Alex felt a bit uneasy without Mona, but he supposed he couldn't begrudge her a trip to the loo. He avoided the table where drinks were set out, even though he knew the strongest thing there was likely butterbeer. He'd had glass of juice earlier, and was good for a while.
He'd just escaped from Grandmama and her offers to trim his hair. "No, thanks," he'd told her, smiling and pulling it back into an elastic. It was well past his shoulders now, he realised, tucking a stray strand behind his ear as he picked up his Charms book from the hallway table.
Maybe there was quiet outside. He'd already opened the cover as he walked out of the door, his attention focused on properties of straight and curly hair and the most effective charms to prevent colour loss, when he bumped into a rather solid set of robes.
"Sorry, Uncle Percy," he managed, bending to pick up the book and brushing the pages clean. "I was reading. Not paying attention..." He remembered the conversation he'd had with his father about reading and Percy, and laughed. "Dad said you could relate to that..."