The Story of the Marauders

Twenty: Calysta

CALYSTA

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She didn't know why she agreed to it. Maybe it was the knowledge of Remus' condition preventing him from getting a real job. Or quite possibly the look on his face when he told her owning a bookstore was something he had always wanted to do. Which ever one it was, Calysta was now co-owner of a business that was running out of time.

"What are we going to do with these?" Calysta asked breathlessly as she carried a box of books with mildew at the bottom edges of the cardboard. Remus upon the sight pitifully.

"What's the condition of the books inside the box?" He asked tentatively. Calysta winced and shook her head.

"Not much better," She replied, setting the box near a growing pile of junk. Remus stood by her side and looked the old books over from a safe distance.

"Unfortunate... I would have liked to save them."

"Isn't saving a whole bookstore enough for you?" Calysta teased. Remus showed no teeth when he smiled, but the smile was genuinely happy.

"I just couldn't refuse-"

"You don't have to explain, Moony," Calysta held a hand up to stop the explanation.

"Peregrine, I don't know how you tolerate me," Remus laughed. Calysta smiled at her friend.

"Owning a shop isn't the worst surprise I've gotten for Christmas," She chuckled and Remus joined her. "Is this a Muggle book? I've never seen this." She changed the subject as an unfamiliar title poked out from one shelf. Remus read it over her shoulder.

"The Hobbit?" Remus tilted his head, recalling the title. "Yes it is a Muggle book. A very good one, at that."

"Hmm," Calysta shrugged indifferently and placed it in a pile mentally labeled: fantasy. Remus meanwhile busied himself with moving ancient furniture out into the alley between the shop next door and Obscurus' Books.

"Help me lift this, will you please?" Remus struggled with a wire rack as he attempted to drag it out the short door frame. Calysta left the junk pile and grabbed the end of the rack that was still on the ground. She hefted it up and held it at waist level; it was much heavier than it appeared.

"We could have used our wands, Remus." Calysta scoffed as she set the rack on the ground. Remus brushed his hands together, dirt and rust leaving his palms.

"I know that," He smiled slyly. Calysta stuck her tongue out at him and whirled around on her heels to enter the shop once more. She was grateful to leave the December cold. She stomped her boots clear of snow and rubbed her arms with her hands.

"We need a fire place!" Calysta suggested to Remus. "What do you think, boss? A nice fireplace in this corner," She pointed over her shoulder to a corner of the shop. With the corner empty, the shop seemed a tad bigger. Remus nodded, seemingly pleased.

"You've got the money for a new fireplace?" Remus asked sarcastically. Calysta supposed she did, but she didn't want to take anything out of her family's Gringotts account without explaining herself first.

"My family does," Calysta frowned. "I'll tell my dad about our situation. He'll understand. And then we can invest on something that matters," Calysta paused for a thought. "Like new floors." She grinned. Remus was silent as if he were thinking things through.

"I'll let you handle money. Merlin knows you have more than I do," Remus said airily, sneezing after he finished. Calysta gave a 'bless you' and continued on with jotting down various objectives they wanted done or changed. Together, Remus and Calysta had twelve things and counting written down on the floating notepad-- Calysta had since enchanted it to follow her around because of all the things they came up with and hurriedly had to write down.