SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL WIZARD BY DIANE DUANE

  Beyond the various fact-induced tales, fantasy is the fulcrum of all fiction. A sensibility linking creatures to creators by virtue of narration—the be all and end all relation between the two; albeit sometimes the traditional meaning is superseded by genre-lisation from the same. Better yet, a world venerated enough to generate pensy regards—Muggles alike. The world of magic, witches, and wizards.

I

My name is Khairelikoblepharehglukumeilichephreidosd'enagouni

  Equal to latent talents, magic presents itself at the right moment. Calling finally meeting intent. For Nita, a flexure from bullies foresees her foray into this striking world. Confessions fall into place about the love of, among other things, space and astronomy—which form the basis of her earliest manoeuvres into the realm of magic. Summoning and befriending a white hole that in quite mega-nova fashion, radiates and releases residue as required. Maraudings lead to a fellow outsider schoolmate, Kit, new to the craft. And as Harry's acquaintances, they can't help being friends after certain encounters.Curiosity and sheer aspirations for mastery—or a destiny pre-written by magical lore—leads Nita and Kit to Tom (keeper of a clearinghouse, similarly named from the H.P. one), and Carl. They are older wizards and guides of fledgling new entrants.

II

Wizardry—not one particular spell

  By way of proclamation and unhesitating rendezvous at the heart of earlier pop-culture, the yet two-wizard tale trickles to the sea. SYLW values dolphins like any self-respecting book, regardless of the sea's powerful force and myriad lifeforms. Timeheart has become the dreamland. With the adoration of Jaws—whose Amity beach billboard had the first googly eyes— and the outing of Tom as a wizard whose irl occupation is writing scripts and experiences in the Business, Diane Duane might have blatantly alluded to herself. The Invisibility Cloak finding a place in The Curse of the Ring settles any doubt. This, however, births the tough question of adaptation, or if she would be involved should Hollywood depredate the setting. The former? This is Timeheart, after all.

III

It's Alive! Send it something! Send some 1's!

  The younger the wizard, the powerful their abilities. Geek in, geekin' out. For a Trekkie, Nita's kid sister, Dairine, is the family's motion setter; explaining her early accustomization to wizardry and other subversions. Delving into hyperspace by loading worlds and navigating datastreams beyond BEMs and silicon. Reaching for the further shore; Voyager of course. Dairine's interstellar intervals interact creatures and lifeforms that relay posterious wars; where the best upload may win, governed by wit-showdowns.

  If playing by the rules guarantees an arrested-age and a lifetime of consultancy. . . . Wizardry got no match. It is a hard sport