Inglorious Bastards: Butterbeer [Harry Potter fanfiction]

Chapter Thirteen: Carina

Carina could remember fondly the first time she came to Platform 9 ¾, it was when Fred and George had to go to Hogwarts, she remembered how she clung to the twins begging them not to go. While Fred and George found it funny that she tried sneaking into their trunks or refused to let them go, Tom and the others were having a hard time making the nine-year-old girl let go of the twins before the train could leave. To her surprise, the same thing happened to her when she was to leave for Hogwarts; Maisie refused to let go of Carina and clung to her as life depended on it, and it took Mrs. Weasley, Charity, Tom, and Ginny to get the girl off of her... and this time, she and Maisie were having a hard time saying goodbye to the twins and Teddy as they kept on crying and reaching towards them, begging that they won't go.

"Don't worry, we'll be back for the holidays!" Carina reassured them while she tried to pry the twins' grip on their sister's blond hair.

Maisie was trying her hardest not to cry with their tight grip. After a while, Carina and Sirius finally got them to let go and Maisie ran to the train after yelling "goodbye" to their family.

"Hop you go! We'll take care of them," Sirius chuckled.

After saying goodbye to her father, Charity, and Remus, Carina got on the train, joining Maisie. They both went to the compartment they were sharing with Ginny, Morgan, and Luna, and stretched out of the window to wave goodbye at their family. Once the train started to move, they went back inside and sat down.

"Merlin, you should have seen their faces, they were begging you not to go!" Morgan said.

"They've been like that since Theodore left," Carina smiled. "They keep on knocking at his bedroom, calling out "Birdie!" every morning for breakfast."

"Now that's just heartbreaking," Ginny said.

"Where's Hermione?" Carina asked.

"Off to meet with the Head Boy and Prefects," Ginny answered. "It's very different to not seeing you and Roman causing trouble, by now, you two would be doing something to entertain us throughout the journey."

"Yeah, it's very different," Carina smiled. Though she only saw Roman yesterday, she already missed him. Normally, the two of them would be on the train probably looking for Theodore and join him or simply join Harry and the others if Theodore was not in the mood for company. This year was going to be different, she thought. Unlike the other years where their train ride to Hogwarts was full of laughter and games, this time, Carina fell asleep and only woke up when they were near Hogsmeade Station. With Hermione Head Girl, she was the only one left in their group, so she simply joined Ginny and Maisie when getting on the carriage. At the Great Hall, she sat beside Maisie, and luckily, she was later joined by Hermione who looked a bit tired.

"Long day?" Carina teased.

"Just getting used to the new duties," Hermione replied. "Neville's not here..."

"Didn't you guys hear?" Dean spoke, "he joined Harry and Ron at Auror training."

"He did?!" Maisie's eyes widened.

"Yeah – I guess Roman joined too, haven't seen him at the Slytherin table," Seamus said as he looked over at the Slytherin table.

"No, he's not – he got a job at George's, he's going to work there while," Carina answered.

"And Nott? Haven't seen him, I expected you three would be together."

Carina's brows shot up at the mention of Theodore. "Why the sudden interest at Theodore, Seamus?"

"Just thought he might come back, Malfoy's back," Seamus nodded at the direction of the Slytherin table.

Following Seamus' gaze, Carina saw Draco sitting at the Slytherin table. Though he sat with the other Slytherins it was obvious that he was alone. Goyle was not there at his side, nor was Parkinson. Blaise was there, but they didn't talk or looked like we're in the mood to talk. Draco had his gaze fixed on the table while he zoned out the Sorting ceremony.