His offhand comment seemed to have affected her greatly. Emrys shot her a look out of the corner of his eye while he tried to discern whether she was being serious or making fun of him, but it seemed to be the former. So this was a compliment, he supposed — albeit quite a strange one. He didn't relish the idea of being such a good host he was occasionally confused for a murderer.

"Well, I won't try it, then," he said in an offhand way. "I've never much cared for aurors at my events." Nevermind that his older brother was an auror (or had been; now he did whatever it was aurors did when they got too old and boring to be aurors).