Boys Will Be Bugs

Chapter 72: Job

"You what?" Selene put her coffee mug down and stared at him. Remus had certainly sprung this on her without warning, but he wasn't in the right mindset to care much at the moment.

"I want to work in your pub, for money." Selene stood up and walked in front of the counter so she was standing face to face with him.

"Okay, back up a moment. Why aren't you at school?"

"I was at school, and then I came here when I had the idea." He didn't want to tell her about his dad, because he knew his dad would hate him for it, even though he probably should have told her. That wasn't the only reason though; he knew that Selene would try to give Lyall money, because she always tried to give people money when they needed it, despite the fact that she barely had any herself. Remus didn't want her giving away her wages when she worked so hard for them, so he decided now was the time to step up and get a job himself. It was the perfect plan: he was old enough now, at least he felt old enough, to start working for some money. His dad needed the support, and he was familiar with the bar anyway, so he'd enjoy working there.

"Why do you want to work in the pub? What do you need money for?" Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be easy to convince Selene.

"I figured I should start saving up, since I won't be able to get a proper job after Hogwarts."

"But why are you worried about it now? You don't leave Hogwarts for about four years."

"It's never too early to start worrying. I could save up enough to buy a house if I start working now." Selene rubbed a hand across her forehead, in an eerily identical way to her brother. She wandered over to the sofa and signalled him to sit down. He did so.

"What's really going on, Re?" she asked. "You didn't just start thinking about this for no reason."

"I didn't just start thinking about it, I've been thinking about it ever since the holidays. I liked working in your pub, and I want to keep working there, but preferably for some money this time."

"But what about school?"

"I can do school at the same time, just give me a shift in the evenings and on weekends." Selene folded her arms to her chest and leant back.

"You can't do school and work at the same time, you'll be exhausted. What about your friends?" Remus shrugged.

"They can come with me, it'll be fun."

"Oh right, because I can definitely allow a bunch of fourteen year olds to hang around my pub."

"They'll be fine! They can help too."

"I can't hire you all, I'm not made of money."

"Please, Selene, let me at least try." He stared at her hopefully, noticing the tell-tale signs that she was beginning to relent.

"Hogwarts won't let you," she said. "They won't even let you leave the grounds, let alone work a job."

"Hogwarts don't have to know," replied Remus, trying to appeal to his aunt's more rebellious side. "You can give me the floo powder to travel here each evening. The school will just think I'm in my dorm room, no one ever checks."

"Listen, Remus, I'm all for rule-breaking, but not if it puts you at risk of expulsion. There's no way the school doesn't track the fireplaces to make sure no one leaves."

"You say that, but I'm here, aren't I? I've travelled out of Hogwarts loads of times and they never know. And if they do, then they haven't said anything." Selene shook her head.

"There's no way..." she muttered to herself. Remus stood up.

"Just let me try one shift and see how it goes, then you can decide." Selene looked at him for a while, thinking over the proposition. She sighed, slapped her palms on her knees and stood up.