The hat stood out amongst so many oddities, but this was odder. A hat that looked like a chair and gave the owner the appearance of a demented reindeer.
Beside him, Theo started to giggle. Biting back his own laugh, Justin nudged him. –Not here.â€
–I’m sorry, but she looks-â€
–Please, or I’ll cast a Silencing Charm,†Justin hissed.
Theo pressed his lips together and cast his eyes to the ground, but Justin could still see his shoulders wobbling. He looked again at the girl with the preposterous hat, and felt a laugh bubble inside him.
–See, you can’t stop laughing, either,†Theo whispered.
–I know, I know,†Justin replied, now desperate to stop the tears wanting to streak from his eyes. He gulped at the air, ignoring the glares from the people around him. –Shall we go somewhere else?â€
Theo shook his head. –Not when I’m starting to enjoy myself.â€
With deliberation, Justin placed his hand over Theo’s and smiled. –Thank you for this,†he muttered. –I know how odd this must be for you.â€
–I’m with you, Jus. Your responsibilities are mine. Now, let’s pull our faces straight and watch this wedding.â€
Six months earlier
–Evening, your lordship,†greeted the publican of the Fletchers’ Arms. –What can I get you?â€
–Just a pint, please, John,†Justin replied. Although he winced inwardly when the man used his title, he knew better than to ask him to call him Justin. There were certain codes of etiquette that were upheld in this place at all times, and calling the lord of the manor by his first name was not the done thing.
He stayed by the bar, jingling his change in his pocket as he waited for his pint. Several of the locals smiled across at him, and he smiled back wondering if any of them would talk to him, but apart from John, no one approached him.
He hid a sigh. After his father’s death four months ago, he’d tried to fit back in to this world and live up to his responsibilities, despite knowing he was still viewed warily by the majority of the villagers. Although no one could put their finger on it, he’d always been the kid to whom weird things happened. His juice turned blue. A bigger boy, who’d been holding him in a headlock, had broken out in boils. He jumped off walls without breaking any bones. No one had been able to explain it, and thanks to the generous pay-offs by Justin’s father, no one had voiced their suspicions beyond saying that Justin Finch-Fletchly just wasn’t ‘quite right’.
Of course, none of this would have mattered if his brother - the heir to the estate - hadn’t died. But Thomas Finch-Fletchley had been a serving officer in the Guards when war in Iraq had broken out. A sniper’s bullet had ended his life and ended the hope Justin had of leaving the Muggle world forever.
He’d assumed the mantle of heir apparent with a heavy heart, but had not let it show, not even when his father spat his regret with vehemence and disgust whenever he saw his younger son.
And Justin could have borne his father’s hatred and fear of him; he could have dismissed the villagers’ unease, if only he hadn’t sacrificed the one person who made it all bearable because he refused to hide what he was. Justin sipped his pint, trying to enjoy the taste of hops and barley instead of longing for a Butterbeer. Then as he placed his glass back on the coaster, he heard a loud noise from the other side of the room.
Justin saw John’s look of exasperation, and swivelled his head around. –’Scuse me, sir, I think I need to deal with this. There’s a customer in the far corner who looks as if he’s arguing with Len Bellows. Poor sod’s been been drinking all afternoon and won’t have any idea who he’s taking on.†He sighed and walked towards the bar hatch opening. –There’s something a bit funny about him, too. Can’t quite put my finger on it, but he’s not one of us.â€
John’s words, although said in a much kinder way, made him think of his father’s horror when he realised what Justin was. In the mirror, he saw the drunk, who was standing up and pushing the other man away. Although he now had a beard, and unkempt ruffled hair, Justin recognised Theo straight away. His heart thumped with hopeful anticipation, and then he groaned. If magic were performed in this pub, then the small sparks of goodwill he’d slowly built up would peter into nothing. The rumours would start again and mistrust would reign.
–I’ll deal with this, John,†he murmured. –I know the man.â€
–Oh, begging your pardon, sir. I didn’t realise the gentleman was a friend of yours.â€
–You could say that,†Justin replied faintly. –I know him from school.â€
–JUSTINNNNNNNN, I knew you’d turn up,†Theo slurred. –Could you explain to this Muggle that he walked into me, and not the other way around?â€
–You callin’ me a mug now!†exclaimed Len. –You spilt my pint and I want another! And you can buy me a large whisky for getting my shirt wet!â€
–Well,†Theo drawled, squinting at the man, –I would, but I’m not going to. I don’t have any more of your money, you see.â€
–You lookin’ for a fight?â€
Theo eyed the man, not at all scared and started to laugh. –I don’t think you want to take me on, Muggle.â€
The pub was silent, all the customers watching now as Theodore Nott squared up to the man who was older, broader and with fists that looked as if they pulverised twenty men like Theo before breakfast.
Without thinking, Justin stepped between the pair of them. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. –Here, Bellows,†he said, handing Len a tenner. –This should buy you a drink or two.â€
Mollified, Len took the money and walked back to the bar.
–Why did you do that? Idiot was careless.â€
–You’re drunk, and you were about to use your wand,†Justin muttered, pulling him out of the pub.
When they hit the air outside, Theo slumped against the wall. –Merlin, I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to see me like this.â€
–You’ve walked into the Muggle pub in the middle of the village where my estate is. You then got incredibly drunk and picked a fight with the biggest and most violent arsehole in the place, and now you say you’re sorry.â€
–I am sorry,†Theo moaned. –You weren’t at your bloody house, so I came to look for you. I want to talk.â€
–Then why get drunk?â€
Theo raised his hands, as if in supplication, and shook his head. –I don’t know. I was trying to work up the courage, I suppose. But that beer’s bloody strong. Between you and me, Jus, I think someone’s spiked the Butterbeer in that place. Bloody delicious, but my head’s as spinny as a ... as a ... spinny thing.â€
Justin snorted. –That’s not Butterbeer, you idiot. Come on, I’ll take you home. You can sleep this off.â€
Theo squinted at him. –Whose home?â€
Propping him up around the shoulders, Justin stared into Theo’s eyes, wondering how he could have forgotten their exact shade of blue. The pale ice that should have looked cold, but only made Justin feel warm inside. –My home,†he murmured. –And yours, too, if you want to stay.â€
–I thought that wasn’t allowed,†Theo flung at him. –It’s hardly ‘discreet’, is it, Jus?â€
The word he’d used five months ago, in another life and a vastly different conversation, mocked him. But instead of pushing Theo away, he wrapped his other arm around his waist, pulled him close, and started to kiss him. A slow lingering pout of lips against lips and tongues exploring.
When he pulled away, Theo raised his hand and touched his mouth in wonder. –I thought you couldn’t do that in public.â€
Justin laughed slightly. Gesturing towards the pub, and noting that several of the customers were looking out of the window, Justin waved to them and laughed when they hastily looked away. –That lot in there aren’t going to accept me whatever I do. I can’t be a Muggle - that was obvious from when I was four years old. And ...†He trailed off and with his hand, stroked Theo’s hair. –... I can’t marry a suitable girl and have two point four kids, whatever my responsibilities are.â€
–So what now?†Theo asked.
–We see what happens,†Justin replied.
–When she moves her head, I keep expecting to hear bells ringing,†Theo whispered.
–It’s a hat that thinks it’s a chair,†Justin muttered. –But really it’s a reindeer that’s lost its way.â€
Theo stroked his hand. –Let’s hope it finds its way home, then.â€