A Little Fresh Air finished

@Bridget Collins

Illowy was getting excited, a whole plan was starting to come together - at least, a whole plan about how to set up a plan. After all, in this type of situation, communication was the biggest hurdle. Bridget assured she'd give her both her phone number and her address, just in case Illowy couldn't quite figure out how to work the phone. A valid and fair assumption. Oh to live back in the day where she could have just had to dial an operator and some Muggle lady on the other end could just do the directing for her.

As the conversation shifted, Illowy found herself staring somewhat in wonder as Bridget began going on and on about a computer. While Illowy wasn't sure if that was what their dormmate had originally called it, it seemed to at least be similar. Truthfully, she wasn't sure if she'd ever heard Bridget talk this consecutively about anything. Either way, Bridget was going a much better job of trying to explain the concept with her creative display via her book. Her pencil had long since ceased its scratching against the parchment, in favor of giving her full attention on this little lecture; trying to imagine such a device and trying to father how something could hold all of the information of a library.

In her imagination, she wondered if it worked something similar to an extension charm where it could hold lots a things while still seeming to be small and unassuming. Though obviously Muggles weren't capable of such charms, so what other way could they make such a thing? Bridget asked if she'd heard of a typewriter, to which she nodded, her brow furrowed a bit in curiosity as her friend continued on without much hesitation. Try as she might to keep up and attempt to recall if she'd ever heard or seen such things before, it was difficult not to get lost in the onslaught of new information.

When the lecture finally seemed to come to a close and Bridget asked for reassurance that she'd managed to follow, the other snake offered a slow, hesitant nod, "I think so..." her tone might not have been totally convincing. However that didn't seem to quell the other's enthusiasm, suggesting to bring the device along when she came to visit. Illowy's expression lifted, "Aye, maybe then it'll make more sense." she chuckled. That would be quite the summer experience, to have a little glimpse into the muggle world and gain a bit more understanding. Both of the world that coexisted next to her own, and a better understanding of Bridget.

She most definitely had made things too complicated. Illowy looked confused, and she might have said she thought she understood, but with so little confidence behind the words, even trailing off at the end, it was clear that wasn't really the case. Her smile turned a touch more embarrassed. It was okay, though. Something so complex would need more than a quick crash course to grasp. And that was how she'd felt when she'd first arrived at Hogwarts, wasn't it? Little eleven-year-old Bridget had been quite overwhelmed by all the things she didn't know, the overload no doubt exasperated by being truly away from home for the first time. She'd had the minor advantage of having read plenty of fantasy, which had clearly been inspired by real wizarding magic and creatures, though just as often she was left to figure out what was and wasn't real.

But yes, she'd have to show Illowy a real computer. It was rather crazy to think about, honestly, how many things integral to the culture she'd grown up in that were completely foreign to her friend and plenty of her schoolmates. Had she ever watched a movie? She probably didn't have a clue what Star Wars was, did she? That would practically be sacrilege at any Muggle school. Wizards as a whole didn't seem to have as much in the way of pop culture. They did have their own fiction books and presumably plays and radio broadcasts, but nothing in the realm of television.

Well, then, she had a lot of things to show Illowy over the next few years. She'd be more mindful to not flood her with things, especially since many of them would probably be irrelevant in her life, but it would be fun. Discovering all she could about magic had held her attention all of her first year, curiosity fueling a dive through as much as the library as she could get to. Perhaps Illowy might like learning about Muggle culture similarly, though it wasn't quite the same; Bridget had been adjusting to the fact she was something different from what she thought she was, so there had been a certain necessity to figuring the wizarding world out.

"It's a plan, then." Their agenda for the hopeful summer get-together was just two things so far, duelling practice and computers, but those things, plus the prospect of seeing a friend, had her excited. "I'll owl home to be sure we don't have anything that might interfere." While she was fairly confident that wasn't the case, it was better to not leave that to chance.

Time would wear on, the friends talking and slowly transitioning more to the activities they brought. Eventually, they would head back into the castle, Bridget by Illowy's side in an attempt to lessen any discomfort she might be feeling. It really was a nice dress, and she wished the only reason people might be staring was because Illowy was pretty. Which she was, she just also had very noticeable and unusual black veins. All in all, it had been an afternoon well-spent, the sharing of plans, interests, and company.

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