Returning to normal after her visit to Malfoy Manor was hard for Carina. The Dark Lord had evidently entrusted her with valuable information. Information that she had to keep from Draco. Draco hadn't let his parents disapproval stop him from snogging Carina every chance he got. He insisted that they only disliked her connections, not Carina herself. He said that if she wasn't supposed to be the next Dark Lord then they would love her. Carina didn't really believe him.
Carina wasn't sure how to react to the Dark Lord's new trust in her. He was preparing her for succeeding him if it was necessary. She was not sure that she wanted to succeed him. After watching Crabbe torture Seamus Finnigan at the instructions of Amycus Carrow, Carina had been questioning her loyalties. Her only source of condolence besides Draco was Snape, who was privy to many of the Dark Lord's plans. He listened to her whine about her confusion. She was careful, though, not to let on about how confused she really was.
She had told him that she believed that she did belong to the Dark Lord after she had murdered the muggleborn Catarina Severn. She was afraid her soul had been split. He had said that only she could know if what she did split her soul. It wasn't like she murdered the woman in cold blood. She had murdered her to protect her from the Dark Lord. A mercy killing. Carina felt much better about that afterwards, but she was left even more confused than before. Could she possibly be a good person?
Carina had received another note calling her to the Headmaster's office. She expected more lessons from Snape, but when she got there it was not Snape who was waiting for her in the office.
"My Lord, I did not know I had the pleasure. What brings you here?" she asked trying to conceal her terror.
"I had a job for the Carrows. I decided I would speak with you while I am here," he hissed.
Carina nodded, recalling the conversation at Malfoy Manor. The Dark Lord gestured to a chair in front of the desk where he was seated. Carina walked over to it and sat down.
"Do you know what a horcrux is?" he asked. She shook her head. "It is an object that holds a piece of one's soul. While this object is unharmed, you cannot die." Carina sat up a little straighter. Immortality. Nice.
The Dark Lord noticed her movement and smiled. "A horcrux is made with a piece of your soul that is split when you do murder. A horcrux would ensure that you could remain my heir forever and become a very powerful witch. You have already done that. Making a horcrux would be very simple for you.
"I have made several horcruxes. Six, to be exact. However, during my years some have been destroyed. I now fear that Potter has discovered my secret. That is why I sent Alecto to Ravenclaw Tower. Potter will want to know what Ravenclaw's diadem looks like, I imagine.
"Potter has come extremely close, too close. I want you to be on your guard. The time may come when you are needed," he hissed, his eyes calculating her.
"Of course, my Lord. I will be ready," she answered steadily.
The Dark Lord stared at her for a long time. Carina put all her effort into Occlumency to hold him off. After failing to penetrate her mind, he nodded and waved Carina out of the office. The Dark Lord wasted no time. He left the castle immediately, off to check on his first horcrux.
Carina went back to the Slytherin common room. She spotted Draco on the sofa. The rest of the room was deserted. No one seemed to like to hang around Draco too much since he was discovered to be a Death Eater. She walked over to the couch and sat down next to him. He put his arm around her without tearing his eyes away from the Daily Prophet he was reading.
"Whatever you're reading better be damn important because your girlfriend is sitting next to you on a couch in a deserted common room," she said haughtily. He finally looked at her and she saw him smirk.
"Sorry, but did you know that Scarhead broke into Gringotts. He broke into my aunt's vault. Aunt Bella is absolutely beside herself. Seems Potter stole something pretty important. The bastard escaped on a bloody dragon, too," he sneered as he recounted what he had just read and what Bellatrix had told him.
Carina thought for a moment. There was a horcrux in the Lestrange vault and Potter got it. That was what the Dark Lord meant when he said Potter had gotten too c lose.
"Draco, have you ever doubted what side you were on?" she asked hesitantly.
He looked at her, evidently wondering if this was some kind of trap. Deciding against it, he answered honestly. "Yes I have. When I was given my mission last year. I didn't know if I could do it or not. And I couldn't. But I didn't ever want to be on the same side as The Boy Who Just Won't Die and the Weasels. You?"
"I don't know if I could ever do what my uncle does. He expects me to become him, but I can't. I'm terrified, and because of that I won't ever be able to carry out a mission like he does," she felt a tear slide down her cheek. "I'm so confused, Draco!"
Draco, not knowing what to say, only rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. Carina laid her head against his chest. "Draco, what will you do if I am killed?" she asked so quietly that he almost didn't hear her. He froze. He had no idea.
"I have no idea," he said and smacked himself inwardly. That was a stupid answer.
"I don't know either. I hate not knowing. I hate not having answers. Which is why you have to promise me that you won't let anything happen to you. And if something happens to me, you have to promise that you will move on," she said while looking him directly in the eye.
"I will promise only if you promise, too," he said meaningfully.
"I promise," she said.
"I promise," he said.
Carina smiled sweetly and gently kissed him. When she had pulled back her mood had changed. She brought her mouth back to his lips, this time letting him deepen the kiss. They laid back on the sofa and continued to kiss passionately.
Just as things were getting interesting, Slughorn burst through the portrait hole and spotted the pair. "Stop fornicating, you two! Draco, you're a prefect. Go wake your House. Quickly now. You must all get to the Great Hall. Hogwarts is under attack!"