AN-Where did all this Angst come from? Geez most of my chapters have some but its coming from everywhere this time. Dobby, Remus, Hermione, Ron, Bucky, Juniper. We get a little bit of background about the war and how it all got kicked off as well which was fun making up. And Pepper is finally starting to find her voice.

AN-I won't ever be bringing the subject of how horcruxs are made up again lets just all accept the explanation that its a horrible evil disgusting ritual.

AN- gingin1975 yup here comes some darkness. Still haven't gotten to 'fixing' Bucky but its coming I promise.

n7kairos I'm so glad you liked it. I always worry about battle scenes. The armor suggestion gave me a idea that I will probably get in next chapter. I could definitely see Bill and Steve coming up with the idea to bring Squibs into the fight. I haven't considered the speed of spells but it could be something Remus starts teaching her. Hmmm.

Guest wow I can't tell you how much of a boost your review gave me. I hope you continue reading and I hope I continue improving. Thank you.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

CHAPTER TEN

Seconds later Juniper had a armful of wailing house elf as Dobby threw himself into her lap. "Juniper Potter almost died." Juniper gave a gasp wincing. Her entire body ached as if she'd been slammed around by the whomping willow. Again. Or maybe as if her body had nearly shut down and was trying to remember how everything worked.

"Its okay Dobby. I'm alright." Juniper told him softly her voice sounding strained as Bucky loosened his hold on her enough for her to embrace the sobbing elf.

Ron fell back onto the floor away from her as if he too was exhausted. "Geez Juni you got more lives than a Kneazle." He groaned softly.

Remus reached over with a handkerchief wiping blood from Juniper's face to check the scar which was once again just a scar. Then took a chocolate bar from his bag. "Here eat this it will help." He promised. Juniper gave him a weak smile. She had missed Remus's certainty that tryptophan was the answer to all lifes problems. "Come Dobby let her breathe." He took the sniffing elf from her lap letting him sit at his side.

"It worked." Juniper said snapping a piece off the chocolate bar and putting it in mouth. She should move off Bucky's lap she knew that but she was still shaky and was even colder than usual. His warmth and strength made her feel safe and calmer than she probably had any right to be at the moment. Not to mention he showed absolutely no inclination towards letting her go his arms wrapped around her securely keeping her right where she was.

"And your in shock." Hermione muttered pulled a blanket out of her bag and tapping it with her wand before spreading it over Juniper the warming charm kicking in to raise her body temperature to standard. "Your white as a sheet, your lips are blue, and your still not breathing properly."

"Doesn't matter it worked." Juniper repeated.

"Tell us." Ron said softly ignoring Hermione's snort of irritation as she searched in her bag for...something.

"The guys are safe. As long as the twins didn't do anything incredibly stupid after I left. But Percy was there so..." Her voice trailed off as if some other thread of thought had caught her attention. Bill sat down hard in one of the kitchen chairs relief clear on his face. It was obvious there wasn't a shred of doubt in his mind if Juniper said they where safe they where.

"I know what the Horcruxes are." Hermione's head popped up wide eyes focusing on her. "I know where they are too. And I know how they where made. I don't wanna know Remus. I don't want that memory in my head. Please."

"You know what your asking?" Remus asked softly. Juniper nodded eyes filled with horror and pleading. Remus looked into her eyes for a few moments. Hermione was likely right she probably was in shock but this was not a memory she wanted and from what he knew of Horcruxes was something she shouldn't have to carry. "Your natural instinct will be to fight and try to push me out. Don't and it won't hurt. It should be easy the memory hasn't had time to settle. I'll remove just that part of the memory. You will remember everything before and after."

"Just in case..." Hermione broke in. "Where and what are they Juni?"

"Hufflepuff's cup hidden in what use to be Wool's orphanage in London where he was born and grew up, Ravenclaw's Diadem hidden at Hogwart's in the room of hidden things, and his familiar the snake Nagini." Juniper answered.

"Yeah yeah that makes sense. But nothing of Gryffi...Never mind." Hermione broke off mid-thought.

"That still leaves one more." Steve pointed out.

"The last one will be at the final showdown." Juniper answered.

"His wand! I knew it." Ron said seeming pleased.

"Sure Ron his wand." Juniper answered sounding even more tired.

Remus nodded. "Just relax Bambi." He said using the nickname Sirius had given her to help her relax a little more. He held his wand low out of her eyesight and pointed it at her saying softly. "Obliviate." to all appearances they just locked eyes for a few minutes then Remus shifted his eyes and Juniper closed hers letting out a sigh some of the tension seeming to leave her.

"Better?" Remus asked softly. Juniper nodded her color was already a little better her breathing evening out. "Good. Now. If you ever ever put a dumb stunt like that again. I swear to Merlin I'll..." He trailed off not even quite sure what he could threaten her with. She was a adult, she was more powerful than him, and they both knew full well he'd never lay a hand on her. "...I'll tell Molly who fronted the twins the money for their shop."

Juniper's eyes opened wide. "You wouldn't."

"I would. You nearly killed yourself. Your father was reckless so was Sirius but they and your mother gave their lives to protect you. Throwing your life away is a pretty poor way..."

"THEY LEFT ME." Juniper yelled at him. "They are gone. The Weasleys are not. Charlie is the one who risked his job to tell me about the dragons during 4th year and spent hours going over strategies to beat them with me, Percy is the one who put me to sleep with rambles about cauldron bottoms and sat on the couch all night to keep from waking me up and beat up Cormac McLaggen when he tried dosing me with a love potion, and the twins have had my back since the moment we met on and off the Quidditch field. If I let them die, watched them die through the eyes of their murderer. I might as well die with them because they'd be nothing left of me. Its not in me to do nothing Remus. And I didn't hear you complaining when I nearly got my soul sucked out by dementors saving Sirius."

"I can't lose you too Juniper." Remus said ragged grief in his voice. "Your all I've got left."

"I can't be that for you Remus. Not now not and do the things I'm going to have to do. This is a war and I'm the nuclear warhead. Nobody else can take out Tom, I have doubts anybody else can take out Bellatrix. I can't fight the way I have too with that around my neck." Juniper answered.

"You are not going to die in this war." Tony said a growl in his voice that made him sound more like the werewolf than the man who seemed to be trying not to break to pieces at Juniper's words. He stalked over to them and knelt beside Remus meeting Bucky's eyes briefly. It wasn't just him and Remus who'd been hit by Juniper's words he doubted he'd be able to get Bucky away from Juniper's side with a crowbar at least for the rest of the day if not the week. He was going into full protective mode and there was enough of the Winter Soldier in Bucky Barnes to make a protective Bucky a dangerous Bucky.

"I'm going to do what I have to do to keep anyone else from dying." Juniper answered.

"Open your eyes kiddo. You got two super soldiers, two iron men, two superspy assassins, a hulk, a cursebreaker, a werewolf, a elf, and your two sidekicks here. Not to mention your other precious Wealeys, Luna, Neville, that whats his name Blaise, and your DA. You have unlimited financial resources and any weopons you can imagine I either have or can make for you. You are not alone so stop insisting on acting like you are." Tony said.

Something flashed in her eyes and Tony felt like in that moment in he could read her mind. "In the end you've always been alone." He said softly. "Rons was unconscious and there was only enough potion for one so you saved the Philosopher's stone alone, the roof collapsed and blocked the passage so you saved Ginny Weasley and fought the Basilisk alone. Black was unconscious so you faced the dementors alone, You where alone in the Graveyard after Cedric died, You where alone when Tom possessed you in the ministry, and you where alone with the death eaters when Snape killed Dumbledore. I can't deny that in the final battle as much as I hate it you will probably fight Tom alone. That doesn't mean we won't be at your side at your back. And it doesn't mean we can't help you make sure that when the time comes Tom is mortal and you have every weapon we can provide. And I damn sure guarantee we can whittle those death eaters down for you. Steve and Bucky can play make a wish with the werewolf and I'd bet on Tasha's gun against Bellatrix's wand any day."

Juniper glanced over at Ron. "You got a big mouth."

"Are you gonna pretend thats some huge revelation Juni?" Ron asked. "Hermione talked plenty too." He informed her taking a towel that Natasha held out to him to wipe Juniper's blood off his face.

"We want you alive at the end of this Juniper." Hermione said and tossed two potion bottles she'd taken from her bag to Juniper. The probably would have hit her if her seeker reflexes had kicked in letting her catch them both. "Pain potion and nerve soother. Take them or I'm gonna come over there and shove them down your throat."

"Bully." Juniper muttered but swallowed down both potions. Then glanced at her bag and waved her hand causing Hermione to jump as what looked like a liquor bottle flew out of the bag and into Juniper's hand.

"Did...did she just..." Bill looked over at Remus who looked just as shocked.

"You can't do that Juni! Its not...its not...You just expended a immense amount of power three days in a row and then...Nobody can do wandless, wordless spells like that!" Hemione sputtered.

"I just did. Chill out it was just a summoning charm." Juniper muttered.

"Its been seven years Hermione when are you gonna stop expecting normal from her." Ron snickered.

"Did you know she could do that?" Hermione asked him.

"Nope I just gave up being surprised by the crap she pulls out of the hat when it was the Sword of Gryffindor and she used it to kill a basilisk." Ron replied turning his head to give her a grin. Then looked back to Juniper holding out a hand. "Give." Juniper took a long drink out of the bottle of fire whiskey then handed it too him letting the potion soothe her aches while the fire whiskey and blanket warmed her leaning back into Bucky's chest.

Bucky stood while still holding Juniper in his arms and moved to one of the chairs sitting with her still on his lap but in a more comfortable position.

"That reminds Dobby." The little elf piped up and quickly gathered the things he'd dropped when he saw Juniper in distress and carried then over to the table next to the chair Then offered her the first of the items a slightly ragged looking ancient witch's hat. Juniper gasped her eyes widened taking it from him carefully looking at it as if it was the Queen's crown. The Avengers then realized all the witches and wizards in the room where looking at it with the same awe.

"The Sorting Hat." Juniper said softly and raised it to look at it. "I'm not really up to getting bonked in the head at the moment. Can you just give it too me?"

There was a soft chuckle that seemed to come from the hat then a sword fell from it into Juniper's hand. A beautiful sword almost glowing it wouldn't have been surprising to be told it was Excalibur. Pure silver in the light a large ruby set in the hilt and the name GODRIC GRYFFINDOR along the blade in fancy script. Juniper took a deep breathe confidence, strength, warmth flowed into her through the sword.

"Is that really..." Bill started.

"The sword of Godric Gryffindor. The one I used to slay the Basilisk in the Chamber of secrets 2nd year." Juniper said.

"The sword that takes in anything that makes it stronger. Thats been imbued with Basilisk Venom. Don't cut yourself." Hermione warned. She discovered that little fact when researching the weapon after Dumbledore had left it too Juniper in his will. "It can destroy Horcruxes."

"Its going to stay with me this time." Juniper said knowing it somewhere deep inside. "Until the end of this quest. It wants to destroy the horcruxes."

"Dobby how did you get the hat?" Juniper asked suddenly afraid Dobby had gone against her request and put himself in danger to steal it.

"Dobby did not. The snakes took it and the book from bad headmasters office." He answered gesturing towards the huge old book on the table. "Your Zabini said to tell you Slytherins pay their debts."

"Well can't deny the Slytherins are handy." Hermione said giving Ron a smirk when he wrinkled his nose in distaste. She moved to open the huge book not wanted to lift it as it was so old and heavy. "Juniper this is the Book Of Names. It has the name of every witch and wizard whos lived in Hogwarts district since the 10th century along with the first accidental magic they performed, their blood status, and their addresses at time their magic first became apparent."

"Blood status." Juniper repeated and looked over at Ron their eyes met in horror and they went pale almost in unison. Ron lunged forward and Juniper slid off Bucky's lap both going for the book. But it was too late. Hermione had already turned to the back of the book and found what they'd both been afraid of.

"Oh my god." Hermione whispered her face now matching her friends at the heavy black marks struck through the names of every potential Hogwarts student that was labeled Muggleborn. 63 names of children between 18-months and 1o-years-old. "Black means suspicious deaths. Salazar included that in the charms on the book so he could avenge magical children murdered for being magic even muggleborns. They killed them. This is why Death eaters have been attacking muggle homes. Wiping out entire families." Hermione was staring at the book as if it had betrayed her in some way. Juniper put a cautious hand on her shoulder. "I'm gonna be sick." She clamped a hand over her mouth and ran for the bathroom.

"Shit." Juniper whispered and placed her sword on the table before standing still a bit shaky to follow her friend. Ron didn't move his eyes locked on the book as if he'd been hypnotized by it.

"Ron." Clint moved to his side and sat beside him reaching over to close the book.

"I don't understand." Ron said his voice soft. "How can they hate like that? How can anyone hate so much they can murder children, babys just because...because their parents are muggles instead of magical?"

"I don't either and I'm glad I don't." Clint answered putting a arm around the young man. "Its a level of evil we can't understand because its not in us."

"Its one of the reasons Hermione's undesirable number two. Its not just about being Juniper's friend its about her being everything they say Muggleborns can't be. Number one in classes, top five of magical power, top five in application. They're started to push the theory that Muggleborns stoled their powers from true witches and wizards and thats where squibs come from." Bill said softly.

"Thats mad." Ron said softly leaning against Clint.

"Yeah but it'll be a lot easier to make people believe it if there are no Muggleborns at Hogwarts. A few generations of Pure bloods and half bloods who've never met a Hermione Granger, Dean Thomas or Justin Flinch Fletchly and they forget that muggleborns are just like us and they become the magic stealing boogeymen. So kill them before they ever get to Hogwarts. They are gonna want that book back its the only way for them to find the children before they reach school age." Bill said rubbing his face. His eyes went to Tony. "If this war fails. If we loose the book has to be destroyed."

"We're not going to loose." Steve said his voice like granite. He had known in theory that the teenagers where fighting a war but now hearing Juniper talk about people being burned alive and killed for declaring allegiance to her, and seeing the book concrete proof that children and families where being murdered he was beyond furious. He'd fought this war. They'd won this war. And part of the reason many of them men he and Bucky had fought with had signed up was so their children wouldn't have to face this kind of crap.

"Dobby can hide the book and the hat. Dobby can take them deep into a hidden place where the bad death eaters will never finds them."

"While we appreciate that Dobby as I assume you will be fighting with us I think it would be better to trust their safety to a noncombatant." Remus said glancing over at Pepper.

Pepper nodded. "I can keep them safe." She promised.

"What about other prejudices?" Rhodey asked. Bill looked over at him in question. "Sexual discrimination, racism, homophobia is any of that a factor in the war?"

"There are alot of matriarchal practices in the wizarding world and although its never said out loud witches are as a general rule stronger than wizards. One of Voldemort's closest and most powerful followers is a woman Bellatrix Lestrange so was the recently deceased head of Aurors and two of the Hogwarts founders. Women have held positions of power in the government since at least the 1700s. As for racism only so far as it applies to blood status. Some countries and races are more strict than Britain about intermarriage with Muggles so as a result are more easily accepted into the British society as theres a smaller chance of them being halfblood or muggleborn. As for homophobia unless your a pureblood heir no one much cares who you sleep with and even if you are as long as you have a plan to get a heir marry where you want is the general attitude." Bill explained leaning back in his chair watching his brother with worried eyes.

"Thats part of how Voldemort gained power in the beginning." Remus said standing to pace almost as if he where back in the classroom. "Many Muggleborns who entered the wizarding world brought views with them that where counter to the wizarding worlds beliefs. And many purebloods didn't care for how strongly some of them tried to push these beliefs onto their new world. Just before Voldemort started to rise laws where passed to ban celebrations that had been held sacred in the wizarding world for centuries. Suddenly Yule was Christmas, Ostara was Easter, Samhain was Halloween and the Solstices where omitted completely. Even light families pushed back on it but the laws passed somehow. The wizarding culture and etiquette classes where excised from the Hogwart curriculum and muggle studies was made a 3rd year elective class instead of a requirement."

"Dumbledore." Ron said softly. "All attempts to make Muggleborns more comfortable in their new world but all it did was widen the gulf and cause resentment in the purebloods especially the darker families."

"So that when Tom Riddle came selling his brand of bullshit they where more than willing to buy it." Bill answered.

"It doesn't excuse what they've done." Bucky growled.

"No but this..." Bill gestures to Ron then towards the bathroom where the girls had disappeared. "Is the generation, the group thats gonna be expected to fix what the adults screwed up. To do that they need to understand what went wrong in the first place."

"This." Ron motioned to the book and hat. "Is a gesture from the dark witches and wizards in our generation. Tom Riddle attacked their Prince and killed his parents. He showed them exactly how little he values them and what kind of treatment they can expect from him. Neville giving him sanctuary in Juniper's name is the first step in building a bridge but its a tiny baby step. If we're gonna mend the gulf Tom Riddle tore between the dark and light, pure blood and muggleborns its gonna take a lot more more than this. And its gonna come down to Juniper and Malfoy as the two leaders in this generation to fix it."

Remus couldn't hold back a small grin. "The only problem is any time the two of them are in the same room for more than two minutes the insults and curses start flying."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Juniper followed Hermione into the bathroom and knelt beside her holding her hair off her face as she was sick in the toilet rubbing her back lightly. Hermione straightened a few minutes later and looked over to Juniper tears in her eyes. "It was all for nothing Juniper."

"What was?" Juniper asked tenderly brushing Hermione's hair off her face.

"Everything. All the hard work I did. All the good grades, all the house points, proving over and over that I was just as good as all the pure bloods. It wasn't just for me Juni. It was for all the muggleborns that would come after me. To smooth their way to show they could do it. All those kids. They murdered them all. They will never have a chance." Juniper embraced her pulling her close as she buried her face in her shoulder crying.

"I'm so sorry Hermione. I know it doesn't help but we have the book now any muggleborn who comes into their power now is safe. And we will get their revenge. I promise you any death eater who had any part in this slaughter will die." Juniper promised not really knowing what to say knowing nothing could make this better not for any of them. They just sat for awhile like that with Juniper holding Hermione stroking her hair.

"Juniper. If we're right. Its gonna kill Ron and Remus. Probably Tony and Bucky too you know that right?" Hermione said softly.

"I know." Juniper said her voice small. "Its too late to stop it now. It was too late to protect Remus or Ron before we even figured it out and Tony hes my dad Hermione hes my actual real dad and he wants to be. Bucky maybe...maybe if I stopped it now..."

"Its too late Juniper. I saw his face when you stopped breathing. If hes not in love with you already hes so close it doesn't make a diffrence. Let him. You've never had anything normal or real in your life take this. Steve will be there for him if the worst happens. If we can't find another way. We should go back before someone comes to look for us." Juniper shook her head slightly trying not to get whiplash from the way Hermione seemed to switch positions so quickly but then she should be use by now to how Hermione's brain worked. They actually ended up helping each other to their feet Juniper tiered from overusing her magic Hermione from being sick and stiff from the awkward way she had been sitting on the floor.

The moment the door opened as if he'd been waiting for the sound Bucky was brushing by Hermione and putting a hand around Juniper's waist tugging her back into the bathroom. Hermione made a face and went into the family room sitting on the couch beside Ron who pulled her into his arms.

Bucky lifted Juniper to sit on the bathroom counter and leaned in one hand on her waist the other cradling her cheek and kissed her. But this was not like any kiss he'd given her before. Hot, demanding, possessive. If she'd had the brain power left to process it she would have been surprised by how much she liked it and how quickly she practically melted against him her arms going around his neck. Juniper couldn't have said if it had lasted minutes or hours only that she didn't want it too end when he broke it off and buried his face in her neck breathing hard his shoulders shaking.

"Bucky?" Juniper almost whispered pulling back slightly to put a hand on his cheek and looking into his face to see his eyes where bright with fear, anger, or desire or some mix she wasn't sure but there where tears too none had fallen but they where there.

"You where dying in my arms." Bucky said his voice gruff. "You stopped breathing I felt your heart skip more than once. If it hadn't been for that crazy elf of yours you would have died right there in my arms and I wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing about it."

"I'm sorry Bucky." Juniper said softly but even she could hear the confusion in her voice. It had worked and she was fine. She really could not fathom why everybody seemed so ticked off at her. It wasn't like this was the first time she'd almost died.

"You don't get it do you?" Bucky said softly. "I don't want to hear your sorry. I want you to value your own life at least as much as your friends. I want you to be careful. I want you to stop taking chances everyone tells you are stupid."

"'Everyone' can't do the things I can do and I won't watch people I love die when I can do something." Juniper answered.

"Why does it always have to be you who does something?" Bucky asked "Remus called for back-up why couldn't you just trust your brothers to hold the wards until help arrived?"

"Because theres no guarantee it will." Juniper answered. "I saw my chance I took it."

"Fine we'll look at it in a way you will get then." Bucky muttered. "What happens if you die during one of these somethings? Who vanquishes Tom then? You believe your the only one who can do it. If you die Tom wins."

Juniper looked up at him eyes wide and there was something so vulnerable so injuried in those eyes. Bucky knew it wasn't what he'd said this pain was too old too deep but his words had dredged it up. "And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...It doesn't say that hes the one who dies Bucky. Hes every bit as strong as me and hes older with way more experience. He holds the ministry, hogwarts, the media." She shook he head lightly. "Irrelevant."

She slid off the counter to look up and him as he took a step back. "I'll stop trying to save my friends if you tell me the next time Steve, or Tony calls you asking for your help you'll say no."

"I'm trained for it." Bucky answered. "I was in the military, I had fighting skills drilled into my brain by Hydra and nearly a hundred years experience. Its not the same thing."

"Your right. Your doing what you choose to do. I didn't get a choice. If you decide to retire and go fishing Hydra may still come after you but the whole world isn't going to fall into the hands of a genocidal madman. From the moment I was born I was marked even before Tom came for me. I'm the one who has the power to do something so I do it and I keep going forward because its all I can do. I can't stop and think. I can't stop to figure out what to do next because when I do people die and I don't have any training. All I have is instinct. So I'm gonna keep doing what I feel I have too. If you can't handle that...Fine...I can't do anything about that either." Juniper brushed past Bucky and out the door trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall.

"Juniper." Bucky called after her but she ignored him. She couldn't talk to him not right this minute. Mostly because if she did there was a chance she'd throw her arms around him and promise him anything he wanted if he'd just make her feel as safe as she had when he'd held her before. But she couldn't because once she made a promise she tried to keep it. She had never had much as a child but she'd had the ability to decide what was important to her and it was usually the opposite of what was important to her Uncle and Aunt. Honesty had topped that list. At least to the people she cared about.

She came to a stop in the family room as everyone looked over at her as she entered. "I'm feeling a little drained. I'm going upstairs."

"Kiddo we need to talk." Tony said.

"I'm sorry I've been called reckless and stupid enough today. I'll pencil you in to have your turn first thing tomorrow." Juniper answered and headed upstairs.

Ron glanced over at Bucky as he followed her in. "Calling a girl stupid a common muggle courting technique?" he asked as Juniper disappeared up the stairs.

"Thats not what I said." Bucky growled at him the frustration he'd been trying not to take out on Juniper showing in his voice as he turned to her friend.

"Its what she heard." Ron answered.

Hermione sighed and started to stand. "I wouldn't if I where you." Ron told her. she looked at him in question. "She may have scored a victory with Tom but he still got in her head so shes feeling vulnerable, her magic is drained, shes exhausted and feeling attacked thanks to Remus and Bucky. You go up there now you'll be cornering a wounded lioness. You know how she can get. I'm not playing referee tonight."

"So just leave her alone? Your suppose to be her best friend shes upset and you just want to leave her alone?" Hermione asked.

"Leave her alone." Ron replied taking a pack of exploding snap cards out of her bag and shuffling. "Let her breathe. Shes not you Hermione. She doesn't like people seeing her upset. If we where back at Hogwarts she'd be on her broom by now or hiding in the owlery with Hedwig. The only person she ever wants around when she gets in this mood is Luna and no offense Hermione but you aren't Luna."

"No I'm sane." Hermione answered sitting arms crossed. "Wheres Dobby?"

"Back at Hogwarts. He'll be back tomorrow when he can tell us what happened in Diagon." Remus answered.

"Okay then you know my kid better than anyone. How do we stop her from risking her life like that?" Tony asked Ron.

"Go back in time and raise her yourself." Ron answered with a shrug. "At this point its too late. Shes not use to having people get upset when she pulls this stuff. She risks her life she nearly gets killed, Potter luck kicks in and she survives by the skin of her teeth and she gets praised. The perfect brave Gryffindor, Dumbledore's protégé, The chosen one, Oh Godric would be so proud, your parents would be so proud. Its what she does, its who she is. You can't force a sense of self preservation into someone who was told for the first eleven years of her life that she was worthless, and then was taught for the next seven that her purpose was to protect others. Remus, and Professor McGonagall are the only people who ever actually tried to say hey maybe we shouldn't throw a kid at the great bad thing and hope she survives."

"Dumbledore..."

"Encouraged her. Expected her to be the perfect little Gryffindor." Ron answered. Hermione gave him a dark scowl. "I'm not saying Dumbledore was evil I am saying he was manipulative. Junipers exactly what he wanted her to be." He saw Remus and Bill exchange a surprised look from the corner of his eye but didn't react.

"Shes got a thing about rules." Bill said softly. "The Dursleys had a lot of them and they liked to change them on her. She was always fine about being in trouble for breaking the rules she knew about but when she thinks the rules have changed on her with no warning it shakes her. She starts expecting something bad to happen. The first time she came to our place over summer break she disappeared for half a day. Mom and dad where freaking out a little to them it wasn't okay for a kid that age to just disappear alone for that long with nobody knowing where she was. Charlie found her down at the river and she was fine but I just remember how confused she was that anyone had even been worried at all. Mum did what mum always did and just yelled at her then hugged her and for her it was over. Juniper flinched for the next week every time anyone came near her."

"I remember." Ron said softly. "Thats when dad started badgering Dumbledore about letting her come live with us permanently. "I didn't even realize at the time what he was seeing."

"Charlie finally took her into town one day for lunch and a chat. The Dursleys not only where fine with her disappearing for a day they encouraged it. To her it was no big deal but she was waiting to be punished or and I quote here thrown away." He looked over at Tony. "You just changed the rules on her. Suddenly the whole saving people thing shes always just done is not okay. Now shes waiting to see if your gonna try and punish her or throw her away."

"Unless she think Buckys already done that." Ron pointed out. Bucky who'd just been listening his expression growing darker at the conversation gave Ron a death glare and started for the stairs.

"No. Sit down you've already screwed up enough today." Tony said moving to block him.

"Get out of my way before I move you Tony." Bucky growled.

"Oh my God. Enough! All of you." Pepper snapped moving between them knowing neither of them would take a swing at the other as long she was in range. Both where to aware of their own strength to risk it. "Steve take Bucky down to the gym and let him get some of his frustration out before he explodes. Rhody take Tony on a scout around the city find a smuggler or something to bring in. Clint take Remus, Bill, Ron and Hermione out for dinner let them see a bit of the city. Bruce you make sure none of them come up those stairs until Natasha and I come back down."

"Me? Why me?" Natasha asked looking over at her in surprise.

"Because Juniper has more than enough big brothers. So for the moment we're the designated big sisters."

"Wounded lioness." Ron reminded her.

"Yeah that too."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Juniper entered the suite then went into the bedroom she'd claimed as her own pacing agitatedly her mind whirling trying to make sense of the day. It had started out so well. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed Dobby until her genius idea had brought him too them. Then Bill and Remus as well. Oh Merlin Remus was so angry with her. But what had she been meant to do? Everyone acted like she should have just let the guys die. She wished Sirius was here. Sirius would have understood. And Bucky. She shouldn't be hurting so much over a guy she barely knew.

"Miss Juniper please don't cry." Juniper was a little surprised when Jarvis's voice broke into her impending panic attack. She raised her hands to her face surprised to feel the tears running down her cheeks. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" the question surprised her.

Juniper had gotten offers to help her before. To help her fight, beat Tom, defeat the dragon but never had anyone simple asked if they could do something to make her feel better. Actions mattered emotions could be pushed back shoved down and ignored. They didn't matter unless they got in the way. How was it that a AI that as Hermione had explained it shouldn't have emotions of his own was concerned with hers. Then she remembered Tony the first night letting her cry on his shoulder, Bucky in the park letting her talk giving her choices. Maybe it was something about America.

"I'm...I'm scared Jarvis. I don't know what the hell I'm doing." Juniper admitted. "Everything was so clear before. Beat Tom do whatever is necessary every step of the way. Doesn't matter if I get hurt as long as I win. Then I come here and I find Tony, I find my dad and Bucky and everything's different now. They want me to hold back, stand back not risk myself. I don't know how to do that."

"It does seem rather unfair as they never seem to hold back." Jarvis said his tone thoughtful. "I don't wish for you to be scared or hurt either but I also don't wish for you to be a different person than who you are."

"Thank you Jarvis." Juniper said at least Jarvis got it. "At least someones on my side."

"I believe everyone here is on your side Miss Juniper. They just have different views on what that entails than you do." Jarvis replied. "Sir...Your father, Mr Lupin and Mr Barnes all very much want you alive and safe."

"I don't want to die Jarvis but I'm not afraid of it. Like Dumbledore use to say 'To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'. There where times when I was kid when it almost seemed like the better option things are different now but If its the only way to beat Tom..." Juniper sighed sinking down to sit on her bed. "I'm more afraid of the mess I'd leave behind."

"It seems to me that your needed even after the war is over." Jarvis said softly.

"Am I?" Juniper asked. "I'm a weapon Jarvis. How long after the war will it take before the powers that be decide I'm too powerful to keep around if I refuse to be their puppet?"

"Your father won't let anything happen to you." Jarvis promised.

"Yeah." Juniper sighed. "I need a shower. That cockroach crawling around in my brain just makes me feel dirty." She didn't think Tom had seen anything important as he'd been to intent on making her see what he wanted her to but it still made her shudder.

"Would you like some music Miss Juniper? It always seems to soothe your father and Dr Banner."

"Clair de lune?" Yeah as far as classical music went it was what Sirius in his mock posh accent had declared common but Remus had played it often enough that she'd become fond of it. Not to mention it was one of few songs she knew well enough to request it as her relatives had not been much for music and at school there had only been Wizarding songs.

"Excellent choice." Juniper entered the bathroom as the soothing piano music starting playing through the suite. She paused in front of the mirror touching the marks Bucky had left on her neck lightly. Had that really only happened that morning? Had she already wrecked whatever it was that had been going on between them? Then her eyes where drawn to the scar on her forehead. She couldn't remember a time before she'd had it. From the age of eleven it had defined her in a way she resented but it had gotten worse after Sirius's death when she'd started suspecting what it truly meant and what she'd seen in Tom's head had just confirmed it. Hermione knew. So did Ron even if he wouldn't admit it. He knew damn good and well the 7th Horcrux wasn't in Tom's wand. Ron would deny and Hermione would study horcruxes reading all the books she snatched from the Black family library and in the end she doubted either approach would work. In the end she had to die to end Tom. She shed her clothes and stepped into the shower as if on autopilot pulling the door closed and turning the water as hot as she could stand then just a smidge hotter.

She wished they'd never come to America. wished she'd never met Tony, or Bucky or even Natasha, and Steve. It would have made it easier to face the truth of what her fate had to be if she'd only been leaving behind the family and friends she had in the wizarding world. They would understand They knew how things would go if Tom took over. Ron and Remus would take it hard but they would have the others. Hermione and the Weasleys. They wouldn't let them drown in grief. In the end they would be better off as she'd left a half of her fortune to the Weasleys, a quarter to Hermione and a quarter to Remus.

It wasn't fair! Her eyes where starting to fill with tears again and she found herself sitting on the floor of the shower crying again forehead to her knees. It was stupid. It was weak. It had been so much easier when no one had cared when she put herself in danger. When there was only Ron and Hermione and their unshakeable belief that because she was Juniper Potter the chosen one she would be able to get them out of any jam they fell into. It had been so much easier when her family was the Weasley's who could endure losing her because they'd still have each other before she'd had a father who said he was proud of her and seemed to mean it. Before she had a man who looked at her like he saw something special in her beyond her name and money. Fate was a hateful spiteful evil bitch. Every time it seemed like she might be getting something it was jerked away. And she fell for it every time.

Juniper didn't hear the bathroom door open but when the shower door was slid open she jerked to attention reaching for her wand sitting on the ledge and had it aimed at Pepper before the door was even all the way open.

Pepper didn't even seem to notice that a deadly weapon was pointed at her. She only saw her future stepdaughter, the only child of the man she loved crying as if her heart was broken and her back. The scars weren't as bad as the one on her arm but they where older as if she'd been much younger when they'd been inflicted. Overlapping over her back a few very old others seemingly only a few years old.

"Oh honey." Pepper said softly as Juniper lowered the wand. Pepper reached over to turn off the water jerking back once when she felt how hot the water was before reaching the faucet. and then took once of the huge bath sheets the guest bathrooms where stocked with and wrapped it around her. "Come here Juni." Juniper surprised herself by sliding from the shower to the tile floor and leaning into Pepper's embrace.

Natasha was surprised by Juniper's reaction too and had to wonder how much of her acceptance had to do with Pepper's physical resemblance to Lily Potter or if it was just Juniper's longing for any sort of maternal affection. She supposed either way it didn't matter. It wasn't like Lily Potter was around to object and Juniper didn't have any memories of her mom to try to force onto Pepper. The scars on her back didn't surprise her unfortunately. They did enrage her. She'd remembered Ron mentioning scars but she'd assumed he'd mean bruises or marks that had since faded but no he'd meant actual full-fledged scars. Natasha knew right then she was going to kill the Dursleys. At least the adults. If Tony or Bucky saw the scars she may have to fight for the right to kill them she was fairly sure neither of them had seen them yet.

Natasha found herself kneeling beside Juniper and Pepper and reaching out to pat Juniper's shoulder a bit awkwardly. "Do you want me to kill Bucky for you?"

"What?" Evidentially that surprised Juniper enough to have her looking up at her those huge green eyes confused and still tear filled. That was a dangerous look. Natasha decided. It would have had her killing her best friend if Juniper had asked. If she aimed it at Tony, Bucky, Remus or Bill she could have them taking over the world for her. She would have included Ron in that group as well but she had the feeling she wouldn't have to even do that much to have him on board with any such plan.

"I will if you want me too. Although I don't think he hurt you intentionally." Natasha continued.

"I don't think murder is a proportional response to hurting my feelings." Juniper said tears shocked right out of her.

"Proportional is over-rated. Overkill is more my style." Natasha answered and reached over wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Your exhausted. You'll feel better after a little sleep."

"How am I suppose to sleep without seeing dead children." Juniper asked her voice going a little hoarse. Even she wasn't sure if she was talking about the children who'd burned in Diagon alley of the muggleborns from the book. It didn't truly matter though. Either way she knew what kind of nightmares would be waiting for her tonight."

"Because your going to be taking the dreamless sleep potion Hermione told me she left in your bedside table." Natasha answered.

"And because we are going to stay with you." Pepper continued. Natasha sent her a look that clearly said 'we are?' over Juniper's head. But nodded at Pepper's scowl. She wasn't willing to provoke Pepper's ire. The woman could be scary. "Come on honey lets get you in something more comfortable."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

AN- I am trying to make my Tom Riddle darker and a little more sane than cannon. He has more of a plan than just mass destruction and hes already got it in motion. Yup Bucky and Juniper have had their first fight. *Ducks in case of thrown fruit.* Don't worry I'm not gonna make them suffer. But really she dies in his arms pretty much literally that shits traumatizing. I'm kinda loving the Jarvis, Juniper bonding Tony's kids just get along so well lol.

AN- Next chapter I will attempt to make it a little lighter just to let my characters breathe a little. Bucky and Juniper will definitely make-up I don't have the heart to leave them hanging. Wards and winter soldier are also on the to-do list. There are notes from Hogwarts they never got around to reading, and Dobby should return with the 411 on Diagon alley. The man with the scars on his face will be coming soon. Although now that I think about it Bill and Remus both have facial scars. I should have made that Muggle with the scars on his face.

Love you all!