7 October 1972
The Great Hall was abuzz with activity. It was the first Quidditch match of the school year: Slytherin versus Ravenclaw. Dora had promised Regulus that she'd join him and his friends in the Slytherin stands to cheer the Slytherins on.
After breakfast, Dora met with Regulus and his other friends and trudged up towards the Slytherin stands for the match. They sat down in a bench in front of several older boys, many of whom she'd seen the previous winter at Malfoy Manor.
"So nice of you to join us, Pandora," said one of the older Slytherins, Mulciber. "We began to wonder if you'd forgotten us in the last few weeks."
"I've been busy with schoolwork and adjusting to Hogwarts," Dora fibbed. "I'm here now!"
"She's just been securing her place as first in our class," Regulus offered. "She's got top marks in all our classes!"
"Does she now?" wondered Nott. "Pretty and intelligent," he commented.
"I think you mean pretty intelligent, Nott," Dora snapped.
"A good tongue, too," noted Avery. "I'm truly surprised you weren't Sorted into Slytherin."
"I'm not," Dora retorted. "I like being a Hufflepuff."
"Rare gem, you are," Mulciber said.
"Lay off, mates," Regulus interjected. "She came to watch Quidditch with us, not for you lot to bother her."
"Thank you, Regulus," Dora replied. "Perhaps this is why you don't see me very often. I have better ways to spend my time than being flattered by boys who hardly know me." She scowled at them.
"Just wait until you're a little older, Pandora," Nott said. "I'm sure you'll appreciate the flattery by then."
"Doubt it," Dora said, coldly. She turned her back to the boys, and luckily, the commentator had just announced the start of the match.
The match quickly drew the Slytherins' full attention, allowing Dora uninterrupted time to enjoy the time in the stands. The Slytherin team was quite talented compared to the Ravenclaws, and within two hours, they had flattened the Ravenclaws 320-60, when the Slytherin Seeker, seventh-year Barnabas Bulstrode, finally caught the snitch.
"Join us for the after party, Dora!" Regulus squealed. "Common room's down the stairs behind the door to the Great Hall. Password's 'memento mori'!"
"Are you sure they want me there?" Dora asked. She was undeniably curious to see the Slytherin common room, as in her original timeline she'd never had the chance, but she feared the consequences of being in a common room that didn't belong to her own house.
"Believe me, they'll want you there," Regulus assured. "Please come!" Dora nodded and followed Regulus down to the dungeons to find the stretch of wall that concealed the Slytherin common room. Luckily, as there were so many Slytherins crowded in the corridor, she didn't need to use the password.
Dora entered the unfamiliar common room to find an elegant underground space. The room was finely appointed with black leather furniture and stately armchairs. The windows of the common room looked over the Black Lake, and a soft greenish glow brought light into the room. The common room was being quickly filled with a horde of Slytherins, food, and drink to celebrate their victory over Ravenclaw. Dora traced the walls with her fingers, feeling the cold stone until it finally warmed near the crackling fireplace.
"What are you doing here?" A voice called from one of the armchairs next to the fireplace.
Dora looked up and saw Severus Snape staring at her, his lip slightly curled in a sneer.
"I was invited here," Dora replied. "By Regulus."
"Pandora is more than welcome here, Snape," Lucius interjected. "She supported Slytherin today and she is welcome to join in our celebration."
Snape scowled at Dora, but said no more. It wouldn't be wise to cross the older prefect, so Snape merely stood up and went in the direction of what Dora assumed were the dormitories.
Dora proceeded to the table where older students had laid out food and helped herself to the miniature feast. She returned to the fireplace and sank down into one of the armchairs, feeling pleased with herself. Ever since she'd broken down in front of Sirius, Remus, James, and Peter, she'd been trying to make more of an effort to socialize with other students. She'd decided that her time would be better spent if she stopped feeling sorry for herself, and was now starting to enjoy her newfound friendships. She hoped that if and when she returned to her original timeline, she might be able to call these older students her friends.
Dora's reverie was broken when the armchairs surrounding her were filled with familiar faces: Nott, Avery, Mulciber, and Crabbe.
"How do you like our common room, Pandora?" Nott ventured.
"It's different than I expected," Dora said honestly. "I knew it was in the dungeons, but I didn't expect it to be so cozy."
"Did you think we slept in squalor?" Avery asked, offended.
"No, not at all," Dora said. "When I heard dungeons, I thought of potions and Professor Sn-Slughorn."
"Would you care to see our dormitories as well, Pandora?" Mulciber offered.
"No, thank you," Dora said. "I hardly think that's appropriate."
"I never mentioned the boys' dormitories, Pandora," Mulciber smirked. "I'm sure your cousin Narcissa would be happy to show you the girls' dormitories."
"Still no, Mulciber," Dora insisted. "I'd prefer to stay here in the common room."
"Suit yourself," said Mulciber, shrugging. "You're always welcome here."
"Thank you," Dora mumbled. She felt awkward with all the Slytherin boys around her; were these attempts to secure a betrothal (again)?
"I haven't the foggiest why any of you are interested in me," Dora said. "I know we've met because our families know each other, but isn't it odd to any of you that you're willingly spending time with an 11 year old Hufflepuff?"
"Age doesn't matter," said Avery, airily. "House might, but not for you."
"What does that mean?" Dora demanded.
"The Dark Lord wants you where you are," explained Mulciber. "Loyalty is important to him, and by extension, many of us."
"Oh," Dora said. I'm where Voldemort wants me and I've got the interest of various teenage boys looking for an advantageous betrothal. Splendid, thought Dora, just splendid.
The conversation then descended to the many merits of Voldemort's views on Muggleborns; Dora willed herself to stay as long as she could to gather whatever information came her way. Rather than engage in the conversation, she merely nodded or tilted her head as if she were listening intently. After a few hours of spirited discussion on the merits of a completely pureblood society, Dora had had enough.
"I should be getting back to my common room," Dora said, standing abruptly. "My friends will worry."
"Let me walk you there, Pandora," offered Avery. "You've lost track of time and it's nearly curfew. I'm a prefect, so you shan't be punished for being out of bounds this late if you're with me."
Lose points, get a detention, or get stuck with Avery? Points or detention, definitely, decided Dora.
"I can walk back on my own," Dora said. "I'm sure I'll be fine."
"Nonsense," Avery dismissed. "I'll walk you there." Fine.
"Alright," Dora reluctantly agreed. Avery walked her to the door out to the dungeon corridor.
"I was surprised when you had so little to say on the Dark Lord's plans, Pandora," began Avery. "I was hoping to hear what you thought."
"I thought it better to listen," Dora said. "My Aunt taught me that when honorable wizards are speaking, I ought to give them my full attention." A bunch of rubbish, obviously.
Avery smirked. "She taught you very well, Pandora. Very fitting for a pureblood witch to know that."
"I'll pass the compliments along to my Aunt," said Dora, hating the conversation. Avery was moving purposefully slowly in getting Dora back to the Hufflepuff common room. Deciding to steer the conversation herself, Dora went for flattery and picked up the pace.
"Thank you for walking me back to my common room, Avery," Dora began. "It was very kind of you to offer."
"Anything for you, Pandora," Avery smiled. It was the first time Dora had seen a genuine smile from a Slytherin, other than Regulus. Perhaps if they smiled, she thought, they wouldn't look so disagreeable all the time.
They had finally reached the corridor holding the Hufflepuff common room and before Dora could tap the barrel, Avery bent down to kiss Dora's knuckles, as the pureblood custom went. Embarrassed, Dora tapped the barrel and quickly stepped into her common room, glad to be rid of Slytherins for the evening.
...
5 November 1972
It was Dora's birthday. In her first original timeline, she was turning a year old. In her second original timeline, she supposed she'd be turning 25. In this timeline, she was turning 12. It was also the mark of a full year in her different life, a life she hadn't asked for.
She woke up to a generous pile of birthday presents at the foot of her bed. It was the biggest pile of birthday presents she'd ever received in any timeline; being connected to her wealthy maternal family certainly had its benefits.
"It's your birthday?" Elissa asked, seeing the huge pile of presents at Dora's feet, much to Athena's chagrin. Her usual sleeping spot at her mistress' feet had been replaced with a pile of gifts, offending the half-kneazle.
"It is," Dora confirmed.
"Happy birthday!" came a chorus from the first year Hufflepuff girls.
"Thanks, girls," Dora said. "I've never had a birthday quite like this," she continued, more to herself than to the others.
"Open up your presents!" called Perpetua. "I've been wondering what wizards get for their birthdays!"
Dora dug into the pile of presents. From Al and Titus, a top-of-the-line camera to capture her new memories; from Moody, a blank photo album (bless him, he must've worked together with Al); from Walburga and Orion, two sets of robes to wear on the weekends; from her Gryffindor boys, a set of quills and multi-colored inks with a note that read 'to write your old friends;' from Narcissa and her parents, a set of gold hoop earrings; from the Scamanders, a honey badger pendant; from Regulus (and several of his Slytherin friends, she guessed), several pounds of chocolates; finally, from Kreacher, a doily and a delicious vanilla-almond cake with a rich chocolate filling.
"It's not too different than Muggle gifts," noted Isolde, the quietest of her Hufflepuff dormmates. "Except for the doily."
"Wizard gifts can be really similar to Muggle ones," added Scholastica. "Just with more uses for magic. Who sent you the doily?"
"Our house elf, Kreacher," Dora said with a smile. "This is actually sweet of him. Last Christmas he got me a broken candle. House elves can be strange creatures. I almost wish he were here so I could thank him in person."
"What are you going to do today?" interrupted Elissa. "You're lucky your birthday is over the weekend! Mine will be on a Monday, so I'll have double potions, ugh."
"Same as most Sundays, I think," said Dora. "Some quiet time in the library, walking around the castle, same old, same old."
"Your birthday should be special!" Perpetua insisted. "If you could do anything for your birthday, what would it be?"
Lunch with my parents who recognize me at 25 and not as an infant, hitting some Muggle bars with friends and getting a bit tipsy, and finishing off the day by shagging an adult Remus senseless. Might not be the best suggestion to these girls, Dora thought.
"Lunch with my mum and dad and dinner with some of my old friends, I think," said Dora. Close enough.
"We might not be able to do the first bit, Pandora," said Scholastica, "but let's do something at dinner, as it's Bonfire Night, anyway!"
"I'll think on it," Dora said. "I'm going to go take my morning walk now." Dora decided to wear one of the new robes Walburga and Orion had gifted her, and set off to the kitchens to ask the house elves for snacks before she went off to the Room of Requirement for dueling practice with Moody. On previous birthdays, she'd woken up to smaller piles of presents, but much more love than she had this birthday.
"Miss Black!" someone called from the end of the corridor. It was, of all people, Professor Dumbledore.
"Headmaster?" asked Dora. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"My owl was returned this morning, Miss Black," Dumbledore said. "I see you weren't at breakfast this morning, if you stopped by the kitchens."
"I don't usually eat in the Great Hall on Sundays, Headmaster," replied Dora. "Sundays are just for me."
"I assumed so," Dumbledore said. "However, I had a proposition for you." Dora looked at him quizzically before he went on.
"As it is your birthday – many happy returns, of course," Dumbledore said, "I thought you might enjoy a break from your assignment?"
"REALLY?" Dora asked, incredulous. "What sort of break do you mean?"
"I thought you might want to visit your parents," Dumbledore suggested. "The ones who gave birth to you."
"Would they allow it? How did you do it? Please, sir, I would die of happiness if I could see them," Dora gushed.
"Let us hope you don't die of happiness, Miss Black," Dumbledore chuckled. "I have indeed arranged an opportunity for you to meet with them."
"Thank you Professor, thank you! How do I see them?" Dora asked, her excitement growing.
"As luck would have it, they are visiting Hogsmeade today with their infant daughter," explained Dumbledore. "A trip down memory lane, as it were." Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled.
"I don't know how you did it, Professor, but thank you," breathed Dora. "Can I talk to them? Are they expecting anyone?"
"I leave that to you, my dear girl," said Dumbledore. "So long as you are not presented as a student out-of-bounds, I might add."
"How should I get there?" asked Dora.
"Follow me," said Dumbledore. Dora hurried behind Dumbledore in her weekend clothes, thankful that her birthday had been a Sunday that year. He led them up to his office, telling the gargoyle statue "Chocolate Frog" on their way in.
"Use my Floo, Miss Black," directed Dumbledore. "You should likely morph first."
Dora took out her wand first and expanded, lengthened, and tweaked her robes to fit an adult body. She morphed till she reached her adult size, lengthening her hair to her back, making it into deep burgundy waves. She decided to morph until she was at her "default," other than her natural hair color. If she was meeting her parents today, she was meeting them as herself. If things went awry – she could always use a Confundus Charm and morph herself differently.
"I'm ready, Professor," said Tonks. "I'm so, so ready to see them."
"I expect you back here in three hours' time, Miss Black," Dumbledore said. "Otherwise, your classmates will become suspicious. Use the Floo at the Three Broomsticks for your arrival and return."
Tonks excitedly grabbed Floo powder and tossed it in the fireplace, calling for the Three Broomsticks. Within a minute, she was giddily dusting herself off at the Three Broomsticks.
Tonks looked around and saw a small head of bubblegum pink hair. It's them! My family! She snuck around the pub and sat close enough to her parents that she could cast a charm to eavesdrop on them, but not enough that they would notice she was there.
"Nymphadora, you're a year old today!" Ted gushed.
Tonks' year-old self babbled happily at Ted.
"One day, when you're big enough, you'll come here too, sweetheart," Andromeda said. "Everyone is going to just love you." Tonks felt the tears welling up in her eyes, watching her mother coddle her infant self.
"What do you think? Ravenclaw or Slytherin?" Ted asked.
"Gryffindor, I think," laughed Andromeda. "She's not afraid of anything."
"What about Hufflepuff?" Tonks asked, cutting in. Andromeda and Ted looked at Tonks, the stranger, with some suspicion.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Tonks apologized. "I saw your daughter's changing hair colors and I was fascinated. Is she a Metamorphmagus?"
"We believe so," said Ted. "Her hair started changing colors the day she was born, which was a year ago today!"
"Well, many happy returns!" Tonks called. "As it happens, it's my birthday today too, though I'm a bit older than this little one." Tonks looked fondly at her year-old self and beamed; the infant matched her hair color to Tonks'; it pinched her heart to think she might have a child like that one day.
"Is it really?" Ted asked. "Are you here alone?"
"I am," replied Tonks. "Unfortunately, I've little family or friends left, so I was hoping to enjoy an afternoon here."
"You look rather familiar," Andromeda noted. "How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"
Tonks thought for a moment. Her parents would have been around 20 at this point. If she answered "25" they'd have been separated by 5 years at Hogwarts. Far enough apart that it wouldn't notice.
"I'm 25," Tonks replied. "I was a Hufflepuff."
"That may be why we don't know you, then," Andromeda understood. "We were likely first years when you were a sixth year, and if you were in Hufflepuff, we wouldn't have gotten the chance to know you. I'm Andromeda Tonks, though I was known as Andromeda Black then. I was in Slytherin, and my husband, Ted, was in Ravenclaw."
"By the time I made fifth year, it was hard enough to keep track of the first years," Tonks laughed. "O.W.L.s made it hard to care about anything else."
"What do you do now?" Ted asked.
"I teach," Tonks lied. "Not at Hogwarts, but magical children. A tutor of sorts."
"Why don't you sit down and join us, Miss…?" Ted wondered.
"Scamander," Tonks provided.
"There was a Scamander at school when we were there?" Ted gasped. "Are you related to Newt Scamander?"
"Very distantly," lied Tonks. "I think that helped lead me to Hufflepuff, though." Tonks smiled brightly at them.
"Was Newt Scamander really a Hufflepuff?" Andromeda asked.
"Of course he was!" Tonks said proudly. "One of the greatest Hufflepuffs, if I do say so myself."
"Indeed," Ted observed. "You think our girl here could be a Hufflepuff?"
"Definitely," Tonks smiled. "Can you make your hair yellow, baby, for Hufflepuff?" Baby-Dora simply babbled; at this age, Tonks had been told that she would change her hair color if she found a similar color amusing. Thinking quickly, Tonks gently tapped her head, pretending to cast a Hair Color Change Charm; instead, she morphed her hair honey yellow. Baby-Dora followed suit and changed her hair to the same honey yellow.
"Wow!" Ted exclaimed. "Excellent charm work!"
Tonks smiled and did it again, changing her hair to a vibrant purple. Baby-Dora mimicked Tonks, clapping her chubby hands together as she mirrored her adult counterpart. Tonks repeated this a few more times; turquoise blue, emerald green, jet-black, and then back to the burgundy she'd sported when she arrived. Baby-Dora nearly kept up with her adult counterpart; by the end, Baby-Dora had half black-half burgundy hair and was perplexed at the sudden confusion.
"Very impressive, Miss Scamander," Andromeda noted. "I didn't realize it was so easy to get Nymphadora to change her hair color. Going to Muggle establishments is a nightmare when she changes her hair to such…unorthodox colors. The Muggles think I'm putting chemicals in her hair!"
"Try a hat or a hood," Tonks suggested. "It might help with the accidental morphing. I think she'll be able to fully control it when she's ready to go to Hogwarts." Tonks smiled at them, and then looked at the clock. Her three hours were nearly up.
"I'm afraid I must go," Tonks said. "Though I haven't anyone to go home to, I need to get ready for my classes tomorrow. It was so lovely to spend my day with you three. I can't tell you how much it means to me." Tonks felt the tears welling up again, and was unable to stop them from flowing.
Baffled but affable Ted awkwardly hugged Tonks as he stood up to say goodbye to her. Andromeda, who had been initially guarded, took Tonks into a tight hug. Tonks wept onto her mother's shoulder, feelings of love, longing, and loneliness coursing through her.
"I'm so sorry about that," Tonks apologized. "I lost my mum about a year ago, and you just…remind me of her."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Miss Scamander," offered Andromeda. "Our door will be open for you, if you'd like."
"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Tonks," Tonks said. "I may take you up on that, but for now, I'll be off. Thank you for your kindness." Tonks left their table reluctantly and went back to the Floo to the Headmaster's office.
Though it hadn't been the best birthday she'd had so far, it had been one of the best days she'd had since arriving in the new timeline. Lunch with her parents – even as a stranger – was all her heart had wanted for a year. If only Tonks could get adult Remus too.
...
8 December 1972
Dora was immersed in a Muggle novel, Jane Eyre, over breakfast. She'd discovered a small section of Muggle novels in the library and had decided to read more for enjoyment now that she had the time. Her classes were terribly repetitive; new charm, spell, or potion for the others, Dora would earn easy points for Hufflepuff as she got them on the first try, then Dora learned the spells wordlessly, and finally, Dora learned the spells wandlessly. Once all steps had been reached, Dora would help others. This still left a remarkable amount of free time for her, so she took advantage of the time to read books her Muggle grandmother had read.
Dora was startled when the owl post arrived; a flustered looking barn owl had a letter for her in its beak. She hadn't been expecting a letter that week, but some of the older students knew what it was. The letter was written on heavy parchment and purple ink. She opened it and found the following invitation:
Dear Miss Pandora Black,
You are cordially invited to attend Professor Slughorn's annual Christmas party on Friday, 22nd December, 1972 at 7 o'clock in the evening, at the Professor's gathering room. You may bring one guest with you. Please owl your reply no later than 15 December.
Yours truly,
Horace Slughorn
Potions Master, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
"Is this real?" Dora asked. "Why didn't you all get one of these?" She gestured at the other first years around her.
"Because first years never get invited to the Slug Club," a pompous voice boomed. Dora looked up to see a fourth-year Ravenclaw, Tiberius McLaggen, looking down at her. "It must be a mistaken invitation."
"It has my full name, see?" Dora showed the parchment to McLaggen. "Unless there's another Pandora Black at this school, it was addressed to me and me only."
Calvin Macmillan had received an invitation as well. "Pandora's right, McLaggen," Calvin said. "It's no wonder she got invited; nearly half our house points came from her brilliance!"
"Not nearly half, not anywhere near that," Dora rushed.
"She's being modest," Scholastica interjected. "Pandora always get spells on the first try, and potions too!" Dora blushed at the praise.
"I probably got invited because I'm Newt Scamander's granddaughter," Dora justified, shrugging. "There are a lot of great students here and Slughorn likes famous people."
"That must be it then," McLaggen declared, looking mollified. "No other way a first year would've gotten an invitation."
"That's quite rude," Amos Diggory spoke up, holding his own invitation to the Slug Club. "Don't insult Pandora. She got an invitation fair and square, and she deserves it. Leave her be."
McLaggen walked away in a huff, while the other first-year Hufflepuff girls chatted excitedly with Dora. "Who are you going to take?" "What are you going to wear?" "You've got to say yes!"
"Yes, I'll go," Dora resigned. "I dunno who to take, and I'll wear some of those dress robes my Aunt Walburga made me bring. She'll be right pleased when I tell her I get to finally wear them here." Dora stood up from the table. "If you'll excuse me, I'm off to the owlery to get a few letters out. Meet you all in Herbology?" The other girls nodded, and Dora made her way up to the owlery before class.
On her way up to the owlery, Dora bumped gracelessly into none other than Severus Snape. He too was clutching an invitation to the Slug Club, and appeared to be replying.
"Who are you taking, then?" Dora asked, once she got to her feet.
"Not you, certainly," Snape sneered.
"I wouldn't have said yes if you asked," Dora replied, airily. "Anyway, I've got my own invitation." She flashed the parchment in front of Snape's now-wide eyes.
"How did you do that?" Snape asked. "First years are never invited."
"I'm guessing it's because I'm Newt Scamander's granddaughter," Dora explained, shrugging. "I'm good enough with spells and potions, but plenty of others are good too."
"Enough of that Hufflepuff modesty," Snape countered. "Everyone knows you're the most talented student in your year."
"Everyone knows that?" Dora challenged. "How would you know that? Why would anyone care?"
"Others talk," Snape said, simply. "You should be grateful you're a pureblood. It makes the others admire your talent, rather than wonder how you stole it."
"Stealing talent? As in, stealing magic?" Dora asked incredulously. "That's absurd."
"Maybe to you it is, but not to many others we know," Snape said indifferently. Was he talking about the way some purebloods saw talented Muggleborns? Lily?
"You're taking Lily?" Dora asked.
"Why would you expect that?" Snape demanded. "I've hardly had the time to ask her, let alone anyone else."
"You're friends, you prat. Who else would you take but a friend?"
"Are you implying I can't get a date?"
"You're 12, aren't you? Not exactly a date when you're 12."
"Which pitiful friend are you going to ask, then?" Snape asked.
"Not sure," Dora responded. "Maybe I'll take one of my cousins."
"Please make it Regulus, if you must," Snape sighed.
"We'll see, Snape," Dora asked. "Knowing Sirius, I'm sure he'll find a way to be there, whether or not he comes with me."
A cohort of older girls were giggling loudly from the courtyard below.
"I suppose they think they'll get into the Slug Club if they behave like imbeciles," Snape observed. "Surely not the way to get a date."
"I've always wondered about you, Snape," Dora mused. "Maybe I'll figure you out one of these days." Dora smiled at an offended Snape and ran past him to get the two letters out to Slughorn, accepting the invitation, and Aunt Walburga, letting her know of her new sartorial opportunity.