Set in BoS universe, AU: Hermione/Carina romance gone wrong, Rosalie/Carina romance upcoming. Don't forget to review!

Carina knew escaping would be good for her. She knew, the minute the war was over, that she would leave and not return; if she did, it would be for good reason, namely to see Luna or her godson. It was simple.

Or, so she'd thought. She had stayed in that camp with the other three teenagers on the run, and the more she saw Hermione and Ron Weasley exchange those longing looks when they thought the other was not paying attention, the more she wanted to go on a rampage. That, or strange the redhead until there wasn't a breath left in his body, until he no longer had attention to give.

Right before the war had ended, after she tortured her cousin Bellatrix Lestrange until her mind turned to mush, stripped her of her magic, and then tore her limb from limb, she caught Ron and Hermione kissing. That had done it. It had only furthered her resolve to leave, and after the battle was over, in the disastrous aftermath of the terrible storm, she had felt the regretful, sorrowful eyes of the brunette following her wherever she went.

Carina had stayed just long enough to help with the cleanup, just long enough to stop by Andromeda's—that's where she was now, in fact.

Needless to say, however, Andromeda Tonks (formerly Black) was not happy with her younger cousin, that much was obvious. The woman stood there with little Teddy Lupin cradled in one arm, the other tapping her wand at her side, sharp eyes watching the teen's every movement.

"So I'm leaving," Carina had just finished explaining. She met the woman's brown eyed gaze with her own gray ones, past the point of caring about the threat the older witch could pose to her now that she was angry. "I won't be back for long. I'll stop by to see Teddy, spend a bit of time with Luna, and then...well, then I'll go back to wherever I decide to go."

"You're leaving because the girl you loved rejected you and made off with a Weasley," deadpanned Andromeda.

"It's not like that."

"Oh?" The woman raised a brow at her.

"It's not." Carina could not help but scowl, and then stuff trembling fingers in her pockets at just the thought of the situation and what she had been through. "Not all of it. I just need to get away from here, from all...this. There's no need to go back for more schooling considering I learned more in the Black Library than I would at Hogwarts, anyway. I can't be here anymore, Andromeda."

"And you think I'm fit to raise a child anymore?" Andromeda scoffed. "I could, of course, and since he's my grandson I love him to pieces and would take care of him, but you're his godmother. You made a promise to my daughter and to Remus to take care of this little boy, and you shall."

"What?" The teen frowned. "I can't—wait, you can't just—"

But it was too late. Andromeda had already shoved the little boy into her arms, and he giggled, hair changing to black as he grabbed a hank of her hair and pulled. Carina absently, though gently, pried his fingers away, ignoring the now gray eyes gazing up at her.

"Andromeda," she said again, desperate. "I can't take him. I would if I thought I were the best option, but—"

"But nothing," her cousin leveled her with a stern glare. "He is your responsibility and while it pains me to let him go, I think he'd do well with you. He'd definitely do you some good—you don't need to be alone, not after everything that's happened to you."

Carina made to clench her fists, but when she realized that she couldn't, gritted her teeth. "I don't know how to care for a baby. Besides, aren't you the least bit worried I'll accidentally hurt him? You know what's wrong with me."

"I know perfectly well what war does to people," the woman said primly, but then softened. "I also know you. Through Sirius, through Remus, through Dora. They all told me much about you, and if there's one thing I realize, it's that no matter how bad you get, you would never hurt this baby. You can control yourself, you can stop yourself before you do something terrible."

"Tell that to the people I killed," darkly, the raven haired girl chuckled. "The ones I tortured. Your sister was one."

"That woman stopped being my sister years ago, and I'd appreciate if you didn't mention it to me again." Andromeda sent her a warning look. "And in case you've forgotten, that woman was also your cousin."

Carina felt Teddy grab at her hair again, and a small hand smacked her jaw; she barely felt it. She glanced down at him, wondering how on earth she'd be able to take care of a baby at all—she was not the maternal type. "Fair enough."

"Do you know where you're going to go?"

"No."

The dark haired woman before her quirked a brow. "In that case, I have a proposition for you. Stay here a week, learn how to take care of Teddy, and figure out where you're going. Then, you can leave."

"I never agreed to take him." The raven haired girl narrowed her eyes.

But she knew just as well as Andromeda did that she would. She would take Teddy Lupin, had already made up her mind on the matter, and would try to do right by him both for his sake, and for his dead parents. He was not by any means the only family she had left, but he was certainly one that she didn't dislike with a passion, such as the Malfoys (never matter that Narcissa had saved Harry's life).

"Oh?"

Carina sighed. "Alright."

Andromeda smiled, for she did not have to ask what she was confirming.

~~~xxx~~~

Carina did indeed stay a week, learning how to properly care for Teddy alongside studying various places in America she wanted to go. She had, rather oddly, settled on a place called Forks in the state of Washington. The name was ridiculous but the town was small, and she was not liable to be recognized easily there. The only stares she was sure to get would be for being new, nothing more, and she was fine with that.

However, on her last day in her cousin's home, after she had said her goodbyes, she did not expect to be accosted by Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood, a truly odd duo to see indeed.

"I'm not doing this," the raven haired girl said the moment she saw Hermione enter the room.

"Carina," pleaded Hermione. "I just came to say goodbye, please."

"Fine." Carina slung her bag (which of course had an undetectable extension charm and featherlight charm on it) over her shoulder and hoisted Teddy higher on her hip. She caught watery brown eyes watching her, and she felt the telltale tremble of her hands begin as she swallowed hard and with forced calm, responded with, "Goodbye."

She brushed by the other girl and out the door, which was where she found Luna standing, a backpack on her back. She knew the girl well enough to know what was happening. "No. Why did you bring her here? You were only supposed to be saying goodbye, not trying to jump at the chance to leave the country! Your dad needs you, not to mention the fact that you need to go back to school!"

"What school?" said Luna, smiling sadly. "It's destroyed, Carina. You haven't progressed past your sixth year, either. Anything I need to know I can study. You don't have to do this alone."

"It's certainly what I'd prefer. You don't need mixed up in this, Luna. You have a life to go back to. Enjoy it. Please."

"I can't. Not without you. You're my best friend—I'm not needed here."

I wish you didn't feel that way. Carina could see, quite clearly, that she had made up her mind, and Luna Lovegood was stubborn.

"Luna…I-" From the corner of her eye she saw Hermione approaching, cautious, and any calm she had been feeling in her friend's presence evaporated as quickly as it had begun. "Hermi—Granger. I said goodbye, now let me be."

She did not like being this close to the brunette, not anymore. It made her feel sick, and everytime she looked at the other girl all she could see was her entwined with Ron Weasley, lips moving in sync.

Carina would not let herself be drug under again.

"I'm sorry," said Hermione softly, edging closer. As she did, the raven haired girl could feel Luna subtly, slowly, slip her hand into hers. "I never meant to hurt you, Carina. I can't help how I feel. Ron...I love him."

Carina flinched. "So you've said." She carefully laced her fingers through Luna's, tightening her grip on Teddy. She hoped he could handle the ride. "I told you I would leave. I can't do this." She lt out a breath, steeling herself. "Goodbye, Hermione."

And then, she, Luna, and Teddy were all spinning on the spot and gone in a second, leaving a stricken Hermione Granger standing in the hall, alone, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

~~~xxx~~~

Carina and Luna landed hard, and Teddy was screaming as they landed in the living room of the home Andromeda had helped her to purchase before she came.

Carina dropped her bag on the floor, Luna doing the same, and she quickly bent and rummaged through it before coming up with a binky. She passed it to the boy and popped it in his mouth, relieved when he quieted and began to suck on it, sated.

"Thank Merlin," she groaned, running her free hand through her hair. "Here, hold him for a bit, I have to fix the house up, then we can talk…"

Carina made quick work setting up as Luna played with Teddy, who had delightedly made his hair blonde but kept his eyes gray; it took her no more than an hour to set the living room and kitchen up, and another as she set up her own bedroom upstairs with a crib for Teddy beside the bed.

When she made it back downstairs, Teddy's blonde curls had turned to black ones instead the moment he saw her, and she sighed when he held out his arms; nevertheless, she took him and sat carefully on the floor across from Luna, leaning against the couch.

The boy in her lap squealed and reached for her hair; Carina paid him no mind for the time being.

"You fixed everything up, then?" inquired Luna softly, watching her with somber silver eyes (the difference between their gray and silver, of course, was that Luna's was bright and Carina's were dark, making the contrast noticeable enough).

"Yes." Carina did not look at her and instead focused her attention on Teddy, who it seemed had deemed her hair good enough to eat and had a lock in his mouth. She grumbled to herself and pulled her hair aside, holding his tiny wrists together with her hand so that she could focus. "Call me selfish, but I don't want you to go, Luna."

"I don't plan on it, either." The blonde's words were firm. "I wanted to come, and I wanted to be with you. We've been separated so long…"

"I know." The older witch was silent for a moment. "I really should be sending you back."

"Probably." Luna scooted closer.

"I shouldn't have drug you along."

"I would have come anyway."

"I should be angry."

"Probably," Luna agreed again, and pressed herself into Carina's side; on instinct, the other girl's arm slid across her friend's shoulders. "But you aren't."

No, she was not. She was actually relieved, as terrible as it sounded, that she was not alone here in this new town with a baby to care for, relieved that she did not have to spend her time away from her only true friend again. Besides, she never could be angry at Luna Lovegood—it was impossible, really. It was something that was just not done.

Besides, she could trust Luna. Luna would not abandon her, or betray her, that much was shown from Malfoy Manor.

"No," the raven haired girl released the squirming Teddy's wrists and hooked her arm securely around him before he could crawl away. "I'm not."

Luna's tilted her head and watched the boy, who still wanted desperately to be released. "How are you feeling about this? A child is a big responsibility, you know."

Carina turned her own head just enough so that she could glance at the blonde, raising a brow. "I know. At least now I've got a live-in babysitter."

Luna laughed lightly. "Of course that's all you'd want me for," she teased.

Carina felt her lips twitch, but then she tugged the younger witch closer. "Of course not." They sat there in relative silence for awhile, Teddy's squeaks and babbling the only real noise otherwise, enjoying the calm they had not been afforded weeks before during the war (or, really, since they were eleven or before). "Luna?"

The blonde hummed in acknowledgement as Teddy gripped her finger and stuck it in his mouth; Carina did not bother making him remove it. Luna was not affected in the slightest.

"I'm glad you're here."

Luna snaked an arm around her waist and pressed closer. "So am I." The hug ended soon enough, however, when the younger witch pulled back and twisted to face her, removing her hand from Teddy's mouth and wiping it on her pants. "I have an idea."

"Yeah?"

"I think we should go to school here."

Carina stared at her. "What?"

"I think we should go to school here," Luna repeated, before shamelessly brandishing some documents out of nowhere. "Actually, I was counting on it, you see."

"Where did you even get those?"

"Andromeda thought if you went to school and, I quote, 'Doesn't sit around on her arse being some loner' that you'd have a better chance at being happier. You know, let you see some normalcy."

Of course she did. Of course that bloody manipulative Slytherin would decide I have to go to school.

"So," the blonde continued. "She filled out some papers. I saw her a day or so after you arrived, you see. I'd planned on coming all along whether you liked it or not. Here, look."

She passed the papers to Carina, who studied them with narrowed eyes.

Name: Black, Carina R

Gender: Female

DOB: 7/27/80

Age: 17

Height: 5'7

Weight: 125

Status: Emancipated

Parents: Black, Sirius O (deceased)

McKinnon, Marlene K (deceased)

She stopped there for a moment, bewildered, and then skimmed the rest of the page which went on to list her remaining living relatives, her custody of her godson/younger cousin, other personal (muggle friendly) information, and how she had went to a place called "Loretto" that was indeed a muggle/squib friendly boarding school where they were from.

It was all strangely accurate save for a few obvious points, and one quick glance at Luna's told her hers said things along the same lines.

"Wait a second," Carina studied her own paper again. "I'm your guardian while we're here?"

"Temporary guardian," came the gentle correction immediately. "My father signed for it. He wasn't very pleased, but he understood and he knows I'll be safe here. Besides, I suppose he feels a bit guilty for what he did to you."

And he should. While I can't fault him for wanting his daughter back, there were other ways; he could have trusted me to bring her back, for Merlin's sake!

The raven haired girl grumbled unintelligibly to herself for a moment, before casting the papers aside and back onto Luna's lap, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling as she let out a breath. "Luna, I didn't agree to any of this."

"I'm sorry." Silver eyes blinked owlishly at her as she peered over with an exasperated groan.

"I don't want to go to muggle school."

"You're not prejudiced, surely?"

There was another groan. "No, I'm not prejudiced. I would just not rather have to go to school again and try to keep up with things that I probably already know."

It was no secret that when she was a child, she had taken to sneaking extra textbooks home to read, lest she miss something important in school during the time in which she may be moved again. She had never quite dropped the habit in Hogwarts, even with all the magic around her and flowing through her veins (Merlin, she felt it everyday and it was amazing and yet terrifying how in tune Blacks were to their magic), and she was thankful that she had not just dropped the muggle subjects all together. She had not wanted to be stupid in the case she returned to the muggle world again, which she had had to every summer (though at least half was spent at the Weasley's) until her father escaped Azkaban and moved to Grimmauld; she had went with him, then.

"It will give you something to occupy yourself with." Luna prodded her.

Carina snorted. "And have to deal with all the nosy muggles of this town?"

"Here, they're called no-majs. Or, no-maj, if you're not going to be plural."

"Odd."

"Possibly." There was a moment of silence. "So you'll come?"

"What about Teddy?" Carina could not very well leave him home alone to fend for himself, nor did she very particularly trust someone with the boy just yet. It was possible, perhaps, she could find someone, but it would be hard for someone without magic to deal with a five-month-old, half werewolf metamorphmagus, whose hair changed colors every few moments depending on his mood or something he saw. She voiced these thoughts to Luna, who frowned briefly. "I can't just obliviate them everytime I come to pick him up, either. Well...I could, but I would only damage their minds after a certain extent of time and turn them into vegetables."

"Perhaps we can take him with us? We can bring him in and reason with whomever is in charge."

Carina had a sudden flash of being in the middle of a class when Teddy would suddenly start to cry, and she would have to take him to the bathroom to quickly change his diaper and then return. She was sure it would happen at the most inopportune of times; it always did, especially during the last week she had spent learning how to care for him. If she sat down, he was suddenly crying. If she tried to sleep, he was suddenly crying. If she even made to sit him down, there he was, crying!

Needless to say, it had been frustrating.

"Maybe." She wracked her brain for a moment, before sighing and reluctantly offering, "I suppose I can put a block on his abilities just for the time we're at school or out somewhere, so that he can't change, and remove it once we get him home."

She did not want to completely strip him of his power until he could understand. That would be a waste of magic and she did find it mildly amusing to watch him change colors.

Luna smiled happily. "It's settled, then. We start tomorrow."

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"WHAT?"

Teddy winced and began to cry, and Carina shot Luna a glare as she scooped up the boy and began to rock him in her arms, though albeit awkwardly at first, until he gradually calmed and resumed his favorite pastime of chewing at her curls.

Luna smiled even wider.

Carina was not amused.