The next few days, laughter, running and shouts echoes in the halls as Carina and Roman's antics began. They made a promise to do as much as they can now since Roman would be trying out for the Quidditch team, meaning he will be busy with practice every now and then. It was a slow start for them this term, unlike last year where they got detention the very first week, but to make up for the lost time, they made their first one – or the welcome-back-greetings – big enough to remember. There were small explosions in the halls – small fireworks – that woke Lockhart from his slumber and having him dancing when he got down stairs. That prank was more of Roman's revenge on Lockhart, as he saw the man trying to correct McGonagall on something, and he saw his great-aunt's annoyed look. He couldn't bear to see the witch with such a face! So, with Carina's fireworks, they set it as an alarm clock for their "Professor". Following that little fiasco, was scaring Malfoy with Lynx by having the cat chase him around the castle, while Roman and Carina watched from afar. Eventually, they were both caught by McGonagall and Filch.
"And just as I thought we won't be losing points this year, Miss Black." McGonagall sighed. "And just as I thought I won't be sending another letter to your father, Roman."
"Sorry, Auntie Minnie." Roman tried to pull his cute-nephew eyes, but it did not work. They were given detention for cleaning the trophies.
When the weekend came, Carina wanted to spend her day sleeping but was suddenly woken by Hermione early in the morning. Telling her that today was the Gryffindor team's first day of practice and they should be there to support Harry. After getting dressed, Carina – still half-asleep – walked with Hermione and Ron to the Quidditch Pitch and found an odd sight of red Gryffindor uniforms and green Slytherins. As they approached, she saw the familiar hair of Roman, standing with the Slytherins, just beside Adrian Pucey. She was about to congratulate him on getting in the team, but then saw the tension between the two Houses.
"— I, Severus Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today to train with their new Seeker and Beater –" Wood read the note given to him by Flint. "You have a new Seeker and Beater. Who?"
They Slytherins parted ways and revealed Malfoy. Roman tried to stick at the side, trying to hide from everyone. He had no power now, he can't fight Flint – even when the older boy was wrong – because of a deal they made, and because he was the Team Captain. He sent an apologetic look at Harry's way when he too was seen.
"Malfoy?" Harry sneered.
"That's right, and that's not the only thing that's new this year." Malfoy then showed their broom.
"Those are all new Nimbus Two-Thousand-and-One!" Ron gasped.
"A gift from Draco's father." Flint said.
"See, Weasley, my father can afford the best." Malfoy smirked.
"At least no one at the Gryffindor Team had to buy their way in, they got in by pure talent." Hermione spoke.
"Nobody asked for your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood." Malfoy sneered at Hermione.
Everyone gasped at Malfoy, Carina was about to get her wand and cast a spell on him, but Roman went to her side – as per Flint's command – and stopped her.
"Don't." He said.
"What are you doing, Roman? That twat called Hermione a – a – " Carina glared at him.
"I know, but we can deal with this later, but not now. Not when I'm wearing this." Roman pleaded.
Carina pulled her hand away from Roman and stepped back. "You can't be serious! You're really not going to defend your friend – Hermione?!"
Roman sighed. At the back, they heard Flint and the others laughing at their way. Clearly, something happened that had Roman following them like a dog. Adrian tried his best to stop his other teammates, but since he was still Vice-Captain, and Flint the Captain, he couldn't do much but block their view of Roman and Carina.
"You'll pay for that, Malfoy! Eat slugs!" Ron fired his wand, but the spell backfired, and a greenlight attacked him instead, sending him to the ground. Hermione and Harry went to Ron's side, while Carina found herself, once again, held by Roman. Laughter came from the Slytherins. They were laughing at two people – Ron and Roman.
There was the sound of barfing, and from where Ron was, Carina saw slugs coming out of his mouth whenever he belched out. Harry and Hermione grabbed each of Ron's arm and took his to Hagrid – being the closest at the spot. After they have gone, Carina pulled her arm away from Roman. She glared at him.
"I can't believe you're their dog." Carina said to him.
"Ooo"s were heard from the Slytherins. Roman was now blushing in embarrassment and anger.
"I am not their dog – and don't' ever call me that. There is a compromise." He said through gritted teeth. "You wouldn't understand."
"Have some pride, Alston." Carina walked away from him, and she did not turn back to meet his gaze, nor answer his call.
Later that day, when Carina was to meet up with McGonagall for her detention, she saw Roman walking towards their Professor's office. When their eyes met, Roman had hoped to speak to her but Carina rolled her eyes and entered the classroom, not wanting to have a conversation with him. The two were silent the whole time, ignoring each other while McGonagall explained where they will be spending their detention. It was polishing the trophies at the trophy case with Filch. The woman noticed the oddness between the two and raised a brow in confusion. It wasn't normal to find Carina and Roman – two best friends who she was sure shared one brain cell – ignoring each other and looking at the other way. Though she wanted to ask, McGonagall knew that it was best to let the two friends talk it out, besides, it was normal for friends to fight (sometimes), she just hope it won't be the end of their friendship. When she brought Carina and Roman to the trophy shelf, she left them in Filch's care and proceeded to meet with Harry and Ron, for their detention.
"I want these shining by the time you're done." Filch grumbled. "That'll teach you a thing or two..." The man then left to go get something in his office, leaving the young witch and wizard to start polishing.
It was a deafening silence between them. While Carina completely ignored Roman, he on the other hand has been trying to think of something to approach her. Should he apologize? No, he didn't do anything wrong! Was it so wrong to be passive for once? He was just doing what he can to not get kicked out of the team – he was saving his arse! His dream! He did try to explain to her earlier that there was a compromise, but she wouldn't have it. The difference between Gryffindors and Slytherins, he remembered Theodore muttering whenever they would find Carina getting into a fight with Malfoy.
"Listen, earlier – with Hermione – I already apologized for not sticking up to her, and I really wanted to, but they'll kick me out of the team if I attack Malfoy while at a scheduled practice!" Roman spoke. "I told Professor McGonagall about it, she said she'll try to look into it, but with no evidence, she can't give Malfoy detention... can you at least say something?"
"Like what, exactly? I already said what I had to earlier." Carina muttered.
"It's not easy, you know!" Roman raised his voice. "I'm not really the most liked Slytherin in my House because of who I choose to be friends with, and because of my blood!"
"I see they're already rubbing off on you – you even blame us for it – and you even brought up your blood." Carina scoffed.
"Bloody Gryffindor." Roman rolled his eyes. "Your pride really is something, isn't it?"
"And I see Nott is rubbing off on you as well!"
"Well at least he understands my situation – for your information, Black, I've always wanted to play for my House Team."
"Yes, and you're willing to leave your friends for it, Alston – and you even see your Muggle-blood as a hindrance to that as well."
"I never said that." Roman growled. "I love my mother, and I would never be ashamed of her – I would even sing her name in the common room! How about you?! You're hiding in the dark – pretending that you don't know who your father is! You can't even say his name! Who's the one ashamed of their blood now..."
Carina threw her rag towards Roman. It got stuck on his hair. The two froze for a moment. They glared at each other, and in a blink of an eye, they were at each other's throats. Wrestling on the ground, trying out get a good punch at the other. Carina managed to punch Roman at the cheek, while he pulled her hair. Though Carina would not admit, Roman was stronger than her, and had her on a headlock, and the only thing she could think of to get out of his hold was to bite down his arm –
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!"
The two-second years froze. Turning, they saw Professor McGonagall standing before them with Filch and Ron at her side. Her eyes wide in shock at the scene before them: Carina and Roman wrestling on the ground. Clearly, a fight has begun between them. Filch came and grabbed the two by their robes to separate them.
"I don't know what's happened between you two, but I will not have you two choking each other to death – I thought maybe you'd be able to settle your misunderstandings here, but it seems I was wrong. Mr. Alston, you will be spending your detention with me while Miss Black continues with polishing, along with Mr. Weasley." McGonagall had Filch release Roman, and the aunt and nephew walked away from the trophy case. Roman made one last look at Carina's way. The two glared at each other before looking away.
"Now, back to work with you!" Filch told Carina.
Grabbing a rag, Carina continued to polish one of the trophies, and Ron took a rag and started his work.
"What's wrong with you two?!" He whispered to Carina.
"I don't want to talk about it, Weasley." Carina grumbled.
After finishing detention (by polishing each trophy about fourteen times until Filch was satisfied, and as well as cleaning Ron's slug-episode which doubled the work) Carina and Ron were found by Hermione walking back to the Gryffindor common room. Carina went to bring Hermione to an embrace the moment they saw each other.
"Thank you, Carina." Hermione said. "And you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine... but you should probably talk with Roman."
"Not until he apologizes."
"It was just a misunderstanding – hold on, what happened to your hair?" Hermione tried to brush it down, but it was all tangled.
"Don't ask." Carina muttered.
"Roman and her got into a fight," Ron told Hermione. Carina tried to stop him from telling more but he continued. "Saw them – McGonagall too – they were trying to kill each other – Filch had to pull them apart."
"What's wrong with you two! You never fought before!" Hermione turned to Carina.
"He started it!"
Just before Hermione was to speak, Harry suddenly appeared. He looked like he was following something that was inside the walls, his head slightly pressed to it, and his face had a frantic look. When he saw them, he jogged in their direction and asked,
"Did you hear it?"
"Hear what?" Carina asked.
"That voice."
"Voice, what voice?" Hermione asked.
Ron was now pale. Though they lived in a magical world, it was still not normal to hear voices that others can't.
"It's moving... I think it's going to kill." Harry ran past them and to the hall.
They ran after him, asking him what it was he heard. When they came to a new hall, Carina found herself slipping on the floor, landing on her bottom, and skidded until she hit a wall. Hermione and Ron went to her side and helped her to her feet. Hermione asked if she was alright, but before Carina could respond, they saw Harry staring at something. Walking in his direction – Carina, limping – they saw the trail of spiders.
"Strange, I've never seen spiders act like that." Harry said.
"I don't like spiders." Ron said.
Carina followed the possible trail, but then her eyes caught something on the reflection of the water, looking up, her eyes widened when she was what was written on the walls. Written in blood. She grabbed Harry by the shoulder and shook him to get his attention. Finally turning to see what she was looking at, Harry and the others gasped lightly at the grotesque sight of the message:
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir... beware." Hermione read. "It's written in blood."
"Nothing good is written in blood." Carina commented.
"Oh no..." Harry walked towards what he saw. Hermione gasped at the sight of the petrified animal. "It's Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris."
A crowd suddenly came, students have gathered around them and were staring at the message on the walls, and then on Harry. Malfoy, who appeared at the front with his goons, and Theodore trailing behind them, read the message,
"Enemies of the heir... beware?" His eyes went to Hermione, glaring at her. "You're next Mudbloods."
Theodore watched in silence as Filch came to the scene, the squib's face in rage when he saw the water on the floor and on the students crowding at such time, but then his eyes when to Harry, and then Mrs. Norris. But Theodore was not interested in Filch's rage and declaration of killing Harry Potter, no, he was much interested in the cat that hung on the wall. The walls were written what seems to be blood, but he did not see any blood on the cat. His eyes then looked at Harry's hands and robes. Harry Potter was spotless of blood. Just as his thoughts were gathered, Dumbledore's voice had them all in shock. They parted a path for their Headmaster, Deputy Headmaster's way. And to Theodore's surprise, Roman was walking beside McGonagall and had a bruise at the cheek. He raised his brow at the auburn-haired boy, but Roman avoided his gaze and kept looking at Carina with a glare. Now that was odd. Turning, Theodore finally saw Carina and how she looked. Her dark hair all tangled and out of place, and her uniform a bit dirty.
Everyone, proceed to their dormitories immediately." Dumbledore commanded them with a gentle voice. "Everyone but you four."
Harry, Carina, Hermione, and Ron stood at their place while everyone walked back to their dorms. Theodore grabbed Roman by the collar of his robes and dragged him back to the Slytherin common room. When they got back, he and Roman went straight to their dorm, leaving the other Slytherins at the common room to talk about the scene earlier. Though it was important, he found Roman's and Carina's odd behavior earlier to be more interesting.
"I'd ask how detention went but it seems I should rephrase the questions to... how in Merlin's name did you get bruised at the face, and why does Black's hair look like she had a fight with the petrified Mrs. Norris?" Theodore settled on his bed, and Lynx climbed up to his stomach to take a nap. He didn't mind, he actually enjoyed Lynx's company now.
"Carina and I got into a fight." Roman muttered.
Theodore's brows rose. "Hold on, you two fought – as in – " He made a gesture of a fist swinging. "Who hit first?"
"We both did."
"And she gave you that bruise."
"That's right."
"I wasn't expecting you to be the type of boy who hits a girl –"
"I'm not." Roman snapped. "I don't – and I won't ever... but Carina and I made a pact that we won't treat each other differently – when we're together we're not boy or girl, we're not Slytherin or Gryffindor, we're just two kids having fun! She even let me hit her the day we made that promise."
"And all of this because of your deal with Flint." Theodore sighed. "Did you at least try to explain to her?"
"She won't give me the chance! Bloody –" Roman groaned in annoyance. He went to his bed and dove down. His face hit the pillows first. "Why are girls so difficult?"
"I think it's a Gryffindor thing." Theodore shrugged. He pulled something from his pocket – it was a piece of chocolate – and ate it. "They're annoying twats who won't listen to others but themselves. One of the reasons why I loathe them."
"If you hate Gryffindors so much, then why do you always try to bump into Carina, Theodore?" Roman sat up, brows furrowed at Theodore. "And don't act dumb, you have all the power to avoid her – just like how you avoid Malfoy and the others, which is a surprise since we all sleep in the same room – but you make it your way to walk up to the Gryffindors just to piss her off – and how do you handle it anyway?!"
"I enjoy tormenting her." Theodore shrugged. "It's interesting."
There was silence.
"You're weird." Roman got up from the bed and then grabbed Lynx from him. "And give me back my cat."