AN: Hello! Welcome to the official fanfiction for Carina Black! If you've come from my TikTok page (poppysporkey), thank you! This fic has been a long time coming, I know. If you're new here, Carina is my OC that I started on TikTok. I've gotten many requests to write an actual fic for her so, here we go! Enjoy _

God save the Queen

The fascist regime

They made you a moron

God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols

September 1, 1972

"CARINA! WAKE UP THIS INSTANT! IF YOU AREN'T DOWN HERE IN 2 MINUTES, THERE WILL BE NO BREAKFAST."

Carina Black groaned and pulled her sheets up over her face. Today was her first day at Hogwarts, she should be excited, but she couldn't shake the pit in her stomach. And not just because she had to go downstairs and face her mother.

She pushed down her grey covers and rolled out of bed. She quickly got dressed in the dark pair of jeans and black button down that she left out for herself the night before since the rest of her clothes had been packed away and made her way downstairs to the kitchen.

Number Twelve Grimmauld Place had been drab and dreary for Carina's entire life, and probably was for many years before she was born. Everything was grey and black, unless her mother was throwing some pureblood gathering, then Kreacher would break out the special dark green tablecloths. So festive. Carina tried to spend as much time as possible in her brother, Sirius' room, which was completely decked out in red and gold banners. Their mum was livid when he got sorted into Gryffindor, but Carina couldn't have been happier for a change in scenery. Besides, she couldn't see Sirius getting sorted into Slytherin. He was way too rebellious for that.

"You're late." Walburga said as Carina walked into the kitchen. Walburga Black was a horribly stern-looking woman. She always wore the same long sleeve black turtleneck dress with her long brown hair tied up in a tight bun at the back of her head. "We may miss the train thanks to your laziness. No breakfast for you."

Carina looked down at her feet, suddenly feeling very awkward when she heard her father clear his throat. Orion was sitting at the end of the table reading this morning's edition of the Daily Prophet.

"Sirius, help your sister with her trunk." His eyes didn't leave the paper as he spoke.

She looked up and locked eyes with her older brother. He was attempting to conceal a smirk and nodded once. She turned on her heel and walked back upstairs to her bedroom.

"Here I snuck this for you." Sirius held out a piece of toast. Her stomach growled as she took the toast from him.

"Thanks."

"Are you excited to finally go to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah." The pit in her stomach was bigger than ever. "But I'm nervous too."

Sirius smiled. "Don't be. You'll finally get out of this house and away from mum and dad. You get to be your own person at Hogwarts." His eyes lit up. Carina could tell he was thinking about his new friends. Sirius had told her all about the three boys he'd spent the last year with. She was excited to meet them, but she couldn't help thinking…

"But what if I'm not in Slytherin?" Her anxiety finally coming to the surface. "Mum really lost it when we got your news last year… I don't know what she'd do if I don't get sorted there either."

Sirius put his hands on his sister's shoulders. "No matter what happens, we'll have each other, okay? I've got your back." She took a deep breath and smiled up at him. "Now, finish that toast and we can get your trunk downstairs."

She quickly ate the toast, took one end of her trunk as Sirius took the other, and they made their way downstairs, leaving the trunk at the bottom of the stairs for Kreacher to take to the platform. They entered the drawing room to find their parents and their youngest brother, Regulus, waiting for them.

"Sirius, after you." Walburga gestured to the container of floo powder on the mantle. He stepped forward, grabbed a handful of powder, and stepped into the fireplace.

"Stay out of trouble this year, boy." Orion's gaze was stern and his voice offered no room for objection. Sirius met his eyes.

He took a deep, ragged breath. "Yes, father." Sirius hadn't performed poorly in his classes, quite the opposite, actually. He had, however, gotten sent to detention several times with his 'band of misfits', as their father had described. After several letters that had been sent home by Professor McGonagall, Sirius had not gotten off easy when he got home for the summer.

He finally broke eye contact. Clearing his throat, he said, "King's Cross Station." And disappeared into a burst of green flames. Walburga and Regulus followed quickly behind him. As Carina stepped forward, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Be good, Carina." Orion looked her square in the eyes, but his stare was slightly softer than when he was addressing Sirius. "We have a reputation to uphold and your brother is on his way to destroying it completely. You can repair it." No pressure. "Stay away from his little group of friends. They will cause us nothing but trouble."

"Yes, father." She offered him a small, reassuring smile. He patted her cheek once.

"Good girl. Now, off you go."

She grabbed a handful of powder and stepped into the fireplace. Turning around, she took one last look at the drab interior of Number 12 Grimmauld Place and said: "King's Cross Station." Her vision was consumed by ash and green flame as she rapidly spun through the floo network. She closed her eyes before she could get sick.

Her floo trip was over almost as quickly as it started. She landed hard and when she opened her eyes, she saw that she was in an expansive waiting area. No one was sitting on any of the benches spread throughout the room, however there were a few families dusting themselves off and making their way out through the front door.

"Wipe that soot off your face and tie your hair up." Walburga handed her a handkerchief. "A proper lady never shows her face in public with her hair down."

Carina quickly wiped her face with the handkerchief and handed it back to her mother. She then tied up her wavy, black hair that only came down to the collarbones into a high ponytail, leaving a few pieces down around her face. Walburga tried to pin Carina's fringe away from her face, but it just kept springing back into place. After a few attempts, she gave up.

"Come on, now, we're going to be late." Walburga turned on her heel and led her children out of the waiting area. The front of the building looked like an old, abandoned coffee shop so that curious Muggles wouldn't look at it too closely. They walked out of the building and made their way through the crowded King's Cross Station. Weaving in between Muggles, Carina saw the disgusted look on her mother's face. She knew how much Walburga hated being this close to so many Muggles which is why she hardly ever left their home. Regulus was keeping close by their mother while Sirius was walking at a leisurely pace, looking at as many Muggles as he could. Carina's nerves, which hadn't really gone away, were rising and she looked straight ahead until they reached the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10.

She had seen the barrier before when they saw Sirius off to Hogwarts last year, but now that she was going too, the brick wall seemed to be looming over her.

"Why are you dawdling?" Her mother scolded. "Go through the barrier."

Carina took a deep breath and quickly walked towards the barrier. She picked up into a jog and closed her eyes right before she went through the wall.

When she opened her eyes, she saw kids saying goodbye to their parents, crying children upset that they were too young to go to Hogwarts with their older siblings, and the seemingly never ending black and scarlett Hogwarts Express. Her nerves turned into excitement as it sunk in that she was finally getting on this train. Away from Grimmauld Place, away from her mother, away from everything.

Sirius came and stood next to her as their mother stood in front of them. Carina straightened her posture.

"It will do you both well to not disgrace the Black family name. Sirius, do not cause any more trouble." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Carina, you will make a fine Slytherin if you apply yourself."

"Yes, mother."

"Now, say goodbye to your brother and get on the train."

Sirius and Carina turned to Regulus, who was upset that he was being left behind.

"Bye, Reg." Carina said, "Just think, only one more year and we'll all be at Hogwarts together!" She gave him an encouraging smile.

"I know. I can't wait." He tried to return her smile but it didn't reach his eyes.

Sirius leant in so their mother couldn't hear. "Good luck with them on your own. Write to us if you have any trouble, got it?"

"Got it." He was blinking back unshed tears, desperately trying to put on a brave face.

"Love you, Reg." Carina pulled Regulus into a hug. She heard him sniffle.

"Love you too, Cari." He pulled away and wiped a stray tear from his face.

Sirius turned to her. "You ready?"

"Ready." With one last look at Regulus, she turned and followed Sirius onto the train.

Carina turned to wave goodbye to her brother only to see Walburga already ushering him off of the platform. She sighed and followed Sirius through the train, passing several available compartments.

"Where are we going?" She asked. "There are plenty of open compartments."

"I'm looking for my friends." He replied. "I know at least Remus is here somewhere reading some stupidly large book." They kept walking as Sirius looked into every compartment they passed until he finally stopped. "Oh, in here!" He flung open the compartment door.

Carina stood just out of sight. She was about to meet the very group of people that her parents did NOT want her to hang around with.

She couldn't be more excited to meet them.

She didn't even try to hide the smirk on her face as she stepped into the compartment.