"Or at least waited."

"Well, but if he'd waited she'd have gotten better and it's not as acceptable to leave your wife for not being able to have kids as it is to remarry if you're widowed."

"...did she somehow die of being left, I didn't think that usually killed people."

"My dad thinks she'd have made it if she'd had support instead of a husband who was angry she wouldn't get out of bed."

"Oh."

"He could be wrong, he was just a little kid - and they did have elves to take care of things for her and all the healing money could buy - but when he left and took their son she just stopped trying..."

Nod.

"Anyway."

"Anyway. What subject are you most excited about, I'm excited about Charms."

"Transfiguration! And Arithmancy and Ancient Runes but that's not until third year..."

"I'm not totally clear on what Runes is for."

"I just really love languages, I'm not going to study it for the practical applications or anything."

"Oh, that makes sense. Do you already know other languages?"

"Written Greek, Latin, some French. My dad speaks ten."

"Wow! I only know English and Igbo."

"Oooh, wanna teach me? I'd love to know Igbo!"

"I've never tried to teach it to somebody before."

"I'm a fast learner!"

"And it doesn't actually have an alphabet either."

"Wait, really? You should invent one and get everyone to adopt it, then you could make sure it has good clear spelling and pronunciation rules and everything..."

"...I just write it in English letters."

"I guess that works too."

"The thing is I write stuff in Igbo when I want it to be really private and I'm used to that keeping out everyone except Mum all by itself."

"I mean, if you don't wanna, fine."

"Maybe once I know you better? Sorry."