It seems that Carina was not the only one that received a gift from the tree during Christmas, as Harry received a gift from a mysterious person, a Firebolt, and like her, Hermione told McGonagall of the gift and had the broom taken to be inspected if it bore dark magic. And that did not sit so well with Ron and Harry, as the broom was a Firebolt! The fastest broom there was, and Harry needed that to win against Ravenclaw in the Quidditch match.
For the remaining days of the holidays, Carina would often be found spending time with Theodore, which confused Harry and the others as "since when did they become friends?!" Ron would ask. When the holidays were coming to an end, Roman came back a few days earlier than planned, and the first thing he did when he came back, he was far from normal as he looked distracted and pale. Normally, Roman would come running towards them from a long holiday and jump them like a rabbit, but instead, he was quiet and almost missed them when they came to welcome him back. They tried to talk to him about it, but Roman would just change the subject, so Carina and Theodore thought of letting Roman tell them when he was ready, and simply talked about what they did while he was away since Roman preferred to hear their stories than talking about his.
"I'm not allowed to leave the castle without an escort of a Professor or an Auror – Harry as well," Carina told them. "So, expect me being stuck here for the rest of the term."
"Please, like the rules chained you long enough, I'm pretty sure come next week you're running around the open fields," Theodore smirked.
"But what I don't understand is the ring," Roman began. "You said that your uncle told you that your mother and Black never married, then why did is she registered as Emmanuelle Black now?"
"I don't know," Carina shrugged. "It's all a mystery to me... I'm actually more concerned that Sirius Black managed to send a gift to me and Harry, how did he do it? With Dementors and Aurors posted outside."
"It's obvious that Black is no longer affected by the Dementors, so it's no surprised that he's slipped them, and Dementors are far more effective than Aurors, why do you think the Ministry had those things guard Azkaban?" Theodore muttered. "Or, there is a possibility that someone might be helping him... someone from the inside."
"Who would help Black?" Carina asked.
"A madman, that's what," Theodore sighed.
Later that day, Carina, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Roman received an invitation from Hagrid, asking them to see him, and he specifically told them that he would pick them up at the entrance as they were not allowed to leave the castle without an escort. They went to the Black Lake where Hagrid brought up his pants to take a dip in the water and skip rocks. Roman was happy enough to find Larry the Giant Squid creeping to the edge of the lake to see him, and Carina joined him in tickling the giant squid. As they sat there, a pigeon landed just beside Ron, and croaked at him before flying away.
"Did you just hear that? That bird just croaked!" Ron pointed at the flying bird.
Carina and Roman shared a look and pursed their lips to stop their laughter.
"How'd it go, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, Buckbeak liked London," Hagrid said.
"I think she meant the hearing," Roman chuckled.
"Oh that. Well, I got up an' said my bit – you know, how Buckbeak was a good Hippogriff an' as longa s yeh treated 'im with respect, he'd treat you the same... then Lucius Malfoy got up an' said his bit – you, how Buckbeak was a deadly dangerous beast that no teacher in their righ' mind would expose their students to..." Hagrid trailed off.
"And?" Hermione asked. She dreaded to even ask as Hagrid slung another rock into the water.
"You mustn't blame yourself, Hagrid," Carina said.
"Malfoy," Ron sneered. "It's him the Committee should punish. It's him they should send off to the forest, not Buckbeak."
"Buckbeak's not going back to the forest..." Hagrid said somberly.
"Where's he going, Hagrid?" Carina asked.
"He asked fer the worse, yeh see, Lucius Malfoy did. An' the Committee granted it... Buckbeak's bin sentenced ter death!" Hagrid sniffed as he tried to contain his cries.
They watched as Hagrid cried for Buckbeak's fate. It was unfair. Totally unfair. Enraged to how the innocent Hippogryff's end, Carina got up on her feet and started to march back towards the castle.
"Carina?" Harry called after her in confusion.
"Oh no..." Roman sighed as he got up from the comfortable rock he sat on.
"Where's she goin'?" Hagrid asked, he wiped his tears with the sleeve of his coat.
"Somewhere she will get herself in trouble." Roman groaned. "I'm really sorry, Hagrid. Now I have to make sure that idiot doesn't land herself in detention."
Once Roman has left, running after Carina. Ron turned to Harry and Hermione with an amused look on his face.
"I wonder what she had in store for Malfoy." Ron grinned.
After threatening Blaise Zabini for Malfoy's location, Carina marched up to the Great Hall where she found her cousin laughing with his goons, talking about Buckbeak. Marching up to the Slytherin table, she sent two Slytherins off their feet when they tried to block her way, and when she came face to face with her cousin she did what no one expected.
She punched him in the face. The boy fell on the table, clutching his possibly bruised eye. Many of the Slytherins were stunned at her actions, while the other students of different Houses gathered around them with amused looks. Roman, who just got there, was grinning at the sight of Carina looming over Malfoy.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM, BLACK?!" Parkinson cried out as she went to Malfoy's side.
"That was for Hagrid," Carina slightly winced at her aching knuckles. "And, this is for Buckbeak: I demand a duel, Malfoy."
"A duel? You just punched me!" Malfoy said.
"That's just one out of many more you're going to get... The duel will happen right now, and if you want, you can have a second, but not me, because I will enjoy every minute of this. And this is happening tonight."
Malfoy got up, glaring at Carina.
"My father will hear about this, Black. And he'll make sure you get expelled. For good," Malfoy said.
"Then you're a coward," Carina taunted. "A bloody coward who can't stand up on his own two feet without Daddy's help."
Malfoy was fuming red.
"Did I just hit a nerve, Malfoy?" Carina teased.
"Everte Statum!" Malfoy sent a spell at Carina.
Carina quickly blocked his spell with a Shield Charm. Students went out of the way and stood at the side to watch the duel commence. Carina smirked at Malfoy's bold move.
"And here I was thinking we do this properly, but then again, what can I expect from you, Malfoy?" Carina waved her wand, "Flipendo Maxima!"
Malfoy did not manage to cast a Shield Charm and was flipped off the ground with much force that he landed on the table, groaning in pain.
"I thought this would be much more exciting, you disappoint me," Carina said.
"Locomotor Mortis!" Crabbe sent a spell at Carina's way.
"Protego!" Roman came to Carina's aid and blocked the way. "Two against one isn't really fair... shall we finish this one, Carina?"
"We shall, Roman – Stupefy!" Carina sent Crabbe off of his feet. And Roman had Goyle fall on the ground by petrifying him.
"That wasn't exciting at all," Roman chuckled.
"But it felt pretty damn good," Carina bumped her fist with Roman.
The duel at the Great Hall eventually reached the ears of the other professors, enraged that such things have happened, all participants of the duel – Roman, Carina, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle – were given detention, and points were taken from their Houses – thirty each – and all received an earful from their respecting Head of House. And Roman getting an extra scolding from Professor McGonagall. After a week's detention, causing Carina to miss the Quidditch Match, they were free from punishment, but all kept an eye on by the professors.
"I have to say, I am very impressed with your one-sided duel with Malfoy," Theodore said as he placed his Ancient Runes book on the table and his book bag at the foot of the desk that he shared with Carina. "Though, I'm not sure if his mother would find it worth praising."
Carina smirked, "And what do you mean one-sided duel?"
"You have to admit, Malfoy didn't stand a chance against you, and you went out unscratched."
"I bruised my knuckles," Carina showed her bandaged right hand. "Looks like I'll be writing with my left for a while."
"I still can't believe you're ambidextrous," Theodore chuckled.
The lesson started and the Professor have tasked them to take notes for the exams. Whilst doing the task, Carina and Theodore couldn't help but fool around... it started when Theodore 'accidentally' bumped Carina's elbow while she was writing which caused her arm to jerk forward and ruin the parchment she was writing on. Carina – pissed after she found Theodore chuckling to himself at the result of his 'accident' – 'accidentally' muttered a spell under her breath.
"Finestra."
Theodore's inkwell suddenly shattered – due to it made out of glass – and the ink spilled on his side of the table and stained his uniform. He made quite a scene when he got up from his table with ink-covered-robes. He glared at Carina whilst she laughed along with the class.
"Mr. Nott, you are excused, please change your robes."
Theodore collected his things and then glared at Carina before he left, "I'm coming for you, Black"
"I'll be waiting," Carina smirked.
~*~
Ron couldn't help but stare at the black eye that Malfoy was still aiding. He's been snickering whenever he'd see Malfoy try to hide the black eye, and didn't hide his amusement. Turning back to Carina, who was busy studying for their upcoming exams, he chuckled. They were at the Great Hall at the moment, having a free period and were spending it by studying or fooling around.
"I still can't believe you dueled Malfoy and his goons and won," Ron said.
"I wasn't alone, Roman was with me," Carina said.
"I know, but still – your lucky that Malfoy didn't tell his father."
"Who says he didn't? My uncle had to talk to Lucius Malfoy because of it."
"So, where's Roman and Hermione?" Carina asked.
"Roman left with Morgan Diggory," Harry answered, his eyes fixed on his homework.
"She just stormed off during Divination earlier!" Ron said, "She's gone mental, Hermione has!"
"You know, I still don't understand how she manages to be at two classes at the same time!" Carina said. "Because I've seen your schedules – Divination happens at the same time as Ancient Runes!"
"But she's with us during Divination! She sat between Harry and me!" Ron said.
"The thing is, she was also there at Ancient Runes! Professor Babbling gained about fifty points for Gryffindor!"
"I don't know... but I have something to tell you – Trelawney – when I returned the glass ball, she grabbed me out of nowhere and started to speak," Harry said.
"What do you expect, that woman's as mad as her hair," Carina muttered. "But, anyway... what did she say?"
"Something... Tonight, when the clock strikes twelve, the... servant shall break free... he and his Master shall be reunited once more... Something like that." Harry said.
"It's probably nothing," Ron said.
Malfoy got up from his seat and walked out of the Great Hall, he glared at Carina as he went to the entrance of the Hall. Carina smirked and thought of making one last score with Draco. She got up on her seat and called for Draco.
"HEY MALFOY! MAKE SURE TO TELL ME WHAT DEAR AUNT NARCISSA SAYS ABOUT YOUR NEW LOOK!"
Laughter erupted from the crowd. Draco left the Hall blushing red, but he made sure to send a nasty look at Carina. Carina sat back down and sighed.
"I can't wait for the Howler that I will get for the summer." Carina smiled, and there was not an ounce of sarcasm in there.
~*~
Roman did not know why Morgan asked to speak with him alone in the corridor, not that he minds, but Morgan never asked him to go to a corridor. Alone. And just the two of them. It was one of those days where Morgan's metamorphagus abilities acted up and changed his appearance to a girl. And he sounded like a girl. And Roman found himself blushing as Morgan was too close for a normal conversation.
"I need to talk to you," Morgan said.
"About what?"
"I have to be honest with you – since Christmas, I've been having these dreams – visions – about what might happen in the near future... I need to ask you, is Carina wearing a ring?"
"What?" Roman asked, completely confused.
"Remember what I said in Divination earlier – when I looked into the crystal ball? The truth will be known but never revealed only when the girl of Black blood wears her mother's ring. So, is Carina wearing her mother's ring?"
"No... Professor McGonagall and the others are keeping it for safety – they're still not sure if it's safe if she wore it around."
"She needs to wear it, she needs to get that ring or else this truth won't be known."
"What truth?' Roman asked. "Can't you tell me what it is?"
"I don't know what it is, but all I know is that a secret is being kept by someone, and it is important that Carina knows about it, but she will only find out about it if she gets the ring," Morgan insisted. "Roman, we need to do this or else something bad is going to happen, I just know it."
"Can't we tell Carina and the others?"
"No! We can't! I'm already risking so much by telling you, but I can't do it alone... please, Carina needs to find that ring or else, she won't know the truth."
Roman sighed, he didn't like working behind Carina's back – or any of his friends' back – but after seeing Morgan's pleading eyes, he knew how desperate the he was.
"Fine. I'll think of something."
~*~
"Carina, I need to speak with you for a moment, if you please," Remus called for Carina.
Carina sat back down at her desk, she waved goodbye to her friends and told them that she would just catch up with them at the Great Hall. Roman and Theodore planned on staying, but she shooed them away as Remus had something important and personal to tell her. Once the class room was empty, Carina followed the man to his office.
"Do you know what this is?" Remus raised a folded piece of parchment.
"A piece of parchment?" Carina guessed, "No, a dirty-old piece of parchment that for some reason you're keeping in your office?"
Remus sighed.
"How much has Tom told you about your mother and father?" Remus asked.
"Not much," Carina said, she was confused as to why Remus was asking her such questions. "He only said that you all went to Hogwarts, you were classmates with them – friends even – "
"What about Peter Pettigrew?" Remus asked.
"Just what we all know about him... he never mentioned anything else –" Carina paused, she remembered something. "Other than the fact he often called Pettigrew Wormtail... does that have anything to do with anything?"
"And do you know why he's called Wormtail?"
"No... he never told me... he only told me about Sirius Black – to protect me, to warn me. Professor, is something the matter?"
Remus sighed. The other night, after he saved Harry from Snape's wrath, he confiscated a Map from the boy. A very familiar Map. And when Harry mentioned seeing Pettigrew's name there, his heart raced, and his mind kept thinking "how" and "why". No one but them and Tom knew of the illegal Animagi, and it seems Tom made sure of not telling Carina as well. Moreover, no one knew of Sirius and Emmanuelle's nuptial but for their witnesses – Vivian and Pettigrew – which they recently discovered after a quick look over the records at the Ministry. And from of those two witnesses, it was Peter Pettigrew that Emmanuelle and Sirius chose as a Secret Keeper as well. To hide their family.
"But that's impossible," Remus whispered.
"Professor, is everything alright?" Carina asked, concerned.
He turned to his desk, his eyes roaming at the Map and the kit that was confiscated from Carian, and inside it was the ring that had Emmanuelle's initials – E.L.B. The ring, he thought, Dumbledore mentioned a ring to him once. But that was all just petty talks of fortune telling, it can't be true, a simple act of giving a ring can't possibly give birth to the lines of possibilities. But then again, Emmanuelle believed in it. She believed in fate, and she believed that every action is done according to fate's design. Reaching inside the box, Remus took the small pouch and took out the ring, he turned to Carina and took the girl's hand.
"This was your mother's... it went missing the night the Aurors found her body by your crib," Remus placed the ring in Carina's palm. "We never knew where it went – we thought Bellatrix Lestrange took it as a trophy, but it's here now, and it belongs to you."
"But I thought – I thought that it's infected with Dark Magic?" Carina asked.
"If it was, then it should have done something the moment you touched it... we never should have taken it from you," Remus closed Carina's palm. "Keep it safe, and keep it with you at all times."
"Of course," Carina was unsure why Remus was giving her the ring now, she was about to ask what was causing his worries but the man dismissed her by saying that her friends were waiting. Seeing that the man wanted to be alone, Carina left with a million questions in mind. And just as she did, a raven perched on the window squawked. Remus turned to the raven and found it staring back at him, its dark eyes looking into his own, then he saw a familiar pattern on its chest. After a minute, the raven left the window, leaving Remus to realize his worst fears.