▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐲-𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ━︎━︎ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐟'𝐬 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎 them, telling them about the conversation he'd had with Dumbledore. Now, they were supposed to be going somewhere and Juniper had such a bad feeling about all of this. She didn't know what any of this was going to lead to, but she didn't like it at all. Juniper, Ron, and Harry were all standing there, silently waiting for Hermione's say so. Not a word was exchanged between them and all Juniper could do was reach over and grab Harry's hand, giving it a small squeeze of reassurance. Harry glanced at her and there was a silent look exchanged between them, only one that the two of them would ever be able to understand.

     Footsteps approached and they all turned their head when Hermione appeared. "It's time, Harry."

     Immediately the group began walking. They walked through the halls of Hogwarts as Harry asked, "Hermione, is the Room of Requirement unplottable?"

     "If one wants it to be." Hermione answered. "Why?"

     "Well, then that would explain why I thought Malfoy was leaving the castle when he disappeared off the map." Harry replied. "He was just going to the Room of Requirement."

     "Of course," Hermione agreed, "and then that would explain the Vanishing Cabinet as well." Quickly, they turned a corner.

     "Yeah."

     "No. I got a letter from my dad this morning. The one at Borgin and Burkes is still there." Ron said with a frown.

     "No, I'm telling you. I saw it." Harry disagreed. "What if there are two Vanishing Cabinets?"

      "What if there are?" Hermione asked with a shrug.

     Harry sighed. "I don't know."

     Juniper pursed her lips and thought about it. "Actually, that would make sense." The three turned their heads to look at her as they all came to a stop. "I mean, if you really think about it. . . if he's part of the Death Eaters, right? They can't get in here. Hogwarts is blocked off, shielded. If they need a way to contact Draco, since he's the 'inside man', what if they're using the Vanishing Cabinet as a way to communicate? What if the cabinets are twins?"

     "That would make sense," Hermione nodded.

     "I mean it's quite a possibility." Harry said. "But it might be a little far fetched."

     Juniper shrugged. "It's just a thought." She nodded her head. "Go."

     Ron gave him a small nod. "Good luck, mate."

     Harry turned to look at him. "I don't need luck. I'll be with Dumbledore." After that, he walked away.

     Juniper shook her head. "I don't like this. I don't like this at all." The group of three turned and began walking back to their common room. "Dumbledore, as much as I like him, always pulls Harry into these dangerous things. He shouldn't even ask Harry of this."

     Hermione glanced at her. "Even you wouldn't argue with the Headmaster, Jay." They said the password, entering the common room and the three of them sat on the couch.

     "I don't know, Hermione, Juniper likes to argue with everyone that isn't us." Ron dismissed. "Besides, how do we know this is a bad thing?"

     Juniper scoffed. "Not to say any of the actions that have taken place in the years before is Harry's fault, but we haven't come along all that much trouble this year―︎besides the Katie Bell thing of course. There has been no dangerous task, no evil to defeat. What if this is it? What if this is the dangerous task? I just. . ." Juniper let out a sigh. "I don't like this, guys."

     "It's Harry." Hermione simply said, reaching over and grabbing Juniper's hand. "He's always come out on top of these things."

     "He shouldn't have to," Juniper mumbled. "Merlin, sometimes I think these adults, these people that look up to him, forget that he's only a boy. He's only trying to live his life, but no one is letting him." She grew quiet for a moment, looking down at her and Hermione's connected hands. "We are just kids. We've always only been just kids. Why won't anyone let us be just that? Why are they treating us like we have no other choice but this one destiny? This one fate." She looked at Hermione, and then at Ron. "Maybe in another life, Harry wouldn't have to fight just to live everyday and we wouldn't have to sit here and watch him suffer, completely unable to do anything about it."

     Ron let out a breath. "You sure do know how to make the mood worse than it already is."

     Juniper rolled her eyes. "Well, Ron, I can't find it in myself to be positive right now."

     Hermione opened her mouth to say something only to stop when it suddenly got dark outside. The group of three stood, making their way over to the window. Shivers ran down Juniper's spine as Hermione clutched her hand. Juniper swallowed before softly saying, "This isn't good."

     "Maybe you should write Remus back," Hermione whispered.

     Juniper nodded her head. "Yeah, I think I will." She looked up at the sky and her mouth ran dry. She knew Ron and Hermione had seen it too. A skull with a snake its mouth was in the sky, Voldemort's infamous sigil. Something has happened, something that wasn't good. "I need to go find Harry."

     Immediately, Hermione grabbed her and stopped her. "No. No, we need to stay here."

     "Harry could be in danger, I have to get to him." Juniper argued.

     "The map. It's in our room." Ron said. "I can get it and we can see where he is and know he's not in danger."

     Hermione nodded and Ron quickly ran from the room while Hermione kept Juniper in place. "I'm sure he's fine, Jay."

     Juniper shook her head. "But what if he's not?"

     "You have to stop asking yourself all of these what if questions. It's starting to mess with your head."

     "I can't help it." Juniper replied.

     Hermione placed her hands on Juniper's shoulders. "I know your top priority is Harry, and I know you will never stop worrying about it him, but he will be okay. I promise."

      Ron came back down with the map in his hands, immediately handing it to Juniper. Juniper pulled out her wand and whispered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Immediately the map came to life. She took a seat on the couch, Ron and Hermione sitting on either side of her. She pulled the map open, eyes darting each page in search of Harry's name. When she found his name, she let out a breath of relief only to pause when she realized how fast he was going.

     "Why is he moving so fast?" Juniper mumbled. "And why is he near Hagrid's?"

     "Maybe he's telling Hagrid what happened." Hermione tried.

     Juniper almost agreed, before the air left her lungs and her entire body froze. Right near Harry was Snape, Fenrir Greyback, Draco Malfoy, and two other names that she didn't recognize. But those weren't the names that truly made her blood freeze and then boil. Bellatrix Black was here. She was on the grounds, and Harry was right near her line of fire. "I have to go." Juniper shot up from the couch and Hermione and Ron quickly followed her.

     "Jay, stop." Hermione begged but Juniper didn't listen. "Jay!" Again, she was ignored. Hermione clenched her jaw. "Juniper Black!" Juniper paused. "Stop this right now. Stay right here."

     Juniper quickly spun on her heel. "I'm going Hermione." Hermione shook her head. "Did you not see whose name was on that map?! She's here, Hermione! The woman that killed my mother right in front of me is here at Hogwarts. You're delusional if you think I'm not going to march out there and kill her."

     "Juniper, she's not alone. You're going to end up hurt, or worse killed! I won't let you do this."

     "I have to!" Juniper argued.

     "So what's your big plan? Go out there, get your revenge and call it a day?" Hermione snapped back. "Jay, you have to think this through. There's another way, another chance―︎"

     "I won't let her take someone else I love from me!" Juniper yelled and Hermione went quiet. Angry tears pooled in Juniper's eyes. "I will not sit back and watch that evil bitch take something else from me. I won't do it. I won't."

     "And what if she takes you from me?" Hermione argued. "What if it doesn't go how you plan it to?"

     Juniper clenched her jaw. "Stop asking what if's, Hermione. It's starting to get to your head." Juniper spun on her heel and quickly ran from the room.  Her wand was gripped tight in her hand as she ran toward's Hagrid's hut. She ran and ran, not once stopping and not caring who saw her. She made it outside, running down the steep hill that held Hagrid's Hut at the bottom, and by the time she got there Harry was laying on the ground and Hagrid's was on fire.

     Juniper came to a stop, looking around and noticing that none of the Death Eaters were no longer there. Anger boiled over but she forced herself to push it aside and run to Harry. She quickly went to his side. "Harry! Harry, are you alright?"

     Harry looked at her, complete surprise on his face. "June, what are you doing here?"

     "I saw the symbol." Juniper softly said. "I had to find you. Make sure you were okay."

     Harry swallowed, nodding his head. "I'm okay. But. . . but Dumbledore's not."

     Juniper frowned, eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?" Harry didn't answer her. "Harry, what's happened to Dumbledore?"

     "He's killed him." Harry said, tears shining in his eyes. "Snape. He killed Dumbledore."

     Juniper's mouth fell open before she closed it. "Oh, Harry." She pulled Harry into a hug and he tightly hugged her back, softly sobbing. Juniper kept him close, her eyes pulling to the blazing fire. Carefully, she pulled away and wiped his tears with her thumbs. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

     "That not all." Harry whispered. "Snape, he's the half-blood prince."

     "I knew that man had a secret." Juniper mumbled. "Come on, we should get back to the castle." Gently, she pulled him up. They made their way back to the castle, moving to the courtyard where Dumbledore's body fell. All of the students and teachers were there and Harry pushed his way through them with Juniper close behind. While Harry approached Dumbledore, Juniper came to a stop beside Hermione. Hermione glanced at her before looking back at Harry.

Harry kneeled beside the Professor, placing his hand on the man's chest as he quietly cried. Ginny walked forwards, joining his side. From beside Juniper, McGonagall rose her wand, a small light shining from it. Slowly, all of the students and teachers rose their wands, light shining from all of them. A silent tribute to Dumbledore, a sign of respect, a sign of grief. Above them, Voldemort's symbol began to dissipate and in front of them Harry leaned on Ginny for support, having lost yet another important person in his life.