You Only Live Once

CHAPTER 13

 Mira and Pandora were walking on the Hogwarts grounds, despite the cold weather. It was now December 10th and the two girls found themselves alone, for the first time in what felt like a hundred years. Theo, Regulus and Evan had Quiditch practice and Barty had to tutor a third year studen,as per Slughorn's request. The two teenagers were exhausted by the workload of their assignments before the holidays and thought they could use a walk, while they chatted, to calm down from the stress. It seemed to have worked because in no time, they were both laughing like there was no tomorrow.

"There's something I really need to ask you Mira" Pandora said , suddenly turning all serious. "You don't have to answer but I need to ask" she continued , avoiding eye contact.

"Go on Dory" Mira urged her , growing worried at the girl's behavior.

"Where have you been going every Sunday morning?" the question came out of nowhere. Mira had wondered how Pandora hadn't noticed she was missing and said nothing when they met down at the Great Hall for breakfast every Sunday, but decided not to trouble herself with such questions. She had wanted to tell someone, someone other than James, who had found out on his own. There wasn't really a reason for her to hide it. They weren't doing anything wrong and the longer she didn't tell anyone ,the more it became something that would put her in a tough position if any of her friends found out someplace else.

"I've been going for an early walk"
"Alone?"

"With Theo"

"Alright"

"Alright?"

"I already knew Mira, I was just giving you the chance to come clean" They had now reached the shores of the Black lake. "There's nothing wrong with it, by the way, I was just wondering why you didn't tell me. I thought we were close" Pandora said, looking at he feet with a sad expression.

"And we are" Mira rushed to reply, walking closer to her and touching her shoulder. "I haven't told anyone Dory. And honestly I don't even know why." she explained .

"I do" Pandora lifted her head to look at her friend. "It was something that was only yours. You felt like no one could ruin it this way" perhaps Pandora was right, Mira thought. It had felt like a separate part of her life, something that no one knew so it was entirely her own. It was for her to enjoy. And for Theo for the matter. "I should also inform you that Barty, Reg and Evan know as well" she informed , pursing her lips together. Mira, who hadn't found the right words to utter by then, surely wouldn't find anything to say in the near future. How had everyone known? Perhaps Regulus told them. Did anyone else know and didn't say anything about it. Did Lily and Remus know? Suddenly her anxiety from before came rushing back but this time for an entirely different reason. "And lastly-"
"There's more?" Mira asked in exasperation, with widen eyes.

"I...I might be going out with someone as well" she confessed , avoiding to look at Mira once again. But this time Mira didn't let it slide. She moved right in front of Pandora looking at her right in the eyes. "Is it that Lovegood guy?" she asked. She didn't really need to of course. She already knew they would end up together, gifting the world with Luna. And she had also seen them talk once or twice. It didn't take much to put two and two together.

"How did you know?"

"I know everything , Dory" Mira said in a sing- song voice, with a smile on her face. A knowing smile. Because once again, she wasn't lying. She did know everything.

"Yes well. What do think of him?"
"If he makes you happy then I like him"

"He does...but Regulus doesn't like him"

"And why should that matter?"

"Mira, Reg's my best friend. No offense but I love him too much and value his opinion above anyone else's. He's always been there. So it does matter if he doesn't like the boy I'm going out with. I mean how will you feel if Remus says he doesn't want you going out with Theo?"

"He wouldn't Dory. He would tell me to be careful, like he always does, he would watch him closely. Maybe he would threaten him, a little" They both laughed at that. "But if he saw I was happy, he would be too" as she was talking, Mira realised how much Remus meant to her. How much he actually cared for her. Because she knew that if he ever found out , her words would be exactly what he would do.

"Are you?"
"What?"
"Happy. With Theo"

"Look Dory" Mira sighed "I'm having fun. I find his company rather enjoyable. It's never going to be anything serious, I don't believe in that stuff"

"Big words for someone so young"

"I think I've seen enough"

.........

"How long have you been waiting out here?"

"Quite a while. Now let me in"

After her walk and talk with Pandora, Mira decided to visit the Gryffindor common room. They had changed the password , though, so she couldn't enter if someone didn't let her in. But no one came in or out for quite some time. After an hour of waiting Sirius appeared , weirdly all on his own, and was now refusing to go inside so that Mira wouldn't either.

"I don't think so" Sirius said stubbornly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"I'll start screaming" Mira threatened, but to no avail. Sirius had already taken the form of a whiny baby refusing to eat his vegetables. So Mira started shouting as loud as she could. Many Gryffindor students came out of the portrait's hole to look for who was screaming so loud. Just like that Mira found her way inside without Sirius' help, who now stood still outside the common room, too stunned to speak.

"I should've done that earlier" Mira whispered to herself when she found herself inside. She was now in search of some of her favourite Gryffindors. Remus and Lily. It wouldn't be hard to spot them since they were a red head and an annoyingly tall werewolf, kind of. Soon after, Remus came running down the stairs.
"Someone said you were screaming-" But Remus didn't get to finish his sentence as he found himself in the tight embrace of a certain Slytherin. Mira ,after her talk with Pandora, felt the need to just go and hug Remus. Just because. She had also decided to let them know of the situation she had found herself in before they would find out from someone else.

"Missed me much?" Remus laughed, hugging her back.

"Very"
"Mum sent a letter. You're spending one week of the holidays with us" he announced excitedly. That was news to Mira but she quickly grew excited as well. She was so excited she started jumping up and down like a child , making Remus laugh again.

"I do fear your parents won't be having a quite Christmas ,Remmy"

"Oh, they'll love it"

"Remus?"

"Yes"

"Let's go find Lily. I need to tell you something."