Accepted...

[sophically]

Congratulations are in order, though I am leery about entering such an environment on my own. Thank you for giving me my wand and my bag, at least. I wonder if they will serve any purpose beyond reminding me of the world I left behind.

[Boy does she sound excited!]

Comments

[sophically]

Most of the people who lack Magic don't know the proper terms. There's no need to apologize.

[She seems far less enthusiastic about the second part.]

It seems so. Have you been onboard the ship before?

[cargojet]

Still, I've tried to keep my mind open. There's a number of magic users on board, but terms seem to vary depending on what world they come from.

[ He smiles, trying his best to be reassuring. ]

I've been on board since the sixth jump. More than two years, now.

[sophically]

I'm told there are several from my world onboard. [That doesn't mean he has met them, though.] And you've never seen your home?

[She can't even imagine...]

[cargojet]

I've seen it, but I've not visited it. It's...complicated, unless you know anything about Star Trek.

The largest group of wizards I know on board is Sirius' group. Unless you've secretly got pointy ears under all that hair. [ Because elves. ]

[sophically]

I watched some episodes of that when I was little. I'm afraid I didn't pay close attention to it. [She wishes she had.]

Sirius...? [Sorry, she is going to stare for a good long while.] He's...alive?

[cargojet]

[ He'll leave the Star Trek topic for now. It'd get too weird, after all one of the first people Nathan ever spoke to on the ship was James T. Kirk, and he didn't believe he was real. It's a complicated subject to get into so soon.

He inclines his head. ]

He'd better be. Our security department is floundering as it is, it can't take the loss of any more people.

[ A pause. ] That's not what you mean, is it? He's dead in your world?

[sophically]

[This conversation is going to be awkward no matter what they talk about. Hermione winces and exhales softly.]

...in my time, yes. He doesn't need to know about it. [If he doesn't already.] There was a battle and he came to rescue Harry. In the process, the enemy killed him with one of the Unforgivable Curses.

[cargojet]

I'm not sure I know exactly what an Unforgivable Curse is, but I can guess at the idea of it.

[ He grimaces, hesitates, considering his own experiences. ] You ought to be careful what and how you conceal the future from people, particularly when it concerns how they die. The ship doesn't like to keep our secrets secret--in fact I'd almost say it was positively vindictive about revealing them.

[sophically]

I won't tell anyone of their future unless they ask it of me. [Or it's forced out of her.] The future should remain a mystery. It wouldn't be right for me to reveal even the weather - much less events of importance.

[cargojet]

You may find it hard to keep your thoughts to yourself entirely when you see him. I've been on both sides of the revelation myself. I know just how hard it can be, especially if you're not prepared for it.

I'm sorry--I'm sure it won't all be as bad as I make it sound.

[sophically]

If that is the case...

I hope they forgive me for anything I reveal. [The last thing she wants to do is upset anyone.] I appreciate your forewarning. I only wish I could carry your words with me.

[cargojet]

You'll be fine. There'll be others there, people who know you better. Maybe Sirius won't be the first of your group you run into.

[ Maybe, but Nathan knows it often doesn't work like that. Easier by far to run into someone at exactly the most inconvenient moment. ]

If he doesn't already know.

[sophically]

There's Remus... And...Harry. He's my best friend. [One of them. Then again, Ron has become more than that for her.] He might. I'll be careful regardless.