Alone in the dark. (Alaska)

Astoria didn't know if it was a feat of great bravery or stupidity that had her wandering in the dark forest. Though, she was sure that more than anything it was curiosity. Usually she spent her time in the castle, where it was safe. She was no Gryffindor, so she felt no shame in admitting that she had been afraid of entering the forest, especially alone. Which was what surprised her when she found herself there when she'd gone in to the grounds for a walk.

It wasn't until she could no longer see the light from the school grounds that she realised exactly where she was. And it was as she was turning around to get out of there that she heard a noise to her left. Spinning quickly, her eyes narrowed to try and make out someone.. or something.

Alaska would lie if she said she was happy at Hogwarts. But then again, where was she happy? What kind of circumstances would make her happy? From what she remembered, she never felt real happiness in her entire life. And if she did, it sucked. Because her whole life sucked. She never really had enough money to even buy some normal clothes. She spent her life by stealing things so she could have something on her own. Her mother left her, only with name after a man whom she never told a word about Alaska, thanks to her cowardice. Not that Alaska didn't love her mother. She did. Maybe too much. But that was not the point. Inhaling from her cigarette, she enjoyed silence of the forrest with closed eyes. She didn't care if it was dangerous. Her whole life was. And Ravenclaw common room or her dorm for that matter didn't seem comforting enough at the moment. But the robes were at least comfy. She liked them. So she rarely wore the clothes she had from before Hogwarts. She exhaled and covered herself more with her robe as she saw another girl passing by, really close to her. "Looking for something?" she asked, amused.

At the sound of a feminine voice, Astoria's eyes landed on a girl who was a bit older than herself. She didn't know her, but she vaguely recognised her. Obviously they had crossed paths at some point. Letting out a sigh of relief, she smiled politely and said, "No, nothing in particular." She considered just continuing on her walk, but she knew better than to turn her back on someone she didn't know. Figuring that there was little harm in talking, she stood a little straighter and said, "I'm Astoria."

Alaska narrowed eyebrow at the girl with slight amusement. "Alaska," she replied before putting cigarette to her mouth again, inhaling this time more, than before, holding smoke for a little bit longer before releasing it, closing her eyes and crossing her legs. "So, what brings you here then, Astoria?" Alaska asked not really twice curious in the answer, but just silently staring at each other would be awkward and the girl didn't seem to be in hurry for leaving, so why not start conversation with some boring question?

Alaska. Astoria thought that was a pretty name, though she had never heard of anybody that was called it before. She wondered where it was from, remembering that there was a state in the United States by that name. At the question, Astoria considered giving some rubbish reason that she was in the forest, but the honest answer would have to do. Mainly because she couldn't think of anything better. "I was walking, and wound up in here. Complete accident. What about you? What brings you in here?"

Well, Alaska's reasons were pretty much the same. Almost. Except for the fact she actually wanted to go there. "It's calm here, and nobody has issue with my smoking habbits since you know... nobody is around," she pointed out, finishing her cigarette and taking a new one. "I would offer, but I have a feeling you are a goodie girl who isn't into this much and also I'm kinda selfish bitch so unless you have something in return, I won't really share," she said completely honest. People often found her rude, but Alaska thought about herself only as honest. She lived on a street. No one ever gave her anything for free, no one ever bothered to help. Why should she pretend like reality is different, people are nice, sun is shining and butterflies are actually cute?

Astoria listened to the older girl's explanation, and couldn't help but agree. The place was pretty calm, which meant that there was nobody around. Definitely a bonus. The Slytherin glanced at the cigarette and then at Alaska. Shaking her head, she smiled and said, "Nah, not necessarily a 'goodie girl', more an 'I like to stay healthy' girl. Not to mention, my parents would kill me if I smoked." It was true, even though it was no secret that her father enjoyed a pipe from time to time. Hypocrites, she thought to herself, a small smirk growing on her young face.

"Sounds like 'living up to someone elses expectations' kind of girl to me," Alaska smirked in honest reply again. Finaly she took some time to look at the girl properly. Given the clothes she wore and the way she spoke of her parents and their rules, she was most likely pureblood. Well, that was for judging. Alaska was pureblood too and no one would guess it by the look at her. But than again, she was probably special. One black sheep. "Not judging you, though. We all do what we have to do," she added.

"It pretty much is," Astoria answered, "I want my inheritance." She knew that it was superficial, but she was willing to do almost anything to be able to gain her share in the large sum of money that her parents would leave her. She often thought that she would have been fine without the money, but honestly she wouldn't have known what to do. "I don't know how to live without it, and I am not incredibly good at much."

"Well, that sounds pathetic," Alaska pointed out maybe a bit too harshly. Probably because she herself never had any money. And being unable to live with them seemed unreal to her. "What is that rich family of yours?" she chuckled. Maybe she should be nice instead. Having rich friends was never bad thing. Until Xanthos' face appeared in her mind. No, he wasn't that kind of rich friend she would want. Stupid deal.

"It really is," Astoria replied, surprising even herself that she didn't get angry at the other girl's words. Probably because they were true. Glancing around, she smiled at the girl's question. "The Noble House of Greengrass," she said dramatically, though there was a hint of pride in her voice. Family pride was a big deal for her and her parents, and she tried her best to uphold it.

Her first sentence made Alaska chuckle, the other one cough hard, inhaling the smoke badly from shock. "What did you say?!" So out of all people, the first person except for Kain, Atticus and Amara, she meets at Hogwarts is her relative? Well, that's for tough searching for a family than. Her haircolor changed and so did her eyes.

Astoria noticed the colour of the girl's hair change, surprised to note that she was a Metamorphagus. She'd never met one before. At the girl's reaction to her name, Astoria frowned and glanced at Alaska curiously, "Greengrass. It's my last name. I was only joking about the Noble part. Though, that is officially what we call ourselves." An uneasy chuckle escaped her lips and she wondered why the other girl had reacted so strongly.

"Perfect," Alaska said, or more like tried to say while catching her breath. In shock the cigarette fell somewhere she had no clue where and most likely burned out. Alaska hit herself in the chest to finaly catch that damned breath and cursed at absence of her cigarette. "Well, nice to meet you Astoria Greengrass, I believe my official original would be at place now. I'm Elizabeth Greengrass," she said in the end as the girl seemed really confused. At sound of her old name, she shivered in disgust. She didn't want to bring up Elizabeth ever again. But if there was a slightest chance to trace her out and confirm family she belonged to, it was through this cursed name.

Astoria remained confused, until Alaska explained. Her eyes widened and she racked her brain to try and figure out if she had heard that name before. The family tapestry appeared in her mind and she couldn't recall seeing the name Elizabeth since her father's mother. Biting her lip, she found herself more and more surprised and she ran a hand through her brunette curls, and asked, "So we're related?"

Alaska lit new cigarette, amusement back in her eyes as she watched Astoria's reaction. She herself could only gain by finding her family, but she could bet they won't be twice as happy, when they find out there is half Greengrass somewhere, because some Gerald didn't know how to keep his dick safely in his pants. For which as it goes, Alaska would be quite grateful, because it would spare her quite a lot misery. "I suppose we are. But you won't really find me in any cronicles. I was concieved out of wedlock. Kinda horror scenario in pureblood families, huh? My father doesn't even know I exist I believe," she explained. Children out of wedlock in strict pureblood families were problem. At least that was how her mother explained they had no money and nobody cared for them unless he want to use them.

Astoria pulled a face at Alaska's explanation, though she quickly righted the expression. She hadn't heard a mention of anyone such as Alaska in her family, or Elizabeth as her name really was. Biting her lip, she decided that she was far too curious to let up and walk away without questioning things further. "Who are your parents?" she asked lightly. It was unlikely that there would be too much of an issue for her, since her father's only sibling was her aunt Alexis. That meant that there girl was unlikely to me too closely related to her.

"Jasmine Travers and Gerald Greengrass Jr.," Alaska didn't speak of the names of her parents often. Actually never. They were no use to her and only tied her to her past which was about as "shiny" as her present and most likely even future. But this girl was a family. Apparently. So why not tell her, right?

Astoria listened to what the girl had said and smiled. Until she realised exactly who she had said, that is. Just like that everything that she had known changed. Not because she had a relative that she'd never known about, but because Gerald Greengrass was her father. "You're my.. sister?" Astoria stuttered, her voice quiet, though she wanted to yell at her to take it back.

"Well, that's a cliffhanger," Alaska replied casualy even if Astoria seem slightly disturbed by the fact. In a way, Alaska didn't blame her much. Finding out you have a sister this way? Not really a good tactic for friday evening. But not like Alaska would lie just to spare her feelings or something. "Technicaly your half-sister, or so it seems according to your reaction," she added.

Astoria couldn't help it. She laughed. Harder than she should have, and in a way that showed that she didn't really find the situation funny. And when she finally managed to catch her breath, there were tears in her eyes. "Yes, Alaska," she replied, "Half sister. My parents have been married since.. well, a long time. My father obviously had an affair." For some reason she wasn't so surprised anymore. The fact that she had another sister? Yeah, that would take a while to get used to. But her father not being faithful to her mother wasn't a big leap. They had been arranged, after all.

Alaska watched Astoria with slight concern in her eyes, considering to offer her that cigarette now, for the girl seemed she really needed it. But in the end, she would ask if she wanted. And maybe Alaska will be generous. Since they are sisters. "Well, if it helps you not to go completely nuts, I don't really give a flying fuck. I didn't came here to take your inheritance or any crap like that. My mother died, I had nothing. They were willing to accept me to school here, so I came. And if it bothers you so much that your father was unfaithful? Well, guess what, nobody cares. It was my mother who paid for lies he told her," Alaska said, maybe a little bit more, than she should. For some reason, remark about their father having affair made her upset. Her mother wasn't some whore. Irresponsible, yes, but nothing else. How much sometimes Alaska wished her only problem to be unfaithful father.

"You have every right to it," Astoria said stonily, not exactly pleased to hear such an outburst. But she knew that at least she'd had the pleasure to know her father, while Alaska had not had such. Usually the girl would have either make some snide remark, or completely bowed out but for some reason she didn't want to this time. "Whether you like it or not, you're family. I don't know about where you come from, but for me that means something," Astoria's voice was nicer now, though it still carried an edge that she had never heard fall from her own lips before. "Yes, my father was unfaithful, so was yours believe it or not. But it's hardly fair for you to be bitchy to me for my father's mistakes. Or choices, I should say.." Unsure what what she'd said had bothered Alaska so much, Astoria looked at the girl for a moment before saying, "Don't assume that everyone means something different behind the words that they say. The fact of the matter is that my father is married, he slept with someone other than his wife. That makes it an affair. That doesn't mean that your mother is to blame. To be quite honest, I don't particularly care either. I do wish I'd known I had a sister, though."

Realizing her hair changed color again, she sighed. She needed to calm down. There was nothing she could do with the situation now anyway. "Look I spent my life wishing for things that simply never came. Your... our father doesn't even know I exist and I assume the moment he finds out, he will do anything to deny me. Including killing me if necessary. And I'm not interrested in that," she said, hint of sadness in her voice. "It's not like I'm not used to it. So, as I said, you don't owe me a thing and neither do I to you. We are completely different. Our life choices and paths were different and I have no issue with it, if you just leave now and forget we ever spoke. Really," she said finally. Not because she wanted to send Astoria away. Even if maybe yes, maybe she was worried they were too different for this to work. But mainly she refused to be liability again. Just like she was her whole life.

"He won't kill you," she said, resisting the urge to role her eyes. Though it was true that a child that was born of an affair wasn't looked on with respect in her society, and Alaska would probably never be written in to her father's will because of it, didn't mean that he would kill her. Perhaps he wouldn't acknowledge her, but that didn't make anything different. Legally, she was nothing to them, but physically and maybe one day emotionally, they were family and that meant that Astoria wouldn't walk away. "I don't live by what I owe people and what other's owe me, Alaska," Astoria replied, still surprised at how openly she was speaking. "I'm not saying that we are going to be the closest sisters ever, not right now anyway, but why not just.. try? Nothing to lose right, but everything to gain, right? Besides, if you ever needed somewhere to stay or money or anything, I'm pretty sure that my aunt would take you in straight away." Alexis Greengrass was quite the black sheep in their family. She didn't hate anyone, and despite being a pureblood from a family such as theirs, she didn't have time for idle gossip or judgement. Astoria's aunt would be open to Alaska, if the other girl was willing to talk to her.