The day that Carina, Roman and Maisie had to return to Hogwarts, they were told that they would be using Floo, for a safer and faster travel. The three of them were all lined up before the fireplace with their things beside them, Charity and Tom standing at the side to say their goodbyes. Charity went to hug the three of them, they made sure not to crush the baby-bump when they hugged.
"Stay out of trouble, alright?" Charity said.
"I think that's too late." Carina chuckled, "It runs in the blood."
"Well, try not to get in trouble – especially with the things those gifts that Fred and George gave you two."
"Will do, will do." Roman said, "I'll look after her."
Charity, Carina and Maisie couldn't help but roll their eyes at Roman's statement. After releasing them from the hug, Charity ushered them to the fireplace one-by-one. Maisie came to the fireplace first, she took a hand full of powder then –
"Hogwarts!"
Three green flames ate Maisie and Carina was sure that landed her at McGonagall's fireplace. After the fire cleared, Roman came next and he did the same with Maisie and had him appearing at Snape's fireplace ("Mr. Alston." Snape greeted Roman, "Professor." Roman grinned cheekily, "I expect that Black will come next... would it kill you not to lose Slytherin more points?" Snape said, dropping the parchment he was looking at, "I'm afraid so, Professor.") Once the flame also died, Carina stepped in, took a handful of powder then –
"Hogwarts!"
Carina then appeared at McGonagall's fireplace. She sneezed at the dust.
"Bless you, Black." McGonagall said.
"Thank you, Professor." Carina said.
"Please do avoid getting soot at the carpet."
"Will do, Professor."
Carina stepped out of the fireplace, she bid a "goodbye" to McGonagall before she left the Gryffindor's Head of House's office to meet with the others. She arrived just in time because Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny just opened the portrait.
"Carina!" Hermione greeted. "When'd you come here?"
"Just earlier." Carina said.
"By the way, the password's Abstinence."
"Oh." Was all Carina said. "So, did anything interesting happen this Christmas because I got news – "
Upon getting in the common room, they were immediately greeted by Lavender jumping in to Ron's arms whilst her annoying greeting of "Won-Won!" which left Carina with Harry and Hermione, since Ginny left to go find Dean.
"And there were three." Carina said.
"Anyway, what's the news?" Hermione asked.
Carina turned to the both of them with the biggest smile on her face.
"My Aunt – Charity – she's pregnant." Carina said.
"What?" Hermione and Harry said with huge surprise.
"She's pregnant – four months now, I believe."
"Congratulations!" Hermione went to hug Carina.
"Don't congratulate me! Congratulate Maisie – she's going to be a big sister."
"And you're going to be a – a—a..." Hermione trailed off not knowing to call Carina.
"A cousin?" Carina chuckled.
"Still." Hermione said, "Congratulations – where's Maisie, I want to congratulate her too."
"Probably with Astoria Greengrass by now." Carina said.
"Is it a boy or a girl?" Harry asked.
"Dunno. But they promised to owl us the moment they find out." Carina said. "Anyway, how about you two, how were your Christmases?"
•†•
APPARITION LESSONS
If you are seventeen years of age or will turn seventeen on or before the 31st of August next, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from the Ministry of Magic Apparition Instructor. Please sign below if you would like to participate. Cost 12 Galleons.
Carina barely made out alive when she and Hermione got out of the crowd of students that were going to sign up for the Apparition lessons.
"Merlin, I thought I was going to die in there." Carina said, glaring at the crowd of students killing each other just to get to sign their name for the Apparition lessons. Just as they reached the stairs reaching the Great Hall, Hermione told Carina that she'd have to go to the library to get some homework down leaving Carina to her own – not quite her own...
"Granger deserted you?"
Turning, Carina saw Theodore walking towards her with his hands tucked in his pockets. Theodore walked to Carina's side and both of them walked towards the Great Hall for lunch.
"How was Christmas?" Carina asked.
"Dreadful..." Theodore said flatly. "You?"
"Eventful." Carina shrugged.
They both settled at a table, sitting across each other. Theodore went to get some food from the feast settled for the student's lunch, whilst Carina got out her textbook – Ancient Runes – then she went to get some food for her own.
"You're seriously not doing that now." Theodore said.
"Yes, I am and you should too." Carina said.
"No." Theodore said, "I've got time."
"You do, but I don't – wait, how is it you've got time? We almost have the same amount of work –"
"Aside from Quidditch." Theodore added.
"—You're not a Prefect –"
"Way to state the obvious..."
"—Nor are you anything... so how is it that you've got all the free time?"
Only she knew, Theodore thought. The only reason why he wasn't fretting about school was because he had more important things to do, much more important things – things that he should be doing right now. Theodore stared at Carina, observing her as she multitasked on eating whilst doing her reading, his eyes went to the chains that hung around Carina's neck, the first chain that hung around her neck held the wedding-bands of her parents, never to be separated. Then there was the second chain, that one held the gift that Theodore gave her. The one with the Nott family crest – the one he placed a Shielding Charm.
"What are you two doing?"
Theodore and Carina looked up and saw Roman eyeing them as he stood behind Carina, his robes torn a bit, his face covered with dirt, his hair messy, his hand held the strap of his bag that was nearly ripped open.
When Roman and Theodore caught each other's eyes, Theodore immediately look down at his plate and continued to eat.
"Lunch." Carina answered. "What happened to you?"
Roman placed his beaten bag on the seat then sat beside Carina, he placed his arms on the table and hung his head low.
"Care for Magical Creatures." Roman said.
"No one said you had to take that class." Theodore muttered, "You should've failed it in your O.W.L.s."
"Who said that I didn't like it?" Roman grinned. "I love it! Hagrid even promised to show us something even more cool at our next class – he said that there were more great things at Romania."
"So you plan on going to Romania after Hogwarts, then?" Carina asked.
"Probably, there are dragons there. I get to study dragons." Roman said, "And I'd like that."
"You might get burned." Carina said.
"More reason to why I want to go there." Roman said.
"Well, it's a good think you're mind's made up on what you're doing after Hogwarts." Carina said, "I think I'll be jobless."
"Is there a job that involves getting in trouble and getting away with it?" Roman said.
After Hogwarts, Theodore thought, there was no future after Hogwarts, after he and Draco finishes what they were told to do. After that, there was a very slim chance that they even get to actually see the future. With a deep breath, Theodore dropped his fork – startling Carina and Roman – grabbed his bag and got up from his seat.
"Theodore –"
Roman caught his arm before he even left. Theodore looked back at Roman, his eyes saw the glare that Roman was giving him, then his eyes trailed to Roman's hand that held his arm –
Theodore's eyes widened in shock at what lay resting around Roman's wrist. It was the silver band that he gave him, the one that he placed a Shielding Charm to protect him and Carina.
"Theodore, are you okay?" Carina asked.
"Yeah." Theodore said. "I just remembered... I promised Blaise that I was going to help him with Charms."
•†•
Roman sat quietly at the Slytherin common room. Everyone else went to bed in fear of getting caught after curfew and be plagued by Snape's punishment. Roman was waiting for Theodore –
The Slytherin common room door opened. Knowing that Theodore wouldn't be alone when he comes in, Roman hid behind the heavy curtains and waited for Draco go up to his dorm.
"It's almost done." Draco said.
"Almost." Theodore said in a harsh whisper. "'Almost' won't save our arses from that Dark Lord's wrath! We need to get it fixed!"
"You think I don't know that!" Draco said.
After a few minutes of silence, Draco retreated to his dorm, leaving Theodore in the common room. Once the coast was clear, Roman got out of the curtain and approached Theodore.
"Eavesdropping, Roman?" Theodore said, once he saw Roman walk out of the curtain.
"I needed to talk to you." Roman said.
"We're talking, aren't we?" Theodore said.
"Why?" Roman asked.
"Why what?"
Roman lifted his wrist, showing Theodore the silver band. Theodore stared at the silver band, he sighed then turned to the fireplace where he found the flames comforting.
"A war's coming." Theodore said.
"And you're helping that war to come." Roman said.
"That's where you're wrong... it already began the moment Potter saw the Dark Lord's return..."
"It's just the beginning, Theodore, you can still stop this."
Theodore turned to Roman.
"How?" he asked, "Tell, me. How? Do you remember the last Death Eater that tried to desert the Dark Lord? Igor Karkaroff was found dead in an alleyway – Regulus Black was murdered in less than twenty-four hours after he deserted the Dark Lord! Draco and I wouldn't even last a minute before we're killed.
"So you're only saving yourself then..." Roman said.
"I'M SAVING YOU!" Theodore roared, "I'M SAVING CARINA! I told you. He knows about you and he knows the right strings to pull... he'd kill you – both of you. The moment I betray him, you and Carina have less than a minute before he finds you and kills you, then he'd kill me."
"Why us?" Roman asked, "Why me? Why Carina?"
"Because I don't have anything to lose! My mother's dead, my father's at Azkaban! I have nothing – I only got you two!" Theodore walked up to Roman. "The moment my mother died, I thought I didn't have anyone – I resented my father, I didn't have real friends, but then you came along with Carina..."
Theodore sat down on the couch, his head hidden in his hands as he tried to breathe. Roman remained standing glaring at Theodore.
"I can't lose her..." Theodore said in a whisper.
"How long?" Roman asked in a horse voice.
"Long enough." Theodore ran his hands through his hair, pulling his hair trying to ease the headache. "I'm sorry."
Roman sat across from Theodore.
"You're doing it for her." Roman said.
"She the only happy thing that came to me." Theodore attempted to chuckle but only choked as tears started to build in his eyes.
"She's the only one?" Roman smirked, trying to ease the tension.
Theodore let out a chuckle, he shook his head at Roman's remark.
"You're next happy thing that came to my life." Theodore said.
Roman chuckled. He looked down at his wrist where the band was.
"What do you need me to do?" Roman asked. "You said it yourself, your doing it for Carina... and there's no way in hell am I going let you do it on your own."
"There's a reason why only you two have that." Theodore said.
Roman's heart dropped at Theodore's statement. He looked up to his friend, his blue eyes met Theodore's brown ones, it was as if they had an unspoken understanding, an understanding that Roman didn't want to agree with, but it seems like Theodore had planned this all along – long before he was caught in the mess he was in now.