𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸, remus lupin

˗ˋ 78

CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH AN AGREEMENT 
IS MADE

. . .

Pandora, whilst acting upon Remus's wishes for her to be civil towards Sirius (he had not expressed it for quite some time, given the circumstances and the occurences at Slughorn's Christmas party, however she deemed it a necessity to keep the peace during the holiday), had not said all that much ever since she realised that they had been locked in Fleamont's office.

Sirius, on the other hand, was reminding his long-ago friend exactly why she needed to be civil anyway. He simply could not shut up, fists clenched, banging against the door and calling out to whoever was outside listening on in to their forced presences. He hadn't done much else but glance at her since the door clicked into a lock, instead rising from the leather-cushioned chair and racing past her to the doorway, pulling at the handle like a rabid dog who was intent on escape from it's chain.

She couldn't figure out, exactly, why Remus and James had deemed it the perfect time to do this. Herself and Sirius had not been getting along, they had not spoken or apologised accorrdingly or anything close. They had merely been existing in each other's presences for two weeks without any problems after what he had said at the party. Pandora had seemingly taken the high road in response to that situation, despite the new, dull thudding pain she felt at the introduction of it.

And now she was locked in a room with the boy who had made no attempt at trying to reconcile after years of disliking as a result of their mothers. She had made no attempt either, but the discontept Sirius felt for her seemed to run deeper than the fragmented attitude Pandora had taken up.

As Sirius's fists slammed against the wood, words spilling from his mouth as he fumed at his best friends for doing that to him, his attention rarely skipping away from the shouting until both he and Pandora found themselves staring at a silvery-blue figure in the centre of the office.

It was a deer, and James's voice echoed throughout the study. "We've decided enough is enough." He announced. "Quite frankly, I cannot be arsed with all this and Remus doesn't need any more stress, so you better work all this shit out so we can let you out."

And the patronus fizzled into blue steam, the two inside the room staring at the space where it had once been. The girl folded her arms.

"That is... impressive magic." Pandora said, in a passing comment with the ttone that insinuated she didn't quite mean it.

"Not really." Sirius said, off-hand. "We can all do it, dickhead just wants to show off."

"Well it's hardly simple magic for the many." She replied, almost snappishly. "Although, I shouldn't be surprised considering what else the four of you get up to the moment you get the chance."

"Kingsley just wanted to show off and ended up teaching us." Sirius frowned. "Wait, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Ah, never mind," Pandora waved him away, knowing it would irk him more. That was not particularly the point in this, as pushed forth by Remus and James, however in this case she should allow herself some sort of achievement; after all, she had not been the one to create such an obtrusive disturbance the perfectly nice effort of ignorance to one another's presences. Without Sirius's outburst, perhaps they may have been able to continue with that mode of existence. 

They lapsed into silence, Sirius's fingers drumming agains the desk the only sound to penetrate it. Neither of them particularly knew what to say; how to remedy what had occured between them. Pandora believed herself at least somewhat innocent in it all, fuelled by the fact that hurt still thrummed from the judgement in his tone on the night of Slughorn's party. 

"I..." Sirius began, seeming to know exactly what was on her mind, but a quick scan from Pandora let her know otherwise. "I might be... somewhat... protective of my friends." He admitted. "And if it so happens that I... displayed that, then I apologise." 

"I see." Pandora blinked. "So you do not have control over whom Remus decides to befriend?" 

"I see he's introduced you to sarcasm. Your mother wouldn't have liked that." Sirius commented, before meeting her eyes and going pale. "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry." Pandora didn't say anything for a moment, but nodded anyway. "I don't want to upset Remus. Or James, for that matter," he made a face to indicate that he didn't particularly understand why, but continued. "and for them - for them - I think it's best if we at least try to get along."

"Yes, I understand that." She said, pushing herself up off the desk and holding out her hand. Her glove, which was of a sheer black lace, glittered with the flapping wings of a thousand butterflies as it dissolved. "I believe it imperative that we 'shake on it'." Pandora blinked, expectant.

""Er - yeah, sure." Sirius stood up, and held out his hand, shaking hers only twice before letting go. "So we're civil." He agreed, shuffling his feet. "How do we go about telling Remus and James we've made up and everything?" He asked, almost awkward; he had not been expecting the niceties he recieved. 

"Oh." Pandora glanced to the door behind her and shrugged. "It's unlocked." She shrugged.

Sirius blanched.  "What do you mean 'it's unlocked'?"

"Well, you don't think it impossible for me to unlock the door the very moment I managed to figure out we were stuck in here?" Pandora blinked. "How did you imagine the past six years went?"

"Not particularly well was my thought." He commented. "So... I could have just left?"

"Yes." Pandora nodded. She fell silent for a moment, her eyes on the ceiling. "James and Remus are in their room." She informed him, and just as she supposed, he went racing out of the office to find his best friends. 

Who was, despite the fact Sirius was chasing after them, were pleased with the outcome.

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