nexus_crossings | The Lure of Learning

The Lure of Learning

Hermione is wandering the Plaza area of the Nexus, with no particular goal in mind. She is closely followed by a large orange cat, who seems to twirl around her ankles just at the right time to avoid being stepped on, but still be close to the young woman in question.

Suddenly, Hermione stops, just outside the grand library and looks up to the immense building with a little bit of awe, a lot of interest, and a glee that is very close to 'kid-in-a-candystore'. But even though every bone in her body wants to go into that library and explore (and get lost in the books), Hermione has paused. A slight confused look on her face.

She finds a place to sit, nearby the library, looking up at the building. The orange cat claims a seat in her lap.

"Would you rather take time to improve your own skills, or teach others to be better people?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Great! There's a reserve desk at the library, if you find them, you can leave them there for me." That's probably easiest. "How do these magical treatments work? Are any of them like vaccines? Can you use them for non=magical ailments, too?"

"He's great. He's a dream-walker, but he's given me some books to read about magic on his world... coming from a world without magic, I was pleasantly surprised at how rigorous magical research can be. Magic and science have more in common than I first thought."

That's not quite the answer she was expecting, but it saddens her to hear it all the same. "Oh... Hermione, I'm so sorry." She looks down at Crookshanks while she runs her hands over his short fur. "I... I lost my parents, too."

"Most of the herbs that I would recommend can be used for someone who has a magical, or non-magical ailment. I wouldn't suggest anything that would be dangerous. Or could only be handled by a trained healer."

"A dream walker? Does that mean he can traverse the dream world?" Hermione asks, interested again.

Hermione chuckles lightly. "Yes. Any good magical research takes time and patience."

Crookshanks places a big paw over one of Adia's hands. And licks the top of her fingertips with his sandpaper-type tongue. "I am sorry to hear about the loss of your parents."

Adia smiles, grateful and a little relieved. "That's good. I've been trained in first aid and triage, but magical herbs are out of my league." Any herbs are out of her league, really. Taking modern medicine for granted, she hasn't looked much into older ways of treating ailments.

"Yeah. He can enter people's dreams and help shape them, too. He helps a lot of people that way." There is admiration in her voice, and affection, too. "He, um... well, he's a little busy with things in his own world right now, so we don't have a timeline yet for our center, but we're working on it."

Her soft frown melts away when Crookshanks puts a paw over her own. Funny how some animals seem to know what their human friends are going through. "It's okay... I mean, it's not okay, but... well, you know what I mean." She glances up at the other woman -- she's lived through a war, too, she'll likely understand better than most. "We're in the middle of a war, where I'm from. Everyone has lost loved ones. Sometimes it's hard to -- to take the time to grieve... It was a brave, selfless thing you did, saving your parents that way. I wish I could have done the same."

"First aid training is very important. I know both non-magical and magical methods of offering first aid myself." Hermione doesn't rely just on her magic. She knows that it is better to be versed in many different methods.

She smiles softly when she hears that admiration in Adia's voice.

"You might find it is hard to grieve, even when the war ends." Hermione notes softly. "For myself, there are so many of my friends who are moving on with their lives. And I just feel a little pressured to do the same. That I have no time to reflect... mourn... or reflect on the tragedies that happened."

"That's great. You never know what'll be most useful in a situation." She'd never say it out loud because it could be taken as criticism, but she thinks that some of her magic-using friends are a little too reliant on their powers. You never know what the Nexus will take away on a whim. "Where did you learn first aid? Did they teach that at your school, too?"

She gives Hermione a sympathetic look. "People deal with the grief in different ways. If you think you need time to reflect on what happened, you should take that time... the only danger is becoming so lost in it that you can't move forward at all."

"Since my parents were muggles... that is what we call non-magical humans... I learned a lot from both worlds. I learned muggle first aid. And magical first aid, from some of the healers."

"I do not want to get lost in my grief. I need to find a way to balance what I have lost... and what I have yet to find."

Adia isn't sure why there needs to be a specific name for non-magical humans, but it's not her world or her place to judge. "I'm glad you didn't give up the... um, muggle world entirely. Magic is wonderful, but... well, I'd like to think that science has a lot to offer, too."

"You've probably come to the right place, then," Adia says with a small smile. "The Nexus has helped me heal and grow in ways I wouldn't have thought possible. Maybe it'll do the same for you."

"I am one of the few witches who is computer literate. I believe it is important to have a good grasp on both worlds." Hermione nods slightly.

"I hope it does. So far, I have met some wonderful people. And that helps."

"One of the few?" She repeats, incredulous. She can understand being wrapped up in the wizarding world, but not using a computer?? An owl delivering your mail is all well and good, but e-mail is instantaneous! Reminding herself not to judge, she shakes her head. "Sorry. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have access to the Nexus terminals here."

She smiles, happy for Hermione. "This place is great for making friends," she agrees. She gives Crookshanks one last scratch behind the ears before gently moving him off her lap. "I hope you don't mind, but I need to go. I'm pet-sitting for a friend. It was lovely talking to you."

"Even computers are not completely dependable. I would have not been able to carry my laptop around with me, when we were on the run and living in survival camps day to day during the war." Hermione points out. E-mail might be instantaneous, but one has to remember that if the power goes out, or Internet provider is down, that there are other ways to communicate.

Crookshanks stretches out his big cat body, grumbles at her statement, but then moves over to his mistress' lap.

"It was nice meeting you. Thank you for helping me think out a few things."

"That's true," she agrees. "I guess I'm used to having computer access on my ship, no matter what else is going on..."

Crookshanks' grumble melts her heart. Luckily she has some more furry friends to visit, otherwise it'd be harder to say goodbye. "Anytime, Hermione. Here, um..." She digs around in her messenger bag for a paper and pen, then jots down something before passing the paper to Hermione. "That's my contact info, if you need to send me a text."

"Oh thank you." Hermione reaches to her side, where there is a small pouch hanging at her belt. She pulls out a PINpoint device from the bag (and there must be some magic there, since the PINpoint device is larger than the pouch). She puts in Adia's contact information. Then writes out her own information.

"Here. For you."

She's pleased to see another PINpoint in use. It's one less thing she would need to explain. "Thanks," she says, taking Hermione's information with a warm smile. The dissonance between the PINpoint and her bag size does not go unnoticed, but Adia has seen enough magic in the Nexus to not boggle at it. That's a lot more useful than a messenger bag, is what she thinks.

She stands up and brushes off any fur Crookshanks might have left behind before adjusting the strap of her messenger bag and giving Hermione a cheerful wave goodbye. She heads off towards the Plaza, presumably to her pet sitting gig.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The Lure of Learning

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject