"We did, once. It's still the classic, you see 'racing brooms' so far from the concept of broomness they would be useless for actually sweeping but still have the branches-and-twigs aesthetic... But it turns out that brooms are actually really terrible difficult and unstable flying tools. I even know some of the physics behind why!"

"Magic that makes sense! There probably won't be much of that here."

And they're off. Lydia directs her. 

"Alas." Has Lydia ever ridden a motorcycle? Been on a roller coaster? It's kind of like either of those. More like the roller coaster except for the fact that Gren flies levelly once they're at height.

And yeah, it's pretty chilly.

Lydia enjoys herself, despite the cold. 

She was warned, and it's still worth it. 

They land outside a small building, with a convenient sign identifying it as a veterinary clinic.

"Remind me to return the gun to the sheriff. Forgot to, yesterday. And dispose of my bombs in the woods - don't need 'em if there's no Neuroi to fight."

"Are they very sensitive? We can do that after we talk to Scott and his mysterious friend."

"I've never had one blow up on me, I don't know the statistics but it's not never and it's not perilously often. They do get worse if you let them sit for more than a couple of days though." She follows her into the building.

"Hey. Dr. Deaton should be here in a bit, he's just picking up some books and some herbs."

"Hm. All our stuff is very direct. No potions or anything."

"I don't know everything he can do, but he can make protective barriers that specifically keep out supernatural creatures. We can find out if witches count, and if not, you can make them around cities."

"Could be useful! Unless supernatural creatures are already in, or they can break somehow?"

"They don't keep anything out, they stop it from crossing. You can contain things too. But if you make it to stop invasion by Neuroi, it wouldn't stop one that's already within the barrier."

"Hm. I want to see it done before I decide if it can maybe stop Neuroi."

"This clinic is lined with mountain ash. Not as powerful as pure, crushed powder but still effective. Supernatural creatures like me can enter, but not use our powers. I'm sure he'll show you a real circle, though."

Fwoosh. Illusion-flame. "No, I can still use mine. I couldn't feel it at all, still can't, I think it's something fundamentally different."

"You think the magic is too different, or that it counts you as a human?"

"Both, I think. I'd be able to feel something if it were interacting with me at all."

"If it's both, I don't think it should work against your monsters."

"Maybe you should introduce us to your friend, since he actually knows magic."

"He'll be here any minute. I'll just wait in the back, then."

"Might try it just in case but I really don't think it'll work." Nope, not commenting on the interpersonal stuff.

"Magic is real, Lydia! Your boyfriend dumped you to become a lizard, Lydia! We always tell you about important things that affect you, Lydia!"

She shakes her head and looks out the glass door impatiently for the doctor.

"I'm sorry if we can't help you with your problem. That's life."

"Oh, I know. Easy solution is way too much to ask for. We've been looking for one for twenty years... He does seem, uninformative. Would you like me to run through what happened yesterday? Don't know how useful my perspective will be but I don't think you know much of it yet. Going by the general trend of informativeness."

"That would be a big help, yes. If you don't mind."

So she runs through everything since the teleport gone wrong, brisk and sharp and clinical, as if she was reporting it to her commanding officer.