Moon Dust | Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 38: Mirror Mirror

Kings Cross station was as busy as it always was, if not more so. Muggles roamed about on their mundane errands, off to work or school or something or other. While young witches and wizards made their way to platforms 9 and 3/4.

Nova stepped in stride beside Harry, crossing over the station bridge as they moved toward their platform.

A few paces ahead of them, Moody cautiously strolled forward, along with Tonks and a few other Order members who had joined the journey to ensure Harry's safety, given all the rumours and speculation surfacing the wizarding world lately. Of course, the Weasleys and Hermione were also there, trotting ahead with their suitcase trolleys, eager to get on the train.

As Nova watched George rush forward with his trolley, almost knocking Fred off the top of their mountain of trunks, Harry turned to her, leaning close and keeping his voice low. "Like a full wolf? Claws, fur, the lot?"

She nodded her head, chuckling as Mrs Weasley finally caught up to her son's and confiscated the trolley. "Yeah," Nova mused, turning back to Harry. "It would be a bit weird if I turned into a hairless wolf now wouldn't it?"

He shrugged in response. "I don't know, I reckon that would be kinda cool, like a sphynx."

Nova gave him a funny look, giggling at the absurdity of it and he laughed under his breath, holding his hands up. "It would!.. Anyway," he said, pulling his lip to one side curiously. "I've been wondering. Do you remember it all? When you change I mean."

She thought about it for a second, thinking back to her times in the woods, and even in the shrieking shack before then. Even when Nova changed, she still felt like she was present, it wasn't as if something took over her, or possessed her body. It was more like she was dizzy, or in a dream, especially when she was actually a wolf. "Yeah. It's a little fuzzy on the full, because of the moon. It makes it harder to concentrate. But it's pretty much me, it's not like with my father... he hardly ever remembers it... it's more like—"

"Padfoot?" Harry said suddenly, glancing behind himself.

Nova hummed, clutching the tote bag over her shoulder. "Yeah exactly."

"No," Harry said, pointing behind them. "Padfoot." She turned her head, watching as a large black dog cut through the crowd.

Some muggles stepped back, looking fairly concerned, although most didn't seem too bothered. A stray dog roaming through the train station wasn't the most unusual thing to see in London. A few people even stopped to greet him but he swept past them, sticking his tongue out as he moved.

Nova grinned at Harry, both of them quickening their pace as Padfoot scrambled ahead, nodding at them to follow. Flicking his head around at the sudden movements, Moody twisted his lip at the dog. "Are you barking mad? You'll blow the whole operation."

Nymphadora smirked at that, mumbling something under her breath along the lines of, "Barking's one way to describe it," to which Padfoot grumbled lowly, purposely knocking into her shin as he brushed past. The pink-haired woman grinned, snickering as Nova and Harry scrambled past the aurors, following the big black dog into an empty waiting room.

As they rushed inside, closing the door behind them, Sirius grew to full height, turning to face them with a soft grin. "Padfoot!" Nova moved toward him instantly, and he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his side.

When they'd left for the train station, Sirius hadn't been at the house. Nova had gone looking for him before she left, though even her father hadn't known where he'd gone. She'd been quite upset about not getting to say goodbye, but it made sense now why he didn't—and why he didn't say where he was going, Remus definitely would have tried to stop him.