for the one i love ; fred weasley

chapter 22

tw: may increase anxiety.

NARRATOR'S POV

After dinner, Carina and Draco walk upstairs, glancing at each other sneakily before entering their respective rooms. Instantly, Carina starts packing a bag, trying her best to keep it light and easy to carry, in case the Weasley's send them on their way. Honestly, she doesn't know what to expect, not from George - even less so from Fred.

Thinking back on Christmas, she remembers Molly telling her she looked like her father. Evidently, now she knows the woman meant Sirius and not Lucius, which only makes her heart grow warmer as she shoves more clothes into the bag. Still, there's no way Molly knew Sirius was innocent, so she was being nice to Carina all this time because of her friendship with Remus... However it might've been, Carina makes it a point in her head to thank her for everything, no matter the outcome.

The moon is high up, and Carina glances at the clock on the wall one last time before grabbing her small bag and swinging it over her shoulder. When she notices the clock strikes three AM, she opens the door slowly, not wanting to be heard. Carina peers around it, noticing Draco is already out of his room. Quietly, she follows suit, shutting the door without making any noise.

Without the need for words, the two siblings begin walking towards the fireplace, holding hands. This hand holding, Nina notes, means more than it leads on. They are stronger together and they won't be any good apart from each other, they need to lean into the other for support. Like they've always done. Carina can't help but think about everything she's gone through. And in all honesty, she'd do it all again if it meant she got to have Draco for a brother.

The pair try to be as subtle as possible, not wanting to wake any of the paintings. If one of them were to wake up, then, there's no telling as to what would happen to them... Draco squeezes her hand to make her stop when he sees one of the portraits is actually awake, staring down at them, eyes dark, a small, knowing smirk on its face. Carina gulps inaudibly, wand in her hand, opening her mouth to cast a silencing spell at it but - "DESERTERS!" The other portraits wake instantly, and begin shouting for Lucius. "TRAITORS!" They bellow at the top of their lungs.

Hastily, Draco pulls Carina towards the Drawing Room, where the fireplace lays. She feels her heart in her throat as they finally arrive, and she goes to open up the Network, which usually remains closed for safety reasons. "It's stuck," Carina hisses, pulling on the lever. Draco curses under his breath, also beginning to pull on it, trying as hard as he can to get it to open. It's futile, the lever doesn't budge under them.

"Amusing," comes Lucius' voice from behind them, prompting them to turn around. The green eyed girl puts her arm in front of Draco without thinking about it twice. "I charmed those right after we learned  that Sirius had escaped from Azkaban. You must think I'm a fool... Just what do you think you're doing?" Asks the platinum haired man, raising an eyebrow at his son and his sister.

Gathering her courage, Carina raises her chin, fingers tightening around her wand reflexively. "We're leaving. I...I'm done, father. I can't..." Carina's breath hitches when she realises what she's doing and how badly this could end. Still, she shakes her head, blinking back tears furiously. "I am so done and I... We're leaving. You need to let us go."

"Do I? Well, then." And Lucius' tone is so light - his acting so believable - that for a split second Carina wavers. "I guess I don't have much of a choice then, hmm?" Carina blinks, perking up, not believing a single word that comes out of his mouth. "You really think I would hurt my child? I would never do anything that would harm Draco... He is the thing I love the most in this world," to that, she can relate to. Carina's eyes narrow, and her wand lowers, just a little.