First Year- Roses
Remus now hates Potions. He hasn't been able to go to that class or to those dungeons the same after the jam-dumping a few weeks ago. James might just be right- there's definitely some sort of fallout with these things. That man's portrait gives the boys rotten looks whenever he's in the fat lady's frame (are they dating or something? Remus needs to read up on painting social networks), and he gets such terrible chills going anywhere near the dungeons. Well, maybe because they're as cold as anything.
He also hates Potions because it's dull work although, granted, it's never much work. In practical classes, Romulus tends to take over the partnership, and scolds him so hard on his mistakes in regular work that he might as well be spoon-feeding him all the answers. And it's also quite fun to watch James blow up any and everything he tries to make. Remus has a feeling some of it might be on purpose.
Today is one of those lessons where attempts at inter-house coordination are- well- attempted and go plain and simply dreadful. Remus doesn't quite understand who thought it would be a good idea to put as many Slytherins and Gryffindors as there are right here and right now in one room. Everyone's sneering at each other. It doesn't matter who is who, they all just sneer. Even Remus finds himself in staring competition after staring competition with people he doesn't know.
None of it is helped by the fact that the room is so big to accommodate the fifty-odd kids stinking it up, and that those at the back can probably only make out about two out of five words that come booming out poor Horace Slughorn’s mouth.
Remus flicks through his book rather than listening to whatever the professor is on about. He generally leaves the listening to Romulus anyway so this isn't unusual. He only looks up when the room starts to shuffle and pairs are being arranged. Remus gives his brother a quick glance to make sure he isn't getting any funny ideas and running off with anyone else.
Sirius, however, has run off, leaving a shocked James in his wake at what was to be their cauldron. So he retreats to Peter, and Frank who usually works with him is now the one left alone. That is until he's led off by a girl, goes red, trips, and then falls.
Romulus gets to work immediately. A Sleeping Drought is what they're to make and God, Romulus must be a master at this because Remus is already nodding off.
“Guys.”
Remus turns around, Romulus grunts.
It's Sirius speaking, standing with a new boy next to him with blonde, dreadlocked hair. He's already smiling which Remus can't tell if he finds it peculiar or sterling. Either way, it's captivating with of the flash of bright white teeth against lovely, dark skin. Yep, this is definitely a friend of Sirius'.
“This is Evan- he's a twin too.”
Sirius leads Evan to his cauldron where they begin their work slowly. Romulus looks up for a minute, smiles at Evan and looks back down.
“Not identical like you two though.” Evan says.
Remus almost asks ‘well, what's the point then?’ but that'd probably be rude, albeit valid. What is the point of having twins if they're not going to look the same?
Sirius clicks his tongue. “You and Dora look exactly alike, don't lie.”
“You have a sister?”
“Pandora, yeah. She's in Ravenclaw.”
Remus' eyes widen and suddenly feels so very bad for this kid. He's also impressed that he's still standing.
“Different houses?” He asks rhetorically. “I'd scream.” He'd scream from the minute he discovered Romulus would be housed separately and he'd still be screaming even now. He is not messing.
This tragedy gets Romulus' attention. “I'd light the Hat on fire.” (he probably would).
“I'd get Dumbledore fired.”
“I'd kill Dumbledore.”
“I'd kill myself.”
“You can't win something from the past that didn't even happen.” Sirius scolds, looking like he could have done with a cup of coffee with his breakfast or at least a few extra slices of toast. He turns his attention back to his empty cauldron while Evan doesn't move. He's laughing under his breath at the twins, then out loud once he catches Remus' entertained look.
He likes Evan. Remus can already tell that he's at least got a sense of humour although he can't say that he'd be too pleased to know that it was Remus that basically orchestrated the whole jam thing on him- he's 99 percent sure that one of the victims was Evan. He doesn't need to know that. Not for a few years anyway until Remus writes a tell-all book on every one of his ingenious ideas.
“Which one are you?” Evan asks when he's gotten himself together.
“Remus.”
The others have finally gotten used to the twins; Remus is happy that there's going to be another few weeks of confusion out of one more person.
He also adds, “I'm older” for good measure.
Evan lights up and flashes his teeth again. “So am I! It's nice isn't it?”
It is. It's also nice that Evan shares the same title of ‘older brother’ that Remus does because he doubts that a younger sibling would get his jokes. Maybe this is why he and Sirius have been getting along so well these last few months.
“Knowing that there was half an hour where I actually had a bit of peace and quiet and didn't have that idiot giving out? It's amazing.”
He's stuck in the middle of his back by Romulus and Remus takes this as an excuse to step forward and further away from what doesn't interest him- work. Evan seems to do the same but Sirius has included himself into James and Peter’s pair anyway.
“And I always make him wait longer to eat cake on our birthday.”
“Or else it wouldn't be a birthday cake, would it?”
“Last year, I ate half of our cake before he could get to it. I got really sick afterwards though.”
Evan laughs and Remus wants cake.
The partners have definitely switched about now- Sirius and James standing joined at the hip once more, Romulus and Peter idly staring into Romulus' up and coming potion, and Evan and Remus between both pairs with nothing done.
Remus knows that in the long run, these arrangements will only work out academically for Romulus and Peter because- well- there's only one Romulus to nail something instantly and there's certainly not enough of him to go around right now with his attention fixated on the Drought. There's a shameful, little tickle of jealousy pressed into Remus' brain that he wants to scratch so badly by just plucking Romulus right back but no- it's okay.
Peter sits on the desk and uses scissors to cut snakeskin into smaller bits. He and Romulus chatter about a little but it's nothing major. They're both the only ones out of the six of them that don't panic and try to look busy when Slughorn stands from his desk and begins brief rounds of everyone's stations.
Evan throws whatever he can into the cauldron. Remus would tell him to slow down and follow the instructions but see, the thing is: his book is over at his old desk- so far away. All the ingredients eventually get mixed together anyway, so what if it's a little early? And plus, wouldn’t an explosion be really great for morale on a moody morning?
It takes about fifteen minutes for Slughorn to actually get anywhere near the group; he spends five minutes of those minutes with Lily and her friends alone. He's a little odd.
The boys fill the time though. Despite their little messing about, Evan and Remus catch up to only a little behind where they're supposed to be. Remus also discovers that Evan has the same humour and way about him that he does- that all the boys do. Remus starts and doesn't stop annoying Evan but he figures it's alright seeing as Evan does it right back, ramming into Remus back and forth, shoulder to shoulder. And Remus flicks Evan's quill whenever he's writing, and Evan throws leftover ingredients into Remus' face whenever he lets his guard down. Every so often, Remus will glance over to Romulus to make sure he's got that little jealous itch too (he can't tell at all).
“Do you ever feel like your sister can read your mind?” Remus asks Evan. He'd ask if he feels like everyone can read his mind but Remus is sure that that's too paranoid of a question to ask someone he's only just met. Let Evan wait a couple of weeks until he can't back out as easy- then Remus can really start.
“All the time.”
Ah.
“I actually think she can- she's got a few… quirks.”
“Actually actually?”
“Yeah, she gets these freaky visions sometimes about the future. Wouldn't be surprised if she could read minds too.”
Now, Remus has heard of this before but only psychic, crystal ball, telepathy powers in adults. He also thinks it's much too early in their friendship to say that his sister is a fraud.
“You're messing.” So he says.
“I'm not!” Evan defends himself, crossing his arms and scrunching up his nose. “She gets visions basically everyday.”
“About the future?”
“Well, she won't tell me the specifics but yeah, I think so. It's a little scary sometimes ‘cause I can tell that some of what she sees has me in it ‘cause she goes quieter than usual.”
Evan trails off a little and his voice shifts into something more serious. He looks down to his feet for a second or two before sorting himself out with his smile and wide eyes back. But Remus does know- it's there but not as genuine as the ones before. There but not altogether.
Remus wonders. Pandora could be dreaming or envisioning or whatever about whatever. It could be anything. He thinks about betting first; can she just fall asleep and wake up and say ‘yup, that team will win’? That's what he would use his visions for anyway. And he'd place big bets and win jackpot over jackpot- he'd be rich. He then wonders if Pandora has had the same thought.
“Is it like a fit or something?” Remus asks. He’d like to know if infinite, guaranteed money is a pain to get a hold of.
“Sometimes she shakes a little and she's always a bit jumpy afterwards but it's generally okay.” Evan explains. He takes a ladle and scoops out a little of their potion. Its consistency is that of water; Romulus' is that of custard.
“Generally?”
“Nine and three quarter times out of ten.”
“Christ.”
“What?”
Remus pouts at that, partially because he feels bad that another one of his friends has parents that are a little crazy, but partially also because of the prospect of having to explain “all religion” again.
He doesn't have to though as he catches sight of Slughorn coming towards them to which he smartly announces, “Slughorn's coming.”
All the boys- whether focussed already or not- hear him and turn their attention to their potions. Sirius and James go as far as looming their heads over the rim of the cauldron and into the steam.
“Hello lads.” Slughorn says, receiving a few silent nods back. “Trying different pairings are we? Aside from Potter and Black, of course- boys, you shouldn't look into the cauldron like that.” They grin at each other in the smoke before leaning back: James' glasses are fully fogged over.
Remus catches Lily’s eye from across the room. She smiles and offers a brief wave before shutting her eyes and letting her head rock forward, pretending to fall asleep.
“Almost done?” Slughorn asks. Remus let's Evan do the talking in case of a sudden burst of laughter.
“Almost, professor.”
Remus wants Slughorn to leave the lot of them alone but once he does, he's actually quite offended about how little time he spent with them. What? Are they not as interesting or talkative as the girls? Remus shoots daggers into Slughorn's back and makes himself hold off on his severe complaints until out of the same room as the man.
When there's around ten minutes left of class, everyone begins to package their potions in vials for Slughorn's assessment which they'll get results back tomorrow. Remus and Evan aren't too hopeful but aren't too bothered either. James and Sirius don't look to care much too but Romulus is sweating and all but being carried out of the classroom by Peter; way to blow things completely and utterly out of proportion.
The students stream their way from the dungeons and into the main castle. For a good while, Remus forgets that Evan hasn't been a part of the group since the beginning and that he's not actually a Gryffindor student. It's a sorry few seconds when the realisation hits.
“Okay, I have to go.” Evan says when the six of them reach a junction in corridors with those in red ties walking left and those in green walking left.
“What do you have?” Remus sighs.
“Muggle Studies. A load of old dung, isn't it?”
Right. He forgot that he's the only person in the history of Hogwarts to enjoy those classes.
“No!” He defends. “No, it's actually very interesting.”
“Are you messing?”
“No!”
Romulus steps forward and pat's Remus' shoulder. “He's not.”
Evan scoffs and lets his jaw fall slack for a moment in disbelief. “You're telling me I've been talking to a Muggle-Studies-enjoyer this entire time? I take it all back.”
“Well-” Remus hesitates to find the words. It's difficult because there's really not much about Evan that he finds flawed. “I've been talking to… to a Slytherin this entire time!”
“That doesn't count- you knew that from the beginning.”
Remus heaves and rolls his eyes, giving up. “Go to class.” He tells Evan who gives the boys all a wave before skipping off happily with his housemates.
•••
Later at dinner, the boys sit in their now usual spots- Peter, James and Sirius all facing the twins. Actually, they're only sitting opposite the twins this time, instead facing the Slytherin table. This is a once in a lifetime moment where they're all leaning to get a look for something other than malicious scowling; Remus would love a photo as it's really quite astonishing.
Evan gives them all glances too from across the Hall and gets strange looks for it from his friends around him. They also aren't looking at the Gryffindors maliciously either, rather a little confused; Remus would love a picture of that too, only to… y’know- throw darts at. He's not worried about accidentally throwing darts at Evan’s portrait because one, he's confident in his hand/eye coordination and two, he's certain that one little smile off Evan would reflect anything away.
“Evan's brilliant.” Remus announces.
Romulus scoffs and swipes a Yorkshire Pudding from his plate. “How would we know? You were hogging him the entire time.”
“He's brilliant to talk to- I'm sick of you lot.”
The boys laugh like Remus isn't partially serious.
“How come you haven't brought him over before?” He asks Sirius who's acting like he's never been fed before. With a mouth full of mash, chicken and beef, he responds, “Because I've never really talked to him before.”
“What?”
“Well, I have talked to him but not very much. He used to come over for dinners and stuff a while ago but we were never able to talk.”
Yeah, Remus had a feeling that Evan comes from a strange family just like Sirius does. He banishes the thought of another Roman history lesson when he remembers Evan’s instant and unwavering dislike of Muggle Studies.
“Why not?” Peter now joins in.
“Just couldn't.”
“You couldn't just talk to each other?”
“How big were these dinners?”
Sirius swallows his food finally. “Not big, just important. Can't have kids running about loads and being loud, y'know?”
That's fair enough because that's exactly what Hope complains about whenever the kids from the road are invited in.
“Where's Evan's sister?” Remus asks when the boys’ laughter dies down a little. Sirius swivels around in his seat and looks up and down the Ravenclaw table.
“Over there.” He says after a few seconds, pointing towards the end of the table.
Remus spots her and is immediately surprised that he hadn't before. She's got braided blonde hair that Remus now realises is exactly like Evan's. Today, half of her hair is up in two buns while the rest hangs long down her back, sewn in with silver and purple beads and tassels. She's pretty and Remus is only looking at her back.
Pandora turns all of a sudden and catches Remus' gaze so quickly that he thinks he's imagining it. She smiles and Remus is darting his eyes so fast to his plate that he forgets to give her one back. So he looks up after a few seconds and sure enough, she's still looking at him. He offers a nervous smile to which she widens her genuine one and turns back around to her dinner.
Spooky.
“Is it true that she can predict the future?”
The boys look at Remus, then at Sirius who has all the answers, then at Remus again.
“She can?”
Sirius shrugs. “I don't know. I hardly talk to Evan but I never talk to Pandora. She's a little odd.”
“You're a little odd.” Romulus snaps and a chorus of laughter breaks out again at his expense. Remus howls the loudest which earns him more food stolen off his plate.
He looks back over to Evan who's laughing contently with his friends also. Remus thinks about them all and how he doesn't really know their names. Up until today, he didn't know Evan’s name so who knows? Maybe they're all just as brilliant as him. This doesn't mean Remus or any of the boys are willing to invite the entire house over for a chat though.
Romulus rests his chin in his palm and looks around James at the Slytherins too. “I feel bad- Evan was definitely one of the guys that we dumped jam on.”
Exactly! Will they have to break the news or just sweep it under the rug? Maybe it can wait to be admitted for a few years or something when Evan is for-sure over it.
“That was ages ago.” James says. Remus is immediately not very convinced by this because if they're still talking about it even weeks later, chances are the Slytherins are too.
“And he doesn't know for sure that it was us.” Sirius adds. There's a resounding scoff from everyone.
“Who else would it be?”
“Frank.”
Frank, sitting a few people down from Sirius' right, darts his head up from his unfinished assignment at the sound of his name. He's got a moustache of milk on his upper lip and he instantly looks nervous. The boys laugh and Sirius shushes them.
“What?” He asks them, a convincing expression of surprise spread across his face. “He's a prank legend. Tell ‘em, mate.”
They let Frank get his bearings for a few seconds, clearing his throat, straightening his posture, licking his lips, all really only reinforcing his harmless demeanour. The boys all grin at him and Remus really hopes he knows it's not in a mean way.
Frank hesitates a little before stuttering, “Um- yeah, I am. My real name's uh- Prank, but they put a typo on the birth cert.”
There's an eruption of laughter between the five boys; the six once Frank joins in. A few people give a few looks to the sudden outburst but there's no reason to stop.
Frank really is a sweetheart. Remus has heard him apologise to a chair after bumping into it- that or he was apologising to his toes for stubbing them against the wood. He doesn't talk in class because the teachers don't call on him very much. He doesn't talk around many people because he's generally so caught up in listening. One-on-one though, he's lovely and a right joke and actually a little loud. He told Remus a little while ago that he'd like to be an Auror when he's older and Remus can't think of a better guy to be an undercover agent.
Abruptly, Peter interrupts the amused atmosphere with a yelp of fear. This causes a Domino effect of James, Sirius, Romulus and- for some reason- even Frank crying out too. Remus looks at all of them in amused confusion, ninety percent sure that he's managed to play off his need to shout too pretty well.
“Hello.” Says Pandora having suddenly appeared behind them all.
Despite scaring the boys out of their socks, Pandora smiles beautifully and rocks back and forth on her feet like how Sirius does absentmindedly. She doesn't look at all like she meant to scare anybody. She looks like they're the first person to ever be scared by her.
Up close, she's got an incredibly bright way about her- something fantastic. Her big brown eyes remind Remus of an owl or a cat. She has her tie around her neck but as opposed to a collared shirt beneath, the top of an off-white, floral dress is showing. Remus wonders if the teachers tell her off at all for that, being so lovely.
He's the first to greet her back. “Hello.”
She extends her hand to be shook and Remus obliges. Even her grip is the most unthreatening thing- Remus thinks a feather would have a tighter hold on his hand.
“Pandora.” She says.
“Remus.” He looks to the other still slightly startled boys for them to be proper and follow his lead.
“Peter.”
“Sirius.”
“James.”
“Romulus.”
Pandora nods and alternates her whimsical gaze between the twins.
“Remus and Romulus- the Roman myth, am I right?”
Remus beams at her and she beams back just as bright looking pleased with herself for sparking such a reaction. Remus almost pinches himself to make sure he's not dreaming.
“You are.” He cooly says. He knows Romulus is going to make fun of him so hard later for getting so worked up and keeping himself composed. “And Pandora, like the Greek one?”
“Correctomundo, Remus.”
Maybe things don't have to be Roman to be interesting. What are the chances that the Rosier's are from Italy? Remus hopes but doesn't think Pandora could be more of a blessing than she already is.
“Here, sit.” He says, shuffling along the bench and nudging Romulus along to make room. He pats the space that he's created for her and she sits, smoothing down her lap before putting her hands flat on the table.
“Have you been talking to my brother?” She asks. “Evan: the one with the big hands?”
Maybe she's trying to be thought-provoking.
“I have been; we had a class together today.” He picks up a spoonful of mash but puts it down when it clicks that Pandora is without anything to eat. “Would you like some food?” Remus asks, pulling in a plate from the small stack left in the middle of the table.
Pandora puts up her hands and shakes her head. “I'm alright, thank you, I had something already. What do you think of Evan?”
What did he think of Evan? Evan is a bloody genius, that's what Remus thinks.
“I think he's very nice.” He says. There's a scoff from someone but Remus is fixed on Pandora.
“The rest of you?” She asks, looking at the others. Their posture straightens out and Remus instantly sighs, seeing the pattern of how the boys react to girls talking to them repeat itself.
Romulus clears his throat and leans a little over Remus' food. “Well, Remus was keeping Evan all to himself earlier.”
“Yeah, he was my partner first and Remus just took him off me.”
“Hey, I didn't steal him or anything!”
Remus needs to retaliate. He could go on for hours just back and forth with the lot of them though he doesn't think that Pandora would be too happy that their first interaction will be occupied with arguments. He doubts that she and Evan ever go back and forth like Remus and Romulus do or like how all the boys do on a daily basis- Pandora seems too smart for such circular conversations.
“I like your names,” She hums. “Remus and Romulus.”
The twins look at each other with pleasant smiles.
“I wish me and Evan were named something creative like that. Are your parents creative? Do they paint at all?”
Romulus' face changes slightly into something only a little stressed. Remus turns back to Pandora and leans in.
“Mum makes and paints ceramics sometimes.”
Romulus grips the edge of the table and leans in too, bumping shoulders with his brother. “And she re-did the stairs not too long ago.” His voice is shaky and clearly, he's gone back to scared. Pandora wouldn't hurt a fly. Hell, a fly would hurt Pandora.
“Can you read minds?”
Remus stomps his foot down hard onto Romulus' under the table. He shouts out and brings his leg up so his thigh is against his chest and rubs his assaulted toes.
Pandora laughs chirpily at them. “I cannot.” She tells Romulus who just goes red in response.
“How are you?”
“I'm a little tired, Remus, thank you. Nargled, if you will.”
“Nargled?”
She looks shocked that he doesn't know what she's talking about. Remus expects this to be a common occurrence if they are to remain friends.
“Those little invisible flies that potter around the place?” Remus shakes his head and Pandora's shoulders drop. “I feel a bit plagued with them today, I'm not sure as to why.”
“I've heard of those.” Peter chips in. Remus gives him the benefit of the doubt and believes him. He's got a new book every week- never one about anything but plants and ancient plants and poisonous plants and healing plants. Peter could swipe someone with the right blade of grass and they'd be cured and immune to practically anything- he's too nerdy like Remus to lie to impress a girl.
“You can actually hear them if you listen close enough. It's much too loud now but I'm sure you lot are full of them- have a listen a little later maybe. I don't mean any offence, by the way.”
There's a resounding, “None taken.”
Remus offers Pandora food another three or four times in the following ten minutes to which she always refuses. She calls him a “sweet boy with a great sense of hospitality”- Remus hasn't heard that one before. The boys all calm down around her after a little while, chiming in and holding some quite interesting conversations with the girl.
Pandora is so giggly and sunny. She's like James only a little more fanciful but Remus doubts she's less mischievous. She's too intelligent to not use her mind for a little fun, and too unsuspecting to not use it to get advantage. Remus is careful not to take what she gives them at face value although she's making it increasingly difficult with every breathy laugh.
She's the first to stand out of them all when it looks like the Hall is beginning to empty out.
“Dinner’s finishing up now, isn't it? Would you all like to come to the courtyard with me? I like to walk around a little before settling in for the night.”
Remus decides for the others and he decides yes. Pandora waits for them all to stand too, jollily swaying as she does.
When they get out into the hallways, Pandora looks behind.
“Evan's going to come over.”
“How do you know that?” James asks.
“Are you sure you can't read minds?” Romulus presses.
“It's only a bit of logic isn't it? Chances are, he's seen me talking with you and he'll want to join in. Look, there he is.”
Remus turns and Evan comes striding around the corner (did Pandora see him through the walls or through his mind and his own eyes?), lighting up almost as bright as his sister when he sees the group of six.
He comes over just as Pandora said he could and with one hand on Remus' shoulder and the other on Sirius', he leans into their little circle.
“Hello, Muggle Studies.” He says, turned into Remus who goes a little cross eyed when trying to look back at Evan, not helping him achieve the anger he was going for.
“A nickname is meant to be short or else it's not funny.”
Evan laughs. “That wasn't a nickname- I was just making fun of you.”
Everyone laughs and Remus goes red. He hits Evan's stomach with the backs of his fingers but moves to make room again, this time for Evan to join the group. He gives Pandora a quick fist bump which Remus might steal for him and Romulus for later.
“What are we doing, where are we going?” Evan asks.
“Courtyard?”
“Brilliant.”
They walk in a line, no one really paying any attention to the fact that it's probably impossible to get around them.
Remus and the boys usually do this after dinner too, although rather than simply walking around in circles (not that he isn't enjoying it. It's mindless in a good way), they sit either on the low walls separating the sheltered path around them and the grass, or under the large tree in the middle if it's not taken already.
Pandora has taken off her robes (James has wound up holding them for her) and is sporting that lovely dress that she had on underneath. It doesn't look like there's a repeat of the embroidered flowers, each a different colour or a different species. She easily out- dressed the boys who are all in matching black robes. Even if they were dressed regularly, Remus thinks she'll still show them up.
She, Evan and Sirius walk ahead of Romulus, James and Remus in their own conversation while the boys hold their own.
James and Romulus are boasting to each other about all that they are good at- Transfiguration, Quidditch (that's exclusively James), Potions- that sort. Remus is in a little world of his own, keeping his squinted eye on the setting Sun that he can only see when they're on a certain side of the courtyard.
Remus walks too fast when he's zoned out, so fast that he steps on Pandora's heel and she trips; Remus has never felt worse.
“I'm so sorry.” He says when Pandora turns.
“That's alright, Remus.”
He looks down in case he'd toed off her shoe by accident too but-
“You're not wearing shoes.”
Everyone stops and looks down too. Pandora rocks back on her heels and wiggles her toes. Her socks are a dark grey and purple, making for a stark contrast to the rest of her bright clothing.
“Can I ask why?”
Pandora shrugs. “I'm not sure where they went.”
Evan moves her by the shoulder to face him. “You don't know where all of your shoes are?”
“All of them, yes. I find them after a little while in the strangest of places only for them to go missing again. Sometimes I think they grow little shoe-feet and wander away because I bore them so I try to keep them entertained by walking around more interesting places. Whenever I have them, that is.”
She's as whimsical as ever as she says this so Remus' heart doesn't break as hard as it would if she was upset by this.
“People are stealing them.” Evan tells her. “They're still stealing them.”
“They are not!”
“Well, they're not actually growing shoe-feet, are they?”
“You never know! All I do know is that people aren't stealing them- why would they?”
“To mess with you.” Remus says. “Some people are just mean like that.”
She scoffs at him like he's just told her the sky is purple and pigs can fly now. “I haven't given them any reasons to mess with me. I don't talk all that much.” Yes, which is why Remus is just as confused by this as she is.
Evan looks like he could throw a fit and/or rocks and spells and the likes of. He takes Pandora by the arm and leads her and the boys off of the bark and pebbles of the courtyard ground and onto the smooth stone of the path.
“Some people don't need reasons.”
“Everybody needs reasons, don't be daft.”
Remus will laugh at that later, he tells himself. She spits it harshly and it lands well, seeming so out of the ordinary coming from a whispery voice like hers. Evan shuts up and even Pandora looks a little taken aback.
“They'll turn up eventually,” She continues. “I can live without them for now.”
“You shouldn't have to.” Remus says. He taps James' elbow. “Can you transfigure shoes or something?” James shakes his head. “But I can learn.”
Pandora shushes them both. “Please don't bother. Now my socks can be entertained; it's a win-win-win.”
“People are stealing your shoes, Pandora, that's not okay.” Peter articulates wearily. He also shuts up after that.
“No they're not! They're my shoes, what use would anyone else have for them? Even if they anyone is taking them, I don't mind. It's always so exciting when I find them again.”
Ravenclaws doing all that? Remus didn't think there were many people like that in that house, rather more well-civilised people. Sure, messing about happens everywhere, Remus isn't going to be a hypocrite but robbing shoes seems a little out there, doesn't it?
Evan rubs the bridge of his nose. “Here, I'll bring you back to your dorm, Panda- Pandora”.
Remus doesn't know Evan well enough to tell if he'll have a go at a few people or hang them up with shoelaces. He takes a few steps away from the group and Pandora does the same.
“Do you promise not to kick up a big fuss again?” She asks of him. “I'm telling you now that I find it all a bit of fun and I am more than capable of kicking up a fuss of my own.” That goes without question.
“I'll only kick up a little fuss then.” Evan reassures her. Remus is anxious to know more.
Evan and Pandora take another few steps away and give everyone waves with the promise to continue this walk and chat on another day.
It comes back to the boys later that following the Rosier twins finding Pandora's shoes hanging on the ceiling of a hallway by their shoelaces, they mysteriously attracted a hoard of spiders that one, inhabited the insides of the shoes and two, seemed only to follow the orders of Pandora herself. This made for a brilliant wake up call in the dead of night when the shoe thieves tried to strike again and we're sent flying backwards (out of their own accord and terror). Pandora and Evan, everybody.