"Anyway, Hermione. I just wanted to stop by and say Hi. I brought you a pre-Birthday gift. I know you like writing using a fountain pen, so I got a nice one for you. Nice meeting you all! I have to get to my Bujinkai class in 30 minutes. Bye." Evan said, getting up from the sofa. He quickly hugged Hermione (to her surprise), shook everybody else's hand, turned and left.
"Your friend Evan is a bit weird" said Neville. "More like real cute" said Ginny. "I don't like him" said Ron. "Are you sure he is not magical?" asked Luna. "He feels magical. And that card trick? How can you do that without magic? How does he know about magical brooms?" she continued. "Let me answer Luna first. Come to my bedroom – I need to show you guys something." On her desk in her bedroom was a desktop computer. She turned it on and connected to the internet.
"In the non-magical world, the muggles have developed a way to communicate and exchange information worldwide, almost instantaneously – it is called the internet or World Wide Web. I am going to search for card tricks. OK – here it is. This is the same trick Evan did. What I am going to show you is called a video. Think of it like a recording on an omniocular." They watched the same card trick being performed by another non-magical. "Now, I am going to show you one of my favorite childhood movies, 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks'." She pulled out a VCR cassette, and took them back downstairs to the living room. Hermione told them to sit on the sofa, while she put the VCR cassette into the player, turned on the television and pressed play.
They watched "movie magic", where shoes marched on their own, brooms flew, and cartoon animals could talk! "How can muggles do these things? Aren't they breaking the Secrecy Act?" asked Ginny. "It's not real magic" said Hermione. "And they know it isn't real – to them it is all imaginary. There is a whole industry of film-making that is based on the imaginary, just like the 'Magic Tricks'. There are movies about Merlin, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and even The Lord of the Rings. Magicians are considered masters of illusion." Hermione explained.
"Ron, you haven't liked Evan ever since I got my first letter from him. Way before you ever met him." "Neville, I agree he is a bit weird – he is only three years older than us. He is an orphan who has had to rely on himself for many years, and now is in the military. Being a soldier is a great responsibility. Like he said, his job will be to save lives. Doing that however, may require him to take lives. That has to be a great responsibility. Will he be able to do it when he doesn't have the comfort of taking the time to decide?" "And Ginny, I agree with you!"
...
At 4pm, Hermione gave Neville the pictures of Malfoy et al, some magical signature-recording crystals, and then led them all back into the trunk. She said her goodbye as the trunk lid was closed. Winky popped over to the train compartment to verify it was empty – it was not. She found another compartment at the very end that was empty, and locked the door, placing a Notice me Not charm on it. Then she popped back, collected the trunk, and delivered it to the empty compartment. Just as the train was entering Kings Cross Station, the four made their way to their previous compartment to remove their trunks. As they stepped off the train, they were confronted by the Headmaster, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt. All four tried to pretend they didn't see the adults, making their way to their respective parents.
"Misters Weasley and Longbottom, and Miss Weasley and Lovegood. A moment please " said the Headmaster. Remembering Hermione's warnings, none of the students looked into the Headmaster's eyes. "How can we help you, Headmaster?" asked Neville, looking no higher than his lips. "It was my understanding that you four were not on the train" the Headmaster stated. "I don't understand, Headmaster. Who told you that?" asked Luna. "Mr. Malfoy claimed to have followed you to a compartment, but you had disappeared, likely by portkey. He then, as per his Prefect duties, notified the Senior Prefect on the train, who notified me. "
"Well, sir. Mr. Malfoy's statement is about as truthful as the one he gave about the confrontation in the Entrance Hall" responded Neville, "despite his 'altered' memory." "Then where were you?" sneered Professor Snape. "I don't know who he followed…sir…..but we occupied a carriage at the very rear of the train. We asked a senior to put up a Notice-me-Not spell on the door so we would not be disturbed. You can check for yourself, if you'd like" responded Neville. Auror Shacklebolt immediately went to the end of the train and checked the door for spell residue, and sure enough, found some. Returning, he nodded his head.
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