Al bit his lip. "I'm quite sure that I do not want the intruders using my ceilings or my anti-gravity mist," he declared with finality. "I'd rather let them intrude on the floor, if they must. Moreover, I am rather comfortable in my house at the moment," he added, with a brief smile. "Feeling safe can be extremely comfortable feeling."
He twisted his lip in contemplation. "Having new furniture is not quite as comfortable as one might think, however. Since one has to overcome the change, accept it, and force oneself to become used to the idea of being around it; that requires quite a lot of additional time and effort.
Al drew a breath, and let go of that thought in favour of another. "Speaking of changes," he continued in the same calm tone of voice. "Mother - and Dad - I feel that it's only sensible to alert you of recent changes for the purpose of planning future events, or decisions -" he gestured at the table "- such as, for example, decisions regarding customary gift-giving or family gatherings, which I really prefer to keep to a minimal and rational scale. In any case, you should know that in the recent days Severus proposed to me, to which I said - I said 'why', actually, but the point is -" he swallowed and squeezed Severus' hand tighter then, and really, such news should have been delivered standing, so Al jumped up from his chair, still holding Severus' hand, "- after careful consideration and thorough follow-up discussion, I've accepted Severus' proposal of marriage."