Carina McGonagall is named after the constellation containing the second brightest star in the sky - and it just so happens one Sirius Black is named after the brightest. They've always had an interesting relationship throughout the years - pranks...
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31st October 1975
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
September and October had rushed by leaving the fifth years with piles of homework and no clue how they had got there.
During the weeks that had passed since Carina initially found out about Remus, she had worked, along with the other 'Marauders', to make life better for him. Unfortunately, a lot of this meant rule breaking.
"I don't know why you want me to come along," Carina said to the boys after they revealed their newest plans. "It's not as if sneaking around is my forte. Hell, I can't even walk down one corridor without tripping over something." "We know that," James said, a mischievous glint in his eyes behind his round glasses. "That's why you're look-out. No one's gonna suspect McGonagall's quiet, Ravenclaw Prefect daughter to be involved in any schemes. That's why it's perfect!"
"I take offence to that!" Carina called after them as they hurried off to their new target destination: the Dungeons. Sighing, Carina took her place as the look-out, just as she was told to, planting her feet exactly where they had left her.
As most fifth years currently had a free period before the Halloween Feast, it wouldn't be hard for her to look inconspicuous. She pulled out a book out of her bag, along with the Marauders' Map. It had taken many, many hours of convincing to get James and Sirius to let her have it, even for one mission but as look-out, they eventually agreed it was probably best she have it (much to Sirius's annoyance).
While Remus distracted Slughorn, the other boys used James's Invisibility Cloak to grab the necessary ingredients for Carina to attempt to brew a Wolfsbane potion. It was a new potion, a very new potion, that had only just been created by one Damocles Belby. Because of this, it was almost experimental in its nature and Carina was quite unsure whether her ability in Potions would be enough due to the sheer complexity of the potion.
"Lily is better at Potions than I am. Why don't you ask her?" she had said to the boys when they had suggested it. "Well other than the fact that she hates most of us for a start, whereas you seem to at least tolerate us all - she isn't really better, is she? Her theoretical work is considered better, but you are far more skilled at practical work, which is what we need," Sirius had told her, looking very relaxed lying on his bed as they discussed it in the Marauders' dorm. "How would you know?" Carina asked quickly, trying to mask her blush. "Well, we may have looked through Slughorn's marks while you were asking about the homework," James said quite bluntly.
Watching the map, Carina realised Lily was just around the corner. She slipped the map into her book and tapped it to turn it off. "Hey, Lils!" Carina said as Lily came around the corner. "I thought you were on a date with that Marshall lad, what's his name... Julian?" "I was, but he went back to his dormitory so I was going to try and find Severus, because Marlene told me you were hanging out with Remus and Peter and... the other boys." Remembering the story she was told to tell if anyone asked why she was there, Carina said: "Well, I'm just waiting for Remus, he's talking to Professor Slughorn now. I don't know where Severus is..."
She trailed off as Severus Snape wandered into view behind Lily. Lily turned around to greet him and they talked. It was always awkward when Severus was around: he seemed to take all of Lily's attention no matter if she had been talking to someone or doing something beforehand and got mad if he didn't have her full focus, leaving Carina standing awkwardly, feeling like a third wheel until he left.
When Remus finally appeared, Carina gave Lily an awkward smile before saying goodbye to her and Severus and leaving with Remus and presumably the other Marauders.
"We got everything," Sirius whispered in her ear. He, James and Peter were all still under the Invisibility Cloak. "What did Snivellus want?" "I dunno, he doesn't talk to me. Only person who matters to him and is worthy of his presence is Lily." James snorted. "Ugh, what does she see in him?" "We can discuss your crush on Lily later, now shut up, I look like a weirdo talking to you idiots while you're invisible."
Once they all got back to the boys' dorm, James, Sirius and Peter ditched the cloak and sat down. "OK, it's going to take me a while to brew this. There's no chance I can finish it before the Feast, so I'll drop the stuff off in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom so that I can get it all brewed in one sitting if I can. Of course, one of you idiots is gonna have to come and help me. Sound good?"
The boys nodded. "Well, you guys should head down to the Feast. I'm going to drop the ingredients off. See you soon."
