Secrets Revealed

Chapter 23

"Finally! I thought the plane would never land!" Nova exclaimed as she stretched after the nineteen hour plane ride.

"Nova, you were only awake for two hours." He deadpanned and narrowed his eyes.

"Not my fault you couldn't sleep." Nova replied with a slight skip in her step as they went to get their bags.

"Couldn't we have just apparated?" He exclaimed, slightly irritated. Their bags came around and they grabbed them.

"But that would have taken away from the adventure!" Nova exclaimed as they walked out and saw the mountains in the distance.

"And the nausea." Remus muttered. 

"I heard that!" Nova said from the bus stop five yards away.

"What don't you hear." He said bitterly. 

"Things that are far enough away that I can not. Besides, it wasn't within safe apparating distance anyways. I wouldn't want my passenger to get splinched." She sassed back and Remus nodded in understanding. "See those trees over there? We can go into the coverage and I'll apparate us from there. Okay?"

"Works for me!" Remus said brightly when he learned that he didn't have to endure a long bus ride.

 They headed toward the tree cover and Nova took Remus' hand in her own. In her mind, she pictured the respective mountain's tree line. She turned quickly on her heal and felt herself and Remus apparating.

"Okay. From my information about the Scirocco, they like the cold temperatures and they are most affiliated with air. So they will most likely be near the peak of the mountain." Nova told Remus. "If we want to break the treeline and set up camp by evening, we'd better start now. We can't apparate anymore. I could only apparate us here because I studied a picture of this clearing's pond. And it was in apparating distance."

And so they started walking. Nova was listening intently to the forest surrounding them as they walked. Remus trailed after her slightly. The trees were spaced out and the animals were chattering about. 

"It's starting to get dark, Nova. Do you know how much farther?" Remus acknowledged as he looked around and then back at Nova.

"It's not much farther. I'd say we'll be there in about ten to fifteen minutes." She said after a moment and became silent again. 

Remus wondered what was bothering her. Usually at this point in the journey, she would be cracking jokes and almost skipping with every step. Now she was as silent as a statue. He picked up his pace so that it was matching hers.

"Nova? Are you alright? You've been awfully silent." He asked and Nova looked over at him with eyes full of worry.

"I'm just afraid that I will not be able to reason with them. Our relics are very special to us." She sighed and pushed back a few stands of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. "Plus, its been a while since I've seen shifters. I haven't met this tribe. I do not know their customs. I am afraid I will offend them somehow and then we'll both be in a large amount of trouble."

"Nova, I am sure that they will be hospitable and understanding of the circumstances. We'll be fine." He reassures her and searches through ones of his pockets. 

"How can you be so sure, Remus?" Nova asked solemnly. The mood didn't fit her usually playful personality.

"Because I am the great and wise Moony!" He exclaimed, trying to lift her spirits. Then he pulled a chocolate bar from his pocket and split it in half. He offered a half to Nova. Nova chuckled and accepted it.

"Thank you oh great and wise Moony!" Nova said with a mocking bow and a smirk.

"Why do I have the feeling that I'm being mocked." He chuckled playfully.

"Maybe you are. Maybe you aren't." Nova stated with that same playful smirk. "And I believe that we are here."

They broke through the treeline at last as the sun was sinking low into the horizon. 

"Alright. Tents first. Then fire." Nova grabbed her wand. She muttered a spell and two tents flew out and set themselves up. Remus summoned some logs from the woods around them and put them in a pile before lighting them on fire.

They sat down next to the ring of flames and talked for a while.

"You know, we should really bring Sirius next summer." Nova said as she gazed into the fire.

"That would be good for him. To go on an adventure again." Remus replied with a smile. "Which relic will be after this one, Nova?" 

"Well, I was planning to look into Phoenix's relic." Nova responded. "What little I do know is that they like hot and arid places, their physical features, and that their relic would be a type of ruby or maybe amber."

Remus nodded and all was silent again as Nova prepared them some dinner. When that was done she passed it out and became quiet once more.

Remus noticed once again and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Nova." He said and her head snapped towards him in surprise before calming down.

 "Yes, Remus?"

"Why don't you tell me what's really bothering you." He answered and slid into a sitting position besides her. Nova looks down and pulls her knees to her chest.

"I- what if I had been there." Nova said suddenly. Remus knit his eyebrows together in confusion.

"Been where?" He questioned.

"For them. What if I hadn't gone to search for Oceana's relic? What if I could have stopped them from choosing Peter? What if-"

"Nova!" Remus exclaimed. "You could not have possibly known that that was all going to happen."

"Well, maybe I didn't know that that was going to happen, but I had a feeling. My gut told me something bad was going to happen. When I left James and Lily's house after telling them I would be gone, it  felt as if that was going to be the last time that I was going to see them. I ignored my intincts. I ignored them and came back to find two of my best friends dead, one in Azkaban, one a traitor, and you and Astra were no where to be found. I was alone. My entire life had shattered and I didn't even know it until I got back." Nova was gazing into the tree line. Remus saw a single tear slip down her cheek. He warpped an arm around her shoulders in reassurance.

"Nova. Why do you keep everything bottled up inside you until the dam breaks. You know you can talk to me. I'm sorry that I disappeared. I was grieving and I didn't know how to deal with it. I wasn't there for you before, but I am now. Marauder's honor!" He said softly. He couldn't understand why she kept everything bottled up and then when it all was too much for her, she would break down. Then again, he thought, Nova has always been like this. I just wish she would confide in others a bit more.

"Why don't we get some rest and continue on in the morning." He said as he unwrapped his arm and stood up. He offered her a hand and she took it gingerly as he pulled her up.

"Thanks, Remus." Nova said quietly. 

Yet he knew that simple 'thank you' meant so much more.

Oh, gosh! I suck at being emotional! Sorry if it's cringy. 

A few announcements:

- I'll be re-writing A Shifter Secret. Not at the moment, but in due time.

-Now that it is summer and I have no more school work I will definitely be updating faster. (And hopefully more efficiently.)

Hope y'all have a fantastic evening, night, day, morning, etc.