A/N: I have no idea why I'm posting, but I've been thinking a lot about what happens after Violet meets the Cullens, which means I've been thinking up a lot of backstory which means I've been able to write, I guess. The next chapter is better.

Disclaimer: Most characters belong to JKR. Then there are those that belong to anyavioletta, from The Good Morrow.


"Nothing becomes so offensive so quickly as grief. When fresh it finds someone to console it, but when it becomes chronic, it is ridiculed, and rightly."

- Seneca


Chapter Two

Nothing Becomes So Offensive So Quickly As Grief

"Maman Hélène!" Violet yelled as she ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time. "Maman Hélène, where are you?"

"What is it, ma petit lis?" Helen asked her adoptive daughter who, despite Helen's best efforts, refused to call her 'Tante Hélène'.

"Maman Hélène," Violet said breathlessly, brandishing a pamphlet. "It's a school; I think it will be better for me." She gave her a meaningful look. Helen had always known Violet was different but when the child was seven she discovered why; the girl was a Seer. It had been a shock to find out but it had soon become something the two of them could bond over as they had kept it secret from everyone else.

"They have a school?"

"Oui and I can come home every weekend. I can visit lots, Maman Hélène." Helen read the pamphlet uncertainly. "And look; I can learn a language! Then I'll know four languages. Magnifique, oui?"

Helen chuckled. "Oui." Violet had an obsession when it came to linguistics; her French was perfect (so much so that she was constantly correcting the grammar of others) and her English was almost fluent, her accent not too heavy. She was also quite accomplished at Greek, always using it to speak to Mark and Christina when they came around. "What do you want to learn?"

"Je ne sais pas. Italian? Spanish? Russian? Oh, I want to learn it all!" She giggled excitedly. "But I think maybe Italian so I can go to fashion shows in Milan and be a famous model." Helen laughed; Violet always changed her career ideas. One day she would want to be a CEO of a multi-million dollar company in America, next she would want to be a ballerina in Russia. Sometimes the ideas were sensible (a Professor or a Healer) but for the most part they were ridiculous.

"So you want to go to this school?" Helen double checked. It was close by and would help Violet learn how to get more control over her visions; and better yet she wouldn't be alone. She'd be with people who were going through the same thing as her.

"Oui, s'il vous plaît."

Helen smiled. "I see no reason for you not to go. But..."

Violet frowned. "Oncle Theo?" Helen nodded apologetically. "Couldn't you change the pamphlet?" Helen grinned.

"Like this?" She pulled out her wand and began tapping at various places of the pamphlet so that it didn't mention the whole Seer business. Violet clapped her hands in delight.

That night when Theo came home, Violet presented him with the pamphlet. When he asked about whether or not Anka could go Violet quickly replied, "She wants to go to Beaxbatons."

"And why don't you?" he asked her.

"I prefer this schools system," she said immediately. He looked her over with a Switzerland smile and nodded. "Merci, Oncle!" She ran off to Helen without a backwards glance and jumped up and down. "He said yes, he said yes, he said yes!" Helen laughed. "Maman Hélène, what language should I learn?"

*

Violet ended up learning Italian. As soon as she had decided, Helen had organised a tutor who came almost every day. It wasn't that Violet needed a tutor, she just wanted one. And it paid off; in her second year she was put into an advanced class and she began speaking Italian to inanimate objects to practise.

As she grew older she became more reserved, although only one who knew her well would notice. She was naturally bubbly and cheerful but Helen could always tell when she was happy and when she was lying. She had stopped speaking to Theo properly and merely gave him curt, albeit polite, responses. Anka, whom had been like a sister to her, had made other friends as she grew and became closer than ever to her best friend Claude. Violet had never had a best friend, unless you counted Helen.

"Violet," Helen said slowly one afternoon after witnessing a fight between her husband and Violet. Violet had been reduced to tears which had immediately softened Theo enough to leave. "I have something for you; it's from your mother." She had always been honest with Violet, telling her about Lily and James and Harry. She had told her about Remus and Peter and what they would all get up to at school. She would never mention Sirius or the Asteria Curse but would talk about Dumbledore and Voldemort. This was something else they had bonded over; Helen hadn't told any of this to Theo or Anka.

She led the girl into her room, sitting her on her bed, and pulled a safe out of her cupboard, along with a letter. Violet read the letter, crying silently, then smiled when she saw the drawing. She looked at the safe and pulled out her wand. Touching the tip to her finger she winced as a small cut appeared; she pressed the bleeding finger against the safe and it opened instantly. She pulled out the jewellery and smiled at the one that had been mentioned in her letter; it was a gold necklace with a locket. She opened it and on the left was a picture of Lily and James, or her Maman et Papa Ange as Violet called them. On the other side was a picture of Harry, her brother, as a one year old. On the front of the locket were the words 'Never forget your family'.

"Ma famille," she whispered. She frowned suddenly. "Who is 'Sirius Black'?" she asked. Helen froze. "Papa Ange said he is meant to be my godfather."

"He – he was arrested. Everyone thinks he betrayed your parents," Helen said honestly, her eyes closed. "He didn't do it," she added fiercely. "He is on the run now, I think. I heard he escaped."

"I want to meet him," Violet said immediately.

"He is on the run," Helen repeated. Violet frowned again. Helen looked at her cautiously. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I am going to be patient."

*

That Christmas Anka was fraught with jealousy.

"It's not fair!" she said. "So what if I'm not seventeen, can't I go and watch?" The Triwizard Tournament was being hosted by Hogwarts and Anka had been desperate to go. "I heard Harry Potter is a champion," she whispered to Violet who stiffened.

"Maman Hélène!" she shouted, running into the kitchen where Helen was cooking dinner. "Maman Hélène, Harry – the tournament! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what, ma petite lis?"

"Harry! He is in the Triwizard Tournament!" Helen paled.

"But they changed the rules; you have to be seventeen."

"Maman Hélène, I want to go see him." It wasn't a request it was a demand. Helen paused.

"Tomorrow we will go see Dumbledore, oui? And we will ask him if it is true." She kissed her goddaughter on the forehead. "Do not worry, ma petite lis, it will be OK."

*

"Dumbledore," Helen said angrily, speaking English. She and Violet were in his office and had just heard the news; Harry was indeed a Triwizard Champion. "What are you thinking, letting him compete? It isn't safe." Dumbledore ignored her and looked at Violet intently.

"So you are le petit lis," he said cheerfully in French. Violet glared at him and spoke in English.

"Don't patronize me," she said archly. "My brotherisn't safe; this isn't going to end well. I know it."

"I can assure you both that we have the highest measures to keep him safe-"

"He's coming back!" Violet yelled; she hadn't intended to speak - she didn't even know what she meant. They both stared at her and she bit her lip before storming out of the office.

"Violet," Helen called after her. Violet ran down the steps and through the corridors, ignoring the fact that she had no idea where she was going. Soon she walked by a large room filled with people eating lunch. She slipped inside and looked around for someone she knew; to her relief she spotted Fleur Delacour, a family friend. The Delacours had a summer home near where they vacationed and they tended to spend their summer holidays together.

"Fleur!" Violet called, running over.

"Violette?" The slender blonde stood up, causing the boys in the surrounding area to stare at her, and embraced the small redhead, kissing her on each cheek. "What are you doing here?" she asked in French.

"I was just with my Maman Hélène visiting Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbly-dor?" Fleur asked, unable to pronounce the Hogwarts Headmaster name properly. "Why?"

"Just needed to check up on something," Violet mumbled evasively. Fleur seemed to notice how upset she was and patted her back.

"Sit down, mon amie," she said. "How is Anka?"

"She's jealous," Violet said, chuckling. "She wanted to see the tournament. You're a champion, oui?" Fleur nodded happily.

"Oui. It has been so exciting; I had to battle a dragon," she enthused.

"Comme c'est effrayant," Violet whispered, shocked.

"Oui, oui. But the students of Hogwarts, they are so funny. There are two in the red house who are always making jokes. They tried to enter the tournament but because they were not old enough they grew beards as a punishment!" Fleur and Violet laughed heartily. "There they are." Fleur pointed to two redheaded twins who had gotten up from the table next to theirs.

"What are their names?" Violet asked curiously.

"Umm," Fleur pouted prettily as she thought. "I cannot remember. People in other houses call them the Weasel twins, I think. Here, have something to eat; they brought French food here, just for us." Violet smiled at the French cuisine but instead picked at some mash potato. Fleur shook her head at her, smiling.

"How is Gabrielle?" Violet asked.

"Bon," Fleur said simply, looking over at a tall boy with dark hair.

"Who is that?" Violet whispered.

"His name is Roger," Fleur smiled happily. "He is going to take me to the ball."

"There is a ball?" Violet asked, now wishing she could stay.

"Oui," Fleur said, sighing blissfully. "I wanted the 'Ogwarts champion, Cedric Diggory, to take me but he is with someone else." She frowned momentarily before shrugging.

"Who is Harry Potter taking?" Violet asked, pretending to be disinterested.

"Do you have a crush on him?" Fleur teased. Violet looked stunned but laughed it off, deciding not to go into how disturbing it would be for her to have a crush on Harry Potter. "I think he is taking an Indian girl in the red house."

"What house is he in?" But her question was answered when she saw him, sitting with his friends. He wasn't talking much, as the other two were bickering, but he seemed to be thinking deeply. Violet stood up, about to approach him, but was roughly pulled away and out of the Great Hall; Helen had found her.

*

"Honestly, Ron..." he vaguely heard one of his best friends, Hermione Granger, say. He tuned her out easily and stared off in the distance, watching as Fleur Delacour, the Beaxbatons champion stood up from the Ravenclaw table and embraced a small redheaded girl. She wasn't that much younger than him, possible in the same year as Ginny. She was wearing casual clothing and talking to Fleur in rapid French. The two girls looked over at Roger, the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, and then the redhead looked over at him. He kept his face blank so she didn't know he was looking at her, but then she stood up and began to approach his table. Quick as a flash, a dark haired woman dragged her out of the hall. He heard the muted yell of "Violet Laurent!" before the woman began ranting in French.


So close, wasn't she? I've decided to name each of the post after Seneca quotes, more out of dedication than relevance. But some quotes have actually been inspiring situations that I'll write up later, so yay!

Love Sarah