1878 | Hesper is born, the first living child after a series of miscarriages and still births.

1880 | After a couple more miscarriages a second child, Phaedra, is born. Her mother is left perilously weak after the ordeal and never fully regains her strength. Hesper finds the draw of attention from her to the new baby most offensive. She becomes increasingly brattish in her behavior.

1881 | Hesper is separated from her father in Diagon Alley. Worried she'll be left behind, she accidentally levitates herself ten feet in the air. It's her first manifestation of magical ability.

1882 | Her relationship with her sister remains hostile, at least on Hesper's end.

1884 | The Laughing Plague comes to Hogsmeade. The whole family takes ill aside from Phaedra. Her mother is starts to rally but her father takes a turn for the worse. It is then that the fire breaks out in Wellingtonshire. Hesper's mother, with the help of a maid, manages to rescue her daughters from the blaze but the servant who had tried to retrieve Thackeray Gamp perishes in the fire with him. Cressida Gamp against all odds survives. For a day.

Freshly orphaned, Hesper and Phaedra are sent to live with their great aunt as soon as the quarantine allows it. Upon arrival, however, Great Aunt Jessamine refuses to take Phaedra whom she thinks to be either a squib or cursed. This is on account of her remaining untouched by the plague and the child that seemingly prevented her mother from having further children, never mind that her fertility was dubious to begin with! Phaedra is sent to boarding school and prevented from returning between semesters. Having spent most of her childhood thus far at odds with Phaedra, Hesper is surprised to find herself bereft by the banishment of her sister rather than pleased. Her Great Aunt Jessamine proves to be a very strict and harsh disciplinarian, or at least the governess and servants are on her behalf. Hesper only sees the spinster but once a week. She is deprived of other children to play with and spends most of her time in lessons or confined to her room.

1888 | Hesper has changed markedly from the impudent, spirited child she was before her parents died. She hasn't seen or heard from her sister since the day she left for school.

1889 | At long last Hesper's Hogwarts letter arrives! She begins counting down the days until she's out from under Aunt Jessamine's nose. September arrives and Hesper is promptly sorted into Slytherin. Her excitement wanes a little as she realizes it's not as simple as leaving her great aunt, now she has to remember how to socialize with humans her own age.

1890 | Days before starting school again, the gardener finds a litter of kittens and offers one to Hesper. Assuming she wouldn't be allowed to keep it, she doesn't tell her great aunt and spends the last couple days of August hiding her new pet.