Chapter 1
If you had told ten year old Pandora Rosier that she is now one of the happiest, most thankful girls in the world, she would have scoffed in your face.
Pandora was always a weird kid, who usually tended to appreciate her surroundings rather than who surrounded her. After all, it was the grass that stayed for her to pick while the other girls went for a “private chat”. Evan, her twin brother did try to help her, but his friends were always a bit loud and… judgmental for her liking. She didn’t mind though, she had flowers, daydreams and her books.
Until boarding school, of course. Pandora and Evan moved to Scotland at the age of eleven to attend Hogwarts School, a large castle like building. It was huge, with thousands of students, tall towers that intimated the small first years. It was alright though, she had Evan. His obnoxious primary school friends were a whole country away now.
Pandora and Evan were sorted into Slytherin house on their first day. When they approached the table, Evan tapped her shoulder.
“Save me a seat, will you? I’m just going to the toilet.”
Pandora nodded, slipping into the bench and placing her bag on the seat next to her for Evan. Pandora remembers groaning ten minutes later when Evan entered the dinner hall, avidly chatting to another first year boy.
Evan sat into the seat, the boy sliding into the chair opposite them.
His brown hair was messy, as if he tried to spike it up himself, and his green and silver tie that they were only given moments before was tied loosely around his neck.
Pandora tried to hide her surprise when the boy turned to her, grinning as he held out his hand.
“Barty. Nice to meet you,” his grin was mischievous, but there was kindness in his eyes.
“I’m Pandora,” she smiled.
“Cool name,” Barty had nodded, messing up his hair again.
Over dinner, Barty talked, not just to Evan, but he also showed interest in Pandora too. She thought she quite enjoyed his sudden presence. “Do you guys know what dorm you’re in?” He asked through a mouthful of potatoes.
“Obviously you’ll be on the other side of the common room ‘cause you’re a girl, Pandora, but at least we’ve got the common room to hang out, eh? Evan, what’s your dorm?”
Evan checked the blurry blue ink on his hand. “Eh- Dorm A- you?”
Barty grinned. “No way! Me too!”
Evan grinned back. “Aw yes! Thank God I’ll know someone in my dorm- there’s three in each dorm right?”
Barty nodded. “D’you know anybody in your dorm, Pandora?”
She shook her head. “Not yet…”
Barty shrugged. “S’alright. You know us!”
Pandora couldn’t help but grin as she nodded in agreement, a warm feeling in her chest. She thought that was the first time somebody other than Evan chose to include her.
….
She remembers how she met Regulus Black for the first time, and wow, was she thankful she met him. Regulus was easily her favourite person, her best friend in the world. They met halfway through first year. She recognised his from her classes, a small, slight boy with skin as pale as snow, dark hair and large grey eyes. He always puzzled puzzled Pandora. She was intrigued by what was behind those big grey eyes.
She had spent the majority of her time with Barty and Evan, or in the library, which, she didn’t mind at all. In fact, she enjoyed the calmness. Sometimes, Regulus Black would sit at her table and read it do homework, neither of them saying more than “hi” or “bye”. Pandora liked his company quite a lot. She knew most of the time he came to the library was to hide. He seemed to want little to no attention from those loud Gryffindor boys, whoever they were. Pandora didn’t really like them much, always too loud and playing pranks that put some teachers in a bad mood.
Pandora and Regulus never spoke properly until one double science period, when their teacher, Professor Slughorn asked them to get into pairs to complete their science project.
Everybody had slotted easily into twos.
“Oh- Pan, I’m sure we can be a group of three if we ask-“ Evan started.
Pandora shook her head. “That’s okay,” she smiled, lifting her bag and bouncing over to Regulus Black.
“Hi,” she said simply.
“Hi,” the boy replied, his eyes soft.
“D’you want to be my partner?” She asked.
Regulus’s lips turned up in a small grin, revealing little dimples on his face. “Sure.”
Pandora grinned, taking the seat next to him, taking out her notebook and pens as relief flooded happily through her.
“I like your rings,” Regulus said, pointing to the little gold crystal rings on her fingers.
“Oh! Aw, thank you- I made them myself!” Pandora grinned.
“Really?!”
She nodded, quite proudly.
“That’s so cool!”
“Thank you! Hey- I could make you one!” She offered, excitedly.
“Oh- you really don’t need to go to the trouble-“ he began.
“No, no, it’s no trouble. Plus I want to! What’s your favourite colour?” She asked.
The boy hesitated, then after making eye contact once again with Pandora, he smiled shyly. “Green.”
“Cool. I’ll have it to you by the end of the week!”
They’ve been best friends ever since. They made bracelets, and jewellery, crystal shopped, read, watched movies, talked and listened.
Pandora and Regulus talked about everything. Food, animals, movies, dreams, nightmares, books. Pandora listened when Regulus finally told her about the older Gryffindor boys, and how his brother is one of them. She listened as he spoke of his family- if you could even call them that. She was there when Sirius, his brother, left home, Regulus has been through a lot, and Pandora helped him as best as she could through it. Regulus listened to her tales and stories she told to cheer him up, and they always did. People always thought Pandora and Regulus must be dating. But those people just didn’t understand the closeness of their friendship- and Pandora pitied them for that. The love they found in each other was unmatched to any other love they had ever been given. Regulus listened when Pandora admitted that she didn’t think she would ever want a boyfriend; quite the opposite actually. Regulus had laughed and said “me too!”
It was special that friendship of theirs, that began when they were only twelve, starting Hogwarts, and led straight up to the present, where the two have graduated, finally. And their little friend group of five misfits has only strengthen; Pandora and Regulus, of course, Barty and Evan, and Dorcas Meadows.
And- they were all doing quite well. Regulus, since graduating and celebrating- yes, celebrating his mother’s death, has found an apartment in mid London where he lives with Pandora, the two temporary working in a little cosy cafe downtown to make money for their collage plans.
Dorcas, at just twenty three has her own makeup shop, on of the best and most awarded in the country, even.
Barty and Evan, well, they were Barty and Evan. They were having fun and living life to the fullest off Barry’s enormous inheritance.
Needless to say, they were happy, and about to be- Pandora hoped- happier, because Regulus was finally about to meet with his brother after six years of zero contact, in hopes to make up after all these years.
~~~~