ROSIER

10

Friendship
...

Justus turned awfully quiet. For a few long minutes, Gwen almost believed he would change his mind and leave to avoid replying. A great sadness washed away the usual fun expression on his features. His shoulders sank in, his eyes got heavy, and the corners of his mouth turned downward into a frown rather than a smile.
It was the first time the blonde saw her uncle like this, fragile and open like he was stripped naked from every mask built in his lifetime.

"I met Ivan when I was eleven," Justus let out a dry laugh. "We shared a compartment, and I knew right away that he would be my best friend."

"You two were friends?" Gwen asked, surprised.

"Of course! Vani and I were brothers. We did everything together. We studied together, which for us meant holding a book to impress Cassandra Johnson. He got his first kiss from her, but I ended up her boyfriend. Didn't last long, but man, was she a flirt. Wonder what she's doing now."

"Is that what broke the friendship? Your relationship with Cassandra?" Remus threw in to pull him back to the topic.

"Not at all, Remy! We would've never risked our friendship for some messing around. No matter how alluring or breathtaking she might be. If one of us had a problem with it, we would let it go. That's what friends do. That's what we did." Justus sighed. He emptied his glass in one sip, signalling Rosmertha to bring him another.
"You know, Vani was the closest I ever got to a person. He knew everything about me and I knew everything about him. He was who I could run to whenever things got difficult at home."

"What was he like?" Gwen let out. The question was burning on her tongue as she felt the heavy fear falling off every time he used the nickname of his old friend. Vani. He wasn't forgotten after all.

"He was quiet, but give him a drop of beer, and he would turn into the most extroverted people pleaser you have ever met. He loved astronomy. He was a dreamer. We used to come up with all kinds of stories. A whole kingdom to ourselves." Her uncle smiled widely, pearly white teeth flashing their way. "And he was stubborn with a tendency to hold grudges, as I had to find out myself."

"Justus, what happened? Why did you two fight?"

"Questions, so many questions and such a tiny bladder of mine. Please excuse me for a moment while I take a wee," Justus jested, jumping up and fleeing to the toilets.

Gwen followed him with her eyes until he disappeared around the corner. She sank into her seat, rubbing her eyes with a sigh before turning to meet Remus' gaze resting upon her.

"What are you thinking?" He asked, his tone leading her to believe he knew the answers even without a reply.

"There is no way he's actively responsible for Ivan's death." She said, tapping her fingers against her glass of butterbeer. "That's like I would kill Dorcas or Sirius would kill James. It's unimaginable."

"That's what I believe as well, but then why was the letter ripped out of the file? I mean, who would break into the archives to do that if not to destroy evidence of some sort?"

"To protect the future of my best friend," They shot around to Justus, who sat back in his seat. He raised an eyebrow at his niece. "My turn to ask questions. Why did you break into the archives to get your hands on Ivan's file?"

Gwen glanced at Remus, who slightly nodded. A silent encouragement to fill her uncle in on the truth. He deserves to know, was the request she could read in his eyes.

"Ivan isn't on the run like the newspapers say," She began, swallowing the knot in her throat. "And he didn't assassinate the minister of magic."

"How would you know?" Ivan asked. His tone was hopeful above all confusion. "Did you meet him? Do you know where he's hiding?"