(Thursday) 8th of September 1977 -
BLOODY SLYTHERINS -
The days after their very first prank had been peaceful. Words had spread that some Slytherins students had been attacked. That was the story everyone was gossiping about. But no one knew who had done it or even why. Some talked about a violent aggression, involving hand-to-hand combat and a single ticket to St Mungo's. Others were simply arguing over who could have done it. Some were already targeting the Marauders. But it seemed too obvious. No, somebody else had done it. Plus, nobody had seen anyone there.
"You see? No one is suspecting us! Stop worrying so much. And finish your potatoes. Or I'll eat them." said James to Peter. The young boy was nervously playing with his food, avoiding eye contact with anyone in the Great Hall.
"If my parents come to hear about this, I'm screwed 'til the day I'll die," he muttered as he grabbed a cup of tea handed by Remus. "Thanks. I'll need it when they lock me up in my room."
"Stop being so dramatic. This was nothing compared to what we're gonna do next," affirmed Sirius, his eyes wandering near the Slytherins table. One of them was currently scolding a first-year. The yellow on his clothes confirmed that he was a Hufflepuff. "They'll learn they can't do whatever they want."
Nova was about to agree when he suddenly couldn't breathe.
"I..." he grabbed his throat, his hands already shaking from the lack of oxygen, "I..."
"Nov', you alright?" asked James, his joy fading into worry.
Nova stood up, dark spots already dancing in front of his eyes. He was choking. His vision started to blur and he felt his body fall backward.
"Nova!" he heard someone scream, he wasn't sure who. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. It was as if his soul was being taken away from his own body. Nova felt strong arms grabbing him and then he stopped thinking at all.
There was only the darkness behind his eyelids after that. He did wonder what had happened to him. Who wouldn't? The thinking was too painful; he stopped. He let his body, or his non-body, he wasn't feeling anything at the very moment, float through this nothingness. For once in his life, he could enjoy this lack of thinking, of feeling. He loved it. This total absence of overthinking. He felt... At peace.
Well, that was until he began to feel his body.
From that moment, everything hurt.
"You think he's gonna wake up any soon?" asked a distant voice. His head was hurting, really, really bad. Aside from his throat, of course.
"Pomfrey said 'from any time now, so... From any time now, I suppose."
Someone sighed. "You're really smart, aren't you Pete?"
The ache in his throat, currently in every part of his body, was getting stronger and stronger. All of his body was waking up and Merlin it hurt. He shifted a bit, feeling uncomfortable.
"Look guys, he's waking up!"
Nova opened his eyes and immediately regretted it. Everything was too bright.
"Hiya." God, his voice was all cracked and sounded more like a wine than a real voice. It was so unlike his own.
His four friends were around him, at first he didn't understand. The worry in their eyes, the scent of antibacterial. Then he realized he was in the infirmary. James was the closest to him, his messy hair weirdly unmessy. He handed him what looked like a glass of water. It wasn't.
