I'm not positive if this one is alright or a little dumb, but there's a lot of action in it following the battle and stuff. 101 reviews...man, that's crazy. I never expected to get that many, so thank you guys. And for the Carina/Luna shippers, I wrote a new one shot for those two called The Gravity of the Moon that you should check out. Fair warning though, there IS character death there, just saying. Anyway, please tell me what you think for this one!
"The true test of a warrior is how your 'stance' holds up after any 'circumstance'. Meaning, even in the stormiest weather, a true warrior will still reflect the brilliant rays of the magnificent sun through both his or her eyes. You may get hit by sudden lightning or take severe beatings from the cruel wind, but you will always get back up and stand on your feet again, soak in the sunlight, and be prepared to get hit by even the most merciless hail - time and time again."
-Suzy Kassem
Hermione sprinted alongside Carina, who was darting in and out of people rushing this way and that, making her way down the stairs in an attempt to get into the action and begin fighting. However, just before they rounded the side of the stairs, the raven haired girl skidded to an abrupt halt, Hermione crashing into her, and threw out an arm to yank Harry back just before he stumbled into the line of fire. He nodded his thanks at her and edged forward, the two peering around the corner.
Carina's fingertips brushed Hermione's once, and then she was off again, wand out and ready; she did not have to wait long, for a Death Eater was already descending upon her, firing spells. She was doing magnificent at fending the man off and blasted him back, before whirling around and throwing a curse at another who had been approaching Hermione from behind; he was flung back as well, entrails spilling from his stomach, but the raven haired girl did not care and continued on.
Hermione did not know if the others noticed, but every time a green light shot by her and it was spotted by sharp gray eyes, another green light would sail past her and hit the offender in the chest, knocking them down; they would never get back up again.
The brunette put this from her mind and hissed, "Stupefy!" at a Death Eater and caught her from behind, causing her to topple.
The courtyard was complete chaos, however, and she did not get to fight much longer before the giants came stomping through, swinging their clubs, and Grawp rushed to defend Hagrid, who was attempting to stop the Acromantula from attacking those who were fighting the Death Eaters (they did not care who they were attacking, dark or light alike).
Hermione could see Ron panicking as an Acromantula advanced on him, and he was shouting every spell he could possibly think of, but it was no use—he's going to be killed!
Hermione tried to fight her way over, but she was too far away as the giant spider loomed over her friend, and she could already hear him screaming as it leaned mere inches from his face and clicked its pincers. She felt a surge of worry.
No, no, I have to help...oh, what can I do?!
But, it turned out, she did not have to do anything, because Carina Black was suddenly flung through the air and sent rolling over the back of the Acromantula, latching on instinctively to its back as she straightened, straddling it. Her eyes were wide, and she quickly readjusted her grip on its neck as it stood on two legs and reached up its extra ones in an attempt to swat her away.
Ron seemed to be in a state of shock as she turned her wand at the spider's head and a bright orange light enveloped them; when it cleared, Carina was on the ground on her back, blinking, and completely covered in blood, though not her own.
Thank Merlin!
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and turned away, back to the battle.
~~~xxx~~~
Stupid bloody Death Eater, blasting me back like that...I'll kill him later.
Carina plucked an entrail from her head with disgust, throwing it aside as she got to her feet, shaking her head furiously in an attempt to rid herself of some of the blood; it worked, if only barely.
"Bloody hell," gasped Ron from beside her. "What did you do?"
"Confringo," she swiftly answered, searching for Hermione; there was no sign of her.
"It isn't supposed to be able to do that, is it?"
"No," she cast him a sideways glance, wondering why he was bothering to question her now as she sniffed disdainfully at the smell of the Acromantula's blood, before sighing; there was nothing to be done about it right now. "Overpowered it, magic is about intent, and I wanted to kill it, so…"
"Thanks." He swallowed and gripped his wand tighter, and she only nodded once before speeding away, back into the battle where she could put her talents to use.
She found a man quickly and made short work of him, before finding herself locked in combat with Avery, a man she recognized well enough, and Yaxley, who she had seen at the ministry.
Teaming up on a poor little girl, huh? She ducked below a spell shot by Yaxley and swerved to narrowly avoid one by Avery, thinking quickly, Incendio!
It was Avery who was caught by the spell, and he screamed as he was overwhelmed by flames; she found herself mildly amused by the fact that he had yet to successfully put it out. Twirling her wand, she turned to face Yaxley, who had his own leveled directly between her eyes, grinning widely.
"Expelliarmus!" he cried, and a triumphant gleam entered his eyes when Carina's wand shot into his hand against her will, and she growled as he aimed them both at her. "Time to finally do the little Black witch in, eh? Bella won't be happy about this, she wanted to do it herself, but…"
He stopped short when Carina shifted and lunged, using his surprise to knock him off his feet and sink her teeth into his throat as he struggled underneath her; his hands wrapped around her neck and squeezed, and she bit down harder, causing him to let out a strangled scream.
She didn't stop at biting. She wanted his hands off her, and she wanted them off her now.
She tore at his flesh, uncaring of the fact that her vision was blurring or that her oxygen was being cut off as she ripped out his larynx and forced his screams to a stop; his hands slacked their grip on her, and when they finally fell away, she sucked in a breath.
She could taste his blood, and could smell strongly his and the blood of the Acromantula; she guessed this would not be the last coating of blood she would get, considering she quite frankly didn't care who she killed or how she did it. After all, why allow them to live and continue threatening she and those she cared for?
She felt something slam into her side and she was blasted back again, snarling as Avery towered over her, smelling strongly of smoke, his clothes and hair singed, entire body soaking wet; he had obviously put out the fire.
He did not waste time talking and fired off another spell, but Carina leapt to the side, flipped herself over Yaxley's prone form, snatched up her wand, and shifted.
She rolled across the ground, wand clamped between her teeth, and hastily transferred it to her hand as she hopped nimbly to her feet, dodging a spell.
"I'll get you, you brat!" Avery cursed, just barely slipping under a curse she sent his way, only to step straight into another, being struck in the face by the cutting curse, which slashed him straight across the face. It went over one of his eyes, and the blood dripping down his face did nothing to help with his vision as he stumbled and then fell; Carina was on him in seconds, stomping hard on his head twice. His groan was cut off sharply as his life faded away, and she dispassionately turned away-the job was done.
She sprinted for where she could hear crashing and calls, navigating her way in the darkness, and she skidded to a halt before McGonagall and a crowd of students fighting around her; there were animated statues marching this way and that, taking out people, and she could see that their side was doing well. Except, that wouldn't last, not with all the dark creatures on Voldemort's side of the war; there were giants, several werewolves, not to mention dementors.
We can only keep this up for so long.
"Black!" cried McGonagall, stunning the last Death Eater in their general vicinity for the moment, before whirling on the teen, eyes wide. "Good heavens, what happened to you? Are you alright?"
"It's not mine," Carina dismissed, waving a hand. She was already over it. "Blew up an Acromantula, offed a couple guys, nothing to worry about."
"Blew up an—" The woman stopped herself and shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them. "Alright, alright. Where are Potter, Weasley, and Granger?"
That's what I'd like to know.
"I've no clue," the raven haired girl let out a breath. "I saw Weasley when I blew up the Acromantula, Hermione took off before that, Harry, too. I'd assume they're all fighting."
"I'm not sure if I should hope as viciously as you or not."
Carina paused, but then shrugged. McGonagall did have a point, for she had a certain disregard for the lives of her enemies that the others did not. They did not have the stomach for it, did not want to kill, and she could not see them doing it at all, really.
She was faintly worried, however, for Hermione, especially after she had just learned that the brunette loved her and that her confession was not all for nothing. Hermione had went one way, she another, and she was not positive if the would see her girlfriend again after all of this or not. However, she could not stress herself worrying over it with the adrenaline flowing through her veins, her mind in battle mode.
She stopped thinking about these things for a moment when she got a whiff of something...strange. Something sickly sweet, and...dead?
She frowned for a moment, before it hit her. Wait...dead? Oh, bloody buggering hell, he got them?
"What is it, Carina?" Neville turned to her to ask, also frowning as he stared at her, and she tensed.
"He's got vampires," she said hurriedly, gripping her wand tighter. "I don't know how many, but they'll be here in—" She was cut short by the boy across from her being thrown back, and she muttered the last of her sentence, "Now."
Neville got to his feet, wand ready, and Carina found herself swearing loudly when she detected not one, not two, but six vampires.
McGonagall was squaring off with two, Neville with another, and Dean and Seamus were also taking on one each; this left Carina with the last, who rushed her at such an intense speed that she could not get out of the way in time and was slammed to the ground.
Hastily, she raised her wand, but it was knocked aside and she could not help but repeat inside her head like a mantra, Bloody hell, oh, bloody buggering hell, oh, sweet Merlin…
The vampire held her securely in place and leaned down, moving to sink his teeth into her neck, and she struggled more furiously underneath him, to no avail. Her legs were pinned under him, her wrists held above her head by one of the vampire's hands.
Razor sharp teeth grazed her neck, and she could feel an inner panic hitting her.
Of all the ways she could die, she did not want to be sucked dry!
The teeth were biting down, and she could feel her heart pounding hard in her ears as she found herself howling and jerking as frantically as she could, and then, suddenly, miraculously, the vampire hissed in pain and drew away.
It was only for a moment, but as Carina grabbed her wand and hastily scrambled to her feet, she could see the vampire's hands glowing red. Furrowing her brows, she chanced a quick glance at her wrists; they were red, too, and very warm.
She realized it, then. I burnt him. I don't know how, but I did.
She resolved to question it later and shot off a burst of fire at the vampire, catching him straight in the chest, and he let out an ear splitting shriek as he dissolved to ashes.
Muscles coiled and ready to strike, Carina cast her eyes about, searching; McGonagall had taken out her vampires and moved to help Neville with his, while Dean and Seamus seemed to have gotten rid of one together and were facing off with the other.
"Incendio!"
Flames yet again flew from her wand, and they struck the vampire at the same time another jet of fire did, except from the opposite direction; when Neville's vampire was also vanquished, only then did Carina turn to see Ginny Weasley standing there, back straight and chin tilted. She did not look nearly as worse for wear as she herself certainly was, or like the others; she must have been able to avoid more major fighting, or was simply skilled enough to not be thrown about or injured as much.
Carina was willing to bet it was both.
"This is mad!" Ginny exclaimed, rushing to her side. "What happened to you?"
"I saved your brother's arse blowing up an Acromantula."
That was explanation enough, for the redhead nodded understandingly, brown eyes scanning the area. "That sounds right. I saw Hermione earlier—"
"Is she alright?" the raven haired girl demanded immediately.
Ginny held up a hand, whilst the fingers of the other flexed upon her wand. She, it appeared, was ready to fight at any given moment. "Yeah, she's fine. A bit banged up, rather dirty, but nothing compared to you...bloody hell, what happened to your neck?"
"Is it bleeding?"
"No, it's just…" The younger girl reached out to touch Carina's neck, and she tensed slightly under the touch but did not otherwise react. "Bruised. A vampire got you?"
"Yeah. No puncture marks?"
"No."
Carina let out a small sigh of relief. "Good." She did not fancy being turned into a vampire.
"There's chaos everywhere," Ginny continued, a fierce glint in her eyes. "We need to keep fighting, push them back. There's a whole horde of dementors coming upon the castle as we speak. We all knew they were coming, but this many…"
The older witch could see the others around her listening intently, and she swallowed hard. The last time she had faced dementors, she had been drug into a terrible nightmare and came to on the floor of the Hog's Head, vomiting in a bucket. What if that happened?
It won't, she thought firmly. Because if it does, you're dead. There'll be no one to drag you away this time, and if you can't stop them, they'll just suck the souls out of everyone, including Hermione and Luna. She knew as well as anyone that if Ginny were fighting, then Luna must be. It was inevitable, really. So, you'll have to try.
"Alright," Carina's voice was firm as she spoke, steeling herself. "I'm going to go check it out. Start warning more people, gather a group if you have to to cast the patronuses at once when the dementors advance. As for the Death Eaters and the werewolves...do what you want. Kill, maim, torture, stun, whatever. If you see Hermione or Luna, watch their backs as well, got it?"
"Got it." Ginny nodded seriously. "And if you see Harry…"
"Got it." No other words needed to be said. She understood.
Carina turned on her heel and slipped away.
~~~xxx~~~
Hermione found herself confronted by Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood when the three of them ran into each other, and the other two girls stopped short when she asked if they had seen Carina, exchanging glances.
"I have," admitted Ginny. "When I got here she and the others were fighting some vampires."
"Is she alright?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"Er, define alright…"
"Ginny!"
"Alright, alright! She's got a few scratches, her neck is bruised from the vampire nearly sinking his teeth in her, and she's covered in blood from that Acromantula she blew up, but other than that she looked fine."
Hermione could not stop herself from glancing about, hoping that her girlfriend would just pop out from behind a corner somewhere and grab her hand, joining in the conversation with commands and wry comments of her own; it did not happen.
"Where is she now?"
"There's a horde of dementors hitting the castle," the redhead said this slowly, watching her carefully. "And she went to check it out. She said to gather a group and hit them all at once with all we've got, and to get rid of as many Death Eaters as possible. She isn't back yet, and I haven't seen Harry, either. Ron was somewhere around here fighting with Percy and the twins…"
Carina Black did not merely "check things out." Checking things out always resulted in something dangerous, and now the older witch did not know who to worry for more, her friends, or her partner. One was missing, one fighting in the battle, and one investigating a dementor attack that was going to happen any few moments now.
Carina hasn't been reacting well to dementors lately...oh no, what if she blacks out like before? She'll be done for!
"She'll be fine," Luna reassured Hermione, though the blonde's mouth was turned down at the corners, and there was a small crease between her brows; she was worried, too. "She'll be back."
She realized then that Luna was not only reassuring Hermione, but herself as well. The younger witch cared for Carina a great deal, and the feeling was more than obviously mutual.
Hermione waited anxiously with them for a few minutes, and then finally began to wonder what time it was; she waved her wand, and the numbers appeared in the air.
11:00.
It was 11:00, and Harry was supposed to be brought in to Voldemort by midnight….no.
Harry, if you've decided to run off and sacrifice yourself…
That's basically what Carina is doing, another part of her mind reminded. You might lose them both, if they keep this up.
Hermione shook her head and peered around a corner, seeing that the Death Eaters had retreated...for now. She did not know for how long, but it was obviously at their master's orders; her own people were swiftly collecting their dead and wounded, and when she saw that neither Harry nor Carina were one of them, felt a surge of relief.
They'll come back, she told herself, watching as Luna and Ginny yet again exchanged a glance. They'll be back.
She wasn't sure if she believed that or not.
~~~xxx~~~
How do you even control these things, anyway?
Carina stood just before the boundaries of the school, gripping her wand tightly in a trembling hand, cursing silently; her entire body was trembling, actually, just being this close to what had to be at least a hundred dementors. They were not moving from their places yet, though she knew they would be soon, and already their presence was bothering her, filling her with anxiousness as she studied them.
I could drive them back right now, she thought, before inwardly snorting. If I could even cast a patronus. This many...only Harry has ever been able to repel this many, and I still have no idea what memory he used…
You're powerful, came the voice of her father suddenly, words he had said to her years ago, only weeks before his death, entering her mind. Then again, all Blacks are. But you...you remind me of Bellatrix in our younger years. Damaged, opinionated, cunning...and you possess the same connection with your magic that she has with hers. You could do great things one day, Carina, anything you want. But you have to remember, if you doubt yourself...you'll fail. I learned that the hard way.
Thanks, dad. However, Carina began edging backward. His earlier words were correct, but taking on a horde this large alone? That was a stupid thing to do right now. Then again, she was in Gryffindor for a reason, wasn't she? They were known for their recklessness, their courageousness, her especially. And it was true, she did not fear death, but she certainly had qualms about how she was to die, and by vampire, fire, or soul sucking were definitely not how she wanted to go. Fire and dementors were two of her fears, or rather, fire was. Dementors merely made her react in such a way because they brought forth things she would rather not remember.
She stopped herself from moving, forcing her legs to a halt. No. I've faced a Basilisk, Cerberus, a werewolf, a whole bloody nest of Acromantula, and things that would make most grown men quiver in their boots—I even spat in the face of the most powerful Dark Lord yet and look! Here I am, doing the very thing I detest to see other people do when confronting things! This is completely bloody ridiculous! I know I had a plan, but I need to face this; if Harry bloody Potter can do this at thirteen, I can do it at seventeen!
She made herself step forward, further and further, until she was standing directly at the boundary line, wanting nothing more than to turn and run, but she shakily raised her wand as the hooded figures turned toward her, sensing her presence.
They glided closer to her, obviously not going to deny fresh food while it was right there, and as Carina forced the memories resurfacing back, slamming down hard on her Occlumency shields, she could feel a throbbing around her temples. The closer the dementors got and the more their chilling cold hit her, the more she could feel her head pound painfully as she clamped down hard on her mind.
She gritted her teeth as they closed in upon her, circling her, and raised her wand.
"Expecto Patronum," she tried as as strongly and firmly as she could manage. A flicker of light escaped it and they flinched back for a brief moment, but then came straight back. She could feel her arm begin to tremble. "Expec-Expecto Patronum. Expecto Patronum!"
The light flickered up again, forming something akin to the shape of a bowl (a noncorporeal patronus, she realized sourly), before it abruptly died off. The fear was hitting her hard, her head swam, and she could feel something being drained of her, something important...what was she doing here, again?
Being struck in the face hard, falling, someone cursing loudly as they shouted at her, and then she was huddling in a corner, sobbing. All she wanted was her mummy or daddy to come save her, to be loved, but where were they? Why weren't they here? Did they not love her, was that why? Was she truly as worthless as they told her she was?
"Carina."
She pressed further against the wall, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. What did they want now? Hadn't they hurt her enough?
"Carina!"
She shook her head wildly—she did not want to be hurt anymore. She wanted to go home, wherever home really was. She wanted the life she had read in her storybooks, where the hero came to save the people like her, and everyone lived happily ever after. Why couldn't she have that? What did she do to deserve this?
"CARINA!"
Carina blinked furiously and came to on her back on the ground, eyes wide as she saw the dementor hovering mere inches from her face, and she choked when she saw it open its mouth and felt her soul being drawn forth. It was not something she could physically feel, but the gradual emptiness building inside her, the way she could barely think anything at all, that was how she knew.
And she was powerless to stop it.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" cried a voice, and the dementor on top of her shot back, the others floating away as quickly as they could manage; however, it did not mean there was still not a black cloud of them surrounding her and whoever had just saved her.
She found herself gasping for breath as she bolted upright, and a hand grabbed her arm and jerked her to her feet; when she turned her head, she saw Tonks standing beside her, also quivering from head to toe from the onslaught of fear and chill surrounding them as her patronus, a wolf, stalked in a circle around them. It only kept the dementors from reaching them, and it was powerful, but they were steadily pressing closer.
"What are you doing here?" Tonks shook her, her face a mask of fear, worry, and anger all at once. "Bloody hell, you tell me it was stupid for me to come to battle, yet here you are trying to kill yourself?"
"I...I'm not," Carina finally managed to choke out hoarsely, shaking her head furiously. "I'm not."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"Came to check it out," the raven haired girl shuddered, and sucked in a breath. "Thought if I pushed them back, it would help...everyone would be alright."
"You're supposed to be smart!" Her cousin ran her hands through her mousy brown hair and tugged hard. "You could have just died! You can't take this on on your own!"
"Harry did."
"He's Harry, you're Carina," there was a hand gripping her upper arm tight. "You've done amazing things, but you know how this affects you. You can't do this alone."
Her patronus flickered, and the slight warmth that had been building in Carina faltered, causing her to shudder again. "Where's Remus?"
"Here," came the all too familiar voice by her side, and a second wolf soared into the area as he took his wife by the hand; that was something they had in common, Carina was only realizing now. Each of their patronuses were wolves (though Tonks' was because of her love for Remus). "Are you two alright?"
"Fine," Tonks responded quietly, and the raven haired girl marveled, if only for a moment, at how serious the clumsy auror could become. "For now. I told you not to come."
"Two of the people I love most are in trouble and you thought I wouldn't?" His chuckle was low and had a wry tone to it that everyone sensed. "I couldn't leave you and Carina to die."
He loves me?
"Carina," he turned to her, somber now. "Listen to me. We need you to cast your patronus. Tonks and I cannot hold them off for long, do you understand?"
Carina nodded slowly, swallowing. She stepped before them and raised her arm again, tensing when she felt it begin to shake, and wrapped her fingers tightly around the wooden handle.
"Expecto Patronum," she attempted, voice coming out as no more than a whisper as her wand tip flickered and then went out. Green light flashed behind her eyelids, and a familiar pair of gray eyes, identical to her own, she could see in her mind's eye. She stared up at the dark mass above them. I have to do this. I have to do this. I can do this.
"Expecto Patronum!"
The wolves circling them faltered, and the dementors took advantage of that to glide closer. She could feel her heart beat hard. Hermione is out there, Carina, she told herself. And Luna. Are you just going to leave them alone? And you promised those bloody brats you'd protect them, what good will you be if you can't keep it?
Just as she was wondering if she would soon be off to meet her father in the afterlife, it struck her. Wait. Don't remember the bad, think of the good, think happy thoughts, think, think…
She could vaguely hear Remus calling out to her as they were suddenly enveloped in darkness, and she focused hard, harder than she had ever had cause to before, and bellowed, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
There was a flash of light and a surge of warmth spread through her; she only opened her eyes again when she felt a gentle hand on her arm.
Remus smiled down at her, though albeit wearily, and she could see three wolves—one much brighter than the rest—lope around them once before fading away.
The dementors had fled.
She felt drained, tired, both magically and physically as well as mentally. Her head was pounding hard, and now that the adrenaline had worn off, she could feel every aching muscle, feel the stinging from the bruise on her neck, feel the throbbing of her back from when she had been blasted back once or twice...it hurt.
"Pain means you're alive, right?" she muttered ruefully, and she could actually hear Remus chuckle and sling her arm around his shoulder. Tonks grabbed her other arm and did the same, and it was only then that she realized her knees had buckled and she was ready to fall.
"Yeah," Tonks told her, and she struggled to stand when she felt a hand brush aside her hair, whose, she did not know. "You're alive. We all are. Thanks to you."
"When all this is over," Carina sighed heavily and allowed her weight to fall upon them. "I want a bath. A hot one. Then, I'll see how my life goes from there."
"I hear you," Remus glanced down at her, the small smile returning, and he and Tonks hoisted her up higher as they began to walk, her feet dragging the ground as they carried her. "Come on, let's get you back to the castle."
"The battle?"
"It's started back up again." She felt something being pressed against her lips, and she ate it; chocolate. She should have known he'd be carrying some. "So I'm sorry to say you'll have to fight some more. It's nearly midnight."
Midnight. Harry is supposed to be brought in around midnight...the raven haired witch frowned deeply. Oh, bloody hell, that idiot!
But if he was going to do what she thought, there was no way to stop him, no way to stop it from happening. She would just have to force herself to keep going, destroy the snake, and get her (their, she supposed) friends out alive like he would want.
"Alright," Carina nodded and grunted as they continued along. "Just get me there." She paused, unsure. "Remus? Tonks?" The two peered down at her, and she ducked her head and let out a breath. "Thank you. I...it...you two mean a lot to me," she came up with.
She did not know why she couldn't say it, but she just couldn't. Luckily for her, however, the two understood and exchanged smiles over her head. She was grateful, and as they went on, she resolved to make it out alive if they did not, for the sake of little Teddy Lupin. She would care for him if they could not.
That's what family was for, right?