𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸, remus lupin

˗ˋ 70

CHAPTER SEVENTY
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THINGS
ARE REASSURED

. . .

When the door to Fleamont Potter's office was pushed open by Remus, who had only been in there once or twice before for nothing but the need to use it for pranks and nothing else, a fire sprung up in the hearth and classical music began to play from a music box on the side - it had what looked to be a figure of a broomstick spinning in time.

"Oh." Pandora stared at it, breaking from the path she had made from following Remus to stand in front of it, watching it spin around and spring back into place when she touched it.

Her attention waned quickly and she turned back to Remus, who was leaning on the edge of Fleamont's desk and looking similarly distracted by the open notebook filled with scrawled words on one of his latest potion creations, which was, of course, what he was known for.

"So," Pandora swallowed, "what would you like to talk about?"

Remus looked at her, and for a moment she worried that she had upset him somehow, a feeling that felt almost foreign should she not have been growing gradually used to it over the past week or so. "Merlin, Pandora." He breathed out, watched as she shifted her weight from one tight-covered foot to another, bookshelf behind her. "God - come here."

His hand reached out across the gap between them and his fingertips brushed against the wool of her jumper, closing around the fabric and pulling her over to him. She landed between his legs, his arms wrapping around her middle.

She was stiff, initially, not used to being hugged and Remus couldn't exactly imagine that there had been another time in her life where she had been hugged, but when he balanced his chin on the top of sleek, dark hair, pressing a kiss to the very top of her head, she seemed to relax a little.

"What are you doing?" She asked, even though her head was resting against his chest and she could hear his heart beating in her ear.

"I'm hugging you." Remus replied. "Because you came to James's house, because Sirius has been a dick to you, because I've been a dick to you before, because... because you deserve it." He shrugged, arms tightening around her even more. "Because I want to?"

"Oh." Pandora breathed out. "Okay."

They were hesitant movements, but she managed to extract her arms and wrapped them around his waist. Her hands twisted around the fabric of his jumper.

"I'm so glad you came with." Remus said after a moment, when he felt her arms loosen and she stepped back. But he didn't let her move too far and she rested against his thigh, eyes between his collar and his chin, not really able to meet his eye. "'m really glad you're here. I was so... upset on the train. I just... I know that your house is your home, but I think... after what you told me... I would hate to go back. I just... it's just... you've..."

He trailed off, not knowing how to describe his feelings without insulting her entirely. "I don't mind." Pandora spoke quietly. "I know... I know that the place I grew up wasn't nice. It's... a constant reminder of my mother and what she... who she was. And she wasn't a good person."

She met his eyes, albeit only for a moment, before they lowered once again feeling too awkward in admittance of the woman who had taught her everything she was supposed to know about the world that she had been born to was, plainly, wrong. There was a feeling, an itching on her shoulder, that gave her the feeling that her mother knew exactly what she had just said of her.

A flurry of golden-grey butterflies tripped out of her fingers, surrounding her shaking palms.

Remus's eyes travelled downwards at the sight of the uncontrolled magic and reached out for her hands, squeezing them gently.

"James mentioned that you said something like that." Remus murmured after a beat. "About Sirius perhaps not liking you because he was reminded of her."

Pandora stared at the floor, a warmth flooding through her. "Yes." She replied shortly. "It was a thought that had crossed my mind." Silence hung between them; the music having faded out long before. "It was a... a blood friendship between families."

"I figured." Remus nodded, thumb running over her knuckles. "But you shouldn't be blamed for something you aren't in control of. Besides, I know what Walburga is like and you're nothing like her. I swear." 

"Really?" 

"I know you, Pandora." Remus held her hands all the more tighter, her fingertips level with his chest. "I know you. And you are nothing like her. Nothing." She smiled, corners of her lips turning up. "I know you and you know me so you know I'm not lying." 

"I do." Pandora was allowing herself to actually smile now, looking up to meet his eyes. "I know you." 

And she stood up, intent on leaving the office, but not before pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips, a stain of red remaining faint where a scar tainted his skin.

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