Inglorious Bastards [Theodore Nott]

Chapter Fourteen

The moment Carina stepped foot back at the Goldstein residence was the moment she knew that summer has begun, and she wasted no time in planning what they would be doing for the next few months: camping, start-gazing, the beach, sleepovers, and going to the fashion district at the Muggle malls (which Carina looked forward to). The first week of summer the family of four stayed at home, waiting for Tom to take a day off from work. In those days, Carina and Maisie met up with their Muggle friends – neighbors and former schoolmates when they attended Muggle school. They were all curious as to where Carina and Maisie have transferred schools too, and even teased them to be rich kids who were too good for normal school and would have to go to a fancy boarding school in Scotland.

"It's not that fancy." Carina insisted. "It really is just a school."

"Yes, but it's in Scotland!" A former classmate of Carina's said. "I bet you even drink tea with your pinkies raised."

"Is it true that you're friends with one of the members of the Royal Family?!" Another asked.

"No – we don't drink with our pinkies raised – and no, there's no one from the Royal Family there!" Carina laughed.

"I bet there are a lot of handsome boys there!"

Carina simply laughed. There were a few she would call handsome, she thought.

"And I'm willing to bet that you was classmates with a celebrity!"

Carina was about to open her mouth and object but then she remembered. Harry Potter was a celebrity in their world. Maybe she should indulge their imagination for once. And maybe they would stop when she does.

"There is one celebrity." Carina grinned.

"Who is it?!" They asked.

"Not going to tell – we're told not to say his name." Carina winked at Maisie's way, and the girl giggled.

When Tom's little vacation came, the family packed up and went to the beach. It was a long drive where Charity and Tom – who recently got his driver's license – took turns in driving while the girls played a little game at the back of the car, while Fred the one-eyed cat slept in his cage beside Hester the owl's own. The five-day vacation at the beach was well spent on swimming, sandcastle building, stargazing, and camping. And Carina told every detail to Roman as soon as they got home. Not missing a detail about what they did, and in return, Roman wrote back to her telling about his visit to their relative's home in Scotland, he even sent a photo of his family at their ancestral home there. The rest of the summer was spent at home after the beach as Tom was needed at the Ministry, and the two girls simply found the entertainment of writing to their friends and resuming their dance classes. Yes, the girls have been taking ballet classes since they were four.

Carina had no problem with writing to Roman, Hermione, Ron, and Morgan, but it seems that Harry was a problem. Though they promised to write or to telephone each other, she – and the rest – have not heard from Harry. Not a single reply was made from the letters they have written to him. And this has alarmed them.

"Do you think something bad has happened?" Roman asked. They were talking to each other through the telephone.

"I hope not. But you know how horrible his Aunt and Uncle treat him – and his cousin!" Carina dropped on the couch with the telephone dragged all the way to where she was.

"You know... it would only take about an hour to drive to Surrey from your place."

"What are you planning, Alston?" Carina laid on the couch upside-down.