A GIRL'S GUIDE TO THE STARS • nova lupin

iii ) lemon sherbet residue

Her, Harry, Ron and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the Hogsmeade Platform and out onto a rough, mud track where at least a hundred stage coaches awaited the remaining students.

Each one was pulled by a magnificent, sleek black, boned horse. Instead of eyes, they had hollowed out holes in each side of their head. Although slightly creepy, Nova found them fascinating. Thestrals. The horse associated with death, although that was slightly dramatic. 

They all got into a carriage, and the horse began to ride off immediately. The interior smelt faintly of dampened straw, but none of them really minded. They all knew where they were headed, and all four of them were just itching to get there.

As the carriage trundled through the starless night, they rode towards a pair of wrought iron gates. Each flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, the wings flexing and batting back and fourth. Two hooded dementors also resided outside of the gates.

Next to her, Harry leant back on the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they were through the gates. Nova's hand found his and she began to trace circles on the inside of his palm; a sign that she was there for him. A silent, but reassuring sign.

This time, Nova helped Harry out of the carriage. They stepped into the crowd of third years and awaited the opening of the doors.

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"  Ah. The drawling, delightful voice of none other than Draco Malfoy.
He elbowed his way past Hermione to block Harry and Nova's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.
"Shove off, Malfoy." Ron said, jaw clenched.
"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" Malfoy said loudly. "Did the scary, old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"Did the dementor frighten the colour from your hair?" Nova asked absent-mindedly.
As Malfoy opened his mouth and stepped forward to retort back at Nova, Remus stepped out of one of the carriages near them.
"Is there a problem?"

Malfoy gave him an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes (which had been sewn by Nova) and the battered suitcase. 
"Oh, no - er - Professor," he said with sarcasm laced around his words. Malfoy then smirked at Crabbe and Goyle, before leading them up the steps to the castle.

Draco Malfoy was a Slytherin in their year who thought he was better than everyone else because he came from a lineage of Purebloods. Nova didn't really like to hate anyone, she thought it was too strong of a word, but she hated Draco Malfoy.

The four of them joined the swarming crowds up the steps, through the giant oak doors and into the entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches and housed magnificent marble staircases.
The door to the Great Hall stood open to the right; Nova followed the crowd towards it, but had barely glimpsed at the enchanted ceiling (which was black and cloudy tonight) when a voice called out;

"Lupin!" McGonagall stood above the herd of students with a stern look on her face. Her sharp eyes were framed with spectacles that sat on the tip of her nose.

McGonagall beckoned Nova over, and the two of them quickly left the entrance hall. They walked through a few corridors before getting to the East wing of the castle. McGonagall motioned for Nova to go through the second pair of large, oak doors, and she did.

The familiar smell of billywig sting slime hit her nose almost instantly. The Hospital Wing wasn't a strange sight to Nova. Madam Pomfrey stopped fussing with her trolley of potions, and instantly warmed at the sight of the girl.