[week one - wednesday]

[ceded]

[ Why keep us from using magic?

That had been ... startling. Xion had been somewhat lacking in presence of mind during the meeting, given what they were being told, but she'd had just enough to keep herself from spilling the beans about her own powers.

Her own ... missing powers.

Harry is the only person she's even heard mention magic. Real magic, and not circus tricks like Simon's. (Which are cool, but ... it's different!)

So the day after the meeting she goes ... looking. It hasn't been much like her at all to seek people out, given her mood, but ... this is worth it, right? If she can talk to someone else about magic...

What she isn't expecting is to simply bump into him on the street. ]

Oh! It's -- it's you!

[ Eloquent. At least Pluto, at her heel and looking cheerful, is a bit more welcoming, trotting forward to nudge at Harry's hand for pets. ]

Comments

[expelliarmed]

[ Oh, it's her. Harry hadn't forgotten the girl who'd spoken up when he'd asked about magic, but then quickly ended the conversation after asking about it. He'd been curious, but had enough to think about otherwise, considering, well...their whole predicament. Still, this could be his chance to find out why she'd asked in the first place.

...And of course she has a dog. Everyone has a dog. It makes him a little wistful for Hedwig's company, but this climate wouldn't have agreed with her, anyway. ]

It's me. [ His tone is just a hair teasing. ] Um - how're you...taking things?

[ He somehow doesn't suspect she's one of the ones eager to murder. ]

[ceded]

[ Xion smiles a little sheepishly at his teasing. ]

... I'm okay. [ Said, you know, a bit cagily, but really, are any of them doing great right now? ] How about you? Um ... I don't think I heard your name.

[expelliarmed]

[ That's fair enough. Given the circumstances, he doesn't really expect complete transparency from anyone. But at least she seems good-humored. ]

It's Harry. And...I'm fine.

[ Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional. ]

[ceded]

... yeah, I think most of us feel that way, right now.

[ "Normal" ....

Her smile is a little crooked, one corner of her mouth curling up under pressed-together brows. ]

I'm Xion. It's nice to meet you, Harry. Um ... I wanted to talk to you, actually. About magic.

[expelliarmed]

[ Ah, so that is what it's about. He looks a little sheepish, but there's no point in covering up what he'd said. Besides, she seems sincere, and there were clearly more important things to worry about now than who knew he could use magic. ]

Alright, then. Though there's not much to talk about. I haven't been able to use any since I got here.

[ceded]

I can use it too!

[ She busts out, and then swallows. ]

Or ... well, I could. Just like you. I can't use any of my powers since I got here. I ... I wasn't sure who I could talk to about it. It seems like not everyone here can do things like we can.

[expelliarmed]

[ Oh...well, it's not too surprising, is it? And...it's solidarity. Someone who has magic also understands now how it feels to have had it taken away so casually. ]

There's not many that I know of. How exactly...did you use your magic?

[ He doesn't see a wand on her, but he's only really carrying his in his pocket now out of habit. And for safekeeping. ]

[ceded]

How?

[ Xion tilts her head. ]

Well, I only used it when I was fighting. I could only use so many casts before I ran out, but I learned all the different spells that I could... I got pretty good at them! It's ... weird, not being able to do anything. I miss it.

[expelliarmed]

[ Combat-only magic? That's different. Defensive - and offensive - spells were definitely part of what he'd learned, but there was a lot more to do with magic than fight. Still, using magic is like a second nature, and he can definitely sympathize with how she must be feeling right now. ]

It is weird, isn't it? Like you're...missing a limb, or something like that.

[ OR A PIECE OF YOUR SOUL okay no, not that. ]

The sheriff said it was so we could have a level playing field, but I don't know if I believe that.

[ceded]

[ Xion's mouth pulls to one side. ]

Yeah, right. If I had my powers, we could leave, so I bet that's not all he has in mind. It really just feels like ... something so familiar is gone. Like it used to be right there. I keep ... trying to do the things I know, and feeling weird when nothing happens.

[expelliarmed]

Exactly. [ It's infuriating. It'd be so easy to apparate back and forth and get everyone out of here, but of course it can't be that easy. ]

There has to be...something they did. A charm, or a hex, or... [ For about the thousandth time, he wishes Hermione were here. ] If we can figure out what it is, maybe we can get our magic back.

[ceded]

You think ... they used magic to stop ours?

[ Xion frowns hard, her brow creasing. ]

That makes a lot of sense. I'm not sure how else they could make our magic stop working. But... the Sheriff is a robot. Do you think he could have done it? Or ... his employers?

[expelliarmed]

They had enough magic to get us all onto that train, but I think it's more likely his employers, yeah.

i lOST THIS TAG I'M SORRY WTF

[ceded]

[ Xion considers this for a long moment, and nods slowly. Magic... he has a point. Only someone or something really powerful could have put her on that train, after everything. ]

I wish we could find them. I have so many questions, and I bet we could learn a lot.

new phone who dis

[expelliarmed]

I'm sure we could. But I don't think they're anywhere in this town, unless it's in those boarded-up shops.

[ But they sure know how to build suspense, don't they? ]

:| ur conscience

[ceded]

I wonder what's in those places.

[ frowning in thought. ]

What's your magic like, Harry?

ah yes...shoves down the stairs

[expelliarmed]

[ His eyebrows lift. ] What's it like? What do you mean, exactly?

why do you want to break your conscience's legs

[ceded]

[ Xion tilts her head. ]

Don't you have your own magic?

[ All the Organization members did. Xion pauses then. ]

Actually... s-sorry, you might not have something like that. [ Sheepish. That ... maybe that was a Nobody thing, or an Organization thing. Vexen's ice, and Axel's fire, and things like that... that was all different from the standard spells everyone knew. But maybe that was because... of what and who they were...? ]

because pain is my game

[expelliarmed]

You mean like...a different kind of magic I can use that no one else can? [ Hmm, he'd never really thought of it like that before. ] Not really. I mean...I suppose I've got things I'm maybe better at than some wizards, but most people can do the same kinds of magic.

[ You know, aside from his connection to the mind of the greatest dark wizard that ever lived but let's not talk about that. ]

[ceded]

Wizards?

[ Blink, and a head tilt. ]

Is that what you call ... people who can use magic?

[ The word is vaguely familiar for reasons she can't quite place. ]

[expelliarmed]

Yeah. Wizards for men, and witches for women. Muggles are the non-magic folk.

[ ...Hm. ] What do they call magic-users where you're from?

[ceded]

... we don't, [ she says, before her expression screws up a little in some frustration. This is hard to explain. ]

It's just ... back home, everyone could use magic. If there's a word for someone who can do it, we didn't use it.

[expelliarmed]

[ It's an interesting thought. What if everyone in his world could use magic? There'd be no need for secrecy, no blood status, no muggle protection acts. Would they even need the Ministry? But then again, Harry barely thought they needed the Ministry as it was now. ]

Things would be so different where I'm from if that was the case. You didn't have to keep your magic hidden, then?

[ceded]

Well .... not when I was home.

[ That's a weird way of putting it. The World That Never Was never really felt like a home. Still, it's technically true. ]

And when I was out on missions, I could use magic however much I wanted. I still couldn't let anyone see me, though. But that was for a different reason than just magic. I was never really supposed to be in all the places I was going, so I had to keep my presence a secret. [ Head tilt. ] Does ... that make sense?