Inglorious Bastards [Theodore Nott]

Chapter Seventy-Six

The day they were to return to Hogwarts, Carina, Harry, and Maisie were to use the Floo, for safer and faster travel. The three of them lined up at the fireplace with their things beside them, Sirius and Charity standing at the side to say their goodbye – along with Ned Goldstein's portrait that hung by the fireplace. Charity brought Carina and Maisie to a hug first while Sirius had Harry. She whispered to them to stay out of trouble, eyeing Carina as she did.

"What? I'm an angel," Carina said.

"Yeah, just like Lucifer before he fell," Maisie rolled her eyes as Sirius brought her to an embrace.

Sirius went to Carina.

"Save the best for last," he said and squeezed the life out of his daughter. Carina laughed and just enjoyed her father's embrace. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you, too, Dad," Carina said back.

After saying their goodbyes – even to Ned Goldstein's portrait ("Bye, Granddaddy!" Carina and Maisie waved at him), one by one they got into the fireplace, took a handful of Floo powder then –

"Hogwarts!"

Like when they traveled to the Burrow, Maisie went first, then Harry, and then Carina. The green flames devoured them one by one, and after quite a dizzy trip, Carina found herself in McGonagall's fireplace. Carina saw her Head of House busy at her desk, reading through mountains of papers on her desk. And just as she was to say hello, she sneezed, quite loudly.

"Bless you, Black," McGonagall said.

"Thank you, Professor."

"Please, do avoid getting soot at the carpet."

"Will do!"

Carina stepped out of the fireplace, she bid a "goodbye" to McGonagall before she left the Gryffindor's Head of House's office to meet with the others, and there she met with Harry and Maisie. They all climbed the stairs leading to the Gryffindor Tower – dragging their trunks along – and just as they got to the portrait, they saw Hermione, Ron, and Ginny just about to enter.

"Carina! When did you arrive?" Hermione asked.

"Just now," Carina answer.

"The password's Abstinence."

"Oh," Carina raised a brow, and so did Harry.

Upon entering the common room, their group was immediately greeted by Lavender by jumping into Ron's – correction, Won-Won's arms, which left Carina with Harry and Hermione, as Ginny left to find Dean, and Maisie to find Luna.

"And there were three," Carina sighed.

~*~

APPARITION LESSONS

If you are seventeen years of age or will turn seventeen on or before the 31st of August next, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from the Ministry of Magic Apparition Instructor. Please sign below if you would like to participate. Cost 12 Galleons.

Carina barely made out alive when she and Hermione got out of the crowd of students that were going to sign up for the Apparition lessons.

"Merlin, I thought I was going to die in there," Carina said, glaring at the crowd of students killing each other just to get to sign their names for the Apparition lessons. Just as they reached the stairs reaching the Great Hall, Hermione told Carina that she'd have to go to the library to get some homework down leaving Carina to her own – not quite her own...