𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸, remus lupin

˗ˋ 30

CHAPTER THIRTY
✧
-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THE SILENCE
IS BROKEN

. . .

Pandora was still confused long after breakfast, confused through all her morning lessons and then the afternoon as well. She was yet to say anything to him either, her vow of silence since they had fallen out remaining.

Remus hated it. Hated that he wouldn't be able to say anything to alleviate the damage he had done or ask about the butterflies, obvious nightmares or sleeping up on the top of the Astronomy tower. He needed to be able to get replies for that.

So he would be waiting for her to say something so he could actually apologise. With Pandora, it always seemed to be how comfortable she was as opposed to anything else. It didn't matter whether Remus was burning to say something to break the almost awkward silence, what mattered was that she would be able to answer.

And Remus understood that. The first time he had been confronted with the fact that James Potter knew all about him being a werewolf was utterly terrifying. He had needed more than a few minutes to colllect himself, and even though it had just been him and boy who had welcomed the small, shy child on the train, Remus had been so uncomfortable he could barely speak. 

With Pandora, it was a little different. From what Remus had figured out, she was all alone up in a house for six years, and the contrast between that total seclusion and the busy life of Hogwarts was so different he was surprised she hadn't been spooked at the sight of the packed Great Hall.

But then her eyes had landed on Remus and he had endured her focus as she called him pretty - something which had warmed a strange, unknown part within him - in front of the entire school. It was embarassing, but seeing what she did to other things that were pretty, like the letter opener or the hair clip that Remus had watch her pull out of a third year's hair upon passing - he was glad she hadn't gone any further when it came to him.

But when it came to their final lesson - one that wasn't really a lesson but a free period - they made their way to the library and settled in the back corner as they used to do, previous to any of their falling outs or misunderstandings - Pandora seemed to find her voice.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked softly, the five simple words bringing Remus's actions of taking out books from his bag to a halt. "Is it to make fun of me? To rub in the fact that I believed out afternoon in the Three Broomsticks was a date when it wasn't? To make fun of the fact I barely have any social skills and completely misread the situation."

Remus stared for a moment. Here she was, more vulnerable than he had ever seen her before. The way she spoke, the way her gaze remained trained down on her carefully poised hands on her lap - all of it screamed just how strange this was for her.

For once in her life - or perhaps for the first time, Pandora was conforting something in a non-aggressive way. She was quiet, almost subdued. She was opening up, finally showing something from underneath the tough shell that had developed over many years of hiding away. 

This was something new for her. Something which made her uncomfortable, but something which made her seem completely and undeniably human. 

It wasn't as if Remus had questioned that, but often she seemed so emotionless and cold it was robotic, or if she had stepped out of a painting made up of entirely cool tones with the most elegant slithers of blood red and empress purple. 

"I'm not trying to do anything like that." The Lupin boy finally spoke, and she raised her gaze just the smallest of distances. "I would never make fun of you."

"Would you rather make a fool of me?" The tone of her words was still vulnerable, but had retained that steely, accustatory impression. "Because that's what it feels like. You denied it being a date in front of everybody, yet you were up at the top of the tower last night and then this morning.. when you sat beside me I thought perhaps that you weren't mad at me for assuming it was a date or soaking through your sweater.. but you have not spoken to me all day."

Remus let out a sigh, easily able to pull together the instances and see why she may think that to be his motive. A mistake on his behalf, which should be easily remedied.

For the second time that day, Pandora was shocked by Remus' actions as he reached forward and hugged her, pulling her close and tucking her head into the curve of his neck, large hand cupping it as he stroked her hair.

He could only hope for it to contribute to his apology.

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