Moon Dust | Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 43: Rules

The forest air was crisp, it usually was in the mornings. The wind shaking morning dew from the tree leaves, Nova felt it against the side of her body as she sprinted past the trees, her eye level lower than it was at human height. This was the only time she could transform really, early enough that no one else was out. Yeah, these woods were filled of magical and mystical animals, but a teenaged timber wolf, in the middle of Scotland? That would be a little bizarre, even for a school full of wizards.

Behind her Mattheo struggled to keep up. He gripped onto a tree for support, heaving as Nova spun her head around. If she were in human form, she would have giggled.
He'd told his friends that he'd taken up running—which if you knew Mattheo Riddle, you'd know was completely ridiculous. So, naturally, they were a little suspicious. Several times Nova had stood in the courtyard waiting for him, then quickly ducked behind a tree when he came out, Enzo beside him in a sweatband and running shorts, with Mattheo looking utterly defeated.

She stopped, sitting on the grass as she waited for him to catch up. The trees above cascaded beautifully, letting the sunlight sink it through the gaps of green, which, in the autumn air looked a bit more orange-y. Some of the leaves were slowing falling from the sky, landing around Nova's feet. She pushed at them, dipping her nose forward and burying it beneath the pile of crunchy leaves on the ground. It smelt musky, and somewhat sweet, it reminded her of being back home, at her family's cottage, being in the garden with Sirius, tending to the flowers, while her father waved at them through the kitchen window. She buried her head further into the leaves, closing her eyes. She could almost imagine their voices, Padfoot's laugh as Harry swooped his broom a little too low, almost landing in the tulips patch.

With her eyes closed, and her focus elsewhere she almost didn't hear the creeping footsteps behind her, but in her current form, her focus snapped upwards. It was hard to sneak up on a wolf, they always smelt you coming. With a bounce, she spun on the spot, catching eyes with Mattheo, who had a handful of leaves, clearly about to bury her in them. His lips quipped to the side as a small, disappointed breath slipped from his mouth. He'd been caught.

Nova tilted her head to the side, digging her feet into the ground, she lowered slightly, bending her front arms forward before pouncing. With a crumpled sound, Mattheo fell back onto the forest floor and rolled onto his back, the leaves scattering. He rolled his eyes, a breathy laugh falling from his lips as he sat up, brushing a hand through Nova's fur. She let out a short victory whine in response.

"We both believe you by the way," said a soft, dreamy voice from nearby, and Nova's head snapped up. She moved stealthily forward, hiding behind some trees as she listened out once more. Behind her Mattheo sat up, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"That he-who-must-not-be-named is back, and you fought him, and the ministry and the prophet are conspiring against you and Dumbledore." It was Luna Lovegood, Harry's friend from Ginny's year. By what the Ravenclaw girl was saying it wasn't hard to workout who she was talking too. Nova tensed, turning around to Mattheo with what she hoped looked like an alarmed expression. She wasn't supposed to transform while she was at Hogwarts, especially not in the forbidden forest while there were other students around—or worse, her over protective little cousin.

Nova debated her options. From the sound of their voices, Luna and Harry were only a couple metres ahead, blocking their path to Hogwarts. They could go around them of course, but then they'd run the risk of being seen in passing, or falling off track in the forest and getting lost.

Mattheo crept forward and peered between the trees at the younger students, looking back over his shoulder with an awkward expression. Nova debated changing back, but she'd left her backpack with her clothes in over by the courtyard, and there was no way to get to it without going past the other two. She dipped her head downward, letting out a pitiful whine and Mattheo reached down, keeping his focus forward as he stroked the space between her ears.