"Those exist? I want absolutely none of that."

"Those exist! There's this world-set where nothing can be scientifically analyzed, it's bad, even my asshole bosses want none of that shit."

"Yeah, no, what even. So how much freedom do we have within high magic space opera? And, uh, what is the deal with your magic system apart from the thing where some people can't learn it?"

Ah, the old familiar spiel. Years of retirement haven't done much to the memories. "Magic exists in magical creatures, including witches and wizards. All magical species other than humans have no non-magical members. Magical plants and animals use magic on instinct as part of their biology; intelligent species such as humans, goblins, merfolk, centaurs, etc can use it deliberately, albeit with different things coming easily to different species. Broadly, magic can transfigure objects and substances into other ones, conjure and vanish objects or substances, create temporary effects or attach semi-permanent ones to objects, locations, or people, produce potions that have effects when touched or consumed, and in cases of rare natural talent may be used to predict the future."

"With a magic setting of High, non-magical humans are likely to be extremely rare. There has to be a monarchy--that part's non-negotiable regardless of tech or magic level--but aside from that, your leeway is basically 'anything that doesn't conflict with any of the mechanical choices.'"

The Americans exchange a look. "Can it be a constitutional figurehead monarchy, or a monarchy where the king is elected or something?"

"It absolutely cannot be a constitutional figurehead monarchy. Election...is possible, within certain limitations, but having a strong hereditary aristocracy is non-negotiable."

"So like, elections but only members of the nobility can run for monarch?"

"I must admit, my experience with nobility does not inspire much confidence in that plan."

"The nobility is by default much better at its job than real nobility tends to be. I realize that this is less than maximally comforting."

"How about the thing some fantasy stories have where there's a magical mechanism choosing the monarch and guaranteeing they don't suck too much? Does your magic system support that?"

"Magical discernment of underlying personality traits is possible, but a lost art. Perhaps with a larger population of wizards it could be rediscovered."

"Speaking of discovering things, how old is this universe going to be? Because if it's going to spend billions of years working its way along through evolution and then thousands more working its way up the tech levels, we should make sure it's a good place to live even before it hits the space opera phase."

"I can easily un-lose any lost arts. Such an artifact is entirely possible. As for the other question...are you familiar with the philosophical concept of 'Last Thursdayism?'"

"I have a guess."

"Me too."

"Oh dear. I guess I should have realized that when you said we get to set the end results rather than the underlying physics. Is this the kind that comes with elaborate sets of fake evidence or can we just--let the universe be really young? Also is everyone else there going to be reincarnated people or what?"

"Elaborate sets of fake evidence is the default, but 'let the universe be really young' is in my ethics notes. By default everyone else is not reincarnated people but you can request that if you so choose."

"What happens to people from our universe who don't get reincarnated? Do they just stay dead?"

"Wizards have reason to believe that some part of a wizard's mind survives death. I don't know if muggles have a similar situation."

"Ghosts aside, you don't actually have an afterlife," she says apologetically. "I checked the resurrection stone and it doesn't actually produce actual dead people, just simulations based on the user's expectations. Sorry. I realize this is a huge disappointment."

McGonagall is well practiced both with grief and with putting it off as long as there's work to be done. "In that case I see no reason our new world should not provide one for them."

"Maybe not Hitler."

"I mean, it's not like Hitler would remember his original life--wait, is everyone going to remember their original lives? Are we going to remember having this conversation?"

"You are going to remember both this conversation and your original lives, unless you make choices that prohibit this. Anyone else who gets reincarnated will by default not."