Dirty Mouth, Dirty Blood [h.g]

forty

40

Then

"Leave." Theo stated plainly, and Carina clutched at her hair, pulling the ends taut.

"I can't. It's not that simple." Carina said softly, and Theo leaned back next to her.

"Explain it then. I understand you wouldn't have a place to go, but Sirius Black did it. And besides, we'll be out of Hogwarts soon enough. Leave."

"My heart is torn between the need for stability and the urge to run." Carina admitted, and Theo nodded his understanding.

"As soon as we're out of Hogwarts, I'm running. Not sure where to yet, but you won't be seeing me around." Theo told her with a soft smile.

"That's the thing though, Nottie. I want out now."

Theo looked down sadly. "I don't doubt that you'll find a way. You always do."

"When I'm gone," Carina said carefully, "don't spend too much time missing me. We'll find each other again, we always do."

Theo looked up, curiosity tainting his face. "You already have a plan, don't you?"

"I have the beginnings of one."

Now

"Hey, Weasel?" Carina asked, and Ron resignedly turned towards her.

"Yes?"

"You've been in the real world. Any pressing matters you need to tell us about?"

"Actually," Ron noted, "there is one thing. The placed a tracker on You-Know-Who's name, that's how we were found that one time, at Tottenham Court Road. Just make sure you don't say the V-word, and you'll be good."

"Alright, Ronald," Carina nodded, walking away. Her expression of thanks was using his given name, though whether he picked up on it or not she couldn't tell.

///

"So let me get this straight," Carina said exasperatedly, "you've decided we need to go see Xenophilius Lovegood because you found a symbol in a book. Wow, I'm impressed, really. Flawless logic."

"Harry saw it on him at Bill and Fleur's wedding!" Hermione protested, and Harry nodded quickly behind her.

Carina sighed, relenting. After all, it wasn't like they had any other leads. "Let's go."

The four arrived at the tower where the Lovegoods lived in a haze, stumbling upon landing. Carina was tired, too tired, and she felt the effects of sleep deprivation consuming her. She couldn't think straight, clutching onto Hermione for dear life.

The Quibbler, the newspaper Xenophilius ran, was consistently pro-Harry, and Carina was praying for a real night of sleep.

Harry knocked on the door, and Xenophilius opened the door timidly.

"Hello," Hermione said breathlessly, "can we come in? We need your help."

Xenophilius looked around nervously. "Well, I'd love to, but you see, you're on the run, and, uh, I'm not sure it'd be wise to—"

Ron rolled his eyes, stepping forward slightly. "You keep saying in your newspaper that people should be helping us, helping Harry, yet as soon as we show up you try to get rid of us? You hypocrite!"

Carina pursed her lips, admiring the red head's fire. She was starting to figure out why he was kept around so long.

"Yes, yes, I guess you're right," Xenophilius said warily, "well, come in then."

The four entred the house, sitting at the table.

"I'll just... I'll go call Luna," Xenophilius said awkwardly, "she's out... fishing, you see, erm, and I'll make you some tea."

Harry nodded thankfully, the four watching Xenophilius' retreating back.

"I don't like it," Carina stated after a moment of pause. "I'm not sure what, but something is off here."

"I agree," Hermione said after a moment, "but we need to know what the symbol means. Let's just wait it out."

Carina nodded begrudgingly after a moment, looking up under her lashes when Xenophilius reentered the room. He set a cup of tea in front of each, a bitter herbal taste emerging immediately. Foregoing all politeness, Carina set it down after one sip, pushing it as far away from her body as she could.

"So, Mr. Lovegood," Hermione started politely, "could you tell us what this symbol means?" She placed the triangle-like object in front of him, noticing the realization that dawned on him.

"That, Miss Granger, is the Deathly Hallows."

The Golden Trio seemed baffled by this statement, while Carina nodded in understanding. The tale of the Three Brothers had been a popular one when Carina was younger. She hadn't recognized the symbol upon sight, as it had been so long since she had read about it, but she chided herself anyways for not realizing the nagging feeling of remembrance in the back of her mind.

As Xenophilius started explaining the story to the three Gryffindors, Carina excused herself, feigning going to the restroom.

Carina strode down the hall, passing the bathroom and heading into Luna's room.

She wasn't entirely sure what she had expected to find, but a completely lonely room definitely wasn't it.

Carina warily entred. Sure, she had always seen Luna as eccentric, but the room looked like it hadn't been used in weeks. It was almost scarily clean.

She looked up, seeing a mural on the ceiling of Luna, surrounded by her friends. Golden chains surrounded them, 'friends' repeated over and over. It was sweet, yes, but Carina had never been one for sentiment. She just found it sad.

She found a picture of a lady whom she could only assume was Luna's mother sitting on her beside table, covered with a thin layer of dust.

"Fuck," Carina whispered. Luna wasn't home; she hadn't been for a while now.

They were in grave danger.