Title: The Other Side of the Castle
Author: Me, who else? AKA Rachel Curtis
Genre: Harry Potter, Second Generation Fic . . . whoo, I get to make up names.
Disclaimer: Everything about Hogwarts and its cannon characters belong to JK Rowling, but we all got that right? Some of the characters are mine or borrowed from others because we all played RPG together. So yeah, no stealing in any case.
*~*~*
Chapter One: The Letter
Ketara often occupied herself by sitting in the second floor study, resting in the nook that had such a splendid view of the yard. The cushions were down filled and soft as clouds, and the square blocked windows were meticulously clean. Outside the yard was green, lush and fresh with summer fragrance. The apple tree was due to be ripe soon, which would mean a delightful apple pie would soon grace the table.
She was very glad indeed that her parents could afford such luxuries as living out in the country instead of the dirty, noisy, muggle-filled city. She was from a pureblood family, of course, albeit a rather eclectic one by usual standards. They had money and history, despite her father's orphaned state and mother's estrangement with her family. They had prestige on their own, since both parents were aurors, or had been at one time, mother had retired more to desk work and often seemed to wish that father would as well.
Ketara sighed, shifting her feet out from under her. It was very uncomfortable to sit like that for more than an hour, and as she had been reading she suspected it had been two. The book had been discarded now, put aside where it was still open to the illustration of the queen playing croquet. It was her very favorite muggle book; despite all the flaws of the general muggle population they had very interesting books. Father had bought it on her fifth birthday and she'd read it hundreds of times since then-she was eleven now.
Perhaps she should go outside. Kieran might even agree to play tag, and Kyros surely would if she was ever able to find him. She remembered now, Kyros was visiting her Aunt Kaitlyn this week, bother. Where was Kieran then? Ever since he'd turned 13 he acted as if he was too good for her. Well she would show that stuck up prig, she'd be going to Hogwarts too, just as soon as she got her letter, and she bet she'd be in Slytherin too and then he'd have to put up with her.
There was a faint creak as the door opened and Ketara turned around, looking across the green wingback chairs, low lacquer tables and mountains of pillows or books. There was a woman in the doorway, staring at the offending joint, and Ketara was very surprised to see her. The woman had long black hair, perfectly straight and seeming to glint with crimson or blue. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were that perfect green of emeralds. She wore a well fitted robe of cream color brocade over her slim form. She shouldn't be here, Ketara thought, she should be at work.
That isn't to say that Ketara didn't love her mother with whom she shared a great resemblance, she was just very surprised to see her out of the pattern that usually existed. Mother worked at the office, now Ketara remembered, she had been working from home this week. It wasn't so odd then. She swung her feet around so that they dropped off the bench and her toes just brushed over the deep carpet. She was dressed in a summer dress, light cotton in silver grey with white buttons up the front and a silly ruffle around the bottom. She hadn't bothered with socks, or even to tie back her waist length black hair. She was getting too tall for such outfits anyway so she didn't see the point in being all proper about it. It was hard to stay cutesy when you were doomed to be tall, mother was nearly six feet.
"Is it time for tea?" Ketara asked. She had a sweet voice, slightly sharp and high with youth, but with a dripping of honey there that betrayed of what her voice might be. She lifted her eyes, watching as her mother moved with utmost grace across the room. She really did have the most beautiful mother, you only had to look to see, and she always moved-glided-with such perfect purpose.
"We could have some tea," Kyara agreed and took the seat by her daughter. "The post came while you were up here. You got a letter."
Ketara perked, her green eyes popping as she eyed her mother. She hadn't had a letter in her hand, though maybe she'd put it somewhere, a pocket maybe. "I like letters, is it from father?"
Father was away, a trip of some sort, or as mother had put it 'another bloody case'. Kyara had been very angry when she heard, insisting that he ought to let someone else do it, despite the fact that he was only in his fifth decade. At any rate, he always remembered to write and bring back the most interesting presents. Ketara had dolls from all over the world in her room.
"No, not from father," Kyara said, with a sly smile on her lips, "something better."
"Better?" Ketara repeated, slightly confused. She watched as Kyara pulled the neat parchment envelope from a pocket and pressed it into her hand; she could see the sprawling green ink of the address.
Kyara smiled, nodding her head. "Open it, Ket, see what it says."
The parchment ripped, not too easily to Ketara's annoyance. It was open within seconds however and with shaking hands she read its contents. "You are accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
Her breath left her, like the silence of a tree once the gusty wind passes. She felt like fainting, screaming and laughing all at the same time which made it really difficult to do anything at all. She settled finally on clinging desperately to her mother, and didn't even complain when Kyara pet her hair.
"I have to, oh, I have to get all those supplies now, don't I? You'll take me shopping?"
Kyara smiled and nodded her head faintly, "Yes, of course, with Kieran was well, he's got few new books and supplies to replace."
Ketara was annoyed to have to share any experience with her brother, but she supposed there wasn't much choice in the matter. Kieran had to go to school too, which meant he needed books, clothes since he'd grown again, and bunches of other stuff she was sure. She remembered that father said he'd be getting a new broom this year too. It wasn't fair that first years couldn't have them, but Kieran wasn't a first year, he was a third.
"Don't frown over it," Kyara was saying firmly, "he will most likely go off by himself when I give him a few galleons, we'll shop ourselves."
Ketara bobbed her head and was almost ashamed to have been caught by her mother thinking such things. Not very ashamed since she vowed to do much better than Kieran at school, so what if he was two years ahead of her? If you simply compared his previous marks she'd show him up, being the middle child didn't mean you were mediocre, hadn't both their parents shown that?
"Ketara?"
"What?" She looked up from the letter. There were some interesting books on the list, and the supplies looked fascinating.
"It's time for tea now." Kyara was on her feet, looking perfectly regal and poised as a former Princess should be, she'd left her home and title.
Ketara felt the smile at the corners of her mouth and got to her feet, leaving 'Alice in Wonderland' on the bench. She liked cucumber sandwiches almost as much as her mother did, and the raspberry tarts even more. She bet there would be both today, and perfectly steeped tea with plenty of sugar to go with it.
"And we'll have a discussion about your wardrobe, you're simply too tall to be wearing such short dresses," her mother continued as they left the study. "I imagine you'll need even more during the year, adolescents are such a great bother to clothe and dress."
*~*~*
Well, what think you? Kyara and her children are my characters, the father I borrow from a fellow player, but you haven't met him let (unless you read the other stories). Anyway, I'd appreciate reviews, comments . . . a Beta reader.
Author: Me, who else? AKA Rachel Curtis
Genre: Harry Potter, Second Generation Fic . . . whoo, I get to make up names.
Disclaimer: Everything about Hogwarts and its cannon characters belong to JK Rowling, but we all got that right? Some of the characters are mine or borrowed from others because we all played RPG together. So yeah, no stealing in any case.
*~*~*
Chapter One: The Letter
Ketara often occupied herself by sitting in the second floor study, resting in the nook that had such a splendid view of the yard. The cushions were down filled and soft as clouds, and the square blocked windows were meticulously clean. Outside the yard was green, lush and fresh with summer fragrance. The apple tree was due to be ripe soon, which would mean a delightful apple pie would soon grace the table.
She was very glad indeed that her parents could afford such luxuries as living out in the country instead of the dirty, noisy, muggle-filled city. She was from a pureblood family, of course, albeit a rather eclectic one by usual standards. They had money and history, despite her father's orphaned state and mother's estrangement with her family. They had prestige on their own, since both parents were aurors, or had been at one time, mother had retired more to desk work and often seemed to wish that father would as well.
Ketara sighed, shifting her feet out from under her. It was very uncomfortable to sit like that for more than an hour, and as she had been reading she suspected it had been two. The book had been discarded now, put aside where it was still open to the illustration of the queen playing croquet. It was her very favorite muggle book; despite all the flaws of the general muggle population they had very interesting books. Father had bought it on her fifth birthday and she'd read it hundreds of times since then-she was eleven now.
Perhaps she should go outside. Kieran might even agree to play tag, and Kyros surely would if she was ever able to find him. She remembered now, Kyros was visiting her Aunt Kaitlyn this week, bother. Where was Kieran then? Ever since he'd turned 13 he acted as if he was too good for her. Well she would show that stuck up prig, she'd be going to Hogwarts too, just as soon as she got her letter, and she bet she'd be in Slytherin too and then he'd have to put up with her.
There was a faint creak as the door opened and Ketara turned around, looking across the green wingback chairs, low lacquer tables and mountains of pillows or books. There was a woman in the doorway, staring at the offending joint, and Ketara was very surprised to see her. The woman had long black hair, perfectly straight and seeming to glint with crimson or blue. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were that perfect green of emeralds. She wore a well fitted robe of cream color brocade over her slim form. She shouldn't be here, Ketara thought, she should be at work.
That isn't to say that Ketara didn't love her mother with whom she shared a great resemblance, she was just very surprised to see her out of the pattern that usually existed. Mother worked at the office, now Ketara remembered, she had been working from home this week. It wasn't so odd then. She swung her feet around so that they dropped off the bench and her toes just brushed over the deep carpet. She was dressed in a summer dress, light cotton in silver grey with white buttons up the front and a silly ruffle around the bottom. She hadn't bothered with socks, or even to tie back her waist length black hair. She was getting too tall for such outfits anyway so she didn't see the point in being all proper about it. It was hard to stay cutesy when you were doomed to be tall, mother was nearly six feet.
"Is it time for tea?" Ketara asked. She had a sweet voice, slightly sharp and high with youth, but with a dripping of honey there that betrayed of what her voice might be. She lifted her eyes, watching as her mother moved with utmost grace across the room. She really did have the most beautiful mother, you only had to look to see, and she always moved-glided-with such perfect purpose.
"We could have some tea," Kyara agreed and took the seat by her daughter. "The post came while you were up here. You got a letter."
Ketara perked, her green eyes popping as she eyed her mother. She hadn't had a letter in her hand, though maybe she'd put it somewhere, a pocket maybe. "I like letters, is it from father?"
Father was away, a trip of some sort, or as mother had put it 'another bloody case'. Kyara had been very angry when she heard, insisting that he ought to let someone else do it, despite the fact that he was only in his fifth decade. At any rate, he always remembered to write and bring back the most interesting presents. Ketara had dolls from all over the world in her room.
"No, not from father," Kyara said, with a sly smile on her lips, "something better."
"Better?" Ketara repeated, slightly confused. She watched as Kyara pulled the neat parchment envelope from a pocket and pressed it into her hand; she could see the sprawling green ink of the address.
Kyara smiled, nodding her head. "Open it, Ket, see what it says."
The parchment ripped, not too easily to Ketara's annoyance. It was open within seconds however and with shaking hands she read its contents. "You are accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"
Her breath left her, like the silence of a tree once the gusty wind passes. She felt like fainting, screaming and laughing all at the same time which made it really difficult to do anything at all. She settled finally on clinging desperately to her mother, and didn't even complain when Kyara pet her hair.
"I have to, oh, I have to get all those supplies now, don't I? You'll take me shopping?"
Kyara smiled and nodded her head faintly, "Yes, of course, with Kieran was well, he's got few new books and supplies to replace."
Ketara was annoyed to have to share any experience with her brother, but she supposed there wasn't much choice in the matter. Kieran had to go to school too, which meant he needed books, clothes since he'd grown again, and bunches of other stuff she was sure. She remembered that father said he'd be getting a new broom this year too. It wasn't fair that first years couldn't have them, but Kieran wasn't a first year, he was a third.
"Don't frown over it," Kyara was saying firmly, "he will most likely go off by himself when I give him a few galleons, we'll shop ourselves."
Ketara bobbed her head and was almost ashamed to have been caught by her mother thinking such things. Not very ashamed since she vowed to do much better than Kieran at school, so what if he was two years ahead of her? If you simply compared his previous marks she'd show him up, being the middle child didn't mean you were mediocre, hadn't both their parents shown that?
"Ketara?"
"What?" She looked up from the letter. There were some interesting books on the list, and the supplies looked fascinating.
"It's time for tea now." Kyara was on her feet, looking perfectly regal and poised as a former Princess should be, she'd left her home and title.
Ketara felt the smile at the corners of her mouth and got to her feet, leaving 'Alice in Wonderland' on the bench. She liked cucumber sandwiches almost as much as her mother did, and the raspberry tarts even more. She bet there would be both today, and perfectly steeped tea with plenty of sugar to go with it.
"And we'll have a discussion about your wardrobe, you're simply too tall to be wearing such short dresses," her mother continued as they left the study. "I imagine you'll need even more during the year, adolescents are such a great bother to clothe and dress."
*~*~*
Well, what think you? Kyara and her children are my characters, the father I borrow from a fellow player, but you haven't met him let (unless you read the other stories). Anyway, I'd appreciate reviews, comments . . . a Beta reader.