"Science," he begins, forcibly patient, "is a field whose origin is rooted in failed alchemists being upset at being called frauds, which is what they were. It's moved along admirably."

Comparatively, is the inaudible, wry addition. Severus finds elements of science interesting and he finds the ingenuousness of muggles occasionally fascinating - but it's also sad. The passion and effort that goes into building more and more complex machines just to do things that witches and wizards can do at will is enormous. It should be sorcery that has that backing.