June 1904 | Brotherly Bonding | Phineas, Arcturus, & Sirius
The dread Phineas felt every time he saw his family had been lessening, and that almost worried him more that disappointing them. Perhaps it was because they had seemed almost normal. Or perhaps it was because their influence made him transform automatically back into a Black.
The thoughts were troublesome, so drinks sounded perfect.
He had received an owl from Sirius suggesting drinks in Hogsmeade. This time there would be proper Wizarding alcohol, and they would also be accompanied by Arcturus, who Phineas had only seen once immediately following his return home.
While there was also a slight hesitation at not knowing what time with his family would bring, he imagined they would discuss Arcturus' upcoming wedding. (Though there were, as yet, no plans, it seemed to Phineas that a wedding was inevitable for Arc and that his younger brother wouldn't follow his less conventional path.)
Phineas arrived first and ordered a drink before curling up in a remote corner. It was quiet and private, which he preferred. He imagined his brothers would have preferred a more central location, but he didn't feel like moving. The comfort of obscurity appealed to him.
Half a drink passed before Arc arrived. "Arc!" he said in greeting as he wound through tables to reach his brother. "You're looking quite well! Fancy a drink?"
