Look at the doves, my love

Pandora held one hand over her stomach desperately trying to stop the bleeding. Her other hand was slowly losing grip on the locket.

"Luna. Luna. Luna! Don't look at me." Pandora tried to pry her daughter's eyes from her dying from. She looked at windows and saw a family of doves. 

"Look at the doves, my love." Pandora's body slumped over quietly. Her breathing vanished and her muscles didn't move once more.

1968

"Evan!" Pandora shouted. "You can't take my book!"

Evan Rosier laughed and turned over the old book. "Its nearly gone Pandy. Why does it matter anyways!"

"I'll have mom tell you why it matters!" Pandora put on her pouty face. She knew that Evan was afraid of their mother. Who wouldn't be?

Evan's face quickly turned to horror and he rushed to give Pandora her book back. 

1970

Pandora sat at her desk painting a picture of her family. All the way to the left was her father, Linden Rosier. On the right of him was Evan. Next to Evan was herself. And all the way to the left was her mother, Invidia Rosier. Pandora was almost identical to her mother. The same faces shape, the same pale blonde hair, the same gray eyes and the same olive skin. Evan also had olive skin and gray eyes but he had the light brown hair of their father.

Invidia invaded Pandora's room and spoke quickly in French, "Pandora you need to start studying your Latin more so you don't lose it."

"I know mother. I have my book right here. I've been studying every night." Pandora replied back in French.

Invidia acknowledge Pandora with a simple "Hm" before leaving her.

1972

"Pandora! Not that way the mudbloods are over there!" Linden spoke to his daughter in a hushed tone steering her away from the inexpensive robe store. "You never learn! Every time we go to diagon alley you always go attract the mudbloods."

"I'm sorry father." Pandora hung her head low. She pretended that she knew the reason her family hated those without magical blood. She pretended to understand why she was supposed to be better than them. She pretended because she didn't want her family to know that she was stupid. Pandora couldn't not fathom the reason why muggle borns weren't on par with purebloods. But she could act. And she did.

Linden sighed a great sigh and pushed Pandora towards her brother. "Its fine. I mean if you were a bo-." Linden stopped before finishing his sentence. "Why don't you go with the Blacks try to go make some progress with the younger one. Marrying a Black would make our family greater."

Pandora complied as she always did. It was no use telling her dad she and Regulus were like siblings. No use. 

"I hate trains I always forget that I do." Evan held his stomach and tried to distract himself with the window.

Regulus snorted. "Ev, seriously?"

"Regulus Arcturus Black!" Evan whined pathetically.

"Evan Linden Rosier!" Regulus replied back.

Pandora raised her eyebrows at the two young boys. "Do I say someone's full name too?"

Evan threw his hands up in the air. "Pandora Violetta Rosier!" 

Pandora giggled. "Oh so you're just being stupid." 

Evan let out a "hmph!" before turning back to the window.

Regulus stared judgementally at him for a second before turning towards Pandora. "So Dora, what house do you reckon you'll get?" 

"Well, I want ravenclaw. My fathers always talking about how I'm a stupid little girl. He'll know I'm smart for certain if I get ravenclaw." Pandora was sure this was a good plan. For years and years she had read books upon books upon books. She knew 6 languages. (English, French, Welsh, Spanish, Latin and Russian for your information.) Her father just hadn't realized how smart she was. But that's OK because he would.

Regulus clasped his hands together to hide their shaking. "Most of your family are Slytherins are they not?" 

"I guess. My father was. So was his brother Kylian. And his two sons." 

Evan chimed in. "So was Druella. Not mom though, she went to Beauxbatons."

Regulus tilted his head to the left. "You want to be different from the rest of your family?"

Pandora looked out the window. "I just want to be in the right place."

Pandora was spot on. The moment that old hat touched her head it yelled out, "Ravenclaw!" 

A few people let out gasps. She didn't really understand why. Wasn't it good to be smart?

A girl who looked to be a few years older than Pandora called her over.

"Emmeline Vance. Third year." Emmeline smiled at her and spoke with a Scottish accent.

Pandora shook her hand like how her mother taught her too. "Pandora Rosier. Are you Scottish?" 

Emmeline nodded her head. "Oh my dad's side. My mom's from China." Emmeline leaned closer to whisper into Pandora's ear. "I saw your brother going to a different house. I didn't want you too feel alone."

Pandora look at Emmeline with surprise. She hadn't thought of that. Pandora hadn't considered the fact she wouldn't be with her brother or Regulus. Maybe she wasn't so smart.

"Thank you Vance."

"No problem I understand what it feels like."

Pandora walked around the great lake with her potions book in hand. On her left was Emmeline Vance.

"So your brother's a squib?" Pandora asked.

"Yep."

"And your parents didn't disown him?"

Emmeline stopped suddenly and turned to face Pandora. "No? Why would they?"

"I-I don't know. My uncle disowned my cousin for being a squib I just thought- Nevermind I have a lot to learn."

Emmeline studied Pandora for a moment. "Pandora, that's not normal. Purebloods aren't normally remember that. You're right to question their shit."

Pandora raised her eyebrows at Emmelines profanity. Which caused Emmeline to giggle hysterically for a minute.

1973

"Regulus? Do you recognize that guy? I haven't seen him before." Pandora peered at a boy that looked to be their age.

Regulus peeked over Pandora's shoulder. "Probably a transfer. They come here a day before everyone else to get sorted and whatnot."

Pandora stared at the transfer student for days until he came up and introduced himself.

"Xenophilius Lovegood." He said suddenly. Than he squinted at Pandora. He handed something to her. "Charm. Keeps away the nargles. They're all over you."

Pandora had not a clue what a nargle was but to not sound stupid she didn't ask. "Thanks! Where are you from?"

"Beauxbatons. Its a lot different there. A lot less "

"My mom went there!"

Suddenly Xenophilius switched to French. "Did she like it there?"

Pandora nodded and replied back in French. "Yeah. She always says 'Pandora it would be so much better for you and your brother to go there.' I'm not sure if that's true but atleast she loved it."

Xenophilius stayed in French. "What's your name? I completely forgot to ask."

"Pandora Rosier."

Regulus and Pandora were walking to the Great Hall when he asked, "Do you ever feel like you're in the shadow of Evan?"

Yes.

She absolutely did.

Her father and mother always made sure she knew Evan, the Heir came first. Of course having a daughter rather than no child was better but her mother and father had always told her they would've been better off with a boy.

"Sometimes. Do you feel like you're in the shadow of Sirius?" Pandora already knew the answer but she still wanted confirmation.

"You know I do."

"You're not a mudblood right?" Evan poked his wand at Xenophilius's chest. Like he could anything.

Xenophilius's face filled with disgust. "I'm a pureblood not that it matters."

Evan mocked him. "Not that it matters. Shut up mate."

Pandora cringed at her brother's words. She knew he understood why purebloods were better. Even thought she didn't. 

Xenophilius's face turned to amusement quickly. Evan's face became panicked for a second before Xenophilius walked off.

1974

Pandora lied on a coach in the Ravenclaw common room. 

Emmeline began talking about her girlfriend Emma Vanity.

"You know I'm a better Quidditch player than her."

"Really? So why's she captain and you're not?"

"Oh you zip your mouth!" Emmeline threw a throw pillow at Pandora. (Ironic)

"Hey! I'll tell Emma!"

Being a third year was exciting for Pandora. She had spent most of the summer at Emmeline's house. Turns out Emmeline's mother was a muggleborn. And she was the smartest woman Pandora knew.

The muggle world was fascinating to Pandora. 

Pandora's parents were upset at her spending time in the muggle world but what could they do? They'd already given her permission. 

Pandora stared at the daily prophet. The title was, 'Death Eaters murder muggleborns, Yīng Vance and Quinten Burrows.'

Vance. Emmeline's mother. Murdered. 

For just being a muggleborn?

Pandora sat on the edge of Emmeline's bed. 

For once Emmeline didn't talk. Emmeline only looked at her textbook. But her eyes weren't moving.

Why weren't her eyes moving? 

"They're all monsters Pandora. All of them."

"My cousin Bellatrix joined the dark lord." Regulus whispered to Pandora.

Pandora looked at their divination teacher before whispering back. "Why?"

"To keep our family glory." 

"What's the glory in becoming a monster Reg? I don't get it."

Regulus studied his hand for a moment before replying. "Dora, sometimes you have to become a monster to get good out of this world."

Pandora held up her violin and turned to Xenophilius Lovegood. "Lovegood! Perfect timing I need you."

Xenophilius looked at the ceiling like it was something he had never seen before. After a minute he turned to Pandora. "What for?"

"I'm taking muggle studies and they want us to make a song without magic."

Xenophilius looked around for a minute before turning to Pandora. "Sorry just checking that we are safe from fitzwergers. Of course I'll help."

Snow fell on the Rosier siblings as they walked through Hogsmeade.

 "Why are you always with the 6th year ravenclaw halfblood?" Evan asked Pandora.

"Well she's nice to me." Pandora replied.

"Well I'm gonna go to the toilet quickly wait for me."

Pandora nodded and wrapped her scarf around her tighter.

Than she heard it. A whistle. She turn around and saw a man in his early 60s staring at her. At her chest specifically. And suddenly she felt like throwing up. Every part of her felt unclean.

Being 13 was the worst age for a girl she could see it now.

She started wearing two shirts to hide her cleavage. Wearing two sets of pants to hide her curves.

Because being a 13 year old girl meant realizing you were an object for male attention.

1975

Pandora stopped. She stopped being the confused little girl. Because she couldn't take it anymore. The condescending tone boys would take with her when she was confused was demoralizing.

And she finally got the letter.

The letter confirming that she was sold off.

It read, "Dear Pandora, I am excited to tell you that we have found you a suitable husband. You are now betrothed to Regulus Arcturus Black. Love, Invidia Rosier."

It was all over. She removed Regulus's free will to choose a wife because she was a girl. Why couldn't she have been a boy?

Pandora wasn't surprised anymore reading the news which would tell her of the horrific things The followers of Voldemort would do.

Because Pandora wasn't a child anymore. She was a woman. 

Pandora's first relationship was with a boy two years older than her in Slytherin. 

In all ended when Pandora attempted to put up boundaries.

Her mother always told Pandora that her purity must remain and he threw a hissy fit over it.

1976

Pandora's father's death came as a shock to most but not to her. He became a death eater despite her protests and had gotten killed by an Auror.

But she couldn't find the anger in her. Her heart felt hollow. It'd never felt that way before.

The funeral was a quiet affair. Her mother cried. Her brother cried. But Pandora did not.

Pandora's grandmother was there. They'd never met before. Most of her family she'd never met. How odd.

Even with more people she felt alone.

Emmeline's graduation led Pandora to spend more time with Xenophilius.

He was an awkward boy in his own head. But he was doubtlessly intelligent.

She told him of her plans to start a cauldron shop. 

Him and Regulus were the only ones not too laugh.

Xenophilius believed in her. 

Pandora came home for Christmas that year. Evan chose to stay at Hogwarts. It was just her and her mother.

On Christmas morning her mother was acting out of the ordinary. 

Pandora received much more expensive gifts that she regularly did. Odd.

The night of Christmas she heard her mother's bed squeaking and went to take a look.

Through the crack of her mother's door Pandora watched her mother slit her own throat.

Clasped in Invidia's hand was a note that read, 'Pandora my light of my life. I could not bear to live in a world without your father. I am sorry it had to end this way. You know I love you, my dove.'

Pandora sat next to Xenophilius outside crying her guts out.

She knew she should've gone to Evan or Regulus. But she needed Xenophilius.

Xenophilius moved Pandora's head into his lap and began to sing,

"Young one, young one

Why do the leaves turn brown?

Young one, young one

Why do you wear a frown?

Young one, young one

What will you do when it all goes down?

Young one, young one

Don't leave me now."

"Reg we can't be friends anymore."

Regulus's face turned into surprise when he looked at his childhood friend.

"What did I do?"

Pandora wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"I can't watch you become a monster. I can't watch you become a killer Regulus."

Regulus looked at Pandora and whispered, "Evan already joined."

"What is wrong with you?" For the first time in Pandora's life she felt properly mad. Because she had failed she had failed to keep her family safe.

Evan just glared are her and snicked to a boy with dark hair who Pandora recognized as Severus Snape. 

"Ev! Are you crazy?" Pandora smoothed her hair with her hands to try to calm herself down.

"No I am not Dora! You don't get it! You never do! Your just a stupid little girl who doesn't realize the importance of purity. The 'good guys' killed our dad don't you understand?"

Pandora did the only thing she could think to do hex him.

That summer Pandora ran away from her Uncle's house. She ran and she ran. 

1977

Regulus joined the Death Eaters. She could tell without him saying a word. Her brother glared at her.

Xenophilius hands tenderly gripped hers.

He whispered, "I know what it's like to be strange."

Pandora didn't even realizes she loved Xenophilius until they kissed.

And the moment they did everybody knew. Everybody knew. Not a single person didn't know. 

But it didn't matter to Pandora because she was finally free. Free from her family. Free from Evan Rosier. Free From Regulus Black.

1978

Pandora's marriage to Xenophilius surprised no one. 

Changing her name was the best decision she ever made.

Finally her life was going to be ok.