The Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross station with a screeching halt. Dora peeked out of the window, relieved to find only her parents waiting for her on Platform 9 ¾.
"Look!" Flora said excitedly. "There's my big sister, Evelyn! She brought the baby, too!"
Dora gazed at the friendly-looking Diggory family. Beckett and Amos, the older Diggory boys, looked just like their mother. Flora looked like a miniature version of her sister, Evelyn. Standing next to Evelyn was a reddish-haired young man with a broad smile.
Andromeda and Byron were standing next to the Blacks. They were a severe-looking lot, with none of the warmth or kindness seen in the Diggorys, or even the Macmillans, who waved brightly at Iris.
"You'll write to me, won't you?" Dora asked, turning around to face her friends. "Everyone? I'll write you back as soon as I get your letter, promise!"
The girls assured her they would write as often as they could, and after tearful goodbyes, Dora stepped down to find her parents.
"Welcome home, darling." Andromeda opened her arms and Dora fell into her embrace. "I missed you."
"Hi, Mama," Dora murmured. "I missed you too."
Byron cleared his throat. "We ought to be going," he said, eyeing the Muggleborns contemptuously. "I don't want to keep the others waiting."
Dora clung to her mother and gave her friends one last wave goodbye before going through the Floo to Travers Court. The sitting room was fortunately empty, except for the elves who greeted Dora chirpily and took her trunk and Otto's cat basket to her room. Otto meowed, stretched his legs, and ran after the elves with a spring in his step.
"They made your favorite dishes for dinner tonight," Andromeda told Dora. "Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, ratatouille, and warm apple crumble. Doesn't that sound good?"
As they approached the dining room, the mouth-watering scents filled Dora's nostrils. Her stomach growled loudly and her mother kissed the crown of her head. Her father patted her shoulder, and they turned the corner into the dining room.
An icy, plunging sensation took Dora's shaky confidence away; her hunger disappeared when she realized where she would have to sit for dinner. With Eunice at Malcolm's side, the only seat left was next to Claudius. She mumbled her greetings to her brothers and Eunice, and sat down to pick at the scrumptious dinner prepared for her.
"Nymphadora, did you eat too many sweets on the train?" asked Andromeda, noticing Dora's barely touched plate.
Dora felt everyone's eyes on her. She glanced to her left, where Claudius sat, brandishing his fork near her thigh. She looked back at her mother and nodded.
"I'm sorry, Mama," she said, feeling the fork's tines poke her leg. "I must've eaten too many pumpkin pasties." She smothered a whimper and took a small bite of Yorkshire pudding, watching Claudius's sneer grow and wishing desperately she had her own knife to defend herself, like the other witches in her family.
"You wouldn't want to eat too much, Fifi," Claudius said, swirling his wine around in his glass. "No one will want to marry you otherwise."
Dora set her fork down and pushed her plate away. Across from her sat Eunice, whose hazel eyes were trained on Claudius, while Andromeda cleared her throat and put her hand on Dora's.
"If you're hungry later, you can always ask one of the elves to bring you a plate. There's no reason to starve yourself." Andromeda glared at Claudius, whose cruel smirk appeared to be glued to his face. "Perhaps we can change the subject," she said, squeezing Dora's hand. "Have you given any thought as to what you'd like for your birthday?"
"Can I see my friends?" Dora asked at once. "That's all I want." To her surprise, both Andromeda and Eunice smiled.
"We were going to wait to tell you," said Andromeda, "but now seems as good a time as any. I've already written to your friends' mothers, and they've agreed to come to a birthday party for you at Florean Fortescue's at the end of the month. Mr. Fortescue will have twelve new flavors for you and your friends to try."
"Really?" Dora got out of her chair and hugged her mother. "Mama, thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Eunice helped arrange it for us. One of her good friends is Mr. Fortescue's niece."
Dora turned to Eunice and beamed, saying, "Can I hug you too?" When Eunice nodded, Dora hugged her, ignoring the snorts from her brothers.
Malcolm rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. "Speaking of which, Fifi, try to behave yourself at our engagement party tomorrow. We can't have you embarrassing us like you did at Bella's wedding."
"I didn't—" Dora peered down at her hand, where Claudius had fractured her fingers. While she'd had to claim she'd tripped over herself, it wasn't her fault that she was reduced to humiliating tears in front of her family.
"It was a long week for Nymphadora," said Andromeda, narrowing her eyes at Malcolm. "She'll be well rested for tomorrow."
"She'd better be, with all the dancing and music we'll have," Claudius said, a malicious gleam shining in his dark eyes. Dora gulped and inched back toward her mother, whose sharp gaze had drifted to Claudius.
"Yes, although all of us will be busier with greeting our guests than with dancing," Byron said, tapping his empty plate for an elf to take it away. "I expect all of you to express your wholehearted support for Malcolm and Eunice's union."
Dora noticed Malcolm looking away, disgusted, and Claudius covering his mouth with his hand in a poor attempt to hide his laughter.
" I'm happy Miss Eunice is going to be part of our family," Dora said boldly, remembering the horrid way Claudius talked about Eunice. "I wish she was my real sister!"
"Nymphadora, lower your voice," Byron admonished. "As you admire Eunice so very much, you would do well to mirror her behavior."
Dora returned to her seat, keeping her mouth shut to prevent any further comments. It wouldn't do any good; it was only her first night home for the holidays and she didn't want to be sent to her room before dinner was over. As she contemplated the many weeks left in her summer holidays, her appetite returning just as the last of the apple crumble was taken away, she tried not to dwell on the certain misery ahead.
Stepping out into the east gardens of Travers Court on the night of Malcolm and Eunice's engagement celebration was like being transported to another world. Andromeda admired her handiwork, weeks of careful planting, trimming, and design, and reveled in the perfectly planned walk from the house to the shimmery white tent that would house the party. Fairies hummed above the edges, their lights making the hedges sparkle like Muggle twinkling lights, and the arches above, looped with vibrant blooms and leafy greenery, led the path to the tent. Andromeda ran her fingertips over the hedges, inhaling the sweet scent of summer flowers around her.
A set of uneven footsteps caught her attention.
"Mama!" called Nymphadora. "Mama, wait up!"
Andromeda turned around and found her daughter, clad in her dress robes, panting slightly and wiping sweat off her brow.
"Nymphadora, darling, you shouldn't be running."
"I know, but—" Nymphadora bit her lower lip and glanced back at the house. "Please, can you and Father not make me dance with Malcolm and Claudius?"
Andromeda cast a Cooling Charm on her daughter and brushed away the dusty brown curls away from her sticky forehead. "They're your brothers. It's what is expected of you."
"But I don't want to," Nymphadora insisted. "I'll dance with anyone else. Not them."
"Has something happened between you?" asked Andromeda, observing the way Nymphadora's face paled.
"N-no . . . I just don't feel like dancing with them." Andromeda exhaled softly and clasped her hands, placing them behind her.
"What if you only danced with one of them?" she asked. "It's Malcolm's party . . . he would be the best option."
Nymphadora stuck out her tongue and made a face, but didn't betray any other emotion.
"Fine," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "If I have to." The way she scrunched up her nose and lips reminded Andromeda of Ted; she ached to see him, even if there was nothing between them anymore.
"While you're here," said Andromeda, "I thought you could help me with something." Nymphadora looked up receptively. "Eunice is going to be wearing new robes tonight from Twilfitt and Tatting's. They're completely different from her usual style, so she might feel self-conscious in them. Will you tell her that they look nice on her?"
" Do they look nice on her?"
"You'll see for yourself." Andromeda grinned, despite her anxiety over her daughter's behavior and the stress of the upcoming event. "It was an early wedding present to her from me to get her new robes."
"Okay," said Nymphadora, shrugging. "Can I stay with you? I don't want to go back inside."
Andromeda considered asking Nymphadora why, but there was no time. The Bulstrodes were approaching from the house, with Malcolm, Claudius, and Byron on their heels.
"What do you think, darling?" Andromeda whispered, glancing back from her daughter to Eunice. But Nymphadora took matters into her own hands; she rushed up to meet the Bulstrodes to greet them herself.
"Eunice, you look so pretty!" Nymphadora exclaimed.
Eunice blushed and Andromeda tried not to smirk when Mrs. Bulstrode eyed her contemptuously. Giselle Bulstrode was dressed like a lampshade, in robes that cascaded out, complete with tassels trailing behind her, while Eunice wore robes that were cut to accentuate her natural body shape. Though she was rounder in the middle, the robes emphasized her waist, and in their cornflower blue, brought out her eyes.
Andromeda greeted her distinguished guests, secretly pleased by Mrs. Bulstrode's jealous scowl, and let Nymphadora go into the tent with them. Claudius and Malcolm muttered at each other, ignoring Andromeda, but Byron stopped to offer her his arm.
"You've done very well, Andromeda," he praised. "Malcolm and Eunice will make a fine looking couple tonight."
"Thank you," she replied, linking her arm with his. "I never get tired of putting our family first."
Byron's lips twitched up into a smile, despite himself. Andromeda stood next to him inside the tent, with Nymphadora joining her on the other side, and only a few minutes later, their guests began to arrive.
The Blacks, Andromeda's siblings' families, were the first to come. Andromeda felt a thrill course through her when even Druella did a double-take at Eunice's appearance. Bellatrix and Narcissa gaped at their former classmate, and when Walburga came to greet Andromeda, it was with a smug smile.
"Well done, Annie," she whispered. "That girl finally looks like a girl."
"Be nice," Andromeda murmured into her sister's ear, "and don't forget to compliment her for me."
Walburga, clad in her own luxurious, form-fitting robes, lavished praise on Eunice, while making no comment on Giselle's horrid fashion choices. Walburga preferred dramatic collars and balloon sleeves that narrowed at her wrist, and a neckline that dipped just low enough to ensure everyone knew she was well-endowed.
The congratulations and admiration over Eunice's upgraded wardrobe continued to pour in from the witches in Andromeda's circle. They persisted through dinner and drinks, filling Andromeda's heart with pride that Eunice was getting so much positive attention. When the dancing began, with Malcolm and Eunice the first to take to the floor, Byron turned to Andromeda to take her hand, which meant Claudius would dance with Nymphadora.
"Mama," Nymphadora whispered, tugging on the back of Andromeda's robes. "Mama, please, you said I wouldn't have to—"
"Only for a minute," Andromeda whispered back. "Then find your cousin Sirius."
"But—"
"Nymphadora, join your brother," Byron scolded, putting her hand in Claudius's. "I'll have none of your attitude tonight."
Andromeda saw her daughter's face fall as Claudius took her towards the dance floor; it was too late for Andromeda to step in, as all eyes were on them, and she joined Byron, trying to keep a careful watch on Nymphadora and Claudius. Nothing seemed awry as the tune went on, and soon the Bulstrodes, followed by the Blacks, joined their waltzing.
With all the new pairs surrounding her, Andromeda lost sight of Nymphadora, but with any luck, she had found one of her cousins and was enjoying herself.
It was past midnight when Dora was finally able to return to the safety of her bedroom. Her feet throbbed and she'd had to hide her limping for most of the night. Claudius had stepped on her feet, claiming he was 'out-of-practice' with waltzing, but Dora knew better. She winced with every painful step she took to find her room, barely managing to contain her tears until the door was closed and locked behind her.
She turned on the tap to let hot water fill the tub in her bathroom and began to undress. She had to sit on the cold floor, as she couldn't take being on her feet any longer, and she groaned as she took off her boots. When her stockings came off, she gasped at her purple, swollen toes.
"He broke them," she whimpered, and crawled to her nightstand to find her wand. She hadn't tried the Episkey charm on herself yet but she couldn't bother her parents without being interrogated. Clutching her wand tightly, she thought back to the many times her mother had used it and practiced swishing her wrist in the same way.
" Episkey!" She pointed her wand at her smallest toe, thinking it would snap back into place, but it swelled to at least ten times its original size. " No, no, no, no !"
Her panic was brief. She heard water overflowing, realizing the tap had been left off, and cried when she saw the puddle in her bathroom. Dora crawled back to the tub, trying not to hit her swollen foot against anything, and when she got close enough to turn off the tap, she slipped and banged her head against the side of the tub.
Dora fell against the floor and watched the blood washing away from her head. She lifted her hand, finding the spot where she'd cut her head, but struggled to see well. Her eyes were filled with salty tears and she felt her left eye puffing up as even more water gathered on the floor.
It was time to give up.
She called for Tippy. The house elf appeared a second later and shut off the tap with the snap of her leathery fingers and turned immediately toward Dora.
"G-get—mama," she panted. Tippy disappeared and mere moments later, Dora's door was being unlocked and her mother rushed in with a gasp.
"What did you do to yourself?" Andromeda asked, falling to her knees, despite the puddle on the floor. She called Goldie and Tippy and the elves began cleaning up the mess while Andromeda cast healing charm after healing charm on Dora.
"Slipped," Dora groaned, gesturing at the floor.
"My poor girl—" Andromeda kissed her forehead and flipped her over to lay on her lap. "Merlin's beard, your toes!"
Dora grunted, attempting to sit up against the tub. "Tried—to—fix—my—self."
"You've got to have more training before you can cast those charms, darling."
Andromeda fixed each toe and gently rubbed them to ease the pain. She had the elves bring up potions, snacks, and pumpkin juice, and helped Dora eat and drink until the pain subsided.
"Would you like me to finish drawing your bath?" Andromeda offered, noticing the steaming water in front of them. "I can have Tippy bring me some of my salts for you."
Dora agreed and let her mother help her undress and step into the aromatic bath. It was embarrassing to pretend that she needed help to take a bath, but the truth would be worse.
Andromeda stroked her mousy brown hair and rubbed her thumb across Dora's cheek. The bath felt good and she was no longer physically hurting, but to her dismay, she felt tears creeping out of her eyes.
"Do you need more Pain Relief Potion?"
"No, I'm okay."
"You're crying . . . nothing hurts?"
"Not too bad . . . I'm okay, I swear."
Andromeda sighed and wiped the tears away from Dora's eyes. "Is there something you need to tell me, Nymphadora? Did something happen before? You looked fine when you danced with Regulus a little while ago."
"He accidentally stepped on my feet," Dora lied. "I thought one was broken and I tried to fix it but it didn't work."
Andromeda pursed her lips. Dora could see the wheels turning in her mother's wild, grey eyes, but she refused to say anything else.
"You do know you can tell me anything, darling . . . including anything that you're afraid to tell me?"
"I know, Mama." Dora hugged herself and settled into the warm water. "There's nothing wrong with me. I'm just clumsy."
Dora knew her mother wouldn't believe her. She just couldn't bring herself to tell her the truth.
Three house elves were gathered in the kitchen at Andromeda's request. The first two were her own, Tippy and Goldie, but the third was on loan from her parents. Chester, her favorite family elf, was sent to Andromeda for the summer to help with wedding preparations (or so she said, when she asked her mother for the extra help).
It was the morning after the engagement celebration and Andromeda had had enough of Nymphadora's secrets. She wanted to respect her daughter's privacy—after all, she was getting older and it was normal for a growing girl to keep some things to herself. Nevertheless, if the secrets involved mysterious injuries, Andromeda would put a stop to them by sheer force if she had to. She turned to her three helpers.
"Chester, I know I told my mother that you would be helping with wedding preparations, but there's a different and more important task that I need you for," Andromeda began, seeing the elderly elf stand straighter under her direction. "I would like for you to follow my daughter, Nymphadora, wherever she goes, but make yourself as discreet as possible. She should not be left alone under any circumstances."
"Is an honor to serve Miss Nymphadora," said Chester, bowing. "Chester is never leaving her."
"You will need rest, Chester," Andromeda said, patting his leathery head. "Whenever you need rest—and this is an order—you rest as long as you need. When you are unavailable, find Tippy or Goldie and they will watch Nymphadora for you."
"Yes, Mrs. Travers." Chester bowed again, his long nose touching the floor.
"This order is for all of you while you're watching Nymphadora—" Andromeda inhaled deeply and lowered her voice. "Should any of you see anything unusual or suspicious, tell me at once. Do not reveal to anyone in this house what you are doing. If Nymphadora is in danger, you may reveal yourself and tell her I'm looking for her. Do you understand?"
The three elves agreed to protect their young charge with their lives, and Chester popped away to begin his vigil.