The Curious Case of Luna Lovegood

Chapter 38: Black Night, Red Dawn

"It's a girl."

The very moment she heard her crying, Pandora knew her life had changed forever. She couldn't help but smile warmly as her heart was torn in two. It had been similar the day Xenophilius had gotten married. She truly felt happy for him, from the bottom of her heart. Yet at his happiness grew she could not stop the pain of knowing she was still alone. She remembered her creed very well, the individual walks alone. Pandora could count on one hand the people in her life she cared for, and they would never give her the happiness Xenophilius was experiencing.

At first Pandora was here to support her childhood friend, but as the day drew closer, Xeno's wife had asked for her professional assistance. Pandora was no healer but her work as an Unspeakable, allowed her to cast spells even the Healers could not comprehend.

"Pandora, isn't she beautiful," Pandora shook herself out of her musings and looked into the teary eyes of her best friend. Xenophilius was beside himself as he held the new born in his arms. "I'm a Father Pandora, I'm a Father!"

Pandora giggled. "Yes I can see that. If the Healers are done, I need to do my own check up on the baby...girl."

The baby had dark matted hair and a strange look in her brown eyes. Pandora had to admit that she looked like her father's child but there was no mistaking the Mother.

"Ahem"

Pandora jumped as she turned and spoke quickly. "My...My...apologies Mrs. Umbridge. I'll get right to it."

Pandora couldn't look her in the eyes, they always terrified her. She could never understand how eyes could be so vacant. At least Delores kept her maiden name. It was strange, another working for your friends wife, but she didn't think she could handle calling her boss, Mrs. Lovegood.

Pandora whipped out her wand and carefully placed the newborn on the table. Xenophilius spoke up hesitantly. "Are you sure we should be doing this, casting magic on the child can damage their souls."

"Xenophilius, if you are going to speak, use words that make sense. I won't tolerate you spouting rubbish in front of the child."

Pandora and Xenophilius flinched at the woman's coldness. Pandora never understood Xenophilius, wondering how he ended up married to this woman. Pandora herself wondered how she became her employee. As she looked at the wide eyed child at the end of her wand, she prayed the child never became like her Mother.

The wand started flashing as Pandora announced her findings to the room. "The infant is female and was born at 10:37 PM on February 14th 198..."

"Skip protocol, if I don't want to hear rubbish we already know!" Umbridge snapped with a surprising amount of volume for someone who just gave birth. Umbridge definitely was weak but that only seemed to make her...friendlier than usual.

"PANDORA!"

"Yes Ma'am," Pandora uttered under her breath as she continued her work. "The child seems fine, highly intelligent, IQ of 144. She'll be short though, only 5.2 feet to be precise. Her hair won't turn grey until her 90's, she has the potential to live up to 150, so about average for a Witch or Wizard. Make sure she eats high amounts of vegetables when she's turns 5 so she doesn't get scurvy. Oh and she will get cancer in her life time so just buy her the potion to give to her when she turns five at the earliest. Should keep her immune for the next three decades at least."

"And after that?" Xenophilius asked as he smiled over Pandora's shoulders.

"She takes another potion, she'll be fine." Pandora replied turning to look at Xenophilius. "I understand that you're already in love with her but I can't do my job with you hovering over my shoulder."