Sisters and Secrets

[Matthew Harper]

Out of Character:

Takes place before this thread

Matthew's father was away on business, he had left as soon as Christmas was over, which was good. After what Matthew had learned a few days ago, he was sure he wouldn't be able to look him in the eye. Not without showing him what he thought of him. He had known for a few years now that his father wasn't the hero he'd imagined as a child, but he still hadn't ever imagined him capable of this.

His father had another child, a third one. No, the second one. Charlotte was third, though she'd never known it. From the little Matthew gathered, the girl's mother had been his father's secretary a long time ago, and he'd basically bribed her to leave the country with her baby. With his sister.

It hadn't been hard to convince his mother he wasn't feeling well so he could be excused to his room. Mother tended to want her family around her during the holidays, but Matthew felt too guilty around her, knowing this horrible secret she didn't. So here he was, sitting at his desk in his room and staring at a mostly blank piece of parchment. At the top he'd written Leah's name. His best friend usually knew how to make him feel better, but he couldn't tell her what was bothering him in a letter. So he didn't know what else to write. He stared at the blank emptiness of the parchment in front him until his vision went blurry, upsetting thoughts running through his head.

 

[Charlotte Harper]

Charlotte noticed a bad vibe between her father and Matthew around Christmas. She didn't really understood what it was, but they sure had a nicer Christmas together before. Charlotte was just glad that she wasn't trouble for her parents. She loved her parents both and missed her dad because he went away for business again. Charlotte couldn't wait to join a Magical school like her brother already went to. She had lots of friends here, and it was nice being the leader of a group of girls but on a big school was more impressive. Charlotte had always been a leader, she hated being a follower. She had to say how things needed to go and not the other way.

The blonde was already in her room and heard some footsteps on the stairs and as curious as she was she looked outside who it was. She saw her brother Matthew walking to his room and Charlotte decided to follow him. He had to tell her why he was so different to father. Charlotte loved her family and she didn't liked when things weren't as perfect as she pictured it. So when Matthew was in his room the blonde closed her door and walked to her brothers room. She didn't had the feeling of knocking but Matthew should know that by now, when Charlotte wanted something she wanted it and a door wasn't gonna stop her. Charlotte opened the door and entered her brothers room. '' Matthew, I want to know something.'' the blonde began.

 

[Matthew Harper]

Matthew looked up from the piece of parchment that hardly could be called a letter. He turned around in his chair and didn't have to fake a smile as he saw his sister enter his room. Matthew adored his little sister and was always happy to see her. It was still mildly alarming to him how much she had grown every time he came back from school, but he still loved seeing her.

"Hey there, Lot." He said with a grin, giving her the nickname he so often did. With a flash, he thought of his other sister. Would he have given her a nickname if he'd gotten the chance to meet her? Would she have liked it? His smile wavered for a moment before he focused again on the girl in front of him. But now his mind filled up with questions about Odette. Did she look like Charlotte? Were they similar? Or completely different?

He cleared his throat, wishing it would clear his mind as well. "What's up? What do you want to know?" He wondered if she had questions about his school or magic, that happened sometimes. It wouldn't be long until she went to Ilvermorny as well.

 

[Charlotte Harper]

Charlotte looked at her older brother when he turned around. She tried not to worry and so she put on a smile. '' Matt..'' she began calling her brother with the nickname she always used. The blonde came a bit closer so she could see what he was doing. She noticed a piece of parchment, so she decided to ask about it. '' Who were you gonna write?'' Charlotte said with curiousity, she didn't really understood the subject privacy. She didn't cared about that either, not with others at least. Charlotte thought about how she was gonna put it, perhaps it was just something she had seen or a bad thought in her head, but she had a talent of observing and when people were acting weird she would know it.

When her brother asked what she wanted to know Charlotte cleared her throat before speaking. '' Well, I noticed something around Christmas. You and dad..'' Charlotte began to explain. '' Is there something between you? It just looks like there is.'' The blonde threw her hair to the back, and put her both hands in to her hips, waiting for her brother to give a reaction to this.

 

[Matthew Harper]

It was reassuring that Charlotte used his old nickname, it made him feel like things were a bit normal again. Her curiosity hadn't really changed since she was a toddler, and he smiled fondly as he remembered the little girl that followed him around and asked him questions all day. He pointed at the name. "Leah." He said simply, he had told Charlotte about his best friend in the world few times. He felt really glad he hadn't actually put words to paper about what was bothering him. He now realized that he couldn't, it's how he had gotten the information in the first place: because his dad had written it down. No, he'd have to tell Leah himself when he was back at school. Otherwise Charlotte might find out, she was much better at snooping than he was. And she couldn't find out, not yet. It would hurt her too much.

He was immediately reminded not to underestimate her, though. His little sister was observant. He thought he'd done a reasonably good job about trying to act normal, but she had still picked up on it. It was so tempting to just blurt out the truth, but he could't burden her like that. It hurt him to lie, but he did so anyway. "It's just... differences between us, Lot... Like, what he wants for my future isn't what I want. I don't think I want to work for him anymore and take over when I'm older and he doesn't like it. I just want to do my own thing." None of that was false, but it still felt like a lie because it wasn't what was on his mind right now. He hoped she wouldn't press it too much.