𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸, remus lupin

˗ˋ 77

CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN
✧
-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY WISH
TO REMEDY

. . .

For the rest of the mornings taking place within the boundaries of the Christmas holidays, Pandora woke up the same way; Remus curled into her, still fast asleep and exhausted from the activities in the day before. 

Her nightmares still came, but much like everything else they ended in the same pattern, Remus half-asleep sitting up and coaxing her back down, and Pandora woke up feeling... indifferent. It was odd; she had never shared a bed with anyone, but found unintentional, immense comfort in it. She never quite expected to, but after the first night they fell into a pattern and... well, she enjoyed it. 

There was something about it all - the sharing a bed, the smiling at someone as you woke up, trailing down to the kitchen with the memory of warm sheets imprinted on your skin whilst discovering what was made for breakfast - that she felt at home with. It was somewhere she wished to stay, wished to remember, but couldn't forget the underlying dullness in the reality of it all. 

Remus's mother was dying, in a way that she didn't understand. It wasn't her job to understand, but she felt as though she should; she should know why magic couldn't cure it and she should know why he didn't feel an odd freedom and immense relief at being alleviated of the pressures of being someone's child. 

Because, amongst the discovery of her liking of sleeping alongside another (namedly Remus, she didn't believe herself nearly capable of doing so with anyone else), Pandora had discovered the reality of most her age. Most parents loved their children, in a way that led her to believe that she had not been. 

Remus was loved by his parents, James and Peter too. Sirius led a similiar life to her own, but he had managed to discover these long before. So long before that as Pandora and Remus made their way to breakfast on that final morning of the holidays, the latter in his pyjamas and his newly appointed roommate dressed and appearing as though she had never even slept at all, a frown appeared on his face. 

However, neither Pandora nor Sirius noticed as James and Remus exchanged glances between bowls of porridge handed out by Euphemia. Toppings were added and spoons taken from the cutlery drawer and meaningless conversation shared between teenagers as they bathed in the calm of the final morning. A calm that, much like the rest of James Potter and his friends' lives, would not last. 

In fact, it was a mere fifteen minutes following the completion of breakfast, when the calm would break. Pandora had taken her place alongside Mrs Potter to help with the dishes; there was a rota made up for chores like that, because she didn't want them to rely on magic all too much, and Sirius had migrated to the living room to mess around with Peter. Then, Remus and James's hastily created plan could be put in motion. 

"Pandora?" James's voice drifted through into the kitchen before the bespectacled Quidditch captain arrived himself, elbows leaning on the counter as the Slytherin before him paused in her motions, turning to face him as she wiped one of the bowls. "Remus was asking after you." 

"Is he unable to come and find me himself?" She asked, placing the bowl on the draining board, reaching for the tea towel to dry her hands. "Where is he?" 

James hardly even blinked. "My dad's office." He replied, without missing a beat. Somehow, he didn't find it all too surprising that she hadn't questioned him, nor expressed further, serious upset at being beckoned to him instead of being saught out in person. "You're going?" 

"Of course." A small amount of lemon scented handcream was applied to her hands, the smell oddly... bright in contrast to Pandora's usual tastes. "Did you expect me not to?" She added, an eyebrow raised and the corner of her mouth threatening to jump upwards. She was teasing - something he didn't find as surprising as he expected. 

"Of course not." James nodded, and dug his hands in his pockets as he watched as Pandora breezed by. 

"What are you doing?" Mrs Potter asked, moments after the guest had disappeared. 

"...Remus asked for her." James replied, attempting to smile innocently before vanishing himself. 

Pandora knew where Mr Potter's office was by now, reaching for the handle as she arrived before the door, allowing it to swing open almost fully before she stepped inside. In a manner ingrained in her, she closed it behind her before looking up, faltering in her movements. 

Remus was not within. No, instead it was Sirius sat in Mr Potter's chair, fingers drumming against the wood of the desk. Below her hand, the handle twisted and a click could be heard, and Sirius stood up with the look of utmost horror on his face.

They had locked them in there.

✧

a/n
sorry for the lack of updates 
babes, i'm in my summer era bc
 i've had enough of winter and 
refuse to do anything remotely 
related to the fact 

merry christmas btw, and happy 
holidays to those who don't 
celebrate it