| “ | I did unspeakable things to protect my family or watched them being done on my orders. I never lost a night's sleep over them. They were necessary. And whatever I imagine necessary for the safety of the House of Thorn, I did. | ” |
— Pandora as the Matriarch for the House of Thorn
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Pandora Nymphadora Thorn, the Duchess of Marseille and the Marchioness of Mayfair, (b. 9 June, 2009) is a pure-blood witch, as well as the second notable Siren half-breed of the House of Thorn. She is the biological daughter of Althea Thorn and Barclay Kent, though due to their death, she was raised as the adoptive daughter of her godparents, Emmeline and Silas Vanderbilt. Pandora is the wife of her childhood schoolmate, Kristian Walker, with whom she had five children. She is also the mother of an illegitimate child, to whom she conceived in an affair with her previous lover, Lewis Finnigan.
Pandora initially attended Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, situated in France, to which she was sorted into the house of Rouerie. However, at the beginning of her third year in magical education, Pandora transferred to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was undoubtedly sorted into the Slytherin house, a notorious selection for her family. She soon befriended Lily Potter, as well as others such as Jannessa Longbottom, Eliza Finnigan, and Moses Leander. Pandora also formed many romantic relationships, most notably Lewis and Kristian. Pandora was a notable participant in the battle against Dagerfly during her seventh Hogwarts year and left her education with moderate, successful qualifications in both her O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s.
As an adult, Pandora was quick to become the matriarch of the House of Thorn. She became a master of magical politics and intrigue par excellence and was known for her wit and sarcasm. She was nicknamed the Queen of Thorns, in reference to the surname as well as her cutting attributes. Pandora is a moderately powerful witch, with an appropriate deal of knowledge of various areas of magic. However, much of her strength lay within her half-breed abilities that installed fear in those who knew of her capabilities.
Biography
Family lineage
- "Ah yes, all Potters are lions, all Malfoys are snakes and when a Thorn farts it smells like a rose."
- — Pandora referencing the House of Thorn sigil of a golden rose
The House of Thorn for centuries has been a house of splendour, wealth and elegance in both the wizarding and muggle worlds. The earliest recordings of the Thorn family are written in legends founded in the early fifteenth century, with a Lady Dáhlia Gardener who according to scripture, married Lord Harlen Thorn. The House of Gardener was a notable French house of a pure-blood nature, as well as great wealth and nobility. In the union of their marriage, the House of Thorn began as a cadet branch of the House of Gardener. The Thorns became senior servants of the main Gardener line, and over time, they rose to prominence as one of the strongest noble houses in Europe. The House of Thorn has faced many disagreements with other noble houses who claim direct male-line descent from the old Gardener house, whilst the House of Thorn only claim descent from the House of Gardener through the female line.
Early life
Pandora Nymphadora Thorn was born to Althea Thorn and Barclay Kent on June 9th, in Windsor, Berkshire, England.
Beauxbatons years
First year
Second year
Hogwarts years
Third year
Fourth year
Fifth year
Sixth year
Seventh year
Later life
Physical description
Personality and traits
- "The Queen of Thorns is a remarkable woman, a strong woman, and an unrepentant sinner."
- — Lorenzo Antebellum to Yvaine regarding her mother
Pandora's most prominent traits are her sharp wit, high cunning, and intelligence. A politically astute woman, Pandora has been a master of magical politics and intrigue her entire adult life. Her strength and competence in politics have made her the Matriarch and head of the House of Thorn. An outspoken woman with little patience for any inconvenience, she is unafraid of using her societal power, wealth and status to threaten her enemies. Pandora never shies from stating her opinion, unless it is more advantageous to mask it, and has expressed her hatred for individuals such as Emmeline and Silas Vanderbilt for their cruelty, incompetence, and deep selfishness.
Pandora is incredibly intelligent, as well as wise enough to understand that sometimes people must work with their enemies rather than constantly compete against them, which also explains why she respected Lord Lorenzo. On the darker side, Pandora has no problem harming other individuals, regardless of age, proving she can be just as ruthless as her Italian counterparts, although not entirely without reason, as her actions always reflect Pandora's intention to better the state, security, and safety of her family. She also mentioned having done or had done unspeakable things for the safety of her house and family and never regretted them since she deemed them necessary.
She appears to have a very dark sense of humour and likes to mock those around her, including her own family. Despite this, Pandora clearly loves her family dearly, especially her grandchildren. Furthermore, she reveals to her granddaughter that even though she considered her daughter Seraphine a disease and a despicable being incapable of compassion, she genuinely loved her deep down and in spite of their battles, struggled to accept her death. Pandora clearly is a staunch supporter of the House of Thorn, despite being raised amongst the Vanderbilt family, unaware of her true family lineage, and similarly to Lorenzo Antebellum, places the power and prestige of her House above all else. Unlike Lorenzo, Pandora strikes a far healthier balance between loyalty to her House and affection for her family than he ever did. Where Lorenzo's son, Filip, grew to bitterly resent him, Pandora's children dote on her and show content to be under her rule.
- Filip Antebellum: "The Queen of Thorns, she's called. Isn't that right?"
- Yves-Thierry: "It is. You'd best not use that name in her presence, though, or you're likely to get pricked."
- — Yves-Thierry to Filip about Pandora
In spite of Pandora's barbed comments and sharp tongue, her general exterior presents that of a conservative pure-blood witch who upholds prudent values of societal behaviour. In truth, Pandora is extremely promiscuous and is known for her seductive, licentious nature. In her youth, Pandora would freely speak of sex and never shied from displaying her sexuality vibrantly, exacerbating her innate attraction towards both male and females, as displayed in her various short-term relationships with school peers such as Lewis Finnigan and Megan Thistlewood. Although she is not incapable of romantic feeling, Pandora is known for her penchant of eroticism and is a formidable sexual force. It would be easy to assume her strong libido stems from her genetic makeup as a half-breed of Siren and human. Sirens, being naturally seductive creatures of legend and lore, have been mistaken for enchantresses and succubus', both beings of immense lustful passion. Pandora often takes advantage of her inherited gifts and employs them into her own personal relationships, further empowering her already potent sexual nature.
As a child, Pandora was seen as self-absorbed, conceited and boastful of her beautiful appearance, apparent wealth and blood purity as a witch. Although this may have likely been a mask for Pandora's inner insecurities as an adoptee, she was not unconfident of her physical exterior and even in her childhood, celebrated life's luxuries and lavished herself in material possessions that her wealth allowed her to indulge in. Even in Pandora's adult years, she continues to celebrate her passive materialistic characteristics and gluttonous urges, as displayed by ensuring that herself, her husband and each of her children wear the finest of clothing with the finest of accessories. With this vanity, essentially comes with a sense of disregard for the less fortunate. Pandora seems to show a level of negligence towards people of lower classes, her only care laying within the security and welfare of her family. Pandora understands the value and necessity of money, and though already coming from a wealthy family, she managed to build the House of Thorn to an impeccable state of financial security, so much so that they were deemed the "second wealthiest family in England" by the time of Pandora's great-granddaughters youth. She never shies from using prosperity as a means to threaten, belittle or intimidate others, though as the Matriarch of a powerful and affluent house, she is aware of the significance of such wealth and in spite of her materialistic ways in her youth, now continues to fairly administrate her families wealth in ways of earning profit.
Pandora originally attended Beauxbatons Academy of Magic located in the Pyrenees, in Southern France, as a means to distract Pandora from the likelihood of uncovering the history of her biological family at Hogwarts. She was sorted into the Rouerie house, that coveted students of great intelligence, excellent wit, compassion, though also shyness. Pandora held a great deal of insecurity for being an adopted child and feared the cruel opinions of others. This became evident during her two years of teaching at Beauxbatons, where she struggled to befriend other students, lacking a desire to socialise or mingle amongst the crowds. She deemed their flamboyant, graceful exteriors as false, deceiving and unnecessary, and was seen as a black sheep in the school, despite physically being the ideal candidate for a Beauxbatons student. Silas and Emmeline questioned if Durmstrang Institute had been a more ideal academic institution for someone of Pandora's calibre, though having emphasised a desire to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the path of her adoptive parents, it was settled that she would transfer in time for her third year. Being sorted into the Slytherin house at Hogwarts, rather than the Ravenclaw house which resembled that of her former house of Rouerie, showed the development of Pandora's characteristics as an adolescent and her growing ambitions, even at the mere age of thirteen. She quickly fell into the friendship group of Lily Potter, Moses Leander, Eliza Finnigan and Jannessa Longbottom, who guided Pandora as she began an adventure at a new magical learning institution.
Throughout Pandora's academic years, it was evident she had manifested some degree of depression that she still burdens as an elderly woman, potentially stemming from her innate fears of abandonment and disregard from her peers and loved ones. Pandora's occasional displays of erratic and promiscuous behaviour acted as an emotional shield to guard her against heartbreak and disappointment. Although she was never clinically diagnosed, it is suspected by Pandora's friends that she was suffering from some degree of depressive and anxious thoughts that occasionally caused her great deals of stress. Pandora had also initially possessed a level of envy and jealousy that she held towards her close circle of friends, envious of their larger families that dated back into magical history by generations, notably the Potter and Longbottom families. Despite being adopted into the Vanderbilt family, a smaller, half-blood though still relatively affluent British family, Pandora was generally unfamiliar to many of her adoptive relatives across Great Britain and was therefore kept within her adoptive parents' discreet social circle of the top socialites of Britain's magical community. This innate jealousy, however, provoked Pandora to create her own large, loving and powerful family that would not abandon or disregard her, as their Matriarch.
Founded in the loving friendships she made at Hogwarts, Pandora values loyalty, alongside love, family and friendship. In spite of her cold and calculating nature, in par with the critical decision making she has made as the Matriarch for the Thorn family that has resulted in the death, torture and dismantling of witches, wizards and families collectively, it has all been enforced to ensure the safety and protection of those closest to her.
- values love and loyalty and family
- felt a sense of isolation after leaving hogwarts
- found love again with kristian
- discovered her family heritage
- adult life as a socialite with high political stance and influence
Magical abilities and skills
- "What's her name? The girl you love, who is she? And don't lie to me, Lewis. I can make any man, woman, god or beast do my bidding unless their heart belongs to another."
- — Pandora regarding her own abilities
Pandora using her power of seduction
Pandora is known to be a moderately powerful and skilled witch, showing proficient talent in various fields of magic and displaying an overall great knowledge in the magical arts as a whole. She has an encyclopaedic knowledge and proficiency in court and magical politics that allows her to act strategically as the reigning Matriarch for the House of Thorn. However, it is undeniable that Pandora's true power and skill derives from her half-blood status as a Siren, the second in her family line.
- Amphibious transformation: Pandora, as a half-breed of Siren and human, is able to transform between an ordinary human appearance and that of a siren appearance, by undergoing a quick metamorphosis. Providing that she remains adequately hydrated and returns to the water occasionally, Pandora is perfectly within her ability to live on land for extensive amounts of time.
- Aquatic habitation: Pandora is able to survive and adapt to any underwater environment she encounters, including enduring high water pressure and extreme water temperatures.
- Enhanced strength, speed, and agility: In water, Pandora's powerful and streamlined tail allows her to propel through the roughest waters with incredible speed, grace, and agility with minimal restrictions to water resistance. Sirens as a species are noted as being five times faster than a sailfish, the fastest animal in the water. She is also extremely agile and flexible both in water and on land, giving her great flexibility in her overall movement. She also possesses an enhanced form of physical strength, that allows her to overpower much larger beings.
- Underwater protection: Pandora is also granted with the ability to bestow a gift of underwater protection onto an individual by kissing them, that in turn, gave them the ability to breathe underwater for the duration they remain beneath it. Upon returning to the surface, the enchantment is broken.
- Seduction: Pandora's most infamous gift is her ability to seduce and control the minds of her opponents. Like other gifts, the severity of the power varied, though, in Pandora's control, she had mastered the ability whilst still in her youth and used to a great deal as an adult. However, it has been noted that the effects of the seduction do not take place if the victim's heart belongs to another.
- Siren song: A Siren's song was Pandora's ability to cast her power of seduction through the method of song. This enables Pandora to channel the power of seduction through an enchanting method of song. The 'song' itself was merely Pandora's own singing voice. The siren song does not necessarily promise a naturally talented singing voice, it simply enables the Siren to have an alluring voice whilst using this ability. The sound of the song varies, pending upon what attracted them most and therefore had a similar effect to that of the love potion, Amortentia.
- Fear inducement: Pandora, as a Siren, possesses a rare gift of fear inducement or commonly known as intimidation, a branch of the power of seduction. It enables Pandora to cast doubt or induce a sense of fear into her opponents and is noted as being an extremely difficult gift to manoeuvre.
- Jannessa: "Is that why you tried to hurt me? In the water? Because you were in pain?"
- Pandora: "Pain? No. In the water, we fight. I kill, or you kill."
- — Jan and Pandora talking about her species
- Charms: Pandora is highly talented in charms as she can not only use basic to advanced charms without fail, such as levitation, disarming, shielding, but she is even able to cast the incredibly difficult Patronus charm, conjuring a corporeal tiger shark Patronus. She is often displayed casting various charms both non-verbally and without the use of a wand.
- Dueling: Pandora is an immensely skilful duellist, capable of holding her own against much older, more skilled witches and wizards whilst still a teenager. She is infamous for her participation in various battles during the war against Dagerfly, having defeated various Death Eaters with extreme skill and precision.
- Dark Arts: Despite not being a current practitioner of the Dark Arts, Pandora displayed a natural passion for the art at a young age, and is especially talented with curses, and also displayed a talent in various hexes and jinxes that she put to use during the war against Dagerfly.
- Non-verbal and wandless magic: Pandora is skilled at using non-verbal spells, from the most basic uses, such as cleaning and moving objects, to the most advanced spells that she would use in combat. She is also skilled at performing wandless magic, such as rope conjuring and counter-jinxing. Although Pandora always carries her wand, she often casts spells without the use of an incantation, having mastered her talents over the years.
- Transfiguration: Having received an Oustanding in her O.W.L.s as well as her N.E.W.T.s in this subject, Pandora must have developed a fair level of power in this field of magic during Hogwarts, which is known to be one of the most difficult types to perform with efficiency and skill.
- Defence Against the Dark Arts:
- Apparition: Pandora is known for her capabilities in the practice of apparition. She is known to have passed immediately during her time at Hogwarts, and since, found it impeccably useful as a means of travel between the various areas of residence where her children and grandchildren live in future years.
- Potions: Pandora is highly knowledgeable of potions, including those of positive intention and of dark magic origin. She possesses sufficient talents and skills in the subject, which allowed her to achieve an 'Outstanding' grade in both her O.W.L and N.E.W.T examinations at Hogwarts.
- History of Magic: Pandora has an excellent grasp of the history of magic and much of the history concerning the wizarding world itself. Having studied the subject at O.W.L level and having received an 'Outstanding' only shows her competence in the subject as it is deemed difficult to achieve such an equitable grade. She often employs her knowledge of history into many of her arguments, emphasising her own wisdom and logic.
- Herbology: Pandora shows great talent concerning herbology and magical learning concerning the earth, agriculture and magical plantlife. Being that one of the two prominent colours that symbolise the House of Thorn is green, Pandora has a natural inclination and affection towards nature. She studied herbology at both O.W.L and N.E.W.T level and was noted as showing great promise from her Professor.
- Divination:
- Study of Ancient Runes:
- Moses: "We found this book, but can't understand the language. It looks like gibberish."
- Pandora: "It's Mermish."
- Moses: "You can read Mermish?"
- — Moses and Pandora in their fourth year
- Multilinguist: A natural skill of the Thorn family; Pandora is well-trained in the art of language and is known to speak several languages fluently, including English, French, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Greek, and Latin. She is also semi-fluent in Russian and is familiar with the Irish language as well as Ancient Runes, having studied the topic in her Hogwarts years. However, Pandora has the ability to read many more languages of both a muggle and wizarding nature, including Sumerian, Gobbledegook, Mermish, and Portuguese.
- Logical thinking and intelligence: Pandora has a mastery of logic that many witches and wizards lacked. She is considered to be an intellectual genius, considered to be the most brilliant mind to have existed in the Thorn family. Her intellect is evidenced by her strategic cunning in being able to mastermind and orchestrate various plots and schemes that have essentially lead the Thorn family to become the second wealthiest family in England, holding great political stance in both the magical and muggle worlds alike.
- Political skills: Pandora is politically expedient in all manners of law, and is a master of magic and court politics that enables her excessive skills as a matriarch of a powerful house, as well as a well-known entrepreneur for the family-owned Thorn Industries. She is often known for her wit and sarcasm when dealing with any manner of politics and tends to exacerbate her wisdom and knowledge to rule out any arguments at hand. She raised the House of Thorn to an even greater status in the wizarding and muggle worlds alike, further proving her abilities in the politics of not only government but managerialism also.
- Love: As much as Pandora is known for her sharp tongue and cold wit, Pandora loves each of her family dearly, even the estranged Seraphine who brought shame on the house and caused a great divide for three generations of descendants. However, as a Siren, Pandora is not unfamiliar to the power of love and knows of its power and capabilities, regardless of the type of love being delivered. In many times through her life, Pandora has been prepared to sacrifice not only the lives of others but even her own to protect the stability and well-being of her family. She admitted herself that she enacted terrible and 'unspeakable' things to protect the family, only proving and showing the level of love and care she holds for each of her family members, regardless of individual flaws and weaknesses that many of them held.
Possessions
- Savannah: "What is it?"
- Pandora: "It was my mothers. My most precious heirloom. When I was a little girl, I always used to picture her in my head. Not Emmeline, but my mother, wearing this necklace, thinking to myself, I will never grow to be so transcendent. "
- Savannah: "I know the feeling well."
- — Pandora moments before passing along her mother's necklace to her daughter, Savannah
- Thorn family necklace: From birth, Pandora was granted the possession of a family heirloom. A necklace that one belonged to Lilith Romanova, a gift from her mother-in-law, Nefertiti Thorn. The heirloom was in the possession of Pandora's biological mother, Althea, which was instantly passed down to Pandora upon her birth. It was the only possession that remained of Pandora's family lineage following the fire that killed Althea and Barclay Thorn. The necklace consisted of both Bulgarian diamonds and black diamonds and held an emblem similar to that of a rose, the classical House of Thorn symbol. As an adult, Pandora passed the heirloom onto her daughter, Savannah.
- Madrona wood wand: Pandora's first wand, in which she purchased at the age of eleven is a 12½" madrona wood wand with an augurey tail feather core. Pandora used this wand throughout her entire education, throughout the battle at Hogwarts against Dagerfly, and right into her adulthood also.
- Almira: Upon attending Beaxbatons Academy of Magic at the age of eleven, (then later Hogwarts at age thirteen), Pandora had obtained a Russian blue breed cat, Almira. She was a highly intelligent cat that was incredibly fond of Pandora. Almira lived with Pandora much into her adult life, until she passed at a great age of sixteen years, which left Pandora devastated at her great friend's loss.
- Thorn Estate:
- Sekhmet and Athena: Later into Pandora's adulthood, she obtained a young pregnant Cougar, Sekhmet, that later gave birth to a kitten, Athena. Also very intelligent, both animals were extremely loving and protective of Pandora, and at times, acted as guards for the Thorn household. They had great relationships with each of Pandora's children and were known to have lived to great ages.
Relationships
Family
Parents
Emmeline and Silas Vanderbilt
Kristian Walker
Children
House of Thorn
Lily Potter II
- "Good news! I've found an amazing gown to wear to your funeral."
- — Pandora to Lily regarding her brave nature
Lewis Finnigan
Moses Leander
Jannessa Longbottom
Eliza Finnigan
Megan Thistlewood
Etymology
The name Pandora is of Greek heritage, in it's meaning translating to all-gift. In Greek Mythology, Pandora's curiosity led her to open a mysterious box gifted to her from the Gods, thereby releasing the world's greatest sorrows into the world.
Pandora's middle name, Nymphadora, is a variation of Latin heritage: a nymph, also known to define gift.
The surname Thorn derives from an English and Danish background. It is a topographic name for someone who lived by a thorn bush or hedge (Old English, Old Norse þorn).
Quotes
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Notes
- Pandora's theme song is Immortal by Marina and the Diamonds.
- Pandora's specialised soundtrack, queen of thorns, can be found on 8tracks.
- During her Hogwarts years, Pandora studied the mandatory subjects necessary for O.W.L.s, as well as an optional two of Study of Ancient Runes and Divination. For her N.E.W.T exams, she studied a total of six subjects, including Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology and Divination.
Trivia
- Pandora's first model, Gemma Ward, played the character 'Tamara' in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, who was a mermaid, that of whom Pandora was initially based upon.
- Pandora also takes much inspiration from Game of Throne's character, Olenna Tyrell, portrayed by Dame Diana Riggs, the family matriarch of House Tyrell, which the House of Thorn also takes much inspiration from.
Gallery
<gallery><slider> Pan 06.jpg Pan 05.jpg Pan gif 3.gif Pan gif 2.gif|Pandora preparing to attack Pan 04.gif|A portrait of a young Pandora Pandoraicon.jpg Pandora Thorn.jpg Pan gif 1.gif PanandLily.png|Pandora and Lily Pan 07.jpg Pan 08.jpg Pan 01.jpg Pan 02.jpg Pan 03.jpg Pandora adult 03.jpg Pandora adult 02.jpg Pandora adult 01.jpg Pandora adult 04.jpg Pandora adult 05.jpg </slider>