"I'm not greedy," he protests. "I haven't pressed you on the fish, have I? Don't tell me what presents I'm getting, that's all; I experience so few pleasant surprises."
"He would have been a powerful change agent," Severus says, straight from the heart of his nineteen year old self, depressed. "He would have at the very least opened the door to a consideration of policy which was badly needed. If he could have done things as he'd hoped, and come in as a welcomed head of state."
He curls half a smile at him back. "Well, I thought you'd enjoy the hunt; otherwise I'd just owl off."
Severus does give him an annoyed look now. "Oh, you can talk to Rus about that, I meant how many people and for how long. Some of us do have to work in the morning." His emphasis has just a hint of contempt in it, communicating his absolute disinterest in fiscal debates. He understands money about as well as Luke understood potions, and knows it. In the past, he's gone to far less intelligent lengths (like living at the Manor) than letting Rodolphus do the negotiating to avoid handling it in complex ways.
(eyes sampler box with wide-eyed suspicion) A pot roast cut should be fine. I used to like Brazil nuts but they're soooooo bad.... I'm getting an appreciation for cashews and peanuts in Asian food, and I was amazed to find that I like pistachio ice cream when it doesn't have chunks. It's the texture that gets me. But the walnuts were very finely cut in this pie, and prevalent enough that they were the norm, not a common and disquieting distraction.