02. [video]

[theboywhodied]

[An anxious Cedric appears on screen. He looks from left to right, his mussed hair flying just about everywhere. He taps the screen to ensure that it's turned on---in his mind this somehow serves a purpose. When he's sure everything's working, he waves.]

Hello! This is Cedric again. I've talked about this with one or two of you before. I'm sorry if I'm repeating myself or it's something you've all heard before, but this is something I need to sate my curiosity about. It's just that this world is so different from what I'm used to and there are so many different types of people. If that's even the word you prefer. And sometimes we have conflicts with one another.

So I have to ask: what do you think of people who are capable of using magic? Witches, warlocks, sorcerers, casters, wizards, or whatever you choose to call them. Are they all right, do you think? Or not?

Comments

voice

[theboywhodied]

That obvious?

voice

[gevurah]

It's a very specific question.

voice

[theboywhodied]

[sigh]

I suppose it is. Sorry.

voice

[gevurah]

What are you sorry for?

voice

[theboywhodied]

That I'm being so ridiculous.

voice

[gevurah]

You're not.

voice

[theboywhodied]

Heh. Thanks.

I promise I don't mean you any harm. I know it's just words, but...for now, it's all I've got.

voice

[gevurah]

I'll take it on faith, then. [ She's teasing a little, but she doesn't think he's bad at all. ]

How common is magic where you're from?

voice

[theboywhodied]

Pretty rare. The magical community's a lot smaller than the non-magic one. There are enough of us for a school and a society, but just barely.

voice

[gevurah]

Does that mean you keep to yourselves?

voice

[theboywhodied]

Yeah. It's for our own protection. I've never been this open about it.

voice

[gevurah]

People are always scared of what they don't understand.

voice

[theboywhodied]

Then all I can do is help them understand, and be understanding.

voice

[gevurah]

There should be plenty of other magic users here. [ So he might feel comfortable here, even if it's at the expense of being torn away from home. ]

voice

[theboywhodied]

I'm starting to find them. It helps.

voice

[gevurah]

There must be vast differences between one world's magic and yours.

voice

[theboywhodied]

I'm sure there are. But I think a lot of us faced similar struggles at home.

voice

[gevurah]

[ A beat. ]

What happens if a non-magic person finds out about it in your world?

voice

[theboywhodied]

It depends. If a wizard or witch is born to non-magical parents, they're allowed to know about magic. And wizards and witches can marry non-magical people, but they have to promise to keep it a secret.

But our Ministry has ways to erase memories, to keep the outside world from knowing about magic. That's used when necessary.

voice

[gevurah]

[ Another pause.

Mind wiping... an awkward topic to think about. ]

Tampering with someone's head?

voice

[theboywhodied]

Yeah.

I don't do it---there's no point here, and even if there was I don't know how. It's highly advanced magic and I'm still just a student.

It's our government's job.

voice

[gevurah]

Mind wiping someone sounds like risky business anyway.

[ She takes a second to read the name attached to the tablet. ] Cedric, is it?

voice

[theboywhodied]

Yeah. It's really nasty if it goes wrong.

Yes?

voice

[gevurah]

I can only imagine.

Nothing-- I just didn't ask for your name. I'm Kate.

voice

[theboywhodied]

Oh! Well it's been nice to talk to you, Kate.