"I'm pretty sure until all the aunts and uncles started having multiple kids to spoil on their own, there was a rotation as to who was buying whom what broom for what birthday or Christmas. Most family gatherings end up with a pick-up match. Although, Mum gets some impressive prototype offers and those of us who played on the house teams would get sponsorship offers in sixth and seventh year, when they were anticipating we might go pro."
It was Jamie's turn to snort because some things, it seemed, never changed. "Yeah, that sounds familiar. They can't even get you to stay in the photo frame unless it's for the Quibbler. Aunt Luna finds it amusing. And, no, before you ask, she didn't marry one of the Ron's siblings. I just assumed she was another aunt when I was little and she'd come around to see you. It stuck as I got older."
Sighing, he tucked his fingertips into the tops of his pockets. "Mostly, Al's just not interested in brooms and quidditch. He's more the intellectual type than the athlete a lot of the rest of us are. You weren't upset with his sorting at first. I used to tease him he'd end up there because of his name and he always worried. But, at first, you were good about it. On the platform you told him you'd be proud. Then it happened. And Grandma Molly sent him a howler the next morning. Kids at school made their opinions known at first" Until Jamie had his say. "I think it coloured how his expectations of everyone else's reactions. And...over the years, you were less okay about it." He paused, just looking at Harry and wondering how much he should say. Would telling him the details be a warning that turned him from the path or a worry that drew him in unintentionally?
And then Harry made that comment. I must have been drunk.
"I would believe that. I think that's what happened with Al being in Slytherin. Dad became obsessed with his work as he got older," he went on, switching to 'Dad' because he wasn't trying to make any accusations. "He'd always been paranoid, but it got to be untenable, constantly worrying about dark wizards and enemies. The alcohol didn't help with that. The family keeps it close, out of the press. But, if he was anyone but The Chosen One whose best friend was the Minister? He'd have been forced to resign years ago."