maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

142. red noses & suspicions

SLOWLY AND SURELY, summer was gone and autumn had arrived. Along with it had nothing but routines, quidditch, homework and a ton of prefect stuff assigned by James and Lily come and gotten Claudia into a rather busy stage.

The girl was on that day in mid October settling down to the ground with her broom as Inez - the new captain of the Ravenclaw quidditch team - announced that the practise of the day was over.

As always, the new and old team members patted each other on their backs and spoke about the practise as they headed towards the showers.

Before Claudia entered the locker room, the girl glanced up to the stands where Remus was sitting with his head buried in a book as he waited for her. He had been there all practise, watching Claudia in the air with a constant proud little smile on his face, ignoring the other teammates who were convinced that he was there to spy for the Gryffindor team.

"Oh, get over yourselves!" Inez had eventually yelled after someone else had begged her to get rid of Remus. "Let him watch! It's not as if he's going to remember anything at all about our secret tactics because he's way too busy with staring at Claudia!"

Claudia had laughed at that, and considering how loudly Inez had yelled Remus had too, but then they had all gone back to their practising and watching.

Claudia smiled slightly as the boy looked ever so concentrated with his book even from afar, and then she walked inside the locker room, took a shower and got changed as quickly as possible so that she could meet up with Remus and go study in the library as they had planned.

"Watcha reading?" She asked as she sat down next to him on the stands and he finally took notice of her.

"Why are you asking?" Remus smiled, closing the book and turning it around so that she could see the cover.

She smiled, holding her gaze on the author's name that also was the name of her mum.

"No reason," she smiled, placing her hand on the back of his neck. "Have I mentioned that I love you?"

"Meh, once or twice," Remus said sarcastically with a shrug.

Claudia laughed, "I do. And every day you prove to me why."

"How do I do that?"

"Well, for example. You reading my mum's book is about the sweetest thing you've ever done."

"I don't think so," Remus chuckled. "She's a good author."

She was, Claudia wanted to say, but she realised that he didn't use past tense on purpose.

"So, naturally, it's a good book. And I like good books."

"It is good, isn't it?" Claudia asked with a proud smile.

"Brilliant is what it is," Remus smiled. "Which reminds me, how come I haven't ever read anything you've written? I mean, you're always scribbling in those notebooks of yours but I have never even caught a glimpse of any of it."