MOON MAN. remus lupin ✓

xi. citrine monster

     Remus was fiddling with a few books placed near the till when she walked in. This was crucial, because when the bell of the door rung and she slithered past the entrance of the shop, he was able to see the smile die on Liam's face.

It was like watching a flower wilt, or the sun disappear behind the horizon. It meant something when an untroubled person like Liam Alderman was left frowning. A tragedy that should have never come to pass.

He wasn't sure why, at first, but when she came up to the front desk, her dark skin and upturned nose familiar, the seeds of suspicion had been planted. Then, as she opened her mouth and said, "Hello, Liam," Remus was inexplicably aware of who was standing in front of him.

Liam's mum.

He hadn't expected her to look so similar to him. They both had small, upturned nose and their hair was the same shade of brown. They were both tall and thin. The differences lied in their eyes. Where Liam's were warm and exciting, Mrs Alderman's looked like they could sour milk. It was hard to believe this was the woman who had given birth to his friend.

Liam replied in kind.

"Hello, mum. I didn't know you would be coming for a visit."

"I hadn't planned on it," she said, her eyes straying to the scratched surface of the counter. Remus got the feeling that she wasn't very fond of the bookshop. "Your dad decided one of us needed to check up on your progress here and we didn't need him breaking a hip."

Under different circumstances, Remus might have laughed. But under the threat of her noticing him, he kept quiet, still straightening out a few books.

"Lovely. Do you want me to—"

"No," she said, cutting Liam off, "you stay here. I just want to have a look around."

True to her word, she turned around and marched away. He and Liam both watched as she turned into an aisle and cut off their view of her. After she was gone, he dared to approach Liam, who looked like he might cave in on himself.

"Are you alright?"

His response was delayed.

"I'm fine," he whispered. "She just usually doesn't come to the shop. She's always been against it, ever since dad purchased it from the previous owner, Godwin Bennett. It kinda threw me for a loop to see her walk through the door."

"How long do you think she'll stay for?"

"I'm not sure. Dad'll want her to look through the stock and possibly even any transactions I've made on his behalf." Just who the hell were his parents? "I know," said Liam, and Remus didn't realise he had said that out loud. "My dad's a nutter. Mum, too, really. I'm just glad she's here and not him. He'd have probably made everyone leave in his search for anything wrong with the place."

"That's terrifying," Remus admitted.

"Try living with them." He bit his lip for a second. "Um, do you mind taking over for a minute? I need a break."

Liam disappeared into the back and Remus manned the till. He worried that Liam's mum would show up and demand to know who he was and why he was by the till, but it was better than seeing that look on Liam's face. He hadn't seen his friend so cowed before. It was like everything he feared had been summed up into one person, and that was Mrs Alderman.

He had just finished up with a customer when she came striding over to him, her face set in a disapproving frown.

"Who are you?" She demanded, her voice both accusing and mistrustful.