Remus Lupin had never known his mother - not really. Yes, he had met Hope, but he didn’t feel like he knew her. How could you know a woman who gave you up, anyway? Still, he didn’t believe that Hope could still surprise him at this point. That was until he first met Pandora.
He wasn’t sure how it was possible that being in the same year as Pandora he had no memory of ever encountering her before that first divination class. He sat at one of the circular tables, trying his best to ignore Sirius’ obnoxious laughter and James’ excessively loud slurping. He was too busy trying to place where he met that blonde haired girl before - the one sitting at that table, on the other side of the room, laughing at something Mary had said. He racked his memory - where was it? He was sure he knew those blue eyes, those platinum blonde locks - and it wasn’t the Malfoys.
“Remus Lupin?” the professor called out.
“Present.” Remus responded, not taking his eyes off the girl. She furrowed her brow, as though caught off-guard.
“Pandora Lupin?” His attention immediately switched to the professor. Lupin? That must’ve been a mistake - right?
“Present.” The blonde haired girl responded, turning to look at Remus. He met her gaze. No. It wasn’t possible - was it? But there it was, in plain sight. And all at once, Remus understood where it was he had seen her before. An old photo from the sixties - a muggle photo. A young Hope, laughing with her friends on some spray-painted wall. And this girl - Pandora - she was the spitting image of Hope - the spitting image of his mother.
Remus couldn’t focus much on divination after that, especially not with the whispered questions from Sirius and James (to which he answered with a few choice words, naturally), and as soon as class ended, he gathered his things, throwing them haphazardly into his bag and approaching the ravenclaw girl, the one with the blonde hair.
“Hi.” He said. The girl packed her bag and turned to regard Remus, blue eyes seeming to look straight through him - almost as piercing as Dumbledore’s.
“Hello,” She smiled at him. “I’m Pandora.” The girl extended a hand, and Remus awkwardly shook it. “And you’re Remus, if I remember correctly.”
“Uh. Yes.” Remus shook his head. “I’m sorry, but the professor said your last name was Lupin.”
“It is.”
“My last name is Lupin.”
“So I noticed.” Pandora tilted her head. “You look like someone I know. Have we met before?”
“I don’t think so.” Remus shook his head again. “But… well. My mother, Hope - she says I’m the spitting image of dad.” Pandora’s eyes widened, as did her smile.
“Well colour me stoked.” The blonde girl was basically grinning at this point. “My mom’s name is Hope, Remus.”
“But…” Remus furrowed his brow slightly. Yes, that would make sense, explain her resemblance. But if he had a sister - wouldn’t he know? “The boy’s home said I was an only child.”
“So did the sisters at the girl’s orphanage.” The classroom was entirely empty at this point. Pandora turned to the trap door. “Perhaps we should go? I have a free period now, if you want to compare notes?” Remus nodded, smiling.
“I’m free now too. Library sound good?”
“My common room is closer, and free at this hour.”
“I’m a Gryffindor.”
“So?” Pandora shrugged, stepping down the ladder. Remus followed behind her. “I spend most of my time in the Slytherin common room anyway, no one really cares.” Pandora flashed Remus a smile. “Besides, Lyall was a Ravenclaw. No-one will have anything against another Lupin in the tower.” Remus smiled again.
“Ok.” He extended his arm in a welcoming gesture. “Go on then. Lead the way.”
—
Remus Lupin never liked children. But now, looking down at his niece’s soft face, delicate blue eyes and fluffy white hair - he could imagine himself falling in love with children just like James had. His eyes were wide with wonder as he held the baby girl in his arms, as gently as he could. Sirius stood beside him, cooing at the baby. Remus turned to his twin sister.
“What’s her name?” He asked as softly as he could.
“We named her after you, moony.” Pandora smiled. Her eyes were framed by dark circles, her skin paler than usual. She looked tired. But also - happy. Content. Fulfilled. “Luna.”
“Luna Lovegood.” Sirius chuckled slightly. “That sounds like some pop singer’s stage name.”
“I like it.” Pandora shrugged. “Gives her character.”
“It does.” Remus nodded, turning back to look at the little girl in his arms. “Little Luna.”
“You two will be godparents of course?” Pandora leaned back on the pillow. “I need to know someone will care for her.”
“You’ll care for her, Panda.” Remus said sternly. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“Maybe.” Pandora smiled. “Still, promise me you two will be godparents?”
“Of course.” Sirius smiled.
“Good.” Panda sighed. She seemed relieved at that, as though a weight lifted from her shoulders. “Good.” She closed her eyes, and was soon fast asleep. Remus and Sirius left the room.
—
Remus Lupin’s eyes were stinging, but the tears never came. He hadn’t left the house in almost a year before today. Well. At least he still fit in his old funeral outfit.
Pandora’s funeral was beautiful, just like she was. Xenophilius and Luna sat in the first row, Remus beside the girl. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her, his five-year-old niece. His five-year-old godchild. The girl he and Sirius were supposed to care for together after Pandora left. Sirius… Remus shook his head. He couldn’t think about that right now. He wasn’t here for him. He was here for Pandora.
They placed the urn in the ground. Pandora would have liked it here. She would have liked the place that Xenophilius had picked out for her, close to nature - close to what she had loved so deeply. Remus sighed, feeling the weight of the past few months heavy on his shoulders, his arms limp at his sides. And then - he felt a small, warm hand fit into his own. He turned to see the young Luna, looking up at her, wide-eyed. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, but she was smiling. Remus felt his heart bleed for this child. To have something as wonderful as Pandora - and to lose it at such a young age. He felt his own eyes prickle with tears.
“Hello uncle moony,” Luna smiled at him. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Luna.” The tears spilled free, flowing down his cheeks and onto the soft ground. “Not this time.”
—
“How’s our goddaughter been doing?”
“She’s the spitting image of her.”
“Hope?”
“Pandora.”