laconic • t.nott ✓

45 ➺ disapproval of the ancestors

「 DISAPPROVAL OF THE ANCESTORS 」

A BUZZ OF EXCITEMENT FLURRIED in the air above Diagon Alley. Theo remembered the last time he had come here at the beginning of his seventh year at Hogwarts. The atmosphere had been subdued and the customers moved in hurried footsteps, clustered in groups. Now, there was a cloud of happiness and hope as children ran around on their own and barged into different shops.

Corben was one of them. He broke away from Blaise and into Madam Malkin's. Theo was about to follow when Blaise stopped him. "Let him be. He's got some coins and he'll catch up with his friends." He shot him a glittering smile. "Let's hang around."

They linked their arms together and moved leisurely down the cobblestoned street. Corben was going to have to attend two more years at Hogwarts. Though the idea seemed intimidating to both Theo and Blaise, Corben seemed excited about it. He claimed that he was looking forward to having a school year without either of his brothers overlooking him.

Corben wanted to be an Auror, which meant he was required to be hardworking in school. Theo had no doubt that he was capable enough to achieve such a dream but he was worried about Blaise's reaction. Blaise has already expressed his disapproval of Corben's desires, which had earned him a stern scolding from Theo although he still insisted on reminding Corben that the Ministry was a dumb place to work in.

Theo sort of agreed with that statement but he also thought that being an Auror was a fascinating job. Admittedly, it seemed a bit contradictory to Corben's bubbly personality but he was certain that if Corben wished to become an Auror, Theo wouldn't let Blaise, under any means, curb his enthusiasm.

"Where are we going?" Theo asked.

"Do you want ice cream?"

Thus, they headed toward Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Theo felt a pang in his chest as they neared the shop. Florean Fortesque was murdered by Death Eaters sometime before the war and his shop was raided. It seemed different when they entered. Although it was rebuilt, the shop was now given a new design.

On the wall behind the counter hung a large portrait of Mr Fortesque. He grinned and waved at customers, sometimes even winked, occasionally shouting recommendations of ice cream flavours. To Theo, he recommended nut toppings and that was what he added to his ice cream.

"Shouldn't we have got one for Corben?" asked Theo once they had paid and were standing in front of the shop and licking their ice cream. "Merlin, I completely forgot about him."

"Don't feel bad," Blaise reassured. "He'll be embarrassed if we go and give him ice cream in front of his friends."

"That's true."

They stood huddled together at the corner of the streets, eating their ice cream and talking about their childhood days when they would stare awestruck at the latest broomstick model. They bumped into each other in laughter as they recalled the countless embarrassing moments and awkward situations they had experienced. It was a simple enough interaction between the two of them - nothing Theo hadn't experienced before - but it filled him with an inexplicable sense of happiness. They have moved into their own flat, spent hours cooking their meals because they talked so much that they somehow managed to forget that they had a job to do, and were finally together as friends and boyfriends. But this moment, right here, along a crowded street in Diagon Alley with ice cream melting in their hands was what made Theo's heart soar with ease.

Theo still woke in the middle of the night from nightmares. Shortly after the war, he used to see flashes of Death Eaters running around and taking down one innocent person after another, the Hogwarts castle collapsing into itself, his father duelling with Blaise and shooting him with the killing curse. A few weeks ago, he had attended the Carrows' trial and testified against them and since then, all he saw when he went to sleep were the dead, sunken eyes of Alecto Carrow as she glared at him from where she sat tied to a chair.