Little Mischiefs [Inglorious Bastards/Black Anthology | HP Fanfic]

+ What If?: Harry Lived with Emmanuelle and Sirius? [Part 3.5]

When September 1st came, the children were brought to Platform 9 ¾. Unlike for the past two years where Emmanuelle would give them a quick goodbye knowing that they would be come back for the holidays, she kept on listing things for them to remember: writing to them, keeping watch on each other, not getting into trouble, behaving for McGonagall, not getting into trouble.

"Mum, you already said that," Carina told her.

"I know, and after seeing your track record, I don't think one is ever enough to get it into your thick skulls!" Emmanuelle flicked their foreheads.

"Ow!" Carina and Harry rubbed their foreheads.

"Don't worry, we won't get into trouble this year," Harry reassured their mother, but he saw that it wasn't enough. He's noticed that their parents have been on edge since the World Cup. He guessed that what happened shook her so much but this time, it felt like it had something to do with this secret that the adults kept whispering in the kitchen and would stop whenever he or any of his siblings would be there to get a snack or eavesdrop on the conversation.

Seeing that Emmanuelle still had a look of uncertainty of letting them go, Harry brought their mother to an embrace. "Don't worry, Mum. I promise you, we won't get into trouble," he whispered... after they finish their Animagus training.

While Harry said his goodbye to Emmanuelle, Carina said her goodbye to Sirius and Deimos. The final whistle blew, after a quick switch of parents, Harry and Carina got on the train with Maisie. They stayed at the open door of the train and waved goodbye to their family, the entire time Emmanuelle followed them, starting with a brisk walk then a run, following them until she couldn't. And the sight of her bittersweet smile was the last thing Harry saw before the view was replaced by the brick walls of the station and the pouring rain.

After Maisie separated from them to join Ginny and Luna in their own compartment, Harry and Carina went off to look for Ron, Hermione, and Roman, wanting to talk about what happened in the World Cup and as well as all those cryptic things the adults kept going on and on about that's going to happen in Hogwarts. On their way, a boy left a compartment and stood at the aisle for a moment, blocking their way. His hold on the door was tight that Harry was sure have caused a dent on the handle and his eyes were fixed on the ground.

"Nott, is everything alright?" Carina spoke.

It was as if the sound of his name was a spell to pull him from his trance and Theodore turned his attention to them. He was surprised to them standing there, but then his face immediately turned to that annoying smirk that Carina would always go on and on about which she often says she just wants to "tear it off his face". But this time, Carina was not annoyed, she sounded more concerned for him?

"Should I be graced to know that you actually worry about me, Black?" Theodore said.

"Can you not with the whole 'I am an arse' façade?" Carina sighed. "And for once can't we just ask one another if we're fine since we do hang out a lot."

That statement had Harry frown. "You're blocking our way," he told Nott, and that only got a glance from Theodore before he turned back to Carina.

"Nott, your hands, what happened to them?" Carina said in a whisper as she looked at the pink and raw scars overlapping the old ones.

"I'll see in Hogwarts, Black," Theodore walked ahead of them then entered a compartment of his own.

"Theodore, wait –" Carina began but Theodore have already closed the door. She was about to walk after him but Harry held her back.

"Let him be, he clearly wants to be alone," Harry told her. "Let's just look for our friends."

Harry took Carina's hand and started dragging her along, when they passed Theodore's compartment, Carina's eyes were fixed on him as he sat there glaring at his raw hands and was whispering something. They found Hermione, Ron, and Roman's compartment and joined them. Hermione was reading the newspaper, muttering as she did, while Roman was reading a magazine that he just got his hands on and showed it to Carina.