Inglorious Bastards [Theodore Nott]

Chapter Forty-Nine

For the next weeks that came, things started to turn dark, not only for Morgan who has been working with Dumbledore and Madam Solomon in the Headmaster's office for the stone but also for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, where Barty Crouch Sr. was found to be mad, which resulted in a commotion in who will replace him as a committee for the games. They were still not sure what caused the man's madness. Even though such things have happened, Hogwarts was still a school, and like in every school, Hogwarts had its exams. Students, though much more interested in the Third Task, studied for their exams. Carina and Theodore have been studying for the Ancient Runes non-stop at the Black Lake, as they tested each other. Roman and Morgan too studied, bust mostly Defense Against the Dark Arts, Morgan's weakest subject.

And once the exams were done, all the student's attention was on coming Third Task.

~*~

At the Gryffindor common room, past curfew, Carina, Hermione, and Ron huddled around Harry and listened to him as he told them about what he saw in the Potions room, Snape and Karkaroff talking, they were talking about a 'sign'. And that when was found by Snape, Karkaroff left the room, and Snape had accused him and his friends of stealing ingredients from the Potions cupboard – ingredients for Polyjuice.

"Well Snape better get his head together, because we haven't even gone close to his beloved cupboard," Carina said.

"Why do you think that is though?" Hermione asked.

"I dunno," Harry shrugged.

"Maybe it's Skeeters, using Polyjuice to disguise herself as someone in Hogwarts – maybe that's how she got all of that information!" Carina guessed.

"I think that's a bit too far ahead, Carina," Hermione chuckled.

"That woman is as mad Moody – she would do it just to get a scoop," Carina scoffed.

Lightning crackled in the night sky and the loud thunder boomed after.

"A storm?" Hermione said, "Just earlier the sky was clear."

Carina shot up when she heard the word 'storm'.

"Well, it's been a bit dark since this morning," Harry said, "I'm sure it'll pass soon."

"I hope so... you don't want to go to the third task with a storm," Hermione muttered. "Hey, where are you going?"

Carina jumped out of the lounge and dug her hand into her pocket. Her friends watched as she got out a vial and looked out the window where a storm was brewing.

"What's that?" Hermione asked.

Carina took out the vial that hid under her clothes, she took closer look in the light and saw it turn red. Lightning clapped. She opened the vial and looked at the content. She turned to Hermione, what was the point in hiding it? She was at the last step of the process anyway.

"Animagus Potion," Carina shrugged.

"WHAT? CARINA, DON'T –"

Carina did not wait for Hermione to speak and drowned the potion at the same time lightning struck. Grinning at her spot, Carina tossed the empty vial to the lounge and waited.

"So, what do you feel?" Harry asked.

"You know about this?" Ron questioned him.

"She told me over the summer – she and Roman were –"

"Roman as well?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Would you keep it down?" Carina said through gritted teeth. She could feel it, her heartbeat – no, a second heartbeat, beating faster than normal. It was different, everything felt different. She took out her wand, and for one last time said the incantation, "Amato Animo Animato Animagus."