Al drew in a breath. He met Lily's eyes and held her stare. It's not what one says... it's what they do that matters. Somehow gestures like these seemed all the more important when he couldn't hear himself speak.
"Jamie says many things," he told his sister. "And in many words. It's Jamie. Just two months ago he called you sweet, loving, and kind and stated his dedication to the world to save you and cure you.
What he says - said now - is..." Al shook his head. "Well. Variable. For better or worse."
He eyed the baby warily. Hope didn't quite seem capable of eating one's way through one's stomach, attaching to one's spleen and taking over one's mind, like Severus'... younger Severus. Yes, she seemed mostly safe.
Al reached out one hand warily and put an index finger against a tiny fist. "I would like to hold her hand," he settled on a compromise. "Since shaking it isn't an option yet."