CHAPTER ONE

❝ through the fire and through the flames, you won't even say your name, only 'i am what i am' ❞ | ya hey — vampire weekend

"IT'S SIMPLE," SEVERUS SNAPE stated for the umpteenth time as he transitioned into an almost jogging pace in order to keep up with the girl. She had Quidditch practice in less than ten minutes, and dealing with the Slytherin was not something she wanted to do.

"I'm sure it is, Snape," Juniper sighed.

Her black cloth bag was stuffed to the brim and practically bulging at the edges from the amounts of Quidditch equipment she had managed to shove inside. Of course a spell could have been used, but she tended to stay away from magic if it was not vital. When she did magic alone, away from class and others, a dark element always was hidden beneath the spells.

Warm air from the outside grounds of Hogwarts instantly hit her face as she exited the castle. The cobbled stone that her uniform boots had previously clicked across dissolved into tangled grass.

"It is. Just make Potter point his loving gaze in your direction rather than Lily's."

A laugh emitted from Juniper's bruised lips (a result from last night's rather brutal practice). "Yeah, yeah. Simple enough . . . Wait — what?"

Realization slipped into the girl's mind and she halted instantly. So instantly, in fact, that a few strands of dark brunette hair that had not been pulled into a braid yet flew into her eyes.

If she was honest, she never truly listened to what Snape said. He was rather agitating. However, the words he had spoken not a minute before broke her barrier of concentration to ignore him, and she froze.

"Are you mad?"

"You said yourself it was simple, and besides —"

"Because I wasn't listening!"

"And besides," Snape repeated with a raised brow, "You owe me."

"You know," the Ravenclaw girl huffed as she resumed pacing to the practice field, "Some think your crush on that redhead is quite creepy, Severus."

A scowl crossed his face and he stopped his hurried walk alongside her. Robe covered shoulders slouched as he faced the truth in her comment.

His vulnerability was just as quickly hidden and replaced with a snide remark.

"Good thing I didn't ask."

Juniper made no move to acknowledge this, but kept to her path. Practice would begin in precisely three minutes, and time would definitely not halt for her.

"Are you really going to ignore me? You owe me, Baxter!" Severus called obnoxiously. His voice was painfully piercing and she instantly dreaded the thought of anyone overhearing.

The use of her last name had a powerful effect. An effect that Severus knew of. The girl spun with such rage that he worried she might draw her wand. His hands shot up in immediate defeat.

"I'm sorry, sorry! Okay? Sorry!" His feet stumbled backwards a few paces, increasing the distance between them, "I'm sorry! I just really need your . . . What I'm trying to say is . . ."

Juniper's scowl did not disappear.

"I suppose I need your . . . Help."

He looked absolutely ashamed upon admitting his need for her assistance.

"Fine," she pushed her own brunette hair away from her eyes and behind her shoulders,"But on one condition."

The perturbed expression faded from Severus's face and it was replaced just as soon with one of sickening amusement, "Are you really in a position to be making deals, Baxter?"

This time, the girl's wand did appear between her pallid finger tips.

"You will refer to me as Juniper Wick. Not Baxter. And judging that you know that as my true last name, you should also know that I am, obviously, in quite the position to make deals."

With that the girl withdrew her wand and turned. She stalked away so briskly that Severus almost thought she was mounted on her broom (though she normally was, the girl never seemed to leave the Quidditch field). The brunette escaped from his sight and down the rather lengthy pathway to practice — alone.

Alone, and four minutes late.

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JAMES HAD NOT BEEN himself for quite some time. His glasses slipped down the brim of his nose from downcast eyes rather than ecstatic laughter. The frequent strums on his guitar always carried a bit of his heart, but now they only reflected heart ache.

She'd rejected him yet again.

Usually when James was put off about a girl, Sirius would swoop in to comfort him with the same bit of advice.

"She's not realizing what she's missing."
"You're better off without her."
"She had a shitty personality anyway."

Only this time it was Lily, and no matter how many times Sirius could mumble these statements about Lily, none of his words would be true. It would be a waste of breath. Both James and Sirius knew that Lily Evans was one of a kind. She was the girl that painted pictures with her words. The girl that had eyes the hue of the verdant green stems that held up fields of wildflowers. She was the girl that made you wonder — about life, about death, about the number of sugar cubes that you put in your morning tea, and about how a world of such toxicity could be home to such a witch.

And no matter how hard he tried, James couldn't grasp hold of her. She would always be a distant dream, a shooting star, an unrealistic wish.

"What do we do?" Remus whispered softly. His head rested in the lap of Sirius Black, and it was that same boy that he directed his hushed question to.

Sirius let out a long sigh, the aftertaste of his morning cigarette taunted and danced around his tongue. Cloudy grey eyes stumbled on James. His best friend. The Potter boy had his head leaned against the window, his glance was cast down to a canvas.

"Prongs," Remus began, "How about —"

Before the planned sentence could come to a conclusion, the door opened and Peter strode in with a smirk on his face.

"Scored you a date," the mouselike boy grinned proudly.

"Me?" Sirius questioned with a tone of unhidden  boredom. Peter always tried to 'score' Sirius dates. The only problem was, the person Sirius was interested in was unaware as ever, with his bloody head resting in his goddamn lap.

Remus looked up at Sirius just as the thought echoed through his mind, and the Black boy maneuvered his eyes abruptly.

"No," Peter shook his head timidly, "James."

The paintbrush in James's hand scattered across the dorm's dark wooden floorboards. A few speckles of unnoticed white paint would be added to the collection of scattered paint drops that previously dotted the wood.

"With," James bit his lip, "With Evans?"

Peter's face fell with guilt, "Uh. Sorry, but no, mate."

They watched their friend's face harden. The Potter boy shook his head, messy hair bouncing wildly, "Then no thanks."

"Prejudice, it would seem. Who exactly is it?" Remus spoke up as he lifted his head from Sirius's lap, much to the dark haired boy's disappointment. "You never know, Prongs. You could like them."

"Did they actually specify that it was a date?" Sirius added his own question with sudden interest.

"Well," Peter paused,"No. She didn't. But once you know who it is, you'll think it's a date."

"Out with it," Remus urged.

"Juniper. The Ravenclaw Quidditch player. In fact that's what she wanted to do, James. Said your competition is 'shitty' and that you could 'do with some pointers.'"

James sat up shockingly fast. His cheek still felt warm from the window it had previously rested against. "Wait one second, she said what?"

"Oh dear," Remus sighed tiredly as he stood from the floor and tossed the book he had been reading into his trunk, "You had to insult his Quidditch playing, didn't you?"

"I didn't insult him!" Peter protested. "I am merely relaying her message."

Sirius, who had been at a loss for words for nearly a minute, suddenly spoke, "She's calling your competition 'shitty' is she? Well if anyone is shit at Quidditch it's her, her whole bloody team actually. Not that I'm complaining, it's always nice to beat the piss out of Ravenclaw before we inevitably win the cup."

A smile tugged at Remus's lips at the boy's dramatics before he turned back to James. It was almost shocking to see the difference in attitude that covered the boy's face. He looked suddenly more energetic, more interested. All melancholy thoughts of Lily had seemed to be abandoned.

Maybe Juniper and the friendly competition she brought their way would be a positive distraction for James.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Remus questioned. "Go prove her wrong."

Nobody had to tell James Potter twice. He strode across the room, grabbed his broom and departed from sight.

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AUTHORS NOTE:
I am actually so excited for this fan fiction and I hope I stick with writing it because I love Juniper.

QOTD:
when does your school start back?

AOTD:
wednesday kms