Frankie sighed. "It's cable television." She joined Severus where he perched at the foot of the bed, and took the remote control, which was being held backwards, from his hand. "These channels, the ones that talk about the park, that is closed circuit. They're only available at hotels inside the park. Now these channels," she flipped up a half dozen stations, "are local channels. You can get them just about anywhere in this part of Florida. And some of these," she flipped again, "are satellite channels, that you can get anywhere, some of them even in England."
Severus frowned. "Thats sounds like a very complicated spell for a Muggle."
"It's not a spell, it's..." Frankie shook her head. "You're right, it's very complicated. Have you thought about what you want to do today? I made a special reservation for lunch, but the morning's free." She didn't expect an answer, but Severus surprised her.
"Yes. I wish to go here." He examined the remote control carefully, then pushed several buttons. The screen of the TV changed. "And also to here." It changed again.
Frankie grinned. "I might have known."
Severus stood.
"Are you going to wear your cloak again today?" she asked anxiously.
Severus looked down his long nose at her and finally shook his head. "No. I do not enjoy being stared at." He adjusted the cuffs on his long sleeves fastidiously.
"Good. You won't be so hot, either," Frankie offered. "I, ah, bought you a t-shirt in the gift shop. You could wear that if you like. It's black," she added hastily.
Severus glared at her. "Black? With, no doubt, some precious little animal on the front? And words? I fail to see the point in clothing with words on them."
"Yeah, well, I was gonna get myself one that said, 'I'm with uptight', but they didn't have one," Frankie mumbled, hiding the Grumpy t-shirt under her pillow and heading out the door.
~*~
"It's not much of a mansion, is it? American Muggles have somewhat lower standards. And the headstones are not stone."
"No, but they're funny, yes?"
"Not particularly, no. What happens when they allow us through that door?"
The door opened, saving Frankie the need to answer.
When the lights went out, several children screamed. The apparition hanging over their heads was deliciously gruesome, Frankie thought happily, until Severus' voice rang clearly through the crowded room.
"Frankie, there is a child clinging to my leg. Remove it."
The lights came up then, and a chuckling father carefully pried a small boy's frightened hands off Severus's pant leg. Severus ignored them as Frankie led him past the door by the fireplace into the queue beyond.
"Stretching paintings indeed," he was muttering. "They were not even real paintings. Not one moved."
"Would you rather I hum 'It's a Small World'?"
"That is not funny. These are not real ghosts."
"No, they're holographic projections."
"Why do they not use real ghosts?"
"Because Muggles don't really believe in ghosts."
"Not believe in ghosts?" Incredulous. "Well, perhaps I shall die of boredom on this interminable ride and stay and haunt them. That will teach them of the reality of ghosts."
"Stop complaining. You chose this ride."
"Haunted Mansion. Muggles." Deep disgust. "This is so incredibly boring."
"It's almost over. Oh, look!"
"It is not a real ghost, Frankie."
"Maybe not, but he's sitting on your lap."
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