Being an Animagus, Transfiguration was nothing but simple for Carina. The art of transforming anything objects into animals or animal to objects was basically elementary to her. And the new lectures that involved transfiguring themselves just added to the fun. McGonagall had the sixth-year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs sit before a mirror to transfigure themselves, it was a handy skill for those aspiring to be an Auror, but for those like Carina, it was just an opportune skill to transfigure Malfoy's face into an ogre. Morgan on the other hand had no problem with transfiguring his appearance given that he was a metamorphagus, which meant he had the ability to transform his appearance at will – well, some times at will since there were still days when he would turn into a girl, and the times where his hair color changed based on his emotions.
She decided to transfigure her hair to give it a different color. She remembered once seeing Tonks change her hair color to purple and thought of doing it herself since it was her favorite color. She laughed when she saw how she looked. After that, she decided to play along but transforming halfway to her Animagus form and had a dog's nose, ears, and tail. She turned to Harry, Hermione, and Morgan and mimicked a dog by pulling out her tongue and panting. Harry laughed which caused him to turn his eyebrow yellow, whilst Hermione laughed lightly and pinched Carina to stop, and Morgan patted Carina's head to play along.
After Carina changed back to her normal face, Ron transfigured a mustache that had Hermione laughing – heartily. But Ron thought differently and had mocked Hermione by imitating her whenever she would raise her hand to answer a question, making Lavender and Parvati laugh. Hermione, who was at the verge of tears, got up and left the classroom to use the bathroom. Carina and Morgan tried to stop her but she ignored them and left. Carina turned to Ron, and glared at him. She was sure that he saw him whimper in her gaze. She and Morgan then gathered their things and walked out of the classroom to seek Hermione, but as she passed Ron, she cast a spell at him that turned his hair green, and that caused Lavender to scream in shock of the color of his hair.
Carina and Morgan walked to the bathroom where they saw Hermione enter. Morgan has transformed himself into a girl and hid his trousers in his robes to not raise suspicion as to why he was entering the girl's bathroom. When inside, they could hear Hermione's sobs and mutterings about Ron. Carina sighed, she never expected Hermione to cry over a boy – over Ron. She always believed that Hermione was this headstrong girl that would never cry for a boy, but she was wrong. Knowing that Hermione won't let them in, Carina had a plan on getting them inside. She dropped her bag and kicked it in the cubicle.
"Go away!" Hermione sobbed.
Carina ignored Hermione's stubbornness, she transformed to her Animagus form and crawled under the space into the cubicle. Once inside, Carina – the black dog – sat before Hermione, her head bobbing to the side, and her eyes big. Carina nudged Hermione's hand with her nose and nestled her furry head on Hermione's knees.
"Oh, Carina," Hermione whispered.
Morgan knocked on the cubicle. Carina quickly opened the door with a simple nudge on the lock and lets their friend inside.
"I know it's awkward to have a guy inside, but..." Morgan began.
Hermione smiled and held out her hand to Morgan. Morgan took it and entered as well. He closed the cubicle door after him and then sat on the floor before Hermione, just side the black dog.
"This brings back old memories," Morgan said.
Hermione chuckled, "Who knew that this was the same bathroom that we all spent our day, and faced a troll."
Hermione patted Carina's head, and then scratched the back of her ear. Carina started to move her leg when Hermione did so and then let out her tongue and wagged her tail – acting like a real dog. Hermione and Morgan giggles. Hermione then wrapped her arms around Carina and lets Carina nuzzle her head on her shoulder. Morgan reached to Hermione and held her hand.
"Thank you... both of you..."
After comforting Hermione, Carina and Morgan made sure to tell Roman of what happened and the three made it their mission to accompany Hermione wherever she went, and when Lavender or Ron or Parvati were to pass by them or even giggle and whisper, they were to pull a prank on the three. They even spent most of their time in the girl's bathroom – Moaning Myrtle's bathroom – to give Hermione the laugh she needed by turning to their Animagus form – except for Morgan – and act "cute and cuddly" for her to play with. But their little play dates needed to come to an end when it was time for Slughorn's party. Hermione dragged Carina back to their dorm to get ready, whilst Roman and Morgan followed after them
"Just think about the gelato, Carina," Morgan said.
"Fine, I'll do it for the dessert."
When they came to the common room, they saw Lavender and Parvati just about to enter. Morgan and Roman leaned into Hermione to whisper,
"The perks of not letting the whole student body knowing of your relationship," Morgan said.
"Don't worry, we won't kiss you," Roman said.
They did. But only on her knuckles. Hermione smiled at Morgan and Roman's actions and thanked them for being there for her.
"Good luck at the party!" Roman called out to them.
"It's Slughorn's party, not a Quidditch match," Carina rolled her eyes.
"Aye, and you need all the luck you can get! And I'm sure you ladies would look lovely as ever."
"Flattery," Carina shook her head.
"You love it," Roman then turned to Morgan, "And you love it as well."
Morgan playfully pushed Roman, "I'll see you at the stairs leading to the dungeons, Carina!"
"Alright!"
Carina and Hermione got ready for the party just as Lavender and Parvati entered the dorm. They were in their beautiful dresses – Hermione in a peach dress, and Carina in a black and white one. And, just as Carina thought of not fixing her hair, Hermione pulled her to sit down and did it for her.
"He's not going to notice," Carina rolled her eyes.
"It's a party, at least look presentable," Hermione chastised.
After they got ready, the two girls left the dorm. Parvati bid them goodbye – Hermione returned the gesture – and then left. Hermione separated herself from Carina to meet with her date, Carina did insist on waiting with her there, but Hermione insisted that she ahead as Morgan might be waiting already. Complying with Hermione's request, Carina went her way to the dungeons. When she got there, Morgan was still nowhere to be seen, so she decided to wait.
"For someone who is not enthusiastic about Slughorn's party, you do dress up well."
Turning, Carina saw Theodore climbing the stairs. His hands shoved in his pockets and a smirk plastered on his lips. Carina smiled at the sight of him,
"Well, I was planning on not dressing up, but Hermione scolded me and made sure that I did dress up," Carina shrugged.
"Well, as much as I hate to say it, but Granger did a good job," Theodore wrapped an arm around Carina's waist and brought her close. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
Carina smiled in their kiss and fisted on Theodore's shirt, and though she wanted it to last longer, Theodore pulled away.
"And where are you off to?" Carina asked.
"Got hungry, though I'd pay the kitchens a visit – tickle the pear, right?" Theodore said.
"Yeah," Carina reached up and fixed his uniform. "I heard from Roman that you were at the hospital wing – trying to catch some sleep."
Theodore froze. He didn't attend some of his classes again, though he was prepared for the punishment, he didn't expect Roman to make up an excuse for him. But it was a lie, and Theodore never lied to Carina – he may have hidden some truths, but never lied. So, he didn't answer.
"Theodore, is there any way I can help?"
Theodore took Carina's hand and caressed her palms. It was slightly callused from all the things she and Roman have been doing – pranks, fights, duels, and even a bit of exercise.
"Maybe I shouldn't go home for the holidays... and stay with you –"
"Carina, this is your first Christmas with your father as a free man, you should go home. I'm sure he misses you. Don't worry about me – I'm not a stranger to insomnia," Theodore tried to joke, but Carina did not laugh. He sighed. "I should get going, I'm sure Diggory is just at the corner, and I don't want to hold you both."
"Alright, just promise me that after your little trip you'll go straight to bed," Carina ordered him.
"Fine," Theodore placed a quick kiss on her lips. "One for the road."
Carina rolled her eyes and then pushed Theodore away so he could get his snack and then go straight to bed.
"Goodnight!" Carina called out.
"Goodnight!"
After Theodore disappeared, Morgan came just from the corner, he wore black evening robes. His hair was a bit messy but it was obvious that he tried to fix it before coming to meet with her.
"Sorry about making you wait, Roman won't let me go," Morgan said.
Carina stifled a laugh, she reached up and flattened the out of placed hair, "Should I ask why?"
"I prefer you don't," Morgan chuckled as his face turned deep red. "So, shall we?"
"We shall," Carina took Morgan's arm and the two of them descended the stairs.
~*~
There was a reason as to why Roman declined Carina's invitation to the Christmas party, and it wasn't just because of Slughorn, it was because of Theodore. He asked Morgan to take Carina to the party – since he can't and he was sure Theodore won't – while he tailed Theodore. Morgan agreed to the plan, though he would have taken Carina even if there was no plan at all.
He had been spying on Theodore for the past weeks, trying to find out where he was going, and that day when Carina asked Morgan to be her date at Slughorn's party, he had just discovered the previous night that Theodore and Malfoy have been sneaking in to the Room of Requirement and have been staying there until after midnight; and now he was determined to know if his theory was right, as much as he hated to believe it to be.
Don't trust anyone so easily. Sirius once told him when he was suddenly found by the man in the kitchen of Twelve Grimmauld Place to get a drink of water, but the man was looking for something stronger. Sirius had been drinking the firewhiskeys in the cabinet at night when Carina was asleep, not wanting to let his daughter know that he had taken to that kind vice to take the frustration he was feeling of being trapped in the house. And he couldn't help but remember the man's words to him before they departed for Platform 9 ¾.
"She'd rather turn a blind eye just to believe that her friends are true – especially those who mean so much to her... that's why I'm asking you to be the voice of reason to her. Stop her from making the same mistake that we made with Wormtail."
He didn't want to take on the job at first, but after pondering it overnight, after seeing the slight possibility, and after thinking over Harry's theory, he knew that that small possibility could be true. Roman promised the man to do just that. Be the voice of reason to Carina, but to do that, he needed to show her. He wasn't going to fail Sirius.
Once night came, Roman left the common room to wait for Theodore and Malfoy at the door of the Room of Requirement. He had hidden in the dark and then waited.
~*~
Carina silently admitted that the party was good. It was packed with people – not only students but also some of the people of great influence and fame – the decorations were grand – there were photographers, a catering that had waiters –
"Drink?"
Carina and Morgan turned and saw Neville wearing a white uniform worn by waiters, and he held a tray of drinks – champagne as Carina guessed.
"Neville?" Carina asked.
"I didn't make the cut for the Slug Club," Neville said.
"Oh, Neville," Carina sighed. "But he shouldn't have had you do this!"
"It's okay," Neville said. "He's got Belby handing out towels in the loo."
"Well, Belby deserves that," Carina muttered as she took a glass of champagne from the tray that Neville carried.
"It's a bit strong." Neville advised her, "But good – that's what the others said."
"And that's enough for you," Morgan said, stopping Carina from taking another flute of champagne. "Hold on, is that Harry and Luna?"
Carina turned and saw Harry enter the party with Luna.
"Aww, how sweet of him to ask Luna to the party," Carina said.
When Harry and Luna came to them, Carina and Morgan greeted them with a smile.
"Hello, Carina. Hello, Morgan," Luna said.
"Hello, Luna," they greeted back.
"I love your earrings," Carina said.
"Thank you! I like yours too, butterflies."
"Luna, would you like to go get some food?" Morgan offered.
"Oh, I would love to, how about you, Harry?"
Harry pursed his lips, "You go ahead."
Morgan offered his arm to Luna and the two of them went to get something to eat.
Just as Harry and Carina were to converse, they saw a familiar figure duck behind the curtains.
"What is that?" Harry said.
"Hermione?" Carina raised a brow.
They both went to the curtains to see their friend.
"What're you doing?" Harry asked. "And what's happened to you?"
"Oh, I've just escaped – I mean, let Cormac. Under the mistletoe," Hermione said.
"Cormac!" Harry exclaimed whilst Carina choked on her flute of champagne.
"That's who you invited?" Carina coughed.
"I thought it would annoy Ron most," Hermione defended. "But he's a menace. He's got more tentacles than a Snarfalump plant."
Carina cringed at the sound of Hermione's description – or even imagining McLagen and his "tentacles".
"Dragon tartar?"
A waiter came into the curtain, holding a tray of dragon tartar. Carina, Hermione, and Harry turned to him and shook their heads.
"No thanks," Harry said.
"Just as well." The waiter said, "They give one horribly bad breath."
Hermione suddenly grabbed the tray.
"On second thought – maybe it'll keep Cormac at bay. Oh no, here he comes!" Hermione said, popping two of the dragon tartar into her mouth then shoves the tray into Harry's hand and left.
Just in time, McLaggen came with a smirk.
"I saw Hermione here, do you know where she is?" McLaggen asked.
"She went to powder her nose," Harry said.
"If I were you, McLaggen, I would keep my hands to myself," Carina threatened him.
McLaggen simply brushed off Carina's threat and took a dragon tartar from Harry's tray.
"Slippery little minx, your friend," McLaggen said, "Likes to work her mouth too, doesn't she?" he took the dragon tartar into his mouth then suddenly gags, "What is this I'm eating, by the way?"
Carina smirked. "Dragon balls."
McLaggen froze. Just as he was going to puke, Carina and Harry let the tray of dragon tartar in McLaggen's hand and left, just in time for Snape to arrive and saw hurled over on the shoes by McLaggen.
"Not so quick, Potter," Snape called after Harry.
Carina and Harry stopped and faced Snape.
"I think I should rejoin the party sir. My date..." Harry began, trying to get Carina to move –
"... can surely survive your absence for another minute or two... I only wish to convey a message." Snape said.
"A message?"
"From Professor Dumbledore," Snape said.
~*~
Roman had transformed to his Animagus form at the sound of Filch's muttering, he could hide better in the dark when he was a wolf. He watched at the door of the Room of Requirement open and came out Malfoy and Theodore. The two were in an argument, but their argument was cut off when they heard Filch coming their way. As if it were in instinct, Theodore had told Malfoy to hide, and when the boy was turned away, he transformed to his Animagus form and then flew to the corridor where Roman stood in all fours. Leaving Malfoy confused to where he went.
Malfoy was left to hide with no place to hide. Filch then came and took Draco by the ear, then started to drag him away. Roman turned his attention away from Malfoy being dragged away to the peregrine falcon that was perched at the torch holders, looking down at him. The peregrine falcon then swooped down and flew down the corridor. Roman growled and chased after the falcon, gaining more speed as they descended the stairs to the Slytherin dorm. When the peregrine falcon reached the ground, he transformed back to his human form and said the password immediately, but before he could enter the Slytherin common room, a gray wolf tackled Theodore down.
"Roman," Theodore said.
The wolf pinned him on the ground, his sharp teeth, baring, and his eyes glaring down at Theodore.
"Let me explain," Theodore said.
Roman had transformed back to his human form, he dragged Theodore to his feet then to the most isolated part of the corridor where he pulled Theodore to the only source of light – the torches. He held Theodore by his left arm.
"Roman, no, don't," Theodore begged.
Roman ignored his friend's plea and then pushed up Theodore's sleeve. He froze at the sight before him. Embedded on Theodore's left arm was the Dark Mark.
Once inside the security of the common room, Roman placed a Muffliato spell around them so none could hear about what they were to talk about – even if they yelled at each other.
"You need to let me explain," Theodore said.
"EXPLAIN?" Roman roared, "EXPLAIN WHAT? THAT YOU'RE A DEATH EATER? THAT YOU'VE JOINED HIM –"
"You have to understand," Theodore tried to speak.
Roman pointed his wand at Theodore. "I tried to turn a blind eye, but you know that I can't do that – and you know why!" Theodore was already pulling the ends of his hair. "I trusted you. Carina trusts you! She defended you! And you betrayed her! Is this how you repay her trust?! IS THIS HOW YOU REPAY HER LOVE?!
"THIS EXACTLY ABOUT HER!" Theodore roared.
"DON'T YOU DARE –"
"THIS IS ABOUT HER AND YOU!" Theodore got up from the couch he was sitting on.
"And how is this about us?" Roman questioned.
"The Dark Lord knows about you." Theodore sighed. "He's a powerful Legilimens – he found out about you and Carina... he knows that I had nothing to lose since my mother is dead and I'd no remorse when my father was taken to Azkaban... but then he went into my head and saw you... both of you."
Roman made a distasteful chuckle.
"Don't you dare blame that on us," Roman said.
"What do you want me to do?" Theodore asked, "He'd kill me..."
"Then you should've died," Roman said darkly. "Do you know how Carina defended you against her own family! Her family Theodore! Because she believed that you would rather die than take that Mark! Did you even think about how this would break her heart?!"
Theodore fell silent. He didn't think about that. He forgot. He got caught up with planning on saving Carina and Roman, he let his emotions take control, that he forgot the damage he was going to leave on them. On Carina.
"Sirius and the others made the mistake of trusting Pettigrew," Roman said, "And I won't let that tragedy to happen. Not again."
"So, what, you're going to kill me?" Theodore asked. "You'd land yourself in Azkaban for it."
"Sirius was put in Azkaban for trying to capture the man who betrayed his friends and family ..." Roman said, "I'd gladly go to Azkaban if it meant me protecting mine."