“And why would you fear that?” she asked him, more than happy to ask the questions rather than be the one asked. “Nothing wrong with the – wait a second…you have horses?”

“Er, what?” ffleurbert never noticed that he said some of those things. Manner of speaking, in a manner of speaking.

“Oh, well, the stables, yes.” He said, a bit off hand. He didn’t go there much. “I don’t have a horse. Can’t ride all that well, if the truth be known. But the Mater is mad keen. She breeds them, don’tcher know. And she boards one or two other people’s. Millie keeps her pony there, f’rinstance. And there are stable-girls all over the place. Local girls, mostly, you know, do the mucking out and cleaning the tack and all of that, and exercise the horses. The Mater gives ‘em ridin’ lessons in exchange and that.” He shrugged. The horses were more of a fact of life to ffleurbert than a special thing in any way. They had cars, too, for “Muggle Days” and he didn’t really think about them either.

They had broomsticks he didn’t think about, come to that.

There were any number of things in ffleurbert’s house he didn’t think about, really. Until now, when he was telling Ava about them. This made him oddly happy.

Ava was talking about her cousin’s place. “They have a pond that we play in…we go for walks…play at the beach….”

“Oh splendid!” This was more theoretical than due to experience. Sometimes ffleurbert had gone to the sea side. But since it was more likely to be with his Nanny than his parents, ffleurbert didn’t rate it as very interesting.

“So…Millie, you close to her?” she asked, changing the subject again.

“Close? Well, that depends on what you mean by close. I’ve known her since she was.. what? Five? Six? I mean when Skrumpkin started at St. Elmo’s she used to tag along when he came over to play. That’s when she got the horse bug, I think. But you know. Little Sister kind of thing? She’s alright, and of course, we’re in the same house. But she’s mad keen on Quidditch, of course, and like I said, I really don’t …” He trailed off, a thought striking him.

“I say, you’re not jealous are you?” He found the thought that Ava might be jealous of Millie both ridiculous and marvelously flattering.

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Not Getting Any Younger