A Chocolate Kick (Tag Tea)

[Thestral]

It finally wasn't raining. For days now the heavens had been pouring, perhaps mourning the loss of so many innocent poeple. The cold harsh rain had plummeted down upon them all, Wizarding and Muggle Worlds alike. They both suffered the same atrocious, freezing weather that chillled to the bone. One particular individual was used to being cold. the chill seeped to his bones as though it beloned there, digging deep into his body. He wasn't a particularly wealthy man; in fact he was rather poor. His clothes were old, raggedy and patched as though sewn as a quilt for a child. His general appearance was well worn and normally tired whlst sporting an up beat and positive smile.

Truth be told he hadn't had much to be positive about. He and Sirius were on rocky ground, even if they seemed to be getting on track again. while he was hopeful they could once and for all put their issues behind them, that little voice in his head, the insidious one that always whispered in his ear, dragging him down, told him otherwise. It told him it would never work and he'd be left alone, with nothing, and that it was best to run now, leave and never look back. It would hurt less that way. But Remus found that he couldn't, that he wouldn't. Lily and James had a family, a small adorable baby boy and Sirius and he were really getting along a little better. the tension, the strain between them wasn't as severe as before. Remus had gotten so used to it now that he ignored the distance between them. But for Remus it had closed a little bit. That knowledge warmed Remus's heart and gave him enough cause to smile during these dark times. As did baby Harry, not matter how much he feared for him.

Remus found himself in Diagon Alley craving any form of chocolate. Up until seeing Florentine's Remus hadn't realised he wanted ice cream so badly. Chocolate had always been a love and a comfort for Remus - plus it helped after Dementor attacks. It had been his weakness ever since a young lad and dear old James and Sirius did love to withold it to get him to participate in a prank he wasn't particularly keen on. It was fantastic, gorgeous chocolate. Made all the detentions and punishments in the world seem worth it.

[Tea in the Sahara]

Vanilla. Vanilla with red spots. Vanilla with strawberry spots. Vanilla with small microcosms of strawberry goodness with little strawberry men working inside to, at the right moment, cause an explosion of flavour when in your mouth by using teeny tiny pickaxes to rent their world apart- Coco shook her head, pulling her face something a bit further than one inch away from the ice cream vat she was currently staring far too closely at. Yes, she was bored, it was official now. That and she was fairly certain her nose may have just touched the otherwise pristine ice cream. Shit.

It was that glorious – ha, right – time of the day where the day time shoppers had already started their mass exodus back home, probably to be back in their houses before their spouses or family members got back, and before the workers of the Ministry and the other Diagon businesses called it a day and happily slammed their doors shut. It was the time of day where Miss Calloway was nearly banging her head against the overly polished tables waiting for some entertainment to walk in and relieve her from shining something that already had been shined and to, more importantly, keep her from hiding in the backroom, binge eating the remnants of whatever ice cream vat was close enough to being finished that she just had to do it the courtesy of finishing it. Oh what a life, but hell did it taste good.

The bell tinkled and a mixture of hope and apprehension filled her. It was either a customer, which would be a good, or Florian coming back to tell her to stop making up stories for the ice cream and look somewhat awake and, no, for the hundredth time, she couldn’t smoke inside the store. But fate was on her side and a customer, thank Merlin, was the face that was now across the counter from her. “Welcome to Florian Fortesque’s,” Coco announced automatically to the man. He looked vaguely familiar and barely older than she, so Hogwarts was the most likely candidate for this reason.

Leaning onto the counter, her head propped lazily on one hand, her pale eyes followed his progress. “I wouldn’t get that,” She said in a manner much similar to her current pose. “If your expression is anything to go by,” She shoved herself up and moved around the counter to stand next to the customer, her required cute uniform at odds with her matter of fact tone, “And it currently is screaming every form of marriage proposal to all of our chocolate flavours, I’d say you want something with just maybe a hint of chocolate.” Her eyebrows moved a fraction up her forehead before she added, “Am I right?” She didn’t wait. “But that one of the end, the one you were just looking at, don’t do it.” Her slender fingered tapped the glass in front of the aforementioned ice cream. “It may say brownie almond cherry twist, which is brilliant, don’t get me wrong, tastes like a sundae exploded in your mouth, but if you want a real chocolate flavour, one that will have its way with you and leave you begging you for more, I’d go for the dark chocolate fudge ripple.”

[Thestral]

Remus didn't have anyone to go home to, so now that it was nearing the time everyone slipped off to their houses where it was safe, Remus could stay out if he wanted to. He didn't have to answer to anyone about what he was doing or where he had been. He had James, who was of course living with his lovely wife and new son Harry, and Sirius who liked to pop round at unpredicatable moments, and Peter was never around anymore. Lily and he tended to Owl rather than physically see each other so it was a treat when they did. Remus was never going to have that 'other half' that every other couple cherished so much. For one Remus felt that he didn't deserve such devotion and love and was highly doubtful that he was ever ever find someone who could fully accept and love him for exactly who he was. Nevertheless Remus did have a few good frends that he could more or less count on - even if the War strained relationships.

Remus found himself wandering Diagon Alley. It was a magical hub that was just spectacular. It was at its best around 10 o'clock when it was filling up but not completely stuffed full of poeple. It was always dire during the time Hogwarts students had to acquire their eqiupment. On those days it felt very claustraphobic and Remus never liked it during those days. It caused a great desire to breath deeply and fully and push everyone away. He was a complicated character. He loved company yet wanted his space and solitude too.

Florian Fortesque was aluring for Remus. Ice cream was just the ticket. Chocolate ice cream. Remus smiled at the attendant stating only that Choclate fudge would be very nice thank you. It actually sounded like a slice of heaven and while he could't afford to get a new addiction beyond simple chocolate he was wiling to take the risk. The service here was good since she knew his mood very well. He couldn't have been guarding himself too well but he'd blame it on the fatigue.

"You went to Hogwarts," He stated. He had a recollection of her, mostly just passing, perhaps a hello but nothing in detail. The most accurate detail he could pin point was she was passionate and from another house, but couldn't say which.

(ooc. well poop. This is rubbish sorry)

[Tea in the Sahara]

Coco couldn’t help the somewhat triumphant grin that formed when the customer actually took her advice and ordered the flavour she suggested. It wasn’t much, but it almost made her feel like a religious leader, guiding her post lost flock to greener plains of ice cream goodness. Like she had just helped some poor unfortunate see the light. Okay, perhaps that was too ridiculous of a comparison, but she was damned well convinced that she had had at least a small effect on this man’s day. Leaning into the tank to scoop out some healthy sized scoops, Coco nodded to herself. He would discover what she was talking about soon enough.

“You went to Hogwarts,”

Straightening herself while brushing the hair from her face with the back of her hand, the blonde grinned again and nodded. Granted, there weren’t many other places to go within the UK for a wizarding education, and considering her rather local accent, she definitely was a native. But best not to shock the man yet. “I did indeed! As did you,” Putting the scoops into a rather sumptuous looking waffle bowl, Coco slid it across the counter so it stopped right before him. “Gryffindor, yeah? What’s your name again?” He definitely wasn’t in Hufflepuff, and definitely wasn’t a Slytherin since she knew their house quite intimately from the many times she got harassed, cursed, or shoved down a stair case by one of them. Granted, she had it coming since she had done the same things towards them at a previous time, but that was beside the point (they were inbred bigots who deserved what they had coming anyway). Ravenclaw was a possibility, but for some reason she just associated him with Gryffindor house.

Rather than doing her job of entering his purchase on the register, the girl moved around the strawberry section and grabbed a wooden tester spoon to scoop herself a taste. Sticking the little stick between her lips (it was as close as she was going to get smoking a fag at this point), she sat up on the counter and asked, “So what have you been up to since graduation, anyway? You can’t be working here in Diagon since the suit robe clad masses haven’t been let out of their sheep pens yet.” Her view of the systematic day to day of the masses clearly was not a good one. They were controlled by The Man, blindly and willingly so, and that, as far as this rebel was concerned, was as heinous a crime as one could commit.

[Thestral]

Remus wasn't fussy when it came to chocolate. In fact he wasn't fussy about anything in particular but when it came to chocolate the did have his favourites, and a couple of dislikes. For instance, he wouldn't go near Splash because he could feel the gritty granules against his tongue which was entirely unpleasant. ON the otherhand he did love an Engage bar - it turned the tongue blue and sparked little light blue sparks. Perhaps it iwas the entertainment value as well as his taste buds that drew him to that one. But when it came to ice cream Remus would eat everykind of chocolate imaginable and then some. he had a sweet tooth that extended to cakes, pies and buscuits but his love of chocolate had been renowned amongst Gryffindors. It had been the fastest way to get him to agree to assist you with your homework, or in his friends' case either keep him quiet or get him to join in. In fact, didn't James owe him a bar?

“Gryffindor, yeah? What’s your name again?”

Remus smiled. "Sure I am part of the pack of lions yes. Remus Lupin. And yourself?" Remus asked. She was younger, maybe a year or two, three at a stretch. He recalled seeing her about, quite outspoken wasn't she? He always thought she was mad but in a sane way if it was possible. When regarding James and Sirius however, they were just plain crazy and there was no hope for them at all. One in four people are insane, but that couldn't be right could it? NOt whne all of his were bonkers.

Remus waited patiently for her to finish serving him. “So what have you been up to since graduation, anyway? You can’t be working here in Diagon since the suit robe clad masses haven’t been let out of their sheep pens yet.”

Remus chuckled. "No, I'm unemployed I'm afraid. Had a bit of trouble finding work," Or keeping it. Too many sick days, too many days where he was off, covered in bruises and lesions, ill almost all the time. That ws the life of a werewolf. He wouldn't even wish this on the Death Eaters but Remus always had been compassionate.