NARRATOR'S POV
Carina, Fred, George and Harry are all sitting down at the dinner table while the adults are in the kitchen, still talking quietly and helping Molly cook something up for all of them. "Star, mail!" Calls Remus from the kitchen, making her stand up from het spot at the table.
"I'll get it," says George, springing up on his feet much faster. Carina chuckles, nodding and sitting back down, resting her head on Fred's shoulder. The younger twin walks towards the window where the letters arrived and takes the envelope from the owl's leg. "'S from Hogwarts!" Says George once he returns, sitting on Carina's left side. Before Carina can even think about getting her hands on it, George is tearing it open.
"Hey!" She complains, moving away from Fred's shoulder. "That's why you wanted to get it? Here I thought you wanted to be nice -" George gasps loudly, mouth agape and eyes wide. Fred and Harry continue conversing as Nina continues watching her best friend and taking in his reaction. "- What? What?" Asks Carina, reaching for it and snatching the envelope from his hands, "Oh."
Dear Miss Black,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to serve as Head Girl for the Slytherin House. Your school record shows that you take your responsibilities seriously, you are ambitious and resourceful. Plus, as Prefect, you have exhibited the ability to lead others with ease and dedication.
We, the Slytherin Professors, are certain that you will continue to be a model for your peers and will take this responsibility seriously. Attached to this letter find your Head Girl badge which should be worn in your school robes at all times.
Congratulations,
Professor Snape
Head of House
"Fred! I -" Carina turns to her boyfriend, eyes gleaming with excitement as she inspects the envelope for the badge, which sits right there, shining proudly. Fred glances over at her, interrupting his conversation with Harry. "I'm -"
The door suddenly barges open, revealing a very scared and surprised looking Ron. "What's up with you, Ron?" Asks Fred, raising an eyebrow at his brother, who stays quiet, still, mouth slightly open. "What's the matter?" He asks again, impatiently.
At that, George gets up from his seat, seizing Ron's envelope from his hand and reading over the letter. "Prefect?" He gapes incredulously. "No way!" He says in a hushed tone, patting his brother's back.
"There's been a mistake," says Ron, voice small as he shakes his head. Carina can't help but feel her heart drop at his words. Why would it be a mistake? He's a good student - "No one in their right mind would make me a prefect..." he adds, staring at the ground.
The twins' heads turn to Harry in unison, "We thought it would've been you!" They chorus. "We thought Dumbledore was bound to pick you," says George, indignantly. "Winning the Triwizard and everything!" He points out, making it sound like Ron didn't even really had a shot.
"C'mon now, both of them deserved it," says Carina, cutting them all off. "I'm glad you got it Ron, I'm sure you'll be great," she tells him with an encouraging smile. "You don't need to be prefect to prove you're -"
"- Oh, I know," says Harry lowly, a reassuring grin on his lips. "Congratulations, Ron!" He doesn't look the least bit bothered, nor jealous. The black haired boy actually seems to be happier than Ron at the moment. "What?" Asks Harry once he sees the look on Fred's face.
"Mum's going to be revolting," mutters George, thrusting the paper and the badge back at Ron as though it might contaminate him. The youngest brother walks over to Harry, sitting next to him. Without thinking twice, Harry takes the badge from Ron's hands, inspecting it closely. He'd only ever seen them on Percy.
They all stay silent for a second, and Carina turns to Fred again, who's already looking back at her. "You were saying something before Ron walked in, weren't you, darling?" He asks sweetly, offering her a nod.
Before Carina can even start speaking, the door bangs open again and Hermione comes tearing into the room, her cheeks flushed and hair flying. "Did you - Did you get -" Her eyes land on Harry and a shriek leaves her mouth. "I knew it!" She says excitedly, jumping up and down. "Me too, Harry! Me too!"
"No," says Harry quickly, pushing the badge back into Ron's hand, "It's Ron, not me."
It takes Hermione a second to process the information. "It's - what?"
"Ron's prefect, not me," repeats Harry, his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "And he'll do brilliant."
"Ron?" Asks Hermione, jaw dropped. "Are you sure? I mean -" Carina raises an eyebrow at her, pursing her lips as Ron looks at her with a defiant expression on his face. "I mean -"
"It's my name on the letter," he states, glaring at the curly haired witch. "So, I'm pretty sure it's me, Hermione, yeah."
After a few seconds of Hermione trying to figure out what to say, with her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, she tries to smile. "Well done, Ron!" She says. "That's really -"
"- Unexpected?" Mutters Ron, turning back to stare at the table. His insecurity really isn't unexpected though, thinks Carina. Being best friends with the Chosen One, in love with the other third of the Golden trio, the youngest brother of six... It must be hard.
"No," says Hermione, blushing even harder. "No, it's not. You've done loads of things... You're really..." Carina sighs, narrowing her eyes. "You're great," says Hermione, her expression relaxing finally. "You're going to be great, Ronald. Congratulations." To everyone but Harry and Ron, it became obvious how much Hermione truly meant those words.
Again, Fred looks down at Carina when the trio gets into their own chatter. "As I was saying," says the green eyed witch, clearing her throat. Fred nods, gaze flicking to the freckle on her face before going back to her eyes. "I -" Molly's voice disrupts the conversation, and it makes Carina groan involuntarily.
"- Come on, kids! We'll be eating dinner in the kitchen -" the woman says, sticking her head through the other door, waving them over.
"- I'm Head Girl!" Exclaims Carina before anyone else can interrupt, sighing out of relief when everyone shuts up and turns to look at her. A light blush appears on her cheeks as her dad's heads appear next to Molly's. "I'm Head Girl," she repeats, slower this time, smiling at the clear admiration in Fred's face. He looks ecstatic: eyes shining, smile etched widely across his face. He's almost beaming with happiness.
"Carina!" He jumps up to his feet, pulling her up with him. "You're Head Girl!" They both share a hug in the middle of the dining room, which George doesn't hesitate to join. "My girlfriend's Head Girl!" Fred says cheerfully, still enveloped in the tight hug. Sirius and Remus walk out of the kitchen, both of them looking as proud as ever. The twins pull away, letting the girl's parents hug her as well. "She did it," Carina hears Fred tell George as her dad rubs her back.
Remus kisses Carina's head, "Congratulations, puppy," says Sirius, smiling down at the girl. "We couldn't be any more pleased with you," he adds, tucking her black hair behind her ear, calloused fingertips caressing her cheek softly.
"We love you," says Remus, making Carina look up at him with a teary smile. "You're the best gift life has given us."
"Oh, Carina, darling, we're so happy for you!" Gushes Molly from the doorway, standing next to Tonks, who gives her cousin a thumbs up. She knows how much this means to her. "We are so - what's that in Ron's hand?" Questions Molly, her eyes drifting from Carina to the shiny, silver plaque in Ron's palm. "Ronald..."
Fred snorts, earning a nudge from his twin, who coughs dramatically. "That's his lovely, shiny, new prefect's badge," says Fred, a half smirk on his face. Carina rolls her eyes at his choice of words, but doesn't stop the smile from appearing on her lips.
At that, the older woman lets out a shriek very much like Hermione's. "I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect!" Molly walks over to her youngest son, pushing George and Fred aside carelessly, wrapping her arms around him, patting his back vigorously while kissing his cheeks. "That's everyone in the family!"
That takes everyone else by surprise. Fred and George share a hurt look that Carina doesn't miss, while Hermione and Harry bite their lips and Sirius and Remus let their arms drop from Carina's sides. "What are Fred and I, next door neighbours?" Asks George, resentfully. Carina knows Fred and George aren't the type of people to say how they feel, even less so when they're hurt. She knows they're more likely to make a joke out of it, like they're doing now. "Unbelievable," mutters George, Apparating out of the room.
Fred gazes at Carina, almost apologising for what he's about to do next. Carina, however, dismisses it with a shake of her head and an understanding smile, which Fred returns before following after his brother. Molly doesn't pay them any mind, praising Ron and asking him about what he'd want for a reward. The black haired girl doesn't say anything as she makes her way to the kitchens, knowing that's where the twins would be.
"Don't listen to her," mumbles Fred, exhaling heavily. "We do the best we can, don't we?" Asks Fred rhetorically, squeezing his brother's shoulder. George nods, lip twitching downwards slightly. "C'mon, Georgie... We'll show them we're worth it soon enough, yeah?" Everyone knows George is the sensitive twin, and while Fred isn't wired the same way, Carina's certain he's suffering just as much. "We already have the money for the shop, she'll see soon enough... they all will..."
A grin grows on Carina's face at Fred's courageous words. She walks over to them, wordlessly sitting next to George and placing her hand on his knee. George puts his hand on top of hers, trying to show her he'll be okay by giving it a soft squeeze. Fred and Carina's gazes meet, and the girl immediately notices how torn up her boyfriend is, how much his mother's words had stung. "I'm so incredibly proud of both of you," says Carina, making George look up at her. "You're both the most crafty, clever and skilled wizards from our Year," she says truthfully. "Of course, Adrian and Cassius are fantastic, but they're both book smart. You two... you're naturally gifted and even I'm envious of that," she tells them.
George lets out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. "Don't lie -"
"- I mean it," replies Carina, chuckling lightly. "When've I ever lied to you, Georgie?" She asks, knowing the answer. George thinks about it for a second before shrugging. "I can't wait for your Joke shop."
The three of them stay in comfortable silence for a few seconds, leaning into each other for support. Carina knows how it feels to be put down by a family member and she's aware of how much that hurts, even without them knowing. Ron, Hermione and Harry walk into the kitchen a few minutes later, sitting down in front of them. Carina removes her hand from George's leg and they all pretend as if nothing happened. "Ickle Ronnie... the prefect," says Fred with a small smile. "You won't mind if we don't kiss you, do you, Ron?" Asks Fred in a falsely anxious tone, referring to Molly's multiple kisses.
"We could curtsy, if you like," says George, piling on, the same look on his face.
"Oh, shut up," mutters Ron, scowling at his brothers.
"Or what?" Asks Fred, a smirk spreading across his face. "Going to put us in detention?"
Ron rolls his eyes, grumbling something unintelligible under his breath. "Stop making fun of him," Hermione says angrily, defending Ron with a frown. "He could if you don't watch out!"
Fred, George and Carina burst out laughing as Ron tries to shut Hermione up, shaking his head. "We're going to have to watch our step, George," says Fred, pretending to shake with fear. "With these two law enforcers on our case..."
"Yeah, it looks like our law breaking days are finally over," says George dramatically, shaking his head and pretending to cry. "Please, please, Ron, have mercy on us!" He begs sarcastically, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
Thankfully, before anything else happens, the adults walk into the kitchen, taking their place at the table. Kingsley, Moody, Tonks, Molly, Arthur, Remus and Sirius have all stayed for dinner. Snape had joined a few hours ago, but he left before any of his students could actually see him. "So," speaks Sirius once they're all sitting down and Molly begins serving the food. "Tonight we welcome our daughter, Carina, as a new member of the Order," says Sirius with a small smile, raising his glass of wine.
The rest of the members, including Kingsley and Moody, do the same, nodding at the girl, who smiles gratefully. "We are impressed with your abilities, Carina," says Shacklebolt, referring to himself and Mad Eye. "Truly, your wandless and wordless magic is fantastic... we might need to have a chat later on," he says, sipping on his wine.
"Of course, sir," replies Carina politely. "Thank you." Fred stares at his girlfriend with a proud look on his face, unable to stop himself.
"Now, about the hearing -" Begins Moody, before Harry interrupts him abruptly.
"- I don't understand," he says, making them all turn to him. "What does the Ministry of Magic have against me?" Asks Harry in a demanding tone.
They all remain quiet, looking away or pursing their lips, awaiting Mad Eye's response. The air around them thickens, and finally after a few seconds, Mad Eye breaks the silence. "Show him," he says, "He'll find out soon enough." It's more than obvious that he's the leader of the group when Dumbledore isn't around, though Shacklebolt and Remus do give him a strong fight.
Immediately, Shacklebolt pulls a newspaper out of his robe, unfolding it gently and passing it to Harry with a swift flick of his wrist. The boy's eyes narrow as he reads over the headlines, scowling at the Prophet. Carina glances over at it, swallowing roughly. "The Boy Who Lies?" Harry mutters under his breath, disgust clear in his voice.
"Aren't they a clever bunch?" Mutters Carina, sarcasm dripping from her tone.
"They've been attacking Dumbledore too," says Sirius, swirling the red liquid around in his cup. "Fudge is using all his power, including his influence at the Daily Prophet to smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned," he adds, grip tightening, discreetly showing how furious it makes him.
"But why?" Questions Harry, desperate for answers.
"The Minister thinks Dumbledore is after his job," Remus says briefly.
"That's insane," chuckles Carina, shaking her head, making the adults turn towards her. "No one in their right mind would believe that Dumbledore is after Fudge's -"
Remus nods, smiling slightly at the way her brain works, "- Precisely, Star," he says. "That's exactly it. He isn't in his right mind. He's been twisted and warped by fear," adds Remus, folding his hands on top of the table. "Fear makes people do, and say, terrible things," the older man turns to Harry once again. "The last time Voldemort gained power he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear," Carina picks up on the fact that he's talking about James, Lily and Sirius. It must've been hell for her dad to go through that on his own. "Now he's returned... I'm afraid theMinistry will do almost anything to avoid facing this terrifying truth," finishes Remus, sighing profoundly.
"We think Voldemort wants to build up his army again," says Sirius suddenly, making them all glance in his direction. Molly gazes warningly. "Fourteen years ago he had huge numbers at his command, not just witches and wizards but all manner of dark creatures..." he points out, speaking slowly and carefully - something Carina didn't get to see very often. "He's been recruiting heavily and we've been attempting to do the same but gathering followers isn't the only thing he's interested in..." Sirius trails off, looking for the right words, not wanting to set anybody off. Alastor clears his throat warily, quietly asking Sirius to tread lightly. "We believe Voldemort may be after something-"
"- Darling -" murmurs Remus cautiously.
"- Something he didn't have last time," Sirius settles on saying, his eyes still fixed on Harry's.
Carina squints, knowing she'll find out what they mean soon enough. "You mean... like a weapon?" Harry asks with interest, curiosity getting the best of him. Sirius opens his mouth to reply, but just as he's about to, Molly cuts in, raising her hands.
"No, that's enough!" The older woman exclaims, setting down the salad with a strenuous bang. "He's just a boy. You say much more and you might as well induct him into the Order!" Says Molly, reaching over and taking the Daily Prophet from Harry's hands, hiding it behind her back, away from his reach.
Harry's lips curl downwards as he looks between Molly, Sirius, Remus and Carina, narrowing his eyes. "Good!" He snaps, astonishing Molly. "I want to join! If Voldemort's raising an army, then I want to fight!" Sirius smirks slightly, giving Harry a not-so-subtle wink of camaraderie. "If you won't let me then the least I deserve is my questions answered!"
The twins look at each other, both of them communicating in their silence. "We want our questions answered too!" They chorus, each of them raising their hands.
Molly gasps loudly, shaking her head repeatedly. "You two! No! You will not -"
"- I will tell them," says Carina, not paying Molly's anger any mind. Fred and George gape at her courage. "Even if you don't let them stay, I will tell them everything..." The red haired woman looks as though Carina has betrayed her in the worst way. "I'm sorry, Molly but they're my best friends and I will tell them everything to keep them safe. That's what we want, isn't it?" She asks, not expecting an answer.
"Sirius!" Shrieks Molly, "Have you forgotten what Dumbledore said?" The man rolls his eyes, choosing to ignore his friend. "He said we shouldn't tell Harry anything he doesn't need to know!" Molly places her hand on her hip, shaking her head at the reckless man sitting in front of her.
"And I don't intend to," the longer haired man retaliates, looking up at her daringly. "But he's seen Voldemort, he deserves to know -"
Molly is adamant and unbending. "- He's not an Order Member. He's fifteen -"
" - And he's dealt with as much as we have, even more!" Retorts Sirius, now matching Molly's anger levels. Carina grips the edge of her chair, willing herself to calm down, not wanting to tarnish her relationship with Molly even further.
"I'm not denying that!" Exclaims Molly, turning swiftly towards her husband, who's sitting next to George, trying to stare at the table, unmoving. "Arthur! Back me up!"
The man appears to have seen death itself by the expression on his face. Slowly, he looks up at Molly, eyes flashing with an emotion Carina can't quite name. It almost seems as though he's begging now: please don't make me do this. However, Molly's anger appears to be unyielding. "Things have changed, dear," he speaks carefully, gently, trying to appease his wife. "Harry has to be filled in to a certain extent," he reasons, visibly afraid of Molly's reaction.
Surprisingly, her husband's words seem to stop her from spiralling further. "Very well," she mutters, wiping at her forehead. "Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George: all of you, out of this kitchen," she instructs.
"You can't throw us out!" The twins say, looking at their mother defiantly. "We're of age!" They chorus. "If they allow us to be in here, you can't do anything about it."
Molly is about to snap when Arthur speaks up, "As legal adults we can't forbid them from staying and listening in, darling," he tells Molly softly.
At that statement, the woman's face turns almost as red as her hair. "Fine," that word alone shocks Carina to her very core. Molly's a very stubborn woman, this day would go down in history. "Ron -"
"- Harry will tell me and Hermione everything anyway!" Ron snaps thoughtlessly before it dawns on him. Now, slightly nervous, he turns to look at Harry. "Won't you?" He asks, unsure.
"'Course," the boy responds with a shrug, causing smiles to grow on his friends faces.
"FINE," Molly caves in, throwing the towel, metaphorically and literally, on top of the wooden table. "Ginny, off to bed," the younger girl whinges and groans loudly in attempts to make her mother change her mind, but even Carina knows it's futile. "Now, Ginevra," the girl stands up and leaves the kitchen, grumbling under her breath.
"I never get to learn anything fun..."
After dinner's done and the conversation's over, Fred catches up with Carina, standing outside her room. Carina looks up at him, waiting for him to say something. Instead, the boy leans down and closes the gap between them, pressing their lips together. The kiss they share is tender and warm. Every single one of their kisses is different - and Carina quite likes the emotion behind this one. It feels as though they're standing on top of a mountain and Fred's shouting at the top of his lungs: 'I love you'. Her hand travels up his neck, fingers running through his fiery red hair, squeezing longingly.
The smell of eucalyptus with a hint of peppermint coming from Fred's shampoo lingers in the air for a second after they pull away. "What was that for?" Asks Carina, slightly out of breath.
"For defending me and my brother so fiercely," he replies with ease, voice faint against her parted lips. "For loving me so strongly... I need you to know, I love you even more."
***
Saying goodbye to her parents is as difficult as it was the year before. It's still not something Carina is entirely used to. It's bittersweet. She finally has people she misses back home, people who she knows are rooting for her. While it feels nice to not be alone, it's heartbreaking to leave them behind. Even so, she knows they'll both be okay living in Grimmauld Place. It's safe, and they can write. They promised they would.
Thankfully, Harry's hearing had gone well, and the boy was not expelled. Everyone praised Dumbledore for a job well done. Everyone but Carina, Sirius and Remus, who remained noticeably quiet as they all said their praises. After all, the man owed them that much.
"Nina!" She hears a loud screech, causing her to turn around. A groan leaves her mouth as a body collides against her, but the warmth makes her smile instantly. "I missed you so much!" Cassius cries dramatically, squeezing the life out of her.
They're already at the Platform. Remus had already said his goodbyes, as did Sirius, who joined them in dog form, paying no mind to the fact that he was the number one Undesirable in the Wizarding World at the moment. The Weasleys are still saying their goodbyes a few feet away, chatting amongst themselves. "I missed you too, Cass," whimpers Carina, trying to pull away from his strong grip. "Merlin, you're gonna kill me!"
Carina's grateful when Adrian comes around, pulling Cassius away by the collar, causing him to choke slightly, grip loosening around their friend. "There you are," he grins slightly, patting Carina's head. "It's good to see you, Nina," he says.
"Nina," comes Draco's voice from behind Adrian, sending a shiver down Carina's spine. The girl pushes her friends out of the way gently, skipping over to her brother, her arms wrapping around his shoulders after she inspects him for bruises. "Hi," he whispers, the smile noticeable in his voice.
"Hi, Dragon," murmurs Carina, kissing his cheek, taking them between her hands a few seconds later. "You alright, Dray?" She asks quietly. The boy nods, resting a hand against hers, kissing her palm. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you, Prefect Malfoy," she speaks in a teasing tone, a grin etching across her face. Draco matches the look in her eye, smiling back.
The Emerald trio, along with Draco and his friends, walk to the Hogwarts Express after the first bell is rung. Fred, George and Carina had agreed on their seating arrangements prior to their arrival. They understood Carina needed to have some time with her brother, specially because he still lived at the Manor. George still was unaware about what Carina had gone through while living there, but she had decided she'd let him know soon enough.
"So, Potter didn't get expelled then, huh?" Asks Blaise, resting his back against the seat with a long exhale after Carina filled them in with what the Ministry had said. After all, it was public record. "Talk about bad luck."
"Don't be juvenile, Zabini," says Adrian, rolling his eyes. "He's a talented wizard who didn't deserve to be expelled. That much even you should know." Adrian is a man of few words, but when he's speaks, everyone listens.
Draco chuckles at the expression on Blaise's face. "Think of it this way, Blaise," he speaks, shrugging it off. "Who are we gonna taunt if Potter's out of school, huh?" Carina snorts, shaking her head at Draco's words.
"Ridiculous," she mumbles under her breath, clearly expecting them to hear. Draco offers her an obviously fake, innocent grin, which Carina returns. Adrian goes back to his book, while Blaise and Pansy start talking about Quidditch and how he's finally on the team - same as Carina.
"Who do you think will be our next Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor?" Cassius wonders out loud, changing the subject.
Carina shrugs, staring out the window, "Hopefully someone good."
AN: hiiiii! how's everyone doing? had my first encounter with haters yesterday (not in this book), at first it really hurt but then it just made me laugh. i would like to thank the people who defended me in the comments. i'm truly shocked by that response, it made me feel appreciated. know that i appreciate you too.
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