15 December 1972

Slughorn's Christmas party was a week away and Dora had yet to find a date, not that she'd run out of options. Slytherin boys without invitations had been dogging her relentlessly; shy Hufflepuff boys turned up around Dora when she least expected them. The whole situation was getting ridiculous, really, thought Dora. Choosing a date while posing as a 12 year old should be easier than this, shouldn't it?

Dora's first thought was Remus, but the party would be only two days after the full moon. Ever since he had allowed her to keep him company the day after the full moon, Dora began to learn his healing process (though he prohibited her from even touching him until the worst injuries were healed by Madam Pomfrey). The first day was the worst, when he sported multiple bruises, gashes, and scratches. The second day was better, with most serious injuries healed, but Remus still lacked energy that would only arrive on the third day after the full moon. She didn't want to place any further expectations on him so soon after a full moon.

The second option, in Dora's eyes, was Sirius. He was moody and unpredictable, but he could be a lot of fun and would not look at the invitation as any more than Dora asking her cousin to accompany her. When she'd mentioned asking Sirius to her friends, they all looked at her in disgust that she would choose her first cousin as a date. Even if Dora insisted there was nothing romantic to it (that thought made her terribly uneasy), it made Regulus a poor option for the same reason.

Dora almost considered bringing Moody as her date; wouldn't that be a sight! She quickly realized how inappropriate it would be for a 12 year old girl to bring a grizzled, older Auror as her date. It would have to be someone around her age who wasn't related to her. Suddenly, those restrictions felt suffocating to Dora.

Giving up, Dora made her way to the Slytherin table to find one of the more tolerable boys to be her date. Crabbe wasn't completely terrible; neither was Goyle. Neither of them had enough brain cells together to get an invitation, and being third years, they likely wouldn't have made the cut anyway.

As she was walking towards the table, she overheard a few Gryffindor girls talking animatedly. It was Lily, Dorcas, Alice, and Marlene.

"You're not going to Slughorn's thing with Snape, are you, Lily?" asked Marlene incredulously.

"As a matter of fact, I'm not," replied Lily. "Potter tried to get an invitation so I asked the first person I could find to get him away from me."

"Who are you going with, then?" Dorcas asked.

"Frank," Lily replied. "I'm sorry, Alice, I know you fancy him. He was there when Potter cornered me and I told him Frank was already coming with me. We're just friends, I promise."

"That's okay, Lily," Alice responded. "Frank told me about it and knew Potter was being a prat, so he agreed to go with you."

"Would you have gone with Snape?" Marlene insisted.

"Maybe if he'd asked," Lily sighed. "Nicely."

"There's no 'nicely' with that greasy bastard," Dorcas said. "I still don't get why you spend time with him."

"We're childhood friends, Dorcas," Lily said. "He's more like a brother than anything."

The girls descended into conversation about what Lily would be wearing to Slughorn's party, and Dora made a quick decision. She sauntered over to the Slytherin table and sat directly across from Severus Snape. Several other Slytherins looked agape to find Dora at their table.

"Snape," she called. He looked up from his potions text with a similar look of surprise.

"Yes, Pandora?" he said, tired.

"Do you have a date to Slughorn's yet?" Dora demanded. Snape looked briefly to where Lily and her friends were seated.

"No, I don't," Snape mumbled.

"Want to be mine?" Dora asked. "Please?" By now several more Slytherins were looking at the scene with both interest and disbelief. She heard murmurs of "Snape?"

"With Pandora?"

"Think she fancies him?"

"He's just a half-blood!"

"Fine," Snape said, through gritted teeth. Dora felt immediate relief. Snape wouldn't construe this as a true date, and he wasn't related to her. Unpleasant though he may be, she'd already had several years of experience with him as her professor to know how not to cross him.

"Brilliant," Dora said, smiling. "Meet me in the Great Hall at quarter to seven next Friday?" Snape nodded and returned to his potions text, so Dora stood back up to make her way to the Hufflepuff table.

No sooner than she'd sat down, a gaggle of Gryffindor boys greeted her.

"You're going with Snivellus?" Sirius asked.

"Of all people!" James roared.

"Have you lost your mind?" Remus added.

"He's an oily git!" Peter squeaked.

"I'll have you know I considered my options carefully," Dora replied. "Snape already had an invitation, and I know we're not going as dates. Just as friends. He's one of the only boys I could ask with that already understood."

"How do you know he doesn't fancy you?" Sirius demanded.

"Or do you fancy him?" James said, horrified.

"I'm certain he fancies someone else," Dora said. "Seeing as neither of us could go with who we really wanted, it made sense."

"Who did you really want to go with?" a new voice chimed in. It was Avery. He, Nott, Mulciber, and Regulus were now positioned on the other side of the Hufflepuff table. The Hufflepuffs around her were watching the scene with great amusement, much to Dora's chagrin.

"One of my cousins," Dora replied, truthfully. "No one believed me when I said it wasn't romantic, so I gave that idea up."

"Me or Sirius?" Regulus asked. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Dora sighed. "But apparently taking your cousin as a date to Slughorn's thing is too close for comfort for the feeble-minded, so I'm taking Snape." The boys began fighting among themselves, deciding whether or not bringing one's cousin or a friend appeared worse for the occasion.

"Would you all leave me alone?" Dora asked. "I'm perfectly happy with my decision to take Severus. As long as he's fine with it, leave us be."

All the boys looked awkwardly away from Dora, a few grumbling to themselves, but left her alone with the other Hufflepuffs.

"So many boys fighting over you!" Scholastica exclaimed.

"How romantic!" Elissa gushed. "You could have any of them if you wanted."

"We're 12," Dora deadpanned. "I don't want any of them." I'm really 25 and these boys are children, of course I don't want any of them, Dora thought. I'm not depraved.

"Maybe when we're older then?" Perpetua added. "Some of them are cute!" Dora groaned.

"Cute like kittens, maybe, but no more than that," Dora said.

"You don't fancy…girls…do you?" Isolde whispered. "It's alright if you do," she added hastily.

"No, I don't," Dora replied. "It's blokes for me, whether I like it or not. I'm just not interested in any of those blokes." She shoved a piece of toast in her mouth, angry with the way the conversation was going. The Hufflepuff girls had now begun discussing the boys they thought were most dashing, and Dora wanted nothing to do with it. The one bloke she wanted was two decades older and completely unavailable until then. Sighing sadly, she packed up her things and went off to Charms.

...

22 December 1972

It was the last day before students went away for the Christmas holiday, and the day of Slughorn's Christmas party. Classes had been cancelled after noon to allow the students to gather their things before the train took them home the next day. Dora, Regulus, and Sirius were staying at the castle for the holidays. Sirius had begged Dora to stay, and Dora had begged Regulus to stay. They'd celebrate Christmas together, away from Grimmauld Place.

As Dora had no need to pack, she wandered up to the seventh floor after lunch to practice dueling in the Room of Requirement for a few hours before she had to get ready for Slughorn's party. She wasn't looking forward to it, but at least she had a non-romantic, non-scandalizing date to go with, even if it was Severus sodding Snape.

"You come up here a lot," Remus called. He was standing near the top of the stairs, looking out a window that overlooked the Shrieking Shack.

"I like the views," Dora lied. "We don't get the best views from our common room or dormitories." Remus looked at her thoughtfully.

"You didn't come to see me this morning," Remus said. "I missed you."

"I'm sorry, I forgot I had to get things ready for tonight," Dora explained. "I thought you'd be asleep."

"I wasn't," Remus said grumpily. Two days after the full moon and moody as ever, right on schedule, Dora thought.

"Maybe I can make it up to you," Dora said. "C'mon," she called, grabbing his hand. She led them to the expanse of wall that hid the Room of Requirement. "Wait here for a moment." Dora paced up and down the corridor, asking the room to produce her a cozy place to sit for afternoon tea. A confused Remus stared at her, but his eyes grew wide when a door appeared in the wall.

"Perfect," Dora said. "Let's go, Remus!" She grabbed his hand again and they went through the door. The Room of Requirement was now a quaint parlor with squashy armchairs. Tea for two was set on a table in front of the chairs, and a fire was crackling merrily on the other side of the armchairs.

"What is this place?" Remus asked.

"It's the Room of Requirement, sometimes called the Come-and-Go-Room," Dora explained. "It changes into whatever the person needing it needs it to be."

"So it could be a set of toilets if you needed to use the loo?" Remus asked.

"Exactly," Dora smiled. "I come here a lot when I'm missing home."

"Does it change to what your house looked like in America with your mum?"

"No, it's usually just a room that's cozy and lets me spend some time away from others."

"Why'd you bring me here if you use it to be alone?"

"I thought we could talk, since we couldn't this morning," Dora grinned. "Is that alright?"

Remus smiled toothily and sunk into one of the squashy armchairs, but not before fixing himself some tea and helping himself to a scone.

"Why are you really going with Snape?" Remus blurted.

"To Slughorn's?"

"Yeah. Why him?"

"Like I said last week, my other options weren't really options. He wasn't my first choice."

"You wanted to go with Sirius," Remus sighed. "All the girls fancy him."

"You think I wanted to go with my cousin because I fancy him? Are you mental?"

"The Blacks aren't known to discriminate in that area," Remus said testily.

"I am not, nor will I ever be interested in my cousin like that. Either of them," Dora said, with finality. Remus drew quiet, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

"I wanted to go with you, actually," Dora said, softly. Remus' eyes perked up at this. "But with it so soon after the full moon, I didn't want to put any more stress on you," Dora continued.

"I could've handled it," Remus mumbled. He had bags under his eyes and still looked pale; it would be another full day before he was closer to his usual self.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask you sooner, Remus. If I get another invitation, you'll come with me?"

"Of course I will," Remus smiled. "Why me though?"

"Why not you? You're my friend."

"All those Slytherin boys were all over you. Wouldn't your family want you to be with one of them?"

"What my family want and what I want are two very different things."

"What do you want?" Remus asked, a curious expression in his eyes.

"Honestly? My old life back," Dora replied. Remus looked pitifully sad at her response, much to Dora's confusion.

"It's not that I don't like my new friends," Dora added hastily. "I always knew what I wanted then. Now I'm not so sure."

"What did you want before? To go to Ilvermorny like your mum?"

What did I want when I was really 25? To be with an adult Remus. To defeat Voldemort and all his cronies. To see Sirius happy, healthy, and walking as a truly free man. To see Bellatrix back in prison for the rest of her life. To be Head of the Auror Department one day.

"I guess I had a clearer vision of my future," Dora said vaguely. "It's different now with so much changed. I saw myself becoming Head of the Auror Department," Dora added wistfully.

"Aurors for MACUSA?"

"My grandmother Scamander was an Auror for them, yeah, and I wanted to be like her," Dora fibbed. Tina Scamander had been an Auror, but Dora wanted to be an Auror to keep nutters like her Aunt Bellatrix away from society.

"Why can't you be an Auror for our Ministry?" Remus wondered. "You'd be great at it."

"It's just not an option this time around," Dora sighed. "I can't explain why right now," she added, seeing Remus' confused expression.

"What do you want to do with your life, Remus?"

"I'm not sure. I don't think I have a future."

"Whyever not? You're plenty talented."

"No one hires werewolves, Dora."

"Not yet, they don't," she insisted. "Maybe I'll take up werewolf rights," she mused.

"You don't need to do that," Remus said. "For me."

"It wouldn't be just for you, you self-centered prat," Dora pressed. "You're far from the only werewolf who deserves a better life."

"You're not like others, Dora," Remus asserted. "It's a lost cause," he said, bitterly.

"Maybe for now," she replied. "I'll see what I can do." Remus frowned at her.

"Anyway, Remus, I should get going," Dora said. "I've got to get ready for this bloody Christmas party. Walburga was delighted I could wear my dress robes to a school event, and even happier I'm going with a Slytherin, even if he is a half-blood." Dora rolled her eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" Remus asked.

"Of course, Remus," Dora smiled.

...

22 December 1972 (evening)

Dora put the finishing touches on her hair, hearing many "oohs" and "ahhs" from her Hufflepuff dormmates. Her Muggleborn dormmates had never seen dress robes for witches, and they were slightly disappointed to see they weren't terribly different from their school robes.

"If my Aunt weren't a blood purist, I'd be wearing a Muggle dress, believe me," Dora explained. "These are excessive. They only look good on blokes, and even then, Muggle suits are far better." A light shiver crept down her spine at the thought of an adult Remus in a bespoke suit. I'll have to wait awhile for that, she thought.

"Snape'll wear these too?" Elissa asked.

"They're a little manlier, I think," Dora said. "He'll have a bowtie." Dora turned around to face the girls. "How do I look?"

"Gorgeous," admired Zarya. "Snape is lucky to have you as his date."

"I've said this too many times now," Dora sighed. "We're 12. Years. Old."

"You don't really act like a 12 year old, anyway," Isolde chirped. "My mum would say you have an 'old soul'."

"I hope that means something nice," Dora said. "I've got to be off now, see you all later tonight!" The girls wished her good luck and Dora sped through the common room and to the Great Hall, where she'd be meeting Snape for the party.

Dora exhaled with relief when she saw Severus standing outside the door to the Great Hall in his dress robes. They weren't as elegant as hers were, but they were clean, pressed, and he wore a bowtie that was expertly tied.

"Severus," Dora said. He looked up at her and said, "You look…different."

"How sweet," Dora said expressionlessly. "Did you mean to say nice? If so, then you look 'different' too." Snape's lip curled slightly at this, which she took as a smile.

"Let's be off, then," Dora said, offering her arm. Snape hesitated before he linked his own with it and led them down to the dungeons, where Slughorn was hosting the party. I'm going to a Christmas party in the dungeons with a 12 year old Severus Snape, Dora thought. It's the little things that keep this timeline interesting.

Dora and Severus arrived at the party with their invitations in hand. Several others were already gathered in the dungeons; Lily and Frank, Tiberius with a Ravenclaw girl Dora didn't recognize, Calvin Macmillan and Anita Rogers, the other fifth-year Hufflepuff prefect, and then a throng of Slytherin boys with their well-dressed dates.

"Miss Black and Mr. Snape!" Slughorn announced. "Two of my youngest and brightest potions students, along with Miss Evans there!"

Dora looked around the room; she was the youngest by far as a first-year, while Severus and Lily were the next oldest. Everyone else was in third year or beyond. There was a large spread of food and drink set up, and a dance floor had been placed in the middle of the merrily lit dungeon. A band played and both students and professors were already dancing. Dora giggled to herself as she saw Professors Sprout and Flitwick attempting to waltz.

"Want to dance, Sev?" Dora asked.

"Sev?"

"Lily calls you that," Dora said. "If you hate it, I'll call you Severus or Snape if you prefer. I certainly have my fair share of hating my name."

"Pandora is a perfectly good name."

Dora rolled her eyes. Her mother really should have called her Pandora, rather than Nymphadora.

"Not what I meant, but I don't have time to explain," Dora said. "Sev is okay then?"

"I prefer Severus."

"Fine, Severus," Dora emphasized. "Care to dance?"

"Alright," Severus sighed. He took her to the dance floor, and Dora was surprised that he could dance fairly well. He wasn't as talented as Regulus or Sirius, having been taught by the best tutors Walburga could find, but he wasn't bad on his feet at all. Dora looked over to see Frank struggling to dance with Lily.

"You should ask Lily to dance next," Dora suggested.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I know you wanted to take her instead of me." Severus was quiet at this comment.

"Also, because you're a much better dancer than Frank," Dora continued, smiling. "I think Lily would appreciate it." Snape's lip curled into his sort-of smile.

"If you don't ask her to dance with you, I will," Dora threatened. "I'll ask for her to swap dance partners."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because we're friends, aren't we?" Dora said. "Friends help friends."

"I'd hardly call you my friend."

"You know what, Sev? I'm calling you Sev, I don't care," Dora prattled on. "We're friends. I'm nice enough for the both of us, and you're going to be my friend now." Severus muttered a few obscenities, but Dora ignored them.

"Is that 'Merlin's bollocks' your way of saying yes?" Dora grinned. Snape huffed grumpily, but nodded.

"Since we're friends, Sev," Dora continued. "You'll do me a favor and ask Lily to dance so I can get some food."

"Fine." Snape's lip curled again, and Dora knew she'd won him over. He bowed to her and excused himself to ask Lily to dance, while Dora went to the table with food and helped herself to pumpkin pasties.

"You look lovely tonight, Pandora," said Avery, silkily. Dora looked up with her mouth full of pumpkin; if Walburga saw me, she'd be screeching about improper manners.

Dora swallowed the remaining pumpkin and said, "Thank you, Avery. You're looking nice tonight as well."

"Care to dance with me, Pandora?" Avery asked.

"Will your date be alright with that?"

"I didn't bring a date."

"That was an option?! I thought I had to bring a date!"

"You didn't want to come with Snape?" Avery asked.

"He's my friend, but I think he'd have been as happy going alone as I'd have been," Dora explained. "We're just friends and I thought it'd be nice to go together."

"You would rather have gone alone?"

"I think so. I considered Sirius or Regulus, but my friends thought it was improper to bring one of my cousins as a date."

"Why did they think it was improper?" Avery questioned.

"I think they were under the impression I was looking for a romantic date," Dora elaborated. "I'm 12 and I hardly need a romantic date, let alone one that includes one of my cousins."

"You're not interested in pursuing a betrothal with one of them?"

"I'm 12," Dora sighed. "I don't understand why this keeps coming up."

"You may be young, Pandora, but you're rather talented and well connected for your age," Avery continued. "Your father would be a fool to allow you to marry anyone less worthy."

"Marrying one of my cousins is considered worthy?" Dora asked incredulously.

Avery shrugged while turning Dora on the spot in the dance. "It would certainly keep the wealth of the House of Black together."

"That's ridiculous. Marriage shouldn't be based on combining wealth."

"I forget you've only been reconnected with your father's family for just a year. Perhaps when you're older, you'll understand," Avery patronized.

"What if I refused to marry one of them?" Dora demanded.

"You needn't refuse if you had another worthy offer, Pandora. Your father would be very pleased with other advantageous betrothals," Avery prattled.

"So I just have to find someone else my father would approve of, and get a betrothal together?"

"Exactly, Pandora," Avery smirked. "You understand now." What a patronizing prick.

"Would you excuse me? I'm parched and could use a drink," Dora stated.

"I'd be glad to get it for you, Pandora," Avery said.

"I don't mind going myself," Dora said, excusing herself and going back to the table to get pumpkin juice. She looked down at the liquid, wondering if anyone had spiked it. Moody's really gotten to me after all these years, Dora thought. Giving up, she found an empty goblet and cast "Aguamenti!" to drink water from it.

"That's a sixth year charm, my girl!" noted Professor Slughorn. "How in Merlin's name did you learn to do that?"

"I study a lot of advanced spells in my free time," Dora lied.

"I knew you were talented in potions, Miss Black, but this is quite advanced spellwork for a first year!" admired Slughorn. "Come, allow me to introduce you to some of my friends!"

Dora spent the next hour and a half shuttled from one well-connected witch or wizard to the next one. She was growing increasingly tired of being shown off as Slughorn's newest "catch." She was admittedly impressed to meet some of the more famous Quidditch players she'd grown up hearing about, but others were decidedly less interesting, particularly when they lauded her skills as a result of being a well-bred pureblood.

"Excuse me," interjected Severus. "I'd like to see if my date would like another dance." Dora mouthed "thank you" at Severus.

"Why of course, Mr. Snape," Slughorn chortled. "I've taken away Miss Black for quite enough time. Enjoy yourselves!"

"Thank you," Dora whispered to Severus. "You rescued me."

"You looked rather upset," Severus noted. "I've now returned your favor."

"Dancing with Lily?" she suggested. Severus nodded imperceptibly.

"Anything for a friend, right?" Dora grinned at Severus, before continuing, "Do you mind if I head out? I'm knackered and just want to get back to bed."

"I didn't take you for one to leave a party early," Severus commented.

"Maybe in a previous life," Dora said absentmindedly. "But not this time around." Severus looked at Dora curiously, but didn't say anything.

"Are you going to stay?" Dora asked. Severus looked around, and answered "no." Lily must have left then, Dora thought.

"Can you walk me back to my common room?" Dora asked.

"Why?" Snape narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"So no one else does," Dora said, eyeing Avery. "Please."

"Alright." Severus led her out of Slughorn's dungeons and up towards the Great Hall. They entered the door that led to the Hufflepuff common room, and Dora bade Severus a goodnight.

"Thanks, Severus," she said. "I hope next time we can both go with who we really want." Snape's dark eyes glittered curiously, but he said nothing as he turned on his heel to return to the dungeons.