❝You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?❞
❝You should know the answer to that by now, Harry.❞
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Life has always been a bit disorganized for Novana Lupin. With her father's monthly transformations, the girl often found herself in the comp...
❝I know it doesn't fix anything, but would you want some chocolate?❞ ❝Sure, Nova, thank you.❞
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AFTER NOVA'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE BOGGART, Remus eventually found the girl curled up on the couch in her mother's office. The woman tried to soothe her daughter's cries with gentle strokes through her flaming hair while simultaneously conjuring a cup of hot chocolate.
The sight of Nova being in such a state caused his chest to tighten, all because he thought she was ready to tackle such a creature. The guilt of it all weighed heavily on his chest and seized its hold on his limps like a vice. It's as if he lost the ability to stand and quickly dropped to his knees before her as he choked on a solemn apology. He reached up to wipe a stray tear that had voyaged halfway down the middle of Nova's cheek.
The family spent the rest of the time before dinner that night talking more in-depth about Nova and her internal struggles. She explained exactly what she had felt when facing the boggart and opened up about the truth behind her deepest fear. Her parents spent the whole time assuring her that there wasn't a chance it could come to light, that there was no way she'd ever be truly alone.
She had gone to dinner in a much better mood after her time with them.
Once she joined them at the Gryffindor table, her friends, including Neville, Dean, and Seamus, who had witnessed her abrupt exit, showed immense concern for her wellbeing. Her woes seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye as it dawned on her just how much they all cared for her. She was the happiest she had been all day, surrounded by the best of friends she could ask for.
"I'm not quite sure why you're so scared of seein' yourself cry," Seamus commented through a mouthful of roast potatoes shortly after she settled between Harry and Neville. He paused his chewing with a slight tick of his head before shrugging, "Well, lookin' back, I can't say I blame ya. You're a right ugly crier, Novs."
They all held bated breaths at his words, half expecting the girl to be offended but relaxed once she sent the sandy-blond a teasing smirk, "Like you'd be much better against a real banshee, Seams."
Nova proceeded to taunt her friend as she stood from her seat to sluggishly reach towards him from across the table while emitting a haunting, unearthly shriek from her lips by sucking in a breath.
Seamus yelped as he dropped his fork to cover his ears, his eyes squeezed tightly as he shook his head repeatedly, "Merlin, stop that! It's terrifyin' how good you are at makin' that noise!"
Everyone devolved into hysterics at the boy's reaction as Nova flopped back into her seat, leaning against Harry's side for support as she clutched her stomach from laughing so hard.
As Harry chuckled at Nova's theatrics, he realized how hyper-aware he was slowly becoming of how she made him feel. The shake of delight caused by her laughter reverberating from her body to his did nothing to hide the slight tingle he felt when her head subtly fell back into his bicep. It was as if the sparks of her hair were settling across the fabric of his robes, seeping through and burning straight into his veins before igniting his whole being ablaze. Even the constellation of freckles across her nose bridge danced from the slightest scrunch from a pair of tickling hair strands, making the already rapid rhythm of his heart skip a beat.
