The Magizoologist Mother with the Wanderlust Affliction
Upon receiving her required textbooks as a first year, Nova's mother zeroed in on the red leather-bound copy of
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and personally accepted the challenge. She dropped out of Hogwarts during her fifth year in pursuit of this goal, and henceforth adopted the ways of a nomad. There was too much to see to be confined in a castle for seven years, after all. Nova's mother has gone all over the world to see the fantastic beasts for herself, and with Scamander as her guide,
find them, she did. Two and a half decades (plus one traveling companion) later, the red leather has worn; the pages of the book faded and marked and filled to the brim with copious annotations; loose sheets ripped from newer versions appended with a clumsy spell;
and she has done it. The Stellar Formation
Nova was born during what her mother liked to call the Hebredian Black Standstill, in reference to the longest period of time she had stayed in one place (a grand total of ten months in one of the uninhabited Inner Hebrides). The night Nova was born was one of miracles, her mum boasted. The stars were restless and uncannily lustrous, as though waiting in anticipation, and there, looming in the horizon, was the elusive Hebridean Black. Nova gave her first cry just as the fearsome dragon roared, and her mum knew she had been blessed.
★
In the beaten-up copy of
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that is the Oswin family bible, there's a sheet of paper sticking out from between the pages.
Ingredients for a Zvjezdana:A dollop of
Hebridean Black ferocity, Don't get her angry, or face the dragon's wrath. Nova is 98% instincts and 3% brain; the makings of a savage better suited to prowl along the Forbidden Forest than to mingle in with society. Raised in an environment where the only distinction is predator or prey and the philosophy is eat or be eaten, she has learned all too well how to fend for herself and those she cares about. When things go south, she is not afraid to resort to more... aggressive tactics.
A handful of
Unicorn ingenuousness,Lack of consistent human contact means she has yet to be exposed to the finer points of social interaction. Nova is susceptible to getting tricked and manipulated, especially if big words are thrown around to confuse her. But a word to the wise: don't let her know she's been tricked. Nova doesn't take well to being fooled.
It's hard for her to pick up on even the most blatant of lies, but she is good at noticing body language; usually, her gut knows when something's wrong but her brain doesn't know what it is.
Three cups of
Phoenix tenacity,Never say never, unless you're saying "I'll never give up." No matter what obstacle is thrown her way, Nova will conquer it. She will get back up each time she falls, dust herself off, and continue marching on. Self-assured and fueled by an absolute belief that she can take on anything, no matter how big or powerful, Nova prefers to be in the brunt of the action.
On the flip side, Nova is too proud to ask for help, especially when she is in dire need of it.
A pint of
Manticore recklessness,Act now, think later! As a purely instinctive creature, Nova rarely thinks things through before diving headlong into it, under the belief that she can accomplish anything with sheer force of will (or just sheer force). She relies on her quick reflexes and intuitions above all, and she has long decided that unnecessary pondering can only hinder one's actions.
Idiotically bold, she is also flippant in the face of danger. This is a little girl who tried to fight a Hippogriff because she was jealous of the attention it got from her mother. Luckily, the Hippogriff was a mother as well and didn't take offense from the seven-year-old trying to hop onto its back.
Fourteen tablespoons of
Pixie playfulnessNova likes to tussle and roughhouse and go on secret adventures with people she likes, and it is only with them that she becomes openly affectionate. There's a bit of an issue with her and personal boundaries (read: she has none), and she has to be reminded every now again when she unwittingly crosses them.
Two gallons of
Crup loyalty,Once you have gained Nova's trust, it will remain with you forever. There is nothing she wouldn't do for one she considers a friend, no mountain too high or water too deep and all that. Nova believes trust is sacred, and an act of betrayal is perhaps the worst thing that could be done to her. She will take it to heart, and she will never forget.
Nine kilograms of
Human awkwardness,Oh, Nova. While she can correctly identify the temper of an owl from its hoot, she cannot grasp the convoluted ways of a human. Sarcasm and subtle insinuations fly over her head, and she will most likely take things at face value. Try not to use too many metaphors in one sentence or she'll start to lose track of what you're really talking about. Social cues are also a bit of a mystery to her, and if she ever manages to catch one, she will have to ask for clarification. Basically, Nova has to be blatantly told when she's reacting to a situation incorrectly.
Nova has the subtlety of an Erumpent on a rampage, and she is as blunt and straightforward as they come, sometimes brutally so. She sees no need for omitting the truth, especially when it only complicates things.