While Harry got no sleep, Nova was able to sleep through the night. Not a single nightmare insight. 

Desperate to show her team spirit, Nova and Ginny decided to temporarily dye red streaks into Nova's hair. The dye was supposed to wear off after twenty-four hours. In the end, most of the color was towards the bottom of Nova's hair, making it more of an ombre dye with red tips and a few streaks. 

Nova and Ginny both agreed it looked better than either of them originally thought it would be. 

Ginny asked Nova if she could paint a lion on her face. Nova agreed. 

By the time Nova was finished, the sun began to rise and she heard all about Ginny's new friend. She is in Ravenclaw and in Ginny's year. She is very quiet and very sweet. She is a bit of an oddball, but Ginny didn't mind. 

Nova dressed in her Quidditch robes and Ginny sporting a jumper she stole from Fred, the two girls laughed as they took some Wizarding photos. 

"Ya know, Gin," Nova began with a smirk. "When you join the team, we'll be unstoppable."

"We shall face our opponents head-on!" Ginny exclaimed, pretending to hold a sword. 

"For we are Gryffindor!" Nova called. 

"Where the brave dwell at heart!" Ginny finished laughing. 

Nova knew this memory would be in her locket. 

After Ginny french braided Nova's hair, the two girls headed down for breakfast with the Gryffindor team. 

When they arrived, they were met by the applause of Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors. Nova's grin didn't falter as she passed the hissing Slytherins. 

"Good luck, Nova!" Timmy grinned into Nova's stomach as he hugged the thirteen-year-old.

"Thanks, Timmy!" Nova said. "Can you do me a favor?"

Timmy had nodded eagerly. 

"Can you hold onto this for me?" Nova asked handing the boy a red scrunchy. He looked at it in awe. "It's sorta my good luck charm. I don't want to lose it."

"You're never getting that back, you know?" Harry asked as they watched Timmy run and join one of his friends. "That boy adores you."

"I know," Nova smiled fondly. 

Woods spent the whole breakfast ordering the team to eat. Nova, who was too nervous to eat, shoved a piece of toast into his face. 

"There." She had said. "You're so worried about us eating, you haven't eaten anything. Now, shut up, and eat your damn toast, Oli."

As the team stood once more, the Great Hall clapped again. 

"Good luck, Harry!" Nova heard Cho call. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Harry blush. 

Nova knew Harry had taken a liking to the girl after the match against Ravenclaw. She is beautiful. With her stupidly perfect flawless skin and her brown eyes. With her long and silky black hair and button nose. Of course, Harry would like her!

Nova wasn't sure why, but the fact irritated her. She wasn't sure why the fact Harry liking the Ravenclaw seeker caused her to go from disliking the girl to completely loathing her. 

However, Nova's dislike for her wasn't one-sided. It would appear Cho hated Nova the same if not more than Nova hated Cho. 

Too lost in thoughts of her hatred for Cho, Nova ran straight into somebody. The figure easily towered over Nova. He stood about a foot taller than her. His silver eyes looked down upon her with great kindness and his brown hair was neatly combed. 

"Sorry, Diggory," Nova apologized stepping back. 

Oliver and the rest of the team (along with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Seamus, and Dean) stopped realizing Nova was behind. 

"No problem, Black," Cedric responded with a smile that would cause most girls to swoon. "I like your hair."

"My hair is always fabulous! Why are you saying something now-" Nova began confidently then she remembered she dyed it. "Oh! You mean the red dye! Thanks!"

"Good luck!" Cedric addressed the team before turning to Nova. "But I guess with your skills in Quidditch, you won't need it."

"Oi! Diggory!" Oliver called. "Stop flirting with my chaser!"

"One, I'm not your anything. Two, Cedric, your flirting game needs a little bit of work," Nova said before winking and walking beside Ginny. 

"You didn't know he was flirting with you, did you?" Ginny giggled. 

"Nope!" Nova said, popping the 'p'. 

If either girl looked behind them, they would see an angry and confused Harry. 

Two people noticed Harry's emotions; Hermione Granger (who gave him a teasing and knowing look) and Cho Chang.

Once they reached the Locker Rooms, everyone dressed in silence. All except Nova, who already wore her robes, she was listening to Eye of The Tiger which was her go-to song when she needed motivation (although Highway to Hell was still her favorite). 

When the team entered the pitch, they were greeted by more noise than Nova's brain could even register. It was like she was playing her music at the loudest possible volume times ten. 

If anything, the cheers for Gryffindor made Nova more nervous than she originally was. 

"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Black, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years —" 

Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of "boos" from the Slytherin end. 

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill —"

More "boos" were heard from those wearing emerald. 

What are they feeding these boys? Nova questioned exasperatedly as she gazed upon the Slytherin team. Steroids?!

"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch. 

Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers. 

"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three . . . two . . .one . . ."

Her whistle drowned out by the crowd's cheering. Nova, who was always the one to swoop in and snatch the Quaffle, flung the red ball towards Angelina. 

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Nova Black of Gryffindorwith the Quaffle, passed it to Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor who is heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Angelina! Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field — WHAM! —nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the quaffle, it's caught by — Black, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Nova — nice swerve around Montague — duck, Nova, that's a Bludger! — SHE SCORES! TEN–ZERO TOGRYFFINDOR!" 

Nova threw her fist in the air, grinning ear to ear as she high-fived Katie. 

As Nova soars across the pitch Gryffindor fans cheered in delight. 

"OUCH YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Nova seethed as Marcus Flint nearly threw her from the broom. 

"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!" 

"I'm wearing bright fucking red, dipshit!" Nova yelled. 

Remus, who heard Nova's choice of words, claimed she got it from Sirius, but he knew it was from him. 

A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed. 

"That will do!" shrieked Madame Hooch, zooming between them. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!" 

"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Katie flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Kate!" Nova called to her teammate. 

"Come on, Katie!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER!TWENTY–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Nova watched begrudgingly as Flint flew towards Gryffindor's goal post. She remembered the Pureblood Ball. 

" 'Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Lee Jordan told the crowd as Flint waited for Madam Hooch's whistle. "Superb! Very difficult to pass — very difficult indeed — YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!" 

Nova cheered animately with the rest of the crowd. 

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession — no! —Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field — THAT WAS DELIBERATE!" 

Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head. Katie cartwheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the quaffle.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Nova shouted at the chaser, 

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Nova had put another penalty past the Slytherin Keeper. 

"THIRTY–ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"

Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way — !" 

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!" 

"Haha!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads after they collided, trying to get Harry. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flintalongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! — it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke — oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save — !" 

But Flint had scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagalltried to tug the magical megaphone away from him. 

"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession —"

It was turning into the dirtiest game Harry had ever played in. Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Nova with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger. George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor. 

Katie scored. Fifty-ten. Fred and George Weasley were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded. 

Madam Hooch was beside herself. 

"YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked atBole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!"

Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. Moments later, Fred Weasleypelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Nova seized it. 

She raced across the pitch. Angelina and Katie were all the way on the other side. It was just Nova being chased by all three chasers and two fairly angry beaters. 

Flint managed to come up beside Nova, he began to lean in . . . 

Luckily, Nova pelted for the ground spinning like a screw until she rose up again, back on track. Unlucky for Flint, he nearly fell off his broom. 

The remaining two chasers knocked shoulders with Nova, pushing her back and forth between the two, trying to disorient her. Angelina and Katie were still too far for Nova to throw the ball to them. She took a risk. 

Nova launched the ball into the air as high as she could. She jumped off her broom, startling the two chasers into backing up. Luckily, she wasn't that far away from her broom to quickly hop back on and snatch the quaffle. 

"HOLY MERLIN'S SOGGY-" Lee's voice rang out"HOW-WHA-Go Nova!"

She lobbed it towards the Slytherin Keeper, scoring. 

"NOVA BLACK SCORES AFTER A WONDERFUL PLAY!" Jordan yelled. "SEVENTY-TEN GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry had seen the snitch. Nova watched horrified as Malfoy grabbed the back of his Firebolt, slowing him from catching the snitch. 

"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics!"Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One. 

"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —"

Minnie didn't even tell Lee off for his choice of language. 

Katie took the penalty, but she was so angry, she missed by several feet. 

"Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal —Montague scores —" Lee groaned. "Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor. . . ." 

Nova had the quaffle. 

"Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Nova, COME ON!" 

Harry looked around. Every single Slytherin player apart from Malfoy was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina, including the Slytherin Keeper — they were all going to block her —Harry wheeled the Firebolt around, bent so low he was lying flat along  the handle and kicked it forward. Like a bullet, he shot toward the Slytherins. 

"AAAAAAARRRGH!"They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed toward them; Angelina's way was clear. 

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eight points to twenty!" 

A bludger zoomed towards Angelina. 

"Angie!" Nova yelled. "Watch out!"

Nova zoomed towards Angelina, determined to save her from the bludger. She managed to get right in front of Angelina before . . .

SMACK!

Nova was hit in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She sat upon her broom, gasping for breath. 

She knew one thing, this hurt more than the dummy. 

After catching her breath, Nova had enough time to see Harry catch the snitch. 

Then Wood was speeding toward him, half-blinded by tears; he seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder. Harry felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them; then Angelina's, Nova's, and Katie's voices, "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!" Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth. 

Wave upon wave of crimson supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the field. Hands were raining down on their backs. Nova had a confused impression of noise and bodies pressing in on her. Then she, and the rest of the team were hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd. Thrust into the light, she saw Hagrid, plastered with crimson rosettes — "Yeh beat 'em, Harry, yeh beat 'em! Wait till I tell Buckbeak!" There was Percy, jumping up and down like a maniac, all dignity is forgotten. Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormousGryffindor flag; and there, fighting their way toward Harry and Nova, were Ron and Hermione. Words failed them. They simply beamed as Harry and Nova were borne toward the stands, where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup. 

If only there had been a dementor around. . . . As a sobbing Wood passed Harry the Cup, as he lifted it into the air, Harry felt he could have produced the world's best Patronus. 

In a distance, Remus Lupin sat with a fond but sad smile on his face. He remembered when James won the House Cup, he practically slept with it. 

In a farther distance, Snuffles the dog sat shedding tears of pure joy. 

In heaven, James and Marlene were doing the victory dance they choreographed for this exact moment. Lily and Dorcus grinned wickedly. Regulus smiled, proud of his niece, but wishing Slytherin won.