OWL— TANGOR ROBARDS:

John had been careful to be punctual; when he saw Daphne approaching up High Street, he straightened and smiled. “I wouldn’t have expected you to be the sort to get lost in the Ministry. Or anywhere, really.”

“Do you want your present now or later?”

Andromeda was well past tipsy. A vague part of her knew that meant she should hang back — or better yet, just go back to Wimbourne House and sleep it off. But it was her party. She settled for hovering in a corner, alone, until a familiar face passed by. She snagged him by the wrist, hauling him towards her. “Hat boy!”

“What do you think of my spaghetti?”

“Babes, I haven’t seen you all day.”

“I’m here to rescue you from a smoke break with D.W. Widdow,” Benjy announced as he approached Danny. It was a pleasant enough day outside, so they did not have to anger Amelia Bones by smoking indoors, and so Marlene would be happy. For whatever that was worth. At least, Benjy told himself that this was so Marlene wouldn’t bring up Danny again, and not because he found he was rather fond of the wizard after all.

“See, if you’re day-drinking, and you’re really fucked, and you lie on the floor of my flat, the music from downstairs rattles right into your skull.”