Dirty Mouth, Dirty Blood [h.g]

fifty two

AN: This is by no means the best collage I've ever made, but I like it, so here you go. 

52

Then

"What on earth are you wearing?" Narcissa asked, eyes bugging out of their sockets.

"A shirt." Carina said plainly, trying to brush past her mother and failing.

"Looks like you're only wearing a shirt." Narcissa admonished. "What about that nice red dress I bought you?"

"Father wasn't pleased," Carina stated, "said it didn't do me any favors. The heels were nice, though."

"You know," Narcissa said carefully, "you don't always have to do what your father asks of you."

Carina laughed, though there was no humor in it. "We're living in a war zone, mum. There's no room for doing what you want. I'm going to get out of here one day, but I'm going to be leaving with as few scars as possible."

Now

The three exited the Chamber of Secrets, two Horcruxes destroyed. The battle was ensuing, and the trio ran back into the Great Hall. Harry found them almost immediately, and Hermione quickly relayed information. Harry, relieved that the hunt for the diadem was over, embraced them all.

Carina was enjoying her last peaceful moments with them before the news they had all been dreading: Voldemort had gained access to Hogwarts.

"Good luck," she murmured, kissing Hermione the only way she could think to do: like there was no tomorrow. And with that, she was off, wand out and ready. It was time for the fight of her life.

"Where's Nagini?" Hermione asked, and Harry closed his eyes for a second, using his link to Voldemort to figure out the location.

"The Shrieking Shack," he said after a moment, and they were off.

As they were sprinting, Carina saw a flash of familiar white-blonde hair. Draco was fighting a Death Eater, whom Carina assumed had mistook Draco for a good guy.

Carina paralyzed him from behind, watching the cloaked figure fall. Green eyes met silver, and Draco's mouth parted just slightly. Carina gave a nod, and the four continued on towards the Whomping Willow.

Carina still cared for Draco, he was her brother after all, he had just strayed down the wrong path. Always so eager to please, he had allowed their parents to poison his thoughts, leading him down the path of hatred.

"Look," Hermione whispered, "giants."

"And Dementors," Ron warned, watching the dark creatures swarm the group.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry and Carina shouted, almost completely in sync. Hermione and Ron were soon to follow, four Patronuses gliding around the group.

Carina turned into her snake form, slithering through the roots of the Whomping Willow before hitting the knot, stilling the tree. The Golden Trio rejoined Carina, and she grew back into her human form, kicking off her heels. She loved them, but they really weren't practical for sneaking around the Shrieking Shack.

Finally the four arrived, peeking through a crack and finding Snape and Voldemort facing off.

"You see, Severus, the Elder Wand is not giving me the... satisfaction I was promised. I was told that it would grant me extraordinary powers, and so far, it is not delivering. I have come to the conclusion that I am not in full control of the Elder Wand. Since you killed the wand's previous master, my only course of action is to kill you to gain control."

Snape paled slightly, but put his head down, realizing it was pointless to argue.

"Nagini?" Voldemort asked cruelly, and the snake lunged, biting Snape's neck. Carina gasped, and Hermione put her arm around her.

Voldemort left in a swirl of dark robes, and as soon as the coast was clear, Carina ran into the room.

"Severus," she said softly, grabbing his hand.

"Carina," the man breathed, "you are a pleasure."

Carina bit her lip to keep from crying, Harry kneeling down next to the two of them.

Snape turned his attention to Harry, getting out the words, "take it."

A silvery substance emitted from his nose, mouth, and ears. Harry gathered it as quickly as he could, using a flask Hermione so graciously provided.

"Look at me," Snape requested, and Harry did as he asked. Carina committed every line on the Professor's face to memory, reveling in the man who called himself her Godfather.

Severus Snape relinquished himself to death, and Carina felt a tear drip slowly down her cheek.

"C'mon," Harry said after a moment, "we have no time to waste."

Carina walked out slowly, relying on Harry and Hermione for support.

"Are we all just going to ignore that he killed Dumbledore?" Ron asked, and Carina shot him a tear-stained glare.

"Fuck off, Weasley. Dumbledore was dying anyways, if you couldn't tell. The ring took all the life out of him. Snape's the reason I was able to keep the hoard of Death Eaters at Malfoy Mansion from seeing my true intentions. I owe him my life. So get your head out of your ass and let a girl mourn."

Ron looked at her for a moment, but finally shrugged, and Carina could feel the beginnings of a truce. A shaky one, but a truce nonetheless.