Unexpected is one word he would use for inferring a British professor has contacts with the Pentagon, and Impressed is another.

"Advice?" That could be a hairy minefield. "Uh ... I know everyone says you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but magic doesn't work like that, so. If it looks bad? Don't poke it."

The wisdom of three centuries, summarized.

"I mean, the Boogeyman is made of shadows."