Chapter 2
It was the first real day of spring and Pandora caught herself looking out of the window way to often.
If she had the choice she would be running through the garden, enjoying the first rays of sunshine and looking for the brave butterflies, who already dared to fly.
But instead she had to sit in this big dining room with it’s high dark walls, that always feels cold somehow. Portraits of family members she never even met stared down at the long table where more than half of the chairs were empty.
When she was younger, Pandora used to be scared of her ancestors‘ serious cold stares, but now she wasn’t a little child anymore. She’s 11 now and soon she’ll leave to Hogwarts. And Hogwarts isn’t a place for scared little girls. So she has to be more mature now. At least that’s what her mother tells her.
But actually Pandora doesn’t want to be more mature. She doesn’t want to grow up. Every adult she has ever met looked like they’ve lost all the joy in their life and she doesn’t want to end up like this.
She doesn’t want to end up in an old, dark, dusty house like this. Instead she wants to live in a colorful home with interesting objects everywhere. A place that feels warm even when it snows outside. A place where you can hear the laughter even when no one’s home.
And she wants to live with people who make her happy. A husband who makes her smile, children who fill her heart with joy.
She has never met a family like this, but somewhere deep inside she knows that this is how it should be.
Across from her, on the other side of the table, Evan was silently eating his breakfast. The twins never speak during the meals. They weren’t supposed to.
This has always been easier for Evan than for his sister. Just like most of the rules their parents had for them. He wasn’t as dreamy as Pandora. It was easier for him to take things how they are.
But that doesn’t mean that he liked it like this. He didn’t hate either. There weren’t enough comparisons to judge like this.
Suddenly their mother spoke to them: “Childen, I have good news“
The twin looked at eachother in confusion. Was that really a smile on their mother’s face?
”Your letters from Hogwarts have finally arrived!“, she says with a glance of relief in her eyes, ”There wasn’t a doubt of course! It was obvious that you two were clearly magical but it’s still good news“
She looked over to Mr. Rosier, who nodded at his wife’s words before he laid his eyes on his children.
”You are going to make our family proud“
It wasn’t a question. But it weren’t the words of a proud father either. Instead it almost sounded like a warning.
”You’ll get sorted into Slytherin just like me and your mother. And then you’ll be the best students this school has ever seen. And you’ll be careful about the people you spend your time with“
He didn’t had to say it. Evan and Pandora knew what he meant. No Mudbloods. No people who are unworthy and weak.
”Your cousin Regulus is starting his first year too! Maybe you could…“, Mrs. Rosier began, but her husband interrupted her.
„After what happened to his brother?“
„Regulus is a good boy! Sirius has always been a bit…“
She didn’t finish her sentence, but the twins knew what their parents were arguing about. They knew how their cousin Sirius turned against the family and how everyone says his name since then. Like it’s was a cuss word.
It almost felt like a warning. Like an example. Like something they don’t want to happen to them.
Suddenly it was quiet at the dining table but the air was loaded up with unspoken things. The tension was almost cuttable.
For a minute or two the family sits in silence until Mrs. Rosier finally says: ”What if we go shopping in the Diagon Alley today? To get your school supplies?“