Dora spent the next couple of days in a similar pattern as the first, prioritizing her schoolwork before all else. She had to, if she was to finish soon, and be able to enjoy the rest of the holidays with her parents. Her friends, she knew, would be doing the same.

Especially poor Sarah, especially if her mother didn't come around. Dora had felt dreadful when her friend had asked the group if anyone would be staying at school for the holidays-but everyone would be returning home. That is, everyone in their entire year, not only the Hufflepuffs. Hogwarts always offered the option to stay behind at school for Christmas and Easter and Christmas, at least, was supposed to be a lovely celebration. But very few students opted to stay, and of the ones that did, they were usually the fifth and the seventh years preparing for their OWLs and NEWTs. Dreading going home as Sarah might be, she had Elizabeth for support, and perhaps, once she spoke to her mother, things would improve. Dora was not optimistic enough to believe that Sarah would return to school with sets of custom made corsets, but maybe she'd had the permission slip signed. Dora hoped so, anyway.

After donning her dressing gown over her night corset on the third day of her holiday, Dora was met with the usual smiles and hugs from her parents. She beamed and hugged them in response. She felt optimistic-she might finish her schoolwork by that evening, and there was the anticipation of Christmas being just over a week away. Dora sat down with relative grace, managed not to bang any limbs, and happily accepted a plate of eggs and toast with blueberry jam.

"Sleep well, love?" Ted asked, with a smile.

Dora swallowed before answering. "Very well. There's something about being here, you know? The waves and all that? It's so peaceful, even when there's a bitter storm outside, and I find I sleep even more soundly than usual."

"As do I," Andromeda agreed, taking her own plate of food, and sitting next to Dora. "Rather like how a stormy day always makes me want to curl up on the couch and take a long nap."

"With a pile of warmed blankets," Ted added.

"Yes, mustn't forget those!" Andromeda nodded her head rather fervently.

"That's one of the things I missed when I was a boy and returned home," Dora's dad observed. "Oh, my bed was always plenty warm enough, but it's nothing like a Heating charm. I had to add a couple more blankets to my dad to adjust to the difference, and even then, it wasn't quite the same."

Andromeda opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly, a large, tawny owl pecked at the window until she flicked her wand to open it. With the briefest hoot of acknowledgment the owl, who was sure to be a Hogwarts official owl, as it looked very...well, official looking, promptly perched on the edge of the kitchen table and gave any hoot. A loud, assertive one, as though to say, "Well, hurry up! I haven't all day!"

Dora tried to hide a smile. Some owls would peer around, as though hoping for treats or pets for a job well done. This owl looked like it might not peck someone who pet her (Dora thought the tawny owl was likely a female), but would give you a cold stare at having the audacity to touch her. Her parents seemed to have the same mindset, because Andromeda gently unwrapped the letters, and Ted looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. Without so much as another glance in their direction, the owl flew off briskly, no doubt ready to deliver her next set of letters (or return to the post office). Andromeda flicked her wand at the window again to close it, and then, laughter broke out around the table.

"Mercy, I feel as though I'd been nearly caught cheating on an exam!" Andromeda giggled, placing her hand to her chest. "Now, that was one owl I would not cross."

Dora giggled as the owl left, not taking note of the post. "Serious bird, isn't she?"

"I suppose school and ministry owls receive special training in efficiency," she allowed, her face still wearing a smile, "but a bit of training in tact wouldn't hurt."

"Dromeda had an owl like that," her dad recalled, looking pained at the memory. "Ariadne, wasn't that her name?" At Andromeda's nod, he continued, "I'd say she was nearly as much of a snob about blood status as most of her family."

"How could you tell?" Dora asked, looking from her mum to her father.

"Every time she delivered a letter from your mum, she nearly took the skin of my fingers off. Knew I was muggle born, she did, and hated me for it."

"Your father right," Andromeda murmured. "Then again, what would you expect from a gift from my parents?" Placing a hand on his, she added, "She warmed up to you in the end. A bit."

"I don't know. She gave my hands more than enough abuse." Ted shook his head. "I begged my parents for my own owl for correspondence after a few nasty pecks, and we used him until he was killed when You Know Who was in power."

Dora shook her head. The story wasn't surprising, exactly, but she hadn't thought that even the Black family could instill snobbery and violence into animals.

"Poor Dad," she murmured, sympathetically. Then, she added, "What happened to Mum's owl after you got married?"

"I don't know. I imagine that she was given to Cissy," Andromeda mused. "Ariadne was still quite young at that point. Mother said she was a year old when I received her, which was in my first year, and it's at about that age that they can be sold to deliver mail. At least," she added, "that's the ideal age. Too young, and they can get confused with delivering mail."

Their own family owl, Arachne, had been in the family since just after their marriage. A present from Uncle Alphard, she wasn't a snob, exactly, but her tolerance for affection was limited.

"Oh!" Andromeda exclaimed, handing a letter to Dora, and smiling widely. "Your pictures from the dance arrived!"

Dora opened the envelope with some trepidation, but needn't have worried. The three photos enclosed (along with a note from her head of house, wishing her and her family a very happy Christmas) showed her to be as lovely as she'd hoped she looked.

A smiling, confident young woman looked at her, blushing on occasion, and curtsying more gracefully than Dora could have ever managed in real life. Her face was flawless, her hair immaculate, and her small waist emphasized by her dress robes. The robes complemented her completely, and as Dora studied her appearance, she knew she'd made the right choice. With a smile playing at her lips, she handed the photos to her mum and dad, who were seated next to each other.

"Oh!" Andromeda repeated, her face breaking into a proud smile. "You look positively stunning!" She gazed lovingly at Dora. "Looks ought not matter as much as your character, of course, but I can see both shining through here."

Dora felt her throat close up. "T-thank you, Mummy."

She looked down at her food, looking up when her dad grasped her hand. "Your mum's right, honey. You're beautiful, truly beautiful, in both ways. And it shows."

"Thank you, Daddy," she murmured.

"I'm certainly going to place a strong Preservation charm on these," Andromeda said, looking at the photos with fondness. "I don't want anything to happen to them over time. And I'll charm them to include the dates, because I'm certain you'll have more school dances, honey." With a conspiratorial wink, she added, "You'll need new dress robes, too, before long. You can hardly wear the same ones for more than a year, even if your waist stays the same size. Which it won't, I'm sure."

"Your mum's right," Ted added. "You're growing up, honey, and you will need more clothes."

"I'm not protesting," Dora laughed.

Her dad looked over at the three photographs. "Dromeda, don't you think you should add charms to prevent destruction? Just in case," Ted recommended.

Andromeda nodded with rather more vigor than Dora was used to seeing. "Yes. You're quite right."

They ate in companionable silence, everyone occasionally glancing at the pictures from time to time, and when the plates were cleared, Dora went about the process of lacing and dressing with particular care.

Before Dora opened the door to her room, she heard a knock.

"Come in!" she called, glad that she was already dressed.

Her mum entered, smiling at her. "I know Christmas is still over a week away, and that comes first," she began, "but I was wondering if you had any ideas about how you'd like to celebrate your birthday."

Dora looked up in surprise. They had celebrated in the same manner for the past two years since she'd begun going to Hogwarts. Early childhood memories included Uncle Alphard and a man she was certain had been Sirius Black (he'd gone to Azkaban just after Harry Potter had defeated You Know Who, and had been a family friend until this point), along with her muggle relatives. Aunt Susan and Uncle Peter lived nearby, only a little under a half an hour by car, and they always brought Rachel (who was a year younger than Dora) and Grace (a year older). His younger brother, Richard, was married to Lucy. They had three kids by now-Isabel was fifteen, Courtney was twelve, and the youngest, Robert (Rob) was six. Even before Dora went to school, she rarely saw them, because they lived in Glasgow, Scotland-a good four hour drive, each way. All the same, even during the years when her father's extended family didn't celebrate Christmas together with her, they would always visit for her birthday, and there would be a lovely party. However, as this was so near Christmas, and they couldn't Apparate, it became increasingly clear as she grew older that coming all this way just to celebrate her birthday was rather a hassle.

Besides, after Dora went away to school, she realized that she wanted to make the most of the time that she had with her parents during the Christmas holidays. During her first year, she'd cautiously asked, at the start of her Christmas holidays, if it could just be her and her parents. They'd agreed, and it had been a lovely small party. (Her muggle relatives still sent gifts, and lovely cards.) Andromeda had made Dora's favorite cake, they had given her separate presents for this occasion, and then they played a mix of muggle and magical games. Her mum even agreed to let her stay up late to watch TV with them. It had been a wonderful day. So, Dora asked if they could do the same the following year, and her mum and dad had been happy to agree.

They had been fun, festive yet low key celebrations of Dora's having turned a year older. To be certain, they might not the flashy celebrations of some of the pure blood families that Andromeda had told her about (which sounded rather dull for the kids and more meant for the parents-even if the kids did get very nice presents from guests they barely knew), but it was intimate and fun.

Besides, even if having a birthday right after Christmas had its drawbacks, it meant that she would always be able to celebrate at home.

The worst time, now that Dora thought about it, was between the Easter holidays and the end of June. Who wanted to celebrate when you were spending all day studying for an exam?

Those born in July and August were the luckiest, in her opinion.

"I thought we would do it as we had the last two years," Dora answered, rather confused. "A party with cake and games with the three of us."

"Of course we'll do that!" her mum reassured her, and gave her a hug. "I only thought that, in addition to that, we could dress up a bit. What's the point in having dress robes if you can't wear them more than once a year?"

Dora beamed. "Really?"

"Yes, if you like." Andromeda smiled. "I can style your hair, too, if you like."

"Do you think you could do something like the hairstyle I wore to the dance?" Dora asked, hopefully.

"Oh, easily." She smiled again.

"I'd love that!" Dora grinned. "Oh, it will be so much fun!"

Andromeda laughed. "I'm glad, love. Now," she continued, "I know you're nearly at seventeen inches, but as your robes are at seventeen and a half and it will be your birthday and you'll want to enjoy the treats, you might consider only going down to that."

Dora nodded. "Oh! Yes, that's a good idea," she agreed.

"Now, I want to be firm on one thing," Andromeda cautioned.

"All right?"

"No studying on your birthday!"

Dora nodded as she burst into giggles, which were matched by her mum's.

"I better get started on my assignments, then," she told her. "I might be able to finish by the end of today."

Andromeda beamed at her dedication.

In spite of the cheerful morning, Dora didn't want to waste time. True to her intentions, Dora spent the entire day seated in the sitting room by the fire, taking only a short break for lunch. She didn't even go with her parents for their afternoon walk, so keen to be finished. Her head and hands hurt a bit by evening, but it was worth it-she had finished all of her schoolwork, and could truly enjoy the time off. She announced this happily to her parents after penning the last sentence of her very long essay for Muggle Studies.

Their faces matched her own happiness.

"That's wonderful, sweetheart!" Andromeda praised.

"I have to admit, I was worried that you'd be spending the entire holiday working like a mad woman," Ted confessed, mussing up her hair. "Now, I know you're still mad, but at least you're not working like one!" he teased.

"Daddy!" Dora protested, straightening her hair, but giggling.

"Well, if a father can't kid with his favorite daughter..."

"Only daughter," Dora corrected. "Unless you've been hiding one under the floorboards?"

"Knew there was something we forgot to tell you," Andromeda added, with a light smile.

"Anyway, now that you have some free time on your holidays, I expect we'll be able to have loads of fun," her dad continued, sitting next to Dora and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I found some great muggle games that I want to teach the both of you."

"Really?" Dora was intrigued. "Where'd you come across them?"

"Aunt Susan. Says her kids no longer play them, and it was us or her church's charity drive," he explained. "I remember playing them when I was a boy, so I can explain the rules more easily than the instruction manual."

"That's a relief. Muggle manuals are dreadful," Andromeda laughed.

After dinner, they settled into the sitting room to begin a game called "Clue." Sitting at the table, with her back to a lovely fire, Dora felt especially warm and comfortable. Her mum's extra charms to keep the house warm were particularly effective.

It took a bit of time for everyone to get used to playing the game, as you had to solve the mystery of the murder, and keep the others off your track if you were the killer. All the same, it was quite enjoyable, even lively, as they made their way through the cards. Andromeda won the first round, and Dora the second. She rather thought that her dad was not competing as hard as he might have, but perhaps not.

"I expect that's enough mystery for me for one night!" Ted said, laughing a bit, as the second game concluded. "Dora, what would you say to a bit of TV and a nice, long foot rub?"

Dora grinned. "Sounds lovely!"

"Would you like me to help you prepare for bed, first?" Andromeda asked, gently. "Perhaps, a nice soak in the bathtub?"

Dora nodded. She'd laced herself to seventeen and an eighth that morning, and it hadn't felt uncomfortable then, but, by now, she rather was more eager for her night corset than she thought she'd be. Perhaps, the combination of spending hours on homework and borderline tight lacing was a bit much for her. Well, she was finished with the assignments (although she would continue to study every day except Christmas, to get ahead in her studies), so she would see how she felt tomorrow.

Andromeda started a hot bath nearly as soon as Dora entered her bedroom. Once Dora had removed her robes, her mum came back to unlace her. Normally, she felt a small sense of loss when the corset came off, but today, it was a relief. So much so that Dora let out a sigh that she usually only made when she was at a comfortable level of tightness. She stretched, and winced as her muscles in her back protested.

Her mum made a small noise of concern. "You're lacing too tightly, honey, if it feels that nice when they come off."

"I guess you're right," Dora admitted. "It's just that I'm so close to seventeen..."

Andromeda placed the day corset on the chair before moving to hug her daughter. "I know, love. And you'll be there in good time. But if you rush it, you'll only make it difficult for yourself." Andromeda studied Dora, not that she could see much with her chemise still on. "I just want the best for you. You're at the point where we have to be very careful, far more so than before you reached eighteen inches."

"I know, Mum." Dora nodded. "I'll be more careful. I promise."

"That's my good girl," Andromeda murmured, hugging Dora again.

The hot water removed the stiffness, and Dora washed with care. Her body didn't hurt, but she was starting to notice a definite indentation along her waist. Not so small that she could span her hands around it (but she couldn't do that even when corseted), but she would have guessed her natural waist was now a couple of inches than when she had started. With a slight blush, she looked down at her still small breasts, and saw they were certainly taking on the pushed up form of her corset.

The changes unnerved her. Of course, lacing below twenty inches at least twenty-three hours a day would have an effect on her body. Likely, this would become even more pronounced as she continued to get smaller. And besides, Dora reasoned, she was taking great care not to develop a physical dependency on her corset. Her back muscles had to remain strong. All the same...

"Are you all right?" came Andromeda's voice.

Dora realized she'd been in the tub longer than she'd intended. The hot water was starting to grow lukewarm.

"I'll be out in a minute," she called back.

After a final rinse, Dora left the tub, wrapping a warm towel around her.

"Honey? Is something wrong?" Andromeda asked. She placed a hand over her forehead. "Hmm. Your temperature is normal. Do you feel all right?"

Dora sighed. She'd never been able to keep secrets from her parents.

"I feel all right. It's silly, it's just...I saw myself in the tub, and... I look like I'm corseted even when I'm not," Dora explained, with another sigh. "It rather scared me."

Andromeda nodded. "May I...see?"

Dora adjusted the towel so it hid her bottom parts, but displayed her waist and up. She looked away, not wanting to watch her mum watching her. Fortunately, in a minute, her mum handed her a nightgown, and Dora put it on with relief.

"It's nothing to worry about, sweetheart," Andromeda began. "When you're laced up past your natural waist size for any extended period of time, your natural body will take on that shape. If you were to stop tomorrow, were to decide only to lace during the day or stop entirely, your natural body would go back to as it was," Andromeda explained. "I stopped wearing corsets the very day I learned that I was expecting you, and didn't start up again until you were six months old. And mostly sleeping through the night," she added, with a smile, which Dora sheepishly returned. "I wouldn't say my frame was anything close to how it was when I was thirteen, but, by the time I began again, all the traces of my years of training were gone. They're back now, as I lace all the time, but if I were to stop, my body would revert to its natural form."

"It's...odd," Dora noted, not without a small sigh. "I love the way my corsets feel, and I love how I look. I reckon I just didn't expect to stay that way, after I took it off."

"It's not permanent, if that's what scares you?" Dora nodded. "Don't worry. I promise, it isn't. If you wished to stop, just as I did for a spell, your body would go back to before. Although you might find yourself standing up straighter, and eating smaller portions," she added, with a laugh. "I certainly did. And as long as you continue with the exercises I showed you, you won't become dependent on the corset, no matter how small you become."

This was a relief, and Dora smiled. "Thank you. I feel rather silly...being so startled by what I saw. Is that strange?"

Andromeda pulled her into her arms, then kissed the top of her head. "Not at all, sweetheart. I expect every girl feels that way, when she sees how she looks after several months of training." Then, she studied Dora again, with the beginnings of a frown. "Dora, I'd like to weigh you and measure your height."

"All right."

She stood straight as her mother performed the necessary spells, then pointed her wand onto the fabric of the nightgown. Reading the numbers on her wand like she might a muggle thermometer or calculator, she frowned again.

"What's wrong, Mum?"

"You've grown two inches, but you're the same weight as when you left for school. Well, almost half a pound less. You're not eating enough, I'm afraid," Andromeda said. "You are eating until you're full at each meal? You're certain?"

"Yes! I promise!" Dora insisted. "Not so much that I feel the need to unlace, but enough to feel full."

"Well, you only have three meals, and no tea." Andromeda glanced again at Dora. "I'll send an owl to your head of house and ask her to send the house elves up in the afternoon with a tea. Some light sandwiches, biscuits, and fruit. Nothing very heavy, just enough to give your body more energy until dinner. If you're hungry afterwards, you can finish it. If that doesn't bring up your weight...no, that should be sufficient."

"I'd feel odd eating extra food by myself, Mum," she protested.

"It won't be just you. All the girls who are training their waists may experience this, and if their mothers are paying attention, they'll see that," her mum said, almost sternly. "Your health is very, very important, Dora. As an adult, I eat smaller meals throughout the day, but you can't just bring food into lessons. So, you're confined to three meals, and there simply isn't enough room in your stomach for what you need. An afternoon tea will help. I must insist upon it."

"All right. If I can share the food with my roommates?" Dora asked.

Her mum smiled, then hugged her. "Of course you may. I'll specify that we'll need enough food for eight growing girls. Now, why don't you lie down, and I'll rub your back? And afterwards...shall I lace you to eighteen and a half? Or nineteen?"

"Let's try eighteen and a half."

"Very well."

Andromeda walked with Dora to the bed. Once Dora was settled with her head on top of the pillows, she began her ministrations. The rest of the tension vanished from her frame as her mother kneaded her muscles. Dora's eyes closed in pure contentment. Once she was almost asleep, she felt her mother place her corset over her, and the gentle pressure increase until her mother tied off the laces.

While not as secure of a hug as her day corsets, eighteen and a half felt the right measurement for sleeping. Once again, her mother had been right.

"I don't need to ask if you're comfortable," Andromeda laughed, taking Dora into her arms again. "The smile on your face is answer enough."

Dora felt her smile widen, snuggling into her mum's arms once more.

"Mummy? Will you stay with me for a bit?" Dora asked.

"Of course," her mum answered, wrapping the other arm around her once more.

Between the warmth of her corset, her mother's arms, and the heated blankets, Dora felt surrounded by comfort and safety. Within minutes, she fell into a deep, sound sleep.

Author's note:

The next few, perhaps as much as several, chapters will cover the span of Dora's Christmas holidays, with two chapters (maybe more) occupying Andromeda's point of view. Likely as not, an entire chapter will be devoted to Dora's birthday. In light of this, if you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them.

Next up: Our protagonist has a relaxing, lazy day, which finishes off with the story of just HOW Andromeda and Ted managed to get married without, you know, being killed/maimed/hexed/whatever the Black family would have done to a potential blood traitor.

I expect the next update to be next Saturday, as per my usual schedule.