I'm nothing like her.

“Clearly, the ministry was wrong when they took you from us. She doesn’t have a firm hand and can’t afford tutors,"said Bellatrix. She kept her focus on Kate. "But her pathethic influence can only account for so much. You have choices and power of your own. And if what she says is true…You shame yourself Kate.You’re worth more than letting unworthy eyes gaze upon you.” Bellatrix’s own gaze snapped back to Morrigan. “What friend?” She’d had very few of those, but the description of ‘immortal’ only fit thr dearest of them. Kat,alive? If it was true, Katerina better have an excellent explanation for abandoning her and Kate. “She can scream as much as she wants when you disrespect yourself and your families. All of them at once.” Bellatrix shook her head. “And have you considered it’s an impostor? Someone taking advantage of your weakenesses for their own gain? How brainless have you become in my absence?”

Of course Morrigan took offense to the fact that Bellatrix had insinuated that the Lawsons couldn’t give Kate a decent education.  She unfolded her arms and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.  She still maintained her distance from Bellatrix, although considering they were on Lestrange territory, she wasn’t exactly safe. “Excuse me, aren’t you the one with the long list of a criminal record here?  You’re not even supposed to be alive!” It was one of the many points of contention that these custodial figures had with each other.  At least Morrigan’s distaste of Bellatrix Lestrange wasn’t as extreme as those whose lives Bellatrix had actually affected. Still, Death Eater figures coming back from the dead wasn’t exactly reassuring…but that was another story for another time.

Morrigan sighed.  “Yes, from what I’ve observed, Katerina is alive. Or someone may be glamouring as her.  It’s still under investigation.  That’s the other reason I’m here: you know her best, and the Ministry doesn’t have time to spare resources for a case like this.”

The young blonde glared at her two guardians.  “I think I would know my own mother, thank you very much.”  She didn’t, of course, but this was her version of teenage rebellion. “And I’m over eighteen!  You don’t need to be so overprotective—I can legally do what I want!”

“I didn’t know the Lestranges still kept house elves,” Morrigan remarked to Squeak.  Perhaps it was because she didn’t own any, didn’t need any, and certainly didn’t spend much time here. The sound of Bellatrix’s voice was evident though.  She didn’t look at the woman with kind eyes.

“This girl,” she started, “has been wasting her life away in a godforsaken stripper bar.  She’s also dropped out of university due to her lax attention span, and did I mention she’s selling her body around for sex?”  Morrigan scoffed.  “This is the thanks I get for being able to provide her with a college opportunity.  Oh, and by the way, that bar is owned by your dearly departed friend—who by some crazy miracle of the universe or another, is not dearly departed.”  She huffed.  “Apparently she’s still immortal and the world brought her back, just like they did with you.”  She looked at Bellatrix with narrowed eyes, gauging the other woman’s reaction.

“Stop screaming,” Kate groaned, holding her head in her hands.  “I thought you’d want me to get to know my real mom.  I’m just doing what a good daughter would do.”

“After I play every character, I always walk away and feel a little different. I’ve experienced something that’s not my life, but I’ve made it my life.”

{ trigger warnings: violence, noncon/dubcon implications }

“You’d do well to pay. It’s in your best interest.“

“We have ways of making you talk.”

“The moment you came to us, we owned you.”

“I’m not guarding the boss’s kid to play babysitter. Sit and behave.”

"Hotels?  Erm, maybe.  I was kind of looking for a bed and breakfast.  Or find if anyone is hiring an apprentice to do work while I sort of rent a room in exchange.  Hotels are a little too pricey for me."

"I must've put it down somewhere while trying to sort everything out.  Ugh, where did I put it?"  She tossed the bottle onto her bed and turned towards her nightstand, rummaging through it to see if the phone was there.  Nope.