▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 ━︎━︎ 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐄, 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 Ron would all stay behind as the order began to arrive, whilst Harry made his way to the great hall with the other students. The first thing Juniper did was hug her father and Remus when she spotted them, even taking the time to hug Nymphadora. They knew the plan. They knew this would work. It had to.

Harry stood in the hall, watching carefully as Snape walked between the students and towards the front. Behind him, two Death Eaters accompanied him. To the right McGonagall stood and to the left was Slughorn.

     Snape placed his hands in his pockets, eyes moving over all of the students. "Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour. It's come to my attention that earlier this evening Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade. Now, should anyone, student or staff, attempt to aid Mr. Potter, they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore, any person found to have knowledge of these events, who fails to come forward, will be treated as. . . equally guilty. Now, then. . ." he started to walk forwards ". . . if anyone here has any knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening. . . I invite them to step forward now."

     For a long moment, no one moved. Until someone did. Harry stepped from the group of Gryffindor's, earning gasps from the students who had no recollection of his appearance being there. "It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a problem Headmaster." Behind him, the Great Hall doors opened up wide, revealing the Order. "And I'm afraid it's quite extensive. How dare you stand where he stood? Tell them how it happened that night! Tell them how you looked him in the eye, and man who trusted you, and killed him! Tell them!"

     Instantly, Snape pulled out his wand, but before even a word could escape him, McGonagall rushed forwards, standing in front of Harry as the students all moved out of the way. McGonagall and Snape stood there for a moment, before McGonagall threw the first hit. They went back and forth, casting and blocking, in the process Snape had redirected a hit from McGonagall, killing the two Death Eaters standing behind him. Snape quickly took flight from the room, breaking the grand window in the process. McGonagall yelled, "Coward!"

     A wide smile bloomed on Juniper's face as the students cheered and applauded, McGonagall lighting the fires to give life back to the room. Suddenly, Harry fell to the ground and McGonagall approached them. The room grew dark as voice echoed in everyone's heads. Suddenly, a girl began screaming. Harry stood, approaching her. She had her ears covered, looking at Harry with wide eyes as she continued to scream. And then another girl began to scream, and the voice came back.

    "I know that many of you will want to fight." Voldemort's voice sent shivers down Juniper's spine. "Some of you may even think that to fight is wise. But this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have one hour."

     The voice faded as life came back to the room. Juniper, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Ginny all stood near Harry as all of the students looked at him. Naturally, Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin, quickly said, "What are you waiting for? Someone grab him!" Instantly, Ginny moved in front of him while Juniper and Hermione stood on either side of him. Other students began to join them along with the Order.

     "Students out of bed!" Filch's voice could be heard from down the hall. He ran into the room, Mrs. Norris in his hands. "Students out of bed! Students in the corridor!"

     McGonagall looked at him in disbelief. "They are supposed to be out of bed, you blithering idiot!"

     "Oh. Sorry ma'am."

     McGonagall walked towards him. "As it happens, Mr. Filch, your arrival is most opportune. If you would, I would like you, please, to lead Miss Parkinson and the rest of Slytherin House from the hall."

     "Exactly where is it I'll be leading 'em to, ma'am?" Filch asked.

     "The dungeons would do."

     The other students cheered as the Slytherin's were led from the hall. Harry walked over to McGonagall. "I presume you have a reason for returning, Potter." McGonagall said. "What is it you need?"

     "Time, Professor." Harry answered. "As much as you can get me."

     McGonagall nodded. "Do what you have to do. I'll secure the castle." Harry nodded and turned to walk back toward them only to stop. "Potter." He turned to look at her. "It's good to see you."

     Harry managed a small smile. "It's good to see you too, Professor." He turned to Neville. "Hold the fort, Neville."

     Chaos ensued from there. Students were running around, Prefects shouting orders, the people in the paintings were running to hide. Harry ran up a staircase, Juniper, Ron, and Hermione quickly following after him. Ron grabbed his attention. "Harry!" Harry stopped to look at them. "Hermione, June, and I have been thinking. It doesn't matter if we find a horcrux."

     "What do you mean?" Harry frowned.

     "Unless we can destroy it." Hermione finished.

     "So, we were thinking," Juniper said before clearing her throat, "sorry, Ron was thinking―︎he does that, did you know? Anyways, you destroyed Tom Riddle's diary with a basilisk fang, right?"

     Harry nodded. Ron continued, "Well, we might know where to find one."

     "Okay." Harry nodded. "Okay, but take this." He pulled out the marauders map, handing it to Juniper. "That way you can find me when you get back." He turned and began walking away.

     "Hey, where are you going?" Juniper called.

     "The Ravenclaw common room! Got to start somewhere."

     When Harry was gone, Juniper turned to look at Ron and Hermione. "You two find the fang. I'm going to stay and help where I can."

     Hermione frowned. "What? No!"

     Juniper handed Hermione the map. "Love, we don't have time to argue about this. We're at war."

     "Jay! We need to stay together."

     "Hermione right," Ron nodded.

     Juniper gave them both a small smile. "I will be alright. I promise. I'll come find you."

     "How?" Hermione challenged. "We have the map."

     "Trust me." Juniper said, placing a hand on Hermione's cheek. "I'll find you. I'll always find you." She gave her a kiss and Hermione kissed her back. They stood like that for a moment before pulling away. "Go." She nodded towards Ron. "Look after him." Hermione chuckled and nodded while Ron playfully scoffed and then they were gone.

     Juniper pulled her hair up, keeping it out of her eyes before running down the steps and headed for the courtyard. She got there just in time to watch stone soldiers marching forwards, McGonagall giving them order to protect the school. Juniper moved to stand in the courtyard, pulling out her wand and pointing it to the sky. "Protego maxima. Fianto duri. Repello inimicum." She repeated the spell along with multiple others as they formed a large barrier around the school.

She lowered her wand when the barrier was complete, one task completed, many more to accomplish. Immediately she went running. She had to find Remus and her dad. They were somewhere here. It was a grotesque thought, but she needed to say it one more time just in case. Juniper knew the scary part was going to come, the part where she didn't know if those she loved were alive or dead, and she wouldn't risk not telling them she loved them one more time just in case.

She paused, turning her head when she saw Voldemort's army begin to slowly destroy the barrier. She pushed herself faster, coming to a stop when she found Remus and Nymphadora along with Kingsley. She ran towards them, grabbing Remus's attention.

     "Juno, what are you doing here?" Remus quickly asked, catching her in a hug as she ran at him.

     "I just had to know I said it one more time." Juniper said, trying to catch her breath. "Just in case. I love you, and I just want you to know how much you mean to me and if it weren't for you I would probably be in a lot worse shape. Thank you for being my father when I didn't have one."

     It took Remus a lot of effort not to cry right there. He forced himself to swallow his emotions, pulling her into a tight embrace and Juniper tightly hugged him back. "I love you too, Juno." He pulled away. "I know you're a little young, but Dora and I couldn't think of anyone better to be Teddy's godmother."

     Instantly, Juniper beamed. She turned to Nymphadora. "You had him?"

     Nymphadora smiled and nodded. "Yes. He is safe. Sleeping. Far away from here. But, Merlin forbid if something happens, we wanted it to be you."

     Juniper hugged her. "Thank you." She pulled away. "I need to go find dad. Do you know where he is?"

     "On the other side."

     Juniper groaned. "Of course he is. I am not fit enough for all this running."

     Remus furrowed his brows, an amused smile pulling on his lips. "Weren't you on the run for six months?"

     "You'd think that'd help, but evidently not." Juniper muttered. She hugged him one more time and he gave her a kiss on the top of the head. "I love you, Remus."

     "I love you too, Juno."

She pulled away and immediately went running. She wouldn't look back. She couldn't. If that was the last time she saw him, she wanted it to be a happy memory, and not one of him facing war. So, she sprinted to the other side of the castle, coming to a sliding stop when she spotted her father and another Order member. She scrambled forwards, almost falling in the process, and ran to him. Sirius, who had his back facing her, turned around just in time to catch her in his arms.

     "Hey, little star." Sirius smiled, letting go of her.

     "Things are getting dicey really quickly so I'm gonna say this extremely fast and I'm gonna need you to follow." Juniper panted. Sirius nodded. She paused, taking a second to breathe before letting in a big breath of air and quickly saying, "I love you so much. I know you weren't there all my life, but the years you have been have been wonderful. You're an amazing dad, and if something happens I couldn't live with myself knowing that I didn't say that."

     Sirius smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you too, sweetheart." They turned their heads when the barrier was destroyed.

     "I need to find Harry and the others." Juniper said.

     Sirius nodded, squeezing her shoulder. "Go." He gave her another kiss to the head and then she turned and once again went running. The one thing on Juniper's mind: all hell was about to break loose.