What are you doing up?
Working.
On?
A letter.
At 3 in the morning?
It's for Mummy.
I see. Do you need help?
No, but could you quiet Albus? His snoring's awfully noisy.
You should hear beautiful silence very soon.
Thank you, Gellert.
Think nothing of it, mein Leibling.
Gellert?
Yes, Ari?
What does 'mein Liebling' mean?
I'm almost done.
In only 3 days? I did not realize Brits were so serious about their briefing.
What does 'Brits' mean?
Never mind. So how will you give your mother her letter?
Abe says he'll deliver it when I'm done, but he's outside with the goats. Maybe I should go find him.
NO! That is—stay and talk with me. I have not heard from you in so long.
But you were here just yesterday.
Exactly, and you make me wait the whole night before writing to me.
I'm sorry. What did you want to talk about?
What will your mother read in her letter? I understand if you don't wish to say…
I miss her. Abe and Al miss her, too, but I think Al misses her the most, because he tries to do everything she used to. He can't cook very well, though…
I can imagine: I made the mistake of leaving him with the stew pot while Auntie had me de-gnome the garden. We still have oysters in our Floo!
I wish I could have seen that, it sounds very funny! You should hear me laugh!
The former can be done with a bit of time, and I will show you tomorrow. The latter, with a bit of effort: merely place your hand upon the paper, and laugh as much as you like. Just not too loud, Auntie is asleep.
How's this?
Lieblich…I could listen to your voice every day, Ari.
Don't you already? …Gellert, are your parents still alive?
Yes (or last I checked), they are both fine and well back home. Probably haven't stopped cursing me since I left.
Why's that?
Oh, a little mishap (Papa had a tantrum), but nothing to be concerned about. …I bet you would like Deutschland, Ari, it's marvelous this time of year. Perhaps I could show you someday.
Do they miss you?
Who?
Your parents.
I…never gave it much thought.
I'd miss you, if you left.
And I you, mein Liebling. …Aren't you getting tired?
A little.
Why don't you rest?
I need to wait for Abe.
Aberforth won't return until the night is long done. You can ask him to deliver it tomorrow (and don't look for him!).
I can't write to you if I'm sleeping.
The sooner you go to sleep, the sooner we can see each other. I still have the memory of Albus to show you.
GOOD NIGHT, GELLERT!
Gute nacht, Ari.