A Stitch In Time (Nova)

[Trent Innes]

Trent made his way into the Entrance Hall, heading toward the spot where Nova had been setting up over the past few days. He’d seen the table and supplies whenever he passed through, but this was the first time he’d stopped by. A folding table had been arranged with sketchpads, pencils, and supplies spread across the surface, with a tape measure nearby and a small curtain set up beside it for anyone who preferred a little privacy while being fitted. It was a practical little workspace, allowing her to work while still catching students as they passed through.

Trent waited until she had a break between students before approaching. “Hey, Nova.” A neatly wrapped parcel sat beneath his arm, covered in festive paper and tied with a ribbon. He held it out to her. “Merry Christmas. I know it’s early, but you might need this.”

He’d bought it weeks earlier during the Hogsmeade trip, intending for it to be a Christmas present. But after seeing how much time Nova had been spending creating outfits for the ball, he figured she could put it to use a little sooner. Inside were several lengths of fabric in different colours and textures, along with spools of thread, lining material, ribbons, lace, buttons, and other sewing supplies.

Trent glanced around the Entrance Hall. There didn’t seem to be anyone else waiting at the moment, the steady stream of students having briefly slowed. Rather than heading off, he pulled out the nearby chair and sat down. With the ball only a few days away, he knew she was probably going to be busy, and this might be one of the last chances he had to simply stop by and visit. “How’s it going?”

[Nova Harte]

Nova looked up at him and grinned. "Trent, hey!" she said before he held up the parcel. Her eyes bugged a bit. "Oh! You did not have to buy me anything, you know that," she said before she opened it, curious about what he had not only gotten her but also those she needed enough to give her early. "Oh wow! This is awesome and definitely about to be so helpful as I give myself my biggest challenge yet," she gave a laugh.

"I mean, it's going fine," she shrugged. "I have had a few students I had to help be a bit more realistic about what designs, but I mean, usually everyone's either super eager or super shy," she giggled a little before sitting in her own seat on the other side. She leaned back in the seat, balancing on her back legs as she propped her legs up on the table, setting her sketchbook on them, the book open on a sketch. She was wearing black leggings with the school uniform, always a bit mindful that she 100% sat like this often when sketching. "Are you wanting me to make you anything? I still know your measurements pretty well."

[Trent Innes]

Trent gave a small shrug at her reaction, though there was a faint hint of satisfaction in his expression. He had expected she would like it, but seeing how excited she was only confirmed that he'd chosen well. "No worries. I knew you'd find a use for it. Figured it would be more useful now than sitting wrapped up until Christmas." He had spent far less time figuring out what Nova would like than he had expected. After years of knowing her, her interests and preferences were hardly a mystery. Fabric, thread, and anything related to creating something new was about as safe a choice as he could make. Besides, with how often Nova ended up making things for other people, there was a decent chance some of it would benefit him eventually too.

Still, Nova's offer caught him slightly off guard. Was she asking about making him something for the Winter Solstice Ball? She knew him well enough to know he wasn't the type to attend school dances or social events. So why would she think anything had changed? Unless... Trent stopped himself there. He wasn't going to examine that thought, and he certainly wasn't going to give her an opening to ask.

Instead, he answered as though she was talking about everyday clothing. "My school robes could use some mending," he replied evenly. "There's a burn on the sleeve of one, a stain on another." His own repair magic was serviceable, but tailoring had never been one of his strengths. Nova could make damaged robes look brand new, a level of craftsmanship he had no interest in pretending he could match. Still, there were only a few months of the school year left, and replacing robes he'd soon no longer need had never seemed like a sensible use of gold. "After the holidays, though. I can see you're busy as it is."