Everyone, it seemed to Dora, was rather sad to leave the beach house a few days before the end of the month.

"Well," her mum said, slowly, "perhaps we can stay longer next summer."

"I agree," her dad added, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "and I was thinking that it might be nice to spend a week of Dora's Christmas holidays here," her dad suggested. "Even if we can't swim in the ocean, it's still lovely."

Dora nodded with enthusiasm, and her mother considered.

"Maybe. We can talk about it closer to the holidays. Your brother or sister might send us an invite," Andromeda pointed out.

They had done so in the past, usually at the beginning of the month. Dora liked spending the time with her muggle cousins, but she knew that going without magic in a muggle home (another Ministry regulation) was difficult for her parents.

"I'll speak to them. See what they're thinking and all," her dad assured them. "You know Susan, how organized she is. She'll have everything planned by October at the latest. And Ed usually goes abroad."

She nodded, and Dora knew that there was a good chance that they would return in a few months.

Once they were back home, it was hard to feel gloomy. Dora was rather happy to be back at home, back in her room. Her mum helped her unpack, as she was really good at those spells, and then they sat down on Dora's bed.

"Have a good time?" she asked.

Dora nodded. "It was lovely, and I'm glad I got to go swimming with Dad."

Andromeda beamed. "He was rather concerned you would think that you would think you were too old for it."

"Never!" Dora insisted. "I love the water, but especially the waves. It's so...freeing."

"Even if your hair gets all tangled up and salty?" Andromeda teased, running her hand through her mane.

Dora shrugged. "The shampoo takes care of that." She smiled. "I can feel it working harder on my scalp after I swim than when it just needs a wash. Feels so nice."

"I didn't know it existed until you were a baby," her mum recalled. "It was developed for babies and small children, but I have it on good authority that adults use it."

"Sure. It feels lovely," Dora answered, with a smile. Then, she yawned. "I think I'll have a rest for a bit."

"Would you like me to help you into your night corset?" Andromeda asked, gently.

Dora nodded.

A few minutes later, clad in her chemise, her twenty inch underbust (now laced to twenty and three quarters), and a floor-length dressing gown, she and her mother made their way downstairs to the sitting room. The couch there, while more narrow than any of their beds, was the softest place to sleep in the house. Wrapped under a warm blanket and resting her head on a soft pillow, Dora easily drifted off next to her father, who stroked her hair as he watched TV, and her mother on her other side, who had begun to read a novel.

It was nice to be home.

Later that day, Andromeda mentioned that Dora might want to begin sleeping in her eighteen inch underbust corset.

"Not any tighter than usual," she added, quickly, "but at the way you've been progressing, you'll be at eighteen inches before long. And if you get smaller than that, your twenty inch will feel too loose."

Dora could see the logic behind that. "And better I get used to the new one now, rather than at school."

"Yes. And with your friend coming over in ten days for two weeks, you ought to try to get used to it before she arrives," Andromeda pointed out, reasonably.

Dora sighed. Breaking in the first hadn't been fun, although it certainly had been easier than learning how to sleep in one. The other alternative was, of course, sleeping in an overbust, but while she didn't mind (really, even enjoyed) the extra support around her waist and developing breasts, sleeping was something else entirely.

"Look at the bright side. As it closes at eighteen, it will likely be a few years before you need to adjust to the next one."

"How's that?" Dora asked, brow furrowed.

"Once you reach eighteen inches, it takes much longer to go below that. Perhaps you'll go down an inch every year. Or less," her mum explained. "With lacing two inches looser during the night, and I don't recommend going any tighter than that, I can't imagine you will be below sixteen inches before your fifth or sixth year," Andromeda concluded.

Dora nodded. "And I'll use this for that whole time."

"Yes. A few difficult nights in the beginning, and then you'll be all set for years to come," Andromeda encouraged.

"I know," Dora answered, with another sigh. "I just wish there was a spell to make it get used to my body immediately."

Andromeda planted a kiss on the top of her daughter's head. "There's always a bit of a struggle to become truly beautiful. But I promise to stay with you until you fall asleep if you like, and perhaps rub your back?"

"Well," Dora answered, with a grin, "that would help."

"Also," Andromeda noted, returning her daughter's grin with a smile of her own, "If you want my advice... I expect that if you lace up an hour before bed, you'll feel more at ease."

"I'll take whatever help I can get," Dora said, and meant it.

While she wasn't exactly dreading breaking in her new night corset, Dora certainly wasn't looking forward to it. It was a pity that, for all the spells witches and wizards had at their disposal, modifying the adjustment period of undergarments meant to support their bodies wasn't one of them.

And it wasn't as though corsets were new, either. Dora had begun reading about them, borrowing books from the Ministry Public Library with her mother's membership (only adults could use it), and even though muggles thought they had invented them in the early 1500's, witches and some wizards had been wearing them for at least two hundred years prior. Perhaps the muggles had taken that long to marry enough witches to incorporate them into their wardrobes?

In any event, while they had changed over the years, they remained a part of nearly every magical wardrobe until relatively recently.

"How does it feel?" Andromeda asked, after taking her in to twenty and three quarters that evening.

"Not too tight. Just very stiff," Dora answered, honestly.

She'd forgotten how stiff a new corset could feel, even if it wasn't laced tightly. And this one was laced to exactly two inches below her natural waist, which really shouldn't feel difficult at this point in her training.

"It will become more comfortable as the night progresses," Andromeda assured her, and Dora could hear the sympathy in her voice. "Does it hurt? Or pinch at all?"

Dora shook her head. "No, and it's not hard to breathe. It's just...stiff." She sighed. "I'll cope."

Andromeda put an arm around her. "If you ever have daughters and they have a body similar to yours, you will have done the hard work for them."

"If they don't choose bras, you mean," Dora reminded her.

Andromeda laughed. "Let's join your father for a bit of TV. It might take your mind off of it."

Fortunately, it did. The muggle show involved a man fighting crime, and Dora became so immersed in it that she forgot all about the stiffness of her new corset. When the show was over, the stiffness returned, but perhaps not to the extent that it had existed before. She yawned, which did not go unnoticed by either of her parents.

"Ready for bed, hon?" her dad asked. "I know it's getting rather late."

It was only 9. But it could be at least another hour before she fell asleep.

"I suppose so," she agreed, albeit reluctantly.

Dora really wanted to exchange her new corset for her old one, or even sleep without one altogether (something she'd done a few times at the beach, because it had been a holiday), but she knew that the more she put adjusting to it off, the longer it would take.

She had already bathed and brushed her teeth, so all that was left was to remove the dressing gown and get into bed.

And then, wait for sleep to come.

"I'll rub your shoulders. Or your feet, if you'd prefer that," her mum promised.

"Both sound lovely, but I reckon it would be better for you to massage my shoulders," Dora determined.

Andromeda nodded. "Would you like me to stay with you until you fall asleep?"

Dora yawned again. "Yes, please."

She and her dad exchanged good night hugs, and he kissed the top of her head. A part of her thought it wasn't fair that men could go without bras or corsets...but then, that was hardly his fault.

Besides, she loved wearing one. It was just the seasoning that was the hard bit.

"Did you find it difficult? Getting used to your new corsets?" Dora asked her mother as she pulled the blankets away from the bed.

"I did," her mother answered, with sympathy in her voice. "We all did, although Bella had the easiest time, and Cissy the hardest. As the baby, she received the most sympathy from us. Although Bella wasn't unkind to me."

"She called you a fat pig!"

"Just the once," Andromeda said, with a light chuckle. "And she was very kind to me when I became ill that one time."

Dora couldn't picture her imprisoned aunt as anything but cruel, but perhaps she had once had a soft spot for family.

It occurred to her that the Death Eaters hadn't killed her parents, either. Perhaps family loyalty mattered enough to keep them alive.

Narcissa had still shunned them, though.

Her mum's hands began to knead her shoulders, and before long, Dora was fast asleep.

She woke up feeling a combination of well-rested and a bit stiff. Unlacing was a relief, and she opted for a bath instead of a quick shower to bring more relief to her body. Dora donned her chemise and dressing gown to eat breakfast, and answered truthfully when asked how she felt and how she slept.

A couple of days later, Dora awoke to feeling completely at ease in her night corset. It being August 1st, the owl from Hogwarts also arrived at breakfast, carrying the school list.

Her mother scanned over the list before making a surprised noise.

Dora and her father, both engaged in their breakfast of porridge, looked up.

"Something wrong, Dromeda?" her dad asked, using his nickname for his wife.

She laughed. "No, I was just a bit surprised. Dora will need dress robes this year."

"Guess we bought my school ones a bit early," Dora noted.

Her mum shrugged. "We were in the area anyway." She reread the letter, as though expecting the words to change. "I suppose there will be a dance this year."

"A dance?" Dora complained. "Ugh!"

"What's wrong with dances?" her dad asked, giving her mum a quick glance.

"If you can dance like Mum, nothing. If you're a klutz like me, everything. It won't matter how pretty my robes are if I break my dance partner's feet," Dora explained.

Her mum smiled warmly at her. "I didn't start off graceful. That took many lessons...and I fainted more than once from the exertion. Not that that will be a problem with you, as your mother won't set your corset to lace you to just short of your fainting point." Her face turned sour, just for a second. "I can teach you to dance, honey, if you like."

"If you don't think it's a lost cause," Dora allowed. "All right. Thanks."

"And we will get you some lovely robes," Andromeda added. "I expect that the house elves will need to adjust it a bit, since you might be a big smaller by then."

"Are dress robes usually very tight?" Dora asked.

"Not in the arms or the shoulders, and there's more fabric in the skirt than your daily robes," Andromeda answered. "They're intended to be fitted in the waist, however large or small that is."

"It's then that most boys realize just how small some of their female classmates are," Ted put in. "I always found your mum to be beautiful, but at our first dance in fifth year, she looked stunning."

"I had just reached sixteen inches the day before the dance," Andromeda recalled, "and I felt on the verge of fainting throughout. I was relieved that most of the dances weren't particularly fast. Still had to sit out a few in an attempt to get my breath back."

"You weren't the only one. We didn't realize why, except maybe a couple of my friends from wizarding families." Ted grinned, a bit sheepishly. "We thought you were putting us off, trying to keep us interested."

"An added benefit," Andromeda assured him, with an uncharacteristic wink. "Mostly, we were trying not to faint." Looking at her daughter, she added, quickly, "You won't have that problem. Not if you don't over exert yourself or over lace."

"I doubt any of my classmates will fancy dancing with me," she added, rather dubiously.

Her mum hugged her. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You're lovely, kind, sweet-tempered most of the time, and very witty. Any boy who doesn't want to be your partner needs his head examined."

"Now, Dromeda, that is most teenage boys," Ted pointed out, with a laugh. "But you are beautiful, honey, and any boy in your year should give his wand arm to dance with you."

Dora reddened, especially at the knowledge that her dad meant what he'd just told her.

That morning, as she was finishing lacing herself after breakfast, Dora was both pleased and surprised that she'd comfortably reached eighteen and a half inches.

"Do you think I will be at eighteen by the time I leave for school?" she asked her mother, eagerly.

Andromeda consulted the book they used to keep track of her progress.

"Perhaps. Eighteen and a quarter might be more realistic," she answered, after a moment.

Another thought occurred to Dora. "How will we know what size to make my dress robes? Won't it look odd if my waist is smaller than the waist there?"

"Don't worry. We'll go off your current waist, and if you get a bit smaller, a house elf can take it in. They're used to that." Andromeda smiled. "They've altered my dress robes a few times while I was at school."

Dora nodded. "So, I just train as usual, and give them a note the week before or something?"

"Yes. They won't know unless you tell them, and it's better to wait until close before the dance, but not the day of." Andromeda put a hand on Dora's shoulder. "You needn't worry."

Another thought occurred to her.

"Mum, how long did it take you to get to sixteen after I was born?"

"A little over three years," Andromeda recalled. "I went to eighteen in one year, then it took another year for each inch reduction."

"And how small do you think you would have been had your mother not pushed you so much?" Dora asked.

Her mum laughed. "I've asked myself that on several occasions. Sometimes I think I still would have made it to fifteen, as I was there when I was sixteen and a half, but had the worst time getting below. Other times, I think no larger than sixteen, but not fifteen. I rather think I would have been at fifteen and a half."

Dora sighed. "All that pain for a measly half an inch."

"I know. Don't think I wasn't rather angry at my mother when I realized this. But...it was a different mindset, being in a pure blood family, and a very old one at that. Girls were trained through pain more often than not, to look beautiful and to act it. And I give credit to my mother for being far easier on me than her mother was on her and her sisters." She put an arm on Dora's shoulders. "And, I hope, you will be a better mum than I am."

"You're a great mum!" Dora insisted.

They hugged, then, and stayed like that for some time.

"Oh, one more thing," her mum added, and she sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to her.

Obediently, Dora sat beside her.

"You're getting quite small," she began, "and it's possible that you may begin to date..."

"Mum!" Dora interrupted. "Please, not the talk again!"

"This isn't about how babies are made," Andromeda answered, after a brief pause. "It's just...you might be small enough that a boy...a young man...will wish to encircle your waist in his hands."

Oh. Dora had seen her dad do it often enough, usually right before they kissed. He'd lift her mum into the air after putting his hands around her waist. At sixteen inches, this was no great feat. He could probably have done so had her waist been even larger.

"And I shouldn't let him?" Dora asked. "Even if I get that small?"

"Well, most men can encircle a waist at eighteen inches. Certainly seventeen, and you might be there before you turn fourteen. Certainly, you'll be at eighteen before the dance," Andromeda reasoned. "And such an act isn't...well, it's not sex, but it certainly is more intimate than kissing on the lips. I am not saying you should wait until you're married, but you must be very, very sure you like him."

A thought occurred to Dora. "But what if he tries without asking me?"

"That's why it's a good idea not to go on truly private dates until you are very certain you like him, and trust him. Any young man from a decent family wouldn't try in public," she reasoned. "Do you understand?" As Dora tried to process this, her mother continued. "It isn't...it's not like becoming pregnant before marriage, but some males consider it a conquest. You deserve someone who sees you as the treasure that you are, sweetheart."

Dora nodded. "I understand."

Later that day, Dora contacted Polly via the Floo network that evening to make plans for getting together in Diagon Alley to pick up their school supplies.

"How about this Saturday?" Polly asked, her rosy cheeks and blond hair visible in the fireplace.

As it was Thursday, this would give their parents a full day to determine what else they might need.

Dora glanced over at her mother, who nodded, then mouthed, "Ten in the morning?"

"Sure, that sounds great. Would ten in the morning be all right?"

There was another pause and Polly's head turned--no doubt, she was conferring with her parents.

"That should be fine! We'll meet at Gringotts, then?"

Andromeda nodded, and Dora conveyed the information. After a few words of departure, they closed the connection.

"Well, that was simple enough," Andromeda said, with a smile, and Dora had to agree.

They watched a bit of muggle TV before the muggle news was due to come on. No one had any interest in that, although Dora imagined that they might had they been a muggle family. As she understood, the muggle government of England ran things far differently than the Ministry.

Dora sat next to her mother, who was between herself and her father. It would have made a nice picture, with Dora leaning against her mum's side, one hand wrapped around her frame, and the other carding her hair in a slow, steady fashion. It was almost rhythmic, and Dora could feel her eyes close as the TV show went on.

"I think it's time for bed," her mother murmured, gently lifting her up.

Dora blinked, still sleepy from her near doze. "What time is it?"

"After nine. Would you like me to help you tonight?"

Her head cleared a bit. "Yes, please. And," she added, glancing at her dad, "could you stay with me a bit?"

"Of course. Why don't you get cleaned up, and I'll do the same?" Andromeda suggested.

Dora nodded, then gave her dad a good night hug and kiss before heading upstairs.

After unlacing, which by now had become almost second nature, Dora placed her day corset on the chair to air out, and her robes and chemise and underwear in a cloth bag to be laundered. Feeling a bit more alert, she took a quick shower, and had just put on her nightgown and was towel-drying her hair when her mother came in.

"Would you like me to brush your hair?" she asked, fondly.

"After you lace me up?" Dora asked. "I might fall asleep again."

Laughing a bit, her mother nodded.

As always, Andromeda worked slowly and carefully, giving Dora's body plenty of time to adjust, and also to enjoy the sense of compression. Once Dora's waist had reached the required twenty and a half inches, she tied off the laces and asked if she was comfortable.

"Very," Dora answered, not bothering to hide her smile.

"Time for your hair, then."

Dora's hair had been waist-length for as long as she could remember, minus a year when it stretched past her butt. While being able to sit on her tresses was an impressive milestone, it tended to get in the way. Even braided, which she'd resorted to for as long as it had been that length. When she had finally had enough and asked her mum to cut off six inches, making it waist-length once more, it felt much lighter and more freeing. She almost wanted to persuade her to cut off even more, but decided against it. Besides, she could always change how it looked.

Now, she sat up straight (not that she had much of a choice) as her mother moved the brush through her tangled locks. Andromeda had always been gentle, taking as much care as she could to avoid causing even the slightest amount of pain, but Dora had seen it as a matter of pride and independence when she could brush her own hair without help.

Mum's helping me dress again, sort of, and now she's brushing my hair, she thought. But it's kind of nice.

"Thank you," she murmured, once her mum had put the brush back on the table. "Will you stay with me a bit?"

"Of course," Andromeda answered, softly.

Andromeda pulled back the covers, and they climbed into the bed.

"It's so toasty," Dora murmured.

Her mum knew what she meant.

"It will feel even nicer once the weather gets colder. A good Heating charm on your corset, your chemise, and your robes? You'll be amazed at how toasty you feel," she promised. "Especially in your common room in front of a warm fire."

"Sounds lovely," Dora yawned, then nestled against her mother, who wrapped her arms around her.

Next up:

A trip to Diagon Alley for school supplies, and meeting with a friend while there. Also, Muggle Studies is going to be a LOT of work!

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