Finn Lynch lives a quiet, tranquil life in a rural village in the mountains. Her life may lack spontaneity and excitement, but at least it's peaceful. And if it's a little lonely too, then she can't complain too much - she's still happy, after all.
...
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"You," Al says over a cup of tea, "Have lost your godforsaken mind."
Finn sinks lower in her chair, already irritated and embarrassed. "Cheers."
They're at the coffee shop in the village; Finn had wanted a change in scenery for once, and Al had been happy to oblige her on one of his very few afternoons off. It helped that it gave them an opportunity to talk without Regulus around too, of course.
Broaching the topic of Regulus' friend coming to stay in the house was not easy. It involved swallowing her pride, which is something that Finn admittedly struggles with even on a good day. She's also more than aware that if she's to get her way, Al is going to take convincing, which means that she's going to have to plead.
It's not really such a bad thing, but the fact that she's going to have to beg just to make Regulus happy has her feeling a little ill.
She still can't quite believe that she's gotten herself into this situation.
Judging by the look on Al's face, he can't quite believe it either. His magical spinning eye is conspicuous enough that it would surely freak anyone out, and his solution has been to find a bowlerhat of all things to pull down at an oddly jaunty angle in an effort to conceal part of his face. It succeeds in hiding his magical eye, but Finn can't imagine his appearance is doing his reputation with the villagers any favours. They already think he's mad — now he seems to be confirming it for them. But even under his stupid hat, Finn can see the piercing, disbelieving look he's levelling at her. It's an effort not to squirm in her seat.
"The lad put you up to this."
"Does it matter?" Finn snaps back. She's already on edge, and the embarrassment is making it worse. "It's not a big deal-"
"You're requesting a Death Eater come to live with you-"
"Yes, I know!"
"Finn." Al buries his face in his hands, apparently at a total loss for words.
Finn pushes the piece of pie she'd ordered around on her plate with a fork — she's trying to avoid looking Al in the face, and the pie really wasn't all that good anyway. She could definitely make a nicer one herself, she thinks.
Across the table, Al lowers his hands slowly so that he can give her a horror-stricken look in full force. "Finn, love, you were so against Black coming to live here in the first place. You can't rightly expect a second Death Eater to come and-"
"I will remind you once more that this whole stupid co-living situation was your idea," Finn bites out, crossing her arms and scowling. "I don't want to hear that you think this is a bad idea again, alright?"
Al's jaw clenches shut at that. Her supposed "relationship" with Regulus is a sore spot for him, though he's painfully awkward when it comes to talking to her about it. His disapproval is obvious, though he still seems to have a hard time looking Finn in the eye and telling her no. He's never said no to her before, about anything, and he clearly doesn't have the faintest idea how to go about it. His awkwardness is compounded further by the fact that it was indeed his idea to house Regulus with her, and he clearly is still working through some complex guilt about the whole thing.
