"I got my letter!" Eleven-year-old Marlene squealed from the kitchen, her voice carrying through the house.

The sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows of the Tonks' cottage, bathing the room in golden warmth. Dust motes danced lazily in the light, while the faint hum of a distant breeze carried the scent of flowers from the garden. Marlene Petunia Potter sat at the table, her legs swinging beneath her, her eyes glued to the letter in her hands. Her heart raced as she read it over and over, hardly daring to believe it was real.

"Hogwarts," she whispered, her voice tinged with awe. "I'm going to Hogwarts!"

At the stove, Andromeda turned, her expression softening at the sight of the girl's excitement. "I told you it would arrive today," she said with a smile, her voice carrying the patient warmth of a mother who had known the truth all along. "Eleven years old and already a witch ready for Hogwarts. The house will be too quiet without you."

Ted Tonks was not the first person to arrive at Marley's squeals, but in fact it was Nymphadora Tonks. From the doorway, Dora learned against the frame, arms crossed and smirking. Her hair was a playful bubblegum pink, and she let out a dramatic sigh.

"Oh, don't let it go to your head, squirt. You've still got to survive the Sorting. That's the real test."

Marley looked up, her wide green eyes sparkling. "The Sorting? What if I don't get a house at all?"

Nymphadora threw her hands up theatrically. "Oh no! A Hogwarts first! A student without a house!" She laughed and ruffled Marley's untidy brown hair, making the younger girl giggle. "Relax, Marley. You'll get a house. The real question is which one. I'm thinking Gryffindor."

Marley tilted her head, her brow furrowing in thought. "But you were a Hufflepuff," she pointed out, grinning cheekily.

"And if you're not in Hufflepuff, we'll love you all the same," Ted said with a knowing smile, walking into the kitchen, his hands dusted with dirt from the garden.

"Exactly," Nymphadora said with a wink. "If you're in Gryffindor, we'll have a Tonks in every house. Dad was in Ravenclaw, Mum was in Slytherin... Makes us a well-rounded family."

Andromeda shook her head, though her lips were curved in a fond smile. She brought over a tray of fresh scones, the scent of buttery warmth filling the room. "Houses don't define a witch, Nymphadora. Marley will be wonderful wherever she's placed."

Marley beamed at the reassurance, though her thoughts were still racing. "I like Hufflepuff," she said shyly, her fingers trailing over the Hogwarts crest embossed on the letter. "It feels... friendly. Besides, you make it sound so amazing, Dora."

"Friendly suits you," Ted said with a wink, dropping a kiss on Marley's head. "But don't count out Ravenclaw. You've got quite the mind for puzzles."

"Well, whatever house you're in, dear, you'll love it. The Sorting Hat very rarely makes mistakes," Andromeda said, coming to her husband's side and giving Marley's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

The family fell into a comfortable chatter, each member pitching their favorite house as the best fit for Marley. Nymphadora regaled them with exaggerated tales of her days as a Hufflepuff, while Ted insisted that Ravenclaw's knack for creativity would suit Marley perfectly. For Marley, it felt like home—a place where her fears could be voiced and swiftly swept away by the warmth of love.

As the conversation waned, Marley found herself gazing at the letter once more, the enormity of what it symbolized sinking in. Her thoughts drifted to Professor McGonagall, who had visited the Tonks' cottage several times over the years, and the pieces of her family's history McGonagall had quietly revealed.

She remembered how the professor would sit primly in their cozy living room, her tartan robes blending oddly with the patchwork quilt on the sofa. Marley had been eight when McGonagall first hinted at her heritage.

"You are your mother's daughter," McGonagall had said during one of those visits, her sharp eyes softening. "And your father's, too, though you may not see it yet. James was a fine man, and Lily... she was remarkable."

Last year, McGonagall had told Marley the truth. That she had a brother. That they had been separated when her parents had died. The memory of that evening lingered in Marley's mind—the professor's firm but kind voice, Andromeda holding her hand as she absorbed the news, the ache of knowing her brother was out there somewhere, a stranger to her. She'd thought about him every day since and imagined how their first meeting would go.

She knew a little, mostly just what Ted and Andromeda had been able to tell her, but Professor McGonagall had taught her Mum and Dad for seven years, so Marlene did what every curious young child would; she asked McGonagall so many questions that it was well into the late hours of night when McGonagall left, but Marlene still had so many questions.

She'd found out that both of her parents were in Gryffindor, and so were all of three friends, including Marlene's namesake. So Marlene wondered if maybe she had what it took to be in Gryffindor as well, just like her parents.

"Marley?" Ted asked, waving his hand in front of the girl's face and breaking through her reverie. "I asked if you wanted to go to Diagon Alley next week to pick up your school stuff."

Marlene's face brightened. "Sure!"

Andromeda smiled warmly. "That sounds great, dear. What do you say we make your favorite dish tonight, to celebrate?"

The young girl jumped to her feet, all thoughts of her brother and her parents pushed to the back of her mind for now.

"Really?"

"Really."

They spent the afternoon in the kitchen, the clatter of pots and pans mingling with the soft hum of their voices. Marley stood on a stool to reach the counter, her hands dusted with flour as she rolled meatballs under Andromeda's watchful eye. The smell of garlic and herbs filled the room, and laughter bubbled up as Andromeda showed Marley how to twirl the pasta just right without making a mess.

"You're getting good at this," Andromeda said as Marley carefully placed the last of the meatballs into a sizzling pan.

"Only because you're teaching me," Marley replied, her grin wide.

The two worked in comfortable rhythm, but as they stirred the sauce together, Marley hesitated, her spoon pausing mid-stir. "Auntie Andi?"

"Hm?"

"Can you tell me about my parents?" Marley asked softly, not meeting Andromeda's gaze. She had asked that question often in her younger years, but there wasn't much Andromeda could say at the time. "I mean like what they were like?"

Andromeda froze for a moment, then set her knife down and turned to face Marley. "Your parents were... extraordinary," she said gently. "Your mother was one of the brightest, kindest witches I ever knew. She had a way of making everyone feel seen, even when they didn't know they needed it."

"And my dad?" Marley prompted, her voice barely a whisper.

Andromeda's smile grew wistful. "I only met James a couple of times. He was funny, a real class clown, the ring leader, but he knew how to fight. And James was brave. Loyal. He'd have done anything to protect the people he loved. And he adored you. You have his hair and his eyes, that I know for sure. You and your brother meant everything to him and Lily."

Marley's spoon clinked softly against the edge of the pot as she stopped stirring. "How... how did they die?" She was hesitant to ask that last question, but she had no idea what had happened those ten years ago.

Andromeda wiped her brow with her apron. The heat of the stove had filled the kitchen. "Marley, dear, it's not a pleasant story. Are you sure you'd like to know?"

For just a moment, the girl hesitated, but then she nodded.

Andromeda hesitated, her voice quieter now. "Well, many years ago, there was a very evil wizard. He had gathered many followers and a war was breaking out among the wizarding world. Both of my sisters were on his side, but Ted and I could never follow that evil man. Your parents were on the good side, trying to help stop him. They went into hiding with you and your brother, Harry. However, one night, this evil wizard found them and killed them both." Marley had a frown on face, but she looked thoughtful, trying to comprehend what Andromeda had just told her.

Andromeda brushed a strand of hair from Marley's face. "Someday, I hope you'll meet Harry."

Marley nodded, her green eyes brimming with the same determination she had inherited from her parents. "I hope so too."

As they finished cooking, the heavy conversation melted into lighthearted chatter again. Marley found herself giggling as Andromeda playfully flicked flour onto her nose, a fleeting moment of pure joy.

Later, as they set the table, Marley hesitated once more. "Auntie Andi?"

"Yes, love?"

"Did I ever call you Mum?"

Andromeda looked at her in surprise. "You heard Nymphadora calling me Mum when you were just starting to speak, but Ted and I decided it wouldn't be right for you to live under the false idea that we were your parents. So we became Aunt Andi and Uncle Ted."

"But now that I know, what if I wanted to call you Mum and Dad?" Marley inquired. It had been something she had been thinking about for a while. Andromeda and Ted had been her parents in everything but blood since she could remember, and more often than not, Marley caught herself wanting to call them Mum or Dad.

Andromeda paused. She had been placing the plates down, but Marley's question had pulled her to a full stop. She came over to Marley, cupping the girl's face in her hands.

"I would love nothing more, but that's up to you, dear. Don't feel like you have to."

Marley's face lit up with a smile so bright it seemed to fill the entire room. "Don't worry, I don't... Mum."

Andromeda pulled her into a tight embrace, her heart swelling with love. For a moment, everything felt perfect, like the little cottage itself was wrapping them in its warmth.

✦✦✦

The next week dragged on. Marley was anxious to go to Diagon Alley. It wasn't like she hadn't been before, in fact she had been to the odd little area of wizarding shops many times, but she was particularly excited to return to get her own school supplies to go to Hogwarts. Meanwhile, both Ted and Andromeda were adjusting to being called Mum and Dad by a girl who had only ever known them as Aunt Andi and Uncle Ted. It had only ever been Nymphadora calling them that, and having another girl call them that, no matter how beloved she was, was slightly off putting to the two.

And then, finally, the day came. The morning sun poured through the kitchen windows of the Tonks' cottage, casting long, golden rays across the wooden floors. The soft scent of freshly baked bread mingled with the earthy aroma of the garden outside, where the birds chirped happily.

If Ted and Andromeda had forgotten that morning, Marley bounding down the stairs with a huge grin on her face surely would've helped them remember.

"I can't believe it," she muttered to herself, her voice light with disbelief. "I'm going to Hogwarts! I'm really going!"

Andromeda, a warm smile playing on her lips, watched as Marley's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I told you, love, that it would come. You've been waiting for this day for a long time."

Ted, glancing over the top of his paper, raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Are you sure you're not a bit too excited? You might actually burst before we even get there."

Marley's wide grin grew even wider. "Of course I'm excited! I've been dreaming about this day for years!" she exclaimed, bouncing on the chair with such enthusiasm that the tablecloth fluttered. Her Hogwarts letter was tucked safely in her pocket, but she kept glancing at it as though it might suddenly sprout wings and fly away.

Nymphadora walked through the kitchen, grabbing a biscuit off the counter. "Let's hope you don't faint from excitement before you make it through the Sorting Hat ceremony," she teased.

Marley stuck out her tongue playfully. "I won't faint. Maybe. You're not even coming with us, so you can't tease me."

Nymphadora shrugged dramatically. "Hey, I'm busy with Auror training. You're on your own for this one." She gave Marley a wink, her bubblegum pink hair shifting with the movement.

"Well, I still wish you were coming," Marley said with a pout. "It won't be the same without you here."

"I'll send you owls every week, I promise," Nymphadora said, crossing the room to ruffle Marley's hair. "Just don't get into too much trouble without me."

Andromeda and Ted exchanged amused glances before turning back to Marley, who was practically bouncing out of her seat now.

"Are you ready dear?" Andromeda asked as Ted helped her put her cloak on. She glanced up at the brunette girl before securing the fasten on her emerald cloak.

"I don't know, Dromeda," Ted said teasingly. "I think Marlene's shoes might be on the wrong feet..."

Marley looked down, and when she realized Ted was teasing, looked back up in bewilderment. "Hey, I didn't know it was a crime to be excited around here!"

The two adults chuckled. "It's not," Andromeda said. "I just don't think I've seen you this excited since the day Dora came back from her first year at school. But we ought to get a move on before you blow from all of this excitement!"

"Yes please! Oh, can we get my wand first?"

"Sure," Ted said with a laugh. "Whatever you'd like Marley."

With a soft chuckle, Andromeda conjured a small pouch of Floo powder and held it out. "Remember, straight to Diagon Alley, not too fast. We don't need any accidents today."

Marley took the pouch, her hands shaking slightly with excitement. She sprinkled the powder into the hearth, and the green flames leaped up with a crackling roar. The familiar swirling whirlwind of green fire spiraled around them as Andromeda spoke clearly, "Diagon Alley."

With a loud whoosh, they were sucked into the Floo network, the world around them spinning until it suddenly stopped with a dizzying lurch. Marley blinked as she stepped out into the cobblestone street of Diagon Alley, her eyes wide with awe.

The sounds of busy chatter, the clink of coins, and the rustle of newspapers filled the air. Witches and wizards hurried between storefronts, their robes flowing behind them as their magical creatures trotted alongside. The sweet scent of fresh pastries from a nearby bakery wafted through the air, and Marley could hear the melodic clink of glass and the laughter of children as they darted between their parents' legs.

Marley's wide eyes were drinking it all in—every sight, every sound, every moment of magic. She had been to Diagon Alley before, of course, but never like this. This time, it was for her. Her first trip to gather school supplies for Hogwarts. The weight of that thought felt like a heavy but exciting secret, something that had always felt so distant now suddenly coming true.

Andromeda chuckled at Marley's wide-eyed gaze. "Let's head to Ollivander's."

The trio made their way down the crowded street, weaving through clusters of people, the sound of their shoes tapping lightly against the cobblestones. As they approached Ollivander's shop, the narrow, tall building loomed ahead, its windows dark and mysterious. The shopfront was cluttered with rows of boxes, some so old they looked like they hadn't been touched in years.

"Look, Marley," Andromeda said once they'd stopped outside the shop. "This is a very important moment in your wizarding journey. Something both Ted and I did without our parents. Why don't you go in, and Ted and I will go get your favorite from Fortescue's, yeah?"

Suddenly, all of Marley's excitement turned into worry.

"Umm, sure," she said and swallowed thickly. "Sure, I'll meet you there."

Andromeda and Ted departed with a smile, and Marley went inside the shop. It was empty. It looked almost deserted, in fact. The walls were covered from floor to ceiling with shelves, and on each of those shelves were hundreds of small boxes that had collected what looked like decades of dust. The boxes were each labeled with an elegant script. The lighting was dim, the entire shop lit by just a few lamps on the walls. The smell of wood, old parchment, and faint traces of enchantment filled the air. However, despite the odd atmosphere, the shop felt welcoming and somewhat homey.

"Er, hello?" Marley called. Her voice was soft but seemed to bounce off the various shelves.

An elderly man made his way to the front counter. He emerged from the shadows of the shop. His pale, silvery eyes fixed on her with a piercing gaze, and when he saw Marley, he offered her a deeply welcoming smile.

"Miss Potter. What an honor. Your brother was just in here the other day."

Marley froze. Her heart skipped a beat, and a small pang of longing filled her chest at the mention of Harry. She had never met him, but to hear his name spoken by someone who knew him... it felt like a whisper from the past, a thread of connection.

"You know who I am?" Marley asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Professor McGonagall had mentioned that the whole world knew of Harry since he defeated the dark wizard, but not many people knew that he had a sister.

A twinkle appeared in Ollivander's eyes. "Oh, I suppose I'm just observant. It's not often I have the pleasure of meeting the child of such well-known wizards. Your mother's wand—willow, swishy, ten and a quarter inches—paired perfectly with your father's, mahogany, pliable, eleven inches. You must be here to get your first wand, is that right?" Marley nodded. "Best not to keep you waiting."

The wandmaker walked over to a set of shelves and stood staring at them for a long minute, his finger scratching his temple. He muttered phrases to himself as his eyes darted from one small box to another in an almost crazy way, but his moves were deliberate, as though every gesture was steeped in significance. More than once, he would look over at Marley, back at the shelf, and back to Marley again. Clearly picking a wand for someone was way harder than Marley originally thought. Finally, after a few minutes, he pulled a reddish-orange box from the very bottom shelf, opened it, and held it out to Marlene.

"Go ahead," he said, an edge of excitement in his voice. "Pick it up."

Marley reached into the box and retrieved the magical object.

As her fingers wrapped around the wand, a warm pulse of magic surged through her, flowing up her arm and into her chest. The air around her seemed to hum, and for a brief moment, she could feel the pulse of the wand's magic as though it were alive. Ollivander's eyes gleamed with something deeper than mere curiosity.

"Acacia wood with a dragon core, 11 ½", and quite bendy flexibility," Ollivander said proudly. "And it seems to agree with you, just as I'd hoped it might. Wandmaking is quite difficult, but even harder is pairing a wand and a wizard properly on the first try. You know, Acacia wood is a very unusual wand wood. They often don't let just any witch or wizard use them, only their owner. I think you'll have just a splendid time with this wand, Miss Potter."

Marley felt her breath catch, and she carefully tucked the wand into her pocket, her heart racing with the significance of it. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice full of awe. She slowly left Ollivander's, the weight of the wand and its meaning heavy in Marley's hands.

When she reunited with Andromeda and Ted, they were sitting in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, chatting over their treats. Marley had seen this scene several times before. Andromeda with her orange marmalade ice cream, Ted with his vanilla, and Marley with her chocolate. However this time was different. Marley could already tell that things were changing. She was going to Hogwarts, about to meet her twin brother, before she knew it, things were going to be very different.

Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind, she sat down between the Tonks couple and devoured her ice cream.

"So... what's next?" Marley said with her mouth full.

Andromeda laughed and wiped the corner of Marley's mouth with a napkin. "First, we clean you up, you have always been a messy ice cream eater. Then, we can go get your robes or your books, whatever you want to do next."

"Perhaps you two can go get Marley's books while I pop into Gringotts," Ted remarked, checking how much wizarding money he had left in his pockets. "Ought to make a withdrawal to get those robes of yours. You two can tackle the bookstore without me."

"Are you sure you're okay to miss the chaos of a first-year shopping for textbooks?" Andromeda teased.

"I'll survive," Ted said with a grin before disappearing into the crowd.

As Andromeda and Marley parted ways from Ted, the young girl had a thoughtful look on her face. Money had never been tight with the Tonks family per se, but they lived frugally. Now that Nymphadora was making a bit of money too, she was helping the family as well. Marley was slightly concerned, however, that all of these school supplies might be too much for Ted and Andromeda. She would have to talk to Nymphadora later about that.

Inside Flourish and Blotts, it was hard to breathe. The air smelled of parchment, ink, and the faint traces of magic., but many parents had come with their children, whether they would be first years or returning Hogwarts students, and Marley considered herself lucky that she had managed to stay next to Andromeda the entire time.

As Marley scanned the shelves for A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, a warm voice called out, "Andromeda, dear! How good to see you, it's been too long!"

A short woman with frizzy ginger hair was approaching them with a large smile on her face. She had two ginger boys in tow, likely her sons, who had identical looks of boredom on their identical faces.

"Molly!" Andromeda replied with the same enthusiasm. "How have you been? It's been far too long."

"Far too long indeed," Molly agreed. "We're doing just well, thank you! Arthur is taking Percy and Ron around for their school supplies while I've got my eyes on Fred and George here. Goodness knows they need it. But little Ron is starting school this year, can you believe it?"

The twins behind Molly rolled their eyes in unison at their mother's words.

"Yes," one of them muttered. "Ickle Ronnykins starting Hogwarts at age eleven, what a novel idea!"

"And what's this nonsense about needing to be watched!" the other added. "We're capable of going shopping by ourselves!"

"My goodness, no!" Andromeda said, clearly not hearing the boys. "So is Marley, we're here getting her school supplies as well!"

Molly's face brightened. "Oohh, how wonderful! Perhaps her and Ron will be in the same house! Then she'll know somebody!"

"But that won't happen, Mum," one of the twins piped up. "We've all been in Gryffindor–"

"And Tonks was in Hufflepuff," the other finished.

"The odds of Ron ending up anywhere but Gryffindor are slim," the first one added.

"Fred!" Molly snapped, looking at the first brother. "George! Just because our family has consistently been in the same house, doesn't mean that their family will be the same." Turning back to Marley, Molly smiled. "Excuse my sons. I'm sure Ron and Marley will get along just fine."

None of Molly Weasley's children knew that Marley was Harry Potter's sister. Only Molly and her husband Arthur were aware of that fact. The Tonks' family had been over to the Weasleys a couple of times for dinner, and as far as Percy, or Fred, or George, or Ron knew, Marley was Andromeda and Ted Tonks's youngest daughter. Even Tonks, who had befriended Charlie Weasley during her time at Hogwarts, had kept quiet.

The twins gaped at their mother's words "excusing them".

"We have names!" The second one, George, Marley believed, said. "I'm George, the smarter one."

"Well I'm Fred," the other twin shot back. "The better looking one."

"Or perhaps I'm Fred," George said. "If you prefer."

"You'll never know which is which," they said in perfect unison, and Marley apprehensively shook their hands. She looked up at Andromeda in concern, but her foster mother wasn't really paying attention.

"We must have you and Arthur over for dinner once the children have gone off to school," Andromeda was telling Molly. "But I'm afraid we must get going. We still have lots of shopping to do and we have to go find Ted."

Molly nodded. "Of course, us as well. Arthur and I will look for your owl then?"

Andromeda smiled kindly. "Of course, good seeing you."

"Yes, yes, you as well!"

With a final wave, Andromeda and Marley continued their shopping. Marley felt her heart lighter than ever, her excitement for the adventures ahead growing with every step she took through the bustling streets of Diagon Alley.

It was a world of endless possibilities. And Marley couldn't wait to discover it all.

. . . . . . . . . . 𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙨 . . . . . . . . . .

Here's Chapter One! It's always so fun when you're in the middle of writing or almost towards the end and then you look back on how your character started.

I absolutely love the dynamic of Marley and her foster family. It's so perfect and wholesome.

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do. Vote, comment your thoughts, and share with your friends!