A New Medium

As you descended down the stairs you heard the sound of a gunshot and quickly rushed down the stairs to the front porch where you saw your grandmother Beth standing on the porch with a Winchester Lever Action Rifle in her hands as she shot at some ducks flying by downing three more before sighing as they flew away.

“Oh sorry to wake you sweetie but supper wouldn’t be the same without duck on the table.” You nodded before speaking. “Grandma where did you get that gun? Also how did you get so good at shooting?” You said as the two of you walked along to fetch the ducks.

“Well sweetie unlike your Uncles and grandfather I am not good at shooting not like them anyhow, however I can use magic to help there.” She stated as she handed you the rifle lifting up one of the ducks.

“Your uncles are much better shooters then me and if you haven’t shot a gun before or even heard of gun magic well then it looks like we will have to pay old man Wilson a visit because everyone in this household learned how to shoot at a young age.” Your grandmother said as she picked up two more ducks.

“But grandma what is gun magic I have never heard it until now.” Your grandma smiled as she picked up the last duck. “Well as you know the wizarding world has magic however in the normal world in place called America they have guns and lots of them. Sadie told me all about your obsession with the history of both this world and the other world so you must recognize this rifle right?” Your grandma stated as the two of you walked back to the house.

“Yeah I am pretty sure this is Winchester Lever Action Rifle from the 1800s right?” Your grandmother nodded patting your shoulder before continuing. “Yeah well out here in the country we common folks have less people who are born with magic like your uncles for instance and so we relied on imported goods from the other world.” Your grandma said as you held the door to the house open for her.

“Of course once the Ministry of Trade found out they closed off all trade with the other world so we had to learn how to maintain and make our own rifles and cars. Thankfully the Winchester family were more then happy to help with the process.” Your grandma said as she made her way to the kitchen.

“However for those of us with magic like myself we have learned to use guns to channel magic like you do with wands.” You looked down at the rifle in your hands as she continued explaining from the kitchen. “In many cultures they use other mediums to channel magic for their spells and incantations, city folk typically use wands, canes and staffs.” Your grandma stated as she began pluck the feathers from one of the ducks.

“But out here in the country Nathan people use guns, fiddles and sometimes farming tools instead of wands.” As you looked at the gun in your hands you took out your wand and inspected it looking it over. The wand was a standard academy basic wand given to all students not special in any way or different often simply massed produced as an easy and effective medium for magic. Then you looked to the Winchester Rifle. You could feel a sort of sentience from within the rifle almost as if it felt alive in your hands.

As you looked back to your wand you could feel nothing but the cold wood dead as the day it was cut down. However you soon felt a hand on your shoulder before you found your grandma standing behind you. “I take it you want to get your own magic rifle don’t you?” Your grandma Beth said with a smile, you only smiled in response before nodding your head.

“Well then I guess we’re going rifle shopping this afternoon but first help me prepare this duck for this evening’s supper and then we can make lunch and see about getting you a rifle alright sweetie?” You nodded setting the rifle against the wall before rolling your sleeves up and following your grandma Beth’s lead as she showed you how to prepare the duck for supper.