Old Friends and Old Business

[Harry Dresden]

Harry couldn't help it. He started laughing. In fact, he laughed so hard he fell down on top of the circle, literally hitting the floor while shaking with laughter. Bob was not amused. "Oh, ha-ha. You finally know something I don't. Cute. See if I help you now." Harry laughed for a few more seconds before standing up, placing Bob on his shelf of romance novels where he usually was. "I'm sorry, it's just such a novel thing." He put Inlumia's notebook on the shelf and nodded to it. "Most of the pertinent information is in there. Some kid named Inlumia. The bits that aren't are pretty simple, otherwise I doubt I'd have been able to get them. This place is called the Omniverse. It seems to be a separate dimension from home. I can't use my Sight or access the Nevernever, so the rules are different here. I'm what's called a Prime here, which makes you a Secondary since I summoned you here."

While Harry spoke, the pages of the notebook blew from right to left at a startling speed, the sign of Bob reading the book. Bob was done before Harry finished talking, which was just to be expected. Bob was a spirit of intellect, after all. He was about the smartest being Harry knew. "You know, Boss, not even DuMorne got into this much trouble. You've got a gift." Harry cringed at the mention of his old mentor. "At least I'm living through mine. There doesn't seem to be a Mab here, so I've dodged that particular bullet for the time being." He could've sworn Bob somehow made the orange flames of his eyes seem flat and sarcastic for a moment. It wouldn't surprise him, though he wasn't exactly sure how a fire could look sarcastic. "Fine, I get it. I shouldn't have done that thing with Kincaid. Geez."

Bob looked a little satisfied with that. "So, Boss, what do you want?" Harry shook his head. "Right now, not much. I'm just trying to wrap my head around this place. The universe we're in is called Camelot, it's like the middle ages or something, but with more magic, and less witch burning. I'm thinking of opening a private investigations business in Minas Tirith, if only for the novelty." Bob's skull swiveled to gaze at him directly. "Minas Tirith? As in..." Harry nodded. "Exactly like Lord of the Rings. Someone mentioned a King Aragorn too." Bob chuckled. "This must be paradise for a nerd like you." That got Harry laughing too. "I will have you know..." he managed to choke out between fits of chuckles, "I am a wizard. Nerd doesn't do me justice."