"FUCK YOU!" 

Tonight was the full moon. This meant Nova was supposed to be in her room while her father was in the forest as his bones broke. This meant Remus and Tonks set up protective wards around Lupin Cottage (more than normal). 

But Nova is Sirius Black's daughter and was never one for rules. 

This meant Nova was currently on the roof of her house as she was yelling insults at the moon. 

"GO FUCK YOURSELF YOU DUSTY MUSTY PIECE OF ROCK!" Nova shouted as she flipped the moon off with bother her hands. "NOBODY FUCKING LIKES YOU, SON OF BITCH!"

"Is she-" Dorcus began to ask. 

"Yup," Lily answered. 

"YEAH! GO FUCK YOURSELF YOU LUMPY ARSE ROCK!" James yelled.  

The wind whipped Nova's hair behind her as the angry teenager continued to yell insults. 

"COME DOWN HERE AND FIGHT MY YOU COWARDLY BASTARD!" She seethed. "WHAT GAVE YOU THE FUCKING RIGHT TO CAUSE MY PA PAIN? HUH? EXACTLY! NOTHING!"

"Hey, Nova," Tonks said as she stuck her head out the window. Nova peered over the side of the roof. "You can continue to be an angry teenager and whatnot, but could you try to keep it down? Like I'm all for screaming at the moon. Bloody hell! I'll join you. Unfortunately . . .Teddy needs to sleep."

"Oh, sorry, Dora," Nova apologized. "I'll be quiet don't worry. But I'm not getting off the roof."

"Alright," Tonks shrugged. "Just don't jump or anything. I really don't fancy a pissed off Remus or peeling a 'Nova Pancake' off the ground."

It was silent for a moment before Tonks spoke again. Her hair turned a mousy brown showing she was no longer joking. 

"There's also the fact I don't want you to die. So just please, be careful."

"Gotcha, Dora!" Nova grinned as she laid on her back, staring at the sky. 

She watched as the stars shone brightly in the sky. She loved the stars. But she hated the moon. 

This was exactly why she was sending the harshest glare she possibly could toward the lumpy rock in the sky. It was almost as though she were sending laser beams to it. 

Nova perked up at the sound of a howl. 

"Showtime, bitches," Nova said with a grin she inherited from Sirius on her face. 

Nova had jumped off the roof, transforming into her beautiful and powerful lioness animagus. Once she landed, Nova took off at a sprint into the forest. 

She ran past the thousands that stood in her way. She ran upon the white frost that covered the green floor of the forest. The night's cold and brisk air blew through her fur. The air causes Nova's nose to burn, but she didn't care. 

She'd be lying if she said she didn't miss running as a lioness. She loved it. She couldn't run during her fifth year because of the toad, and she can't run this year due to Minnie's fear of Death Eaters waiting for her. 

She couldn't visit Jarold, her giant squid friend, and it made her sad. She missed tea times with Jarold. Jarold was actually very funny and never failed to bring a smile to Nova's face. 

Stupid Death Eaters. Nova had muttered begrudgingly under her breath. 

A growl stopped Nova. Slowly, she turned to the source of the noise. 

Laying to her left several yards was none other than her Pa . . .as a werewolf.

She would have come sooner, but her Pa strictly told her no. 

Nova didn't like this rule. 

This meant she would escape Lupin Cottage before running into the forest where she would transform into her animagus. From there, she would join her Pa, keeping him company. As the sun would begin to rise, Nova would take off before her Pa killed her . . .as a human. 

Moony, who had been snarling, stopped growling at Nova almost immediately. Something registered in his mind that this was his child. Something told him this was a thing he needs to protect. 

Moonfoot (AKA her animagus) prowled gracefully to the center of a clearing. There she sat and stared at her father. It was almost definitely like she wasn't supposed to be there. Technically she wasn't, but Moony didn't know that. 

Moonfoot curled into a ball on the frost-covered ground. She rested her head on her paws. 

Moony sat protectively in front of her, daring anything to even try an attack her. 

This bunny hopped along happily on the opposing side of the clearing. Moony almost lost it before Moonfoot made a noise to indicate she was sleeping. Then Moony just eyed the small beast dangerously. 

When the sun began to rise the following morning, Moonfoot shot up. With one last look at her father, she was off. 

Once she made it to the Cottage, Nova transformed. She grabbed ahold of the gutter and swung herself on top of the small shed that lay ten feet to the side of the house. With a swift and risky jump, Nova grabbed a hold of her window. She had left it open, making it easier for her to keep a grip. 

With some struggle, Nova was able to bring herself to front support (pushing down on her hands so all her weight is there as her legs dangle . . . sry, I was a gymnast). She was able to swiftly jump through her window. 

"So . . .how was your night?" A voice said, causing Nova to jump out of her skin. 

"The fuck-?" Nova yelled, before calming down. She smiled sweetly. "Good morning, Dora!"

Tonks sat in all her glory. Her bubblegum pink hair was a short pixie cut. She wore a purple shirt that was tucked into the waistband of her black jeans and her cloak hung freely. 

"I was just coming to tell you I made breakfast, which is jus toast since I can't make anything else, but that's not the point," Tonks rambled. "Where were you?"

"Visting . . .a bunny rabbit . . .?" Nova questioned. 

Tonks raised an eyebrow. 

"Fine. I was having tea time with a werewolf," Nova stated. 

"Are you alright? Is he alright?" Tonks questioned. "Was it a rough full moon?"

"I'm fine. Pa's alright. He just kinda sat there glaring at a bunny all night."

"Of course he did," Tonks laughed. "He acts like he is this scary beast that can't be love-"

"But really he is a chocolate-loving softy?" Nova suggested with a grin. 

"Exactly! I've seen him glare at his hot chocolate when it wasn't hot anymore before almost crying because there was any whip cream."

The two laughed before they heard the door open downstairs. 

"Divide and conquer?" Nova suggested with a raised brow. 

"Don't you know it," Tonks agreed before moving to help Remus to the couch while Nova hunted for chocolate. 

"How are you and the kids?" Remus asked as Tonks helped him to the couch. 

"We're fine. Nova is searching for chocolate right now. Teddy is still asleep," Tonks answered as she tended to his wounds. Apparently, despite Nova being there, Remus still scratched himself. 

"I still hate you lot being here during the-"

"Too bad, Pa," Nova said, strolling into the room. She handed him some chocolate. "You can't wrap your own wounds to save your life. Nor can you heal yourself. You can heal others, but you're jack shit at healing yourself. I suggest you quit your whining and let Tonks heal you."

"Yeah, Moony!" James yelled. "Stop being a sour wolf!"

"She just told you!" Alex shouted. 

"Go, Nova!" Marlene celebrated.

Remus grumbled incoherently, but let Tonks tend to his wounds nonetheless as he munched happily on his chocolate. 

"Tonks!" Nova yelled from the kitchen. "How the bloody hell did you burn the toast?"

***

Nova strolled into the Burrow on Christmas Eve as she levitated Teddy in the air. The young boy with blue hair giggled with delight. There was a smile etched upon Remus's face as Nova played with her baby brother. 

"What up, Weasleys?" Nova shouted as she entered the family room. "'Ello, Harry, Fleur!"

"I'm stealing the child," Ginny announced as she plucked Teddy off the cloud he was floating on. 

Nova shrugged and plonked herself next to Harry. Remus watched with a soft smile as Harry and Nova interlocked their pinkies and Nova rested her head on his shoulder. 

"Where's Tonks?" Molly asked Remus. 

"She's on patrol tonight. She'll be here tomorrow," Remus answered. "Lion, when's your next mission?"

"Tomorrow morning," Nova said without removing her head from Harry's shoulder. 

"But tomorrow's Christmas!" Ginny exclaimed. "Can't Dumbledore-"

"It's not Dumbledore," Nova answered as she sat up. Harry instantly felt cold. "I got an owl before we left. The Minister himself wants me to be on his guard tomorrow. Which makes no sense seeing as the old hag never has a guard."

"Maybe he's worried," Ron began. 

"No. If he were worried, he could've asked one of the Aurors. He could've requested Mad-Eye."

"It's still not fair you can't be home for Christmas," Timmy huffed. After his time spent away from his family and with the Tonks, who excepted him with open arms, he has become more confident and outspoken. 

"I'll be home. I just have to leave in the morning, but I should be back before dinner," Nova sent him a small smile. "Besides, I get to kick some ginger arse if I want to."

Nova sent a wink to Fred and George. It was their plan that should one of the three of them be posted with the Minister, they'd beat the shit out of Percy seeing as the prat was always with Rufus. Nova, however, planned on making him realize how awesome his family is. 

Nova looked up at the Christmas tree. It was wonderfully decorated and brightened up the room. But her favorite part had to be the topper .  . .no it wasn't a star or an angel. It was a garden gnome Fred stunned and pained gold with a tutu. 

They were all supposed to be listening to a Christmas broadcast by Mrs. Weasley's favorite singer, Celestina Warbeck, whose voice was warbling out of the large wooden wireless set. Fleur, who seemed to find Celestina very dull, was talking so loudly in the corner that a scowling Mrs. Weasley kept pointing her wand at the volume control so that Celestina grew louder and louder. Undercover a particularly jazzy number called "A Cauldron Full of Hot, StrongLove," Fred and George started a game of Exploding Snap with Ginny. Ron kept shooting Bill and Fleur covert looks, as though hoping to pick up tips. 

Meanwhile, Remus Lupin, who was thinner and more ragged-looking than ever, was sitting beside the fire, staring into its depths as though he could not hear Celestina's voice. Harry noticed it was the same expression Nova often wore when she was contemplating literally everything. 

Speaking of Nova, she played with a giggling Teddy where she sat on the floor to the right of Harry's leg. Nova had been using her wand to make small bubbles appear at the end of her wand. They would slowly drift towards a laughing Teddy. 

The smile that overtook Nova's face made Harry's heart flutter. They've been dating for a little over a year, but she never ceased to amaze him. 

"Where are my grandchildren?" A voice asked as a man stepped through the floo. He looksw2 almost exactly like an older Remus. However, instead of warm amber eyes, he had ocean blue. 

"Pops!" Nova exclaimed happily as she jumped to her feet and embraced him. 

"Do my eyes deceive me-" Fred began with a joking grin. 

"-or is Lyall Lupin in our family room?"

"'Ello, Fred, George," Lyall greeted as he sat next to Harry. However, there was enough space between them for another person to sit. Lyall rested his right ankle on his left knee before lounging lazily. 

"Hi, Dad," Remus greeted from his arms chair to Harry's left. 

"We danced to this when we were eighteen!" said Mrs. Weasley, wiping her eyes on her knitting as she listened to some singer on the radio. "Do you remember, Arthur?" 

"Mphf?" said Mr. Weasley, whose head had been nodding over the satsuma he was peeling. "Oh yes . . . marvelous tune . . ." 

With an effort, he sat up a little straighter and looked around at Harry, who was sitting next to him. 

"Sorry about this," he said, jerking his head toward the wireless Celestina broke into the chorus. "Be over soon."

"No problem," said Harry, grinning. "Has it been busy at theMinistry?" 

"Very," said Mr. Weasley. "I wouldn't mind if we were getting anywhere, but of the three arrests we've made in the last couple of months, I doubt that one of them is a genuine Death Eater — only don't repeat that, Harry," he added quickly, looking much more awake all of a sudden. 

"They're not still holding Stan Shunpike, are they?" asked Harry. 

"I'm afraid so," said Mr. Weasley. "I know Dumbledore's tried appealing directly to Scrimgeour about Stan. . . . I mean, anybody who has actually interviewed him agrees that he's about as much a Death Eater as this satsuma . . . but the top levels want to look as though they're making some progress, and 'three arrests' sounds better than 'three mistaken arrests and releases'. . . but again, this is all top secret. . . ." 

"I won't say anything," said Harry. He hesitated for a moment, wondering how best to embark on what he wanted to say; as he marshaled his thoughts, Celestina Warbeck began a ballad called "You Charmed the Heart Right Out of Me."

"Mr. Weasley, you know what I told you at the station when we were setting off for school?" 

"I checked, Harry," said Mr. Weasley at once. "I went and searched the Malfoys' house. There was nothing, either broken or whole, that shouldn't have been there." 

"Yeah, I know, I saw in the Prophet that you'd looked . . . but this is something different. . . . Well, something more . . ." And he told Mr. Weasley everything he had overheard. 

Nova, who had been talking with her grandfather and Pa, kept an ear to the conversation as she was curious about what Mr.Weasley had to say. The other Lupins soon joined in the conversation. 

"Has it occurred to you, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, "that Snape was simply pretending — ?" 

"Pretending to offer help, so that he could find out what Malfoy's up to?" said Harry quickly.

"Yeah, we considered that," Nova butted in. 

"It isn't our business to know," said Remus stated. "It's Dumbledore's business. Dumbledore trusts Severus, and that ought to be good enough for all of us." 

Nova wished her Pa would stop placing his trust in that old man. He was up to something, and Nova didn't like how she didn't know. However, her gut told her not to go along with it. 

"But," said Harry, "just say — just say Dumbledore's wrong about Snape —" 

"People have said it, many times. It comes down to whether or not you trust Dumbledore's judgment. I do; therefore, I trust Severus."

"Pa!" Nova objected. "You must be joking!"

"Seeing as Nova has a tendency to always be right . . ." Alec began. 

"We normally roll with what Nova says," Sirius confirmed. 

"She's like scary smart and figures shit out early," Lily nodded.

"But Dumbledore can make mistakes," argued Harry. "He says it himself. And you" — he looked Remus straight in the eye — "do you honestly like Snape?" 

"I neither like nor dislike Severus," said Remus. "No, Harry, I am speaking the truth," he added, as Harry pulled a skeptical expression. "We shall never be bosom friends, perhaps; after all that happened between James and Sirius and Severus, there is too much bitterness there. But I do not forget that during the year I taught at Hogwarts, Severus made the Wolfsbane Potion for me every month, made it perfectly, so that I did not have to suffer as I usually do at the full moon."

"But he 'accidentally' let it slip that you're a werewolf, so you had to leave!" said Harry angrily. 

Remus shrugged. "The news would have leaked out anyway. We both know he wanted my job, but he could have wreaked much worse damage on me by tampering with the potion. He kept me healthy. I must be grateful." 

"Maybe he didn't dare mess with the potion with Dumbledore watching him!" said Nova. 

"You are determined to hate him, Harry, Nova," said Remus with a faint smile. "And I understand; with James and Sirius as you fathers and godfathers, you have inherited an old prejudice. By all means, tell Dumbledore what you have told Arthur and me, but do not expect him to share your view of the matter; do not even expect him to be surprised by what you tell him. It might have been on Dumbledore's orders that Severus questioned Draco."

"We didn't inherit it!" Nova seethed. "He's a bully, Pa. I understand being a dick to me. I don't make it easy. What has Harry done? What has Neville done? Nothing! I don't care if he works for the Order. I. Don't. Trust. Him. Especially since his motives for changing sides are absolutely idiotic!"

Before anyone could respond, Mrs. Weasley's song ended and Fleur spoke. 

"Eez eet over?" said she loudly. "Thank goodness, what an 'orrible —" 

"Shall we have a nightcap, then?" asked Mr. Weasley loudly, leaping to his feet. "Who wants eggnog?" 

"What have you been up to lately?" Harry asked Remus, as Mr.Weasley bustled off to fetch the eggnog, and everybody else stretched and broke into conversation. 

"Oh, I've been underground," said Remus. "Almost literally. That's why I haven't been able to write, Harry; sending letters to you would have been something of a giveaway." 

"What do you mean?"

 "He's been working with the werewolves," Nova stated. "Living with them for weeks on end. Almost all of them were on Voldemort's side."

"I am not complaining; it is necessary work and who can do it better than I? However, it has been difficult gaining their trust. I bear the unmistakable signs of having tried to live among wizards, you see, whereas they have shunned normal society and live on the margins, stealing — and sometimes killing — to eat." Remus added. 

"How come they like Voldemort?" 

"They think that, under his rule, they will have a better life," said Remus. "And it is hard to argue with Greyback out there. . . ." 

"Who's Greyback?" Harry asked almost instantly. 

"You haven't heard of him?" Remus's hands closed convulsively in his lap. "Fenrir Greyback is, perhaps, the most savage werewolf alive today. He regards it as his mission in life to bite and to contaminate as many people as possible; he wants to create enough werewolves to overcome the wizards. Voldemort has promised him prey in return for his services. Greyback specializes in children. . . . Bite them young, he says, and raise them away from their parents, raises them to hate normal wizards. Voldemort has threatened to unleash him upon people's sons and daughters; it is a threat that usually produces good results." 

Remus paused and then said, "It was Greyback who bit me." 

"What?" said Harry, astonished. "When — when you were a kid, you mean?" 

"Yes. I had offended him." Lyall spoke, admitting to his mistake. 

"I did not know, for a very long time, the identity of the werewolf who had attacked me; I even felt pity for him, thinking that he had had no control, knowing by then how it felt to transform. But Greyback is not like that. At the full moon, he positions himself close to victims, ensuring that he is near enough to strike. He plans it all." Remus spoke. "And this is the man Voldemort is using to marshal the werewolves. I cannot pretend that my particular brand of reasoned argument is making much headway against Greyback's insistence that we werewolves deserve blood, that we ought to revenge ourselves on normal people." 

"But you are normal!" Harry objected hotly. 

Lupin burst out laughing. "Sometimes you remind me a lot of James. He called it my 'furry little problem' in company. Many people were under the impression that I owned a badly behaved rabbit."

"It was hilarious!" James laughed. 

"Do you remember when we transfigured Peter into a rabbit and he jumped around causing problems to prove Remus had an evil rabbit?" Sirius let out a bark of laughter. 

"He was so sweet when we were young!" Lily said faintly. 

"Maybe you should've left him as a rabbit," Marlene huffed angrily. 

"Isn't that the man that lead the bastard to Lily and James?" Alex asked. "And the man that got Sirius sent to prison?"

"Yeah," Regulus confirmed. "But we normally call him a rat."

"Greyback is obsessed with eliminating all Lupins, ya know?" Lyall informed. 

"What do you mean?" Harry asked turning his head to him. 

"He means," Nova spoke lowly. "He's more obsessed with eliminating us than Voldemort is to you. He means he is more obsessed with killing us than Bellatrix is with killing all members of the Black family."

Nova paused. 

"Says he can smell Lupin blood," Nova shuddered. "Told me so at the Ministry. But he doesn't just want to kill us. He wants to break us down until we beg for mercy. For Pops, that was turning my Pa. For Pa, that was turning my Pa. I have no idea what he wants from me, but the son of a bitch is gonna have to try a lot harder than that."

"That's my daughter, bitches," Sirius grinned. 

"Siri, shut up!" Alex groaned. "We get it! Your daughter is awesome! No need to rub it in."

Little did anyone know, in a year's time, Greyback will have broken Nova Lily Lupin-Black. He broke her almost beyond repair. 

"So let me get this straight," Harry began pointing a finger at Lyall. "You pissed off Greyback. He got hormonal and lashed out on Remus?" Harry turned to his girlfriend. "And you have two of Voldemort's deadliest sidekicks after you?"

"Sounds 'bout right," Nova nodded. "Oh and Greyback is one ugly arse rug."

Harry's eyes widened in fear. 

Remus placed a hand on his shoulder, "You get used to it, trust me."

"Have you ever heard of someone called the Half-Blood Prince?" Harry asked Lupin. 

"The Half-Blood what?" 

"Prince," said Harry, watching him closely for signs of recognition. 

"There are no Wizarding princes," said Lupin, now smiling. "Is this a title you're thinking of adopting? I should have thought being 'the Chosen One' would be enough." 

Nova left out a rush of laughter. 

"It's nothing to do with me!" said Harry indignantly. "The Half-Blood Prince is someone who used to go to Hogwarts, I've got his old Potions book. He wrote spells all over it, spells he invented. One of them was Levicorpus —" 

"Merlin I love that spell!" Nova exclaimed. "I rather enjoy dangling Death Eaters by their crusty toes."

"Oh, that one had a great vogue during my time at Hogwarts," said Lupin reminiscently. "There were a few months in my fifth year when you couldn't move for being hoisted into the air by your ankle." 

"My dad used it," said Harry. "I saw him in the Pensieve, he used it on Snape." 

"Yes," he said, "but he wasn't the only one. As I say, it was very popular. . . . You know how these spells come and go. . . ." 

"But it sounds like it was invented while you were at school," Harry persisted. 

"Not necessarily," said Lupin. "Jinxes go in and out of fashion like everything else." He looked into Harry's face and then said quietly, "James was a pureblood, Harry, and I promise you, he never asked us to call him 'Prince.' "

Abandoning pretense, Harry said, "And it wasn't Sirius? Or you?"

"Nah," Nova laughed. "If it were Da's he would've written 'Princess' or 'Queen' in it. Perhaps he might have written, 'Pureblood Princess with Pristine Curls'." 

Nova's grin faded as she continued. 

"Besides, the handwriting is too messy to be my Da's. He had pureblood handwriting. The handwriting in that book looks like it was written by a hormonal fourteen-year-old girl. Although . . .it seems familiar."

Nova's amber eyes drifted to the clock. 

"Well . . .I best be off." She sighed. "I've got to get Timmy back to Andy's house." 

She stood up and walked over to Timmy. Seeing as he was asleep, she snapped her fingers. Timmy's sleeping body was levitated behind Nova as she apparated. 

"If she dies tomorrow," Harry began. "I'm killing the Minister."

"You and me both, Harry," Remus laughed. 

***

Out of the Weasleys, Percy was the one that looked most like his father. However, he didn't have the receding hairline and wrinkles. He was rather attractive but snobbish. 

"Nova?" He questioned as he saw a familiar girl waiting for the Minister. "What are you doing here?"

"I was requested for the Minister's guard today," Nova shrugged. "I've been standing guard since five this morning."

"Right . . ." Percy trailed off as he stood next to her. 

It was an awkward five minutes. Percy spent those five minutes trying to string words together, trying to find a way to apologize. 

"Alright, Weatherbee," Nova said after having enough of his silence. "Spite it out. I know you've got something to say."

"I'm sorry."

"And that pertains to me because . . .?"

"I fucked up."

"Awe! Look! You said a big boy word!" Nova teased. 

"She's not making this easy for him!" Regulus laughed. "GO NOVA!"

"I treated you and Harry horribly after the Tournament," Percy said slowly. "I got so caught up in wanting my own glory and wanting to make a name for myself, I forgot about the people in my life."

"That's nice and all, but you better apologize to your family. Especially your father and mother. Fred and George are ready to murder you. Ginny is ready to cover up said murder." Nova stated. "Ron thinks you're a prat. Charlie likes his dragons more. Bill is getting married."

"What?" Percy demanded. "Bill's getting married?"

"Yeah. And Ginny's pregnant." Nova lied. "Fred's gay. George and Lily eloped. Molly is expecting an eighth child."

Percy's eyes widened. 

"I'm joking." Nova laughed. "Bill getting married is the only true part. However, if you weren't such a prat to your family, you'd know this."

"I-I miss them." Percy frowned. 

"Then you better put on your big boy pants and admit it," Nova stated in a strong voice. "There is a war on its way. Your family is fighting with all they've got. There is a chance one of them won't survive."

Nova paused. 

"Who knows, you could be laughing with one," Nova said calmly. "Next thing you know, an explosion occurs and they die before your eyes. Maybe, just maybe, that smile will still be on their face."

Percy looked down. 

"Perc," Nova said softly. "People are dying every day. Harry lost his parents. Muggles are dying. Hermione fears every dan day for her life and her parents, but she keeps fighting. Hell, I lost my Da. I was too caught up in a duel to notice. When I turned to celebrate with him, he was gone. Fell into a veil. In a blink of an eye, my Da was gone. And there's nothing I can do about it."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Percy said as he looked up. 

"So am I. So are a lot of people . . .after his innocence was discovered, of course," Nova said bitterly. 

"Oh good! You're here!" The Minister said gruffly before Percy could respond. "Well . . .come along now."

"Where are we going?" Nova asked. 

"The Burrow."

Percy's eyes met Nova's. His eyes were wide with fear but also cheerful. 

The moment Percy and the Minister disapparated, Nova sent a Patronus. 

All the chatter at the Burrow stopped as the ball of blue light appeared. As it turned into Nova's lioness, many began to panic, thinking she was in danger. 

"Percy and Minister are going to the Burrow. Estimate their arrival in two minutes," Nova's voice came through the lioness's mouth. "Stay civil. I'm looking at you Gred, Forge, and Gin. Don't know the purpose of visit."

"Well then . . ." Remus said. "Sausage anyone?"

"Way to break the ice, Remmy," Sirius laughed. 

Sure enough, two minutes later, the Minister, Nova, and Percy were striding across the snowy lawn. 

They watched as Nova stood in front of them, as though she needed to tell them something. 

"I have no idea what your play here is, Minister," Nova said lowly as she stood in front of the two men. "But this . . .better be worth it."

 Before any of them could say anything, before Mr. and Mrs. Weasley could do more than exchange stunned looks, the back door opened and there stood Percy. 

There was a moment's painful silence. 

"Fight nicely, children," Nova said as she threw a glance at Fred and George. 

Then Percy said rather stiffly, "Merry Christmas, Mother." 

"Oh, Percy!" said Mrs. Weasley, and she threw herself into his arms.

Rufus Scrimgeour paused in the doorway, leaning on his walking stick and smiling as he observed this affecting scene. 

"You must forgive this intrusion," he said, when Mrs. Weasleylooked around at him, beaming and wiping her eyes. "Percy and I were in the vicinity — working, you know — and he couldn't resist dropping in and seeing you all." 

But Percy showed no sign of wanting to greet any of the rest of the family. He stood, poker-straight and awkward-looking, and stared over everybody else's heads. Mr. Weasley, Fred, and George were all observing him, stony-faced.

Nova strolled over to her Pa's plate and snatched a sausage link with a fork before eating it.

"Please, come in, sit down, Minister!" fluttered Mrs. Weasley, straightening her hat. "Have a little turkey or some tooding. . . . I mean —" 

"No, no, my dear Molly," said Scrimgeour. Harry guessed that he had checked her name with Percy before they entered the house."I don't want to intrude, wouldn't be here at all if Percy hadn't wanted to see you all so badly. . . ." 

"Oh, Perce!" said Mrs. Weasley tearfully, reaching up to kiss him.

". . . We've only looked in for five minutes, so I'll have a stroll around the yard while you catch up with Percy. No, no, I assure you I don't want to butt in! Well, if anybody cared to show me your charming garden . . . Ah, that young man's finished, why doesn't take a stroll with me?" 

The atmosphere around the table changed perceptibly. Everybody looked from Scrimgeour to Harry. Nobody seemed to find Scrimgeour's pretense that he did not know Harry's name convincing, or find it natural that he should be chosen to accompany the Minister around the garden when Ginny, Fleur, and George also had clean plates. 

"No," Nova spoke icily. 

"Yeah, all right," said Harry. He shot Nova a glance and she rolled her eyes. 

He was not fooled; for all Scrimgeour's talk that they had just been in the area, that Percy wanted to look up his family, this must be the real reason that they had come, so that Scrimgeour could speak to Harry alone. 

"It's fine," he said quietly, as he passed Lupin, who had half risen from his chair. "Fine," he added, as Mr. Weasley opened his mouth to speak. 

Nova sent one Voldemort worthy glare at the Minister. 

As the two left, she turned to the twins. 

She snapped her fingers twice and rolled her eyes. She held up two fingers and made a fist before rotating it. 

They both nodded before standing up. 

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron demanded. 

"Our code," Nova shrugged. "Need to have something to use during missions, Ronnikins." 

Fred came back with a thumbs down. 

"Damn it," Nova hissed. 

"What was that supposed to mean?" Alex asked. 

"It means Rufus cast a spell so no one can hear his conversation with Harry," Lily decoded.

"Is he really trying to get Harry to openly support the Ministry?" Regulus laughed. 

"So . . . Ronnikins," Nova smirked as she turned to her ginger friend. "Did you like the necklace?"

"No-wait! How'd you know?" Ron demanded. 

A twinkle appeared in Nova's eyes. "Because I suggested it, of course!"

Ron was turning a wonderful shade of red. 

"So . . .are you just gonna sit there," Ginny said hotly to Percy. "Or are you going to say something to the family you've forgotten about?"

Percy glared at the table. "I didn't forget about you."

"Clearly you have," George growled. 

"That or you simply don't give a rat arse about us," Fred growled. He sounded deadlier than George. 

"That's not it!" Percy said hotly. 

"Really?" Ron jumped to his feet, slamming his hand on the table. "Where were you when Dad was in the hospital? Where were you when Mum cried over your returned sweater?"

"Ron, calm down," Molly demanded. 

"No, Mum," Bill interjected. "Ron has a point. Perc, we love you. We always have. So why would you just reject us?"

"I didn't leave!" Percy yelled. 

"Yes-"

"You did." The twins seethed. 

"I'm sorry-"

"No!" Ginny launched parish at her brother. "You were gone for nearly two years! You left us! You come back with a simple 'sorry'? You left us, Percy! You've been kissing arse for those years! You don't even own up to what you did! And you expect us to forgive you!"

Harry came back in with Rufus looking ready for murder. 

"Let's go, Percy," Rufus said coldly. 

***

Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Harry, and Nova were all in the family room laughing. Remus and Tonks were with Teddy as they spoke with Molly and Arthur. Bill and Fleur were off to the side listening to both conversations as their hands were interlocked. 

"I wonder what it's like to be a worm," Ginny laughed. "Like they're slimy all the time! Do they find that comfortable or are they uncomfortable all the time?"

Nova's core shook with laughter. 

"Imagine having a worm as a Patronus!" Ron joked. "A dementor is attacking you and you cast the charm. What are they going to do, run from a worm?"

"Worms can be very scary, Ron," Harry said in a false serious voice. 

"They are about as scary as an angry Hermione!" Ron laughed. 

"Ronnikins," Nova teased. "You are terrified of an angry Hermione."

Ron blushed a deep scarlet as the others laughed. 

Suddenly, both Remus and Nova tensed. Slowly, the laughter and discussion faded from the room. 

"Remus?" Tonks asked. "What is it?"

"Pa . . ." Nova began hesitantly. "He's here."

"I know, Lion," Remus said faintly. "Get your wands."

Nova was ahead of him. She was already peering out the window. 

"Who's here?" Arthur demanded. 

"Grey-"

"I KILLED SIRIUS BLACK!" A taunting voice spoke from outside. "I KILLED SIRIUS BLACK!"

Nova shared a glance with Harry before taking off out the door. 

"NOVA! HARRY!"