Corrupted Souls | remus lupin

a difference of opinion

"Mhm, byeee Neems."

Neoma sighed as she walked out onto the street, heading toward Dervish and Banges. She and Remus had agreed to meet there to look around for some empty vials they could turn into their prototype potions. Lily would have joined them, but she decided to just use a stolen jar from the greenhouses and call it a day. 

"Neoma!" Remus grinned when he spotted the girl, tossing his jacket over his shoulder. "Hey."

"Hey to you," Neoma nodded, grasping the door handle to the small shop. "Ready?"

"Super ready." Remus nodded, following her into the store. "You look very springy today."

Neoma glanced down at her outfit, which consisted of a lilac sundress, a grey cardigan, and some sandals. "Ah, yes. I s'pose I do."

"It's nice to see you not in green ..."

"Oh Merlin, here we go again," Neoma shook her head. "I'll be all decked out in green at next week's game."

"No ma'am, you promised me you'd wear a Gryffindor shirt."

"I'll get your cooties - no thanks."

"You can wear one of Sirius's then."

"I'd rather die."

"Peter?"

"No."

"James?"

"Please kill me."

"Mine it is then."

"I have female friends, y'know."

"And you also have a Remus friend, who's offering you a once-in-a-lifetime ticket to wearing a limited edition Remus Lupin Gryffindor tee."

"Lucky me."

"Yes! Lucky you!" Remus patted her head. "Now you get it."

Neoma shook her head, unable to contain her smile as she glanced over the magical trinkets spilling off of shelves. 

"See any vials?"

"Peter said he's seen them in the back before, c'mon." Remus placed a hand on the small of her back as he led her through the winding, cluttered aisles. Neoma felt her stomach do tiny somersaults, which she desperately wanted to disappear. 

They did eventually find a box of glass vials of varying shapes and colours. Some of them still had labels on them - among the bunch was a wideye potion from 1937, an invigoration draught from 1899, and death-cap draught from 1971.

"I like this one for yours -" Neoma picked up a thin, green vial. "Looks kinda like a flower stem."

Remus grabbed it gently, giving it a once over before nodding. "I like it."

Neoma continued leafing through the pile, which clattered and clinked around with each movement she made. 

"Ah - perfect ..." she grasped a dark blue, globular flask that had a silver stopper. "Kinda reminds you of the moon, right?"

"Right ..." Remus offered her a small smile. "Alright, ready? I think the lads are waiting at Three Broomsticks."

"Yeah, let's go."

They walked toward the front and paid for the vials before heading out. Remus glanced up at the sky, which was surprisingly cloudless. He decided to ask a question that had been plaguing his mind. "Why do you wanna help werewolves, Neoma?"

Whenever he brought up the topic, she would change the conversation quickly or give him a half-assed, vague response. He hoped that wouldn't be the case this time.