Odira laughed—Jameson fancied himself quite the sea captain, perhaps due to the fact that his father had been envisioned as such by the man who had done his painting for the Ministry of Magic. Enthusiasm, though, was likely to render the lad overzealous, and he was more likely to capsize even an enchanted rowboat than guide it safely back to shore. Odira appreciated that Mr. Keene knew her nephew so well (particularly when she was a stranger to his own).

“You could never disappoint,” she reassured him warmly. “As someone who has had more than her fair share of adventure in far fewer years than you can boast, I can assure you that a picnic afloat is much more my cup of tea than magic carpet jousts or whatever the children might dream up!”

Frankly, Odira would have gladly attended such a ridiculous sporting event were Mr. Keene her companion, but they got along as well as they did because he would never ask her.