He didn't believe her in the slightest. She was doing that thing, saying a statement that might be true but didn't actually respond to what he'd said directly. It was the same tactic he'd just employed to deflect her question about who he'd been with last night. Maybe it was a tactic that he'd learned from her. Hm.

If he called her out on it, though, they were going to fight, and he didn't have the energy for it. He hadn't slept, and he'd had a fairly heavy conversation with Noble less than two hours ago, and he had a whole problem of a dementor in a wardrobe in a Muggle inn to see to today. He couldn't afford to fight with Mama right now. And Grace might be down for breakfast any minute, besides, and he couldn't have her overhearing anything and starting to put the pieces together. Verity might survive a season knowing how desperate things were (might), but Grace would crumble.

"Alright, Mama," he said simply, hoping that by agreeing he would make her feel at least a little guilty for overspending. "I'm looking forward to seeing it."