Not what it seems... (Harry, PG)

Sophie was wandering around the castle, thrying to avoid both her parents, both her siblings, all of her cousins and specialy her possessive boyfriend and his insane psychopath of brother. She didn't feel like talking to anyone, but unlike Magali, she was actually the crazy, loud and famous one. Right now, of all the things, she just wanted to be one of the spiders. As she got most likely lost, since she didn't know this place at all, she saw another brother of hers. The biological one. Their first hello wasn't exactly the best, she knew it. Maybe she would feel better, if she talked to him now, without Mal and Marcus to force the dark out of her. "Potter!" she shouted after him, which in a second thought maybe wasn't such a good idea, but as impulsive as Sophie was, nothing better came to her mind anyway. "Hey, I... I kinda wanted to apologize, I was being kinda bitch last time we spoke," she started as she chased him down.

Harry walked with Falcon in stride as the older templar explained how to execute a perfect thrust with a rapier, Harry's preferred sword. As someone uttered Harry's famous last name, Falcon instantly grabbed him by his shoulder and pulled him back, clenching his fist just in case this was one of those cocky slytherins that Harry was used to. Falcon knew he could defend himself but still... "Who's she?" Falcon asked looking over his shoulder as Harry walked around him, and looked back at him with a look that told his friend to go, "My sister..." he muttered and Falcon nodded and motioned for him to call him if he needed to. Disappearing along the shadows of the corridors, Harry turned to Sophie, "You 'kinda' wanted to apologize? You're too sympathetic Violet," Harry stated with a raise of his brow. "What do you want?"

"Sophie. Not Violet, Sophie," she stated. " And yes, kinda. I am actually nice person. Without Mal and specialy without Marcus around. I mean... you know, place where I come from, my siblings, my cousins, I have reputation to keep. Last time I was being nice little girl, I ended up beated by three assholes and in a relationship. I am definitely not doing that mistake ever again," she spoke a bit too much and a bit too confusing way. But that was just her. Specialy nervous. "Anyway, as I said. I am really sorry about it. It was an accident, but when I saw you, I wanted to find out a little about you. And you know... all that. It's not like I don't care or that I am having fun of this," she added unsure if what she said made any sense.

"Not to me you're not," he said as his eyes narrowed. "Last time I was a good little boy I killed Voldemort. Sounds like you are simply not good at it," he answered this time expressionless and coldly, because her excuse was simply that, an excuse. Being good didn't always pay off, but it was much better than being what she was before. "But do you care? I mean, do you really? If you did you wouldn't want to be different in front of others, to keep your reputation, as you so naturally put it," he responded as he crossed his arms, tapping his foot on the floor.

She sighed. About two times and added one smirk in between. "You weren't being good. You were a baby. Not to mention you didn't actually kill him, which is pain in the ass for more people, than you actually think," she pointed out. "Yes, I do care. Believe it or not. But, as much as impossible as it seems to you, I value my life more, than things from the past. Here, in this castle on the cloud, everything seems so easy. Back at home, if anybody here overheard, if anybody found out Sophia Eileen Crouch ever cared for the past... well, let's not go there," she said, realizing her voice may sound too bitchy and not really reliable. "Look, I most likely look like a careless bitch at this very moment. Heck, I probably am. But how am I supposed to care for something... someone, I don't even know? I seeked you out, because I want to know. And maybe... maybe I won't care in the end, but than you can despise me all you want. Just give me a chance," she finished.

Rolling his eyes he pointed at his scar and shook his head as to say that wasn't the only time he faced the dark lord and defeated him. His mother and friends were all he needed to bring down the oh so powerful lord of darkness. "Oh right since you don't know, I shoved a basilisk's fang into his diary and he faded from existence in front of me two years ago," he stated, lifting his sleeve and showing her the scars from the wounds he sustained from the fight with the basilisk that fawkes had healed. "Anybody? You mean your dick of a brother? Oh because I'm sure Mariya would haunt you for the rest of your life and Malphas would look down on you. They are some of my closest friends, if you cared about me, your own brother, they'd congratulate you because you'd show them you have a heart," he responded clenching his fists as he closed his eyes for a brief moment before she spoke once again. Violet's words this time around did not depress or sadden him, instead they angered him, "...How do you even dare... Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Arthur Weasley, you know them? Our parents' best friends, not only cared for me, they loved me before even meeting me, they would give their lives to save me even after James and Lily died,... you're my sister. How fucking dare you...," he asked now his jaw clenched as well, his whole body trembled as a lightning bolt passed in between the siblings, and the walls began shaking as well. Closing his eyes shut, Harry tried to breathe deeply, "Sirius is right... you're not my sister... you're Morana's daughter..." he spat.

"Cool scars. I have my own collection, but I guess it's less, since Tom didn't cause them," she replied as if it was nothing. "My dick of a brother could be the reason, just like people, who are casually passing by, pretending nothing is going on. I am just being cautios by being distant. And as I said. I don't know these people. Never met them and I am pretty sure the moment I would, they would despise me just like you do. Why would I open myself and be sweet, when this is what I get? I heard Mal all too well. He said it right into my eyes. He didn't believe for a second I actually wanted to know. He didn't recognize what is the lie and what is the truth. And he grew up with me!" she hissed. "And don't say it as an insult. Don't insult woman, who raised me, gave me home, never said a bad word about you or any of people you mentioned despite the fact she most likely hates them the way they hate her. She even came to Lupins doorstep, risking her life, to offer them my visits, so that I can learn about my actual family. They sent her away. They threatened her so she was afraid to send me over. Maybe, just maybe, sometimes you should hear the other side of the story too. My dad, he is fucked up in every single possible way. He sure is. But mama... she never did anything to me. Anything to make me hate you, despise you, or deny you. Never. So, don't you dare use her name as an insult to me!" she said, tears in her eyes. "I am not a good person. I am what I need to be, so that I can survive. It's not always nice and almost never fun. But that's what my life is. That's life of many of us, including you. So spear me of your angry looks. We both have our own stories, our sides of it. You know a lot. But I know stuff too. I am not looking to be your friend or even sister, for you would never accept me anyway. I just want to know missing pieces. Nothing else," she finished.

"It's hard to hate someone once you understand them," Harry snarled more under his breath than anything else, having dealt with things of that caliber ever so often, Malphas being the best example, "But if you understand why she did what she did, you have no salvation," he explained. To him, and to everyone else, Remus, Morgan, Sirius, Morana had no way to explain what she did, nothing she said would let them believe that she 'did what was right'. People said every villain was a hero in their own mind, but it was hard to believe such thing when you kidnap a child knowing that maybe, she'll have a better life with someone else. "She kidnapped you, and if you're going to say oh at least I didn't live with muggles,... you'd be with your brother, your own brother that somehow still loves you, even though he would prefer not ever having to see you because of what happened," he stated letting his anger slowly come out through sharp and deep breaths, "If you think being raised by a former death eater is better than being raised by muggles, then, Violet, keep walking, because you won't be getting much out of me," he said simply motioning for her to walk away from him if she so wished.

"Or it makes is easier to kill them," Sophie reacted silently. "I never said I completely understood my mama. Heck, the fact she took me away or that she actually didn't raise me against you, it doesn't make any sense and she most likely know more, than anyone and has her plans with all this crap. Yet, it doesn't change the fact she didn't do a single bad thing to me. I can't say if taking me away so I was not raised by muggles was a bad thing. I never lived that scenario. We never lived it. Heck she didn't even make me a killer. Your precious friend Mal did. And if you wonder, no, there was no higher, good reason to kill that muggle, or his whole family," she said. "You could forgive him. And you still do, because I doubt you don't know how close Mal is with his aunt. Or Mariya for that matter. Why is it such issue to forgive your own blood? Don't worry, after this year ends, you will most likely never see me again and you can keep loving your sister Violet. But I am who I am. This is what you get. I couldn't fight when I was taken. I couldn't do a single thing about whom I became. So, if you said you still love me... or her, that baby in the crib, think about it that way," she said, surprisingly calm. Usually, she would start to fight, but thatwas before Wolfclaw. She quickly learnt rage won't solve much in cases like this.Balthazar seemed to sneak in during her speech, making his way up around her shoulders, staring at Harry curiously. "By the way, the fact that all my siblings, including you, but me can speak to snakes, that's unfair," she pointed out more like a joke.

"And why can't you do what he did? Once he found out who his real family was, he changed. He's a changed man, he's amazing now, he's one of my closest friends, and I'm proud to say that. He found out Sirius was his father and he changed, you didn't when you found out who your parents were, hell, I can bet you were disgusted, sad, depressed when you found out...," he spoke with contempt because that was indeed Morana's fault, she raised Violet away from her real family and so when she finally found out who they were, such different people, of course she wouldn't react positively. "I can't forgive you because you're my blood. The potters can always fight, even when the dark lord comes knocking at your door, you can fight, one way or another. Father fought to give us time, mother fought to keep us alive. He did it, she did it, we did it... I fought to live through everything that haunted me these past years and I'm still here... Why are you different Violet...," he asked with a shake of his head and a long deep sigh, "Hello little snake," he greeted Sophie's pet with a small smile, having learnt how to master the tongue of the snakes from Malphas, being able to access his gift, or curse, completely, "I agree with you on that one..." he answered as he continued to look at the snake.

"His name is Balthazar. And he seems confused by the fact you speak to him, but I guess you know that one," Sophie said, looking at her best friend for a short moment. "And you don't know how I reacted when I found out. You actually know nothing about place where I live and people there," Sophie started and realized, that if she keeps being distant, he will never open up. She sighed. "Fine, but if I tell you things and you use them against me, remember that my most likely future brother in law is kinda fucked up grigori," she stated first as a warning. "I lived my whole life under the shadow of my perfect siblings. Magali and Marcus were clever, deadly and powerful. I was different. I couldn't even leave the castle for mama feared I won't come back, because I simply won't survive out there. Czechia is not a nice place to live, when you are not strong enough."

"When mama told me, who my parents really were and what happened that night, I didn't know what to do. I was raised at place, where my true identity would be death sentence and I am not joking. It didn't matter who I was, it mattered who I had to be. And I was terrified. I didn't know what to think, what to do. I didn't know who I was or where I belong anymore. And my most stupid idea ever was to go and find out. So I went to the bar. Of course I ended up in the corner against four unknown criminals. They were idiots and I was drunk and weak. I manage to kill two and injure badly third one, but I was pretty much down. There was nothing I could do. So Victor came. As always. Got me out of that mess. Malfoys, they get creepy when they are possessive. But when I came home, I realized, that it didn't matter who my parents were. Because in the end, it was just me. It will always be just me. People can call me daughter of Morana Gaunt or Bartemius Crouch jr., they can call me the lost Potter and say how much I am like Lily. But at the end of the day, they are not me. They don't define who I am. I do. It's my choice. And I hate when people define my actions by my parents. Because I am not as clever and cunning as Morana is. I am definitely not a genius with murderous tastes, like Barty. I am unfortunately not sweet like Lily or brave like James. I am Sophie. Red head crazy girl, who likes the fact she is popular at her school, because that's the only thing where she can beat her perfect siblings who can speak to snakes and shit. I fight for myself everyday, because everybody looks at me, judge me and is waiting for my mistakes, so they can shoot any of my parents to my face. The girl who dates the other Malfoy twin, the girl who fights every single fucking day for people to notice she is there and she can be as good as anyone. That's me. I am not going to be different. And I am as hell not sorry for it," she finished, getting approving look from Balthazar.

"Everyone was confused, including me, when we found out. You should have seen Mariya's face," Harry shook his head as for a moment his mind returned to that day in his second year, he day he had thought was disastrous, but it was in fact amazing because little did he know back then he had just made two friends for life because of what happened. "Okay, it's your choice. Then chose not to be like Morana, because that's exactly who you were last time we met, according to many people I've spoken to about you," Harry sighed with a shrug, "If your parents, being adoptive or not, don't define you, then be your own person make your own choices. I had no parents, and I'm here... I'm a champion at a tournament I didn't even wanna be in, and I've faced death more times then I can count. And I'm still here trying to make this work, I survived impossible odds, just to be here, trying to make my sister see that I'm not an enemy, I'm not someone who's gonna look down on her, I'm her brother," he explained letting out a sigh of exhaustion.

"That's where you're wrong. I'm not like my parents. At least not here. The only thing I took from mama is, that I am what I need to be. Except for the fact she for some reason always chose to be public enemy, while I just do what I have to do to not be one. And as much as you say you are not the enemy, I don't trust people just because they say so. So far, all you did was trying to make me good little girl. You didn't tell me a single thing I would want to know. Instead I am making myself pathetic idiot here, so that mister Potter decides I am worthy of information about our biological family. If I knew you would be so stubborn, I would just join my sister in the library or something," Sophie replied, her voice more annoyed than anything, for she felt strong urge to hiss and be mean and all that normal Sophie things to do.

"Which I am starting to think is better idea, because all you do so far is trying to make sister you imagined in your head. Well, sorry to disappoint, this is all you get. And if you really think I am like my parents, I believe I should arrange a meeting. So that you can compare," she said. "As much as it is not how I imagined this goes, I think I should leave now. There is nothing more I can say for you always find a way to compare me to someone I am not or insult me in their name," she finished.

"You're stubborn as well aren't you? What did you expect from me," Harry asked also showing his annoyance, he was in a way glad he was talking to his family, his real close family, his sister, but he was annoyed, sad, angry, that she wasn't with him nor did she want to.n"I'm not trying to make you change, I'm trying to make you understand that you can change, that you can be different and that you don't have to be different in front of others. If you're swallowing your pride and talking to me properly now, you can do it in front of others. I do it too," he pointed out.

"Harry, I don't want to change. I know I can. I just don't want to. I have people I love and care about. And I don't need anyone else to know who I really am. I don't want them to know. I told you what I told you because I thought just maybe, you would want to be one of those people I care about. If you don't want to just because I am not who you want me to be, than I am sorry," she said with a sigh. "Look, you can pretend I don't exist and say that Violet Potter is dead and crap. But why? Because I am not what you imagined your sister to be? Well, I am here now. Me and all the days that could have been but never came. And that's important. They never came. You can't change what happened. Neither can I. This is what our life is. Either you can accept me as your sister the way I am, or you can walk away. But it will be you, who walked away. Not me."

"I can accept you Violet, as long as you do what you're doing now in front of others. If you mistreat me just to show you're like your other siblings don't blame me for walking away, I wasn't born to be hurt, I was born to be happy, we all are, and if you're going to stand in the way of my happiness I'd rather not have you in my life at all and forget that Sophia Crouch is actually Violet Potter. If you're willing to be a grown woman and treat me like your brother, I'm willing to accept you as you are," he explained. Obviously the entire conversation had tired him beyond compare, but he was not giving up on his sister no matter what. She was the only real family he had left...

"Geez. Fine. Remember you asked for it," she finally replied, followed by angry hiss from Balthazar, who was most likely trying to tell her something about how incredibly stupid this idea was. And Sophie knew it. "Just hope you know there might be many people in my life, that are important to me. And they are twisted beyond repair. And you will hate them. But I love them. Victor Malfoy, Magali and Marcus... they're first in the row," she warned Harry, but reached out her hand towards him.

"What matters is, you'll eventually love me too," he said with a small soft smile customary of Harry as he took her hand and squeezed it tightly.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "I will think about it, once you actually start calling me by my actual name," she replied bitterly. "Which reminds me, that I promised my godfather some books. Damn!" she cursed for herself. She won't really get to it today anymore and Severus will be annoyed. Again.

"In that, my dear sister, you aren't gonna be lucky. Violet it is, forever and ever," Harry said more as a tease than anything else. "Godfa-... Wait, wait a minute, Sirius said... Tell me he did not know all this time!" Harry demanded as he grabbed his hair in disbelief. How could Snape keep something like that from him?

Sophie rolled her eyes again. "As if the name mattered so much," she chuckled and at his next reaction, she looked quite blank. "Well, of course he knew. Him and aunt Selena visited us every year. Reminds me I should visit Rachel and Violet. This is why I can't promise things! I keep forgeting them!" she cursed for herself, before she started laughing. "You know what was funny? When I was younger, and with all the Slytherin and Araneae stuff in the house, I was all about snakes and I remember teasing aunt Selena, that I could never be Gryffindor. In light of the things I know now, it really makes me laugh," she added.

Harry growled at the fact that Snape kept such a thing from him, but he was sure Dumbledore also knew and didn't tell him, "What a di-... urgh..." he shook his head before finishing and then smirked at his sister, "And still, you ended up a Wolfen. Fate is funny," he chuckled.

Sophie chuckled. "Well, I couldn't exactly be spider or scorpio. They are different but in the end, both cold and deadly. Not really my thing. I am too hotheaded to just sit in the corner and wait. So I guess Wolfen was a good compromise," she said. "You know this place, it's overly safe. I mean, it's ridiculous. But what I like about it, is that you can sneak into each other's common rooms. You can't do that at Wolfclaw," she added almost dreamily.

"Wolfen fits you," Harry said honestly, and to him, Wolfen was the equivalent of Gryffindor, and when you looked at it, was it really not? A lion and a wolf, both brave and hot headed. "By the way sister, there is something you don't know about us Potters," he stated biting his lip.

"Dear brother, there is basicaly nothing I know about us Potters," she pointed out with laugh. "Well, Wolfen is like Gryffindor and Slytherin together. Araneae is more of a Slytherin and Ravenclaw. While Emperor... well nobody really know what to expect from these guys. But yeah, I guess it fits me."