Iain Lobb-Lupin brushed aside the potions and scrolls that covered the old desk and planted a curious rectangular metal object at its centre. It was folded at the centre and one of its faces displayed a shining surface covered in mystic icons. 'This Harry' he said, gasping for breath 'is a "laptop"'. He wiped his brow. "S'Muggle technology, essentially a primitive binary encoder, but I've added some Hogwash touches, which should help guard against Voldemort's spells'. Iain turned it towards himself and started tapping away at the keys.
Harry peered at it suspiciously. 'How will it help?' he inquired, picking wax out of his ears.
'Don't clean your ears out in here dear boy, Hermione's already trodden bourbons into the Axminster. Now look here!' He gesticulated wildly at the screen. 'What this allows you to do is make "Flash Games", like platform shooters, diabolic puzzles & bewitching role-playing fantasies, with which you can entrance Voldemort and his minions. You name it, you can make it with this... thingamabob... "laptop", yes!'
Harry furrowed his brow and bent down for a closer look. A game called 'Zwok' had materialised onscreen, a few bombs arced and exploded. Harry turned to his mentor. 'Are you sure Iain? I mean, it looks complicated. How can I make these "Flash Games"?'
'Why the doubts Harry, after all you've learned at Hogwash? I can show you exactly what you need to do. I can show you how to structure your code, how and when to use 3rd party libraries, why FlashDevelop & Flash CS4 are brilliant, the core maths that run the magic and how to make it all fun!" Harry's eyes glinted in the pale light, as onscreen a creature called 'DETH-EATA' was hit by an explosion.
'Harry, come back and see me on Tuesday 8th September at The Werks in Hove and I'll show you the light at the end of the tunnel. And bring that Hermione with you would you, to clean up her mess, blasted nuisance!'
Harry grinned broadly. 'I will Iain' and, sweeping the laptop off the desk, marched briskly out of the room.
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