Truce

5

Pandora-

She didn't really know where she was going. Regulus had persuaded her to take some time off from the constant studying and Pandora's first thought was exploration away from the Slytherins. Although she was content with her house there was still the unspoken shame that was shared between her and the Slytherins. Shame that she couldn't be who they wanted her to be and that she wasn't as great as they were. She would never harm anybody, something her mother and pointedly forced her to correct. When Pandora first came to Hogwarts and was sorted into Ravenclaw, her mother made it very clear that the disgraceful news would not affect her loyalty to the Dark Lord. In fact, she was threatened that if she didn't pledge her loyalty in front of the Slytherins then she would be disowned. So, in her second year she was about to do it when Jacob and Regulus got her to stop. The three were walking through the hallways trying to help Pandora's nerves when Gene, quite literally, ran into them, and thus they have become inseparable. But Pandora always felt the need to pledge herself in order to win back her mother's approval. Although she was only thirteen, she could feel herself slipping. Her mother was going to disown her, everybody in Slytherin knew it. Even Gene knew it but was somewhat sympathetic with the topic. Whenever a Slytherin wandered up to the two and spat nasty words at Pandora, Gene would simply hex the snake and punch them in the jaw. Gene's violence didn't solve the problem and Pandora was getting more and more nervous. She sighed, resting her head against the wall. 

"It's no use being all sad about it," She concluded, forcing a smile as she slid down the wall. She got comfortable on the floor, a task she was well acquainted with, and pulled her legs towards her chest. "I am oftly tired," She wasn't sure who she was speaking to but it was comforting. "If only I had a pillow or something of the sort," 

"I can be your pillow," A low, soft voice echoed. She immediately stood up, feeling quite embarrassed that somebody had caught her in a daydream. She saw a boy with hair similar to hers, his sharp jawline in a handsome smile. "Did I scare you? I didn't mean to-,"

"No!" She cleared her throat, sitting back on the floor. "No, I was just..." 

"Talking?" She smiled her cheery smile which caused the boy's heart to melt.

"Talking," She agreed, allowing him to sit next to her. The two thirteen-year-olds sat awkwardly, unsure of the polite thing to do. He turned to her, holding out his hand.

"I'm Xenophilius Lovegood," 

"Lovegood?" Pandora tested the name on her tongue. It was so much smoother than Lestrange. Xenophilius nodded, somewhat nervous. Pandora shook his hand. "I'm Pandora," The two shook hands.

"Do you have a last name?" 

"You'd run away from me," Pandora whispered, retracting her hands and burying her head in her legs. Xenophilius frowned, comforting the girl with a light pat on the back.

"Would you trust my promise?" Pandora paused, glancing up at the gallant boy.

"I would trust anybody's promise if they're a good person," Xenophilius smiled, offering his pinky finger. 

"Then I promise I won't run," Pandora gazed at his hand in wonder. Xenophilius smiled, interlinking their pinkies caused Pandora to blush. "I learned it from a muggle-born first year. They said it was a promise, one that I couldn't break or else you could murder me," Pandora frowned.

"I don't want to murder you,"

"And I won't run away." Pandora took a deep breath in.

"I'm Pandora Lestrange," Pandora expected Xenophilius to run away, screaming about how much of a lunatic she was. Or maybe he would comment about how her family was a load of blood supremacists who wanted nothing but discourse for the world. Instead, Xenophilius looked minorly shocked before positioning himself against the wall.

"I am ready to become your pillow," Pandora giggled, slowly resting herself against his Ravenclaw badge. They were in the same house, amazing. Pandora slowly fell asleep, all of her worries disappearing as the first snow began to fall.