Basil nodded appreciatively at Ms. Malfoy’s academic pursuits. At least it was something. Not as much could be said for other debutantes he knew. Remarkably, that managed to settle him even more than the original topic change, and Basil felt himself relax a bit. He felt a warm blush dot his cheeks as she praised his ‘tutelage’ as well.

Clearing his throat to rid himself of it, the professor thought for a moment. His favorite teaching memory? “Well,” he admitted. “I’m not sure I have one specifically that comes to mind.” Basil had a great deal many memories in that castle and sometimes it was hard for him to decipher them. That said, he did have a few best moments that were certainly the highlights of each year. “I do love when the first years manage their first ever transfiguration alone. There’s always a look of such satisfaction on their young faces, it’s quite remarkable.” He grinned to himself, thinking about it.

Just then, a server came by breaking his reveries. Basil gratefully accepted the single glass that was offered. He didn’t even bother to ask what was in it before taking a rather ambitious sip. It burnt, awfully on the way down and he was lucky it didn’t make him splutter like an idiot. What was in these cocktails?!

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