Control ▸ Ron Weasley [2]

VII. SHIFTING FOCUS

CHAPTER SEVEN:
SHIFTING FOCUS
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      Nova didn't know why she had been summoned to Dumbledore's office. All she knew was that she was sitting next to Daphne in the Great Hall, enjoying a round of breakfast when Snape had come up behind her and requested she follow him to the Headmaster's office. Since Nova hadn't done anything unreasonable (unless yelling at Weasley counted) since she'd gotten to Hogwarts, she figured she wasn't in trouble for anything. Still, being summoned to his office didn't feel pleasant, no matter how many times she told herself she didn't need to worry.

      The walk with Snape was silent, which Nova was eternally grateful for. She was pretty sure if he even tried to speak to her or even look in her direction, she might jinx him. And then she would be sent to Dumbledore's office for an entirely different reason.

      Snape mentioned the password ("sherbet lemon," which made Nova want to laugh) and the giant bird twisted around, ornate in its golden shine. As the stairs appeared, Snape was the first to take the steps leading up to the Headmaster's office, expecting Nova to follow behind him without complaint. Her steps were considerably quieter than her professors as she walked in his shadow, her eyes taking in the familiar office when they reached the top of the staircase.

      It hadn't changed since she'd been in there at the end of the last term, when Dumbledore had shared her mother's memories with her. Being in there now felt cold and hollow, like someone had scooped out a piece of her soul and left it on the steps to be trudged upon. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, scribbling something onto a parchment. Nova noticed that his hand was blackened and wrinkled, like someone had held it over a fire and gotten it too close to the flames. She wanted to ask what had happened, but didn't even know why she was in the room in the first place. Halfway between respecting Dumbledore and waiting with patience and wanting to demand him to tell her why she was here, she waited.

      "Miss Nott," Dumbledore said softly when she stepped in front of his desk. She noticed Snape didn't leave and wondered if Dumbledore would ask him to, should she request it. "How are you faring this year?"

      She raised a brow. "My father is in Azkaban and has forbidden my brother from talking to me at school."

      He grimaced. "Ah, yes. Theodore. I recall you coming into my office last year and asking for my advice, yes?"

      Nova remembered coming into his office, asking for advice, and getting told absolutely nothing of value that would help Theo. And then he had gone and gotten the Dark Mark anyway. "Yes," Nova said cautiously. 

      "Are you still willing to help protect Theodore? And perhaps Draco Malfoy?"

      It shouldn't have surprised Nova that Dumbledore knew about Draco, but it did. She kept her face carefully stoic, though she wanted to gasp because how the bloody hell did he know? "I'm not sure I know what you mean, Headmaster."