A/N: Here is a short snippet inspired by The One in the Shadows by desiking75 here on and The Flames of Betrayal by Lord of Bones over at TFF.

Now, as a general rule, I avoid fics like these like the plague as "Harry is the Sibling/Twin of the Boy-Who-Lived" fics are rather cliche and are used as an excuse to bash pretty much everyone under the sun- particularly James and Lily Potter, Dumbledore, the Weasleys and the Wizarding World as a whole. I have made very, VERY rew exceptions when it comes to this brand of fic.

So, as the 2nd Coming of FanFiction, your saviour from bad fanfiction, I have decided that I too will take a stab at this type of fic...

A few things one should know about this ficlet and any other snippets that follow this storyline before entering...

1) Harry was not abused, though he was a bit slightly neglected, but not on purpose.

2) Harry is NOT the Boy-Who-Lived, Andy is.

3) Bashing, if any, will be kept to a minimum.

4) Harry will still be bad-assed, but Andy will not be incompetent.

5) Harry will not be so full of bad-assery that he's pulling off amazing, yet impossible feats of magic, like pulling an island up from the bottom of the sea and such.

Anyways... Here is the start of M2J's Untitled TwinoftheBoy-Who-Lived!Harry Project.

So now... For the beginning of the story...

So it had all come down to this...

Two boys who were brothers by birth, friends in childhood, acquaintances in adolescence, had become rivals and bitter enemies in adulthood.

The two had left a legacy, unlike any other in the history of their world...

One was, Andy Potter, the Boy Who Lived.

The other, Harry Potter-Black, his older brother and twin.

Andy was the epitome of the Lightside, vanquisher of the Dark Lord Voldemort at the age of a year old. He is also extraordinary in the fact that he is the only known survivor of the Killing Curse.

Harry was the other brother. Brilliant and powerful, yet the one no one noticed. He had been there for his brother in the darkest of times and even assisted in the defeat of Voldemort when the Dark Lord had returned to his body.

In many ways they were similar, but in many more they heavily contrasted. The difference only widened with time and age.

Andy, despite being a parselmouth, was the stereotypical Gryffindor, through and through.

Harry, was the Serpent in the Lion's Den, with all the advantages and hardships that came with it.

Andy was always either extremely popular or extremely hated, much like the popularity poll of a politician.

Harry, on the other hand, had the love of his family, the ire of his dorm mates, and the hatred of his Head of House. While his family were as supportive as the could be, Andy's issues often took precedence.

However, the damage was done, and the division made.

Growing up as the brother of the "Boy Who Lived" was never easy. People were always clamoring up to see his brother, lavishing him with constant attention. Despite having a brother that was often thought as being "more special", James and Lily Potter had done their best to treat their children fairly.

Harry's looks took after James, except he had his mother's Avada Kedavra green eyes.

Andy had a more of a feminine look to him, and was often referred to (by Slytherins) as "The Gryffindor Pretty Boy". He had their mother's deep red hair, vice the Weasley orange/red hue and deep brown eyes like his father.

Andy had been their pride and joy when he was sorted into Gryffindor, though Harry would never forget his brother's look of betrayal when the Sorting Hat put him in Slytherin, nor would he forgive his brother's failure to reign in his friends a bit more with their treatment of him. Ron Weasley was the worst of the lot. His bias against anything Slytherin was every bit as bad as Draco Malfoy's prejudice against Muggles and Muggleborns.

While James didn't berate him for being sorted into Slytherin, nor did he demand he be resorted, he wasn't exactly jumping for joy either. Lily did express her pride in Harry, stating that, despite the House stigma, not all Slytherins were necessarily evil and many that were, had been driven down that lonely, dark path as a matter of circumstance.

Though she never said it outright, Harry later learned that she had been referring to Severus Snape, whom had once been her childhood friend. A man, whom after all those years, was still pining over a woman who had definitely moved on with her life and closed that particular chapter of it.

Despite the complications in their lives, Harry supported Andy whenever his brother needed it and was even one of the few people who had stood firm that his brother had NOT entered his name into the Goblet of Fire.

The final division, however, came during Harry and Andy's joint 17th birthday party...

Not only were the boys finally of age, but Harry was going to take his place as the official Heir to the Potter and Black families, as not only was Harry the oldest Potter scion, but his godfather, Sirius Black, was a lecherous playboy whom had not sired any heirs through marriage or otherwise (at least to his knowledge)...

Harry was eyeing Andy intently as the boy reached for the gift from his twin.

It was a small box. When he tore off the wrapping, he became confused. It was a ring box.

"Harry?" Andy asked.

Harry merely gave him a sad smile and nodded his head.

Andy only looked on in confusion as he opened the box, revealing the Potter signet ring. He pulled it out examining it.

Many were dumbfounded, except Sirius, whose eyes widened. However, before he could stop his godson, the deed was already done.

Harry immediately took out his wand as Andy had picked up the ring and began to recite. "I, Harry James Potter, relinquish all titles and responsibilities as Heir of House Potter to my brother, Andy Edward Potter, and will be further be known as Harry James Potter-Black, Heir to House Black. So mote it be."

Magic swirled around the room and everyone in attendance could see the visible stream of magic between Andy and Harry.

"Harry?" asked James hesitantly.

"Why?" asked Andy.

"It's better this way," said Harry sadly. Before anyone could reply, Harry disappeared with a 'pop', having apparated out of his families home.

The relationship between Harry and his family had never been quite the same. Sirius understood the decision as had Remus, Andy's godfather, though they both agreed the timing could have been better. However, Harry assured them he had not entered into the decision lightly and he didn't want anyone stopping him from doing so.

After the much needed discussion in the aftermath of the party, James and Lily were remorseful for having let their relationship with their oldest son drift so far. Lily more than James, who was disappointed, both in himself for his past prejudices and Harry for what he considered a "wreckless and rash" decision.

Things with Andy had been irreparable, and he would resent his older brother for years to come, culminating in the current situation.

Both were in possession of the two finest wands not created by Olivander. Andy had the Elder Wand, commonly called the "Deathstick". It had a history bloodier and more violent than the Dark Wizards Andy fought in his day to day job as an Auror. It was a warrior's wand. An instrument of death for those who lived and died by the wand.

Again, Harry was Andy's opposite, for he wielded the "God Hand", a wand rumored to have belonged to both Merlin and Helga Hufflepuff, though neither had ever been confirmed. The wand's primary purpose was warding and healing. Unlike Andy, Harry did not become an Auror, despite his dueling skills being superior to his brother's, opting to be a freelance Cursebreaker and part-time Spellcrafter instead. Harry also had a short internship at St Mungos, before deciding Healing just wasn't his forte.

Both even had different views on magic.

Andy followed the typical common belief of Dark Magics. His image as the "Gryffindor Golden Boy" in his youth and his image as the "Wizarding World's Savior" in his adulthood allowed for no less. For him, everything was black and white. If it was considered even remotely dark, it was evil and thus must be destroyed. His single minded aversion to 'dark' magic limited him in many ways, though his repertoire in 'Light' spells was quite impressive.

Harry, having spent much of his youth isolated and alone, had a less clear cut view of magic. Since he never had many friends, Harry would spend hours of his time reading and researching different forms of magic. It was why he took some much interest in Healing and Cursebreaking to begin with, as they were highly complex forms of magic, requiring practiced finesse that only came through hours of hard work.

Harry snapped out of his thoughts when a bolt of lightning crackled through the atmosphere and the roaring sound of thunder echoed in the distance. The wind wrapped around them, making their robes and cloak billow with it's current as the rain poured by the bucket full.

"So... It's come to this, huh?" asked Harry rhetorically with a sad nostalgic look on his face. "What would mother think?"

Andy glared at Harry. "She'd probablly be disappointed in me. After all, you were always her favored one, especially after that stunt you pulled at our seventeenth birthday party!"

"You still haven't let that go? After everything we've been through... After all this time?" Harry asked.

"Sorry, Brother, but I'm tired of talking... Let's find out who the stronger Potter Brother truly is," said Andy raising his wand, a devastating curse on his lips.

So... Good? Bad? Ugly?