15th October 1976
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
As the days rolled into weeks, and eventually a month, gossip and rumours subsided. People stopped staring at Carina weirdly in the halls and went back to ignoring her as usual. Life carried on after embarrassment and shame, as Carina found out, and slowly those feelings sank to the depths of the ocean of thoughts in her head until they were buried under mountains of other things that came up in the time that passed.
One thing about the incident still bothered her. She had heard things of others who were not caught sneaking out - some Purebloods had supposedly used such a high-profile evening as cover for them to sneak off for unrelated reasons. Although she didn't know exactly who it was, Carina had a pretty good guess.
"Pandora," Carina had asked the girl as they sat late one evening, soon after the... event, at the library, studying.
The blonde girl looked up with a smile, only for her features to shift seeing the expression on Carina's face.
"Yes?"
"Y'know the night of the concert..." Pandora nodded. "Was anyone else... Missing from the dorm that night?"
She looked up thoughtfully, clearly attempting to recall.
"I was very tired, but I remember telling the others you were going to be with your mother for the evening, because of family matters, and I know I told them you wouldn't be back until late and they shouldn't worry and I'm certain they were all convinced. I thought everyone was there and so I went to sleep then. But I woke up, how much later I'm not sure, I thought I saw that somebody else's bed was empty. I was still sleepy so I didn't think much of it. If I remember rightly, it was Nola's bed that was empty, but she was back in the morning when I woke up early to meet you once you got back."
Carina loved Pandora dearly but Rowena, did she ramble sometimes. It was endearing sometimes and the detail with which she could describe things was often very impressive but when a simple answer was needed she always took the long road to the answer. Besides that, she had given Carina the information she had wanted.
The rumours had been correct. Nola had snuck out. And yet, she had not been spotted going to the concert, by Carina or any member of staff or in Hogsmeade. After what had happened during summer and her behaviour towards Carina - and really, everyone who wasn't pureblooded - it seemed like the most logical explanation.
Nola had told on her.
She must have.
And yet, none of it made any sense to Carina. It had to be Nola though - Pandora had been certain everyone else had been convinced by her lie and none of the other girls would have any reason to tell on her - right? If it had been Nola, how had she found out she was gone when Carina had taken so much time and care to make sure no one would? And more importantly, why did she tell on her? And surely, all of this must be linked to why Nola suddenly hated her too - and again why? Why did she so suddenly seemingly hate Carina? So many things didn't add up and it hurt Carina's head trying to fit the pieces together.
All of this had not made the most ideal start to the year for Carina. Along with the social side of everything, there was still one more thing to contend with - her mother.
Although any official form of punishment had ended by mid-September, Minerva McGonagall was still upset with Carina and had not let anything go.
"I know I shouldn't have done it!" she exclaimed.
It had been a month of evenings spent in her mother's office until she could be escorted by Minerva back to the Ravenclaw Common Room, or Quidditch practice, or the library to study and an overwhelming anger at the whole flooded out of her in that moment, a wave of unbridled feelings.
"I know it was wrong and stupid of me, but what do you want me to do? There is nothing I can do about it now and I've apologised a thousand times! I've done everything you've asked of me and it's not enough! Everyone else who went, they aren't being punished or held back or being excluded anymore! Most only got a couple of detentions - "
"You are not most people, Carina Isobel McGonagall! You are my daughter and I expect so much better from you!" Minerva replied sharply.
As she looked at her daughter, Minerva could see the upset welling up in eyes so similar to the girl's father's that made her heart hurt. Her face softened as she sighed, pushing her glasses back up.
"I was young and reckless once too. I don't want you to be like that. I want you to be better. You're so like me, and yet so like... It doesn't matter. You're a Prefect, a representative for your House and your school. You've got to be better than others. So you must learn. For me and for you, and for everyone else around you."
There was defeat in Carina's face now.
"May I please go back to my dormitory now?"
Minerva escorted her daughter back to the Ravenclaw common room.
"What is always in front of you but can never be truly seen?" asked the eagle knocker on the door.
"The future," Carina stated simply.
As she went to leave, Minerva caught Carina's arm.
"I'm sorry that I am so harsh on you. I know that I just want the best for you but that can be hard to understand sometimes and sometimes my efforts hurt more than help. I just want you to know that I love you. No matter what."
"I love you too, Mum."
The professor pulled her daughter in for a hug before allowing her to step inside.
No one took any notice of her as she passed through the wide room, but Carina saw that many of her dorm mates were sitting, reading at the blue tables and chairs that were scattered around the room. Their books were likely ones from the extensive library found in the common room itself, as many of the books there weren't allowed to be taken out of the Ravenclaw tower. It also meant that their dormitory would hopefully be empty, something Carina would greatly appreciate.
There had been a lot going on recently, particularly in dormitories. Many people - Muggleborns and Halfbloods - had started finding small belongings missing, or ink pots spilled, or things that seemed so small and harmless and inconspicuous except... It wasn't just their dorm. It was across many dorms across the entire school. Many found words whispered among friends or written in diaries, in private, now hurled back at them as insults in the corridors or written across their desks or the walls of the toilets.
And the people doing this insulting, this stealing, all of these seemingly insignificant things - they were the same purebloods who had been rumoured to have been going somewhere on the night of the concert. Nola included.
Carina pondered this as she walked up the stairs to the dorm, mentally calculating those she had seen downstairs from her room. It seemed like everyone had been there. She pushed open the door -
A figure could be seen in the corner, illuminated by the dim light.
Everyone, except one.
Carina wondered if she should say a word as Nola Flint turned to stare directly at her from the other side of the dormitory.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
A/N Long time readers may recognise this chapter as new and that is because I was super unhappy with how the plot had been going so over the past few months I've been doing major re-writes and editing, around school work and lockdown and the lot. So I hope you enjoy where I'm taking the story now that I'm happy with it! :) X