Spencer chuckled as she saw Hermione have a hard time carrying the grocery bags.
"Hand it over" she said as she stopped walking.
"No, you have enough" she shook her head, continuing to walk.
"Suit yourself" Spencer chuckled.
"Woah" Hermione walked in a different direction.
"Hermione that's-"
"Look" she said in awe as stared at a wall with art.
"You can hear it in the silence" Hermione read, looking at the drawing of two skeletons kissing.
Spencer smiled as she saw the young girl keep looking at the wall.
"Mind if I get a quote from you guys?" a man walked up to them.
"Sorry?" Hermione said as she looked from the wall to him.
"A quote, for the paper" he smiled.
"Oh uh- the paper?" she stuttered.
"You're not from here are you?" he chuckled.
"No... sorry" she laughed.
"What about you?" he asked Spencer.
"I love the art that they put up, my family and I have conversations about it all the time. It's a great addition to the community and when they put up questions they're important ones someone should ask themselves" she smiled.
"They?" he asked as he wrote down her answer.
"Well do you know who drew this?" she asked getting a better grip on the bag.
"Why can't it be a man?"
"Why can't it be a woman? Why can't it be someone who doesn't identify as either?" she shrugged.
He pondered her answer. "You called it art, what would you say to those that disagree?" he asked after a few moments.
"I respect their opinion- they are in fact vandalizing property. However I take it as a form of social communication- see how you came up to me to talk about this piece?" She answered.
"We pick and chose what we call art because of what we've seen. Like that piece of dogs playing poker- people don't call that art. Yet the other one of two dogs eating dinner at a table, looking at us, people say that's art" she shrugged.
"It can't be yes this is art no this is not art... because who's to say?" she added.
"And your name?"
"Spencer Venus" she answered.
"Thank you Spencer" he nodded, putting the little notebook back in his coat.
"Here let me help you" he reached for some bags.
"Oh- it's... okay" Spencer chuckled as he took a bag.
"I'd like to," he smiled, "after all you helped me" he nodded.
"...I'd think twice if you're planning on murdering us"
"Do I look like a murderer?" he asked.
"Yeah" she shrugged.
"Look," he reached for his wallet, "this is my daughter" he showed her a photo of a little girl in pig tails.
"Is exactly what someone would show me if they want to gain my trust and murder me" Spencer raised her eyebrow.
Hermione laughed.
"You're taking a mickey aren't you?" he smirked, putting his wallet back in his pocket.
"Yeah" Spencer chuckled.
"C'mon- these bags aren't going to walk themselves" she pointed her head at the way home.
"So... are you guys sisters?" he asked as he walked.
"What makes you think that?" Hermione asked.
"She looks pretty young to be your mom" he chuckled.
"How old do I look?" she asked him.
"Is this a tricky question?" he asked.
"No" she answered honestly.
"Don't know," he shrugged, "20?"
"Are you going to tell me if I'm correct?" he asked after they just kept walking.
"No" she chuckled. "How old are you?" she asked.
"26" he nodded.
"And you're a news reporter?" Spencer asked.
"When news is slow... yes" he chuckled. "I'm a photographer- occasionally I write articles" he added.
"That's a nice camera" Spencer said as she noticed it wrapped around him.
"Thank you" he smiled.
"What do you photograph?"
"Well, here, street art so more people can see it. Sports games, concerts, etc etc" he shrugged.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Mason"
"Well Mason no last name," she smiled as she saw the burrow nearby, "thank you for walking with us... but I have a boyfriend" she added reaching for the bag he took.
"I wasn't hitting on you" he smiled with furrowed brows.
"Really? Then why did you offer to carry my bags when I know for a fact you saw Hermione struggling with hers" she pointed at Hermione with her head. "Actually you didn't, because you were so busy flirting" she chuckled.
He looked at Hermione and the way she carried her bag, "sorry" he shook his head. "I guess I was flirting" he chuckled.
"It's alright" Hermione awkwardly smiled before walking to the Burrow.
"I'm sorry Mason... I'd say we'd be great friends but I'm actually leaving in a couple days"
"Where are you-"
"Save me a copy of the paper... I'd like to read it when I come back" she added, grabbing the bag from his arms.
"How will you get it?" he asked.
"Well if we're meant to be friends we'll find each other some way" she shrugged, walking away.
"I can't walk you home?" he asked, walking in front of her.
Spencer looked at him, his eyes moving down to her lips and back up to her eyes.
"You want to kiss me" she replied.
"No" he shook his head. "Well yes but you have a boyfriend" he added.
"A boyfriend who's home" she nodded.
"Right" he ran his hand through his hair.
"Goodbye Mason"
"We'll see each other again... right?" he asked as she walked away.
"As friends?" she asked, looking back.
He nodded, "If you play your cards right... maybe" she replied with a smile.
She walked to the Burrow and placed the bags on the table. She saw Hermione smile at her as she put her bags away.
"How do you know he doesn't have a wife?" Hermione asked.
"He didn't have a picture of her in his wallet" she answered before walking into the living room, seeing Fred and George lounging.
"Go put the groceries away" she motioned them.
Fred grabbed his wand and flicked it toward the kitchen.
"I hate it when you do that Fred" she shook her head and walked to the kitchen.
"You love me" he kissed her cheek.
"Morning" Remus said after clearing his throat, walking into the kitchen.
"Please don't traumatize our Professor" George gripped Remus' shoulder as he walked up to him.
"Please don't traumatize me" she muttered.
"What was that?" Fred asked.
"I said don't kiss me when you know well enough I'd only be with Bill" she replied, beginning to put her the items bags away.
"Your words hurt Spencie baby" he placed his hand on his heart. "He's not worthy of you"
"And you are?" she asked before scoffing.
"I could be" he replied as he walked beside her.
"Sure Fred. Maybe in another life" she nodded.
"Yeah. Just imagine it" he waved a hand through the air slowly.
"I'm imagining in that life you help me with the groceries- without magic" she said.
"You're right- maybe I'm not worthy" he shrugged.
Spencer rolled her eyes. As she continued to put the food away, she could hear Remus and George make conversation.
"Spencer are these shorts okay?" she could hear Harry say from behind her.
"Shorts?" Hermione asked.
"Spencer and her grandpa had dinner and he has a hotel so he invited us to go swimming"
"Oh. I didn't know-"
Suddenly Spencer stopped hearing Hermione.
There was a ring in her ear.
She hadn't payed much attention to a little detail he knew last time they went out.
She tried acting like everything was fine until it got too annoying.
"I'm going to take a shower" she cut Hermione off from the conversation she couldn't even understand. "Fred" she motioned her head toward the groceries.
Spencer exited the kitchen quickly, walking upstairs and getting ready for her shower.
"She doesn't like to talk about him" Harry told Hermione.
"Right" she nodded. "Is he nice?"
"I don't know" he shrugged.
As the kids continued to talk in the kitchen, Spencer stared at herself in the bathroom mirror.
She felt something cold on the tip of her thumb and index finger.
Something familiar.
What was it?
"You know... I saw you once" her grandfather nodded. "I went to your parents house to visit and you were there" he spoke.
No because... because then-
"You were sleeping on the couch... your parents weren't home" he added. "You had a record playing in the back... a book on your chest" he nodded again.
"God... you're so stupid" she told herself.
"Spence?" a groggy Ron asked from the bathroom door.
"Ron" she took a step back.
"Sorry- the door wasn't locked" he yawned. "What's that?" he asked.
"What?" she asked.
Ron pointed at her hand.
Oh.
"This... is a blade- your dad uses it to shave. I found it on the floor" she chuckled.
"Isn't there a charm for that?" Ron asked.
"You know your dad" Spencer smiled. "Do you need to use the bathroom? I was actually planning on showering"
"I'm fine" he shook his head before leaving her alone.
Spencer locked the door before staring back down at her hand.
"Put it down Spencer" Emily said.
"I wasn't going to do it" Spencer said as she opened the mirror, setting the blade down.
"I don't know... you might want-"
"I don't want to go back Emily" she faced her sister. "I don't even remember grabbing it" she whispered as she looked down.
"That's not a good-"
"I know that" she rolled her eyes.
"What happened?" Emily asked.
"Grandpa knows" she sat against the wall, hugging her legs.
"He knows?" Emily asked confused.
"He's known for a long time actually" Spencer closed her eyes, not wanting to cry.
"I don't think I understand-"
"Just don't talk... please" she said, her voice breaking.
"Ok" Emily nodded.
"Ladies" Josh said smugly as he appeared.
"Dude. Not the time" Emily smacked his shoulder.
"What do you- oh" he said once he laid his eyes on Spencer.
"Talk to you later Spence" Emily said before leaving, allowing Spencer to sob into her knees for some time.
When she finished, she hopped in the shower.
Once she was done she wrapped herself in the towel tightly.
She noticed the mirror was fogged up due to the hot water she used.
With her hand, Spencer cleaned the bottom half- not wanting to look at herself yet.
She exhaled before dropping the towel and staring at her body.
She stared at the scars on the left of her stomach, the top of her left arm, and her hips.
She stretched her fingers before cleaning the rest of the mirror.
"We are not that person anymore" she told herself.
She wrapped herself in the towel again and walked to her room.
"Hey" Remus said as he sat up.
"You left the kids alone?" Spencer asked closing the door.
"No Molly is there" Remus nodded.
"Mm" Spencer replied, looking for clothes.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah- just... I don't know" she shrugged.
"What's up?"
Spencer shook her head, "I'm fine. Just thinking about my grandfather" she rolled her eyes.
She placed the towel on her bed and began changing.
"I told him something I shouldn't have"
"What did you tell him?" Remus asked, trying not to look at her body.
"If I wasn't supposed to tell him, what makes you think I could tell you" Spencer chuckled, turning around topless.
Remus faced the other way.
"You okay?"
"Stop doing that" Remus stood up and walked toward the mirror.
"Stop doing what?" Spencer asked.
"Teasing" he looked at her through the mirror.
She chuckled before putting a bra and a shirt on.
"It's not my fault you have a dirty mind" she walked toward him, kissing his shoulder.
"I know" he shook his head. Spencer chuckled.
"I'm going to take a nap" she walled toward her bed.
"You're ok?" he asked as he kneeled down beside the bed.
Spencer smiled and caressed his face before turning around. She could hear him exit the room. After a few seconds, when she knew he was further away, she began crying.
──────⊱⁜⊰──────
"Dude- shut up"
"You shut up"
"You're going to wake her up"
"You're going to wake her up"
"Am not"
"Are so!"
"Shut up" Spencer groaned.
She slowly draped her arm over the floor, taking out the silly string under her bed and spraying them.
Fred and George laughed as they put their arms out.
"What do you want" she said putting the can back under her bed.
"Harry is being annoying" Fred replied.
"I remember you being annoying at the age of 13" she yawned.
"Yeah but he's being annoying because of you" he crossed his arms.
"Why?" she asked uninterested.
"You said you'd take him swimming- which I'm hurt by because you didn't even invite us" Fred answered.
"Yeah Spencer- older bros before younger bros" George added.
"I was going to invite you guys" she sat up.
"What if we were busy" Fred spoke.
"We have lives you know" George added.
"What are your plans then?" Spencer asked, stretching.
Fred and George looked at each other before turning back to look at Spencer.
"Right" she stood up.
"I'm assuming it's after noon?" Spencer asked the boys, looking at them through the mirror.
"Yeah" George replied.
"Alrighty then" she walked toward her luggage.
She noticed the twins take a step back, making her feel uneasy.
She quickly opened the bag, threw it to the side, and then behind her- glitter going all over the twins.
"I'm hurt, honestly" she shook her head.
The boys cleaned the glitter off with magic as Spencer brushed her hair.
"Are you getting in the pool?" George asked.
"Yeah... haven't seen you in a bikini in a while" Fred added smugly.
"I don't wear bikinis" Spencer rolled her eyes, holding back a smile.
"Why... you're hot" Fred replied.
"Thanks Fred, real subtle" she chuckled.
He winked back at her.
"Go find your clothes" she shooed them out of her room.
──────⊱⁜⊰──────
As they all went into the hotel, Spencer noticed Arthur mesmerizing the art on the ceiling. She made a mental note to take him to a museum for a day, she smiled at herself as she continued to lead the way.
Spencer was surprised to see Remus get in the water, with a shirt of course.
That saddened her.
As she continued to stare at the words in her book, she thought about how painful it must be for him. Having to hide himself from the people around him.
"Wooo!" she could hear Emily say as she jumped in the pool.
Spencer furrowed her eyebrows and smiled softly.
She turned and looked at Fred and George who were splashing the younger kids.
Ginny got on top of Fred, pushing him down until George grabbed her and threw her across the water.
Spencer turned back to her book, reading until she slowly fell asleep.
It wasn't until 30 minutes later that she left someone by her side that she woke up.
"You're not in the water" her grandfather spoke.
"Not in the mood I guess" Spencer replied tiredly.
She sat up and stretched her arms. A big mistake since her grandfather raised her shirt and saw the scars on her stomach.
Spencer rapidly brought her shirt down, smacking his hand away.
She couldn't read his face. He wasn't angry so what was he?
All Spencer could do was stare back.
He didn't say anything, which made her uncomfortable.
She turned her sight on her seat, playing with her book.
Her grandfather awkwardly placed his hand on her thigh- patting it slowly.
Spencer's lips formed a thin line as she looked at the gesture.
"Thanks" she nodded.
Her grandfather smiled before leaving the pool area.
She thought about how he didn't say anything for a bit. Finally she decided to go to the bathroom and change into her swim suit.
After a couple of races with Harry and Ron, she got on Fred's shoulders and started fighting with Ginny who was on George's shoulders.
She laughed as Fred dropped her in the water, simultaneously him as well.
She went to the deeper end- staring at the ceiling and floating.
She remembered how Emily and her would float at the lake, holding each other's hands.
She closed her eyes and allowed the water to rest on top of them. Her nose being the only part of her body to remain above water.
As heard a muffled voice she groaned internally and took her head out of the water.
"Show me how to do that again" Harry said.
"In front of everyone?" Spencer asked.
"Yeah" he shrugged.
Spencer smiled before telling Harry instructions.
At first, Harry coughed as water went into his nose.
Spencer could hear George and Fred chuckle until she glared at them.
What she didn't notice was Remus, Arthur, and Molly looking at them.
Remus' heart stung as he knew James and Lily would love how Spencer was with Harry.
He cleared his throat before submersing in the water.
──────⊱⁜⊰──────
"Hey" Spencer said as she walked into their room. "You ok?" she asked, undressing.
"Yeah" he replied, changing.
Spencer nodded, knowing he was lying, not wanting to push him to talk.
She got into his bed, wrapping him closer to her. She kissed his chest softly.
"You didn't talk during dinner" she spoke.
"I did"
"Yeah to George- and all you said was pass the green beans" she lightly chuckled.
Remus gave her a short smile even though she couldn't see it.
"I've just been thinking about Lily and James lately" he admitted after a few moments of silence.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah" he nodded.
"It's okay to be sad Remus" she faced him. "They're your best friends" she added.
"Were" he corrected her.
"No, Remus. Are. Even though they're dead they still hold the same place in your heart" she placed her hand on his chest.
Remus looked away from her, his hand slowly going up and clutching her hand.
"You'd think I'd be over it" he whispered.
"I don't think you'll ever be over it love" she sighed. "That's not necessarily a bad thing you know."
Remus faced her, a sad look in his eyes.
"Let's sleep, yeah?"
"Yeah" she said before kissing him softly. "You'll be ok... you know?" she added.
"I know... thanks" he smiled.
Spencer shrugged, "that's what I'm here for" she smiled back.
As she placed her head on his chest, Remus ran his hand across her back- slowly caressing her.
Spencer found herself in a dream, surrounded by trees and beautiful flowers growing from the ground up.
"Emily?" she asked as she looked around. "Josh?"
Since nobody answered, Spencer went on and looked around.
There was a unfinished treehouse which she made her way towards. She heard someone whistling.
"Hello?" she asked.
"Hey... dinner ready?" he asked.
"Remus?"
"Mmh" he said, not turning back.
"What are you doing?" she walked closer to him.
"What am I doing? You told me to build it" he chuckled while getting up and facing her.
"Oh" she looked around.
"Are they here yet?" he asked before kissing her.
"They?"
"Lily... James?" he answered.
"Lily and James?" she shook her head with furrowed brows.
"Yeah you- invited them for dinner... are you alright love?"
"Yeah. I just..."
"Just?"
"Nothing" she chuckled and smiled.
Remus kissed her softly, his hands on her face.
Spencer opened her eyes, finding herself facing Remus.
His face was relaxed, his hand on her waist, and their legs in between one another.
She gave him a sad smile before kissing his lips softly.
"Is it morning?" he murmured.
"No" she answered.
"You okay?" he slowly opened his eyes, "you were moving around"
"Weird dream" she nodded.
"What was it about?"
"I'm not sure" her mouth moved to the side. "It was weird but nice you know?"
"Mmh" he nodded.
"Night" she smiled.
"Good night love" he replied.