Oh, they'd moved on to tarot readings. Ford wasn't half so interested in that as he was in the more far-fetched spiritualism like talking to the dead or levitating tables or whatnot. He'd never put much stock in divination in general, though he had sat still and let Verity read tarot for him on a few occasions when she'd wanted someone to practice on. It was no more accurate than what this fellow had been doing a moment ago, in Ford's opinion; all educated guesses based on little context clues. Verity's had been accurate enough, but that was only because she knew him so well already that there wasn't much left to guesswork.
The readings were going so quickly that Ford wondered if he was even looking at all the cards. Maybe Verity's took longer because she was less skilled, or maybe this gentleman knew that he could get away without doing much work, since the Muggles were likely to believe him anyway. In any case, they had barely gotten started with the readings when the noises started, and those were much more interesting to Ford. If they were mechanical, that was interesting in and of itself, because Ford always thought those things were a little neat — and doubly so because he couldn't notice the man giving the show doing anything to cause them, which meant he probably had assistance. If it was caused magically, that was interesting, too — but more because it was another potential violation of the International Statute of Secrecy, using charmwork to swindle money from unsuspecting Muggles.
Ford had been trying to imagine exactly what sorts of contraptions were most likely behind the noises as they went, and so he was fairly distracted when the mystic launched into his dramatic, spooky tone again. As a result, it was much more difficult to keep up the facade of believing in all of this (or at least polite indifference) and he found himself stifling a laugh behind his hand. This drew a look from the people around him in the audience, as well as from the mystic, so Ford supposed his stretch of time trying to lay low in the audience had come to an end. Oh, well; it had been a good show while it lasted.
"Yeah, alright," Ford said with a shrug. "I'm willing to believe I've offended a spirit," he said, with a playful glance towards the ghost behind the man's shoulder that he was sure neither the ghost nor the mystic could fail to notice. If the psychic wanted to pick on Ford, he ought to at least know that he was dealing with another wizard before he started in on it.
The readings were going so quickly that Ford wondered if he was even looking at all the cards. Maybe Verity's took longer because she was less skilled, or maybe this gentleman knew that he could get away without doing much work, since the Muggles were likely to believe him anyway. In any case, they had barely gotten started with the readings when the noises started, and those were much more interesting to Ford. If they were mechanical, that was interesting in and of itself, because Ford always thought those things were a little neat — and doubly so because he couldn't notice the man giving the show doing anything to cause them, which meant he probably had assistance. If it was caused magically, that was interesting, too — but more because it was another potential violation of the International Statute of Secrecy, using charmwork to swindle money from unsuspecting Muggles.
Ford had been trying to imagine exactly what sorts of contraptions were most likely behind the noises as they went, and so he was fairly distracted when the mystic launched into his dramatic, spooky tone again. As a result, it was much more difficult to keep up the facade of believing in all of this (or at least polite indifference) and he found himself stifling a laugh behind his hand. This drew a look from the people around him in the audience, as well as from the mystic, so Ford supposed his stretch of time trying to lay low in the audience had come to an end. Oh, well; it had been a good show while it lasted.
"Yeah, alright," Ford said with a shrug. "I'm willing to believe I've offended a spirit," he said, with a playful glance towards the ghost behind the man's shoulder that he was sure neither the ghost nor the mystic could fail to notice. If the psychic wanted to pick on Ford, he ought to at least know that he was dealing with another wizard before he started in on it.
Set by Lady!