Inglorious Bastards [Theodore Nott]

Chapter Sixty-Two

The holiday spent in Grimmauld Place was not as glamorous as their previous festivities, but having families over to celebrate was enough to make smiles on everyone's faces, especially Sirius. Though Snape's visit to inform Harry of his "Remedial Potions" every Monday come the return to their classes did start a fight between Snape and Sirius, the holidays were still one of the best that Harry has ever had, and Carina's first one celebrating with her father.

After a hurried breakfast, everyone had their trunks lined down at the bottom of the stairs, everyone had their jackets and scarves on to keep them warm from the chilly gray January morning. Everyone didn't really like the idea of going back to Hogwarts –with Umbridge still around – especially Harry and Carina. Carina had an unpleasant sensation in her chest the moment she woke up; she didn't want to say good-bye to Sirius. She felt bad about leaving her father alone in his mother's house with Kreacher. She found her father drinking some butterbeer at the side as Mrs. Weasley busied herself with checking everyone if they had everything packed. Carina had squeezed herself from the chaos and went to her father.

"Excited to go back?" Sirius asked.

"No, not really," Carina said. "Umbridge's still there and I don't want to see that woman."

"It'll pass," Sirius smiled.

Tom suddenly came to where they stood, looking for her.

"Are your things all packed?" Tom asked Carina.

"Yeah – Uncle Tom, can I talk to you for a second?" Carina said.

"Of course," Tom said.

Sirius was about to leave but Carina stopped him.

"Actually, I want to talk to the both of you," Carina said.

Curious, the two men stood in their place, waiting for what Carina was to say. They glanced at each other, as they were still working out their differences. Carina never talked to them both in the same room, it would always be individually.

Taking a deep breath, Carina finally spoke, "I know that you two are not on good terms, and I know that you've been arguing about how to raise me."

The two men guiltily glanced at each other and then returned their gaze at Carina.

"And I know that there is more into this... but I do hope that you can work out because it's really, really hard having two fathers not being on the same page," Carina saw the sudden shock in the two men's faces. "Especially when we're all going to live in one roof – and even if we decided to move out, I still wish to see that we all get along."

"Carina, we didn't know that..." Tom trailed off, still overwhelmed that Carina still regarded him as a father.

"We promise that Tom and I will fix everything," Sirius said.

Carina smiled, she then pulled the two men to an embrace, startling them.

"For a while, the thought of not having a father bothered me... but I was so blind by my fear that I forgot how lucky I am to not just have one, but two fathers in my life when some don't even have one," Carina said to them.

Touched by Carina's words, Sirius and Tom turned to each other and had an unspoken agreement. They were both fighting over what was best for Carina, fighting who could raise her better that they forgot about how she felt. They didn't know their strained relationship brought by the war has affected Carina.

"I love you, alright? Both of you," Carina said as she let go of them.

"And I love you," Sirius joked.