Remus Lupin is a professor (professormoony) wrote in blackpoint, @ 2014-08-17 13:09:00 |
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The sand had seemed to multiply as it turned up in Emma’s shoes, clothes and, as always entertaining, right in her eyes as she walked through the marketplace in Honolulu. She wasn’t exactly sure what she was looking for, but she’d had this place recommended by somebody or other if she wanted to find loose clothes that didn’t make her feel stared at. The things that Red had lent her did the trick for now, but there was something about the atrocious mannerisms of the people in this place that made her feel as if she needed to bathe immediately. But Emma was tough. Emma was independent. Emma was….elbowing someone in their side viciously as she caught them staring at her chest. “Sorry,” she said, her tone immediately giving away the fact that she wasn’t sorry at all as she continued on her way. Of course, she’d met certain people, male and female alike, that had a certain staring issue, but this was a little more than ridiculous. She just wanted to make her purchases and vacate the premises. With a sigh and a hand running through her hair, she finally found a stall that held some promise, though it wasn’t at all what she was originally looking for. “You mean to tell me that you sell chocolate infused with other flavors?” Paradise, at last. While Remus wasn't a stranger to the Muggle world, he had never been out of the United Kingdom. He wasn't accustomed the the sand, surf, and sweltering heat that Hawaii offered, and even though he had cleaned himself up with a few charms after his dunk in the ocean he still felt like his clothes were sticking to him. He ignored the curious gazes he got as he wandered around the area in his slacks and dress shirt, clearly uncomfortable in the sudden humidity, and focused on finding something to eat to help prevent the shock setting in from people's welcoming comments. His older self had given him some money to spend - dirty, paper money the color of tarnished copper - and the paper felt light in his pocket compared to the coins he was used to feeling rattling around in his pocket or in the corner of the desk when he tired to scrape a few coins together. Ever the professor, he took in his surroundings with a practiced, studious eye. There were many things the Americans did that he wasn't sure about, but by the looks of the stands before they knew how to sell chocolate. "And not just other flavors," Remus said, sliding up next to a vaguely familiar blond, "I'm pretty sure they have every flavor here." There was much wrong with this world, not only with the clothes or the people. Well, mainly the people. They spoke in terms that she didn’t understand, and made her feel naive when she was anything bet. She generally was a great reader of people, and she couldn’t really do so in this environment. Either people had developed a scary ability to lie or Emma was out of her element. She hoped it was the latter. Emma’s eyes had lit up in excitement, finally excited at the prospect of something in this whole new world she had found herself in. The woman had a sweet tooth, that much was for certain, and her fingers itched at the thought of chocolate covered blueberries. As she reached out, she jumped slightly as a voice reached her ears, her hand withdrawing back to her pocket (the only good part of her current ensemble) guiltily. “You startled me,” she said, completely unnecessarily. If her facial expression didn’t convey that already, her jump surely had. Turning to face the man who approached her, Emma grinned, recognizing him almost immediately. “It’s a little rude to scare a person like that, Remus," she mock-scolded, trying her best to sound stern. I could have dropped the goods.” Remus smiled when Emma turned towards him, her name clicking in place when he saw her face. It was a relief to see a familiar face amongst the sea of strangers, and like him she was an outsider here. However, he could tell by the set of her shoulders - as if they were not quite comfortable in the clothes that she was wearing - that she must feel more like a fish out of water than he did. “You’re right,” he apologized, placing his hand over his heart and dipping his head in her direction, “I must have left my good manners back in the ocean.” His smile was back in place when he lifted his head, and he reached across her and plucked the bag she had been going for off the shelf. He made a low sound of approval in the back of his throat as he saw the chocolate covered blueberries. He extended the bag towards her as a peace offering, and reached across the grab a bag of chocolate covered cherries for himself. “It didn’t take us long to find our chocolate here.” How could she not feel completely awkward? Not only was this technology that she attempted so bright and sensitive (honestly, she must have some random food storage house ten times) but she knew no one. For all the variations of herself, mother and her father, she was very much on her own. Emma didn't like feeling dependent on those around her, even her parents. She had (not so long ago) passed twenty and still was in training to take over her kingdom. It was a lot of responsibility, one which she shouldered with grace and sophistication as per tradition, but this was a whole new place. "It seems prudent to forgive you, just this once," she teased, watching his movements as he retrieved the bag she had abandoned. She took the berries from his proffered hand, offering a genuine thank you as he went for his selection. She shrugged, "Well, I've already lost my bearings, you see. I couldn't very well lose my chocolate, too." "You're too kind," Remus laughed, a hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck as he surveyed the display. There were all sorts of candies in display, but the variety paled in comparison to his favorite haunt back home, Honeydukes. The brightly colored store was packed to the gills with every type of candy imaginable and then some. He closed his eyes briefly, imagining the chocolate that had been his savior for so long, and turned back to the present. "No, that wouldn't do. Are the blueberries the only thing you want today? The least I can do is offer to buy your stash," he said, waving back at the selection. "It's all this royal handiwork I've mastered," Emma joked, turning a faint shade of pink. She generally wasn't one to pick fun at her upbringing since she knew that others had it far worse than she did, but there was something about being completely thrown that made her believe that she had to have some sense of humor about it all. There weren't many eccentricities in her homeland regarding sweets. Different flavor combinations or techniques were distinguished day by day, but there were so many things here to look at. "I haven't really... I'm not really sure what exactly everything is. I've never heard of chili peppers. Do you think that's good or just an accident waiting to happen?" She picked up the bar of chocolate and rotated it in her hand, as if weighing it would somehow reveal all its secrets. "Because I'm leaning towards the 'mmmmaybe?'" Remus shrugged and grab the bag of chocolate in question. “Chili peppers are a type of spice, in a way,” he said, his voice switching slightly from the teasing lilt to the voice he used when he was tutoring his students. It was patient and a little lower, meant to soothe so the pupil felt encouraged. You could take the professor out of Hogwarts, but you couldn’t take the professor out of the werewolf no matter where he was. “It’s to compliment the sweetness of the chocolate, and many people like pairing opposites together to see what the reaction is. Whether or not it’s an accident waiting to happen depends on your heat tolerance and your willingness to try something new,” he explained, raising his eyebrows at her, “but I promise, unlike some of the candies from where I’m from, that you won’t have steam coming out of your ears.” Emma murmured in comprehension, nodding in thanks as he explained what exactly the foreign substance was. She didn’t like being completely unaware, but at least she was already learning in the time that she spent here. She shot him a smile and handed her goods over to the teller, eyebrows raised in question towards him. “I’m always willing to try new things, but the hotness factor could be pretty dangerous.” Her merriment quickly turned to concern as he continued to speak, her eyes wide as she appraised him. “You really aren’t joking, are you? Oh, goodness.” She could almost picture the steam blowing out from the man’s ears, and stifled a giggle. “That’s quite unique.” Remus dug into his back pocket as the total flashed on the teller's screen and opened up his wallet. He fished around for the correct bill, and after receiving his change spent a few seconds studying the bright coins. They seemed so minuscule compared to the currency back home, so compact but much more easily to trasport. He idily thumbed them, wondering who the people stamped on the front were, before dropping them back safely in his pocket for later. "No, not at all," Remus assured her, taking a few steps forward and holding the door open for her. "We had these other candies called Every Flavour Beans, and they really had quite the extraordinary range of favours. You name it and they had it." “So even troll’s snot?” she questioned, ducking underneath his outstretched hand and heading back into the bright sun of Hawaii. “Or unseasoned quail eggs?” The types of sweets that Emma was accustomed to were of the variety of heavy meats and all sorts of different cheeses or milk. “Oh! Or toffee. I adore toffee,” she babbled as she walked. On the streets there were different vendors with small carts with different smells wafting from each of them. She wasn’t entirely sure if said smells made her hungry or nauseated. Pausing, Emma spun on the spot to face Remus, unaware that her footsteps had been much faster than she had bargained on. “Thank you,” she finally said with a small, sweet smile. “For the sweets. And the door. . Honestly there are so many here that are just plain rude. It’s nice to see that the ocean decided to return your manners to you.” "Even bogey and raw egg flavored," Remus confirmed, pulling a face at the memory. James had been very good at tricking them into thinking it was lemon or pudding flavored back when they were younger, and even now the thought of eating something pale yellow made him a bit green around the gills. "Toffee's one of the sweeter flavors, but my favorite will always be the dark chocolate ones even if you have to be very careful when you pick a brown bean." He skidded to a stop when she whirled around, catching himself before he plowed into her. He didn't mind the fast pace - he was used to striding through the halls at school at a speed fast enough not to be mowed down by the mass exodus towards the lawn after classes. "Every now and then I can behave quite civilized," he laughed, tucking his hands into his pockets, "and it's nothing. I'm happy to help." “You’re a brave soul, Mr. Lupin,” Emma smirked, despite the small shiver of revulsion that pulsed through her at the thought of said flavors. She nodded along as he spoke, her mind wandering at all the possibilities. It was seemingly endless, and Em could appreciate that. “I suppose you’d have to be, if you run the risk of eating dog droppings.” She took a step back as he stopped, since she hadn’t bargained on how far behind he was and he really was much taller and could have knocked her over. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but she didn’t trust the give of this fabric. Knowing her luck she’d end up with holes in the most unfortunate of places. “I see! It’s such a nice change,” she remarked, her voice lilting with mirth. “I’m most thankful for it, truly.” Remus's eyes crinkled around the corners as he looked down at Emma, a laugh right on the tip of his tongue. "Two of my best friends growing up were cheeky little shi-buggers, so it was either sass them back or get flattened," he shared, half glancing over his shoulder as if James and Sirius would pop out of the store and prove his point. He tried to ignore the brief, white hot stab that shot through him when what Freddie had told him about their futures rose unbidden in his mind, doing his best to focus on the woman with him. "But I give you full permission to put me back in my place if I'm ever exceptionally rude to you, my lady," he said, dragging his mind back to the present. He gave her another smile and nodded, indicating that they could resume their stroll if the lady was up to it. |