"Nova, what did you do?" Hermione shouted as the Returners appeared before the group, which consisted of the Weasley Twins, Theo, Blaise, Draco, Ginny, and Ron. The students that were attending Hogwarts, were granted the next couple of days off of school. 

"Harry!" Blaise grinned. 

Sirius glared at his godson as the other Returners stood in shock. Meanwhile, Theo and the Weasley Twins along with Ron were struggling to conceal their laughter. 

"Blaise," Nova said calmly. "We know damn well your history with Theo and Broom Closets. I don't think you want me to bring up what I walked in on last week."

Blaise flushed. 

"And I didn't do anything, Hermione!"

"Dragon Dung!"

"I didn't!"

"It's always you or Harry!"

"It wasn't me!"

Hermione crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. She clearly did not buy that Nova had nothing to do with this. 

"You attempt necromancy one time, and it lives with you forever!" Nova groaned. 

"Yeah - I'm sorry...What?" Sirius's head snapped toward his daughter. 

"Don't worry about it," Nova waved it off. 

"Okay so let me get this straight-" 

"You're not," Draco interrupted Theo.

"- your dead family is in your living room?" Theo continued, ignoring the Platinum blonde's remark. 

"Pretty much," Harry nodded. 

"And we're here because?"

"Oh right!" Nova exclaimed. "You're here because they know absolutely nothing about our lives. Figured you'd like to watch our memories with us."

"Like the last time wasn't heartbreaking enough," Ron scoffed. "Honestly, Nox, did you actually have to make everyone think you were dead?"

"I implied that I was. I never said that I was. I simply said not to look for me," Nova countered. 

"Didn't hurt any less," Harry huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

"How are we watching them? Nova's locket?" Ginny asked as she stood, flicking her red hair off of her shoulder. 

"No. We're using the pensive I borrowed from Dumbledore's office," Nova shrugged. 

"She stole it," Harry corrected. 

"No. I borrowed it without the intention of returning it," Nova said nonchalantly. 

"Nova, you are officially my favorite Lupin-Black!" Marlene grinned. Sirius looked at the blonde with great offense. 

"Hold on!" Fred grinned. "Does this mean we're going to see how you and Harry pulled off half of your pranks?"

"You guys pranked?" James asked excitedly. He looked like a child on Christmas. He looked almost as excited as when Remus told him Harry and Nova were in a relationship. 

"I dunno," Harry answered Fred with a shrug. 

"I dunno why you two stopped," Ron remarked. "They were legendary!"

"I can tell you why," Nova stepped forward before beginning to list off each reason. "Petrified students. Mass murder. Triwizard Tournament. Pink Bitch. Order of the Pheonix. Snivs. War. Kidnapping. Torture. Death."

In Heaven, Mad-Eye Moody snorted. 

"Oh! I forgot about half of those!" George remarked. 

"We didn't," the Golden Quartet huffed. 

"That's because you were always in the center of it," Ginny sassed. 

The Returners, minus Wolfstar and Tonks, shared a confused glance. 

"Are we going to do this or not?" Nova said impatiently. 

***

It was safe to say Nova was livid when she found out Harry had lived in a cupboard for most of his life. It took Harry ten minutes to calm her down. It also didn't help that everyone else was cheering her on...

The Returners were informed, but not shown, Harry and Nova's childhood. Harry told them he was neglected and basically a slave. Nova, rather hesitantly, explained that she was shipped off to an orphanage then into an abusive home. 

Nova did, however, show them the memory of her first time meeting Blaise and Theo for the sake of nostalgia. It was safe to say Marlene didn't know Theo's real name. She just knew him as 'Applejuice.'

The first memory to play was the first day everyone arrived at Hogwarts. They watched as Molly Weasley helped an eleven-year-old Harry onto the platform. Now they were watching as a young Nova made her way to the train with Theo and Blaise. 

"You were all so tiny!" Lily gushed. 

"Some of us still are," Fred teased Nova 

"I will burn your bits off," she growled. 

"Like the Harry Potter?" Blaise asked after Theo had mentioned Harry Potter was coming to Hogwarts this year. 

"I did the math-"

"You mean your calculator did the math." Nova laughed.

"Leave Jane out of this, Nova, or I'll bring up Pafoo." Theo threatened.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Don't test me."

"Right . . ." Blaise interrupted as he rolled his dark eyes. "What were you saying, Theo?"

"Harry Potter was around a year old when he defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Theo informed. "We were around a year old when he was defeated."

"What's that have to do with anything?" Nova rolled her eyes. "He could literally be at any school."

"Why are you not excited?" Blaise asked. "Come on! It's Harry Potter!"

"And? Your point?" Nova raised an eyebrow. "He's probably some stuck-up prat."

"How would you know?"

"Draco acted like he was Merlin when he caught the snitch," Nova stated with another roll of her eyes. "Besides, you can't defeat Voldemort and not be stuck up."

"Yeah...she didn't like me at first," Hary shrugged. 

"Thought you were a blithering idiot," Nova added. 

"Sounds familiar," Marlene snorted. 

"Thought he was a blithering idiot?" Hermione teased. "For starters, he is. He is just your idiot. Two, he despised him. You came back to the Common Room after having to sit next to him, and you were beyond angry."

"He was tapping his foot all class! It was distracting!"

"That was you!" Ron, Harry, and Hermione said in unison. 

Nova rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to laugh if you end up being friends with him," Blaise grinned.

"Twenty galleons says she falls in love with him," Theo smirked.

"I never got my galleons," Theo shot a glare at Blaise.

Nova shoved them

Not long after the train took off, a girl entered the trio's compartment.

The group instantly recognized her as a young Hermione Granger. 

"Have you seen a toad?" She asked in a bossy tone. 

"Sorry, we haven't-"

Another person stumbled into the compartment, spilling dirt on Nova's robes.

"I-I'm s-so sorry," He stuttered.

"It's alright," Nova sent him a grin and use her wand to clean it up. "I'm Nova. Nova Black." She pointed to the boys in turn. "That's Theo Nott and Blaise Zabini."

"I'm Hermione Granger and this is Neville Longbottom. He lost his toad," Hermione spoke.

"Why'd my hair look like that," Hermione groaned. 

"It looks fine," Nova assured. 

Hermione rolled her eyes and sent a sharp look at her best friend. 

"I can help you look," Nova offered. "I need to stretch my legs anyways."

Neville set off down the train one way while Hermione and Nova went down the other.

"I don't mean to be intrusive but . . .are you Sirius Black's daughter?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Nova responded tensely.

"I was just curious," Hermione shrugged. "You don't need to get tense. There's no reason to hate you for something you can't control."

Nova sent her a thankful grin before turning into a compartment with two boys. One had red hair and blue eyes. The other had green eyes and messy black hair.

"You shouldn't waste those, you know?" Nova said cooly as the chocolate frog jumped out the window. "They're the best candy we've got. I personally prefer normal muggle chocolate."

"Who are you?" the redhead asked.

"Who are you?" Nova asked in turn.

"I'm Hermione Granger and this is Nova Black," Hermione stated.

The bushy-haired girl glared at the boys almost as if daring them to say something mean to her caramel-haired friend.

"I'm Ron Weasley."

"Harry. Harry Potter."

Hermione's brown eyes widened, but Nova stayed indifferent.

"Why aren't you reacting?" Ron asked Nova, noticing her expression hasn't changed.

"I don't believe in giving someone my respect unless it's earned. Nor do I believe people should goggle at some boy." Nova turned to Harry. "No offense, Potter."

"None taken," he stated as his wide green eyes stayed on her in complete shock but there was also a hint of admiration.

"Well...he's whipped already," Dorcas whispered to Lily. 

"That's an understatement," Ron snorted. 

"Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost his." Hermione spoke.

Both boys shook their heads. "Sorry, we haven't."

"Oh okay. Thanks," Nova murmured.

"You have dirt on your nose," Hermione told Ron.

"Potter, your tie is crooked!" Nova called as she left. 

"What just happened?" Ron asked Harry after the two girls left. 

"I have no clue..." He shook his head. "Do you know how to tie a tie?"

***

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. 

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name. 

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity." 

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. 

"Dray, I will not lie," Nova began. "I truly wanted to drown you in your cauldron."

"Yeah...I can't say that I blame you," he nodded. 

"If you don't like each other, why is here now?" Lily asked timidly. 

"The Albino ferret had a change of heart."

"I'm never getting rid of that nickname," Draco groaned. 

"Nova Black," Snape sneered, taking an instant distaste to the girl. "The murder's offspring."

"Pleased to meet you, sir," Nova said pleasantly through her gritted teeth. She sat in between Blaise and Hermione. Both of whom seemed to glare at the professor. 

Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels. 

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word— like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses...I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death —if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." 

More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead. Nova lounged lazily with her feet on the desk, clearly taking no care in being considered a dunderhead. 

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione's hand had shot into the air. 

"I don't know, sir," said Harry. 

Snape's lips curled into a sneer."Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything." 

He ignored Hermione's hand. 

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" 

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter."I don't know, sir."

Nova's honey eyes were glaring harshly at the man before her. 

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" 

"Is he seriously taking out his anger on James on Harry?" Lily seethed. 

"Don't worry, Aunt Flower, it gets worse."

Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand. 

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling. 

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, you should ask her."

"Sit down!" Snape snapped at Hermione. 

"How dare he-?" Lily's anger was silenced by Hermione. 

"Just wait, Mrs. Potter," she whispered with a mischievous grin. 

"You asked a question. She has the answer," Nova sassed. "Or do you lack the mental capacity to understand how teaching works?"

Steam was practically pouring from Snape's ears.

"I'm simply stating the facts, professor," she shrugged. "Clearly, Harry knows nothing about what you're going on about. He wouldn't know because we don't learn any of that until the sixth year. At least. I suggest you stop humiliating students for not understanding knowledge we aren't meant to know until future years."

"If you're so smart, Black, why don't you tell us the answers?" Snape sneered again, hoping she would get it wrong. 

"Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the drought of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite." Nova said in a bored tone as she examined her nails. "I'm sure if you need a lesson on teaching the proper way, Minnie could help you."

***

Nova was bursting with excitement. She was practically vibrating. She was bouncing up and down with excitement, dancing on the balls of her feet. 

"Will you calm down?" Hermione hissed as the duo made their way to flying lessons. 

"Sorry, 'Mione! It's just..." Nova's voice became dreamy. "Quidditch."

"It's not quidditch," Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's flying lessons."

"What's quidditch?" Harry asked, joining the conversation. 

Nova sent him a glare, clearly wondering why he was there. She wasn't particularly sure why, but Harry Potter got on her nerves. Everyone thought he was so special for 'killing Voldemort' when he doesn't even remember the event. In her eyes, he hasn't done anything to impress her. He was simply the boy that got on her nerves. 

"How do you not know what quidditch is?" Nova looked at him like he was crazy. 

"I grew up a muggle-"

"I explained it to you!" Ron objected. 

"The one with the hoops-?"

"Honestly, Harold, just be quiet," Nova stopped him. "You're ruining James Potter's name."

"'Ruining James Potter's name'?" Lily asked her goddaughter. "You don't even remember us. How could you-?"

"I think you're forgetting that I made it my mission to investigate every hiding place at Hogwarts," Nova shrugged her tan shoulders. "I stumbled upon a trophy dedicated to Uncle Prongs in first year. I asked Minnie about him. She told me about his games. I even got to watch some of his skills from the photos and stuff. He technically taught me."

"How-?"

"I made a copy of the pictures and took them back to Morgenstern Manor with me. I taught myself some of the tricks that would make me a good chaser," Nova stated. "Had to steal Dray's broom."

"I knew it!" Draco exclaimed. "I knew your grimy little hands had it!"

"That's because I actually took care of Greg more than you did!"

"James Potter?" Harry asked. "How'd you know my dad?"

"He's only one of the best chasers to come to Hogwarts, Potter!" Nova exclaimed happily. "I can't wait to play next year! Fred and George think I have a good chance to be on the team."

"It's not fair," Ron scowled. "You're closer to my brothers than I am!"

Nova shrugged.

"Very sympathetic, Nox," Ginny said sarcastically with a snort. 

Nova grinned slightly. 

"I wonder what my parents would say if they found out I was pranking with Fred and George," Ron said thoughtfully. 

"At least they care," Hermione pointed out. 

"My parents don't care," Nova said bluntly in a dull tone. "One's Merlin knows where after abandoning me. The other's in prison for murder."

"Mine are dead," Harry said in the same tone. 

"What about your legal guardians?" Hermione asked, trying to shake off the awkwardness. 

"My aunt and uncle might celebrate if I die," Harry shrugged. 

"Same with the Morgensterns. Wait... never mind," Nova said hotly. "They want me to live and marry some bigotted pureblood asshole."

"I doubt that-"

"They have a list, 'Mione. I bloody list of 'eligible' men that are possible matches." Nova huffed, as she kicked a rock. "The oldest is 20."

"Th-That's illegal!" Hermione said shrilly. 

"Yeah...I don't think they care very much," young Nova shrugged once more. 

"You know," Ron began turning to his best friend of eight years. "I used to think you were joking about that."

"I remember when Walburga tried to get me to marry Bellatrix," Sirius shuddered. 

Nova snorted. "Maybe that's why she killed you."

Everyone went silent and looked at her in shock. 

"Too soon?" She asked. 

"Definitely."