Chapter Text
The stifling summer heat was interrupted by the crisp ocean breeze, periodically cooling the two girls as they read quietly atop the cliff. One sat cross-legged, slightly hunched as she scanned the pages of a battered hardblack, her inky hair wrestled into a ponytail on top of her head. The other girl lay on her front, legs kicking genty in the air as she flicked through a magazine, her head balanced on her fist and silvery hair kept out of her face by a bright green alice band.
“It’s perfect weather to fish for freshwater Plimpies.” Luna said as she skimmed an article in the magazine she was reading. “According to this,” she indicated loosely to the page, “there's been a population increase in certain areas.”
“There aren't any streams nearby, if there were I’d say we should try to catch some—then your dad could make that soup.” Carina replied, stretching her arms up and letting her book close. She felt a bit stiff due to her position, and decided it was probably best to head back inside. “Speaking of food, d’you fancy lunch?”
“A sandwich sounds good.” Luna smiled, closing her magazine and getting up, not bothering to brush the grass from her jeans.
“Let’s head back then.” Carina replied, wiping any stray dirt from the back of her shorts. The girls walked back up to the top of the cliff and slightly inland towards the lone cottage which sat facing the sea. It was a small-looking building to most, but much like magical tents, was more than it seemed. The inside wasn’t huge but there were more floors than it would appear from the outside, decorated colourfully and sprinkled with peculiar trinkets.
“Back already?” Alphard asked cheerfully, looking up from the book he was reading at the dining table.
“We got hungry.” Carina shrugged, padding into the kitchen to get sandwiches for them both, settling on ham and cheese. She got all the ingredients out and then directed a sweet smile at her uncle who chuckled and waved his wand, easily assembling the sandwiches for the girls.
“Ta.” Carina grinned, handing Luna one of the plates and taking the other for herself. “Let’s eat in my room.” She suggested, gesturing her head to the spiral staircase in the middle of the house, before setting off towards the top floor.
It wasn’t a long climb, the ceilings being a tad shorter than normal homes, but Carina still found herself picking at the bread as she went. It was a habit she supposed, eating on the go—curated during exam seasons at school which demanded her utmost attention and left her hunger a secondary need at best. Luna didn’t seem to develop that same quirk, but Carina and Luna were different in many ways, yet similar where it counted.
The girls settled into her room, sitting cross-legged on the bed which was only a couple inches above the floor. Carina utilised wall space effectively with handwritten book excerpts and notes on particular spells and charms, and so her uncle had designed a bed frame which would give her more access to her walls. Her room was, for the most part, an ocean of blue and purple hues, silver intertwined here and there. The only other colours were on the spines of her books which lined one of her four walls and piled up wherever there was room and some of the covers of the cushions on her bed (one of which was knitted by Luna).
To the outsider Carina seemed to be very proud of her ravenclaw status (which she was), but her reasons for her house pride were a bit more complicated than most. Carina Black was raised in her earliest years by her grandmother, Warburga. While her memories of that time could be described as hazy, the Slytherin pride along with pureblood rhetoric, which her grandma had attempted to install in her, remained in the shadows of her mind. Her blue room and muggle literature collection were small rebellions against the lessons her grandmother had taught her. Each minor revolt seemed to dampen that booming voice in her head.
“I’m excited to start preparing for our O.W.Ls this year.” Luna stated around a mouthful of bread crust.
“Me too.” Carina replied, eyes lighting up with the thought of the deadlines and difficult homework. Carina loved working under pressure and rising to the occasion. Schoolwork was a passion, not a punishment for her and the acknowledgement of each improvement filled her with satisfaction. “I hope our D.A.D.A professor is competent this year. It would be extremely unfair for our grades to fall due to the ineptitude of a professor.”
“I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out, even if they’re awful.” Luna gave Carina a confident smile. She was always able to find the bright side of a situation, a virtue which Carina found both comforting and frustrating, depending on the occasion. “What do you think about the stuff Harry Potter said? About you-know-who?” Luna asked tentatively. It was a subject they hadn’t really brought up, something simultaneously intangible and heavy.
“I believe him, unfortunately.” Carina sighed, dusting the remaining crumbs onto her plate. “I don’t think it’s in his nature to lie. Plus poor Diggory was quite clearly dead and I don’t take Potter as the murderous type. Nor do I buy into the ‘horrible accident’ speil. Voldemort's return seems the only viable option to anyone with a head on their shoulders.”
“I agree.” Luna huffed, a hint of a frown growing between her blonde brows. “Dad does too. I think things are going to feel different this year.”
“Probably. I just hope we manage to complete our education before an all-out war breaks out.” Carina slumped back, bed bouncing slightly with the force of her fall. “Good thing my craziest relative is still in prison.” Carina shivered with the thought of Bellatrix. Her father’s cousin always seemed the scariest to her, especially when she was little. The likeness in their appearances made it a lot worse, she avoided Neville Longbottom for the entirety of their first year out of fear of scaring him.
Luna wasn’t able to stay much later than lunch and ended up flooing back home before long. Carina loved Luna’s company. They had the sort of friendship where they could sit in silence for hours and be perfectly content or share deep conversations about any topic they felt inclined to discuss.
Carina ended up wandering downstairs in search of her Uncle. He had the same features as most of their family—black hair (or at least the remnants of it), sharp cheekbones and a pale complexion—but his temperament was a lot calmer and more relaxed than any other relative she had encountered.
He (along with Sirius Black) was one of the few Blacks to not be sorted into Slytherin house (other than herself) and had been placed into Ravenclaw many years ago. He was a pretty stereotypical Ravenclaw, and the house reflected that. Where there were walls, there were bookshelves full of books and where there were corners, there were comfy armchairs, perfect for reading. He was great company, and their home was a bookworm's paradise.
“Have you come to join me?” Alphard asked, looking up from his book through his skewed glasses. He gestured to the armchair opposite his own with a measured wave of his hand.
Carina simply nodded, book tucked under her arm, and slumped down, not bothering with any sort of forced etiquette.
They read in silence for a while, the only sound being their relaxed breathing, the brushing of paper as they turned a page of their books and the distant singing of birds as they nested on the cliffs. The quiet was broken however, when Alphard marked his page and closed his book, the little thump drawing Carina’s attention.
“You’ve heard the rumours I assume.” He said, causing Carina to quirk an eyebrow.
“About—”
“Yes.” He sighed, interrupting, rubbing a weathered palm over his face. His hair was speckled with grey and silver, more than Carina remembered from before.
“It’s true, isn’t it?” She asked, closing her own book.
“I believe so.” He nodded his head, standing. “There are some things I need to tell you.”
“Alright.” Carina said, placing her book on the table next to the chair she was sitting in. She stretched before standing, following her Uncle to the kitchen.
“First of all, I should probably tell you something about your father.” Alphard grimaced at the mention of his late nephew.
“If this is about him being a death eater during the war, I already know that.” Carina sighed, tracing a groove in the table with her finger.
“Yes, well, he was in a very precarious position.” Alphard blinked a couple times, a bit surprised she already knew.
“It’s okay, I don’t think he was necessarily a bad person, I’ve lived with his mother.” Carina joked, causing her uncle to let out a scoff.
“There’s a couple other things you should also know.” Alphard hedged, taking a seat at the table and gesturing for Carina to do the same. “Your father had a brother, you might’ve heard of him.”
“Sirius Black. The mass murderer.”
“Yes. Well, it turns out that he was innocent after all. A whole debacle with a rat and, well, it’s a rather long story and I don’t know all the details. But you should know, he’s completely innocent.”
“Well, that’s good to know.” Carina said, shifting awkwardly in her seat. A weight she didn’t even realise was there seemed to ease in her chest with the knowledge she had one less evil family member. Her curiosity was also piqued by the promise of a good story, however the idea of an innocent man spending so long in Azkaban made a chill travel up her spine.
“Never really did believe he was a death eater.” Alphard murmured, rubbing his chin. “Anyway, there’s one other thing I need to tell you. During the last war there was a group of Witches and Wizards who fought back against the death eaters. The Order of the Phoenix. They’re reassembling and Dumbledore has asked me to rejoin. I’ve accepted and will be doing some dangerous work.”
“You’ll be alright though, right?” Carina asked, interrupting before he could quite finish his point.
“I’ll be fine, it’s you I’m worried about.” Alphard smiled, patting her hand gently. “I don’t want you to be in any danger, and so I’ve spoken to Dumbledore and he has said that you can stay at Headquarters until school starts.”
“Headquarters? Where’s that?” She cocked her head, pushing back the information about Sirius Black to go over again later.
“Well, I suppose that’s one more thing to talk to you about. It’s your Grandmother’s house.” Alphard told her, watching as she tried to process that information. “I know it’ll be uncomfortable going back there, but it’s the safest place they could find. And technically it was inherited by Sirius, he’s given permission.”
“I mean, that’s fine. As long as I don't have to sleep in my old room.” She shrugged, not wanting to have to go back to the room she ended up locked in a lot when she was younger. “Do you think I might be able to stay in my Dad’s old bedroom?” She asked, tone laced with excitement.
“I don’t see why not.” He replied, tilting his head. “I’m sure Sirius would be fine with that.
“Will he be there?” She questioned, not quite sure she knew what answer she hoped for.
“Yes.” Alphard nodded, “We’ll head over there tomorrow so you should probably pack soon and get an early night.”
“Okay.” Carina nodded, standing up from the table and tucking her chair back in. “Well, see you tomorrow.”
She padded upstairs, mind whirling from their conversation. She hoped things would feel clearer in the morning, but before she could sleep she had to pack for the rest of the summer. Grabbing a trunk and opening it on her bed, she filled it with clothes and books (mainly books). Once it was full she closed it and lugged it off the bed so she could sleep.