7.16.79 Ministry of Magic 10:32 AM @ofrosier
At a loss, Kingsley draws back from the door. But the temptation is too strong. It has been a long time since he has spoken to Evan in anything but a professional capacity. Their arguments in the library are so long ago that they might as well have been different people. Certainly, they had both left Hogwarts with the mutual understanding that they would never speak to each other with anything approaching openness again. Even now, the half-buried rancor of seventh year weighs on him. He replays their small-talk from the last few months, but finds no clue on what has changed. Instead, he finds the ghosts of their last conversation at Hogwarts in every image of the Zabini Estate that has been seared into his memories.
Sparing one more look at the glossy tag that reads “Evan Rosier” by the office, Kingsley knocks. “Auror Shacklebolt,” he says, slow and clear. “May I have a word?”