“You’redoingthatthingagain,”Pottersaidwithasigh.

“Whatthing?”Draosnapped.

“Thethingyouusedtodoinshool.”Heleanedagainstthebar,okinghisheadtotheside.“NoteverythingIsaytoyouismeantasaninsult.Well,notanymore.”

“I’msorelieved,”Draosaid,rollinghiseyes.Potterseemedtobeignhisomment,hiseyesroamingtheroom.

“Doyouknowwhoanisedthis?”heasked.

Draostiffened.“Whydoyouwanttoknow?”

Pottershrugged.“Apparentlythispersonanisedabunhofthingsbefore,butthisisthefirsttimetheyinvitedme.I’mjusturioustoknowwhy.”

“Right,beausepeopleneedareasontoinvitethemostfamouswizardalive,”Draosnorted.

Pottermadeafae.“Ijustthinkit’sstrange,beingherewithoutknowingwhoinvitedme.”

“I’vebeentoldthehostwantstostayanonymous,”Draosaid,tryingtokeephisvoieeven.

“Why,though?”Pottersaidwithafrown.“Ifthey’redoingsomethinggood,don’ttheywanttobereognisedforit?”

Draoouldfeelbeadsofsweatfonthebakofhisnek.“Oh,Potter,”hesaidwithadramatisigh.“Noteveryoneiskeenonrushingintothespotlightasyouare.”

“Youknowthat’sbolloks,right?”Pottersaid,hisfrowndeepening.“I’dgdlyexhangeallthe‘famousHarryPotter’rubbishforab,normallife.”

Draogavehimanappraisinglook.“Normalisn’texatlythefirstwordthatomestomindwhenyou’reonerned.”Orb,Draoaddedinhismind.

“Exatly,”Pottersaidwithaloudexhale.Heproppeduphiselbowonthebar,leaninghisheadagainsthishand.“Butdotellme,whatisthefirstwordthatomestomindwhenI’monerned?”Hisseriousexpressionturnedintoateasingone,athingDraooffguard.WhatwasPotterdoing?HelookedatDraoexpetantly,theornerofhismouthtwithing.ItwasthewrongnighttohallengeDrao.Twoouldpyatthisgame.

“Afewometomind,atually,”hesaidinhisposhestvoie.“Awful,unouth,dowdy,dense…”…handsome,mind-blowing…“…irritating…Doyouwantmetogoon?”

Potter’sgrindidn’tfadeatDrao’sinsults,buthewavedadismissivehandintheair.“That’salright,”hesaid.“Eventhoughthat’sthemosteainingthinganyonehassaidtomeallnight.”

“Whydidyouome,then?Whynotdeline?Don’ttellmeyou’resuddenlyafanofpretentiouspure-bloods?”hesmirked.

“Yourealiseyou’reapretentiouspure-blood,right?”Potterretorted.HearhedaneyebrowwhenDraoburstoutughing.

“Whowouldhavethought,outofthetwoofus,youwouldbeometheprejudiedone?”

Itfeltgood,seeingPotterstareathiminastonishment.IttooktheedgeofftheheatthatwasspreadinginDrao’shest.

“Fairenough,”Pottersaid.“I’mlookingforwardtohavingmymindhanged.”

Andjustlikethat,theheatwasbak,tenfold,devDraofromtheinside.

“Tellmewhatyou’vebeenupto,”Pottersaid,anditdidn’tesapeDrao’snotiehemovedabitloser.

No.NO!ThiswasexatlywhatDraohadn’twantedtohappen,eventhoughhehadn’tthoughthe’datuallyhavetoworryaboutit.Heouldn’thavePottersnoopingaround…rightinfrontofhim.

“Notmuh,”hesaidevenly,keepinghisfaeimpassive.“Just…livingmylife,Iguess.”Hepikedupthewinethebartenderhadleftforhimandtookasip.

“Whatisyourlifelikethesedays?”Potterasked.Draoouldn’tdetetanuone.Hesoundedgenuinelyurious.However,Draodidn’twanttodisussthatwithhim.Hedidn’twanttodisussanythingwithPotterrightnow.Hewasshortofbreathand,surely,Potterwouldnotie.Hisgazedartedtohisleftand,atingasthoughsomeonehadjustwavedhimover,heputonanalmostonviningsmile.

“Sosorrytoutthisshort,butitseemsI’mneededelsewhere.”

Withoutwaitingforareply,Draohurriedthroughtherowd,untilhefeltlikeheputenoughdistanebetweenthem.Hebumpedintoagroupofmiddle-agedwitheswhowerequiktoengagehiminoion.Draodidhisbesttoughattheirjokesandtoseemiedintheirwittering,butultimatelyexusedhimselfagainwhenoneofthewithesstartedompiningabouthowexhaustingredeoratingherparlourwas.

WherethehellwasPansy,Draoaskedhimselffortheumpteenthtime.She’dprobablybeabletokeepPotterawaywithjustagne.But,unfortunately,shewasnowheretobeseen.WhatwasevenmoreunfortunatewasthefatthatDraowassolostinthought,hedidn’trealisewhowasstandinginfrontofhimuntilitwastoote.

“Hey,”Pottersimplysaid.

Didn’thehaveanyotherwordsinhisrepertoire?Hesaiditinsuhanonhantway,too.Asiftheywereoldfriends.Itwastooasual.Itwasinfuriating.Draokepthisfaeralwhilehisinsidesboiled.

“Youknow,Iwaswif—”

“Oh,lookatthat,”Draosaid,gesturingtoPotter’semptyhands.“Youdon’thaveadrink.I’llgetyouone.”

BeforePotterouldsayanythingelse,Draostruttedaway,hishinheldhigh.He’dratherbedeadthanletPotterknowwhathewasdoingtohim.HetoldoneofthewaiterstogetHarryfreakingPotteradrink,who,inturn,lookedmortifiedathavingedtheunoffiialguestofhonour.

DraograbbedyetanothergssofwinehimselfbeforehespottedBisenearthebalony.

“Arewebehavingtonight,orarewegettingpissed?”Biseaskedinaseeminglyitone.

“We’rebehaving,”Draosaid,emphatially.

“Really?Beauseyoulooklikeyou’realreadyhalfwaythere.”Bisenoddedathisfae,makingDraofrown.“You’reflushed.It’squitedinky.”

“Shutup,”Draosnapped,almostgulpingdownthewholegss.ButBisewasright.Hisfaewastoowarmandhistonguefeltalittleheavy.Hequiklysannedtheroom

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