"I'll be better when I have something to do," said James said quietly as he settled himself into the booth. He both appreciated and hated sympathy - it was kindly meant and what you expected from friends, but it nevertheless it forced him to think about things he tried very hard to avoid in order to stay sane. His eyes did brighten a little at Aberforth's obscure but obviously magical gesture, though. A hidden wand, then: Alastor Moody moody would either have loved that, or delivered a half-hour lecture on the likelihood of taking your own arm off - or possibly both things at once. That too was both a happy and a sad thought.
"Merlin - it's good to see you. Have you heard from anyone? I caught a note from Molly, the Prewetts' sister, a little while back - but no one else. Sirius, Remus ..."
It was difficult not to sound as desperate as he was: it was bad enough to know for sure that Lily and Harry were gone, without fearing the worst for everyone else as well. And he did fear it, particularly for Sirius: Remus might have decided it was safest to keep his head down, but he couldn't imagine that Sirius wouldn't have turned up, if he was alive. Sirius always did.
But the query trailed off and he turned his head to Diana in surprise at his question to her. 'The life she'd created for herself'? What on earth had they talked about?