"Nah, there's place spells. Mostly because I know how to do things on objects. I can make healing potions and permanent lights and stuff."

"Hmmm," she says thoughtfully, "do your healing potions involve any sort of brewing?"

"I can do it with water, but potion base is better, but because of the stuff in it not because of brewing? I'm not actually sure what's in potion base, though."

"Would you be able to make some potion base for me?"

"No. I don't actually know what's in it. I got hit for asking. My school just wanted to make money off 'a young kids, didn't bother to actually teach us much. Most of why I ran away."

"They did what?" Temperance says incensed.

"I already said. They hit you if you ask too many questions or complain too much or question the adults at all. Most kids stop doing those things. I ran away instead."

"Yeah, that was sensible of you."

"Cost me one 'a my points permanently. There was probably a smarter way to do it. Didn't expect a dimension hop to actually work."

"I know of ways to move between worlds, but none reliable or easy to get." She ponders thoughtfully. "What sort of things cost a permanent point?"

"City-size versions of regular stuff. Mind control. Total indestructibility. De-aging and resurrecting. Turn lead to gold. Or anything to anything."

"Does it help if you're, say, editing something existing?"

"How do you edit something non-existing?"

"I meant a magical artifact or phenomena that is already out there. Would it be cheaper to use the already existing magic as base and just change what you want changed."

"I don't think so? Not unless, like, part of the job is already done. Changing magic and not adding on to it mostly goes, uh, badly, unless you did the thing you're changing yourself. Adding on to it sometimes gets iffy, too."

"Ah, I was hoping you could use your magic to change a gate to a fairyland."

"That sounds like a terrible idea."

"Definitely not without learning a lot more about gates and fairylands."

"I wasn't going to cart you to the nearest gate and have you perform your magic," Temperance defends herself, albeit without any heat. "I would figure out a safe court to interact with and perform a lot of magic testing beforehand."

"Yeah but no. Maybe you should watch me make up and use a new spell. And I wanna watch you do some magic."

"I was absolutely planning that, I was just waiting for the house to find my best magical measuring equipment. Maybe we should move to my study?"

"Sure, why not? You coming with, Adam?"

"Sure, as long I won't stay in the way..."

"You won't. Don't worry." She beckons them to follow her upstairs.

He doesn't entirely trust this adult but they do seem nerd-ish, and he's good at not showing distrust.

He follows.