Aldous cleared his throat uncomfortably. He had not expected the exchange to be comfortable, but had not anticipated such hostility. After all, Aldous was a bachelor still with no sights upon anyone's fiance, in spite of his brother's carelessness.

"Mr. St.John-Black, I will remind you that generous trade parameters have long been the norm between our magical trade communities. You can hardly begrudge our looking to maintain that."