❝ childish games ❞

The sun dips low over the rolling hills on the grounds of Hogwarts, casting the land in a golden glow. It's all that lights the Quidditch pitch, where the third practice for the Gryffindor team is already taking place despite it only being the fifth official day of the new school year.

Oliver Wood, the team captain, is determined to win the Quidditch Cup in his final year at Hogwarts and has the entire team on a strict practicing schedule. If it wasn't for the fact that the other teams need to practice as well, he would easily force them onto the pitch every day.

Carina, who is always supportive of her friends' passions - unless it's cold outside, sits in the stands to watch. Lee is in the commentator's stand, practicing his jokes for the upcoming season, leaving her alone and with the choice of either doing her homework or conversing with Ron.

Hermione opted to stay inside the common room to write a Transfiguration essay, so the younger boy is alone as well. Carina truly doesn't mind spending time with the younger boy, but he's completely insufferable every time he wins whatever new game he's taught her.

They're currently playing a muggle card game he learned from Harry. It's quite intense and mainly consists of laying the cards down at a rapid pace. Neither entirely understands the rules, but it's something fun for them to do to pass the time.

Carina blinks and Ron's hand is on the deck, declaring victory.

"You blast-ended skank!" She shrieks, loud enough to be heard by all of the players several yards above them in the sky. "You cheated!"

"And that, wizards and witches, is the sound of our Carina Potter losing at yet another children's game," Lee commentates from across the pitch. "I hope your funeral attire is ready because this is the last we'll ever be hearing of Ronald Weasley."

"It was nice knowing you," Fred shouts down to his little brother. "You'll be missed."

"We wish you had more time," George agrees, nearly getting hit with the quaffle Katie Bell tries to pass to him during their team-building exercise. "But if Carina says it's your time to go, then who are we to argue otherwise?"

Ron rolls his eyes at their antics, but his amusement at their joke fades when he glances back to see the still fuming girl.

"You're not really going to kill me, are you?"

"Not if you admit to cheating," she bargains.

"But I didn't!"

"I watched you do it!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Admit it or I'll tell Harry it was you who lost his invisibility cloak for six months," Carina threatens.

"Then I'll tell Percy it was you who enchanted his shampoo to turn his hair green," Ron counters.

"I'll tell my mum you once had a crush on her!"

"Bloody hell, alright." He holds his hands up in defeat. "I cheated. You should have won."

"I can't hear what's going on, but it looks liiiike," Lee hesitates for dramatic effect as the hostility between the duo disappears, drawing out the last word. "Weasley lives to see another day!"

Carina and Ron go back to their card game, and Ron doesn't dare to do anything suspicious. They play until it grows too dark for them to see.

Though Oliver would love to continue practicing for hours more, he brings it to an end as the sun disappears completely for the night. Everyone mutters the lumos charm as the players are finally back on their feet instead of brooms and Carina and Ron leave the Quidditch stands, going their seperate ways to find friends their own ages.

She ducks behind Lee as Oliver passes her, eager to avoid the older boy as he heads to the changing rooms to revise his strategy. Carina doesn't have anything against him, other than the fact that he has tried to recruit her to the team for years. Despite having never actually seen her play, he believes she holds a talent for the sport that may surpass even Harry's, claiming his Quidditch intuition tells him so.

"Oi, Oli! Carina-" The girl smacks her hand over Lee's mouth as Oliver stops in his tracks, waiting for him to finish his sentence. She doesn't plan on moving until Oliver loses interest and walks away, but Lee licks her hand, causing her to shriek and pull away. "Thinks you're doing great as captain this year!"

"Thanks?" He says, though it sounds more like a question.

Lee nearly doubles over in laughter as Oliver disappears from view, hurrying away from Carina as she aims to smack him again. Annoyed, she's fully prepared to go tackle him until something catches her eye.

In her peripheral vision, a shadowy figure that appears oddly similar to the black dog she named hurries to hide back in the Forbidden Forest as people walk past. Carina stops moving and turns, illuminating the area with her wand, only to find the area devoid of any life. With a shrug of her shoulders, she pushes the mystery to the back of her head and hurries to catch up to the players.

She joins Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, two of the girls she shares a dorm with. They're in the midst of a debate and Carina wonder if it's too late to back away.

"He's a murderer!" Angelina whisper shouts, pausing her argument only long enough to greet Carina and drag her into it as well. "You're crazy. Don't you agree, Carina?"

"Okay, and?" Alicia brushes off the accusation without even denying it. "All I'm saying is that out of everyone that could have escaped, I'm glad it was a hot prisoner and not an ugly one. Right, Carina?"

"Let me get this straight." Carina holds up a hand before they can pounce on her to get an answer, bewilderment lacing her voice. "You're asking me if I think a deranged criminal is pretty?"

"Take that judgement out of your tone," she scoffs. "You had a crush on You-Know-Who!"

"Shut up! You did too!"

"You're both unbelievable," Angelina says, struggling to contain her laughter. "I wonder if it's too late for me to find a different dormitory to sleep in."

"Don't act like you've never had a weird crush," Carina teases, shoving her shoulder playfully.

Angelina taps her chin, genuinely considering the statement for a moment. "I suppose Professor Lupin is kind of cute."

"EW!" Both girls gag in unison, earning individual concerned looks from all of the boys walking a few feet ahead of them.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize my weird crush had to be a literal psychopath!"