Quite frankly, Lisa wasn’t in the mood for a fair. Neither the noise nor the crowds particularly agreed with her headache and she would’ve left long ago if she didn’t know how important it was to show support for the event. Tensions were high, especially in the Ministry, and every person counted. She only hoped she didn’t run into Nott – while she feared she’d make poor company for anybody today, if she came across Nott specifically, Lisa had a feeling she might end up very purposefully stepping on his foot with her heels and as lovely as that would feel, it simply wasn’t worth the trouble.
She’d tried to focus on the different exhibits, but it was hard to marvel at a smartphone when she herself already had one lying around in her purse. She’d always made sure to put effort into ensuring she stayed in touch with her parents and in turn, the Muggle world, even when doing so had been forbidden. She hadn’t broken any law, of course, but she had acquired a nice little stack of letters to send her parents once the no-contact policies were lifted. She didn’t have anything too important to say in them, really, just bits and pieces of her daily life, but it had made the new restrictions somewhat more bearable.
In any case, she hadn’t come to gawk at technology, and she was almost relieved when Hermione spoke to her, enough to make a conscious effort to return the smile. “Everything looks great. The Department of Magical Outreach have really outdone themselves.” That much was true, at least. The event seemed well-organised, even if that was the best compliment Lisa could offer at the moment. “I don’t know if I’d say I find any of the items interesting, but it’s fascinating to see how some wix react to them. It’s funny, in a way, too; their reactions now are very similar to my reaction to the Wizarding World as a whole.”
Surely, if anyone would understand her predicament it would be others who’d grown up in the Muggle world and Lisa let out a small laugh as she was reminded of yet another situation only a fellow half-blood or a muggle-born would understand. “I was actually talking to Terry sometime ago, Terry Boot, that is, and he was convinced doctors were some sort of butchers. I have to admit, it feels nice not to be the clueless one in the situation.”
Hermione smiled widely at Lisa Turpin. An old classmate. And, while they’d never gotten close in school, Hermione respected her as a witch in the workforce. Lisa, too, had ties to the Muggle world and so Hermione understood when she discussed the curiosity and wonder at which the magical world had given them as children. However, her heart sunk a bit when Lisa said she wasn’t interested in the technology. Was that because she already knew about it or because she didn’t agree with the Initiative?
Hermione didn’t know which was worse. It was hard knowing others knew more about her other world that she did. Hermione had long ago lost touch with the Muggle world outside of the visits with her father - or the occasional one with her mother. Had Lisa been paying more attention? Or just less to the Wizarding World? “Did you already know about all of these, then?” Hermione asks, trying to stay casual, though there’s a strain in her voice, anxiety stuck in her throat.
Lisa went on to talk about Terry, lightly teasing him for his naivety. While the joke was rather cute, it was this that Hermione was working to stop. This us vs. them mentality. Hermione could remember the times where people would snort at the cluelessness of Muggleborns - how they’d assumed she, too, wouldn’t know. She remembered staying up, night after night, soaking everything magical in. Not wanting to fall behind - not wanting to look different.
“Terry means well,” Hermione said to Lisa with a close-lipped smile. “It’s important we give purebloods the same sympathy of education we expect from them. One who didn’t grow up in the Muggle world would likely not know what you and I do - just as I came into this world with only the knowledge of books. I do hope you took the time to have a meaningful discussion of Muggle doctors with him.”