Light and Darkness

YEAR 1: ONE

YEAR 1:

¦ONE¦

I held onto Andromeda's hand as Ted led the family through King's Cross Station toward Platform 9 3/4. Tonks ran ahead first, followed by Ted, who pushed Tonks' trolley and Andromeda and I, who were pushing mine. We lusted ourselves at the pillar before revealing the familiar platform. Although I have been here every year for the past six years, saying goodbye to Tonks, this was my first time here as a student of Hogwarts and it felt thrilling, "Arthur!" Ted called, waving his hand in the air. I had heard the name in conversation before but never knew who the man was. Ted led us all toward a large group of red-haired people. Ted shook hands with whom seemed to be the father. Andromeda let go of my hand to greet the mother and I was left standing there, feeling out of the equation for the countless time, but it was okay.

"Ah, is this young Nymphadora?" Arthur asked, looking down at Tonks who blushed pink, standing beside two of the older boys out of the seven children that stood beside Arthur and his wife. Ted put his hand on Tonks' shoulder and expressed his pride in his young Hufflepuff daughter. "And," Arthur said, "Who's this?" He asked referring to me who hid behind Andromeda.

Ted held out his arm while Andromeda stepped aside, "This is Pandora." Ted introduced me, putting heavy emphasis on my name for some reason and making a facial expression toward Arthur.

I noticed Arthur's eyes widen along with his wives', "Kids, why don't you get onto the train and get a carriage before they all fill up." Arthur's wife said, ushering the children onto the steam-train that rested beside us.

I looked up to Andromeda, "Good luck, sweetie." She said, kissing my forehead, "And remember what we had discussed?" She asked. I nodded to her before she sent me off on the train with Tonks, who followed the the two older boys she had been standing beside previously.

The train looked amazing and I was finally on it. I wasn't standing on the platform with Andromeda and Ted waving at Tonks through the window, I was finally on it. Tonks had seemed to disappear down the train, which left me by myself. I walked down the narrow hall to find an empty compartment before I heard a call from one I had just past, "Pandora, right?" I heard as I poked my head through the door. There were two red-haired, identical boys sitting opposite one another.

I looked between them, "Yeah," I said un-sure, stepping into the compartment, letting the other students pass me to find their own.

"Sit down," One of them said, "We're Arthur's sons, we were just standing on the platform with you before we were ever so rudely forced on here." He continued.

I followed his orders and sat down, "I'm Fred and that's George." The one I had sit down beside had introduced.

I smiled to them both, "I'm Pandora -" I paused for a moment, remembering what Andromeda had told me, "- Tonks. Pandora Tonks." I knew that lying was bad, but Andromeda and Ted both said that by changing my name, I was protecting myself. I didn't question them, but I just accepted that my name is 'Pandora Tonks' now and not to be known as 'Bexley Lestrange'.

Fred and George didn't question it and moved the conversation along, "So, what house do you want to be sorted into?" George asked as I heard a build up in the engine of the train.

Before I could answer, the train had began moving and I looked out of the window quickly to see Ted and Andromeda waving along with Arthur, his wife and their two younger children. Fred, George and I waved back as the train moved from the station and began making its way to Hogwarts. "Sorry," I said to George, "What house do I want to be in?" I asked.

He nodded, "We're hoping for Gryffindor. Our brothers, Percy, Bill and Charlie are all in Gryffindor."

I smiled to George, "I'm sure you'll get in there no problem. Me, personally - " I thought about this for a moment, Tonks is the only person in my whole family that wasn't sorted into Slytherin. But, according to Tonks, 'it doesn't count' since she doesn't feel like a real member of the family. "I don't know really." I answered, when really, I wanted to follow in my mother and father's footsteps and be in Slytherin.

Conversation was so diverse between the three of us, and I was sure to make sure I didn't reveal anything that Andromeda didn't want me to. It was my first interaction with other people, alone. According to everyone else - I'm Ted and Andromeda's daughter named Pandora.

Before I had even realized it, we had made it to Hogwarts. I followed Fred and George from the train, making sure we didn't lose one another with chaos of hundreds of students wanting to get off the train. I stepped off the train to see a large man, holding a lamp, signalling first years, "First years, follow me." He echoed, waving his arms to make sure the first years knew who to go to despite being 11' tall. Fred led George and I over to the large man, "Ah, ye' boys better be Weasleys." He said down to Fred and George.

Fred and George smiled and nodded to the man, "How did you know?" Fred asked as more first years gathered around this man.

"Aye, Bill and Charlie have been talkin' about ye'." He answered, "I'm Rubeus Hagrid and I'm the Keeper of Keys 'ere at Hogwarts. That everyone now?" He asked looking among the group that had surrounded him, "Right, follow me." He said, leading us a different way than all of the other students. I looked out for Tonks but failed to see her since the train. I made sure that I kept close to Fred and George.

We followed Hagrid through a small section of wood before being brought up a slight hill to reveal the magnificent castle that was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "Wow." Fred gasped looking at the castle in awe as it's golden glow reflected off the night sky and the dark lake that appeared between us and the castle. "Are they boats?" Fred asked as Hagrid began leading us toward a row of small boats.

"Aye," Hagrid said, "Four in a boat." I made sure I didn't lose Fred and George, so kept close to them as everyone rushed to a boat of their choice.

George ran and managed to get a free one for the three of us before a girl took the empty seat, "You don't mind?" She asked, sitting in the empty seat in the front beside George.

"Not at all." Fred answered as the other students began filling the boats. "I'm Fred, that's George and this is Pandora." Fred introduced us to the girl.

The girl was tall, had big brown eyes and her hair was dark and braided, "I'm Angelina Johnson." She smiled to us, "Nice to meet you. Do these move by themselves?" Angelina asked, looking around at everyone who had settled into their boat. Then, out of nowhere, the boat began moving with no one controlling it - Fred and George seeming the most intrigued by this.

The boats began moving across the lake, the castle getting closer and closer. We arrived not long later to be met by what seemed to be a professor, who didn't crack a smile. We all gathered in front of her and waited for further instructions. She introduced herself as 'Professor McGonagall'. She wore a green pointy hat and cloaks to match. I took deep breaths as she began discussing the 'Sorting Ceremony'. Andromeda, Ted and Tonks have all talked to me about it - Tonks telling me to relax and that it's no big deal. Professor McGonagall led us through a small oak door and up through the corridors of the enchanted castle before stopping outside even larger wooden doors. We all knew that the Great Hall was on the other side. "Shall we begin?" Professor McGonagall addressed us.

Few students nodded just before the two doors opened to reveal the Great Hall. I was met with four long tables with students filling them all - each wearing their house colours. From left to right, I saw the green and silver of Slytherin, the blue of Ravenclaw, the red and yellow of Gryffindor and the yellow of Hufflepuff. As we walked through the aisle between the Ravenclaw and the Gryffindor table, I noticed a fifth, long table stretched along the top of the hall where the rest of the professors sat. I walked next to Angelina, behind Fred and George who waved at their brothers sitting at the Gryffindor table. I looked around and noticed Tonks, who locked eyes with me. She smiled and waved, "Who's that?" Angelina asked.

I faced forward once again before saying, "Oh, that's my sister." Angelina smiled and we stayed close as the students were forced to gather in front of the table the professors sat at, a grey haired man sitting in the center, locking eyes with me. I knew this man to be Albus Dumbledore from what Tonks and Andromeda and Ted had told me.

A stool rested in front of us with an old, grubby hat resting on it. I was so focused with looking at each of the professors and around at my fellow first year students, I completely ignored the song that the 'Sorting Hat' had sang, never mind the fact that this hat was talking and singing. "I will call your name, one by one, and you will come up here and be sorted into your house." Professor McGonagall announced, taking a scroll out from the inside of her robe. "Angelina Johnson." She called. Angelina, from beside, jumped slightly before sharing a look with Fred, George and I. I knew she was frightened but she didn't dwell too much and took her seat on the stool to be sorted into Gryffindor. The table erupted into cheers as Angelina jumped up and joined her fellow Gryffindors. Several more students were sorted - mainly Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs - before Fred was called. He steps up and sits down to be sorted into Gryffindor along with Angelina and George soon followed them. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat before announcing, "Pandora Tonks."

I noticed a few of the professors furrow their brows slightly and shift in their seating. I took a deep breath before approaching the stool. As I sat down, I noticed on the scroll in Professor McGonagall's hand that 'Pandora Tonks' was not written down, but in its place, 'Bexley Lestrange'. I gave a look to Professor McGonagall who just cracked a weak smile and nodded her head before indicating for me to sit down. I knew this would be an issue. And I knew that the professors behind me shared whispers and looks with one another. Professor McGonagall placed the hat down, gently on my head. "Ah," The hat shrieked as it moved around on my head, sending chills down my spine, "This is easy, Slytherin!" The hat called as the Slytherin table erupted into cheers.

I jumped down from the stool and quickly turned to Professor McGonagall, "But, my name?"

"Don't worry." She said to me, placing her hand on my shoulder, "We have everything under control, Pandora." She smiled to me before indicating for me to move along and join my fellow Slytherins. Fred, George and Angelina looking at me as I sat down.

I sat down next to a boy who introduced himself as Adrian Pucey, "I'm from a pure blood family, nothing less. How about you?" He asked, as the remaining first years were sorted - only three or four more students joining Slytherin, the majority joining Gryffindor or Hufflepuff.

I looked to him for a moment, "Uh, yeah." I said to him, knowing that Ted is a muggle-born and that I'm suppose to be 'half-blood' but how could I deny my true status, "Do you play Quidditch?" I asked, changing the subject as quickly as possible.

The sorting had finished, and the feast began. Food of all kinds appearing on the tables in front of us. Adrian and I began eating, while a fifth year student - Jonah, was telling us about the school and the professors who enjoyed their own feast. I noticed one professor sitting at the end of the table, closer to me. He wore black cloaks and had pale skin. He was tall and skinny and resembled and overgrown bat in his black cloaks. We locked eyes for a moment before he stood and began approaching me, "Why is Professor Snape coming this way?" Jonah asked as he sipped his pumpkin juice.

Professor Snape made his way over to where I sat, "A word?" He said to me. I looked to Adrian and Jonah in confusion before standing up and following Professor Snape out of the Great Hall, where it was much more quiet.

I stopped and faced the man before breathing heavily, "Look, I didn't mean to make awkward eye-contact with you, I was -"

"- Stop." He interrupted me with a slight hiss to his voice. We stood there for a moment, "I want you to be honest with me and be very clear when you answer me." He said in a mono-tone, "You're real name is not Pandora Tonks, is it?" He hissed, dragging the end of the sentence.

Was it that easy to tell, or did he see the same thing I did on Professor McGonagall's scroll, "What gave it away?" I asked him, taking a good look at Snape as his shape and features seemed familiar.

He looked down at me, looking at the different features in my face, "You look too much like your mother, a part from the awfully hidden black curls." He said referring to my brown, chestnut hair that curled slightly.

"My mother?" I asked, questioning the man, "How do you know my mother?" I was getting curious as to who this man was now since he knew me and my mother, "Have we met before?"

Snape didn't move, but his gaze remaining fixed on my eyes, "I know your mother very well." He said, "Before she was sent away of course."

The sound of those words made me feel tense. Andromeda made it clear to me that my mother was in prison, but never went into further detail - mainly because I didn't want to know what she could have done to get herself in Azkaban and I don't want to think about my mother negatively. "Can we please not talk about my mother. I don't want anyone knowing who she is or who I am for that matter." I sighed, looking up at Snape, hoping that he will agree with my reasoning.

Snape stood there for what seemed like a while, looking at me, looking at my facial features, "I suggest you join your fellow housemates before you make your way to your common room." He said before gliding past me and walking back into the Great Hall.

I watched him as he approached the table he was previously sitting at and sat back down and it was in that instant that I remembered where I had seen him before - I was sitting in the dining room of my old home, where I lived with my mother and father. I was to remain in the dining room while my parents spoke to a friend of theirs in the living room. I remember I couldn't resist the urge to peak and see who they were talking to, only to realize that it was in fact Professor Snape. I tried thinking back to what they could have been talking about and can only remember the words 'Dark Mark', 'Dark Lord' and 'Potter'.