Chapter Text
Venutia Spindle seemed to have it all: pureblood lineage, family wealth, natural beauty. But there was one thing that she didn’t have: magic.
And that one thing she didn’t possess, that one thing that was entirely out of her control, would prove to shape her life more than anything else, having dire consequences.
The Spindle family belonged to the Sacred Twenty Eight and in all their years of prominence, they never once had to face the scandal of giving birth to a squib, that was, until Venutia came along.
Up until the age of 11, Venutia had been coddled and loved, just like her siblings. But when they got the Hogwarts letters and she didn’t, her entire world came crashing down.
She lost her parents' love, she lost everything. Lord Voldemort had been defeated and the wizarding world was changing but her family held on tight to prejudice and tradition. A squib was no better than a muggle and no one could know of their family shame.
So, they did what many prominent English wizarding families in the same predicament did. They shipped Venutia off to an orphanage somewhere in the UK, very far away from them and told all of their acquaintances that their precious girl had died a tragic death during their trip abroad.
Most squib children sent to these orphanages integrated into the muggle world and never looked back. Why would they? In their eyes, the wizarding world was cruel and exclusionary. And besides, why be a poor downcast squib in the wizarding world when you could be a hotshot in the muggle world?
See, people forget that even though squibs can’t use wands to cast spells, they can still use magical items. People underestimate just how advantageous life as a squib can be. There was actually a rumor that one of the squib boys from Venutia’s orphanage had managed to get his hands on a bottle of felix felicis, the liquid luck potion and used it to win the lottery and become a millionaire in the muggle world.
Venutia had a different fate, one that would push her towards straddling both worlds, a constant tight rope walk. She didn’t choose such a path; someone else had put her on that path but she did choose to accept it. If she hadn’t been placed upon such a path, she wondered where she would even be now. All it took was one person to set her on her course, giving her a life purpose and a mission.
This destiny materialized on Venutia’s eighteenth birthday, when she legally became an adult and would have to pick a path anyway. She would never forget that day, it was like being hollow for seven years and then suddenly becoming solid and full again.
“You’re Venutia Spindle, a squib who was born into the sacred Spindle Family. You were cheated out of your destiny, your future, but I’m here to tell you that you can change that. My name is Alabaster Thistle. I’m a wizard and I work to help squibs like yourself.” The tall wavy-haired man wearing all black spoke.
Venutia had screamed when she first saw the man. He had been wearing a mask, which he promptly took off to speak to her but that didn’t stop her from cowering in the corner.
“A… a wizard? You’re a….wizard.” Venutia had lived the first ten years of her life in the wizarding world, surrounded by wizards and witches. She should have felt safe and comfortable in that world, in the presence of magic people, but that sense of safety and comfort, that sense of home, was destroyed a long time ago. Wizards and witches could not be trusted, could not give unconditional love.
“I know what you’re thinking.” He said. “You have no reason to trust me, my kind, even your own family, treated you terribly. But hear me out. My brother, Callistus, is a squib and he’s the reason why I do what I do. I broke away from my family for the way they treated him and I used my inheritance to set up a foundation, a foundation and a home for squibs rejected by their pureblood families.”
Venutia’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, that there were witches and wizards who cared about squibs, who were advocating on their behalf.
Alabaster continued to explain to her. “We keep track of other squibs. I’ve known about you for a long time Venutia. When squibs in orphanages like you become of age, me or my brother will go and tell them about our foundation and home. We dream of a world in which squibs, muggles, wizards, witches and everyone else can accept one another and live in harmony. We believe every life has worth and value. And we devote a great deal of our time fighting against the especially cruel treatment that squibs in pureblood families receive. We don’t think squibs should be forced out of the wizarding world and into the muggle world, nor do we think muggle-born witches and wizards should be encouraged to leave the muggle world behind entirely and stay only in the magical world. We dare to imagine a world in which people of mixed birth can exist happily and wholly in both worlds.”
Up until this moment, Venutia planned to do what the vast majority of squibs did; enter the muggle world and never look back. But now, here was this stranger, this earnest, charismatic and truthfully quite handsome albeit older stranger, and a wizard no less, a kind wizard who acknowledged her as worthy of dignity, presenting her with another option.
The emotions came flooding as if a dam in her heart had broken. The taste of Bertie Bott’s every flavor beans on her tongue, the smell of her father’s potions, the feeling of gliding through the air on the front of her mother’s broomstick, the portraits in the sitting room that moved and talked, the tales her older siblings shared about that incredible school they attended, they all came rushing back to her.
Alabaster Thistle could see the longing and the burning passion in the young woman’s eyes. He was no seer but anyone could see that Venutia had a power and drive in her heart that would lead her to achieve great things.
Venutia’s look of longing and hope turned abruptly into a raised-eyebrow look of skepticism. “So, if I go with you and join your foundation, what exactly will I be expected to do? Also, I was all set to get a regular muggle job and forget the wizarding world but if I join you, then I’m kind of being thrust back into it, aren’t I?”
Thistle smiled. The young woman was thoughtful and intelligent and he had no problem answering her questions.
“We find abandoned squibs when they turn eighteen for two reason: one, to give them a home and a community, you will get to live for free with others like you, in dormitory style apartments fully funded by the foundation. Of course, you don’t have to live there but most choose to, due to their financial circumstances and because they genuinely like it, the sense of community. Two, to offer a job that furthers our foundation’s mission. If you live in our dormitory then you also work for us and we work with you. After a one month settling-in period, we meet with you to get to know you, your strengths, weaknesses, interests, etc and from there we decide what kind of position you would be best suited for. But ultimately, all of our jobs have the same end goal - fighting for equal rights.”
Thistle continued. “If you truly want to live only in the muggle world and leave the wizarding world behind, then I completely understand your reasons for doing so but in that case, life with the foundation won’t be an option for you. Squibs are children of witches and wizards so naturally, in fighting prejudice against them, we operate in the wizarding world.”
Again, the longing look returned to Venutia’s face. For seven years she denied it and now it was hitting her in the face; the wizarding world was just as much her world as it was her parents and siblings’ world. She had grown up in it and even once thought she was a part of it. For ten years, she knew nothing else. The realization slapped her in the face. She would never feel content living only the muggle world and she always knew that but she thought she would just have to suck it up.
She had accepted a life of pining and longing. Somewhere along the way, the little girl who had wanted everything, had accepted the prospect of a future filled with nothing.
Not anymore. “Alabaster Thistle, you have given me an offer I cannot refuse. I would love nothing more than to reclaim my place in the wizarding world by working for your foundation. Thank you. You have given me back the inner flame that I thought I had lost long ago.”
Alabaster Thistle was neither a seer nor a legilimens but he had to fight to keep his smile from turning into a smirk; he had seen her answer coming. Venutia Spindle may not have had magic but she was a pure Spindle through and through; proud, ambitious and full of desire.
Now Venutia was twenty-one. She had been with the foundation for more than three years and just as she knew intuitively more than three years ago, this was her calling. Not only, did she find lifelong friends and a tight-knit chosen family, she also found work that she could pour her whole heart into.
In the less than four years since she had joined, Venutia had proven herself a natural-born leader. She fearlessly went out into the wizarding world day after day, spreading the message of equality and she found that she had a real knack for giving riveting speeches. Those speeches inspired more than one piece of legislation that had passed recently, giving greater protection to squibs and muggle-born witches and wizards among others.
It certainly didn’t hurt that she had started working shortly after the fall of the Dark Lord. While many old pureblood families like hers were still clinging to their ways, Venutia could see that the rest of the wizarding world was changing and changing rapidly. Most people didn’t want another dark lord to rise. Most people didn’t want to be accused of bigotry. Wizards and witches everywhere seemed eager to lend an ear to Venutia’s impassioned pleas for greater tolerance and understanding.
Of course, Venutia’s work put her in danger, not just from pureblood supremacists in general, but most painfully, from her family especially. This was true for all the squibs from the old noble pureblood families working for the foundation. Most of their families had lied and said they died but by speaking publicly, they were exposing them. Assasination attempts were a very real and frightening reality for Venutia and her colleagues.
But for the time being, assassination attempts and slander were the least of Venutia’s concerns. The young, whip smart, bright-eyed foundation worker had been given a task beyond her wildest imagination, a task that cemented her status as the most competent and capable person working for the foundation, but it was also a task that kept her up at night, worrying about everything that could go wrong.
“Venutia, do you know what this is?” Alabaster held up a gold necklace with a large spherical charm that looked like the planet saturn.
“It’s not a time-turner, is it?” She asked quizzically.
Alabaster smiled with his eyes. “It is. I had a feeling you were well-read enough to recognize one.”
Venutia blushed a bit at the compliment. “Well, I know you’re busy Alabaster and you know I’m very busy with my duties these days as well. I don’t think you would invite me to your office just to show me a time-turner. So, I hope I’m not way off the mark or that I’m being presumptuous, but I’m guessing you want me to use it for something very important.”
A smirk was now planted on Alabaster’s face. He couldn’t help it; he delighted in how quick and effective Venutia was from the moment he had met her. “Precisely. I have a very important mission for you Venutia, something I believe that only you are capable of carrying out.”
Venutia tried very hard not to look smug as he said this. “I see. Please do tell me all the details then.”
“Of course.” Alabaster smiled graciously now. “Venutia, as I’m sure you know, time-turners are quite rare and generally they can only send you back in time three hours maximum. But this time-turner is different, exceptional, one could say. This time-turner is not for the recent past; this time-turner can send you back decades.”
Venutia gasped. “Alabaster, I know you get excited about rare magical items and artefacts but you’re not gullible. You’re one of the most intelligent and clear-thinking people I’ve ever met. You can’t actually believe that time travel into the distant past is possible! Where did you get that thing? How can you believe such blatant nonsense?”
Alabaster was not offended by Venutia’s outburst. He laughed as if amused. “Daring, headstrong, smart as a cookie but not always super open-minded or tactful. Venutia Spindle, if you were a witch at Hogwarts, you would undoubtedly be a Gryffindor.”
Although Venutia found Alabaster flattering, she did not appreciate how he was making light of the situation and insinuating that she was close-minded.
Alabaster’s voice suddenly grew deep and serious. “Venutia, I assure you, this is not a joke nor is this a game. This time-turner is the real deal, one of, if not the only time turners in the world that can send a person back as far as decades. If this thing fell into the wrong hands, the consequences would be catastrophic. But...” He smiled. “Fortune has favored the good for once. This tool is in our hands and we must use it and then promptly destroy it.”
“Use it for what?” Venutia was still in a state of disbelief but she decided to play along. Alabaster’s ideas fascinated her even when they did sound crazy.
He smiled the widest smile yet. “Venutia, my dear. Lorena Lovegood, known to be a true seer, most recently gave a prophecy: The female squib born at midnight in July during the full moon will travel back in time, unite the muggle flower who hates all wizard kind with the half-blood prince who loathes his muggle blood and together prevent the dark lord’s rise. Then the chosen boy and so many others will lead happy, whole lives and this time-turning will be more than justified.
Venutia, who was sipping English breakfast tea from a delicate floral porcelain teacup, looked ready to spit it in Alabaster Thistle’s face. “Where did you hear that?”
The wizard’s smirk returned as he pulled out a newspaper clipping. “You read more books in a week than anyone I know, Venutia, but it would do you some good to keep up with the news as well.”
Venutia was flabbergasted, this prophecy, given by the well respected Lorena Lovegood, had been publicized.
“If this is true and it’s in the papers then…” Before she could finish her thoughts, Alabaster cut her off.
“Then we must act before the pureblood supremacists do!” He slammed his fist onto his desk. “Venutia, we don’t have time. I will give you three days to digest this information and think about it but if we wait any longer, I believe the entire world, our futures, will be in grave danger. Venutia, it is vital that you travel back to when Lord Voldemort first came to power and follow the prophecy to prevent his rise, otherwise dark forces in our present may find their way back in time or even if they don’t, find a way to overwhelm us in the present.”
Venutia repeated the prophecy in her head over and over and then a funny thought occurred to her. “Unite the muggle flower and the half-blood prince….wait a second! I have to restore peace by...playing matchmaker?!”
Alabaster, trying to add some levity to the grave situation, laughed. “It would seem so.” He confirmed her incredulous revelation.
Venutia held the time-turner in her hands and took a deep breath. Her three days were up.
She kept replaying the meeting in her head. She still couldn’t believe that she had agreed to this. She thought the whole thing was absurd.
But she trusted Alabaster and she had always owed him for saving her, for giving her back her life and purpose. Even if she did technically work for him, she never felt like she had repaid him.
There was also a part of her that wanted to believe that magic had no limits or that the limits could be tested and pushed at least. As someone who couldn't wield a wand but could use magical items, she had an affinity for such items. She also had enough pride and a big enough ego to believe that she had a great destiny from birth and that this just might be it.
“Here goes nothing.” She said, closing her eyes and turning the time turner the number of decades she wanted to travel back into.
When she opened her eyes, she realized it had worked. She stood in front of a newspaper stand and so the evidence hit her in the face. The year was now 1976 and she was in Cokeworth, England.