Two of Both Kinds Make Up Four

Seeing double, perhaps?

The tandem courtship and shared weddings of the identical Pucey twins to the identical Abercrombie twins raised more than a few eyebrows in early 1875, but it seemed also, quite unusually, to be a love match in both cases. Once wed, the new Pucey couples acquired neighbouring homes in Godric’s Hollow in which to rear their budding families.

For the first time, however, Callista and Cosmina diverged: while Callista seemed to get pregnant almost immediately, it would be two years before Cosmina would follow suit, causing the witch no shortage of worry. Fortunately, Hippolyta was born in December of 1877—followed by a cousin, Juno, the following month.

Though She be but Little, She is Fierce

Bold. Confident. A bit… brash….

All proved to be apt descriptors in Polly’s earliest years. Though the eldest child in her household, she was only second in the joint household, and often strove to keep up with Iseult (and leave behind Juno). Indeed, in spite of their mothers’ best efforts, Polly and Juno—the spit of one another!—simply did not get on from the get-go. By the age of five or so, they had learned to put on a show to avoid their mamas’ Disappointed Faces, but away from the parents, they had more or less agreed to ignore one another as much as possible.

In 1884, Polly’s entire household contracts the Laughing Plague—and by some miracle, the other Pucey household is spared it entirely. Polly proves to be the only one not utterly bedridden by the affliction, and is the first to recover.

Polly’s first act of magic comes in 1885 when, during an argument with Juno, she turns her cousin’s hair a particularly nauseating shade of green. It is the better part of a year before the green tinges leave the other girl’s hair altogether.

During this period, a number of relations join the family. Polly becomes a sister thrice over to Lysandra, Hermia, and Demetria (her mother’s favourite play, if it were not yet clear, had long been A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and feels a protectiveness for them that she did not expect. Her aunt, too, delivers another child, this the only boy to either of the twins: Kingsley. And of course, Uncle Elwin and his wife have children, too, but as they don’t live immediately adjacent, they are much less a part of Polly’s life.

Two Lovely Berries Moulded on One Stem

It is the normal way of things: magical children, invited to a magical school to learn magical things.

In the autumn of 1889, Hippolyta and Juno prove no different, departing for Hogwarts together, riding the train together (albeit with Iseult and a couple of her friends so their silence isn’t quite so awkward), and being sorted one after the other. Mercifully, they are not sorted into the same house: Polly lands in Slytherin, whilst Juno finds herself in ___________. Still, for the first very long while, both of the Pucey girls are frustrated to have to repeatedly explain that no, they are not twins, simply cousins who look alike.

(After all, their parents’ being identical twins means that the cousins are, genetically, full siblings.)

Early in the year, Polly decides to take Hesper Gamp under her wing—her dormmate, and a tragic young orphan with nothing to recommend her. It is a charity project, to be sure, but as the months wear on, Polly begins to feel genuinely fond of, and protective towards, the other Slytherin.  By second year, she genuinely considers Hesper to be her friend and, by third, has concluded that Hesper is not nearly so much in need of charity as she had first believed.

A third year also  sees Polly earn her first (and last, to date) detention. Well series of detentions, having forged her mother’s signature to try out for the house quidditch team—she is pulled from the pitch mid trial. To this day, Polly is adamant that Juno ratted her out, but in truth, it was Iseult (who shares their mothers’ feelings that quidditch is too dangerous for young ladies). Too, she adds care of magical creatures and arithmancy to her timetable.

In 1893, Hesper is awarded the prefect’s badge for Slytherin. Polly is happy for her friend, but this prompts insecurity—an altogether new emotion for a young witch who has never known a lack of confidence.

O, When She's Angry, She is Keen and Shrewd

It might have been the perfect summer if it had not been for the sinkhole of 1894.

Among those taken into its depths was her father, who is unbelievably killed in the process. Hippolyta knows two things for certain: life will never be as it was again, and it was all Juno’s fault.

After all, if Papa had not been chasing after her her hat (she, who he had always seemed to love an inordinate amount), he would not have been there, would not have died. With her father dies the careful truce of silence the girls had long cultivated. As far as Polly is concerned, this means war.