14th November 1975
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Finally it had arrived. As always, Ravenclaw had nearly two months to practise for their first Quidditch match of the year. The new Ravenclaw Quidditch team's first match was to be against this year's Hufflepuff team, like they did every year. Since joining the team as Chaser in her second year, Carina had never really been worried about the Hufflepuff match.
After watching the Slytherin vs Gryffindor match a few weeks earlier, Carina and the other Ravenclaws were all more worried about those teams, particularly the Slytherins and their captain, Emma Vanity - a viciously fierce seventh year with a knack for feinting manoeuvres. However, as always, the Badgers would have something up their fluffy little sweater sleeves. They always seemed to have something planned, something that most of the other houses wouldn't think of. But Ravenclaw? They're the thinkers, and none more so than Queen Overthinking herself, Carina.
There was another thing bothering Carina however, other than just how tall the new Hufflepuff beater was. She had just realised a certain other... procedure of hers would be rather tricky to continue during the match. After all, it had been proving rather hard to keep a leaf in your mouth for a month, just doing everyday things - she had only just mastered talking without making it obvious after three days. But while playing a full game of Quidditch? It was going to be very very... challenging. But Ravenclaws have to always be up for a challenge, y'know?
Carina sighed as she realised she wouldn't have much longer to think - the rest of the Ravenclaw team was getting ready to leave. Thinking quickly, Carina tucked the Mandrake leaf under her tongue. Merlin, she hoped this whole Animagus business would be worth it. Moving fast, Carina grabbed her broom and followed her teammates out into the Quidditch pitch.
Madam Hooch held the Quaffle as she yelled the rules out as normal. Carina could see the itch to go already in the other Chasers' eyes. And the second the whistle was blown, Carina followed that itch too.
Diving as fast as she could, she dropped and grabbed the Quaffle out of the air. As she flew, out of her peripheral vision, she spotted the Hufflepuff chasers gaining on her. So, thinking fast, she zoomed towards Linwit - another Ravenclaw Chaser - before throwing as hard as she could to Rhoades, the third Chaser on the Ravenclaw team. He caught it with considerable ease and easily threw it into the goal closest to her. The Hufflepuff Keeper dived and missed, along the Quaffle to soar through the hoop. Over the cheering from the Ravenclaws, the new commentator, a Gryffindor named Denne, announced ten points for Ravenclaw. And so the scores had begun.
The match ended with the Ravenclaw Seeker, Daniel Thomas, getting both a broken nose and the Snitch. Carina, being the closest to him, helped him up and towards the Castle to get to the Hospital Wing. With her arm around his shoulder, she helped him walk inside and up the stairs.
"Do you think the Bludger has ruined my beautiful face?" Daniel joked as they neared the doors to the infirmary.
"I think you'll be fine," Carina laughed.
"Speaking of beautiful," Daniel paused. "do you think you can set me up with Liam Finch? I heard you two sit next to each other in Potions and I hoped you could put in a good word for me?"
Laughing again, Carina simply replied: "I'll see what I can do." And with one last wink back at Carina, Daniel was lead into the Hospital Wing by Madam Pomfrey.
When she returned to the common room, it was the loudest Carina had probably ever heard it to be. Although Ravenclaws didn't tend to party much (at least not as much as Gryffindors), when they did, they partied hard. Someone had brought Butterbeer, Firewhiskey and about a hundred different types of snack foods for everyone. A strange mix of the Wizarding rock band 7 Odd Hippogriffs and ABBA seemed to be blaring from one, or all, of the enchanted radios that were placed around the common room.
Squeezing through the crowd, Carina headed upstairs to her dormitory, where she found Nola snogging a boy Carina had never seen before. Quickly, Carina turned to leave before Nola yelled out to her to come back.
"I supposed to tell you," Nola said, trying to fix the very smudged lipstick on her face and rearranging her bra strap. "Sirius Black is looking for you. Down the corridor. Said you'd know where he meant."
Immediately, Nola went back to kissing the boy and Carina left. Pushing back through the crowd, Carina exited the common room to find Sirius directly outside arguing with the enchanted door about the password. "The daft piece of crap wouldn't let me in," Sirius muttered under his breath. Carina laughed and was about to say something before Sirius picked her up and carried her off.
"Sorry, we gotta get somewhere fast!" he said as she yelled for him to put her down.
"Why. The. Hell. Did. You. Have. To. Carry. Me. Here?!" Carina exclaimed, punctuating each word by slapping Sirius's shoulder as they arrived at the kitchens.
"Because we all decided that you'd have more fun here with us than up there with your Ravenclaw pals. Carrying you here was just a ploy to make sure you couldn't run away."
He winked at her. "We even got Lily and Marlene and Dorcas to come. C'monnnnn." Sirius looked directly into her soul with his big grey eyes.
"Of course, Sirius Black would be the master of the puppy dog eyes," Carina said, rolling her eyes.
Sirius woofed a very accurate dog bark before dragging Carina into the kitchens with him.
Carina could safely say that that night in the kitchens had been the most fun she had ever had: muggle games, food and for once all of her friends seemed to get along - although Lily still seemed slightly cold towards the boys.
As chivalrous as ever, Sirius escorted Carina, giggly and maybe a bit drunk from Butterbeer, back to her dormitory.
"We should all hang out soon," Carina said, as she reached the door, still careful to keep the leaf in her mouth. "There's a Hogsmeade weekend soon, right?"
To that Sirius grinned and in the spur of the moment leaned over to kiss her cheek. Slightly dazed, Carina walked upstairs and flopped down on her bed, grinning away to herself.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧