Harry,
Mother has summoned me to the Manor for the weekend. I am sorry but I'll be unable to meet you for any meals until after Sunday evening. Duty calls.
I have advised Peters of this. He is fine with it.
Draco
Draco,
Alright. Wanted to try that new Greek place in SoHo, but no matter. It'll keep.
Take care. I guess I shouldn't say'have fun'?
Have fun anyway,
Harry
Harry,
No 'fun' involved, unfortunately. Estate matters, pretty much. Mum abhors meeting with the Trustees alone. Will try to cut these short but. You know how it is. Apologies, again. Would much prefer to be eating kebabs and tabouli.
Draco
"…Ron?" Harry poked a curious fingernail at the condensation dripping down his glass. "Ron."
"Yeah?"
"Remember the TriWizard? When they made us all go in the Lake with the Mer People and bring back—er." He shrugged uncomfortably. "Erm, you know, the ones that were most—that were, ahem, ah…important?"
"Mmm," Ron nodded. "Yep. Remember thinking it was downright nasty, too, that; what they did to us. Took a decade of years off my bones, that day did. Bit of nightmare, waking. Hateful, really."
"That's exactly my point," Harry continued. "But…thing is…"
"Yeah?"
"D' you have any inkling as to why the ARP folks would ever think that kind of experiment should be repeated? And…and for two blokes just meant to be work partners? I mean—it's not…it's not by Hoyle, is it? Stealing away a chap's would-be mate and then randomly torturing him with thinking the other fellow's subject to imminent drowning…or worse." He scowled, bleakly, tapping the wet glass with a fingertip. "I mean, I suppose they do leave you go after a while; they'd have to, can't outright kill you to make a point but what…what if your partner never comes through? Draco said it was a puzzle based on how well he knew my habits, but…we can't all be joined at the hip, yeah? Friends, yes, and work partners; that's all logical—I get that, but…the other?"
"Nhh. Dunno, Harry," Ron nodded along as his friend talked, watching Harry's face carefully, sideways and without appearing to. "Does seem...strange."
"That's what I thought. After."
Harry abruptly downed the remainder of his pint in two long continuous gulps, coming up breathless and looking none too happy afterwards.
"Horrid," he gasped, waving his empty about angrily. "And strange."
"Yeah, well," his eldest friend shrugged and drank. "Ask Pansy, then. She's the one who thought up half of it."