Hermione Jean Granger woke up the morning of September 19th to her best friend blasting music. It wasn't calm music either, nor was it something she would typically listen to. Despite popular belief, Hermione did not listen to classical music. Instead, she found herself listening to ABBA. However, that was beside the point.
Instead of waking up to the glorious sound of her alarm, Hermione woke up to Highway to Hell by ACDC blasting only inches away from her ear. Hermione sat up in the bed, glaring at her friend beside her.
"'Morning, 'Mione!" Nova said cheerily. Hermione narrowed her eyes, Nova was never up before her.
Hermione's warm brown eyes scanned the red and gold Gryffindor dorm room. Lavender and Pavarti were not in their room. As Hermione looked out the window, she saw the sun high in the light blue sky, signaling it was late morning or early afternoon.
"Merlin's beard!" Hermione screamed, jumping up from her bed. "I'll miss all my classes! How did I sleep through my alarm?"
"You didn't," Nova said, examining the gold nail polish on her nails. "I turned it off."
"You did what?" Hermione demanded, her left eye twitching.
"I. Turned. It. Off." Nova said slowly. "It's Sunday, and I was tired. I didn't feel like hearing it so I turned it off."
"That still doesn't make sense. I wake up two minutes before my alarm, no matter how tired I am," Hermione pondered.
"Two possibilities. One, I drugged you. Two, you overworked yourself. Meaning your exhaustion caught up with ya," Nova said, pretending to read one of Hermione's textbooks.
"That's preposterous!" Hermione stated, snatching the book Nova was reading and stuffing it into her bag with the others. "I have been getting the recommended amount of sleep every night."
"You know it's Sunday, right? There are no classes," Nova stated, raising a single eyebrow. Hermione ignored her, checking to make sure she had everything.
"The only other possibility was if someone slipped a potion into my drink," Hermione thought aloud, turning to Nova. "You handed me my tea last night..."
"How bizarre." Nova shrugged innocently, fixing her leather jacket. Nova's typical weekend apparel consisted of black ripped skinny jeans, black converses, whatever shirt she found first, and her leather jacket that was over the grey hoodie Nova stole from Harry last week.
"Did you-" Hermione began to ask.
"Did I what?" Nova asked.
"Did you put a sleeping potion in my tea last night?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes into slits.
"No," Nova said.
It was silent for a moment.
"I drugged you," Nova stated bluntly, pocketing her iPod and headphones.
"You what?" Hermione screeched.
"I. Drugged. You." Nova repeated slowly.
"I heard you!" Hermione yelled.
"Don't worry, it wasn't a roofie or anything. It was just melatonin." Nova informed. "It's a sleep hormone. Shouldn't you know this? You were a muggle for eleven years of your life."
"I know what it is!" Hermione seethed. "Nova, I have classes today!"
"It's. Sunday. Sunday. Means. No. Classes." Nova said slowly, hoping her friend would catch on.
"So? I can use this day to study," Hermione stated in an obvious tone.
"Hermione, what's today's date?" Nova asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, yesterday was the eighteenth. That would make today the nineteenth. Today's September nineteenth." Hermione answered, not catching the hint.
"What very important event happened today? What event took place fourteen years ago that had it not happened, everyone's lives would either be nonexistent or very boring?" Nova asked.
"Nova. You were born in June. Stop. We all love you, but you aren't born in September, I am..." Hermione said trailing off.
Hermione's bags dropped, all her books spilling from her bag.
"It's my birthday today!" Hermione yelled.
"I know. That's why I made you sleep in. This way, you don't have ugly dark bags under your eyes for your fourteenth birthday." Nova stated, rolling her eyes.
"What about the dark circles under your eyes, Nox?" Hermione asked softly. "Your concealer isn't hiding them as much anymore."
"I don't know what you're talking about. Anyways, let's meet with Harry and Ron," Nova said.
"Merlin! They could be dead for all we know!" Hermione joked.
"We should give them the benefit of the doubt. They survived this far." Nova said.
"But how far would they have gotten without us?" Hermione asked, quirking her eyebrow.
"They would've....." Nova trailed off. "Won chess..."
Hermione and Nova starred at each other for a silent moment before their laughter could be heard from the Common Room.
***
Harry, Nova, Hermione, and the Weasleys (minus Percy) sat around a tree by the Black Lake. Laughter fell from the mouths of the group as they watched Fred and George impersonate Draco Malfoy.
"My father will here about this!" Fred mocked in a snobbish voice.
"My name is Draco Malfoy and I think I'm better than everyone else because my father has money and I spend it all on hair gel," George teased.
"It's killed meh! It's killed me!" Nova wailed.
"Trainin for the ballet, Pottahhhhh?" Ron mocked, as Harry dance around. It's safe to say, he was not a ballerina.
"Do you like my new broom? My father got it for me, ya see. He knew it would be the only thing I can ever ride," Nova mocked. Only Fred and George seemed to catch the couple meaning of the joke, seeing as they were red faced and rolling in the grass from laughed.
"Let me eat this green apple-" George started.
"It be the only thing I will eat." Fred finished. Nova, Fred, and George were now in hysterics much to the confusion of the rest of the group.
"Anorexia is no joke," Hermione said hotly. The three sobered faster than Snape running away from a shampoo bottle.
"Granger, that's not what we were talking about," Fred said, trying to stop himself from laughing. Nova and George raised their eyebrows suggestively, hinting to what the joke was about.
"Oh..." Hermione said. Her confusion faded off her face. It was soon replaced by a look of understanding.
"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Hermione called, finally getting the inappropriate joke. Hermione's face contorted into one of discust. Her voice mocked her face as she continued. "Oh!"
"I don't get it." Ron said. Harry and Ginny nodded in agreement.
"Be thankful you don't," Hermione grimanced.
"Anyways!" Nova yelled, changing the subject. "Presents!"
"I got presents?" Hermione asked. When she caught sight of the small stack, her eyes widened. "You guys didn't have to."
"Hermione. We love you." Harry said. "Of course we got you presents."
"Now. Shut up and accept your gifts." Nova instructed.
After laughter and few tears shed, Hermione was done opening her presents. From Ron, Hermione had received sweets. Fred and George had given her a knew quill and ink. What she didn't know, the ink would disappear after some time. Ginny had given Hermione a book on charms. Harry had given her a new bag for her books, seeing as her bag was close to ripping. Nova gifted Hermione with a book on jixes, and a copy of Alice in Wonderland.
Everyone began to head back to the tower. Nova, however, stayed, watching the sun set. She watched the blue slowly melt out of the sky.
"Watcha doing, love?" Harry asked, appearing beside Nova.
"Pretending I'm one of those actors in muggle movies. All you have to do is gaze endlessly into the sun set, and look hot while posing for the cameras. And let's be honest, it's not hard for me. I have always been this hot," Nova said cockily. Harry let out a breathy chuckle. The wind ruffled his already messy raven hair. "Also, I'm being an angsty, angry, and sassy teenager. Figured it would match my aesthetic."
"Sounds fun, I'll join you." Harry announced as he sat down. Nova who was still standing gazed down at him.
"I can get used to this. Being taller than you." Nova said with a smirk.
"Yeah, you might never get to again," Harry replied cheekily, before patting the spot beside him.
"I'm not a dog ya know," Nova laughed as she sat beside Harry.
"But you sat anyways," Harry stated the obvious, raising an eyebrow. Nova stuck her tongue out at him before resting her head on his shoulder. Harry's forest green eyes studied her. Her honey eyes were closed as the breeze slightly messed Nova's hair up making it perfectly messy.
"Is that my hoodie, love?" Harry asked, draping his arm around her shoulders.
"Maybe," Nova answered.
"Is that the one that you said grew legs and walked away?" Harry asked again.
"Yes. And the hoodie did grow legs. It just happened that the legs it grew were mine." Nova replied giving Harry a cheeky smile.
"I'm never getting that back, am I?" Harry asked.
"No, sir," Nova laughed.
There was a comfortable silence that surrounded them, both gazing at the horizon as the sun slowly melted away.
"Harry?" Nova asked.
"Yes, Nox?" Harry questioned.
"You're my best friend, ya know?" Nova asked. Harry nodded slightly, confused about the direction this conversation was heading. "I will always be there for you. You're kinda stuck with me now."
Harry laughed.
"Especially with my father out to kill ya. He'll have to kill me first. That's gonna be hard. I'm too stubborn to kill. Plus, who would want to kill this beautiful face?" Nova mocked. "Anyways, I'll always be there for you. Even if you are a cheeky git."
"I'm a cheeky git?" Harry asked with a teasing smile on his face. Nova knew what that smile meant. Slowly, she backed away.
Both thirteen year olds were now standing. Harry wiggled his hands in the air, signalling he was going to attack.
"Now, now, Harold," Nova said nervously. "We can talk this out."
There was one thing no one other than Harry knew. Nova was extremely ticklish.
"I think we are beyond that point, love," Harry took a step closer. Nova spun on her heel, and ran away laughing.
Harry followed. Normally, his Quidditch body would give him an advantage. Not now. Especially since Nova also plays Quidditch.
After five minutes of laughter and running, Harry finally caught Nova, and threw her over his shoulder.
"Harold! Put me down!" Nova said laughing.
"Why would I do that?" Harry asked.
"Because I asked nicely?" Nova asked.
"Nah. I'm good. Plus, I like the view," Harry said cheekily. Nova could hear the smirk on his lips. Despite being scarlet red with blush, Nova flirted back.
"Your view as nothing on mine, darlin," Nova flirted. It was Harry's turn to flush a deep red.
A bark sounded to Nova's right.
"Snuffles!" Nova announced.
"What?" Harry asked confused.
"Snuffles! The dog!" Nova said again excitedly. "Harry, put me down."
"Ok..." Harry said trailing off as he set Nova back on her feet.
Sure enough, ten paces away sat a shaggy black dog. His grey eyes seemed as if they were calculating everything Harry did.
"Snuffles!" Nova called again. The black dog turned to her with a dopey smile upon its face.
"Love, did you smuggle a dog to Hogwarts?" Harry asked. The dog's head snapped back to Harry. Although it's eyes were studying everything he did as if he had done something wrong, his eyes were filled with sadness.
Snuffles gazed up at the boy that looked so much like his father, James. Snuffles knew James personally. They were practically brothers.
"Of course not, Harold. Don't be silly," Nova said, kneeling down to face Snuffles.
"My name isn't even Harold!" Harry protested, joining Nova.
"Whatever ya say, Darlin." Nova rolled her eyes.
Harry fake glared at Nova, but turned his attention back to the frightening dog before him.
"Snuffles, this is Boy Wonder himself, the one I told you about. Harry, this is Snuffles." Nova informed. Harry felt as if the dog was scrutinizing him. "I found him in the woods, and named him Snuffles."
"Let me get this straight." Harry began. "You met a big black dog in the woods, and named him Snuffles. Then you told said dog about me?"
"Don't flatter yourself, Harold," Nova sassed. "Snuffles heard about everyone else too."
"I thought you liked cats!" Harry exclaimed. Snuffles glowered at Harry's statement.
"I'm a dog person. I only like my cat." Nova informed. The dog in front of the duo gave her a proud look...if a dog could give one of those.
"Nova...." Harry trailed off watching as Nova scratched the dog behind his ears. "Your dog is glaring at me..."
"Don't be silly, Darlin," Nova began, rolling her eyes. "Dogs can't glare."
However, Harry was right. Snuffles was infact glaring at Harry. Despite loving Harry, Snuffles would siriusly (pun intended) injure him if he hurt his daughter.
Meanwhile, in heaven James Fleamont Potter was having a celebration.
"Hell yeah!" James yelled, watching the scene play out. "Padfoot!"
"James, sit down," Lily ordered.
"But, Lilyflower," James began to whine. "It's Padfoot!"
"I am aware that the dog is Sirius. Now, sit your arse down," Lily replied.
***
Two weeks later, Remus Lupin sat in Dumbledore's office, trying to contain his anger. Faux the phoenix was perched on her stand. Dumbledore's calculating electric blue eyes studied the man before him. Nearly fifteen years ago, he was a student at this school.
"I assume you have some questions," Dumbledore said.
"Of course I have questions," Remus said, seething. He tried not to explode while looking at the old man.
"Then ask away, Remus," Dumbledore stated.
"Nova Black. Her father is Sirius, correct?" Lupin asked. His honey eyes that were uncanningly similar to Nova's studied the man before him. A man Remus looked up to for many years.
"That would be correct, Remus." Dumbledore stated timidly. It was Dumbledore's calm attitude that was making Remus angrier by the second.
"Is she my daughter?" Remus asked, tears of red hot anger began to fill his eyes.
"Yes."
"Why didn't I know?' Remus yelled getting to his feet.
"Remus, please sit down," McGonagall said softly. Remus hadn't even noticed she entered. "Albus, explain. I would like to know as well."
"Fourteen years ago, a healer at St. Mungos hospital developed a procedure for same sex couples to concieve. By taking two sex cells, and notifying one to fit the opposite sex counterpart. In this case, a female sex cell. These babies were to be born from pure magic. After conception, they would be placed in a machine that acted like a uterus, if the couple were two males. In this case, Nova was placed in the machine where she stayed for nine months." Albus paused, his long silvery white beard moving as he sat forward. "This makes Nova both Remus and Sirius's daughter."
Minerva froze. She knew Nova was Sirius's daughter, but not Remus. Of course she always supported the two, but she hadn't known it to be possible to have a child. She hadn't even known there was a procedure.
"Appearently, the doctor in question was operating without Ministry consent. Therefore, the operation was shut down. Nova was the only child to survive." Albus explained. "The Ministry does not approve of same sex couples. Moreover, Sirius is Nova's only parent in the Ministry's eyes."
Remus looked down ashamed. Minerva seeing this, placed a hand on his shoulder, showing her support.
"On the night Lily and James were murdered, Nova was with them. She was not faced with the killing curse as Harry was. Luckily, James had enough time to hide his goddaughter before he was killed." Albus explained. Tears pulled in both Minerva's and Remus's eyes. "When Sirius arrived at the house, he grabbed both Harry and Nova. Hagrid stopped him from leaving with the two. Harry went to the Dursleys and Nova went to an orphanage."
"Much to my displeasure," McGongall growled.
"But, sir, that doesn't make sense. I would remember my own daughter." Remus began.
"Not if I erased your memory." Albus informed. Minerva looked both shock and hurt. Remus portrayed no emotion.
"Y-you erased my memory?" Remus asked dangerously. "You erased my memories of my daughter and placed her at an orphanage?"
"That would be correct," Dumbledore stated.
"You fucking insane old bat!" Remus roared. "What gave you the fucking right?"
"You know the Ministry would've allowed you to have her under her care," Dumbledore began.
"You sent her to an orphanage! I understand taking my memories away and sending her away. But you sent her to an orphanage! She could've ended up anywhere!" Remus seethed. He had stopped yelling, but his anger did not fade. "She is abused! Can't you see that? She shows the same signs as Sirius! Why didn't you place her with someone we trusted?"
"Albus, I would've taken her in," Minerva stated. "I even offered. Why send her to an orphanage?"
Before Dumbledore could reply a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Dumbledore said.
As the door opened, Remus saw none other than Nova Black.
Author's Note:
Are you a dog or a cat person?
What's your Hogwarts house?