Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

I'm back from that exchange program at last! I understand I made no notice of it, but I wanted to let you know now.

I also wish to establish Memories of Sandstorms shall be the same as Paid in Blood by pudgypudge. It'll be updated whenever I have inspiration and write the chapter.

'Stepping out of Shadows' takes place during Harry's first year, and it's my shot at the cliché 'Harry has a twin, OMG! Why isn't he noticed?' fic. Let's let the heads roll!

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Damn broccoli, damn Dumbledore, and damn Aaron Potter!

These were the thoughts that were passing through one 11-year old Harry Potter, as his so called 'loving parents' (as he viewed them), fawned over their favorite son, Aaron.

'Aaron Potter,' spat Harry from within his mind as he watched from the shadows of Potter Manor, 'the bloody Boy-Who-Lived. The boy who shares my face. The only difference is the hair, eyes, and bloody scars that screamed 'Look at me! Kill me!'. How I loathe thee, Aaron Potter.' His fierce green eyes watched as the heavy, as his mother preferred to say, boy wolf down some more pancakes, with Lily Potter placing more down on his plate and James beaming at him. 'How is it that we look so much alike, yet are so different? He doesn't even act like a Potter. More like a Dursley, to me.'

Harry had met his Muggle relatives before, and would be lying if he said he wanted to see them again. He did appreciate how his uncle had chewed Aaron up and spat him out like the trash Harry knew he was. Yes, he was thankful for that.

But, today was the day that the Potters had decided to venture out to Diagon Alley and buy them school supplies for their first year at Hogwarts. Rather, buy Aaron supplies, only remembering young Harry once he had cleared his throat to remind them of his presence.

Turning away from the sight of his pig of a brother wolfing down pancakes, Harry slinked up stairs careful to not make a sound. He ate in the early mornings, when he wouldn't have to deal with the people that called themselves parents would ignore him. It had always been like that, for as long as Harry could remember. He was always second best, to perfect, wonderful Aaron. He felt as if he was looking through glass, from the outside looking in. 'Well, at least Lily tries to include me…' that was something Harry had to remind himself of each day.

Harry scoffed as he opened the door to his room. A simple bed, and multiple bookshelves filled with books, was all that was in the room. He had a small desk, in the corner, but that was about it. He doubted if they even realized how they were tarnishing the name of Potter. Even his father, a pureblood for Merlin's sake, had fallen from the pureblood graces, choosing to disregard the etiquettes and dances. Thus, Harry decided when he was a small boy, it was up to him to salvage the name of Potter. He threw himself into his studies, learning and memorizing the dances and etiquettes.

Harry always did believe knowledge was power. No matter what happened, there was no denying that.

Wandlessly summoning a book, Harry had learned as much magic as he could, despite not having a wand, as he would not allow himself to be average. The book soared from one of the bookshelves, slapping into Harry's opened hand. Summoning a bag, he slipped it inside, before he heard his relatives making for the door. Sighing, Harry slipped the bag's strap onto his shoulder and made his way back down the stairs.

James looked at his oldest son, before just 14 seconds before Aaron, and held back a biting comment. Harry could easily see the disdain in his eyes as he pulled out a sack of galleons and handed them to Harry, before quickly turning away. Throwing an arm around Aaron, Harry watched them walk through the door, before James apparated them to Diagon alley.

Lily watched out the door with concerned eyes. James never talked to Harry anymore unless he had to, preferring to spend his time with Aaron. Looking down at her oldest boy, she forced a smile up. "Ready, Harry? Got everything you want to take to the Alley?"

Harry nodded. "Yes. James has given me galleons to buy my things." Walking out the door, Harry walked along side his mother, as she held out her arm. Placing his hand on her forearm, he felt the organ-squeezing of apparation, and felt himself in Diagon Alley mere moments later.

James looked at Harry coldly, before asking "I trust you have everything planned out that you are going to do?"

"Yes." Harry glared right back.

"Then let us go get Aaron and your wands."

Harry fell back as his parent's made their way to Ollivander's. It was a Potter tradition, for the family to all go get wands for the children together. Didn't mean he had to pay attention though.

When they finally reached the shop, Harry immediately picked up on the magic in the building. A talent of his, Harry always said. He could feel magical pulses and residue, and if it was prominent enough, he could see it. He learned he could do this since a spout of accidental magic when he was four, causing a fire in the forest behind the mansion. When it was over and done with, he could see layer of black tinged gray covering where the fire had burned. Harry went directly to their library and began searching. And so he learned.

The tiny bell on the door jingled when they stepped in, alerting the wand maker to their presence. Harry would bet his left arm Ollivander already knew they were coming. His suspicions were confirmed when the old man said merrily, "Ah, the Potters. I knew I'd be seeing you four today!"

Harry quirked an eyebrow when Ollivander said four. His respect for the man went up, as his gray eyes landed on Harry's Avada Kedavra green ones. He gave a silent nod, and gestured with his hand briefly. Pureblood courtesy, showed respect.

Ollivander repeated the motion, only much more subtly. Turning his attention to Aaron and the elder Potters, he said, "Ah, young Aaron. Shall we get started?"

Aaron nodded his head repeatedly, multiple times. Harry looked away in disgust, not bearing to watch as his brother acted like a three year-old. Though, once he was through the initial wave of it, he watched as his brother tried a few wands, before one shot out a few red and gold sparks.

"Oak and dragon heartstring. 9 and ½ inches. Stiff, good for Transfiguration. 12 galleons." Ollivander said, offering them a smile.

"Gryffindor material! I knew it!" James exclaimed proudly as he looked at his son proudly. Lily gave her son a hug as James paid for the wand, and watched as Harry took his turn. Aaron watched grumpily as the attention was taken away from him, and shot s glare towards his brother.

Lily tried to give her eldest a 'Go for it!' smile.

"Ah…the elder Potter. Mr. Harry Potter." Ollivander gave Harry a nod and a warm smile. "Shall we?"

"Yes," Harry said, "right hand, sir, for my wand arm. I'm ambidextrous, so it truly matter." The measuring tape took the lengths of his arm, hand, and fingers. Snapping back to Ollivander, the man went in search of wands.

To James and Lily, it was common knowledge that the more wands that rejected a wizard, meant that they were far too weak for the wand, or the wizard was extremely powerful. This is what put the two of them on edge as more and more wands began rejecting Harry. Oh, they knew Harry wasn't weak, Lily for certain knew that, but James had thought he'd be done quicker than Aaron.

Aaron, however didn't know this and was beginning to get impatient. "Why can't we just hurry up?! I'm bored!"

Harry cut his eyes to Aaron, and shot him a glare. The heavy boy didn't catch it. However, Harry's attention was snapped back to Ollivander as the old man calmly laid down the most recent wand Harry tried and stared at him. Ollivander's stare was also caught by the other Potters, ceasing Aaron's whining.

"I wonder…" the wand maker murmured, before he went to find another wand in the back of the store. He returned with a dusty black box, with red magic rolling off it, Harry noticed. "Holly, phoenix feather." Ollivander said no more words, merely regarding Harry with a calculating look.

Giving it a wave, Harry's eyes rose when the coat hanger caught on fire. Ollivander took the wand back. "Curiously, no."

James was getting impatient. "Mr. Ollivander, why have the wands been rejecting Harry? He seems to have gone through most of your stock."

Ollivander's eyes instead darted down a rather dark row of his shop, and answered James briefly. "The wands are too weak for him."

Harry watched as Ollivander held out his hand, and grey magic gathered in a ball in the palm of his hand, seemingly visible only to Harry, before shooting off and returning with a black box. 'The old man is powerful.' Harry thought, as he watched Ollivander hand him the wand, saying nothing.

Grasping it, Harry felt a wave of weightlessness hit him, with cold following soon after. Black sparks shot out of the wand as Ollivander's eyes closed slowly. "So it is."

"May I ask what is so?" Lily asked, stepping forwards slightly.

"I've made several wands in my lifetime, Mr. Potter," Ollivander said, looking at Harry interestingly. "I made 23 that rejected every single person who tried them. This is the final one of those 23."

James asked, "And what does that mean? Harry isn't special."

Ollivander didn't avert his eyes. "That wand, Mr. Potter, is 13 inches long, casing is yew, the tree that represents death, and the core, or rather cores, are thestral bone…and a dementor's soul."

Lily looked at Harry with something akin to fear, with James looking at him in anger. Aaron looked at him as if he were a freak. All of these Harry noticed, and thought in his head, 'Ah, the loving glances of family.'

Aaron voiced his opinion. "You have a dark wand." He sneered. "I always knew you were evil."

Ollivander looked at James. "That will be 35 galleons."

James looked astonished. "35 galleons?! Why so expensive?! Aaron's was only 12!"

"The materials are amazingly hard to come by. 35 galleons." Ollivander repeated.

Sighing, Lily pulled out some galleons, and counted the correct amount, before handing it to the wand maker. When the group of Potters left the shop, Ollivander retreated back to his office in order to write a message to a one Albus Dumbledore.

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When the Potters finally left the shop, James rounded on Harry. Glaring, he said, "I have no idea what's wrong with you, and I have no clue why an almost fully dark wand chose you, but you are on a short leash now. Watch yourself, Harry. I leave you to your shopping. Meet us back at the Leaky Cauldron in 3 hours. Come Lily, Aaron." James walked away, with Aaron in toe, Lily shooting a glance back at her son.

Harry just walked away.

Making his way to multiple bookstores, Harry found and paid for his books, picking up a few extra as he went along. He deposited them all in his bag after shrinking them, using a spell he found in one of his books. Making his way down to Madam Malkin's, he watched as his family walked away with Aaron's robes, the heavy boy looking oddly smug.

Walking into the shop, he saw Madam Malking attending to a young blonde boy, looking around his age. An older looking form of him stood at his shoulder talking to another blonde. He recognized the man. Lucius Malfoy. A prominent pureblood in the wizarding world, and powerful to boot. This must have been his family.

The boy caught him looking. "Hello there," the boy said. Harry turned his attention to him as Lucius and his wife looked from their son to him. "Off to Hogwarts?"

"Yes, that I am. I assume you to be going as well?" Harry asked in kind.

The boy nodded. "Yes, I'm in first-year, same as you most likely. I don't think we've been properly introduced. I am Draco Malfoy." He said, greeting Harry with nod and gesture. Lucius and his wife were still watching them.

Harry, however didn't introduce himself. Instead, he placed his fist over his heart, and nodded deeply. "I apologize for past grievances, Malfoy heir. In sun and moon, I atone for ancestral mistakes." Harry's eyes locked on Draco, before turning to Lucius, whose eyes had a spark of curiosity.

Who was this boy, he wondered.

"Lord and Lady Malfoy as well, I extend these atonements to you. In the starry mountains, the wind bows." And Harry did just that, bowing deeply.

Lucius smiled slightly, his eyes scanning the boy. Maroon robes, shoulder length black hair, and green eyes. Who was he? He knew the pureblood courtesies, however, and that alone made Lucius inclined think of him in high standard. "In light and shadow, atonement thanked. May I ask you name, young man, for knowledge of why you apologize."

What Lucius heard shocked him. "My name is Harry Potter."

Silence over came all of them, as Lucius studied Harry, his eyes eventually trailing up to rest on his scar. Testing the waters slightly, he said, "You most certainly do not act like a Potter."

Harry raised his eyes to meet the elder Malfoy's. Draco and his mother had gone silent, Madam Malkin watching warily as she finished up Draco's robes. "I consider it my duty to salvage my family name from darkening dust. I intend to make it worthy of being pureblooded again."

Lucius's eyes gained a spark of amusement as he out stretched his hand. "In fire and in the dark. I am Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, my wife, Narcissa Black Malfoy, and my son and heir, Draco Lucius Malfoy."

"In water and the light. Harry James Potter, my brother is Aaron Evans Potter, my father is James Adrian Potter. My mother is Lily Evans Potter." Harry said, shaking Lucius's hand firmly.

Madam Malkin let out a breath, Harry noticed, as he took Lucius's hand. Yes, it was the man's left hand, and he knew what was on his arm. He supposed she was surprised that hadn't come to trading spells. Releasing his hand, he said, "It was a pleasure to meet you sir. Mrs. Malfoy," the woman shot him a small smile, and Harry noticed how she didn't hold her nose up now, while before it showed subtle condescension. "I shall see you at school, Draco."

As Harry walked off to find a clerk, Lucius's eyes followed his back. Addressing his son, he said, "I don't care what you have to do Draco, I give you my full permission to use whatever you may need. But I want you to keep that boy safe, Draco."

Looking at his father curiously, he asked, "Why, father?"

A small smile broke on Lucius's face once more, as his cold gray eyes followed the Potter. "Slytherins always stick together."

Draco's eyes widened.

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Entering Flourish and Blotts, Harry made sure to avoid his family. He didn't need James even madder at him. Weighing his money pouch, he figured he had enough money for his books, one or two others, and a bit more than enough for the rest of his supplies left over. Quickly collecting his books, Harry began browsing the store, eventually finding his way down into a mostly empty corner. Pushing his glasses back onto his face, Harry's emerald eyes scanned the books

One in particular caught his attention, bringing his gaze to rest on it.

The Cold Touch: Death's Grip

Author: Unknown

Harry's eyebrows rose as he read the title, being a bit surprised a book on Necromancy in such a store. 'Then again,' he supposed after looking over the dusty book again, and how far back it had been pushed, 'perhaps it was merely forgotten.' Placing the book in his bag, with all the other supplies he had already bought. Harry circled around the store once more, eventually choosing to buy a book on finding if a person had any abilities, and how to utilize them.

Harry already knew he possessed at least two abilities, animagus and parseltongue. The first he knew because of his blood, both of his parents were animagus, thus rendering him one by Killigan's law of magic. And he discovered his parseltongue ability when he encountered a snake in their garden at Potter Manor when he was four.

Taking up all the books he had chosen, he pulled them out of his bag and placed them on the counter. The clerk gave him a weird look when he scanned the Necromancy book with his wand, but said nothing. Harry caught a glimpse of a skull on the man's left forearm.

Walking out of the store, Harry went around Diagon Alley, collecting his materials before shrinking them and placing them in his bag. Stepping into Magical Menagerie, Harry's second-to-last stop, he began to wander around the shop. He eventually came to stop in front of a hissing gray and black scaled occamy, who was slithering away from a pure green one. Harry could hear them hissing, and couldn't help noticing the aura around the female.

"Come now, beautiful!" hissed the green one after the black occamy.

"No, you blubbering nitwit! I will not! I will not have eggs with you!" hissed back the female occamy, resorting to her wings in order to escape the perverted green one.

"How interesting…" Harry whispered, his eyes alight with amusement. Lifting the lid of the cage, he offered his arm out to the black and gray occamy, which slithered up his arm, wrapping around it as he closed the lid. "Hello there." He spoke softly.

The occamy looked at him curiously, ignoring the angry green one still in the cage. Sticking out her tongue, she tasted the magic around. "Oh yes, I like you snake-speaker. You'll be a good father of my eggs." She licked his cheek, obviously happy with her new human, and about escaping that idiot how had been trying to court her.

Walking up to the clerk, Harry held out his arm, taking note of the widened eyes of the woman. "How much for the beauty?"

The woman shot him a worried glance. "Sir, are you aware what that snake is?"

"Yes, I am."

Unease was still around her, but the clerk readied the documents for Harry's license, her eyes widening at his last name, and sold him the occamy. Walking outside of the store, the bird-snake had slithered its way into his shirt and wound itself around its torso, he whispered in Parseltongue to her, "What do you wish to be named?" he asked her.

"I do not care, snake-speaker. Name me what you shall." she hissed contentedly from his torso, siphoning warmth from him. Harry gained a look of thought on his face as he made his way down to Gringotts. When he reached the door, he decided on a name. "Ailis. It means noble in Celtic." Harry said before he entered the bank.

Standing in a line, and when he got to the goblin teller, he pulled out his money pouch, and poured a number of galleons, sickles, and knuts onto the goblins desk. Letting the goblin organize them, as it had already started to reach for them when Harry was getting ready to organize them, it looked up to him and said, "17 galleons, 14 sickles, and 3 knuts sir. What are you wishing to do?"

Locking eyes with the goblin, Ailis was staying quiet, watching her human, Harry said, "I'd like to open a personal vault, one that can't be touched by my family, or anyone else."

The goblin sneered, showing a set of very sharp teeth. "The minimum initial deposit for such a thing is 100 galleons. You are steeply lacking. Now, if that is all, there are other customers wanting assistance."

Harry pulled out the book he had taken from home, and laid it on the table. "How many galleons would this count for?" Harry watched the goblin as it sneered and let out a sigh, before picking up the book with its clawed fingers. He inwardly smirked as the creature's eyes widened.

"Human, where did you get this?"

"It has been in my family for years. They do not care about it, as they let me have it." Harry said.

The book in question was titled, Declarations of Slytherin, by Salazar Slytherin.

The goblin collected himself and spoke in a business tone, "Well, such a tome would be worth several thousand galleons, actually. Though I doubt you realized it. It is easily worth 3,000. Will you be depositing this along with the coins, in order to make up for the lacking amount?"

"Yes, that's the plan."

"Very well. Would you like the documents now, or later?"

Harry held out his hand. "I would like the papers now. I will send them back, filled, mind, by owl. I have to be on my way."

The goblin handed him the documents, along with the tome and coins, as they could not keep them until a proper account had been set up.

"Snake-speaker, where are we going now?" Ailis asked, her head poking out of his shirt slightly.

Harry smiled slightly. "My so called 'home'."

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When the Potter's returned home, Harry immediately climbed the stairs, ignoring his parents as they gushed over Aaron and his new stuff. He had only one real brilliant thing, Harry thought, and that was the snowy owl his parents had gotten his lump of a brother.

Harry just let out a sigh, and opened the door to his room so Ailis could slither in, and take in his room.

"Snake-speaker, this room is rather small. There is also not much light." The occamy turned to look at Harry, as the boy set down his bag and began to organize all of his stuff into their proper places in his trunk. "Our eggs will need much more warmth." The snake said, bobbing her head as she spread her wings out a bit.

Harry let out a small laugh, and pulled out The Cold Touch: Death's Grip, and began to read as Ailis slithered onto his chest.

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Harry glared from the Hogwarts Express at his parents, as they gushed even more over Aaron, who was trying to make sure no one was looking, especially his best friend Ron.

The train gave a blaring whistle, a signal for the students to get on board, and signaling Harry that it was finally time to go. As the train drifted away from the station, the only people left were families of the students, Harry's thoughts began to drift.

The Weasleys were an interesting family, and only four of them were really okay in his book. And that just meant he didn't put up with the other ones all that much. The twins, Fred and George, Bill, and Charlie. Those four were the first of those outside his family to notice that he existed. Harry also took some pleasure in knowing that they enjoyed his company more than Aaron's.

The Malfoy's were an interesting group, Harry knew. But they noticed him, and not because of his brother. But rather, due to his lineage, and yet he had gained their respect and individual opinion through his courtesy. He now wasn't so chained to the Potter name in their sight, Harry knew.

After checking to see where Ailis was, asleep in his bag under a warming charm. Chuckling, he reached down to pull out his previous reading, but stopped when the door to his compartment opened, and in slipped a blonde.

The blonde nodded to him, and asked in a slightly dreamy voice, "Hello there. Did you know there's a wrackspurt above your head?"

Quirking an eyebrow, Harry said, "Hello to you too, Miss…" inviting her to give her name.

"Lovegood. Luna Lovegood. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Harry." The newly identified Luna said.

Harry gave her the nod and gesture, pulled his hand back from his bag, choosing to make conversation with the girl who had just plopped into his compartment.

Being alone in a new place with few allies was dangerous. It would be good to get as many as he could to his side, Harry knew. "So," Harry began gaining the girl's attention. She turned her silver eyes to him, and Harry momentarily forgot his question. "What do you think of Hogwarts?"

Instead, the conversation moved to articles of the Quibbler and their positions on them, Harry coming to enjoy the witch's state of mind.

Leaning back in his seat as Luna talked about an article about how Fudge had his own army of Heliopaths underway, he knew life had just gotten much more interesting.

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A/N: There you go. First chapter 'Stepping out of Shadows'. Tell me if you like it or hate it. Flame or not. I don't care. Just review, gives more meaning in updating.

And yes, I'm incorporating Luna into the same year as Harry.