puff; it's almost insufferable." Sirenna joked. She knew June wouldn't be as cheery as she had been the year before, but she would always be a ray of sunshine to the group, no matter how dark things got. Sirenna didn't know how they got this far without her; she was their yellow. "Shame Hufflepuffs don't have some sword like the Gryffindors; she'd definitely get it."

A few moments later, the portrait opened up. Some light brown hands were pushing it open, only to reveal June; she'd walked through it all. She looked nervous when she opened it; she'd been hoping that it wasn't a walk to her death. Willaim jumped up at the sight of her, helping her down. He held her tight as if it was the last time he would see her. She cried. "Oh, move bitch, that's my best friend," Sirenna said, cutting in. William smiled, and June hugged Sirenna. "I've missed you," Sirenna said as they hugged. "I've missed you too, I've missed you all, but I am better at charms and defence against the dark arts than you all now." She said with some weak, cheeky grin. "Ha, sure," Sirenna said with fake confidence. "Where is Max?"
"He's teaching some of the younger years. He's adopted a few of them; he started with just one Ravenclaw second year, but now there's a whole flock of them. All of them are obsessed with the idea of him and Perseus Greyson." That was odd for June to hear; she never saw the good side to him; she figured it was one, but he never showed it to her. She is muggle-born. He was never horrible, but not never nice, just cold. She knew he'd commented about muggle-borns in the past, but Sirenna and Willaim were now confident it was an act because he was very different now. "Isn't Max with that Charlie guy?" June asked.
"Yeah, but he hasn't gotten a letter in months. I think he is dead." Willaim admitted, and Sirenna nodded in agreement. "You sure?"
"No, but it makes sense."
"What about you and Harriet?"
"We might try again, but I can't do it in these conditions. I'm better but not ready, and I can't put Harriet through it all." Sirenna admitted she was very self-aware.

June didn't feel like she had just walked into Hogwarts; it was entirely different. She knew Hogwarts to be bright and busy. Sure, there were scary moments, but it would be fun. Things were relatively new for her now; it was dismal. She knew she had to be optimistic. It made others around her feel better, and she noticed she was often good at cheering people up. Not that she was sure how. It was trying sometimes, but it was also rewarding. People deserve happiness, and moments like that can make years like this just that little bit better.

They had made her a bed, which had actually been made by Percy. Most figured his guilt led him to take on most responsibilities. June thanked him, which was the first positive interaction between the two. She was excited to be able to spend her birthday with them all since she'd been in hiding for so long. She had missed seeing them all as often as she used to.
Midnight hit, 1st May 1998. So close to her birthday and hopefully to the end of this dictatorial ministry.