So this was going to be one chapter originally but . . . well, I wrote more than I expected so I'm splitting it into two chapters as I feel that's the best way.
Anyway, as always please do read, enjoy and please do leave a review and let me know your thoughts!
Stay Safe!
The Purple Black
The rest of the school term went by with little drama. Though the girls Ayla was unfortunate enough to share a dorm room with were obviously not her biggest fans, they were tolerable. Honestly, Ayla thought she had scared them off the last time they had confronted her, as even though they did give the occasional distasteful glance or snide comment under their breath they very rarely tried to instigate an argument. The Hufflepuff and Slytherin girls seemed to have formed an unlikely friendship between them, quickly becoming the best of friends.
Ayla found herself sat in the library, reading through a Defence Against the Dark Arts book with her chin rested on her hand, casually flipping through the pages.
"Wotcher!"
The Slytherin jumped slightly at the unexpected voice, though smirked as she could hear the shushing of Madam Pince as she looked up to see her friend now sat opposite her. Today Nymphadora was sporting green and red plaits, her eyes glistening with the slightest golden hue as she whispered her apologies to the librarian and pulled up the sleeves of her fluffy white cardigan as if she had severe business to attend to.
"Do you ever consider coming into the library without giving the librarian a heart attack?" Ayla mused.
"Nah," Dora shook her head, "what's the fun in that? I've gotta keep the old witch on her toes."
"Of course," Ayla let out a scoff of laughter despite herself, "loving today's look."
"Well, I have to keep people on their toes don't I," Dora sighed dramatically, "What colour will she be today? Besides, it's Christmas and it is my duty to spread some Christmas cheer."
"Is it now?" Ayla rolled her eyes in amusement.
"Yes," Dora nodded in mock-seriousness, "starting with you."
"Oh I'm fine," Ayla shook her head, "Christmas isn't really my thing."
"Christmas isn't—that's stupid," Dora gasped, "Christmas is everyone's thing, especially when you're our age. I mean you've got presents, decorations, food, presents—"
"You've said that twice," Ayla interjected.
"Well presents are important," Dora shrugged, then frowned at her words, "I mean . . . No, it's the giving that counts . . ." the grin returned to her face, "but we're at Hogwarts at Christmas, even the ghosts are singing carols."
"The Bloody Baron isn't," Ayla argued.
"Well, the Bloody Baron is a special case," Dora agreed, "though I'm sure even he's finding some amusement in Peeves' crude Christmas rhymes. Personally they're my favourite."
"Of course they are,"
Dora leant forward on her chair, rolling her eyes and pulling her friends book away as she looked back down to its pages. The dark-haired witch sighed in defeat as she sat up and looked back up at her friend, though she admitted Dora's enthusiasm for Christmas was quite amusing, it was not something she shared.
"So why, pray tell," Dora continued, "do you look so bloody miserable? Honestly, you'd think someone had died."
Ayla sat up straight, furrowing her brows slightly "I'm not miserable."
"Liar," Dora sighed, "really you should try to be more convincing in your lies."
"I—" Ayla met her friends gaze, the colourful-haired witch raising an eyebrow at her accusingly for a moment before Ayla gave in with a sigh, "I'm not that much of a Christmas person I suppose."
"But why?" Dora asked.
"Well," Ayla looked around, lowering her voice slightly, "well Euphemia isn't the best at Christmas. If I'm lucky I'll get something small—mostly something I need like clothes or something. I do tend to get one nice present, though I honestly have no idea who it's from, it's weird. But other than that we have a roast dinner prepared by the elf, then I usually go up to my room and read or something. It's just another day."
"Oh . . ." Dora frowned, unsure of what else to say.
"But it's fine," Ayla said quickly, forcing a smile, "this year I don't need to deal with her. I'm going to stay at Hogwarts. The rest of the girls in my dorm are going home so I'll have the room to myself—which will be great—I heard the Christmas feast is really good and so many people will have gone home I'll practically have the run of the castle to myself. It will be fun . . ."
"That . . ." Dora hesitated for a moment before she frowned with a sigh, "I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?" Ayla scoffed, pulling her book back from her friend though she didn't attempt to ignore her by reading it again, "it's going to be the best Christmas yet."
Dora considered the girl for a moment, furrowing her brows in thought before a grin lit up her features, "Come home with me."
"W-What?" Ayla laughed.
"Are you deaf?" Dora grinned, "Come home with me. It'll be great! We don't see any family for Christmas really, it's just me and my parents. We've got more than enough room and my parents will love you!"
"I—"
"Quiet girls!" Came the hiss of madam Pince, though Dora merely bit her lip in amusement.
"Honestly Ayla," she continued in a quieter tone, "you'll be welcomed."
" . . . Your parents wouldn't mind?" Ayla asked hesitantly.
"Not at all," Dora confirmed, "in fact, I'm sure they'll be glad to have you. I'm sure Mum was worried that I wasn't going to make friends very easily because she seems really happy I've met you—and Dad is hilarious, he's got some tendencies that are a bit odd, like he does have a couple of muggle contraptions but he'll love you too. Please, Ayla. It would be amazing."
"Your Mum knows about me?" Ayla asked in surprise.
"Obviously," Dora scoffed, "I write to her at least once a week, you know I have to let her know I haven't gone and gotten myself blown up or something so obviously I've told her about you. She said you seemed nice."
"I—" Ayla paused, she couldn't even begin to fathom what Christmas with the Tonks family—a real family—would be like. She noticed Dora's grin getting wider as she couldn't help but smile a little bit, she met her eyes before giving a small nod, "Okay—So long as your parents are fine with it."
"Yes!" Dora yelled in triumph, making her friend laugh as Madam Pince marched over to the pair with a stern look on her features. "Okay, okay, I'm going," Dora laughed, her giggles infectious as even though the librarian glared down at the pair Ayla couldn't help but giggle as she picked up her book and bag, the pair running out of the library to talk excitedly about their Christmas plans on their way to the owlery to write to Mr and Mrs Tonks.
The last week of the term went by in a blur and before Ayla knew it she was sat on the Hogwarts Express on her way to meet her best friend's parents. She was undoubtedly nervous, adjusting her dress far too many times as she sat leaning against the window.
"Calm down," Dora said simply.
"Easy for you to say," Ayla sighed.
"They're just my parents," Dora shrugged, looking back up at the roof of their cart as was lain across the opposite seat, "it's not like you're meeting the Minister of Magic or anything."
"I—" Ayla huffed, "I've never met anyone's parents before—in fact, I don't think I've ever really met any other adults apart from Euphemia—and the Hogwarts professors but that's different. What if they hate me?"
"They won't hate you," Dora scoffed, finally sitting up to look at her friend properly, "for starters Dad doesn't hate anybody, I don't even think he has the ability to hate someone. And as for Mum . . ." Dora looked up as she thought for a moment before shaking her head and looking back to her friend, "well she doesn't hate many people—not openly at least."
"Thanks," Ayla breathed, "very reassuring."
"She won't hate you," Dora groaned, "she dislikes some people but I've never known her to dislike a child and she says she only dislikes people with good reason. She has no reason to hate you."
Ayla let out a groan, leaning back in her seat and rolling her head back. After a moment she felt her friend move to sit next to her and she rolled her head in her direction so she could meet her eyes. The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments before Dora spoke again.
"Does your hair get wilder when you're nervous?" Dora frowned.
"Dora!" Ayla snapped, "If I wasn't nervous enough already, now I'm going to be turning up looking like a bloody roughed up kid on the streets!"
"You do not," Dora laughed, biting her lip when Ayla narrowed her eyes into a glare, "okay, want me to help?"
"With my hair?" Ayla raised both of her eyebrows, "Dora no offence but the only way you know how to style hair is by morphing and besides that this rats nest is beyond help. I swear my hair is so curly and out of control sometimes that Euphemia once threatened to cut it all off when she was fed up with me running away from her comb."
"Really?" Dora asked.
"I broke the scissors . . . unintentionally," Ayla sighed.
"Well," Dora smirked, "luckily for you I don't need scissors." The girl knelt up on her seat, turning so she was facing her friend directly, "you've got to be still, okay?"
"What are you doing?" Ayla couldn't help but lean away slightly as the girl reached out for her.
"I may be able to morph other people just a little bit," Dora mumbled then immediately smiled innocently, "I don't really tell people because . . . well, Mum says I shouldn't so if she asks I didn't do it."
"Is it safe?" Ayla asked.
"Yeah," Dora said, though she did not sound very believable and when Ayla raised an eyebrow at her she rolled her eyes, "okay so it has its risks, but it's fine—especially if all I'm trying to change is your hair. Mum showed me how to do it, it's just one of those things I shouldn't really do without her for now apparently. But—"
"But when did you not do something just because you shouldn't?" Ayla shook her head in amusement at Dora's grin, then with a deep breath she gave a small nod, "Okay, though keep some of the curls, I like them."
"Colour?" Dora said excitedly.
". . . Surprise me," Ayla said hesitantly, "though something natural."
"Got it," Dora said, reaching out and putting her hand on her friend's shoulder, "now hold still."
Ayla screwed her eyes tightly shut, holding her breath as she felt the girls magic reach out for her own. It felt so strange, yet oddly familiar, a warm feeling pulsing through her until suddenly it left her and Ayla let herself breathe again.
"Perfect!" Dora declared, running to her bag and pulling out a small pocket mirror, "Do you like?"
Ayla took the mirror, breathing in and out deeply before without further hesitation she snapped it open and looked at her reflection. She looked so different, yet the only thing she had changed was her hair, it was bizarre. Instead of her usual wild black curls, she now had gentle dark blonde curls gracefully framing her face and falling down just passed her shoulders. "I love it," Ayla breathed.
"Good," Dora said, "now you can stop worrying. We're almost at the platform anyway."
The two girls sat in silence for the rest of the small amount of time they had left on the rest of the train together, Dora could tell that her friend was nervous and she gave her a reassuring smile as they got their cases together to take onto the platform.
"You'll be fine," Dora teased, going to continue speaking to her friend though a grin quickly lit up her features, "Dad!"
A fair-haired man with a smile identical to that of her friends waved from his position stood by the wall of the platform, soon bracing himself as his daughter bounded across the platform and ran into his arms.
"Wotcher, beautiful!" the man chuckled as he lifted the girl up in his strong embrace, kissing her head as her hair turned a bright pink until she giggled her protests to be put down. The man stepped back, the grin still on his face as he addressed the young girl his daughter had brought home with her. "And you must be Ayla?" he asked.
"Yes, Mr Tonks," Ayla nodded, "it's nice to meet you."
"Please, call me Ted," Ted said, "Mr Tonks was my father's name."
Ayla merely nodded, a smile reaching her lips as the man's jovial demeanour was clearly infectious.
"Where's Mum?" Dora asked, looking around as if expecting Mrs Tonks to appear.
"She's at home cooking dinner," Ted answered, holding his hand out for the two girls, "we best get a move on, you know your mother doesn't appreciate lateness."
Dora merely answered with a knowing grin, immediately taking her father's hand, she looked to her friend "Come on, Ayla."
The other girl hesitated for a brief moment before she reached out to her friend's father, no sooner after she grabbed tightly onto the man's hand she felt the familiar pull of side apparation take her. She found herself blinking her eyes open when they arrived at the Tonks home. It was a modest home, with a stone finish, a well-tended garden and of a reasonable size. It was clearly well kept and she could tell someone had clearly taken pride in ensuring the house had a good appearance. Dora had quickly run down the cobbled pathway ahead of her the moment they had arrived, her father hurrying after her leaving Ayla to trail behind the pair catching up with them just as Nymphadora Tonks had pushed open the front door.
"I'm home!" Dora yelled at the top of her lungs, dropping her case in the entryway.
Ayla looked around the hallway, taking in the light wooden flooring and pale walls with the odd photograph hung along them. She found herself staring in confusion at a photograph of what must have been a young Ted Tonks and his parents, the occupants clearly trying to stand as still as possible to trick the girl as the whole picture refused to move at all. She was about to inform her friend that the picture was broken when she heard footsteps enter the hallway followed by a woman's voice.
"Hello," the woman sighed, hugging the girl for a moment before she frowned at her case on the floor, "really Nymphadora, creating a mess already?"
"Dora," Dora corrected her, though shook her head as if she was used to her mother making this mistake.
"And this must be your friend?" she smiled welcomingly at the girl as her husband drew his wand and sent the girls cases upstairs where Ayla assumed their rooms were.
"Yes, Mrs Tonks," Ayla said, "Ayla, Ayla Rowle."
"Rowle . . ." Andromeda tilted her head in thought for a split second before her welcoming smile had returned, "well it's lovely to meet you, Ayla. Dora, why don't you show your friend to the guest room then the pair of you can clean up for dinner."
"I'm clean," Dora pouted, "are you calling me dirty?"
"Go," Andromeda repeated, "at least wash your hands."
Ayla watched as the woman walked away from them, Ted following after her, Ayla wasn't given much of a chance to say anything before her friend grabbed her hand and ran up the stairs towards their rooms.
The girl soon found herself alone in her room, unable to help herself smiling as the whole place just felt so warm and welcoming. She had an ensuite, which she wasted no time in using, washing her hands as instructed and then changing out of the clothes she had been travelling in and pulling one of her dresses over her head. She was just pinning up her hair, inspecting the blonde curls her friend had given her as she heard a knock on the door and quickly finished her task to open it.
"Ready?" Dora grinned, walking the girl downstairs, "Mum's a good cook, I've actually missed her cooking . . . don't tell her that."
"Don't tell me what?" Andromeda Tonks raised an eyebrow as the girls entered the dining room, "Your voice does carry, you know."
"Nothing," Dora said innocently, ignoring her mother's stare and sitting down at the table.
Ayla ate in silence, enjoying her dinner of stew and dumplings as she listened to her friend telling her parents about their time at Hogwarts so far (though Ayla had to stop herself smirking when she skirted around the mischief the girls had gotten up to already). The plates were cleared and Andromeda and summoned their pudding of sticky toffee pudding and custard, the guest managing to take a few bites before the conversation quickly turned her way.
"So, Ayla," Andromeda did not have a dessert, instead clasping a cup of tea in her hands as she looked at the guest in her home, "tell us a bit about yourself."
"I—" Ayla composed herself as she tried to think of what to say, "well there's not much to say really."
"She's a Slytherin," Dora helped, "you were Slytherin too, weren't you Mum?"
"I was," Andromeda nodded, "though Dora's father was a Hufflepuff, which would explain why she was put in that house I suppose. They do say you tend to end up in the same house as your parents. What house were your parents in?"
The girl couldn't help but think back to what the sorting hat had said when it was placed on her head, she hadn't told anyone that, Ayla found herself taking a spoonful of her toffee pudding to fill her silence though Andromeda Tonks was still waiting for an answer and her friend seemed hesitant to help her with the conversation this time.
"I don't know," Ayla said finally in a matter of fact tone, "I don't think I ever asked them . . . I don't remember them. They were lost in the war."
"Oh," Andromeda frowned, her husband sat beside her giving the girl a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry to hear that."
"I take it your parents were Slytherin, then?" Ayla asked, trying to change the topic away from her slightly though she did not miss the silence that quickly penetrated the room, the older woman sitting up in her seat slightly as her smile seemed slightly less real.
"Yes," Andromeda said, "my whole family was . . ."
The silence hung thick in the air, Ayla feeling less and less comfortable until finally Ted Tonks cleared his throat and put a hand on his wife's shoulder, smiling at the two girls, "Well, I think you two have had a long day, don't you think? You should get ready for bed."
"Okay," Dora said quickly, much to her friend's surprise, though she followed her out of the room.
As the two girls reached the top of the stairs Ayla stopped her friend, her voice hushed as she furrowed her brows in concern, "Dora . . . Did I do something wrong?"
"No," Dora sighed, looking down the stairs for a moment before she decided to take her friend to her room. They shut the door behind them before Dora turned to her friend and carried on talking, "Mum doesn't talk about her family much, you know, what with the whole being disowned, crazy murderous sister, pureblood supremacist thing . . ."
"Oh merlin," Ayla groaned, "I didn't even think."
"It's okay," Dora shrugged, "she's fine. I should have maybe reminded you. Don't worry about it . . . Want to play some exploding snap before bed?"
Ayla agreed, sitting on the bed as Dora got out her cards. She couldn't help but shake the feeling that she had done something wrong, even as her friend tried to entertain her with their game. She had the distinct feeling that there was something about Andromeda Tonks that she couldn't quite put her finger on.