▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞 ━︎━︎ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 completely ashamed, standing in front of McGonagall's desk with Harry, Hermione, and Ron at his side. Draco stood to the side with a proud smirk on his face and it took everything in her not to pull out her wand and hex him to oblivion. McGonagall stared at the group, clear disappointment on her face. Juniper knew that once her mother heard about this, she was going to get an earful. Because if there was one teacher in the entirety of Hogwarts that Anastasia Black admired and trusted to her full ability, it was Minerva McGonagall.

     "Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions fifty points will be taken."

     "Fifty?!" Harry exclaimed.

     "Each."

     "Professor McGonagall―︎"

     McGonagall held up her hand, stopping Juniper. "And to ensure it doesn't happen again all five of you will receive detention."

     Draco frowned, afraid he had misheard her. He stepped forwards. "Excuse me, Professor. Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said the five of us."

     McGonagall nodded. "No, you heard me correctly, Mister Malfoy. You see, honorable as your intentions were you too were out of bed after hours. You will join your classmates in detention." The four smirked at each other whilst Draco stood there in disbelief. "Miss Black, I'd like to speak with you for a moment before you all get sent on your way." She looked at the others. "Stand outside, Filch will come to get you."

     Juniper exchanged a look with Hermione and Hermione gave her a reassuring smile, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before following the others out. Juniper stood there, her head lowered in shame. McGonagall walked up to her, coming to a stop right in front of her, making Juniper look up at her Professor. "Miss Black. . ."

     "I know you're disappointed in me." Juniper softly said. "But, Professor, you have to believe me when I say that I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for a good reason."

     "That isn't what I wanted to talk with you about." McGonagall denied and Juniper frowned. "I've noticed you've been falling behind in classes. Falling asleep too. Is there something that you need to discuss with me? Miss Black I only want what is best for you."

     "My mother told you to keep a close eye on me, didn't she?" Juniper mumbled.

     "She did." McGonagall nodded. "She just wants to make sure you're doing alright. I know this year hasn't been the best for you so far. But, believe me when I say this, the looks will go away. As soon as summer hits and you come back next year, no one is going to even pay attention to your last name. That's exactly what happened with your father."

     "You knew my father?" Juniper asked, a spark of hope in her eyes.

     "I did." McGonagall nodded. "He was from a pureblood Slytherin family, and when he got sorted into Gryffindor, he got looks for months but they eventually died down. It is a shame what happened with him, he was such a nice boy and had such great potential." McGonagall sighed. "If you need anything, Juniper. Please, come to me personally."

     "Alright," Juniper whispered before turning on her heel and walking away. Just before she walked out the door, she stopped and turned to look at McGonagall. "He didn't do it, you know." McGonagall said nothing and Juniper sighed before walking out the door.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 the dark night with Filch of all people was not something that Juniper was comfortable with at all. A frown pulled at her lips, her arms crossed over her chest. She was disturbed with Filch's comments about how he missed the old ways of detention, how he missed the screaming. When he said that Juniper couldn't help but move closer to Hermione and farther away from Filch. There was something seriously wrong with the keeper. When Filch led them to Hagrid's hut, confusion danced across Juniper's face.

     As Hagrid walked out with a lantern in his hand, Filch said, "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest." Filch came to a stop in front of Hagrid. "A sorry lot this, Hagrid." Hagrid said nothing. "Oh, good God, man, you're not still on about that bloody dragon are you?"

     Hagrid sniffled, picking up what Juniper believed to be some kind of crossbow, and looked at the group. "Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony."

     Hermione frowned. "Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind."

     "Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby, after all."

     "Oh, for God's sake pull yourself together, man." Filch said with disgust. "You're going into the forest after all. Got to have your wits about you."

     "The forest?" Draco's whiny voice entered Juniper's ears again, and she prayed to Merlin that he would shut up before she made him. "I thought that was a joke. We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are. . ." The sound of howling could be heard in the distance. ". . . werewolves."

     "Ah, there's more than werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that." Filch said this with a smile. "Nighty-night." With that Filch walked away.

     "Aw, what's the matter, Malfoy?" Juniper jutted out her bottom lip as she looked at the blonde. "Scared?"

     Immediately Draco straightened his shoulders, becoming defensive. "No!"

Juniper snickered as she followed after Hagrid. Was it a logical thing to be scared of the dark forest? Of course it was. Was Juniper scared? Absolutely. However, she was not as scared as she should be and she knew that. The group all followed Hagrid into the forest, Juniper looking around in slight amazement. The forest may have been scary, but it was also beautiful at night. They came to a stop as Hagrid leaned down, placing two of his fingers into a silver puddle before pulling it up and examining the silver that now coated the tip of his pointer and middle finger.

     Harry swallowed thickly before asking, "Hagrid, what is that?"

     "What we're here for. See that?" He held his hand up to show them. "That's unicorn's blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been hurt bad by something." When Hagrid noticed Harry staring at something, he carefully glanced in that direction before looking back over at them. "So, it's our job to go and find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione, you'll come with me."

     "Okay," Ron squeaked out.

     "And, Harry, Juniper, you'll both go with Malfoy."

     "Do you hate me?" Juniper asked. Hagrid had to hide his smile.

     "Okay, then I get Fang." Draco snapped.

     "Fine," Hagrid said. "Just so you know, he's a bloody coward." The three glanced at the whimpering dog and Juniper smiled down at him, giving him a few rubs on the head and reassuring the dog that it was going to be okay.

     As they all split up, Juniper decided to walk behind Draco and Harry instead of beside them. Fang was trotting along side her, nervous whimpers still leaving his mouth. Juniper would occasionally rub his head in hopes of making him feel safe. Shivers crawled down her spine. Something in her gut told her that something wasn't right. She crossed her arms over her chest, glancing at Draco who was holding the lantern. "Wait till my father hears about this. This is servant's stuff."

     "If I didn't know better, Draco. I'd have to agree with Juniper and say you were scared."

     Juniper smirked whist Draco became defensive again. "Scared, Potter?" The sound of howling made Draco stop, turning his head to look in the direction it came from. He looked back at Harry. "Did you hear that?" After a moment they kept walking.

     "Come on, Fang." Juniper said, patting her leg so the dog would follow her. Reluctantly he did so.

They made it deeper and deeper into the forest. Somehow Juniper managed to get in front of the two boys with Fang still at her side. He was sniffing the ground as he walked and seeing as Draco was holding the light, she was focusing on Fang's footsteps in order to actually know where she was going and to not trip over a root in the ground. When Fang stopped, Juniper stopped, and when Juniper stopped the two boys stopped.

     Fang let out a growl. "What is it, Fang?" Juniper asked, kneeling down beside of the dog and placing a hand on his back. She followed where the dog was looking, coming to a complete still when she saw a dark figure standing over top of a dead unicorn. From what it looked like, the figure was drinking the unicorns blood. Juniper swallowed thickly, slowly standing up. She snapped her head towards Harry when his hand flew up to his scar, letting out quiet moans of pain. She looked back towards the creature, her eyes widening when it looked up, barring it's teeth. Draco let out a scream, turning and bolting with Fang following after him.

     Juniper sighed. "Seriously? He could've at least left the light."

     "I don't think he's our problem right now." Harry whispered, grabbing Juniper's arm and pulling her slightly behind him as the dark figure started moving towards the two kids. The figure stood up, coming closer and closer to them. They back up as far as they could before tripping over roots and landing on the ground. Juniper looked around her and frowned when she realized they were surrounded by thick roots. They were trapped.

     "Shit," Juniper cursed. Her heartbeat quickened as she looked up at the dark figure, eyes widening as fear started to creep into her system. She held onto Harry tightly. If he was going down, she was going down with him.

Just before the figure could reach them, the sound of galloping hooves grew closer and closer. The two looked up just in time to watch a centaur leap over them, landing in front of the figure, quickly making it flee. Harry pulled himself up first before turning around to pull Juniper up as well. The two looked at the centaur as it came back towards them.

     "Harry Potter, you must leave." The centaur spoke. "You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time, especially for you."

     "But what was that thing you saved us from?" Harry asked.

     "A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. For you have slain something so pure that from the moment that the blood touches your lips you will have a half-life. A cursed life."

     Juniper frowned deeply. "But who would choose such a life?"

     "Can you think of no one?" The centaur asked. Juniper could and the thought made her look at the ground.

     "Do you mean to say that that thing that killed the unicorn that was drinking it's blood, that was Voldemort?" Harry asked and Juniper looked at him with wide eyes when he actually spoke the name out loud. It wasn't that she was scared of it. . . it was just that she'd heard such horrible things about him that even she herself couldn't find it in her to speak him to life.

     The centaur got closer. "Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment, Mister Potter?"

     Harry paused for a moment before his eyes widened. "The Sorcerer's stone."

     The sound of Fang barking and Hermione's voice calling both Juniper and Harry's name made the two turn their heads to see Hagrid and the rest of them standing there. Hagrid looked at the centaur before greeting him. "Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Mister Potter and Miss Black. You alright there, Harry, Juniper?"

     "Splendid," Juniper muttered whilst Harry nodded.

     The centaur spoke again, grabbing their attention. "Harry Potter, this is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck." The centaur walked away and Juniper sighed before walking up the small hill that led to the others. Hermione grabbed her hand to keep her balanced.

     "You're alright," Hermione breathed, sending her a small smile.

     Juniper cocked an eyebrow at her. "Were you worried about me, Granger?" Hermione's cheeks turned a slight pink and Juniper pretended not to notice. "I can take care of myself, you know."

     "Clearly," Hermione nodded.

     "Let's get out of here." Ron said and they all agreed.

     When they made it back to the Gryffindor common room, Juniper laid across the couch whilst Hermione sat in a chair with Ron sitting in another. Harry was standing in front of them, explaining to Ron and Hermione everything that had happened. Hermione was shocked to say the least. "You mean, you-know-who's out there, right now, in the forest?"

     "But he's weak." Harry explained. "He's living off the unicorns. Don't you see? We had it wrong. Snape doesn't want the stone for himself. He wants the stone for Voldemort. With the elixir of life Voldemort will be strong again. He'll. . . he'll come back." Harry sat down in the chair beside of Ron.

     "But if he comes back, you don't think he'll try to kill you, do you?" Ron asked and Juniper slowly turned her head to look at the boy, her eyes widened in disbelief at his question.

     "I think if he'd had the chance he might've tried to kill me tonight." Harry answered truthfully.

     "I wouldn't have let that happen," Juniper shook her head as she sat up. "I would've protected you." Harry looked at her and sent her a small thankful smile.

     Ron gulped. "And to think I've been worrying about my potions final."

     "Hang on a minute." Hermione grabbed their attention. "We're forgetting one thing. Who's the one wizard Voldemort always feared?"

     "Dumbledore," Juniper quickly caught on and Hermione nodded. Juniper looked at Harry. "Harry, as long as Dumbledore is alive, you're safe. As long as Dumbledore's around, you can't be touched."

     Hermione sighed. "This is a lot. I feel like we should all sleep on this. We do having finals coming up and I think we could all use a bit of rest." She looked at Juniper as she said this.

     "Agreed," Ron sighed. The group of four stood up.

     "Goodnight," Hermione said, Juniper waving at the two boys before making it into their room.

     As the two got ready for bed, Juniper held her locket tightly. "We're going to end up doing something stupid, aren't we?"

     Hermione looked at her. "Knowing those two, probably."

     "I think I'm going to fail my potions final," Juniper sighed.

     Hermione frowned, shaking her head. "No you're not." Juniper looked up at her. "Jay, you know potions better than anyone I know, better than me. You're going to ace it. Just like you're going to ace the rest of your finals. You're really intelligent."

     Juniper sighed, "Not as intelligent as you. Let's face it, Hermione, I can't even compete with you."

     "Yes, you can." Hermione sternly pointed her finger at her. "You can and you are. We're rivals, remember? I want that top spot more than anything. And I know you do too. Come on now, Juniper. You're not giving up on me so soon, are you?"

     Juniper glanced at her and shook her head. "No, of course not."

     "Good." Hermione got under the covers. "For a second, I thought you were going to let me win."

     Juniper scoffed. "As if."

     Hermione turned on her side so that Juniper couldn't see the small smile on her face. "Goodnight, Juniper."

     "Goodnight, Hermione."

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 it out of her last final, she couldn't help the breath that escaped her lips. Much to her relief, the finals weren't that hard, and Juniper was quite confident in all of her answers. She stayed up studying, cramming in as much information as she possibly could. When she walked out, Hermione, Ron, and Harry were at her side. Hermione had a smile on her face and even Juniper had a ghost of a smile on her hers. She felt proud of herself, confident she'd done extremely well.

"I'd always heard Hogwarts end-of-year exams were frightful. But I found that rather enjoyable." Hermione said with a smile.

Juniper nodded. "I agree with you. It wasn't half as bad as I was expecting."

"Speak for yourselves." Ron said with a sigh before looking over at Harry who was holding a hand over his scar, hissing in pain. "You alright there, Harry?"

"My scar," Harry whispered. "It keeps burning."

"It's happened before," Hermione noted.

"Not like this."

"Perhaps you should see the nurse?" Ron suggested.

"I think it's a warning. It means danger is coming."

Juniper sighed, "Of course it does."

They were almost at Hagrid's hut when Harry stopped, the sound of music could be heard. They looked up to see Hagrid playing what looked like a flute. "Oh. Of course." Harry mumbled.

"What is it?" But before Hermione could get an answer, Harry began storming forwards. The other three followed after him.

"Don't you think its a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon and a stranger turns up who just happens to have one?" Harry asked them, continuing his march towards Hagrid. "I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pocket? Why didn't I see it before?"

Juniper glanced at Hermione. "Am I the only one who's confused?" They began running. "Oh, we're running. Okay then." Quickly she followed after them.

Harry stopped right in front of Hagrid. "Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg? What did he look like?"

"I don't know. I never saw his face. He kept his hood up."

"This stranger, though, you and he must have talked."

"Well, he, he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after." Hagrid told them. "I told him. I said 'after Fluffy a dragon's gonna be no problem.'"

"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked.

Hagrid paused. "Well, of course he was interested in Fluffy. How often do you come across a three-headed dog even if you're in the trade. But I told him, I said. . . I said 'the trick with any beast is to know how to calm him'. Take Fluffy for example, just play him a bit of music and he falls straight to sleep." The group exchanged looks with each other. "I shouldn't have told you that."

"Thank you, kind sir. Your help is much appreciated." Juniper bowed to him before quickly running off with the others, ignoring Hagrid's calls for them. They all went flying into Professor McGonagall's classroom, luckily it was empty of students. They all reached her desk at the same time, McGonagall looking at them with surprise.

"We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately!" Harry said, breathing heavily from how much running they did to get there.

"I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here," McGonagall said.

"Of course he's not." Juniper muttered, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.

McGonagall continued, "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London."

"He's gone? Now? But this is important! This is about the Sorcerer's Stone."

McGonagall slowly looked up at him. "How do you know―︎"

Harry interrupted her. "Someone's going to try and steal it."

"I don't know how you four know about the stone but I assure you, it is perfectly well protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories? Quietly."

Harry closed his eyes in defeat, sighing as he turned and walked away. The other three followed after him and Juniper couldn't help but look back at McGonagall with a begging look in her eyes. They were telling the truth. She had to believe them. As the four walked out into the hall, Juniper huffed. "Well, there goes that plan."

"That was no stranger that Hagrid met in the village. It was Snape, which means he knows how to get past Fluffy." Harry looked at them and his eyes met Juniper's for a split second and almost immediately she knew where his thought process was going.

"And with Dumbledore gone. . ." Hermione started only to be interrupted by that voice that always made shivers roll down Juniper's spine.

"Good afternoon," Snape slowly came to a stop. The group all turned to look at him. "Now what would four young Gryffindors such as yourselves be doing inside on a day like this?"

"I. . . we-we were just. . ." Hermione started stuttering.

"You might be careful. People will think you're. . . up to something." Snape gave Harry a look before turning on his heel and walking away.

Juniper shivered. "God, he gives me the creeps." Juniper watched him leave, cocking her head slightly. "It's like a cloak of darkness following him everywhere he goes." She snickered to herself. "His cloak makes him look like a bird."

Ignoring Juniper, Hermione turned to look at Harry. "Now what do we do?"

"We go down the trap door. Tonight."

Juniper snapped her head towards Harry, clearing her throat. "Excuse me, we do what now?" She put a hand to her ear. "I don't think I heard you right. You want to go down the trap door that the giant three headed dog is guarding tonight? Harry, let me ask you one question. Just one." She paused. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Come on, June." Hermione sighed.

"Who said I was going to be a part of this?" Juniper rose a hand as Hermione started to drag her with them as they walked.

"You're more than welcome to sit this one out," Harry offered.

Juniper scoffed, offended. "How dare you think of me so lowly. I'm a Black, I don't back down from a challenge. We're getting past that dog, even if it kills me." She held her head high and the others exchanged looks with one another, all of them sharing small smiles.