I hope everyone is doing well during these difficult times.
When her fourth year began, Carina Lestrange was a changed girl. Or at least, that's what it seemed like to others. She appeared more confident but just as outwardly stoic. The ones who seemed to notice her change the most were the Weasley Twins, Cedric Diggory, and Sylvia Melville for the twins and Cedric were extremely perceptible, even if it didn't always seem that way, and Sylvia was her best friend, so of course, she noticed. Terence did become aware of Sylvia's suspicions after seeing her eye Carina strangely on the train. No one knew how or why she had changed except perhaps one Adrian Pucey, but even he didn't truly know everything, just a fair amount.
Carina and Sylvia sat in the courtyard the Friday after school started, having only been back at Hogwarts for a few days. Students were milling about away from the two Slytherin girls. Carina worked on her homework for Defense Against the Dark Arts, if it could even be called that. The class, with Gilderoy Lockhart as the teacher, was kind of a joke that year.
Sylvia looked up from her book and at Carina who was jotting notes down on parchment. It took a few moments for Sylvia to work up the courage to speak about something other than their schoolwork. "You're acting strange," she finally said.
"What do you mean?" Carina asked, not looking up from her writing.
"You and Adrian can barely look each other in the eye for more than a second, and you've barely said a word to each other," Sylvia explained, not letting anything stop her from questioning her best friend. "Just last year you were thick as thieves, so what happened over summer?"
Carina's hand stilled over the parchment, and she glanced up at Sylvia. "Well, well, we. . ." She trailed off, unable to make herself say it.
Sylvia gasped and closed her book. "No. No, you didn't. You and Adrian?"
"Shhh, keep it down, will you?" Carina's eyes were wide as she glared at the curly-haired witch.
Sylvia shook her head, not understanding how Carina and Adrian could ever, ever do anything sexual together. Ever. "But you two are friends. There was never even a hint of anything more last year. How? Why?"
"I don't know," Carina mumbled, shrugging her shoulders. "We were both pretty lonely over the summer. I was showing him around the gardens of the manor, and we kissed. And it just went from there. Not in the garden, not the other stuff."
"No, yeah, I get it, I get it." Sylvia paused before continuing. "Bloody hell. Why didn't you tell me?"
Carina waved her hand and shook her head. "This was all after I visited you. And there was no way I'd write it in a letter. Also, it was like two weeks ago. Better to just wait and tell you."
A sly grin sprouted on Sylvia's face. "What was it like?"
Resisting the urge to snort and laugh, Carina answered, "A little awkward, but we were comfortable with each other. I mean, we've known each other for forever, you know? Our families have been well acquainted for many years, so we've always known each other and been decent friends. And I started seeing boys differently last year. Same with him for girls. It just kinda felt natural but not really at the same time." There was a little more to it with them opening up to each other more, but that about covered it for the most part.
Sylvia knew exactly what Carina meant. "You trust him, but you don't have feelings for him."
"Yeah, that's exactly it. Now I don't really know how to talk to him."
"At least your first is out of the way, and it wasn't made into a huge deal," Sylvia said, looking to the bright side. "But what I don't fully understand is: how were you able to do it? Don't you have to keep your door open if another boy is in your room or something? That's how my parents are, and I'm not close enough with any boys to want them in my room anyway. Or even at my house."
Carina chuckled quietly. "Lucius doesn't really care what I do unless we're in public. Narcissa cares but doesn't enforce many rules because I'm not her daughter, and she feels it isn't her place." She rolled her eyes. "She's the only mother I've ever known. I'd be fine with her laying down the law. But as for Adrian being in my room, it's not the first time we've been alone. And I'm pretty sure that by the time I turn seventeen, Lucius and Narcissa are going to strongly encourage I marry him because we're both pureblood Slytherins."
Sylvia gaped at the news. "You can't be serious."
Carina's stoic expression didn't change. "Deadly serious. Marriages for advantage are still a thing encouraged by the old families. Although, a dream come true for them would probably be me marrying Draco once he's of age as well, but that will never happen in a million years if I have anything to say about it. He will probably marry a Greengrass or Parkinson."
The half-blood girl couldn't believe what she was hearing. Arranged marriages were still a thing? Insane. "Who are the other candidates for your hand?" Sylvia wondered, disgust seeping into her voice.
"If I had to guess, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, or Marcus Flint."
"Gross." Sylvia felt the need to puke at the last name.
Carina smirked at her friend's reaction. "I know."
"Is there anyone else that they could possibly set you up with?"
Carina fully set down her quill and parchment, turning to Sylvia to list off the families. "No to any Abbott's and Longbottom's. Fawley's are usually in Hufflepuff. The Selwyn's, Prewett's, and Shafiq's have mostly married into other families. The Gaunt's have died off. There are no Shacklebolt's, Crouch's, Yaxley's, Travers's, Avery's, and Rowle's my age. The Greengrass's, Parkinson's, Carrow's, and Bulstrode's only have girls my age. Maybe a Slughorn or Felix Rosier. Or maybe even Diggory. Regardless of who I end up marrying, they'll need to quickly understand that I have zero intention of changing my last name. It's not even a discussion. I may not like what my family name means in the wizarding world, but it's still my family."
"Good on you." Sylvia gave her a proud smile. There weren't many women that kept their last name when getting married. The smile then melted away. "I noticed you didn't mention the Weasley's. They've got plenty of kids to choose from."
Carina shook her head with a scowl. "Lucius is more likely to pair me with the Longbottom whose parents my father tortured into insanity rather than pair me with someone in a family he deems unworthy."
"Unworthy?" Sylvia repeated. She didn't quite understand how they could be unworthy.
"Do you believe in the sanctity of magical blood?" Carina asked.
"Well, no, I can't say I do. I mean, my dad's a Muggle for crying out loud."
Carina leaned closer and lowered her voice so she was certain only Sylvia could hear her. "Good because it's a load of rubbish. The Weasley family, while they are purebloods, are considered blood traitors for their association with Muggle-borns."
Sylvia simply grew more confused. She had heard the term said before but had always been too worried to ask what it meant. "And that means?"
"That means they are considered just as bad as Muggles and Muggle-borns," Carina explained. "By some of the old families, Muggle-borns don't deserve to practice magic because they weren't born into a magical family. That's why lists like the 'Sacred Twenty-Eight' go out. It's complete rubbish, but I have to pretend to agree if I don't want to be disowned or disinherited."
Sylvia's jaw dropped open. "That's happened?"
"Quite a few times actually." Sirius Black and Andromeda Tonks being the most recent she could think of.
"I'm sorry."
The Lestrange appreciated the sentiment. "Thanks. It really sucks. I'm expected to be this perfect Slytherin princess. I can't do anything I want or associate with anyone who isn't deemed worthy. I have to watch everything I do and say. Honestly, being friends with you is probably even a little risky since you're a half-blood, but they would deem a half-blood far better than a pureblood blood traitor just because of the principal of the thing." Carina rolled her eyes at the thought.
"Politics suck. Why can't we all just get along?" Sylvia asked rhetorically, opening her book again. "We can all do magic, so what's the problem?"
Carina wondered the same thing.
About a week later, Carina found herself, Sylvia, and Cedric studying together in the courtyard for Transfiguration. They wanted to soak up as much sun as possible before it disappeared behind the perpetual clouds of the winter sky. While Cedric read aloud from one of the passages of the book he got from the library, Carina's eyes were drawn to the red and gold clad Quidditch team making their way into the courtyard. They were also glaring at something. Turning her head, Carina looked to see the Slytherin Quidditch team entering the courtyard from the other side.
"This won't be good," she muttered to Sylvia and Cedric. They looked away from the book in Cedric's hands and frowned at the two groups converging on each other near the bench the three sat on.
"Clear out, Flint!" Oliver Wood exclaimed, not pleased to see the Slytherin team. "I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today."
"Easy, Wood," Marcus Flint replied, holding out a piece of parchment. "I've got a note."
Wood snatched the parchment from Flint's outstretched hand. Carina noticed Harry's two friends hurry over to join them as Wood read the note. "'I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new seeker.'" The Gryffindor captain lowered the note. "You've got a new seeker? Who?"
From between the taller members of the Slytherin team moved a pale-blond boy dressed in green robes like the rest of the team. "Draco?" Harry blurted. Carina raised an eyebrow as she watched. She hadn't been told he joined the team. Not by Adrian, Miles, or Draco himself. Those gits, she thought.
"That's right," Draco said. "And that's not all that's new this year." The seven Slytherins adjusted their broomsticks.
"Those a Nimbus Two Thousand Ones," Ron pointed out, visibly shocked like the rest of the Gryffindor team.
"A generous gift from Draco's father," Flint explained with a sly grin. Carina rolled her eyes which caused Sylvia and Cedric to smirk in amusement. Carina couldn't say she was surprised to find out Lucius bought Draco's way onto the team. But to be fair, Draco was fairly good at Quidditch and probably would've made the team anyway with the Seeker position open. They only wanted to show up Harry and the Gryffindors.
Draco perked up. "That's right, Weasley. You see, unlike some, my father can afford the best."
"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," Hermione snarked, crossing her arms over her chest as her bushy hair flowed in the wind. "They got in on pure talent." Carina started to chuckle but quickly covered it as Sylvia and Cedric looked at her. Her laughing didn't escape the notice of Fred and George who were smirking near the back of the group.
Draco glared at Hermione. "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood."
Cedric's jaw dropped. Carina's gaze hardened and jaw locked. Fred and George rushed forward, ready to throttle the second year regardless of his relation to their friend. Carina wished they had been able to get a good lick in.
Wood held the twins back, also beyond pissed at the Malfoy brat. "Save it for the match," he told them.
"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" Ron declared, pulling out his wand and brandishing it towards Draco. Carina gripped her wand under her robe, prepared to jump up and intervene, but it wasn't necessary. "Eat slugs!" Green light erupted from the wand, going in the opposite direction and hitting Ron. The young Weasley flew back onto the grass, Hermione, Harry, and the other Gryffindors rushing to his aid. They helped him sit up.
"Ron, say something," Hermione said.
Ron opened his mouth and out came a giant slug.
The moment Carina saw the twins in their empty classroom two hours later, she immediately asked, "Is your brother okay?"
The twins laughed together. "He's alright," George answered.
"Terrible circumstance but hilarious outcome," Fred continued. "Wish we had thought of making him puke slugs before he did it to himself."
Carina chuckled with them as she took a seat on the teacher's desk at the front of the room. "What about his friend? Er, Hermione, was it? Is she alright after being called. . . you know?"
Fred shrugged. "She seemed alright. Has Ron and Harry. Speaking of, you didn't tell us Malfoy joined the Slytherin team."
"I didn't know."
The twins then quickly changed the subject due to the look of dismay crossing over her expression. Together, the three focused on a few charms Fred and George planned on using for pranks that year.
That night after dinner, Carina walked back to the Slytherin dormitories beside Draco along with multiple other students. She briefly wondered why the floor was wet. They all stopped walking when they rounded a corner to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione staring at the wall of the corridor. On the wall was a bloody message. Beside it hung a cat.
From the other end of the corridor were a group of Gryffindor students and Madam Pomfrey who spotted the same thing. Percy Weasley lowered a first-year's camera as he was about to take a photo.
Carina's fists tightened from under her sleeves and her blood ran cold. Lucius had succeeded.
"'Enemies of the heir beware,'" Draco read aloud. He turned to look at Hermione. "You'll be next, Mudbloods."
Carina brought her hand to Draco's shoulder and pulled him back towards her. "Hush, Draco," she said sharply.
"What's going on here?" a voice asked from behind the Gryffindor students. Mr. Filch pushed through the students. "Go on. Make way, make way." He stopped once he noticed Harry and his friends. "Potter, what are you. . ." He trailed off as he noticed the writing and the hanging cat. "Mrs. Norris." Mr. Filch looked back at Harry. "You murdered my cat."
Harry shook his head. "No, no," he murmured.
"I'll kill you." Mr. Filch grabbed Harry's cloak. "I'll kill you!"
"Argus!" Dumbledore called from behind the Slytherin students. The group parted to allow the Headmaster through along with Professors McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Lockhart. His expression darkened when he spotted the writing on the wall. "Everyone will proceed to their dormitories immediately." The students began to leave the scene but paused when Dumbledore continued. "Everyone except you three." He pointed to the three second-year Gryffindors that were there before anyone else.
Carina steered Draco away and back to their common room before he could do anything else. She pulled him aside just outside the room and waited for the other students to enter before she spoke to her god-brother. "You have to be careful of who you say that in front of, Draco," she scolded. "If Weasley and Madam Pomfrey hadn't been so stunned, you would've received another detention."
"I'm right aren't I?" he countered with a snobby shrug of his shoulders.
"It doesn't matter if you're right or not. You need to learn where, when, and how it's appropriate to insult others. Be smart about it." Carina was about to enter the common room but took a moment to look back at Draco. "Oh, and congratulations on making the team. You'll make a good Seeker."
On December 17th, Carina and Sylvia began making their way to the Great Hall. It was the first meeting of the Dueling Club Professor Lockhart had decided to put together. As they walked, a voice called out from behind them. "Lestrange! Sylvia!" The two girls paused and turned around to see Cedric running over to them. He quickly caught up to them.
"Hey, Diggory," Carina greeted. "You going to the Dueling Club, too?"
"Yeah," he answered, walking beside her. "The lads left without me while I was finishing up my essay. Can I join you?"
"Of course."
Cedric brightened up at her words and Sylvia rolled her eyes, not that the two noticed.
When the three got to the Great Hall, there was already a good number of students surrounding a long stage in the center. Cedric didn't see his friends, so he stayed with the two Slytherin girls as they went to meet up with Adrian, Miles, and Terrence who stood off to the side, away from the main crowd. Carina and Adrian were still mildly awkward around each other, but they were slowly building back up the witty comments to each other.
Professor Lockhart strutted atop the stage with his dazzling smile and ornate cape. "Gather round! Gather round!" he said, waving his hand. Many of the students, particularly the ones who idolized him, drew closer to the stage. "Can everyone see me? Can everyone hear me?" No one replied. "Excellent. In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to state this little Dueling Club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works."
Carina stared at the DADA teacher with a raised eyebrow and a blank expression. Her friends couldn't quite figure out why she was staring.
"Please don't tell me you're obsessed with Lockhart, too," Miles said quietly.
Carina quickly shook her head as her eyes widened. She was completely appalled at the thought. "Oh, bloody hell, no way."
"Then why are you staring at him?" Terence asked.
She gestured to the celebrity. "He's obviously a fraud. And I'm dying to know how he's famous." Her friends donned various expressions ranging from ones that said, "That's fair," to, "I'd like to punch him."
Professor Snape joined Lockhart on the stage and Lockhart presented him. "Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," Lockhart announced. "He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration."
"This ought to be good," Carina muttered, making Cedric and Adrian chuckle quietly.
"Now I don't want any of you youngsters to worry," Lockhart continued with a reassuring tone. "You'll still have your Potions Master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
"I fear it's Lockhart that we'll need to worry about," Adrian told the group. Carina and the others nodded in agreement.
The two professors faced each other and bowed with their wands out. They then turned, walked ten paces, and spun around with their wands raised. "As you can see, we are holding out wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart explained. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"Shame," Carina blurted, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched.
"One, two, three-"
Lockhart had barely finished counting when Snape said, "Expelliarmus!" A flash of scarlet light burst forth from his wand and blasted Lockhart off his feet.
Carina had to raise her hand to her mouth to muffle her laughter. Sylvia and Cedric, as the kinder ones of the group, had an easier time masking their amusement than Carina, Miles, Terence, and Adrian, the last of whom let out a bark of laughter before slamming his mouth shut to keep himself from continuing laughing.
Lockhart rose from the stage floor unsteadily. "Well, there you have it. That was a Disarming Charm. As you see, I've lost my wand." Hermione held it out from her spot by the stage. "Ah, thank you, Miss Granger." The professor, if he could even be called that, turned back to Snape. "Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was pretty obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy."
Anyone not hooked on what Lockhart was selling knew to call bullshit.
Snape was unamused, as always. "Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Professor."
"An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape. Let's have a volunteer pair. Potter, Weasley, how about you?"
Snape stopped the travesty before it could begin. "Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy, perhaps."
Carina pinched her nose as her god-brother and his mortal enemy took to the stage. While she knew Snape was right about Ron's Spellotape-wrapped wand, sending Draco up with Harry wasn't a good idea either.
"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart called from behind Harry.
"Scared, Potter?" Draco asked as the two bowed to each other.
"You wish," Harry replied.
The two turned, walked ten paces, and spun around with their wands poised. Lockhart continued his instructions. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent-only to disarm. We don't want any accidents. One, two-"
Draco fired early with Everte Statum, knocking Harry off his feet with a blast of white light.
Harry jumped up and yelled, "Rictusempra!" The silver light hit Draco in the stomach.
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart said, but the two boys didn't listen.
"Serpentsortia!" Draco fired. Out of Draco's wand sprung a long snake. It slithered forward once it hit the stage.
Snape smiled in amusement, walking towards the snake. "Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you."
"Allow me," Lockhart said. He flicked his wand, but the snake flew into the air, not disappearing. When it hit the stage again, it hissed in rage, then began slithering towards a young Hufflepuff named Justin Finch-Fletchley. A few students screamed as they backed away from the stage.
Harry approached the snake, calm and collected, as the snake rose, fangs exposed. Then the oddest thing happened. He hissed, speaking in Parseltongue. Carina's eyebrows shot up as she watched the young Gryffindor talk the snake down. The snake slumped to the floor.
"What are you playing at?" Justin asked, backing away.
Harry glanced around him at everyone's shocked, scared, and confused faces. Snape moved his wand, and the snake vanished, watching Harry with a shrewd look.
Carina couldn't believe it. Harry Potter was a Parselmouth.
As Carina returned to the Slytherin common room one night during Christmas break, since she and Draco were staying with Lucius and Narcissa going on holiday in Spain, two students barrelled straight into her in the corridor leading to the dungeons. She hit the ground with a thud and groaned in pain while sitting up. She wanted nothing more than to curl up on her bed with her cat, but no, some twats had run into her.
The two who ran into her let out small screams once they recognized and quickly backed up, crawling away. They stared wide-eyed and stunned as her gaze zeroed in on them.
Carina scowled at them for a moment before her expression shifted into confusion. "Bloody hell," she muttered. The two students who ran into her wore Slytherin robes but looked like strange mixes of Crabbe, Goyle, Ron, and Harry. She then glanced behind them, realizing they were running from the Slytherin common room. Quirking an eyebrow, her confusion melted into amusement. "You know, if you wanted to spy on Slytherin, you could've just asked me questions or at least for help?"
Ron's morphing face twisted up. "You would've helped us?" he yelped. His jaw then dropped open, and he pointed at her. "You're actually friends with Fred and George, aren't you? They're not just pulling my leg?"
While standing up and brushing off her clothes, Carina answered, "Yes, I'm friends with them. It isn't exactly common knowledge, so don't go spouting off about it." She held out her hand to the Weasley.
Ron eyed her hand warily. "How do I know this isn't some big, elaborate joke?"
Instead of replying, Carina turned to Harry, holding her hand out for him. If Ron wouldn't accept her help, she wasn't going to force it. She couldn't blame him for being skeptical either. Fred and George were the biggest pranksters in the school, and she was a Lestrange and a Slytherin. There was absolutely no reason for the three to be friends at all.
Harry didn't question it and accepted her help. "She helped me in Knockturn Alley, Ron," Harry explained, standing up straight. "I was getting crushed by this cabinet, and she pulled me out."
"Really?" Ron's eyebrows were raised as he looked up at them.
"Yes, really," Carina said. "You can also ask your friend Hermione what she thinks of me. I helped her last year."
"You're joking," Ron blurted. Carina simply shook her head and held out her hand again for him to take. It took a few moments of him staring, but he begrudgingly let her help him off the floor.
"Now, what are you two doing down here?" she asked, glancing back and forth between the two. The effects of the potion they took were almost completely worn off, so they were almost back to normal. "And using Polyjuice?"
"We wanted to know if Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin," Harry replied slowly, unsure of how she would react.
Carina chuckled at the absurd notion. "Neither of us are descendants of Salazar Slytherin, I can promise you that. If we were, it would be proudly displayed."
"Do you know who is then?" Harry wondered.
She shook her head. "No. The last known descendants of Slytherin was the Gaunt family, but they've died out. Well, except for the line that married into the Sayre family, but they ended up moving to America. I don't know if any of the family returned to Britain or not."
Both of the boys looked extremely interested. "So, it's possible it could be one of them?" Ron asked.
Carina grimaced uncomfortably. "Doubtful. The Gaunts were as close to the Slytherin family as you can get since they constantly married cousins. Any who married outside of the family may have had Slytherin's blood but weren't considered the same."
"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked.
The answer was simple. "They weren't Parselmouths." Carina snapped her head towards a sound coming from down the hall. "I have to go. Have a good night." She then rushed off, hurrying towards the Slytherin common room.
It was one of the rare occasions of Adrian choosing to study with Carina and Cedric in the library when he noticed a Ravenclaw boy staring at them from a nearby table.
"What are you gawking at?" Adrian demanded to know, glaring at the boy. Carina and Cedric looked up from their parchment.
The Ravenclaw paused for a moment, shocked that he had been called out and that Adrian had even noticed. "Just wondering why Lestrange hasn't been expelled for attacking students yet," he countered, his eyes narrowing.
Cedric was about to retort, coming to Carina's defense, but she held out her hand, and he shut his mouth. She eyed the Ravenclaw and responded, "Wait, I'm supposed to care?" Carina had no time or patience for those who believed she was the Heir of Slytherin. She innocently smiled. "That's news to me. I'll get right on it."
On Valentine's Day, with Lockhart having spread dwarves dressed as cupids throughout the school to receive and deliver Valentines to students.
Getting Valentines wasn't necessarily bad for Carina, but it made her feel uncomfortable. She was a straight-forward person, after all. If they couldn't tell her their feelings straight to her face, she wouldn't pay them any mind. Sylvia, on the other hand, loved the note she received, and really wanted to find out who had sent it but had no leads.
Sylvia quickly put a silencing charm on the one Carina received at lunch when it started to sing. Carina also threatened to hex each of her friends at the Slytherin table when they started laughing. They didn't believe she'd actually hex them. Miles then swooped it up to read it, or rather sing it for everyone's enjoyment. Terence smacked the redhead in the face with a piece of bread for being so hilariously annoying.
Adrian ended up saving her the embarrassment of turning down a date from Roger Davies in Ravenclaw to the next Hogsmeade trip the following weekend while they were on their way to class. Sylvia accepted a date from Roger's fellow Ravenclaw Marcus Turner who was a year above them. She was beyond excited, and Carina taught her a spell to help with makeup that she had learned from Narcissa.
And when Carina visited with Fred, George, and Lee later on that day? They declared their undying love to each other with fancy words and accents.
Carina had never been more thankful for her friends.
Carina was trying to ditch Sylvia so she could meet up with Fred, George, and Lee, but for some reason, Sylvia was harder to ditch that day. Usually, when Carina said she was going to the library, Sylvia would go to the courtyard because she didn't want to third-wheel with Carina and Cedric. Or if Carina said she was going to the Astronomy Tower, Sylvia would go back to their dorm because heights made her nervous. But for some reason, Sylvia wanted to happily tag along on one of Carina's "alone time" moments.
"Have you noticed that the Weasley Twins haven't ever pranked us?" Sylvia asked as they walked by a Hufflepuff who was soaking wet.
"What do you mean?" Carina tried not to show any emotion to her friend's question. Not even skepticism or confusion.
"I'm fairly certain everyone in Slytherin has been on the receiving end of one of their pranks, excluding first years, of course. Everyone except you and me," Sylvia explained as they continued down the hall towards the library. "And they've had plenty of opportunities over the years. We share a whole bunch of classes and see them all the time in the halls or the courtyard. They're quite good at slipping things into pockets, and I don't know how they've managed to pull off most of the pranks against our housemates, especially Adrian. He's very observant. Don't you find it strange?" Sylvia's big eyes watched Carina.
Carina shrugged. "Haven't really noticed."
If Sylvia had been skeptical about the oddness of her friend before, she believed it in full force right then. "You haven't noticed? I find that hard to believe. You notice everything."
"I have better things to do than watch them," Carina attempted to save.
Finally, Sylvia had had enough. She stopped in the hall and tugged on Carina's arm to make her stop and look at her. With a stern gaze, Sylvia crossed her arms over her chest. "That's a load of codswallop."
Carina remained stoic, raising an uninterested eyebrow. Sylvia had to admit she was good with a poker face. "You're more concerned about us not being pranked than what's been going on around the school?" Carina asked.
Waving her hand, Sylvia replied, "The professors can handle it, I'm sure."
"You're not going to give up, are you?" Sylvia shook her head in response. "Fine. Come on." Carina grabbed her friend's arm and dragged her down a different hall, taking her to the abandoned classroom to meet up with Fred, George, and Lee. It was about time Sylvia met them.
At the end of the year, Carina didn't mind going home knowing Lucius's plan had been thwarted by Harry and Ron. No Muggle-borns had died, thankfully. The ones that had been petrified, which somehow included a ghost, had been returned to normal by Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey. Sylvia knew of her secret friendship with the Weasley Twins and Lee. And Professor Lockhart had lost his memory while in the Chamber of Secrets with Harry and Ron.
She also learned Dobby had been freed after Lucius had been tricked by Harry. She kind of felt proud of the little Gryffindor.
While Gryffindor won the House Cup again and the Quidditch Cup had been canceled due to the attacks, exams had also been canceled. It was hard to be mad when you didn't have to worry about exams.