Moon Dust | Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 11: The Full Moon

A few weeks had slipped by and soon the full moon was upon them again.

The first one since Christmas.

Nova preferred the full moon at Christmas because she'd been at home, in her own bedroom. She'd almost managed to stay in control as well. If it hadn't been for the pained howl in the woods, Nova probably wouldn't have scratched up her white rug trying to get to her father.

Back at Hogwarts, it was always worse, just the mere thought of her father being trapped in that horrible shack alone clawed at Nova's heart.

"If we just padlock the bedroom door, then maybe I can just stay in the next- "

"No," Remus interrupted firmly, they were in his office. It was mid-way through the day and Nova had already started to feel restless, so she'd wanted to escape for a while.

She twisted around in his desk chair and brushed her fingers across the armrests, stopping when she noticed scratch marks in the leather.

Remus was shifting through a drawer, doing what exactly? Nova didn't know, he wouldn't tell her. But his office was a mess, full of old newspapers and photographs and books. It was a frantic investigation, one that Nova didn't press on, as it was probably to do with Sirius Black.

And when it came to Black, Remus was always deadly quiet, so Nova knew it was no use.

"A silver lock maybe? the wolf couldn't break through that, surely. Then I can be in the next room and you don't have to be alone- "

The drawer slammed closed and Lupin turned to face his daughter with his arms crossed, "No, it's too dangerous, you know that."

Nova frowned and started to pick at the leather armrest; it was already shredding anyway.

"I don't think you'd hurt me... when you're... when it's the wolf he's always calling for me like he's looking for me," she tried, and it was true. Whenever she was close enough to hear the wolf on a full moon, it was always calling out to her desperately, howling madly to get close to her. She couldn't understand it, of course, but something inside of her just understood, she knew that it was her it was calling out to.

Remus closed his eyes and placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose, "we don't know that for sure, I won't risk it... you'll go to the dungeons, the left side away from anyone like normal, okay, don't follow me."

Nova pulled at the strips of leather under her fingers and exhaled, ready to put up a fight, but he put his hand up sternly, "don't follow me, I'll know. I have the map, remember."

She slumped into the seat at that and frowned, a light shade of aqua fading into her irises. Remus let out a calming breath and then stepped closer to his daughter, kneeling in front of her and placing his arm on top of hers.

"I know you just want to be there for me, I appreciate it sweetheart I really do... but the best thing you could do for me is to be safe. I can't relax unless I know that you are okay... that's probably why the wolf gets restless, it can't see you so it can't know if you're okay... but I'll know and I'll take the potion and then I'll still know that you're safe," he said in a quiet tone.

Nova glanced up at him and let out a sad breath. "You don't like being alone, when you change you hurt yourself because you're alone... maybe you wouldn't if I were there and this month we have the potion so it's better... I just want to be with you," she croaked.

Remus wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she buried herself into his chest, trying hard not to cry even though the tears were already filling up her eyes.

"I know you do, but the potion doesn't always work... it's better this way, safer and you'll see me in the morning like you always do," he whispered as he rubbed her back softly.