Carina Gray is a sharp-witted, fiercely loyal Slytherin with a knack for mischief and a heart of gold she tries hard to keep hidden. Known for her bold sense of humor and unwavering courage, she isn't afraid to stand up for her friends, even if it m...
Carina Black stared at Dumbledore, then at the slip of parchment in his hand, then back at the goblet, half-expecting it to burst into laughter and tell her it was all a bad joke. But the hall remained still, eyes locked onto her, waiting. Her stomach twisted in disbelief.
No. Absolutely not.
The whispers started almost immediately.
"Did he just say Carina Black?"
"No way, she entered?"
"I bet she did. She's Sirius Black's daughter, after all. Reckless runs in the family."
Carina clenched her fists at her sides. She folded her arms and planted her feet. "No."
A few heads turned in confusion. Dumbledore, ever patient, simply raised an eyebrow. "Carina—"
"Nope." She shook her head. "Didn't put my name in, not doing it. That's it. End of story."
The whispers grew louder.
Beside the staff table, Sirius shot to his feet, knocking over his goblet in the process. His expression was stony, his eyes burning with barely restrained fury. "She's right. She didn't put her name in, so she's not competing. That's the end of it."
"Sirius," Dumbledore warned, his voice firm, "you are a professor."
"Yeah, well, I'm a father first," Sirius snapped, his voice echoing through the hall. "And there is no bloody way she's going anywhere near this ridiculous tournament."
Remus placed a hand on Sirius' arm, his own expression dark. "Let's just... hear them out," he said, though he didn't sound convinced either.
Bagman cleared his throat. "I understand this is a surprise, but the rules are very clear—"
"Sod your rules!" Carina interjected, throwing her arms in the air. "I didn't enter! How is this my problem?"
"Carina, just go up there," Theo leaned in, his expression sympathetic.
Mattheo nodded grimly. "You've got to. We'll figure it out later."
Carina huffed, muttering under her breath as she stomped toward the staff table, glaring at the goblet like it had personally offended her. As she passed Blaise, she could hear him whisper, "Well, she took that well."
Fixing her tie, she made her way into the next room and stood beside Cedric and Harry, arms crossed tightly, foot tapping impatiently. Sirius, meanwhile, was still seething, walking out the great hall with Remus by his side, jaw clenched so tightly it was a wonder he hadn't cracked a tooth.
