Power ▸ Ron Weasley [1]

XXIX. SECRET WEAPON

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE:

SECRET WEAPON

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      Nova had done plenty stupid things in her life, but breaking into Umbridge's office so Harry could talk to Sirius Black had to be at the top of the metaphorical list. She was currently standing guard with Hermione as they waited for Harry. They were anxiously waiting in Umbridge's office for Harry to get whatever information he needed to assure himself that Sirius was okay. 

      "Are you alright, Nova?" Hermione asked quietly, reaching out her hand as if she were going to place it on Nova's shoulder but then retreating quickly. When Nova looked at her, Hermione had tears in her eyes. "Oh, I should have listened to Ron. Asking you to see into Voldemort's mind was incredibly reckless. It's my fault you're not feeling well."

      Nova shook her head, her lips in a thin line. "I didn't try to look into Voldemort's mind." When Hermione gave her a confused look, Nova sighed. "I tried to look into my father's. There was nothing there I didn't already live through. He was cold and cruel when it came to teaching Theo and I Occlumency. He wouldn't let us eat, sleep, or do anything else until we got it right. It took Theo about twelve hours of continuous pain. Breaking into someone's thought processes and altering what they think and what they dream is like breaking open a part of your brain. It took me two days." When she was younger, she used to praise Theo's ability to learn Occlumency so quickly. Now, she knew it was because emotions had to be put on the back burner, and maybe she'd always known she'd never truly be able to do that. 

      "Ron's told me a little about your father," Hermione said softly, as if she knew bringing it up would trigger some kind of unknown reaction in Nova. Outwardly, Nova didn't let anything slip except for the small curling of her lip in a scowl. "He's..."

      "Evil," Nova supplied, her voice cold and calculated. "It took me much too long to realize what he truly was. Muggles have psych...psychilo...psychilogy?"

      "Psychology," Hermione supplied.

      "Right. Muggles have psychology books on what that kind of abuse does to a child. I never knew that it was what he was doing before I visited a Muggle library over winter break. I never understood that what he was doing wasn't normal for other parents. When I saw how Ron talked about Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley... it never registered that that was how parents were supposed to be." The look on Hermione's face suggested pity, but Nova shook her head. "Don't feel bad for me. That's why I joined the D.A. To do something about it. To protect Theo from any more of that harm. Ron thinks he's too far gone." Nova shrugged helplessly. "But I owe it to him to try. I never knew all the ways he shielded me from our father until Blaise mentioned something about just how much Theo had taken over the years." Nova sighed. "I hated that Blaise knew and I didn't."