I just realized that my usual line breaks used on my computer weren't working in this format, so I'm using the built-in one now. Go figure. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well with the virus going around.
Other than a troll in the dungeons on Halloween, most of the first semester of Carina's third year was uneventful. She did her homework, studied, practiced spells, watched Quidditch to support Adrian, Miles, and Terence, who had made the Slytherin team as a Seeker, and helped Fred and George with their pranks. The only thing even remotely out of place was the presence of a first-year in the library pulling Carina from her concentration on her Herbology homework in mid-November.
A small bushy-haired Gryffindor girl slid into the seat in front of Carina. Carina narrowed her eyes at the first year, not happy with being interrupted. She had gone through four sheets of parchment needing the essay to be perfect because she hated Herbology the most after Divination. "What are you doing?" she asked.
There was a certain pompous air around the girl, but it masked the nervousness Carina could see in her eyes. Regardless of the girl's "blood purity" level, she definitely knew who Carina Lestrange was. "I need help with something," the girl explained. "I was wondering if you might be able to help me."
"Why me?" Carina tapped her thumb on the table impatiently as she stared the girl down.
"Madam Pince is busy and pointed me in your direction."
While Carina spent a good deal of time in the library, that didn't fully answer her question. There were plenty of other students that could help the first year Gryffindor, students other than a damn Slytherin. Some Ravenclaws lived in the library more than Carina did, but they were also usually the ones trying to sneak food inside which meant Pince probably hated them. "What makes you think I would?"
The girl sat up straighter like she had been anticipating the question. Definitely a typical know-it-all. "You're friends with Fred and George Weasley," the girl pointed out.
Carina didn't outwardly react but inside she panicked. No one should have known that. Not even Sylvia and Adrian knew. "What could possibly make you say that?"
"I've seen you with them. And sometimes Lee Jordan, too. Hanging out with them, not hexing them."
The Lestrange leaned forward to close some of the distance between her and the younger girl, narrowing her eyes further and lowering her voice even more. The Gryffindor tried not to squirm under Carina's glare as she became more nervous. "If you know what's good for you, you'll never say that again and you'll forget what you've seen," Carina threatened.
"I-I didn't mean it as a threat or anything, I swear," the girl stumbled, shaking her head. "I won't tell anyone. I just need a point in the right direction."
Satisfied, Carina leaned back in her chair, donning her stoic expression once again. She held up her index finger. "You get one question. After that, you'll leave me alone."
The Gryffindor girl smiled and visibly relaxed. "Do you know who Nicolas Flamel is?" she quickly asked before the Slytherin could change her mind. "The name sounds familiar but I can't remember where I've seen it."
"Nicolas Flamel?" Carina lifted an eyebrow as she studied the girl in front of her. A majority of first years had no idea who the man was, so there was no reason for them to wonder about him. Alchemy also wasn't covered in any way, shape, or form as a first-year. The class wasn't even available to students at Hogwarts until their sixth year and required proficiency in Potions and Transfiguration to take it. "Why does a first-year need to learn about Nicolas Flamel?"
"Are you going to tell me who he is or not?" Carina briefly wondered if the girl had any friends if she was always so pushy.
"Only if you answer my question," Carina countered. She was curious. "Why do you want to know?"
"I'm trying to learn as much as I can, and I hate not remembering things."
"While I know you're telling the truth, I also know that's not the real answer. I'll let it slide though." Carina waved her hand for emphasis and tilted her head. "He's arguably the greatest alchemist of all time."
"But why?" the girl pushed.
Carina considered hexing the girl to make her go away but decided to answer the second question. "He's the only known creator of the Philosopher's Stone which is used to create the Elixir of Life," Carina explained. She had read it in one of the books in the Malfoy's library at the manor during the previous summer. The subject seemed to fascinate Draco due to the transmutation of common metals into gold and silver. "If you want to know more about him and can't find a book, ask Dumbledore. They're good friends."
The girl perked up. "Really?"
"Yes, now scram before someone sees you talking to me," Carina grumbled, leaning over her Herbology homework once again.
"Thank you."
Carina gestured her left hand in a shooing motion. "Yeah, yeah, now go. And don't mention this to anyone."
"I won't."
The bushy-haired first year ran off, leaving Carina to return to her homework, confused about the interaction. Did she have an aura that attracted Gryffindors? If anything they should be staying far away from her any chance they got. Lestranges weren't exactly known for their hospitality and welcoming nature.
If more lions tried to come up to her, she might have to smack some heads around. The library was way too public a place to be cordial with the "enemy." She'd also have to find a new place to meet up with the twins and sometimes Lee since the empty classroom apparently wasn't discreet enough. But the only other place she could think of was a different empty classroom. The kitchen would be terrible because of all the house-elves.
Not even a moment later, another body sat across from her. Carina nearly snapped her quill in half from the pressure she was applying to it out of frustration. But she looked up and simply became confused. All anger left her.
There sat Cedric Diggory.
Her features twisted and she tilted her head as she watched the third-year Hufflepuff set his bag down on the floor and take out a textbook and his own homework. "Can I help you?" Carina questioned, a slight edge in her voice. While the boy hadn't necessarily done anything to her, she couldn't help but be mildly annoyed by his unannounced presence.
Cedric folded his hands in front of him and smiled. "Saw you all alone and thought you might want company," he answered. "That and I was curious as to why a first-year Gryffindor was scurrying away."
"I didn't hex her if that's what you're wondering."
He held up his hands in surrender. "I wasn't judging, promise."
"Of course not." How Hufflepuff. She bit the inside of her cheek and decided to answer his curiosity. "She had a question and, for whatever reason, decided to bother me instead of asking a different student."
"Well, you do practically live in here." Carina threw one of her balled-up, discarded pieces of parchment at him. He quietly chuckled as he caught it. "Alright, alright, sorry for being honest. And you didn't hex her?"
"She didn't do anything other than bother me, so no," Carina assured with snark. "Now, why are you bothering me?"
Cedric shrugged. "As I said, thought you could use the company. I know the Slytherin Quidditch team has practice right now so that rules out most of your friends joining you. And I saw Melville drawing in the courtyard on my way here which leaves you, Lestrange, all alone right now."
"Perhaps I like being alone, Diggory. But if you wanna sit there and do your schoolwork, be my guest. Just do it quietly; otherwise, I'll sic Madam Pince on you."
"Sounds like a plan."
In the end, Cedric deciding to sit next to Carina had a good outcome: she had a new study partner, someone just as dedicated to their studies due to overbearing familial influence. Carina couldn't help but like his presence. The only thing she didn't like was the whispering whenever they were seen together. Seriously, teenaged girls needed to stop gossiping. The boys were almost as bad. But based on her conversations with the Hufflepuff, she realized his father, Amos Diggory, was just as pushy about Cedric being perfect as Lucius was about Carina and Draco being perfect. Carina never thought she'd have anyone to really relate to.
At home over Christmas break was just as simple and, dare-she-think, boring. Draco bitched about Harry Potter to whoever would listen or even not listen. At times, Carina wondered what it would be like to stay at Hogwarts over the holiday instead of returning to the manor. She would have a lot more peace and quiet. And she could chat with the house-elves in the kitchens without them being afraid of her.
Poor Dobby lived in constant fear of Mr. Malfoy, but he couldn't even express his fear to anyone else without having to punish himself, so Carina usually ended up avoiding him unless she asked for something sweet to eat or drink. Carina found Dobby to be a very strange house elf in general, but he seemed to love helping others regardless of his working conditions.
What truly kept her going was writing letters to Fred and George, Adrian, and Sylvia. Sylvia and Adrian were quite bored as well, but the twins had their brothers and each other to stay entertained. In one of their letters, the twins remarked on their plan to make a cake that would explode when Filch went to eat some of it. She told them they'd want to use exploding fluid from the horn of an Erumpent, if they weren't planning on fireworks, but to get it they would have to steal it from Professor Snape's potion stores. It just seemed to turn them on more to the idea rather than deter them.
Carina admired the twins and their willingness for eccentricities and wanting to bring joy to the world. It was very telling if anything. They were destined for greatness, she knew. The only thing great about her own destiny was her inheritance, but that was codswallop if you asked her. Money didn't make one great.
Her Christmas presents weren't terrible though. Fred and George sent her some of their mothers' homemade fudge which was loads better than anything Narcissa had Dobby make. Adrian sent her a thin, mint green infinity scar which his mother had probably picked out. Draco had picked out a silver ring with three small emeralds while Narcissa bought her a few new dresses and skirts. Cassius, Terence, and Miles all sent her chocolates. To be fair, she did prefer receiving chocolate over other things.
Carina particularly liked the book Sylvia sent her: Grimms' Fairy Tales. After reading one of the fairy tales, she realized she recognized the story and immediately wrote back to Sylvia about how the story 'Sleeping Beauty' had actually happened and was actually the work of a hag named Leticia Somnolens who used the Draught of Living Death on a young princess during Medieval times and she had been awoken by a prince using the Wiggenweld Potion. Carina had been told the story as a child from Narcissa and had also seen it on a Chocolate Frog Card.
She then began setting out to find what other Muggle fairy tales had been based on real events. One was Queen Malodora Grymm, the inspiration for 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.'
She hoped Sylvia like the embroidered grey cloak she sent, hoped Adrian liked his new Quidditch gloves and knew the twins would have plenty of ideas in-store for the stink pellets and luminous balloons once they returned to Hogwarts.
When the time finally came for the students to return to Hogwarts, the twins gave her a sly smile when seeing her on the platform.
Carina sat with her usual crew: Sylvia, Adrian, and Cassius. But they were now joined by Miles and Terence. Sylvia couldn't help but glance around the compartment. "What?" Carina asked, watching her friend.
"There's something mildly wrong with this picture here," Sylvia replied, gesturing to the occupants.
Carina looked around and couldn't quite understand what Sylvia was referring to. Carina sat in the middle of the bench between Adrian and Sylvia while the other three sat across from them. Miles and Terence only truly started hanging out with the original four because of their association with Adrian on the Quidditch team and because they were roommates. Roommates. One was missing. "Peregrine," Carina realized.
"Exactly. Why doesn't he hang out with us, too? He's on the team and your roommate."
"Pery prefers to be with Lucian Bole, the other beater," Adrian answered.
"It must really say something about the quality of our housemates that four third years are on the team," Miles pointed out. "Sorry, Cassius."
Cassius shrugged, mostly indifferent. "I'm trying again next year."
"Honestly though, being on the team isn't all it's cracked up to be," Terrence added. "I don't think I wanna be on the team next year. Flint is a nightmare to deal with. Won't stop going on and on about Harry Potter. Sorry, most Slytherins seem to suck at being a Seeker compared to the fucking Boy Who Lived. It's not my fault. I'm still overall better than Diggory and Chang. And even losing to Gryffindor won't ruin our chances of winning the cup because it's based on points."
"Right," Adrian said, pointing to Terence. "We're going to destroy them on the field. Miles is almost as good as Wood and can block just about every throw Davies sends his way. We have nothing to worry about, and Flint won't get off our asses. I hear the ruddy Gryffindor players bitching about Wood, but I'm tempted to hijack Pery's bat and send a bludger Flint's way."
"You know, Adrian," Sylvia started, leaning forward in her seat to look over Carina at him, "I'm not condoning this, obviously, but why do you not play like Flint and Montague? They're always playing roughly, but I've never seen you do it."
Adrian smirked and lazily raised his hands. "I don't need to cheat to prove I'm a better Chaser."
Sylvia rolled her eyes, not impressed. "Of course not."
The worst thing Draco could have done his first year was getting detention, and the stupid boy went and got detention.
Carina stormed into the Slytherin common room with a scowl on her face. She was followed closely behind by Adrian and Cassius, neither of whom were particularly pleased either. Slytherins parted to not interfere with her warpath. The Lestrange marched over to where her god-brother sat with his friends Crabbe and Goyle. As she passed, she pulled Draco up by the back of his shirt and dragged him to one of the corners of the room, away from prying ears. Adrian and Cassius stayed by Crabbe and Goyle to make sure they didn't follow.
Draco flailed his arms dramatically to get her to let go and he glared up at her. "Blimey, Car. What are you doing?" he asked.
She narrowed her eyes dangerously down at him and he shrunk under her gaze. "What am I doing?" she repeated in a low voice. She waved her finger and shook her head. "I'm not the one being questioned right now. What were you thinking, getting yourself thrown into detention? Do you have any idea what your father is going to say when either Professor McGonagall or Professor Snape write to him? Your mother will have very little to say other than asking why, but your father? Your father will be furious. As am I."
"But-"
She cut him off. "No. You are going to listen. I don't care what you were doing or trying to accomplish. Severus informed me you cost the house fifty points for being out of bed after curfew. Are you daft?" Carina was tempted to let him answer the question, but she already knew the answer. Draco was daft. "I don't care if you bend the school rules or pick on others or whatever you want to spend your time doing, but you never break your father's rules. And what did he tell you not to do no less than six times before coming to Hogwarts?"
Draco huffed and look away. "To not get detention, lose house points, or in any way disgrace the Malfoy name."
A slight twinge of pain was felt in her chest as she took in his dejected expression and softened her gaze. Carina set a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at her. "You may be the Malfoy heir, Draco, but that doesn't give you free rein to do whatever you desire. There are things expected of you, the same as me. I don't want you on the receiving end of your father's ire. So serve your detention and try not to get another. I don't care if you have to put aside your petty feud with Potter and his friends to not get a detention. Don't get yourself in trouble in the process."
He nodded slowly. "Yes, Car."
"Good." She dropped her hand from his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
"I know." Draco tried to give her a smile but couldn't muster one.
"I'd give you a hug, but I know that'd only embarrass you more, so run along." She watched him nod and walk away to rejoin his friends.
Adrian and Cassius left Draco's two lackeys and joined Carina where she stayed. "That was brutal to watch," Adrian noted.
"He had to hear from someone other than his father," Carina said with a shrug. "Although, that might be just as scarring."
"I'm so glad I don't have any siblings," Cassius said. Both Adrian and Carina chuckled. His parents wouldn't want another child even if they were paid to have one. They only had one out of necessity, not love, like many of the older families.
At the end of the year, some of the school was buzzing with excitement while most of the school was bummed. Slytherin had won the Inter-House Quidditch Cup and they were poised to win the House Cup as well for the seventh year in a row. Why shouldn't they have been excited about it? Most Slytherin students had worked their asses off for their house points. It wasn't fair to the rest of them that Malfoy and his goons and Flint and his imbeciles were the only ones picking fights with the rest of the school.
So when the student body went and sat down in the Great Hall and were told they hadn't won with Professor Dumbledore giving out major points here and there to bring Gryffindor from fourth place up to first, there were obviously pissed off students, which included Carina. Her blood boiled at the obvious Gryffindor favoritism stemming from the headmaster. She understood McGonagall having slight favoritism as she was Gryffindor's Head of House, but even she didn't show it clearly as much as Dumbledore did in front of the entire student body. And sure, Snape could be a tad bit excessive at times, but it was never enough to put a huge dent in the points, especially with Flitwick and Sprout tending to even out the points.
With the news spreading around the school of Potter's daring deeds against Professor Quirrell, she could also understand the warranting of house points for that and turning the tide of the House Cup but not after getting the hopes up of an entire house just because of a bias against them. It was cruel, plain and simple.
She then understood Lucius's hatred of Dumbledore.
As Carina packed her luggage, she found that she was ready to return to Malfoy Manor for once. She was fourteen and thoroughly beginning to dislike the staff at Hogwarts. No wonder Slytherin students tended to be angry and rude with the way everyone automatically treated them. No wonder they all seemed to go bad.