Pros & Cons

1. The Introduction

Violet, Violet Gardner, Violet Elizabeth Gardner

Violet had always liked her name, it sounded elegant, it didn't have any negativity attached to it. It was... pretty. She liked her name because she felt it contrasted the rest of her. It wasn't necessarily that she didn't like herself; she just felt there were people who were better, prettier, smarter. It was hard not to think that when you're friends with the golden trio. They always promised her that they were a group of four but, alas, they were the golden trio.

She loved her friends, she really did and they were like family to her. But it was hard to not feel less than when she was around them.

And this is where we meet her sitting in front of the mirror in her bedroom examining her plain features, poking and prodding different parts of her face like a science experiment. When she glanced at the clock to her left she noticed she only had twenty minutes left before she had to leave so she grabbed a claw clip and pinned up half of her hair behind her head. Violet gave one last glance at the mirror to analyse her final appearance. She had curly hair, not bushy like Hermione's, but it naturally curled into ringlets and reached almost halfway to her waist; it was light brown - similar to Hermione's. Violet had dark brown eyes, that she absolutely abhorred, she thought they looked like black holes on her face - she longed for mesmerising green eyes like Harry's.

She placed the last of her school books in her trunk and made sure she had everything. As she was locking her trunk she could hear the clicking of her mothers heels just outside her door followed by a faint knock.

"Come in!"

"Violet, you're ready. I was hoping you would let me do your hair." her mother smiled as she glided gracefully into the room and perched on the seat in Violet's bay window.

Violet's mother was extremely proper with her everyday outfit usually consisting of a white blouse, grey blazer and pencil skirt and black court heels. Her black hair was always slicked back into a low bun and any loose hair held up with diamond pins. You might expect Violet's mother to be callous and cruel to match her cold exterior but she was anything but. Her mother had one of the biggest hearts Violet had ever known and adored her daughter with every piece of her heart; Violet in turn loved her mother more than anyone in the entire world and had always aspired to be like her ever since she was little.

Violet was wobbling along the marble staircase, dripping in pearls and wearing heels much too big for her. She was following her mum around copying her every action; if mother went to the kitchen, Violet went to the kitchen; if mother put on lipstick, Violet put on lipstick.

"Come on Violet, take those shoes off now. You're going to break a bone"

"No! I won't. You always wear high heels, so I want to as well" Violet whined.

"Well if i take my shoes off will you take yours off"

Violet nodded eagerly and they both removed their shoes.

"Come on then, shall we go down to the kitchens and grab a snack" her mother lifted Violet into her arms.

"Are you going to have a snack as well?"

Her mother let out a loud sigh at that. "Now Violet, I appreciate the gesture but you can't always copy everything I do. How will you learn and grow?"

"I don't want to learn and grow! I want to be the same as you when I'm old"

"Oi cheeky! I'm not old" this made Violet giggle uncontrollably "Violet I know you are going to do great things when you're older and my only wish is that you exceed me in your achievements. You won't be able to do that if you become me. Will you, silly? I want you to promise me now that you will never try and be someone you're not because when you grow up I want to know the real Violet. Not some edited version. Promise me that?" Her mother cooed as she gently stroked her daughter's hair.