And then a boy walks in.

The animals in the shop do not react very well to this event. They don't actively try to murder the boy, because they're in cages and also much too dignified to disturb their cages, but they do look like they would, if they could.

The boy seems unsurprised and resigned.

The shopkeeper, a rail-thin man of middling age, does not seem too pleased 

"Young man, please refrain from disturbing the animals. The poor creatures are unaccostomed to hooligans trampling around their home." 

"He's only looking, maybe one of them will like him."

"Animals hate me," he explains with a soft sigh. "I was hoping magical ones wouldn't..."

They do.

"We'll find one that does!" 

He runs over to Sadde.

"Do you like small ones, furry ones, funny ones, scaly ones?" 

His mother trails behind him, glancing at some of the more exotic creatures with undisguised bafflement.

"I dunno, I haven't really had much of a chance to find out."

A woman walks into the store then and follows the animal commotion towards the boy.

"Here, too, huh, baby?"

"Yeah. Oh, by the way, I'm Sadde, and this is my mum Laura," he introduces to the boy.

"All animals hate you? That's utter nonsense. Here, I'm sure we have something..."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Melissa, and this my son, Scott."

When elbowed by his mother, the boy turns from the selection of rats to Sadde and Laura.

"Hi, I'm Scott. Good to meet you."

He sighs and follows the shopkeeper who wants to show him animals. "Good to meet you, too."

"Indeed a pleasure."

It's a rather large selection!

Do cats like him? Rats? Glowing rats? Colorful rats? No rats at all?

Toads, salamanders (they're charmed, Madam, don't worry at all), puffskeins, tarantulas?

Nope. Cats hiss, rats scoot, toads croak, salamanders hide, puffskeins turn around, tarantulas make clicking noises.

"What if you stand next to that boy? The animals seem to like him well enough." 

Indeed, the rat who he has apparently taken a shine to seems to be getting along with him just fine. 

It does not get along with this other boy, who sighs.

"I'm sure he'll like you when he gets to know you."

Scott pets the rat.

"Scott, honey, maybe you could try a cat, or an owl? Maybe one of those poofy things?"

"You don't like him?"

"He's very easy to handle, and even with the cost of food added, he's still more purse-friendly than any of the larger animals..."

The shopkeeper is likely concerned about selling the rats, as the sign advertising a sale suggests they don't usually have students clamoring to buy them.

"As long as you promise to take care of it...fine, we'll get the rat."

"I wonder what I should name him. What do you think?"

He turns to Sadde, who only gets a mild hiss from his new pet.

"I dunno," he sighs. "I'm not good with names."

His mother, however, notices a very small snow owl over there. The other owls seem to dislike it as much as they dislike Sadde.

Scott observes the owl saga unfold while he tries to think of names.

"Baby, come here a minute?"

He sighs but does. The other owls dislike him. The small one doesn't seem to.

"I think that one likes you!"

He blinks and comes closer. The owl lets out a soft, high hoot. "Can I have them?" he whirls on the spot to ask the shopkeeper.

"I don't see why not. That owl has been rather unpopular thus far, so you'll be getting a fairly low price."

He proceeds to offer a fairly average price for the owl. 

Laura sighs and goes to deal with the whole "purchase" part of the process.

And Sadde offers the snow owl a finger. It nips shyly at it.

"Are you a he-owl or a she-owl?" It hoots once. "He-owl." It hoots again. "She-owl?" It doesn't hoot. "Okay. I'm gonna call you Richard." Low, happy hoot.

"That's a good name! You said you were bad at names!" 

"Scott, honey, we talked about this." 

She pays for the rat. 

The purchase is fairly easy!

He'll just take her money, and would she like to sign up for this newsletter, or his member's club?

No member's club, thanks muchly.

"It's because of Richard Feynman. I'd have named it Marie if it had been a girl owl."

Hoot.

"Who's he? That sounds like a good way to do names." 

The boy tags along behind Sadde.

His mother falls into step with Laura.

"Hey. Nice to meet you. Are you new, too?" 

"In a manner of speaking. I didn't know about—all this—until recently, no."

"He was a physicist! Marie Curie was one, too."

"Oh, okay. Jane Goodall, maybe. Wait, is it a boy or a girl rat? I should have asked the shopkeeper."

"I didn't know anything. My ex-husband didn't see fit to tell me the whole time we were married, and he left just in time for Scott to start...doing magic, I guess."

"My son was quite the active accidental mage. I knew about magic since he was one year old. But until recently, I didn't know of any other magic than his."

"You could ask," he suggests, petting his tiny owl with a finger through the cage.

He heads back towards the shopkeeper, and runs back.

"Boy. I don't know any men who studied animals. I should find a book on it." 

"That sounds young. As far as I can tell, Scott started pretty late. Seems like a pretty big range. Usually developmental stuff doesn't vary this much."

"Yes. My ex-husband was—quite surprised when Sadde first showed magic."

"We're going book shopping next, you could try to find a magical one? And I'd meant ask the rat, you could just look between its legs to figure it out but maybe it has different opinions about it."

Scott examines the rat.

"I think I should learn more about rats," he adds after a moment's pause.

"Do you mind if come with? I still have to get his books."

"Sure, we'd welcome the company."

"Why?" he asks Scott.

"I can guess by looking. Different animals are different, I should make sure. Or maybe there's a spell to tell. I can't actually ask."

"It's a magical rat! Richard told me when I asked."

Hoot!

"Does he talk to you? If wizards can talk to animals that's just unfair."

"You're a wizard, Scott."

"Still unfair."

He attempts to talk to his rat as they make their way to the the bookstore.

"Well mine hoots like he understands me," he shrugs.

They arrive at the bookstore shortly.

Flourish and Blotts has tables piled high and shelves filled to the brim with books, bound in leather, hide, and...silk?

Some are larger than Sadde's head, while other's look about the size of Scott's rat.

Presumably, of course, they're here for their textbooks.

Well, sure, amongst other things. Like books that aren't textbooks but are still books by magical people!

Scott is mostly interested in his textbooks and animals. Are there any books about animals?

Men Who Love Dragons Too Much and Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests quickly find their way into his hands. 

"This is so cool," he enthuses. 

Sadde wrinkles his nose a bit at this. "I think I prefer the waving wands around type of magic."

"Have you ever met a dragon? I've never met a wand, but I think they're less fun to be around."

"Have you met a dragon?"

"No! I'm going to meet both! We're wizards now."

"Yeah. You haven't bought your wand yet?"

"Mom thought if I got it first I would play with it too much. I wouldn't. I'd want to, but I wouldn't."

"Well I know I would, but the Deputy Headmaster said not to until we got to Hogwarts. And besides, it's bound to be cool, so I wanted to leave it for last."

"Yeah. What else do you have left, or is it wand time?" 

"After books was Potions ingredients and cauldron and last was wand."

"I should still get parchment, we can meet at the wand shop." 

"Okay! See you in a bit!"

And in a bit, Scott and his mother are waiting to be shown wands. 

And Sadde and his mother show up there, too. "Heya."

"Hey. Did you two find anything good?" 

Scott is too busy to talk, since he's currently surrounded by flying measuring tape. 

"Why is there flying measuring tape around you?"

"Standard ingredients," Laura answers, pushing a cart with their purchases (cage with Richard on top) inside.

The small, elderly man with intense, glittering eyes turns his gaze upon Sadde.

"I must measure the boy, so I know which wands are most likely to take to him."  

"Size matters?" he wonders. "But what if we don't grow much, or grow much more than expected?"

"I need to measure a witch or wizard so I can have a true picture of who he or she is. Only then can I offer them the right wand. Wands of a certain length will prefer wielders of a certain height- but also a certain bombast. For example, this young man is shorter than average for his age, and has very little force of personality. A shorter wand, with more restricted motion, will suit him nicely." 

"So...do I get to look at wands now?"

"Yes, of course."

He examines his stock, and with a murmured "hmm", offers Scott a box.

"Just wave it once, while I take a look at your friend." 

He walks over slowly to Sadde, peering down at him.

Sadde beams.

Scott waves the wand...

Nope.

Ollivander examines Sadde with a thoughtful frown.

"I expect you'll be tricky," he sighs, and heads to the back. 

It takes him a few minutes to return with a box for Sadde.

"A single wave, nothing too complicated." 

Using his own wand, he absent-mindedly levitates a box towards Scott. 

Wave?

There's an excessively loud crack and a flash of bright light.

"No, no, that won't do."

He rushes to find Sadde another box.

"Hazel, nine inches, dragon heartstring, very pliable."

He wordlessly levitates another wand toward Scott. 

This one doesn't do anything either.

Scott looks mildly discouraged.

His mother, less mildly so.

"But I liked the explosion," he pouts, but sighs and accepts the new wand. Before waving, he looks at Scott and pats him on the back. "It'll be fine, you'll find a good one soon!"

Wave?

The tip fizzes, producing bubbles.

"Hmm, yes, I see. Try this one. Pine, dragon heartstring, ten inches, slightly brittle." 

He tries yet another one, "phoenix feather, yielding, black walnut".

This one at least produces something, a puff of gray smoke. 

Bubbles aren't fun. He tries the new one.

It feels warm in his hand, but nothing else happens.

"Hmm, yes, it likes you, but not the best we can do."

He snatches it back.

Scott attempts again, with a "whippy rowan, dragon heartstring".

The wand practically wilts as he holds it.

"What's the difference between the wands?"

"I'm afraid a true study of wandlore takes a lifetime. What in particular were you asking for?" 

He hands Sadde another one, "pine, 9 3/4, dragon heartstring".

"What the cores and sizes and woods do and how you know a wand is good for us and how you look for new wands once you decide one's not good."

Wave.

And there's an explosion.

Not a destructive, uncontrolled one; a show of lights, purely visual but very pretty and with a strong fire theme.

Scott...still doesn't have a wand. 

"If you're waiting for this boy to find his wand, we can certainly cover some of that. Assuming you're satisfied with this match?"

"Yes! I want it! And I'll wait for him."

"If your mother can pay for the wand, I'll accept that for a brief lesson."

Payment: happens.

Sadde: watches.

"Very well. Enjoy the wand, boy. Now, for your lesson. Wood and core reflect a wizard's character, augmenting it. Some wands seek wizards to balance, while others seek witches that match. Wand length is often based on the size of a wielder's personality, and flexibility represents their flexibility, if you will. Take your wand. Smaller than average, but not unusually so. You are more restrained in your expression of your core traits- but as we take a look at the wood and the core, we'll see your flashy tendencies are reflected elsewhere."

"Huh. So... Scott should probably get something nice and kind that likes helping others, from what I've seen?"

"I'm sure that's right, though I don't know the boy at all. I typically get a sense by offering a more friendly, adaptable wand first, to see why it doesn't fit, if it doesn't, and move on to a more suitable fit." 

Pear, unicorn hair, slightly bendy?

Nope. 

"Don't people change a lot in their teens, though?"

"Some will find new wands as they get older, if not wiser. Most pairs, however, will grow together. The wand chooses the wizard." 

"—are wands sapient, too?"

"I'm not quite sure what you mean."

Cedar, dragon heartstring, eleven inches...

It gives off a few sparks, which Scott seems pleased by, but Ollivander shakes his head and retrieves another one.

"Are wands people? Do they have memories, personalities, thoughts, preferences?"

"I can't say I've ever wondered if wands had memories, but they do have temperaments and preferences. They may be no more complex than Crups or Granians, but they are unique."

"What are Crups and Granians?"

"Crups are creatures which are very loyal to their owners. They bark in the presence of Muggles. Granians are a breed of winged horse."

Ollivander hands Scott another box ("10 1/2 inches, oak").

He waves the wand, and there's a swirl of cool air as the tip glows warmly.

"So cool."

"Oh. Makes sense, I guess." He looks at Scott and beams. "Wands are cool!"

"If that's all, you can both be on your way." 

He nods. "What's your core, anyway?" he asks Scott.

"English oak, unicorn hair, supple, ten and a half inches," he recites. 

"I still don't understand how they can like different wizards and not be people." 

"Mr. Ollivander is very interested in wands, so he probably thinks of them that way, even though they're not." 

"And dogs like people but are not themselves people," she points out, "so even if wands are sentient they're not necessarily also sapient."

"But how do we know wands are more like dogs than humans? And we don't let people be mean to their dogs, what if they're mean to their wands?"

"I'm sure you can find out at school, if you really want to. They have lots of very old books there, one of them probably has something about it." 

"She's right, and I think in general we'll have more resources there."

"Now we have wands! So we can go and learn to be real wizards!"

"Not just yet, I get to keep you for a few more weeks." 

"What are you going to do while you wait?"

"For Hogwarts? I'm gonna read all the books."

"I'm gonna learn all about plants."

His mother shakes her head, smiling.

"Really? Why plants?"

"Magical plants are so cool. We can make potions with them to fix all kinds of diseases and things."

"You'll learn how to, anyway. Should we get going?"

She completes the purchase, leaving her son and the shopkeeper happier.

"Yes. Do you two have anything else you need to get?"

"We still have robes. You?"

"Only parchment and quills, but we could go get your robes together."

So the four walk through Diagon Alley.

Scott finds walking around much less interesting than buying magic things. 

Melissa points out that he and his new friend can discuss their plans for the summer. He does, talking about how he's going to go to the zoo with his friend, and how his mom is going to show him how to make one of his grandmother's recipes, and the book he's reading.

"...and after we get back from London, I'll have to visit my father." 

"Where do you live? And is your father nice?"

"Worchestershire. I don't think we have any wizards there, it's too boring. My dad isn't nice, but he gave me magic, and he's an 'Auror'. It's supposed to be very important, I think." 

"So why do you have to visit him?"

He looks at his mother.

"Scott, your father loves you very much. He's doing his best." 

"That's why." 

He pets his rat. 

"What about you, Sadde, where are you from?"

"I was born in Knutsford, but we moved closer to London when my parents divorced."

"How do you like it there?"

"Knutsford? Haven't been since I was a baby. Watford's alright, I guess, but kids don't like me much at school."

"Why not? Are they mean?" 

"They're mean and I'm transgender."

"What's transgender?" 

"Scott, I think that's rude to ask." 

"It's not, don't worry," he reassures her. "It means my gender's not the same as the one people thought it was when I was born. In my case it's because it changes sometimes."

"How does it change? I thought you were just whatever you were born as, no one told me there were transgender people." 

"Well it just—does. Has since I can remember. But my first show of magic was—"

"—this."

"Oh. Cool. But then how do you know if you're a boy or a girl? You can just tell?" 

"Yeah—"

"—some days I just wake up feeling like one, some days the other. Some days neither."

"So I would know by now, if I was." 

"Maybe? I think some people take longer to know, but I always knew."

"Do wizards know about it? More than Muggles?"

"...Do they?" 

"Your guess is as good as ours. They apparently have gendered dormitories; I predict some awkwardness."

"I'll try my best to help, but I don't think they take Muggles very seriously." 

"That seems silly, not to care what parents think."

"Yes, magical law has... something to be desired... when it comes to its treatment of Muggles."

"Is there a good way to review the law? I didn't see anything in the bookshop."

"I'm not sure, what little I know of it comes from talking to Deputy Headmaster Flitwick."

"I guess I have that to look forward to. Legal research."

"Perhaps we should return to the bookstore to ask."

"Maybe. I don't think we got anything besides plants and required textbooks. Scott, are you okay with heading back?"

He shrugs, and follows the parents. 

Back to Flourish & Botts.

"Have you bought everything, then? Quill and parchment, telescope, ingredients...?"

"Mom, we forgot the telescope!" 

"After the bookstore, and the robes. I'm sure the astronomy supplies are available at night." 

They return to the bookstore. 

There are still many books, and an owner who seems hopeful and then immediately disappointed. 

Do they have anything on law?

There are some books on ancient magical Britain!

The most exciting cases heard by the Wizengamot!

A book about a witch who lived as Muggle for a year!

Not much else.

"Nothing so useful," she sighs.

"This one about the witch might give an idea about the mindset, but not the laws. Probably not worth it. I'll just make a point to ask someone."

"Perhaps our sons should see if they can't find anything related to that in Hogwarts."

"We get a mission? We get a mission!"

He giggles. "We can do that!"

"Alright. Robes, and then Scott and I can double back for the telescope."

And presently: Madam Malkins!

Would they like to experience more Fun With Measurements? 

They'll have to sit through it, at any rate. 

Scott seems vaguely offended by the concept of robes, but doesn't complain.

"You don't like robes?"

"I don't know. I've never worn robes before."

"Neither have I, but they're cool and wizardly!"

"They're all swooshy!"

"Yeah!"

"You can have mine, and I'll wear real clothes."

"Scott, robes are part of the school rules. You don't want to break the rules before you've even been to the castle, do you?"

"Didn't you see all those magical people around? Robes are their normal clothes."

"Muggle clothes, then. I like those better. You can wear normal wizard clothes."

"Aw come on they're so cool!"

"You think robes are cool and not magical creatures. You're just wrong about things."

"Scott, we don't say that!"

He giggles anyway. "It's like Gandalf! All we need is a pointy hat now!"

"Hats are cool," he concedes.

"Being a wizardly wizard is so awesome."

"We should probably get you a telescope."

"Oh yeah! I don't want to miss anything in astronomy."

Telescope it is!

"I'm sure we won't miss anything."

"Do you think stars are boring too?"

"No, stars are awesome, but worst-case you could borrow someone else's telescope, I think."

"Mom, he likes stars but not plants."

"Most people do, honey." 

He pouts. 

They retrieve a telescope.

So do they!

"I don't dislike plants. It's just animals who hate me, and plants are okay."

"I'll just find animals who like you! You'll see."

"I hope you do."

Scott proceeds to argue with his rat until it likes Sadde.

This looks like it'll take a while.

And Melissa buys supplies.

"We still have parchment and quills."

"I think we might keep you company. Scott and Sadde seem to be getting along." 

"We would like that."

So they accompany Laura and Sadde.  

"Are quills cool, or just stars?" 

"Quills are weird and I'm gonna bring pens too."

"Quills are swoopy, but harder to use," he agrees. 

"Why do wizards do everything so differently? Is it hard to make pens, or do they just not do things Muggles do first?" 

"I dunno, I think they're just very slow to invent things and there's not a lot of them and they don't pay attention to stuff muggles invent without magic."

"We should invent lots of things, then wizards won't be so slow." 

"We should! And bring lots of science to them."

"Do we know lots of science?"

"Well I do. For an eleven-year-old anyway."

"I know animals, and diseases, and plants. That's kind of science." 

"It's totally science, but I think they also know those things."

"Maybe I know more! I'll learn everything there is to know about diseases and then all the wizards will come to me to feel better." 

"That's the spirit!"

"Honey, you might want to learn the basics before you go for really complex magic."

"No, I learn Muggle medicine while I'm learning basic magic stuff, and then I focus on magical plants and potions and things while I'm learning about Richard Feynman. Do you have a book on him?"

"I have books by him. And an autobiography. He was a bit of a butt but he was smart."

"I think I'll read the books and not the autobiography. If I borrow those, you can have...I don't know what you like, I'll just get you a really good Christmas present when I know you better." 

"Well I like books. And puzzles. And music."

"So, I'll get you a really tricky book, that's kind of like a puzzle! And music too, that's separate." 

"Deal!"

And they arrive at the shop.

Parchment, quills, and various other essentials for every aspiring Hogwarts student. 

Capitalism! Sort of!

Close enough, yes.

The Woods can exchange money for goods.

"How do they make quills?"

"I think they pluck them off animals?"

"Are they careful? Wizards don't seem very careful."

"I dunno, shopkeeper maybe knows?"

So Scott asks (interrogates) the shopkeeper about quills.

The shopkeeper has no idea if any owls are harmed in the making of his inventory, and would advise that talk be taken elsewhere, so as not to scare away business.

"I hope Hogwarts has a really good library."

He giggles. "Professor Flitwick said it's the best, but I think that's because he's a Ravenclaw."

"What's a Ravenclaw?" 

"It's one of the four houses, Scott."

"What does that mean, though. How do you know what Ravenclaws are like?" 

"When Deputy Headmaster Flitwick visited us to tell us about magic he explained it."

"He didn't tell me what Ravenclaws were like! He said my house was important and that sorting was going to be a surprise."

"Well I asked a lot of questions about a lot of things and he was sure I'd be a Ravenclaw and I asked what that was and he gave me a very short description and didn't want to tell me more than that. I know Ravenclaws are the ones who like books, Slytherins are the ones who like plans, Gryffindors are the ones who like throwing themselves at dragons, and Hufflepuffs are the ones who like work."

"I believe you may be glossing over some important details there, dear."

"So I have to be one of those?"

"Apparently, but they're not exactly what Sadde's implying, here."

"I think I'm a Hufflepuff, the others just sound kind of silly." 

"Gryffindors value bravery and chivalry, Ravenclaws value wit and intelligence, Slytherins value cunning and ambition, and Hufflepuffs value loyalty and hard work, if this changes your assessment."

"I think still Hufflepuff. Do Ravenclaws like knowing things, or just figuring things out?"

"It's probably fuzzy enough to include both, but as you said Flitwick was not terribly forthcoming about it."

"Did he tell you how the sorting works? He wouldn't tell me. Maybe it's in one the textbooks." 

"He said it was a surprise, so maybe we shouldn't look too hard." 

"He didn't," she agrees, "but it's probably magical."

"What do you think you'll be? Ravenclaw?" 

"Or Slytherin, I dunno."

"Slytherin sounds cooler. And I think Ravenclaw is probably less fun." 

"Why?"

"Maybe not if you're a Ravenclaw," he amends. "You seem fun."

"I don't think there's really a bad house, Scott. They all have good things about them." 

"I didn't say they were bad...all of them sound kind of bad." 

"I dunno what they're for," he shrugs.

"Flitwick was a Ravenclaw, what does he think about them? He must like Ravenclaw, but what about the others? I guess I'll ask when I get to Hogwarts."

He shrugs again. "We'll figure it out there. Ooor we can ask other children when we get to the train."

"That's true! We can meet other witches and wizards! I can't wait to go to school!"

She snickers. 

"What are you going to do until school starts?"

"Read all these books. I'm gonna know everything by the time school starts."

"How can you know everything in there? I wish I could remember everything I read." 

"Well, I can't, but if I forget I can just read it again."

"Oh. I should read all my books too. Then we can both know more than all the other first years. You take the boring stuff and I'll take the fun stuff." 

"It's magic what could even be boring?"

"Charms, history, defense against the dark arts..."

"Charms isn't boring! You can cast spells! And history I bet is like reading stories, it's magic. I dunno what defence is like but I bet it's like charms, too."

"Transfiguration sounds fun, and potions. Maybe charms and defense are okay, but I think they'll be boring. So you take the boring things, because you like those, and I'll take the fun things, because you don't." 

"...of course I do, Transfiguration sounds great, I can turn into anything, remember, it's awesome, and potions is super cool, you can store magic for later!"

"I'll read about plants and animals and laws and things. We should split the work, we barely have any time left." 

"Fine I'll read transfiguration and charms."

"You could just read all your books, Scott."

"I'll read all of them once. But we have to be the best at something or they won't think we're real wizards."

"Well I just wanna be the best at everything because that's the thing I should be."

"He's probably a Slytherin."

"Okay. Good luck being the best at everything. If it works can I get a tutoring discount?" 

"Sure!"

"Scott, we should probably get ready to go home." 

"Aw. Okay. It was nice meeting you."

He offers Sadde his hand.

Shake shake. "Here's my phone number," he says, writing it on a small piece of paper. "If you wanna call, I mean. Then we can talk. Or meet."

"It was a pleasure."

"Nice meeting you both." 

She waits for Scott to take the paper and then they're off. 

Sadde reads, and calls Scott and talks about stuff they're reading. Days pass.

Scott anxiously prepares for his magical education. Most of talking to Sadde is really listening, which Scott proves good at. 

And with one week left, Sadde gets a call that begins: "Want to visit?" 

"Yeah!"

Melissa and Laura coordinate the logistical details. 

And Sadde's there!

It's a charming enough flat, large enough for two people and their young son.

"Sadde, good to see you. I'm heading out, but Scott's dad will be staying with you two. Is that okay?" 

"—okay."

"He's just inside with Scott. They're watching sports, Scott's dad always gets so excited about Muggle sports. I'll leave you and the boys to it."

She leaves.

And Scott comes rushing out within a minute.

"Hey!"

He refrains from hugging her. 

His father follows.

"You must be Sadde. Good to see you."

Well she detects the hugging urge and provides!

"Hi, yes, that's me, are you a really real wizard?"

"Really a real wizard, that's me. Any questions so far?" 

Scott does not prolong the hug, but he doesn't move back towards his father. 

"Lots! What do you do? What's a wizard's house like? Why didn't you tell Scott and his mum about being a wizard?" Because she can totally play this off as childish innocence, right? Right.

"I work as an Auror. We catch deadly and dangerous rogue wizards, who put everyone else in danger. This flat was a wizarding flat when I lived here, and it is now that Scott lives here. I didn't tell them because of international wizarding law, and my own personal problems that I'm working through. Should I get some food ready, or skip to the fun stuff? We have some Muggle games." 

"Do you have magical food? Didn't the law let you tell your family? Are there magical games?"

"The law encourages you not to tell any Muggles until they have magical kids with you. And again, some of the blame there is on my mistakes. We don't have magical food, but our food is a bit different than British Muggles. Everyone drinks pumpkin juice. There are a few magical games, like wizard's chess, which is based on the Muggle version, or Exploding Snap, which has playing cards that explode. For sports, we have Quidditch and Quodpot. Quodpot is more serious in most countries, but British Quidditch is the game to beat."

"Quidditch is on brooms. I don't know about Quodpot." 

"The law is silly. How do you play Quidditch and Quodpot and Exploding Snap and wizard's chess?"

"In Quiddith, there are four positions: Beater, Chaser, Keeper, and Seeker. The Keeper defends the goals, the Beaters hit Bludgers, which are balls that try to knock players off their course, and the Chasers catch and throw Quaffles, the balls used for scoring. The Seeker tries to catch the Snitch, and that's when the game ends. Most games are won before that, if the Chasers are any good. Exploding Snap is simple, Scott can teach you, and wizard's chess is like Muggle chess, which means it's too complicated for me to explain."

"That sounds fun! And weird! I wanna play that. And Exploding Snap. And what about Quodpot?"

"Ask an American. I'll get the cards." 

"There's a pot on both ends of the pitch, and the Quod is an exploding ball that you dunk in the pot to score. The solution stops it from exploding. It's more exciting than Quidditch, and wizards don't really have any other sports."

"Why not?"

"I'm not sure. They don't answer that in the books."

Scott's dad returns, with cards. 

Cards!

"Teach me to play?" she asks Scott.

Scott teaches her! 

If she's ever learned a card game, it's pretty much like those. Luck, not skill, and a higher proportion of explosions. 

Well the explosions delight her.

He seems more amused by her than the explosions.

He seems to find them mildly annoying. 

His father seems to be reasonably entertained, but he's also reading, so it could be that. 

No she really really likes explosions—" This game is fun!"