Ran like new… that was probably one of the highest praise one could give for a machine that had been old when colour tellies were new. “Sounds like it could probably outlive us,” Nigel chuckled. Though that was a low bar, in light of his recent and not-so-recent circumstances. He suppressed a smile ...

“Watertight then,” Nigel nodded as Morgan laid out their requirements. Maintaining a safe barrier between them and the reflection simplified things dramatically. “I doubt we need to worry much about any nosy neighbours, since there are none in the immediate vicinity at the moment, and people seem k...

To Nigel, Addie sounded like she was downplaying her efforts and the results. “Don’t sell yourself short. We all know how intimidating it is to start something new, and how easily and firmly self-doubt and perfectionism and other issues can hold us back.” And the story of Mera ‘accidentally’ becomin...

Rhysln’s grumbling was just barely audible, but Nigel caught enough to get the gist. “After all of this, we are going to need a debrief. My office, if there are no objections.” His words neither addressed her concerns, nor dismissed them; now was simply not the time. And there would be much to discu...

Dorian’s words made perfect sense despite his obvious inebriation. Or perhaps, precisely because of it. “None of us do,” Nigel replied, before taking another sip of whisky and letting it burn as it went down. No chaser – he preferred it that way. Strong, without anything to mask the taste or soften ...

“Of course we did.” Nigel’s response was unusually cold and sharp, but there was something he had omitted that would undermine that self-righteousness. He knew not the full details of what Morgan did to the mirror, a deliberate choice they had made that was part of the containment measures. The les...

The Bullet was familiar to Nigel: a beautiful and iconic motorbike, an important part of British motorbike history, and perhaps most interestingly it was still in production despite dating back to the 1930s – older than Nigel’s, in fact, which was produced several years later during the Second World...

For the first time, Nigel laid eyes on the interior of the store. Right as he stepped in, he noticed the smell that hung in the air: herbs, spices, and other things he couldn’t readily identify, all mixed into a pleasant yet oddly nostalgic scent. The shelves and display cases were well-stocked with...

Nigel considered Morgan’s words carefully. “My apologies, I was operating on a lot of assumptions and worst-case scenarios.” Sensing their discomfort and realising that their injuries had been more serious than he initially thought, he drew his wand and pointed it at where their hand was. “Hold stil...

A good question by Rhysln, one that Nigel didn’t have a ready answer for. “He rarely, if ever, shows his face.” And right as those words left his lips, he had a nagging suspicion as to why his reflection would do something so unlike his usual modus operandi. The students finding the mirror so many w...

As Morgan mused aloud about how the experiment had gone utterly wrong, a possibility came to Nigel’s mind. “This feels like a CPT violation of some sort within the mirror,” he offered. “Could be parity if the vector was flipped, or charge if the value itself was inverted instead.” Morgan’s reluctanc...

With a soft pop, Nigel materialised from thin air a short distance from the Three Broomsticks Inn. In his hand was a small paper bag containing a wrapped gift. A muggle-made marvel of engineering: a 19th-century Swiss-made singing bird box. He had recently acquired and repaired it, and he hoped its ...

As Nigel had expected, it was easier for him to repair a 19th-century Swiss-made singing bird box without magic than write a reply to Adeline. The aforementioned antique sat on his workbench, having been restored to its former glory over the course of an entire weekend. Nigel had heard the surprisin...

“I’d rather you be overly paranoid,” Nigel replied as he took the slip of paper. If Morgan’s reflection had spoken true, then his reflection was a threat that had to be contained as quickly as possible. The reflection’s demonstrated mastery of time magic, coupled with the worst of intentions and ‘w...

‘Nigel’ turned his gaze briefly to where Nuka was looking, and spotted nothing suspicious. “A fair point,” he conceded, and assumed a stance with his legs shoulder-width apart, hands out to the sides, facing the Auror straight on. “No offence taken. It’s not often that I leave the castle during thes...

“The latter, actually,” Nigel’s reflection admitted with a sheepish grin that was indistinguishable from the original’s. “I woke up and couldn’t fall back asleep, so I might as well get some fresh air.” While his insomnia wasn’t something he talked about often, it was no secret either. Anyone who h...

Soon the identity of the mysterious person became clear: Nuka Murphy, a severe figure in her long trench coat, strolled along the garden at an unhurried pace like a sharp-eyed eagle surveying the lands for any prey. Nigel found himself with even more questions. The school grounds hadn’t been as dese...

Rhysln’s tone was enough to tip Louis off about how she really felt. “Never argue with professors,” he said in a half-jest. “They make a living correcting people’s mistakes. No offence, Graeme.” “None taken,” Nigel replied. “I do apologise for my pedantry.” After the trio had been transported to the...

Complications 17th September, 2004 Shafts of evening light filtered through the thick windows of Nigel’s office, painting his workbench and the stone floor a brilliant shade of gold. A folder lay open, and a handful of loose pages were scattered beside his notebook. It had been months since his enc...

Mala Tempora 17th January, 2004 Something wasn’t right. Nigel paused, hand on the doorknob of his front door, unable to shake away the sense of unease that struck him suddenly nor explain it. Rationalising that the best solution was to press on until he encountered the problem, he swung the door op...

The barest hint of a smile tugged at Nigel’s lips. Anything vaguely related to time was confounding at best, but Rhysln was already starting to wrap her mind around the subject and think along the correct lines. “Correction: it’s not whether or not it’ll have an effect. As of this moment and to the ...

As Martin settled into the recliner, the professor flicked his wand with at the door of his office with a whisper, setting up a privacy charm that would dull noises from the outside and indicate to anyone approaching that they were not to be disturbed. Once that was done, he moved over to the reclin...

Rhysln’s request was simple and fair enough. “Very well,” Nigel said, and turned to Louis. “Jaywick was a straightforward assignment. A fugitive sighted at a location, the intelligence was sound, and no expected complications. A textbook arrest procedure: Apparate to the village, then surround and s...

“Dead on,” Louis nodded, confirming what Rhysln had said about the role the Room of Requirement played in the Second Wizarding War. “Can I leave you to check it out?” he asked sheepishly as he habitually scratched the back of his head. “I only managed to find the Room twice, and twice it appeared a...

The process of becoming an Animagus was essentially a personal journey into one’s psyche, and as such Nigel had always liked to tailor his guidance to suit each student’s needs and preferences. Thus was the reason why he had posed his question to Martin, whose thought process became apparent as he a...