Meretricious | Professor Lupin

47. He knows

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.