"So who is it again that you're seeing?"

The sudden interest in his love life, ex-girlfriends aside, gave Devlin pause. He had been relieved when Knox had readily accepted his answer regarding Fauna, but he wasn't particularly keen on discussing the newer aspects of his romantic dalliances. Mostly because he didn't really know if they were actually a couple or not, but also because he was still not completely comfortable letting Knox too far into his private life. He didn't trust others easily and considered the leaps and bounds their relationship had already taken as adequate. There was also the pesky fact that Knox knew Maeve's overbearingly purist brother Oz, and one small slip of the tongue on his fathers part could ruin the carefully crafted ruse they had been working so hard to keep up the last couple of months.

But what could he tell him? If he said it was some girl he had gone to school with, Knox could easily pick away at it until he discovered her identity. He supposed he could say it was some older witch he had met at work, but Knox, despite all his surly gruffness, was surprisingly well liked and well known. Anything short of a Knockturn Alley whore would be known to him or at least easy enough to hunt down, should he be so inclined. And suggesting that it was an aforementioned whore would just open an entirely new can of beans that Dev really didn't feel like ingesting this evening. "No one in particular..." He finally replied with a lackluster shrug, "... Just an old fling rekindled... Though I try not to advertise it much, you know... for her safety and all." Oi, that was a ham-handed excuse, but it was true at least. He just didn't elaborate on who or what he was protecting her from.

(Sorry, I just don't see him revealing her as his girlfriend just yet since they hadn't made it official yet In due time!)

Knox regretted his asking immediately and suddenly felt very uncomfortable, realizing he really really did not want to know.  Devlin wouldn't give the name, used the word fling and it just all felt like he'd walked in on someone snuffing Amortentia... No.  The Dark Past Discussion - that, that was something Knox had thought was awkward, but this Investigation of Nearly Grown Teenage Son's Lovelife? That had to end.  Abort. 

Full stop.  Reverse.  Retreat.

"Oh hmm..." he said, and tried to re-absorb in his newspaper.  Perhaps he'd already done enough fathering tonight, what with this strained relationship at all.

"I've got an early hearing tomorrow," he decided to say.  "And I think I'll turn in.  Mind washing up? That'd be very helpful."  He was rising from his chair, locating his wand, and turning off the lamp by his chair.  He nearly felt the tired he was advertising.

He paused for a moment and looked at Devlin.  He smiled.  "You wont tell anyone what I told you? It's a grave secret," he said, as levelly as if he was asking him to take care when working near the embers in the hearth.

"Oh hmm..."

"...Yeah..." Dev echoed distantly, both reluctant and uncertain what else he could say. Thankfully, Knox seemed to get the hint and focused on his paper instead and Dev was relieved that he didn't press further. Knox had shown the adequate amount of concern to show Dev he at least cared, but not too much to make his 'Nosy Parent' alarm go off. Leaving him to his paper, Dev pulled out another cigarette and lit it. Tilting the chair back on two legs, he took a long drag and watched the smoke rings that emerged from his lips float towards the ceiling so intently that they seemed like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

When his father uttered his good nights, Devlin didn't even pause to look at him. He simply nodded and murmured "...Night" his trail of rings marred with the ensuing puff of smoke. But then Knox said something that caught his attention and Dev finally looked towards him. There was a cautious but friendly smile on his fathers face and his tone was pleasant, as though they were mates having a chat about their favorite quidditch teams, rather then an estranged father and son speaking about horrific secrets that, leaked out, could send the wizarding world into an upheaval. This struck Dev as a bit funny and a small smile played at the corner of his lips as he took another long, drawn out drag of his cigarette.

This was big news. Prophet level news. The kind of news that, if he should accidentally tell the right person, could bring his father down to his level... No, lower. No longer would Dev be the screw up, the prodigal son, the shame of fathers prodigious name... no... he would be the lesser of two evils. Everything his father had worked so hard to build, from his time as headmaster to the wizangamot to his work with werewolf registration... all of it would be called into question when the world learned he was a bloody traitor. If the world learned. Dev was surprised to find that the more he thought about it, the less appealing it was. Perhaps he was conflicted from having that 'father and son bonding' moment from before, but the old man was starting to grow on him. Could he really betray the only real father he had ever had?

"No." Dev finally said, as much to himself as his father "I won't say anything." He knew he didn't need to elaborate further, the expression on his face told his father all he needed to know. Taking another drag, Dev blew out a ring and then smiled slowly at Knox. It was a crooked but genuine smile, punctuated by a barely audible, "Good night... Dad."