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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"Mad-Eye!" Evan exclaims, his face split into an enormous, gleeful smile. "Oh, that's just brilliant."
"I knew you'd like that." Finn nods sagely, before pointing. "Oh, get that one there."
Evan complies, still grinning, and picks a large, dark blackberry from a briar. The two of them are in the garden — hidden among the hedgerow, large bramble bushes are thick with the last of the late-fruiting berries. In the cool October sunshine, Finn is eager to pick as many as possible before they start to shrivel and die off.
Their hands are stained a dark reddish purple from the juice, and the two of them have matching dark stains around their mouths from the ripe berries that they've snacked on as they fill the little jars they've brought out with them.
"It's not the most creative, of course," Evan says, popping a berry into his mouth as he puts on a faux-thoughtful sort of air, "But it's catchy. Mad-Eye Moody. Excellent. I really think that'll stick."
Finn giggles, but then immediately stifles her laughter and scowls instead. "Oi, don't make me laugh about that. He's my uncle; it feels like I'm betraying him."
"I can't help being naturally hilarious." Evan shrugs lazily, tossing two large berries into his jar.
"Naturally stupid." Finn grumbles, though she's still smiling absently.
Evan doesn't react much to that, though he's still smirking a little. None of Finn's barbed words ever seem to affect him much, which she's honestly grateful for — she's never intentionally mean, but sometimes her lack of social skills get the better of her and she ends up blurting an insult when she doesn't know what else to say. Luckily, both Regulus and Evan rarely do anything but laugh at whatever she says.
"Regulus seemed happy with how it all went yesterday," Evan says after a couple of moments go by. "It's a big deal for him to reunite with his brother. I'm not sure if you knew that."
Finn shifts a little on her feet as she plucks another few over-ripe berries from their thorny nest. She does know that it's a big deal, of course, but it's not as though Regulus really talks about his relationship with his family to her — most of what she knows she's managed piece together herself from various bits and pieces of conversations.
"I did." She says at last, her eyes remaining on the dark fruits that are bleeding deep red juice all over her fingers. "I'm glad it went well for him."
Evan hums in agreement, though his focus remains on the the blackberry-picking. It's uncharacteristic of him to go so quiet, and Finn peers at him from the corners of her eyes. It seems like he's thinking of saying something, but can't seem to get the words out; it's entirely unlike Evan to hesitate before speaking, and it's beginning to unnerve her.
"I am glad also," He says at last. "He deserves something nice at last."
There's a beat of silence. Finn fiddles with some of the squishy blackberries in the jar that she's almost filled entirely, and wishes that she weren't so bloody socially inept. She has no idea what to say in this situation, but she's struck by the fact that Evan looks distantly sad. The look is so out of place on his face that it's honestly quite jarring.
