Extended Summary:

Sage Potter had always known she was peculiar. For starters, she had violet eyes. Secondly, she had a twin brother, Harry Potter, who was just as peculiar. Thirdly, strange things constantly seemed to happen around the twins. Lastly, Sage had an uncanny ability to read people.

So when Sage and Harry receive letters of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Sage takes it in stride. After all, what more could it be but the next great adventure?

Join Sage Potter as she learns how to ride a broom, battles a troll, fights off a dark lord, nearly dies, and deals with the boy-who-is-the-most-annoying-brother-ever.

A/N and Disclaimers: I will say it ONCE and get it out of the way. I am not JKR. I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's associated characters, places, etc. Sage Potter is my character, and a few other OC's will appear throughout the story. I plan to update Weekly on Thursdays but I am a student and I'm trying my best to manage life so plans may or may not work out. I do have a significant start on this story though, and I hope you enjoy!

A bit regarding notation:

"..." = Speaking normally

'words,' = thoughts

"$...$" = Parseltongue

There was a harsh voice and a green flash of light. Suddenly, she could no longer feel her mother's connection, and it was then that she had begun to truly fear the man with red eyes. He was evil, through and through. The man, if you could call him that, had no love and no happiness. Anger and greed exuded from him, scaring the child more than she ever thought was possible.

"Only one of you has to die tonight," he said. "A pity, really, that everyone else was in the way."

Another flash of green light had blinded her.

Sage Potter awoke with a gasp to hearing a harsh rapping on the door of her cupboard. "Up! It's Dudley's birthday and I won't have you two ruining it." Her aunt snapped. "I want a perfect day today, and that starts with a perfect breakfast, you two."

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," She replied dutifully, tucking a strand of her auburn curls behind her ear. "We'll be right out." Sage stared at her brother, who was somehow still asleep after all the ruckus, and nudged his leg with her foot. He groaned and flipped over.

"Get up, Harry," Sage commanded. She reached across him to grab her clothes for the day. "Aunt Petunia will throw a fit if we don't start cooking within the next five minutes."

"It only takes me three minutes to get ready," he mumbled in response. He buried himself deeper as Sage changed. Spending their life in a closet together had made them accustomed to changing in the presence of each other, so long as they both had their backs turned.

Sage considered her options as she quickly ran a comb through her hair. She had no chance of making breakfast alone today, not if she wanted to avoid punishment from Uncle Vernon. Tossing her hair up in a ponytail, she decided to let Harry be while she began the batter for the pancakes. Surely Harry could manage to fry the bacon and eggs quickly enough? "If you're not out in five minutes there'll be hell to pay for the both of us, Harry," she warned as she left.

Quiet as ever, Sage entered the kitchen. The table was barely visible under the mountain of presents, and she could see her uncle reading the newspaper just past them. On the countertop sat eggs and bacon, undoubtedly a part of the typical breakfast. Sage knew from experience, however, that her cousin would demand some type of sweet this morning and collected what she needed from around the kitchen. A large mixing bowl, a whisk, another pan, and all the ingredients for pancakes joined the eggs and bacon. She glanced at the doorway. Harry still hadn't entered and Dudley was sure to get up any moment now.

Sage searched her mind for the connection she had with her twin brother and followed it. 'You really need to get up, Harry. Breakfast needs to be ready before Dudley comes down.' She busied herself with mixing the pancake batter as she awaited his company, turning the heat on under the two pans sitting on the stove.

Taking a glance at the table behind her as she whisked, Sage spotted the computer and television Dudley had wished for, as well as the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to the twins, for Dudley only exercised if it involved punching someone. His favorite punching bags were the twins, but he couldn't often catch them. Sage could easily out smart him when it came to finding the perfect hiding spot, and Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast.

The twins had always been small and skinny for their age, and Sage supposed that it was the result of living in a cupboard. Their thin looks were really the end of the similarities between the two. While Harry had ebony black hair and bright green eyes, Sage's hair was a rich auburn and her eyes were a stunning violet that often intimidated people upon first glance. She was very frequently told that her eyes appeared able to see straight into people's souls, but were captivating nonetheless. Sage's features were also spattered with freckles, whereas her brother's skin was blemish free but for the thin, lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. It was really the only thing about his looks that Harry liked. He'd had it for as long as the twins could remember, and it was the first thing Harry had ever asked about. He wanted to know how exactly he had gotten it.

"In the car crash when your parents died," was Aunt Petunia's response. Sage sensed she was lying, but was prevented from pressing the subject when Aunt Petunia followed with "And don't ask questions."

That was the first rule to a quiet life with the Dursleys: don't ask questions.

Just as Sage began to worry about him, Harry entered the kitchen. His entrance was nearly as silent as his sister's, but distinctly marked by Uncle Vernon barking at him, "Comb your hair, boy!"

Harry's hair was constantly a mess, and no amount of combing would ever solve that. It simply grew that way- all over the place. According to Aunt Petunia, the only good thing about it was that it covered the scar on his forehead.

"Good morning," Harry muttered as he joined his sister at the stovetop.

"Good morning," she replied softly, flipping a pancake onto a platter. As another cooked, she contemplated the plan for the day.

The Dursleys were likely to send the twins to Mrs. Figg's house as they went about their celebrations. While Harry didn't quite like Mrs. Figg, Sage had never held a problem with her. No, what Sage disliked were Mrs. Figg's cats and all the dust in the house. Mrs. Figg was a kind old lady who tended to all the neighborhood cats that came meowing on her doorstep. She watched the Potters every year on Dudley's birthday, as well as any other time their aunt and uncle had to be away (which happened every few months for Uncle Vernon's important business dinners). Sage would often spend her time at Mrs. Figg's house outside, no matter the weather. However, today seemed to be warm and sunny, and Sage was sure Mrs. Figg would let the Potters play at the park if they asked kindly. This set a smile upon young girl's face as she poured more batter onto the pan.

Dudley had arrived at breakfast as Harry was frying the last of the eggs, and just after Sage had finished with the pancakes. He began counting all his presents while the twins set the table.

"There's only thirty-six." Dudley frowned, looking up at his parents. "That's two less than last year."

"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big big one from Mummy and Daddy."

"Alright, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face.

Sage glanced at Harry, and they began to eat as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over during the tantrum he was surely about to throw. She needn't have worried, however, as Aunt Petunia seemed to have sensed the same danger as the twins and quickly promised Dudley two more presents during their outing. This appeared to satisfy him and he greedily dug into his breakfast.

When Dudley finished his plate, he immediately shoved it aside and reached for the closest of his presents, careless to the fact that his fingers were sticky from the syrup he had drowned his pancakes in. At that moment, the phone rang and Aunt Petunia left to go answer it. Dudley had gotten through unwrapping the bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, and sixteen new computer games, and was in the middle of unwrapping a golden wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back.

Sage could tell that her aunt was very upset about whatever she had been told on the phone, but had apparently resigned herself to it. "Bad news, Vernon. Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take them."

Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but the twins' eyes widened in hope. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, restaurants, or the cinema. And every year, the twins were left behind with Mrs. Figg.

As options were tossed about between the adults, Harry decided to put in a say for the twins, "You could just leave us here." If they stayed home, the twins could watch what they wanted to on the television, and maybe get a chance on Dudley's computer.

Aunt Petunia looked as though she had swallowed a lemon. "And come back an find the house in ruins?" she snarled.

Harry eagerly responded with "We won't blow up the house!" but his input was brushed aside as the adults continued with their conversation.

Dudley began to fake cry as the conclusion was reached that they would simply have to come with them to the zoo. Sage frowned as she caught the smirk he sent their way, uncomfortable with how his feeling of malicious intent clashed with his parents' concern. She was glad when the doorbell rang and his whimpering stopped. Shortly after, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Sage strongly disliked him, and as if it wasn't already bad enough, Piers was known to harbour a crush for the red head. He attempted to please her with flowers and cards whenever he could; she rejected him every time, telling him to leave her and her brother alone and nothing else.

While she ignored Piers' existence as much as possible, she did greet Mrs. Polkiss. Sage had taken a liking to the kind woman during a bakesale in grade two, where Mrs. Polkiss sneaked Sage two chocolate chip cookies for helping set the tables up.

Uncle Vernon pulled the twins aside as the women were holding polite conversation. "I'm warning you two," he threatened. "Any funny business - anything at all, from either of you - and the both of you will be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."

"We won't do anything!" Harry defended. "Honestly..."

But his words fell on deaf ears. No one ever believed the twins. Strange things were constantly happening around the them, although neither of them were ever sure of why or even how. Once, in an attempt to get it tamed, Aunt Petunia had cut his hair as short as possible leaving horrible bangs to cover his scar. Harry had loathed the look, and spent the night tossing and turning thinking of how much more he'd be bullied. It ended up being no matter for his hair had grown back the very next day. When asked how, the twins could only say that they didn't know. Harry had exclaimed that it was simply like magic. They were given a week in the cupboard for the event, and a very physically enforced reminder to never mention magic again.

But that was not something to focus on today. Today, the twins were going to the zoo, and they would enjoy it. During the ride, a motorcycle sped past and Sage leaned her head against the window to watch it. Uncle Vernon began to complain about it shortly after. Sage tuned him out, but her attention was brought back to the conversation as Harry had mentioned a dream about a flying motorcycle.

"MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!" Uncle Vernon yelled, causing a flinch to shoot through Sage.

Harry was filled with regret as he responded with "I know that. It was just a dream."

The twins stayed silent for the rest of the ride and were glad when they finally arrived at the zoo. Sage, upon entering, was slightly overwhelmed with all of the emotions she sensed, but the curiosity and happiness of others seemingly worked to heighten her own. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the gate and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before the twins could be hurried away, they both received cheap, lemon ice pops. Sage grabbed her brother's free hand as they began to walk through the park, and they both agreed that this might have been the best morning ever.

The best morning ever unfortunately didn't continue into the best day ever. Just after lunch, the group proceeded to the reptile exhibit. Dudley and Piers wanted to see the largest and most dangerous animals they could, and quickly did so. Unfortunately for them, the snake was fast asleep. Bored with it, the two boys left to explore the rest of the exhibit.

"Poor thing," Sage murmured "Trapped in here all day, nothing to do and no company but visitors tapping at his glass."

Oddly enough, it was then that the snake decided to wake up. It raised its head to be level with the twins and then it seemed to wink at them. Quickly, Harry glanced to check if anyone else was watching. Gesturing to the Dursleys, the snake gave them a look that plainly said "I get that all the time."

"Where are you from?" Harry asked it. It pointed its tail to the sign. "Brazil? Is it nice there?"

"It was bred in captivity, Harry. And someone is watching," Sage tried to move him away from the stand, but Piers had already noticed and shoved them both on his way to see the snake, calling the Dursley's over as he did so.

What happened next happened so quickly Sage almost didn't believe it. The glass vanished, causing the two boys to fall into the exhibit, and as soon as the glass was gone the snake began to slither out. The weirdest part hadn't been that the glass had vanished or the boys had fallen in, but that the snake had most certainly said to the Potters "$Brazil, here I come! Thankssss, friendsss$" as it made its escape.

The zoo director himself apologized profusely, and gave both of the boys gift certificates to the souvenir shops. With their new toys, ironically both snake plushies, the boys quickly lost their fear. During the ride back to Little Whinging, Dudley was telling them about how his leg had nearly been bitten off, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. Most worrisome for the twins was when Piers had calmed down, for he had then said "You two were talking to it, weren't you, Potters?"

Sensing Uncle Vernon's already bad temper rising, Sage spoke up. Her voice was as soft as ever as she responded, "Don't be foolish, Piers, we were talking each other. I don't think anyone could talk to snakes except maybe those people on nature channels. They're experts, you know, and I'm certain they spent years trying to find out what behaviors and patterns there are, but I don't think even they can actually talk to a snake. Maybe just figure out what it's saying."

Piers sat, slack jawed that Sage spoke more than a sentence to him. Sage, for her part, regarded him with a look of distaste and turned to face the window. If anything, she seemed to have calmed her uncle down enough to avoid any major trouble.

"You two," Uncle Vernon snapped when Piers had finally left. "Cupboard. Now. No meals." That was seemingly all he could get out before retiring to the living room. Aunt Petunia rushed to get him a large glass of Brandy.

Much later that night, when the Dursleys were all finally asleep, Sage snuck out to the kitchen to retrieve some food for her and her brother. She grabbed some things that wouldn't be missed, and a few cans from the pantry as well. After she got back to the cupboard, she handed Harry his share of the food and the non-perishables to be hidden.

"Thank you," Harry whispered as he took them all from her. "I'm glad to have you as a sister, Sage."

"I'm glad to have you as a brother, Harry."

Once they were done eating and the food was all hidden away, the pair exchanged good night wishes and drifted off to sleep.