𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸, remus lupin

˗ˋ 42

CHAPTER FORTY TWO
✧
-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH PANDORA
FLEES

. . .

Remus woke rather suddenly, the feeling of a damp cloth against his face proving just about enough to wake him from his drink-induced sleep. His head was killing him; a pounding aching that seemed to ring in his ears and cause hallucinations right in front of him.

Because there was no way that Pandora was crouching over him with the flannel from the bathroom. 

He couldn't really be seeing that. Perhaps he was still drunk and he was seeing things. The black hair could be a wig, it was Halloween after all, but he couldn't remember anyone other than Pandora who had blonde streaks running through it. 

But when he saw the striking blue eyes widen and the figure take a step back, the headache really set in and he quickly decided that he wasn't hallucinating and he definitely wasn't drunk. 

Remus was massively hungover, and Pandora was looking at him like she had seen a ghost. 

"What?" He groaned, deciding that it was best to ignore the strange change in Pandora's demeanor and behaviour towards him and tried to sit up, eyes shut against the dull November morning light.

When he finally sat up, sluggish movements rubbing sleep out of his eyes, he opened them again and found the Rosier girl backed up against the same post of his bed that she had been asleep against for the rest of the night, completely frozen. 

She was still in that purple velvet, somehow every single hair was in place and although he was sure she had tidied it up her makeup was just as pefect. Somehow, and Remus didn't expect anything less, Pandora looked perfect. 

And apparently Remus's hangover was making him think strangely just as much as it was making him feel as though his head had several screws tightened in the temples. 

"You're awake." Pandora's voice was surprisingly monotone. "You made me jump."

"I - er - well I'm sorry." Remus looked up at her, watching as she clutched the cloth. "Did you stay here all night? Wouldn't that hurt?" He reached out somewhat blindly, pulling her down onto the bed. "Aren't you at least the littlest bit hungover."

"No." Pandora answered shortly. "You drunk a lot. I found myself thinking that I'd be somewhat sad that if you fell down the stairs on the way here because then you would break your leg and Skelegrow is a vile potion. I wouldn't even subject your friend Sirius to it."

"Geez, thanks." 

The groan from another bed made Pandora jump out of her skin yet again, a pale hand resting over her hand. Sirius pushed himself up from his bed with a start, both Remus and the Rosier girl staring as he stumbled his way over to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him before they heard a rather large, somewhat concerning crash. 

Then there was silence. 

"So you didn't want me to collapse on the stairs?"

"Surprisingly not. The butterflies come in useful sometimes." A rueful look appeared on Pandora's face for a moment, and she quickly got to her feet again. Remus's eyes turned towards the cloth in her hands. "You were drooling. It was disgusting." 

"Right. So your back doesn't hurt?" Remus watched as Pandora shook her head, feet slowly moving backwards. "You don't feel sick at all? Or have a headache? There are potions somewhere in here because we do this more often than probably safe but-"

"I'm fine. I don't... I don't." She repeated, eyes wide as she continued back towards the door. Remus couldn't recognise the look on her face - something mixed with confusion and somewhat fear. "Goodbye." Pandora added, before her hand reached for the door handle and pulled it open, disappearing from the room.

"Well that wasn't awkward." Remus jumped out of his skin as James sat up from his bed. "Merlin my head hurts."

"You were listening to that?" The Lupin boy asked as Sirius finally emerged from the bathroom, several vials in his hands. He threw one to each of the boys, nimbly placing one by Kingsley Shacklebolt's still unconcious body. 

"Oh yeah, woke up the same time as you did mate." Sirius nodded. "Thought it was a bit strange, also thought she might have adopted a maternal bone but considering her own mother had none of those at all I couldn't possibly be right." 

"Oh." Remus blinked. "She slept there all night though?"

"Yep. I think. Me and James saw her when we came in last night." He continued. "Very strange. Very strange."

"If you think about it, that is quite maternal. Maybe you were wrong." James frowned, pulling the cork from the bottle and tipping his head back. "Huh, that works quicker than I remember it." 

And as Remus took the potion himself, he couldn't help but think of the expression on Pandora's face when he finally opened his eyes. That one he knew.

Recognition.

✧

a/n
apologises for the lack of 
update last week, but thank
you so so much for 100k!
<333