"Out of general curiosity," Lily asked the teenagers. "What was your favorite year at Hogwarts?"

"Seventh Year," James answered without hesitation. 

"Are you under the age of eighteen?" Lily asked her husband curiously. 

"Mentally he is," Regulus answered deadpan with a shrug. 

"Reg! Be nice!" Alex flicked him in the forehead. 

"What? He stole my donut!"

"For the last time, I didn't know it was your donut!" James shouted in defense. 

"I liked sixth year," Ron shrugged, cutting off the argument. "It was honestly the easiest. There wasn't impending doom looming over our heads, and the worst thing that happened was Dumbledore's death. Which . . . wasn't all too bad. Besides, it was right before everything went to hell."

"I have to agree with, Ron," Hermione nodded. "It was the closest we had to a normal year."

"Ah, sixth year," Theo sighed dramatically.  "The year of broom closest. The year I found Harry and Nova in a broom closest at least once a week."

Harry's face instantly resembled a tomato. 

"Like you were any better!" Nova fired back. "The amount of times I've used the map to find you two only to see you literally on top of each other!"

"Hold on," Sirius held up a hand before looking between Harry and Nova. "Broom closests . . .I really hope you two weren't doing what I think you were doing."

"Relax, Da!" Nova lied smoothly. "We were just playing chess. I read somewhere that practicing chess in the dark makes your performance better."

Harry's blush had officially covered his entire face, not just his cheeks. 

Sirius seemed to be the only one that believe Nova's lie. In his defense, he was the only one Nova was trying convince. 

"Oi! Prongs!" Sirius called. "Maybe you should try that, playing chess in the dark. Maybe it'll help you, seeing as you're rubbish at the game."

James spat out his water. 

***

"I may play Quidditch," Past Nova began, being dramatic after running across the field. "But my fabulous legs were not made for running."

Hermione continued to catch her breath but laughed along with Harry at Nova's statement.

"I swear the next time I run, there better be some sort of psychopath behind me, or chocolate better be involved," Nova said, getting to her feet. "Now, let's go save my favorite killer chicken!"

"Right," she gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's. . . .Keep out of sight . . ."

They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. They moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And Nova heard Harry's voice. When she looked at him, his lips weren't moving.

"It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off." Past-Past Harry spoke. 

Hagrid's protest was barely audible. 

"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry said fervently.

"What? Having too many Nova Lupin-Blacks in one place distracting?" Nova teased, sending a flirtatious wink at Harry. He blushed a deep scarlet causing Nova's smile to grow.

"Yes-no-Maybe?" Harry questioned.

"I'm joking, darlin," Nova grinned. "No need to be flustered. Although, it is quite adorable."

Nova's statement did not help Harry's stuttering nor his blush.

"No," Sirius shook his head in protest. "Not happening."

"Ladies, Gentlemen, and Non-Gender-Specific Personel," Hermione began as if she were advertising for a toothpaste company. "Welcome to Hermione Granger's One-On-One Adventure of Third Wheeling!"

"Oh hush!" Nova objected as Harry rolled his eyes. "It wasn't even that bad."

Hermione made a face. 

"It was bad," Ron agreed. "I don't even have to be there to know it was bad."

"I hope you break your leg again, Ronald."

"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.

"Out — outside," Hagrid croaked.

Harry pulled his head out of sight as Macnair's face appeared atHagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge.

"We — er — have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's the procedure —" Fudge began.

Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.

"Wait here," Harry whispered to Hermione. "I'll do it." 

"Hell, nah," Nova said, pulling Harry back. "I'm his favorite person. Sit your arse down, Harold."

As Fudge's voice started again, Nova darted out from behind the tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approachedBuckbeak.

"It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of DangerousCreatures that the hippogriff, Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown —" 

Careful not to blink, Nova stared up into Buckbeak's fierce orange eyes once more and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Nova, with tons of practice untangling her headphones, was able to untie the knot in seconds.

". . . sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair . . ."

"Come on, Buckbeak," Nova murmured, "come on, we're going to help you. Quietly . . . quietly . . ."

". . . as witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here. . . ."

Buckbeak did not move. He simply stared at Nova as if she were some foreign creature.

"Well, let's get this over with," said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside —" 

"No, I — I wan' ter be with him. . . . I don' wan' him ter be alone —"

Footsteps could be heard within the cabin.

Nova's pupils widened in fear.

"Fuck!" Nova whispered. "Shit! Damn it!"

Buckbeak ruffled his feathers.

"Come on, Buckbeak," Nova murmured. "Let's go eat some chickens or something."

Buckbeak did not like the offer. 

"Shit! Those are like your cousins or whatever!" Nova said. "Then let's not eat chickens! Do you remember the blonde ferret?" Nova questioned.

"Did you just-" Draco asked his cousin with a face that was full of objection. 

Buckbeak paused.

"Yeah, that one . . ." Nova trailed off, still tugging the rope. "You can eat him. But let's go. First, we are going to rescue me padre numero dos."

"You know what?" Draco to his cousin. "I'm gonna eat your chocolate for that."

"You do that," Nova shrugged. 

They were ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid's window.

"One moment, please, Macnair," came Dumbledore's voice."You need to sign too."

Nova heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster

Harry and Hermione's white faces stuck out from behind the tree. 

"Hurry!" Hermione mouthed.

Dumbledore's voice drifted from within Hagrid's cabin.

With one last sweat breaking tug on the rope, Buckbeak broke into a trot.

Nova faceplanted.

Luckily, they reached the trees.

"Buckbeak's favorite human huh?" Harry teasingly asked.

Face still to the Earth, Nova lifted her right hand, making a rude hand gesture.

Harry's laughter filled the air.