His daughter considered a grown man to be her friend.

Balthazar's chief concern was not, as one might think, with propriety; his trust in his daughters was almost absolute, and he was satisfied that Ruby understood the weight of scandal upon a family all too well already. No, his concern was simply the usual abject horror of a father realizing his daughter was growing up swiftly indeed. Time was the enemy of fathers everywhere.

"It is good that you are making acquaintances in a field that you are so passionate about," he answered after a moment, meaning it even in his disquiet. The name Zabini was, of course, not unfamiliar, though the given name was not one Balt recognized. "And as an Italian, I am sure he can give a list of sights that cannot be missed."