"Purebloods will think everything is from charms. Locked doors, appearing food, and temperature in the classrooms. You should know how paintings work, ghosts, a little about centaurs, there's a centaur teacher I think."

"How do paintings work?"

"When a witch or a wizard has a painting made of them, it can say what they're thinking and feeling. It's a good way to get to know people who died, especially if they didn't leave any books or anything." 

"That is a weird way of storing information," she giggles.

"Muggles don't have paintings?"

"They can't say what they're thinking and feeling! Movies can do that, I guess, and so can computers, but you need more space."

"That's awful! Paintings are so useful, I can't wait to be around so many of them!"

"Paintings are pretty boring, we have tons at home and all they do is insult you." 

"Maybe you should try to be less sketchy! 

...Get it?" 

"Well, that's still not very nice of them," Naomi says archly. 

"Wait. Are paintings alive?"

"Yeah!"

"Nope!"

"Have you ever talked to a painting? They can't shut up about the same three things. A painting is like a book, not a person, it can't come up with new stuff." 

"Paintings react to new people and fit them into how they see things. They couldn't do that if they weren't alive."  

"Can paintings learn things permanently? How good are their memories?"

"I guesssss they learn, but they forget things really fast. Maybe we need better magic to make paintings, so they can remember better." 

"If they did, would you think one was alive?"

"No, they still don't do things properly. They're like wands, not like owls."

"What things don't they do properly?"

"Ignore him, you can talk to some at school and do your own research." 

"Do you want to help? Maybe I'll find out something no one else knows!"

"We'll be research buddies!"

"Yep!"

There's a knock on the door.

"Come in," Naomi chirps. The door slides open to reveal a giant cart stuffed with candies, savory treats, and other food items. "Want anything, dears?" The woman's voice is slightly muffled by the compartment wall. 

Naomi brought lots of pocket change; she'll have one of everything. 

Chris will have some chocolate frogs, please.