Queen of Disaster | 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝐿𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑛

Chapter 44

Diana led him into an alleyway and entered a store Remus had never noticed before. A bell rang to announce their entrance the moment they opened the door.

     Walking inside, they were welcomed by the warmth of the fireplace in the store and a light music which was playing from the Wizarding Wireless Network radio which was on the shop's counter.

Remus looked around, seeing that other than the two of them, only a group of third year girls were in the store. Hundreds of various socks were hung on the wall in neat rows, in different sizes, patterns, and textures.

"Look at this one," Remus said with a chuckle, pointing at one of the socks that magically changed color every few seconds.

"Yeah." Diana grinned. "But there are a few useful ones, too. Like, this one is waterproof. Or this one here warms up your feet in cold days but keeps them cold in really hot days; I've got two of it in different colors."

"And which one of these would you recommend for me?" Remus raised a brow at her playfully, placing his hands in his pockets.

"Hmm... let me see..." Diana looked around the store thoughtfully, eyeing every sock carefully before finally picking one. "Aha! Perfect!"

"Let me see," said Remus, taking the pair of socks from her to observe them more closely, only to laugh when he saw that it had chocolate bar patterns knitted on it. "You make me look like a chocoholic."

"Well, that's because you are! You even smell like chocolates all the time!" Diana blurted out before she could stop herself.

     She tried to take control of the situation by saying jokingly, "Your middle name might as well be chocolate."

He chuckled. "Remus Chocolate Lupin?"

"Or Mr. Chocolate Lupin."

They both laughed. After choosing a pair of socks for her own and buying it, the two of them left the store, walking down the main street.

"Oh, look!" Diana suddenly said, pointing at a crooked building in the distance. "The Shrieking Shack."

Remus's face fell and he stopped walking, although this went unnoticed by Diana who had walked closer toward the wooden fence, watching the house from afar.

Trying not to show the sadness on his face, Remus walked over to her and stood beside her.

"The villagers have been hearing screams coming from there for years. Did you know?" Diana informed with fascination. "They say it's haunted."

"Yeah, I've heard the rumors..." Remus whispered, looking away from her and avoiding her eyes.

     "I've been trying to convince Layla since third year to come with me and see if we can find a way inside. But I've heard all the entrances of it are somehow blocked by magic."

When Remus didn't reply, she turned her head to glance at him. Seeing the look of despair on his face, Diana frowned. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Why shouldn't I be?"

Diana sighed. "I know what you're thinking about."

Remus blinked a few times, meeting her eyes worriedly. "What — what do you mean?"

"I know you're probably thinking about what had happened at Diagon Alley over the last summer," Diana said quietly, gazing back at the crooked house again.

"Right... yeah..." Remus whispered, shaking his head to snap out of his thoughts.

"You know, when we were betting on the test, I thought you would ask me to tell you what had happened at Diagon Alley, if you won."