▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ━︎━︎ 𝐒𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐀𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐃 away from her father, Harry approached him. Juniper made her way over to Hermione and Ron, Remus standing to the side with Peter tight in his grasp. Juniper sat down, smiling gently at Ron and Hermione. Hermione asked first. "How'd it go?"

     Juniper smiled. "I have my dad back."

     Hermione's eyes brightened. "He remembered you?"

     "He remembered me," Juniper nodded. The thought of having her dad back in her life was enthralling. She couldn't wait to tell her mother. Hermione's eyes suddenly caught the full moon and she stood up quickly. Juniper followed after her.

     "Harry!" Hermione yelled, grabbing his attention. Harry turned, looking to where Hermione pointed.

     Juniper wasn't focused on that, she was focused on Remus. She walked closer to him. "Uncle Remus?"

     "Remus, my old friend, have you taken your potion tonight?" Sirius asked, running over with Harry.

     "What's happening to him?" Juniper asked, fear in her voice. She walked closer but her dad grabbed her, pulling her back.

     "Stay away from him, Juniper." He gently pushed her towards Hermione who grabbed her, pulling her close. Sirius held Remus and he let out screams of pain. Remus fell to the ground, wand dropping from his hand. Peter quickly picked it up Harry cast the spell to send the wand flying from his hand. Peter looked at him before smiling and waving as he shrunk down to his rat size. He went running and Harry went to chase him but Hermione stopped him.

A yell fell from Remus as his nails turned to claws and his teeth turned to fangs and then he fully transformed into a wolf, throwing Sirius to the side, off the hill. Juniper yelled for her father and this time Harry held her back, keeping her from running after him. Juniper struggled in his grip and Harry held her tighter, pulling her to him and placing an arm around her to keep her in place. The wolf in front of them whimpered.

     "Let go of me," Juniper begged.

     "Only if you promise not to run off."

     "Fine!" Juniper snapped and Harry let his arm drop. Juniper pulled out her wand and stalked closer to the wolf that was her Uncle. "Remus?" Juniper softly asked as the wolf's yellow eyes looked at her. "Uncle Remus?" The wolf looked at her before howling. Remus stalked closer to her but Juniper didn't move, standing there, frozen, whilst also being convinced he wouldn't hurt her. "Remus, please."

     Snape crawled out from the hole and stood in front of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "There you are, Potter." A growl left the wolf's lips and Snape turned, quickly covering the three students behind him. "Miss Black, I suggest you get back."

     "Remus," Juniper whispered, tears in her eyes. The wolf sliced at her, sending her to the ground. Hermione let out a yell, calling for her. The wolf looked at her, moving to swipe again before a black dog jumped up and attacked him, keeping the wolf away from her. Sirius stood in front of his daughter in his Animagus form, daring the wolf to come near her again. Juniper let out a whimper of pain, looking down at her stomach to see three long slashes along her stomach, bleeding heavily.

The wolf and the dog went at each other, biting and attacking each other before the wolf threw the dog off of him and stalked Juniper once more, ready for the kill. The dog scrambled up and attacked again before running away with the wolf following after it. Hermione ran towards Juniper whilst Harry ran after Sirius. Snape and Ron came by her side. Harry ran to a stop, watching the wolf ready to give the black dog a final death blow but Harry threw a rock at it, distracting it. The wolf turned and looked at him, stalking towards him and growling before suddenly from a distance, a howl could be heard.

It was from the other side of the forest. The wolf turned towards the sound, forgetting about Harry. The wolf ran off and Harry looked back towards Sirius, watching him change back before tumbling down the hill. Harry chased after him. He found Sirius by the lake, unconcious. He shook his head. He couldn't die. He was the only family he had left and Juniper had just gotten him back. He wasn't going to let him die. He owed it to Juniper. Suddenly the lakes started to freeze over and Sirius let out a fear-filled gasp. Above him, at least a hundred Dementors were circling in the air.

     One flew by, sucking the life from Sirius before moving away. Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at the sky. "Expecto patronum!" He yelled the words and the light cast from his wand.  It didn't last as long as he had hoped and as a third one came by, it began sucking the life from Harry. Harry let out a yell, falling to his knees. The dementors took turns, sucking the life from Sirius and then Harry. And then, the life had been taken completely from Sirius.

     "Sirius?" Harry asked. He looked across the lake and there stood a deer, in the form of a patronus. A bright light left the deer, and in an instant the dementors went away. The life came back to Sirius and he let out a gasp. Harry looked across the lake once more before his vision faded and he passed out.

     When he woke up again, he was in the hospital wing, Hermione leaning over him. Her hand was wrapped, she had a few scratched on her face, other than that she was unharmed. "I saw my dad."

     "What?" Hermione frowned.

     "Across the lake."

     "Listen, Harry, they've captured Sirius. Any minute, the dementors are going to preform the kiss."

     Harry immediately sat up, putting on his glasses. "You mean they're going to kill him?!"

     "No, it's worse. Much worse. They're going to suck out his soul."

     Dumbledore entered the hospital wing and Hermione marched towards him. "Headmaster, you've got to stop them. They've got the wrong man!"

     "It's true, sir. Sirius is innocent!"

     "It's Scabbers who did it!" Ron spoke up from his hospital bed, his foot propped and wrapped.

     "Scabbers?" Dumbledore asked.

     "He's my rat, sir. He's not really a rat. Uh, well, he was a rat. He was my brother Percy's rat. But then they gave him an owl and. . ."

     Hermione cut Ron off, turning back towards Dumbledore. "Point is, we know the truth. Please believe us."

     "I do, Miss Granger. But I'm sorry to say the word of four 13 year-old wizards will convince few otherwise." He walked towards Ron. "A child's voice, however honest and true, is meaningless to those who have forgotten to listen." He pat Ron's hurt foot making him softly cry out. He then looked at Hermione, walking towards her. "Mysterious thing, time. Powerful. And when meddled with, dangerous. Sirius Black is in the topmost cell of the Dark Tower. You know the laws, Miss Granger. You must not be seen. You would do well, I feel, to return before this last chime. If not, the consequences are too ghastly to discuss. If you succeed tonight, more than one innocent life may be spared. Three turns should do it I think." He went to close the doors then stopped them. "Oh, by the way, when in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin."

     He closed the doors and left. Ron looked completely confused. "What the bloody hell was that all about?"

     "Sorry, Ron, but seeing as you can't walk. . . And Juniper's out cold. . ." She looked over at Juniper, her entire torso was wrapped up. She'd been given a sleeping drought so as to not feel the pain.

Hermione pulled out her time turner necklace, placing it around both Harry and herself. harry went to touch it but Hermione slapped his hand away. She turned it three times and then they were back in the past. Just as they were gone, Juniper awoke. She sat up, pulling herself out of bed, listening to Ron explain about a time turner that Dumbledore was talking about and Sirius was going to be killed and Juniper knew immediately what was happening.

Juniper struggled to the courtyard, a hand over her torso. Pain ran through her entire body from head to toe. She was having to clench her jaw to keep walking. When she made it to the courtyard she found him. Harry and Hermione had quickly run when they heard approaching footsteps, hiding behind a pillar as they watched Juniper struggle to walk to her father. The hippogriff was standing behind him, waiting patiently.

     "Juniper, what are you doing?" Her father asked in a hushed whisper.

     "Saying goodbye." Juniper told him. He walked to her, holding on to her.

     "Are you alright?"

     "I will be," Juniper nodded. "You have to. . . you have to see mom. Promise me."

     Sirius looked at her and nodded. "I promise." He hugged her, pressing a kiss to her head. "I promise." Juniper backed up, watching as he climbed onto the hippogriff before taking off. Juniper watched until he was out of sight before the third chime of the clock rang out. Juniper carefully made her way back to the hospital wing, just in time to hear a very confused Ron.

     "How did you get there?" Ron asked. "You were. . . I was talking to you there. And now you're there."

     "What's he talking about, Harry?" Hermione asked.

     "I don't know. Honestly, Ron, how can somebody be in two places at once?" Hermione laughed at that.

     "Using the time turner again?" Juniper asked from behind them.

     Hermione's amusement quickly turned to anger. "What the hell are you doing out of bed?"

     Juniper walked up to her. "Telling my dad bye." Hermione knew she couldn't be mad at that, so she sighed and nodded. "Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you for saving his life. Both of you."

     "You're welcome, now get back in bed." Harry said, grabbing her hand and making her lay back down.

     "I'm fine, you know."

     "Fine?" Hermione scoffed, crossing her arms. "You got scratched by a werewolf, Juniper!"

     "I didn't get bit." Juniper argued. "It's not a big deal."

     "A big deal?" Hermione asked. "Juniper, you could have died from your stupidity!"

     "Forgive me for checking on my Uncle, Hermione." Juniper rolled her eyes.

     Ron looked between the two and scoffed. "Melin's beard, you two argue like an old married couple. Get a room." Both of them sent him a glare and he shut up.

     Hermione turned back towards Juniper. "You can't do that, Juniper. Alright? You just can't."

     "Better me than you." Juniper said and that shut Hermione up. Juniper reached forwards, wincing as she did so. "I'll be alright, Hermione. Don't worry about me. Okay?" Hermione said nothing. "Okay?" Juniper repeated.

     "Okay," Hermione muttered.

     "Good. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I need a nap." Juniper laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, almost immediately falling back asleep. Her hand was still holding Hermione's and Hermione looked down at it, frowning slightly. Harry placed a hand on her shoulder and Hermione looked at him and Harry just sent her a reassuring nod. Reluctantly, the two left the hospital room, letting both Ron and Juniper rest.