Nemours
Pandora woke up early that morning since her flight left at 6. Even though the Black family was stupidly rich Regulus didn’t quite get the private jet in his inheritance. They were going to start the trip off in France, Regulus' home country, then visit Italy, Spain and finally ending their trip in Greece. Pandora would've been excited to go sightseeing and to visit all the art museums if it wasn't for Lily Evans. The moment she left that cafe she instantly regretted her choice.
Regulus is lucky Pandora loves him because if not there’s no chance she would’ve gone, she doesn’t even think she’d go for Remus. She folded the last of her clothes and neatly placed them in her suitcase and zipped it up. They were going to be traveling for a month so she had packed 3 suitcases. It was nice that they were able to take time off from work but really it’s no big surprise since most of her friends are so rich they wouldn't have to work a day in their life if they didn't want to. Pandora included. Her parents were rich and they were distantly related to Regulus’ and Evans’ families.
But they were not that kind of people. The first time she had met Regulus, Barty and Evan they had been at one of the lavish parties the Black family threw. They were all nothing but kind to her which she didn’t get a lot. You wouldn’t have any clue just how much generational wealth they had if it wasn’t for the fact that they’re parents dressed them so nicely. All three of them had grown up together as their parent’s ran in the same circles, but the fact is all three of them despised their parents. Their families were cut-throat business people, with Pandora suspecting Regulus’ parents may have really been cut-throat due to the many rumors of his parents being involved in shady things. They all waited until they turned 18 to get access to their trust and they never looked back.
Her friends were the kindest people she ever knew so despite her strong want to not go she knew she was going to go for them. She checked her phone to see if Remus was here and she made her way downstairs with her bags to wait for him. She stood in the looby of her flat waiting while making small talk to the doorman. His name was Charles and he’d been nothing but kind to her since she moved here. They talked about her plans for the month and as she spotted Remus outside he asked Pandora to say Happy Birthday to Regulus for him, knowing the man from the many times they’ve hung out at her flat. She smiled kindly and gave him her word she would and walked out to greet Remus.
“Hey Honey how are you?” she kissed Remus on the cheek as she handed him her bags to put in the trunk. He was taking her to the airport as they both booked seats next to each other on the same flight.
“I’m good and you? Glad you decided to come Pands.” he said closing the trunk and walking around the passenger side to open the door for her. “Thank you” she said, getting into the car as he closed the door and walked back to the driver's side.”I’m glad I decided to come too. It’s been so long since we’ve all properly hung out” she watched as her apartment began to fade from view.
They both sat in silence as Pandora looked out the window watching the city begin to fill with life as slowly people began to make their way to work. She always was a people watcher ever since she was a little girl. She would watch people from a far making up little stories about their lives in her head. She watched a man open the door to an office building and assumed that he was going in for his job and that the moment he clocked out he would be going home to his wife to take her out to dinner. She loved creating scenarios to create her own good in the world especially when there’s so little of it. She turned her head away from the window and looked over at Remus. “Do you think there’s such a thing as pure good or pure evil?”
“I’m always baffled by what goes on in that brain of yours ” he chuckled. “But I don’t know, I think so I mean there are just some people who are so horrid that there has to be you know what I mean. What about you Lovegood is there such a thing?”
“No I don’t think there is,” she replied. “Even the most holiest of people will do something wrong in their life and the people we see as evil they all have something or someone they love and care for with such passion while they may be wrong and horrid they aren’t evil.” Remus raised an eyebrow at her “If there was pure evil the world would be utterly depressing and if there was pure good we’d have never known hardship”
“Wow, I never thought of it that way. Maybe you are right.” he said, turning back his attention to the road in front of him. She turned back to face out the window content with her answer when she heard Remus. “So are you excited?”
“I think I am” she said turning back to him with a smile on her face “I mean I’ve missed hanging out with you all so much and I can’t wait to go sightseeing. I’m so dragging you along to go see museums with me by the way”
“I’d expect nothing more,” he laughed. “But how are you feeling about her being there?” he asked his expression serious.
“Remus really I’ll be fine” she sighed no longer smiling “I mean really how can I still be upset about something that happened 10 years ago, besides who says I’m planning on talking to her” she said as they pulled into the airport parking lot. Remus came around and opened her door for her. “Okay as long as you’re fine” he said as he went to grab their bags.
“I am” she replied walking into the airport.
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They had landed at the Charles De Gaulle Airport at around 7 and then they had taken another hour's drive to Nemours where the black family had a beautiful countryside home. While they also had a house in Paris this place was much more homely and it was larger. Pandora and Remus were some of the last to have arrived. They pulled up to the house and Pandora was stunned the house was gorgeous. It had a very quaint feeling and she’s shocked that Regulus family owns this place as they are well known for their snobbishness in liking classy things. She and Remus grabbed their bags from the trunk and made their way to the front door and knocked. Instantly the door was opened and they were greeted by Regulus. “Hey guys” he exclaimed, hugging them both before moving to help Remus grab the rest of their bags. “I’m so happy you guys were able to come” he pointedly looked at Pandora. Closing the door behind them, they made their way into the house.
The house was old fashioned, the bones and rustic look of the house still being kept. They walked past the living room, of which the walls were painted a dark green. The room was open with many arm chairs positioned in front of a fireplace. In the corner was a beautiful painting of a ship on the ocean which Pandora made a note to ask Regulus about later. They walked into the kitchen and while the living room looked outdated the kitchen certainly didn’t.
The kitchen had been done up with all the modern appliances although the old cabinets and the green backsplash appeared to be the only thing left of the old kitchen. “You can place the bags down here” Regulus said to Remus, placing the bags he had beside the counter top. “Can I get you guys some tea?” he said, walking over to the cabinet. “That would be lovely, thank you” she replied sitting down at the bar stool. “Right earl gray for Pands and for Remus green” Regulus replied, grabbing the tea and kettle from the top shelf.
“This place is beautiful Reg” she said watching as Regulus moved to the stove to put the kettle on. “It really is, I mean I didn’t expect the Blacks to own something that wasn’t modern,” Remus replied, taking a seat next to Pandora. Regulus turned away from the stove to face them. “It was my uncle’s” he said “Technically it’s Siruis’ but he never uses it” he took the kettle off to pour them their tea.
“Well it’s very you” she replied, taking the mug carefully from his hand.
“Where is everyone else?” Remus asked. Making Pandora realize the silence that was coming from the house. Normally when her friends were over there was no chance there would be silence. “They’re all out back most of them decided to go swimming” Regulus answered.
Pandora stood from the counter and walked over to the sliding glass doors, sure enough there was everyone swimming in the largest pool she’d ever seen in her life. She saw Sirius, James, Barty, and Evan playing chicken fight which Barty and Evan clearly seemed to be winning. Dorcas and Marlene were cheering them on from in the pool. She looked over to the lawn chairs and saw Peter and Mary talking adamantly about something. Further down she saw her.
The sun was hitting her hair in a way that made it look like it was on fire. The contrast of her bright red hair and ivory skin made her look unreal, like she was otherworldly. She sat there watching the others in the pool unbothered. After what felt like an eternity, though it was really only a few minutes, her trance was broken by Remus coming to stand next to her. “You ok?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her stunned expression.