as much time in the library as the head librarian (and more time than some of the part-time librarians) she felt a bit of ownership over the place. So she had a right to be nosey. Damnit. There wasn’t a whole lot of stuff happening, not too many people hanging around, but when she saw one she recognized from Valarnet reading about dreams, she thought she’d do him a favor.
There were a couple of books that either he’d missed, he’d already read, or he hadn’t made the connection yet to between dreams and dream meanings. And a journal with a dream study that was particularly interesting. Hermione had read them all already, though they hadn’t given her much information as to the cause of the strange dreams. She collected up the books he should take a look at, and brought them to his table to deliver them.
Without a word, she set three more books and a journal down near the book he was currently reading.
He was bringing up a screen on that Stark Tablet thing and went to work on creating quite the extensive spread sheet. He was also writing out an algorithm on another screen, one which he brought up when he was done with a cell on the spreadsheet. Then, suddenly, there were more books beside him. Staring at them, he blinked and looked up at Hermione, with an up turned brow.
“I uh, I didn’t order these ones up. Or did I? I grabbed a lot, so I can never keep them str--”
Then he noticed one, and flipped it open, “wow, this could be helpful. I was just thinking how a journal could go into effect with this. This is perfect.” He began to flip through it, obviously he was an experienced studier, and knew how to scan properly.
“Thanks, really, thank you.”
“Sure.” Hermione said, giving Peter a grin. “It’s no problem. I’ve been through a lot of these books before,” she said, looking down at the books on the table. “Except for that one. And that one,” she added, pointing them out. “This one was checked out the last time I did my research and that... well, I just didn’t think to grab that one.”
She paused for a moment. “You’re doing research on those strange dreams the people on Valarnet are experiencing, are you?” She didn’t want to assume, but it was hard not to.
He smiled to her and went to turn back towards his books, before blinking when she mentioned the dreams and valarnet. He looked back up at her, turning up his brow, before then shrugging and nodding, “Uh, yea... well as much as I can. I don’t know everyone’s dreams, the ones I do know are generally my dreams, so that’s what I’m focusing on. It’s not uncommon for people to dream of past lives, or lives they never lived, or even things they might consider ‘premonitions’.”
He scanned the research, “Recurring dreams even are very common, and a big step in understanding human psychology. Yet, the problem with these dreams are that everyone seems to be experiencing them, and all of them seem to be experiencing the same feeling of memory rather than dream state. What’s more, some are claiming to even be getting a sense of things from these dreams actually coming true. Not Deja Vu, but actually gaining powers or abilities, or even objects from the dreams.”
He shook his head, “It really makes no sense, and is completely impossible. Completely, so I’m looking for a logical explanation.”
“I’ll give you whatever assistance I can,” Hermione said, slipping into the chair near his at the table. She gave him distance, though, and didn’t get comfortable. She didn’t want him to think she was jumping in where she didn’t belong. Not pushing her nose in where it wasn’t welcome. “I haven’t had any luck myself, so perhaps you’ll be able to figure out something where I wasn’t able to.”
She leaned back for a moment. “Have you had anything show up from the dreams? Or... had any powers appear after dreaming them?” She added, mostly out of curiosity. But her wand was burning a hole in her pocket. He mentioned gaining powers and objects, maybe he needed more proof.
“Well, uh, people I know and am very close to, they have shown some of these symptoms; which, to them is absolutely cool, and on the surface sure,” he frowned looking down, “But a sudden change in DNA and biological make up like that, something that actually reverses, changes, or even alters what it is that makes you ‘human’, could be dangerous. I don’t mean ‘they’re not like us, they’re dangerous’ dangerous, but dangerous to themselves. It’s a cancer; which doesn’t have to mean a bad thing. It’s something invading the blood and changing the DNA.”
He frowned and looked to her, “I don’t want people to end up using these powers ready and willing, and find out later our bodies can’t cope and they push things too far and end up hurting, or even worse killing themselves.”
“That’s an interesting thought. Have you examined DNA samples from people before and after they’ve started to dream?” Hermione asked, sitting up a bit. She didn’t have that kind of equipment at her disposal... well, of course she did. Up in the Enterprise. Why didn’t she think to ask Bones about using the Sick Bay to do some experiments?? What a silly thing to not think of!
“Uh, yea kind of, and the signs are most disturbing. Completely changed DNA and blood, so I have no idea what to think about that,” Of course he was talking about his DNA. DNA samples Sherlock took off of him, samples he himself did. He knew his blood hadn’t always been like that, or he’d have been admitted to the hospital. No, it was definitely strange indeed, he just wasn’t going to tell her that.
“How wide is your study group?” Hermione wasn’t sure if her DNA changed after having the dreams. She didn’t know how being a Witch might change her. “I’d offer to donate to your research, but I don’t know if I have any dna from before. At least, in a sample that’s not degraded. I’m sure I’ve got baby teeth or something, but they’re years and years old.”
He blinked and shrugged, “A very small sample size, but it’s consistent with their dreams so I have to conclude that it’s changing their DNA. It must be some kind of virus that gets into the brain, and changes physiology all over, and for some reason in fighting it, the brain enacts these strange dreams or whatever. That’s the only explanation, because there is absolutely no such thing as a ‘second’ life. Or past life.”
He stared down at his research, realizing that there was the potential, but that could blow science and himself out of the water. Then, really, what was the point of him then? He wouldn’t accept that.
Then he looked to her, “Oh, I uh, wouldn’t ask for your DNA. I don’t do that often, I mean that’s a bit personal.”
Hermione gave a little shrug. “Sure, personal... but I’m pretty curious myself. It’d be rather interesting to see what your results are.” She gave him a smile. There were probably a lot of things that he could do that were a bit seedy with her DNA, but she wasn’t sure he would.
“How does your theory address the idea that some people are having the same dreams as others they know, while other people are alone in their dream worlds?” She asked, curiously. It was all so fascinating to her. She wasn’t quite sure where to start with everything.
“Small amounts of telepathy, or a shared dreamstate; it’s not uncommon for family members, this is more noticeable in twins, but for family to simply incur the same dreams as the others. This includes spouses. It’s pretty rare, so I suppose it is uncommon, but it isn’t unheard of. I call it coincidence, because the dreams are still different enough that they’re not entirely identical.”
“And I’m not taking your DNA, it’ll wind up getting me put to jail,” he laughed a bit, before leaning back and shrugging as he looked at the journals. “What did your research pull up?”
“Nothing helpful, I’m afraid.” Hermione said, giving a gentle sigh. “...There are things that I still, for the life of me, can’t explain. With whatever science I’ve learned.” She drew her wand from her pocket and set it down on the table in front of her. “That’s why I stand by the idea that not everything in the world can be explained. There’s simply no explanation for how this works.”
“And 2,000 years ago, human beings couldn’t explain why the sun existed without bringing up magic and gods; 3,000 years ago, give or take, we couldn’t travel on oceans without swimming so that’s where the world ended, where gods lived. Everything is explained through science, we just haven’t figured this one out yet; which isn’t all that surprising, we still know so little about the working human mind.”
Hermione smirked. “So, that’s what magic is, then? Simply that which humans haven’t found a way to explain through science yet?” She reached forward and wrapped her fingers around the wand. Put it away or show off with it? She was torn.
“Yes, obviously. Everything is eventually explained through science,” he glanced up to her, “You don’t believe me do you? You think there’s such thing as magic, real true magic? You’re the one on Valarnet always telling me I’m wrong about the science thing aren’t you?”
He smirked and shrugged, “Look there are definitely things I can’t explain, but I’m also not even remotely close to the smartest scientist out there. Things that are befuddling to even me, will eventually get figured out. Maybe not even in my lifetime, but they will.”
Hermione paused for a moment, smiling at him. Smirking, really. Maybe science would one day have an explanation for it. Maybe not. “Would you like to see some magic?” She asked. “Real, true magic?”
“I’ve seen real magic, my girlfriend has a wand and can cast spells apparently,” he frowned, “But I’m convinced there’s real science behind the ability to do that. First there’s evolution, and manipulation of nature through that evolution.” He then shrugged, before looking up to her and grinned.
“But yea, show me that real and true magic, I still find it a bit fascinating.”
Hermione was a little confused by that sentence and the frown. She blinked. “Your girlfriend has a wand and casts spells?” A moment of hesitation came up inside her. Now she wanted to know more--was his girlfriend from her world? Was she from a different world with magic and wands and spells?
“What has she shown you so far? I would hate to bore you with a repeat.” Hermione said, breaking into a little smirk as she twirled the wand between her fingers. She was excited to show off a little. The Dream version of her probably wouldn’t be as giddy about it, but this version of Hermione did like to watch people’s eyes bug out a little.
“She doesn’t talk about it as much as she used to, and has rarely ever used it around me but the once; it’s likely because she knows I think there’s real science behind, it or it could be because she doesn’t like herself in her dreams. I don’t know, but all she showed me was I think she lifted her shoe to her by waving her wand at it and saying a spell,” he shrugged at that, “There could have been strings, or some sort of other manipulation, but I have no idea how she’d be able to set it up.”
He leaned back just a bit in that seat, stretching some before watching her. Raising a brow, as if he were ready for her to show off.
Hermione nodded. She could understand not liking herself in the dreams. There were things about the dream! Hermione that she didn't like. "Why doesn't she like herself?" She asked, then flicked and swished her wand. The book Peter had been reading lifted up of the table into the air.
He watched the book lift into the air and just frowned, trying to figure out just how one could do this. He was running through calculations in his head, but nothing was clicking yet. He just watched the wand, then looked to her, “I don’t know. It’s just dreams, so it shouldn’t really matter right?”
"I think these dreams are pretty important. I suggest she pay attention to them." Hermione flicked again abs the book closed in the air, then flew to the shelf and put itself away. She gave another twirl, and a spray of Gold sparks erupted from the end of her wand. "She might learn a lot from them."
Then she conjured a Canary.
He frowned when the bird appeared, there was almost no reasonable scientific explanation for that. Sighing he just shook his head and pushed himself to his feet. Shutting his book, “Look, I don’t know what you’re pulling with this magic, but there is someway to explain all of this away. But the important thing is, we do not get wrapped up in these dreams because they mean nothing. They are a lie and should be ignored, or pushed away, or forgotten. Because it’s literally impossible for us to be the same people in our dreams, and therefore it’s somehow a trick. I’ll figure it out.”
"When you do," Hermione said, gently, as she pulled herself to her feet, too, "make sure to let me know. I'd love an explanation." She gave him a smile, then turned to head back to get own table. She stowed her wand away as she went.
(And fin!)