[ Quentin is basically basking in the glow of Hook's approval. Some people might try to act very cool and collected, but he sucks at that, so he's openly delighted about it. He was made fun of a lot for his hobbies but it didn't stop him from loving them. He does a playful little flourish with his hand and half-bows. ]

To be fair, I learned these before I started using real magic.

[ So it was his gateway. At the time he thought magic couldn't possibly exist, even if somewhere in his heart he couldn't stop believing in it. Maybe that destiny kept poking at him, knowing he'd follow the same path someday. ]

But it came in handy. Magic in my world requires really precise handwork, it's not like in some stories when people can just wave a hand casually or do it with their minds.

[ He pauses and shrugs. ]

I mean sometimes that is possible, it's just hard.

[ Quentin sets the cards down and then puts his hands in front of him. His fingers are long and nimble and definitely part of why he is good at this. He shows Hook an example of what a spell would look like. One of the first big ones he did. It's wild to do that without any power coming from it.]

See not impressive this way, but that spell creates a small black hole.