"Not yet. Might if they meet somebody, I suppose."

"I don't see a lot of James but Samuel doesn't seem inclined yet."

"Fifth year I certainly wasn't thinking about that kind of thing yet." He makes a bit of a face.

"I was still wondering why liking boys was taking so long."

"I wasn't sure anyone actually liked girls - thought maybe they just married them to have children -"

"That doesn't really explain Michael at all and he was already making scenes when you were fifth year."

"Yes but most people weren't like Michael, I don't think most people even want to be, so..."

"I kept thinking I would eventually like boys right up until the moment Miranda turned Minor down and then all at once I had this crazy mental image - what if it's a thing, what if it's a thing that doesn't go away, I am hopelessly confused but Miranda wouldn't be and why else -"

Hug.

Hug. "It's okay, it took a while but I'm fine."

"I wonder if there were a way to have people - know it exists - sooner so they're less confused."

"I'm not sure if being confused is worse than being... it's not like it'd be talked about very nicely."

"Not really. But - my first exposure was someone suggesting one use Muggles for that and potions for marriage, that can't be the best introduction either."

"...oh."

"He wasn't doing that, I checked. But some people probably are."

"Probably. Random ones or are they easier to find somehow -"

"It's not acceptable with Muggles either but maybe they're findable somehow, I don't know."

Sigh.

Aaron gave him quite a lot of money for Christmas. Aaron in fact seems to have quietly deducted a penalty for the externalities of Michael's irresponsible shenanigans but it is still quite a lot of money. 

"We could probably start planning the house now. It'll still be years to design it and build it and ward it and all, but we'll be able to afford it. Where do you want to live -"

"Oh gosh - uh, odds of Beth and the others being able to sneak visits go up if we're close to Birmingham but I don't know if they'd really be allowed -"

"We could tell the portraits to hold still, I don't know if there are rules about Muggle visitors if they don't notice anything strange - lots of people do really broad anti-Muggle wards but it's just easier, not required -"

"So near there, then. I like all the space there is here for the kids to run around..."

"Yes, nice and big. We can have a little orchard, girl I know from school is selling these mango trees enchanted so they can grow in Britain -"

"Oh wow."

"It'll be lovely! Perhaps I should see if we can get any architects to talk to us."