George would have ignored the scolding to be perfectly honest. He'd call her Li if he damn well pleased, though most days he wasn't moody enough to push the point.
George had wondered that, too. Then again, it was the middle of the war, and people did really confusing things at times like that. And while he wouldn't likely get an answer on that from Ellen, he had an answer for Alicia's question, almost immediately.
"'Cause I knew you wouldn't judge me." Katie might not have judged him, but he thought it might stress her out a bit more, and he and Ange weren't exactly on the same terms they had always been. Lee wasn't around much these days, and his mum would do a lot of yelling and crying, and he wasn't ready for that. His died would be disappointed. Ginny would be pissed. Charlie might laugh.
"I knew out of everyone you'd reat that way I needed you to react," he said honestly.