Inglorious Bastards [Theodore Nott]

Chapter Sixty-Five

Carina woke and found herself in the Hospital Wing. She got up quickly – too quickly – which caused whiplash and had her clutching her head. She looked around and saw the others: Hermione, Neville, Luna, Ron, Roman, Ginny, and Morgan, all still in bed. Where was Harry? In instinct, Carina got up and swung out of bed, she heard Madam Pomfrey's calls for her to return at once but ignored her. The moment her feet touched the ground, a surging pain was felt on her foot. Carina fell to the ground, causing Madam Pomfrey to panic. Confused, Carina looked down at her foot and saw it bandaged with blood seeping through. Then she remembered. Roman pulling her away with his sharp teeth, Sirius cradling her as he tried to stop her from entering the Veil. Tom falling in.

Roman immediately went to her side and carried her back to her bed and held her tight. Carina grabbed on to Roman and held on to him.

"Tom... Tom... he's..." Carina cried.

"Carina..." Roman whispered.

"He's gone... he's gone..." Carina sobbed in Roman's chest. "Uncle Tom's gone!"

Roman cradled Carina in his arms as she cried.

"Maisie," Carina pushed Roman away, she looked at him. "How am I going to tell Maisie? And Aunt Charity – No!" Carina buried her face in her hands as she realized. Charity was pregnant with the twins! "And my father and Remus are the hands of the Ministry! It's all my fault!"

"Carina, it's not!" Roman brought her to an embrace. "It's not your fault! Dumbledore will get them out! He won't let them take Sirius and Lupin."

After a while of crying, Carina finally stopped and was just staring into the open space. Her back resting on the back of her bed, and her wounded leg elevated with a pillow. Roman did not leave her side and kept on guard on what she was to do next. The others around her just looked at her in sadness. Her foot was healed by Madam Pomfrey but still gave her crutches to use around as the bones would need some time to fully recover.

As she stared into the open space, the events that happened earlier replayed in her mind. She didn't know how it happened, but for a moment, her father was there, about to be hit by Bellatrix Lestrange's curse, but then Tom apparated before Sirius and was blasted by it instead. Silence came to the two men as they tried to comprehend what happened. She was about to grab her uncle, but before she could, Tom pushed Sirius away as his foot touched the Veil, and he disappeared into it. Her whole body felt numb. Tom was gone. Her Uncle was gone. The man who became her father was gone. And Bellatrix Lestrange killed him. Just like her mother.

"Miss Black."

"Carina."

Carina was pulled out of the moment when she felt Roman's touch. She turned and saw the worried gazes of her friends, the Matron, and as well as Professor Babbling, who came to get Carina as Professor McGonagall was still in the Hospital Wing.

"The Headmaster wants to see you," Madam Pomfrey said.

Carina was helped to her feet by Roman and was handed her crutches. Though Babbling said that she would escort Carina to the Headmaster's office, Roman insisted that he would join Carina as she was still recovering. When they came to the gargoyle, Babbling said the password and lets Carina enter. She stopped Roman saying that the Headmaster only wanted to see her. When she entered Dumbledore's office, the first thing she saw Harry, who sat on the seat before Dumbledore, and then at the corner, sitting on one of the couches was Charity and Maisie – both holding two bundles in their arms – then Remus, who tried to comfort the mother and daughter, and then Sirius.

"Dad?" Carina croaked.

"Carina!" Sirius went to her side.

"You're here," Carina said.