Inglorious Bastards [Theodore Nott]

Prologue

CARINA WONDERED why she looked different from her parents, Tom and Charity, or from her little sister, Maisie. She observed the obvious similarities between Masie and her parents, and especially with the Weasleys with their trademark of red hair. But with her, she was entirely different, she was nowhere close to looking like Charity or Tom, unlike Maisie who have inherited their mother's long blonde hair, button nose, round face, thin lips, and their father's deep brown eyes with long lashes, and sun-kissed skin. She on the other hand had long dark hair that could have been mistaken for black, she had a button nose (but not as cute as Maisie's, she thought), her lips were lightly pointy, her face could have been a triangle, her skin was pale – even though she spent most of her days under the sun – and then there were her eyes, they were gray with a hint of blue, something not shared within their family.

Whenever she asked her parents though, they would immediately dismiss the conversation and have her distracted by playing a game outside or going to the Weasleys for a playdate, which would often work since the idea of the Burrow would have Carina and Maisie running to the fireplace faster than the idea of bath time. But it was only a matter of time until the Burrow would no longer be a good excuse to avoid the child's question. And it so happens, that day was closer than the couple expected as the past haunts the Goldstein family, even after they have hidden within the Muggles, and it will not let them live their lives quietly as their history was not one either.

The date was November 1st, 1987, and as always on this particular day, Carina would be dressed presentable and would meet her father at the Ministry where he would take her to a grave and stay there for a few hours, no words spoken, just a shared silence between them.
Carina stood beside Maisie and Charity by the large statue at the Ministry, the two girls looked in awe at how tall it was and would even play around by mimicking the statue's pose or act like a stuffy Ministry worker by hunching their backs and walk in an odd-penguin like strut. Charity would let the two girls play but whenever they were being too rowdy the woman would reprimand them with a call of their names, and immediately, Carina and Masie would stand in full attention and be stiff for the next thirty seconds (or less).

"Sorry, I'm late." Tom came jogging towards his family, his cloak slightly wrinkled and out of place, and there was a smudge of ink across his left cheek. "Got hold up by a bit of paperwork."

"Daddy!" The two girls ran up to their father and trapped each of his legs.

"Hello, girls." Tom laughed and patted their heads. "You didn't give Mummy a hard time now, did you?"

"No, we were good girls." Carina said with a cheeky grin.

"Well, I was." Masie added and stuck her tongue out at Carina.

"No, she wasn't!"

"Yes, I was, Grumpy!"

"Stop calling me that, Blondie!"