AN- Spent some time trying to get this to go one way my brain got all blocked then I realized it needed to go in another way entirely. Hate it when that happens. This is mostly a informative chapter very little actually happens. There is explanation of several things including Juniper's powers, a bit of political talk, Dumbledore bashing (yes I have issues with Dumbledore I'm aware of this. *sigh*) even a shred of Potter family history. Not to mention the Trio bonding and Juniper warming to Peter thanks to hot chocolate. Never underestimate the power of hot chocolate.
AN-BioHazard82 and Jiggyfic your compliments and encouragement is much appreciated. I know there is tons of stuff you could be reading and it makes me so happy you choose my story.
AN- n7kairos part of my goal is to make a smarter slightly less insane Voldemort. One whos smart enough to make sure anyone coming for him will have to get through Bella and Fenrir first. One who makes a powerful friend instead of just killing the enemy of a enemy, one who makes allies where the original never would have looked. I hope I explained here why the Horcrux wasn't as much of a threat as it might have been. Trust me the upcoming Battle of Wool's Orphanage is gonna drive home just how ill prepared our heroes are for the true scope of the war they are getting into.
AN- PikaMew1288 I actually did consider that but then decided Tony getting involved with the biological sister of his daughter's mother was a bit too much of a coincidence and decided to go with him just have a thing for pretty sweet looking, smart redheads.
AN- gingin1975 Memories next chapter I promise. There will be a bit more but It will probably be more of a what happens to the characters after the war type thing. I'm actually even thinking of a sequel with mostly original characters where the next Potter who attends Hogwarts finds out ghosts don't always stay dead and the past can bite you in the butt when you least expect it. There was a conversation here but its not the end of these no way Bill is not gonna have a talk with at least Ron.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
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"Juni brat, It used your power on the shield. Take it back." Juniper blinked at Bill's words trying to decipher what he was saying. It was almost like he was speaking in a foreign language that she understood but had to take a moment to translate. She felt weird, wrong and off balance.
She could feel the shield it felt different now the darkness it had held driven out. Touching it with her power didn't hurt now. She gave it a hard mental yank and it fell the power fading from existence. She leaned her head back against Ron's shoulder feeling drained.
"Hey kiddo can you look at me?" The hand Tony put on her shouldar was as calm and gentle as his voice but she still flinched away from him and pulled away from Ron as well.
"Don't...don't touch me." Juniper breathed out.
"Juniper, Doll?" Bucky's voice was soft as well. "Tell me you aren't believing that garbage that thing was trying to pour into your head."
"It wasn't wrong." She answered with a choked off sob then shook her head. "Somethings wrong with my magic."
Remus and Bill moved to kneel beside her as Bruce went to Hermione hugging her and Clint did the same with Ron.
Bill reached out putting a hand on Juniper's cheek. "Merlin Juni your like ice."
"I'm always cold." Juniper answered as Tony pulled off the suit jacket he was wearing over a white button down shirt and handed it to Bill who wrapped it around her.
"How long brat and why didn't you tell me?" Bill asked.
"Since Sirius, since Tom possessed me in the ministry, since I found out about the prophecy and the horcruxes. I kinda had alot going on at the time Bill." Juniper answered her voice raising a slightly hysterical tone entering her voice.
Hermione and Ron both looked over at her then exchanged a look between them shock on their faces. They'd seen Juniper scared, upset, hurt most of the time it made her shut down shut everyone out, run and hide until Luna, or Hedwig had settled her enough to rejoin polite society but they'd never seen her go so far in the opposite direction.
"I'm sorry baby, its okay, your right." Bill said just as disturbed by her reaction stroking her hair lightly.
"What happened Juniper?" Remus asked his voice warm and calm. So many years of dealing with Sirius had left him a little more qualified to deal with wild mood swings. Although seeing it in Juniper did unsettle him a bit.
"I don't know. I felt it grab something inside of me and...and pull and it...it hurt. I needed it to stop and then the fire came. It burned and stopped it but Merlin it burned inside and out it felt like my skin was singed and then all the warmth was just sucked away and it was like something hit me. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move. I could hear it. What it was saying to Ron and Hermione but I couldn't stop it." Juniper answered her voice trembling slightly. "My magic still doesn't feel right. I don't know how its just off. I don't want to loose control of it and hurt someone."
The tension in Bill's shoulders eased a bit and Remus let out a breathe seemingly relieved. "Its not off and your not going to loose control the balance just shifted." Remus said. Juniper looked at him in confusion. "Fire is Potter magic. The Potter family started out as well...potters. But for magical creations. Pensieves for one yours was probably hand made by one of your ancestors. So they used fire magic, fire spells, so often and so well it became part of the family magic. When you where threatened by something stealing your magic it lashed out maybe a little too hard to protect you. But you've been using Black magic, darker magic lately so the balance was shifted towards Black magic before. Your magic comes from two completely different places Juni. The Potters have traditionally been one of the lightest families. Don't get me wrong they where warriors when the time and the principal called for it but it was never about power, politics or greed for them but for what was right protecting the weak. The Blacks on the other hand are one of the darkest everything they did was about putting themselves in the best situations and most powerful positions possible. Until this last generation with Sirius and Andromeda they have always been pureblood supremist. And now your head of both families. Its no surprised your magic is off balance now and then. You'll adjust. Chances are one or the other will always be stronger."
"When you where younger it was pretty evenly balanced. This may be the first time the Potter magic has been dominate so oh course it feels odd." Bill said. "If your father...James was alive he would have taught you this years ago. Sirius should have."
"Sirius assumed Dumbledore did." Remus grumbled. "After Siri was arrested he was named her magical guardian. There was a hell of a lot he should have been responsible for that he neglected when it came to Juni."
"Dumbledore was a very very busy man. He hardly had time to spend tutoring one student." Juniper replied automatically defending Dumbledore.
"Why didn't it do more with what it did steal from Juniper? And how did it do that anyway? The diary was only able to do it to Ginny after she'd been writing in it for months pouring part of her soul into it. Juniper sure wasn't having any long warm and fuzzy conversations with the locket." Hermione asked.
"No corporal form, no wand. Thats why it was trying to break you. Not only to keep you from destroying it but it was feeding on your emotions, Despair, anger, fear, pain. If it had gained enough it would have been able to become solid and possibly take one of your wands. Something like that can't feed on positive emotions. As for how it stold a piece of magic...I don't know. But I do intend to figure it out." Bill answered then turned his attention to Ron and the cut on his forehead. "I have a new goal for you two. Try to go a whole day without either of you bleeding. Episkey." The wound immediately sealed up as if it had never existed and Bill pulled his younger brother into his arms so that he and Clint where now flanking the younger boy.
"Oh thanks a lot. Now I'll be the one bleeding tomorrow." Hermione complained as Remus moved to her side so she too had support on either side. The hulk on one side the werewolf on the other.
"When did you become so superstitious?" Juniper asked.
"She was right about the locket." Ron pointed out glaring at the necklace in question.
It was now simply a broken locket the black mark the basilisk venom had burned through it along the cut edge testament to the toxic nature of the sword. "What do we do with it now?" He asked.
"We give it too Kreacher." Juniper answered. "I promised him I'd destroy it. He lost the only person who ever truly cared for him and his sanity to that thing if anyone deserves to see it destroyed its him."
"Whos Kreacher?" Natasha asked.
"Sirius's...My house elf." Juniper answered remembering and catching herself at the last minute. Yeah Kreacher that was something else she had to take care of. When she'd last seen him he'd been grateful that she'd promised him she'd find a way to destroy the locket and had given her his full loyalty. Despite that she didn't like him, didn't trust him, and blamed him at least in part for Sirius's death. At the moment he was suppose to be repairing and cleaning 12 Grimmauld Place a few days a week and spending the rest of the week at Hogwarts under Dobby and Winky's supervision simply because spending so many years alone in Grimmauld could not have been good for his mental health. Even elves needed interaction with others and that didn't not include a screeching old harpy of a painting. She'd considered giving him clothes but knew that if she did the old elf would most likely drop dead on the spot and she felt enough of a debt to Regulus that she didn't want to harm someone who'd meant so much to him.
"Juniper." Tony said softly holding out a hand to her.
"People who get to close to me get hurt Tony. They get killed or their lives are ruined." Her eyes flickered to Bucky for a moment then back to Tony. "I can't...be that selfish anymore."
"Too late kid. I'm not going anywhere. None of us are. We're family now. Its scary I know having people who can get hurt if things go bad who will be made into targets if your enemy finds out about us. But your gonna inherit your own share of enemies from us. You think being Tony Stark's daughter, Bucky Barnes's girl, James Rhodes's, Steve Roger's and Clint Barton's niece or Peter Parker's and Natasha Romanova's friend is gonna be easy or is going to endear you to people? HYDRAs just the tip of a very big iceberg of people who want to take us down and will look at you and see a delicate little teenage girl a weak spot. I think I'm kinda look forward to seeing what happens to the first low life crook who thinks picking on my kid is a good idea." Tony whos expression had been very serious smirked just a bit at that his eyes gleaming like Juniper's did when she was planning something she knew was gonna get her detention or at least a ton of points taken if she got caught.
There was more she knew that. The Black madness was something she needed to address. Something only one other person in the world aside from Bellatrix could give her any answers about from the prospective she needed and she dreaded that almost more than her next battle with Tom. She also needed to shake both of her friends until those insane ideas the horcrux had spouted off about rolled out of their heads. But at the moment she just honestly wanted a hug from her dad. She lifted her hand and put it in his and his smirk morphed into a smile as he pulled her into his arms.
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"Juniper I made you this...I mean you don't have to drink it or anything...but my Aunt May always makes it for me when I'm cold or like when I feel bad and stuff." Juniper who'd somehow found herself bundled up the stairs wrapped in warming blankets and tucked between Tony and Bucky on the couch watching Ghostbusters looked up as Peter approached her cautiously with a large mug filled with something steaming hot.
"What is it?" Juniper asked taking the hot mug cautiously.
"Hot chocolate." Peter said with such a genuine grin that Juniper felt herself warming towards him and mentally sliding him from the slot with Neville and over to the one with Collin Creevey.
"Thank you Peter." Juniper said with a slight smile. Both missed the triumphant glance Natasha gave Clint. Peter gave her a huge beaming grin and flopped down on the floor next to the couch whispering commentary on the movie occasionally that amused Juniper just a bit more than the actually movie did which saved him from the whack to the back of the head Tony usually would have given him for that.
Juniper had just finished the hot chocolate and the movie was almost over when Hermione stood and went into the kitchen for a soda refill. Juniper and Ron's eyes met and Juniper held up five fingers. Ron nodded and Juniper stood and followed Hermione taking the blanket around her shoulders with her. None of them doubted Ron would be following in 5 minutes. It was impressive how they all communicated so well without words when trained soldiers had trouble catching on sometimes.
Juniper entered the kitchen and came up behind Hermione who hadn't turned and wrapped her arms around her waist. "I'm so sorry Hermione. I love you. I know I don't say it enough but I love you."
"I know." Hermione answered turning and giving her one of her breathe stealing hugs. "But you do depend on me to know things and this time I...I'm failing you. This time when its so important I'm failing you."
"Your not." Juniper said pulling Hermione over closer to the bar stools and sitting on one to put them eye to eye. Being short sucked. "Even you can't find something that isn't there 'Mione. Research and homework are not your only value. Yeah we depend on you to have the answers maybe a bit too much but thats not all you are to us. We never would have made it this far without you. Your our rock. Remember second year?"
"Vaguely I did spent a lot of in the hospital wing petrified." Hermione answered trying to hold back tears.
"Yeah and after only a year and a half of having you me and Ron where lost. We must have said at least once a day how we needed you back, trying to figure out what you would have done and we still mucked up so much. Bill was right when he said your the one with the common sense but its more than that. I don't even know if I'm saying this right. I don't even know how to put in to words how much you mean to me, to us. Even without me you still would have shone. People would have seen you would have appreciated you would have known how amazing you are. I was just the one smart enough to do it first. Its not me and Ron Hermione its not the golden duo its the trio the three of us always til the end." Juniper said this softly but her voice intense hands on Hermione's shoulders.
"Thats what I'm afraid of." Hermione said just as softly. "The end."
"Nothing that happens is your fault. I've known for a while that I may have to die to stop him."
"Its not fair."
"Take a look at my life Hermione. I stopped expecting fair when I was six. I'm not going to be the one to save the world Hermione. I'm only going to stop Tom. Afterwards its will be you, Ron, Neville, Susan, and Terry that change things that fix things." Juniper told her.
"I can't...I don't..."
"My will is filed with Gringotts your the heir to the Potter family title, Ron to the Blacks." Juniper informed her.
"Juni you can't do that." Hermione protested eyes wide.
"Oh yes I can I looked into the laws quite thoroughly. I'm the last Potter I can settle the title anyway I want. In the absence of heirs of my blood I choose my own heir. The Black title is a bit trickier but Andromeda and Tonks are cast out from the family, and Bella will be dead. Draco may have been a problem but as a werewolf he is now disqualified, The only requirement for a heir without Black blood is that the heir I choose be a pureblood of good standing and have no other titles to interfere with devotion to the Black family. Bill will have the Prewett lordship and the Weasleys no longer have a title so hes clear there too. You both have to be willing to change your last names but I don't think the Weasleys will object since they have seven kids and you can still be a Granger in the muggle world. You know what we've talked about what we want done. I trust Ron and Neville to do the right thing but I trust you to do the smart thing. When I'm gone they will look to you Hermione. I need you to be strong. I need you to be the peacetime leader the world is gonna need to heal. I need you to look after the others." Juniper said softly wiping away Hermione's tears.
"No your talking like its over like its a foregone conclusion. Theres a third option Juniper I know there is. We just have to find it."
"I want you to stop Hermione."
"WHAT NO!."
"Shhh they'll hear you. Remus has werewolf hearing and Steve and Bucky are super soldiers remember. There is nothing to find and your driving yourself into the ground. If there was anything you would have found it." Juniper reprimanded softly.
"Your talking like this is a test or something. We're talking about your life. You can't just give up Juni we need you." Hermione protested.
"No you don't Hermione thats my point. I'm a weapon. Once the war is over I become a liability a reminder of all that was destroyed and all the lives lost. And who knows what I'll become. Look at Bellatrix..."
"You are not Bellatrix Lestrange." Hermione interrupted.
"Neither was she at my age."
"She also wasn't Juniper Potter. Bloody hell Juniper if you where going to go evil you would have done it before now. You would have turned that so-called family of yours into toast." Hermione pointed out.
"Or pigs." Juniper said a sudden smile appearing on her face. For a moment Hermione froze as if confused then she remembered what Juniper had told them about Hagrid giving her cousin a pigs tail and they both burst into laughter.
Then Hermione grabbed Juniper hugging her hard. "I love you too Juni. I know I'm not your best friend thats Ron but you are mine. And I will not stop. I'm going to find a way to save you or I'll keep looking til the very last minute. To the end."
"Maybe but I do trust you with stuff Ron doesn't know. Theres no one I trust more than you." Juniper said softly.
Just then the door opened and Ron entered. "Sooo did I miss the crying and show up just in time for the hugging or should I go back out and try again?"
Both girls turned to him and Hermione crooked her finger at him. "Come here Ronald we need to talk."
"Juniper shes scaring me." Ron complained but came over putting one arm around Juniper who was still on the stool the other around Hermione.
"Why didn't you ever tell me you still worry about 4th year?" Juniper asked him .
"You think I wanted to remind you, either of you of the time I was a huge wanker, stabbed you both in the back, and ignored you when you desperately needed help. Bloody hell Juni you went to Percy for help over me cause I was so awful." Ron answered his shoulders drooping slightly.
"I like Percy." Juniper said with a half shrug. Percy had stayed at Hogwarts during the triwizard tournament and the two of them had gotten closer probably because Percy felt like the outsider in his family too and enjoyed finally having a younger sibling that listened to him. She'd spent more than a few evenings in his room especially when she couldn't sleep and his lectures where good for insomnia. But it was true that if Ron hadn't been so...difficult she probably wouldn't have gone to the older Weasley for company. "Besides you where 14 theres a genetic imperfection in the male brain that causes short circuits at that age." they both ignored Hermione's snickers.
"I made you cry." Ron said softly. "Parvati told me. While beating on me with a book. Why are Gryffindor girls so abusive? Maybe I should warn Bucky and Viktor about that." He gave them a weak grin.
"Cause Gryffindor boys are so stubborn." Hermione answered with a playful eye roll both of them trying to keep the conversation light.
"Fourth year as a whole was the hardest in my life. I can't pretend our arguments weren't part of that but you weren't the only reason I had to cry that year." Juniper told him. There had been two large arguments with Ron that year the first before the first task when he'd accused her of tricking her way into the tournament and lying about it and then before the Yule ball when she refused to badger Hermione to go with him instead of Viktor. Even after she'd gotten Luna to go with him he'd pouted the whole time. Luna had a good time anyway because she was a good natured girl and they'd made sure Cedric, Viktor, and Neville had danced with her. Hell even Terry and Blaise had danced with her but Juniper had been mad at him for the way he'd treated Luna for a good few weeks. Until the second task. Until she'd seen him, Hermione Viktor's captive, Gabrielle Fleur's captive, and Ben Cooper Cedric's best friend and his captive floating there like...like they where dead. The memory made her shudder. After that Ron being alive was such a relief she could never have stayed mad at him.
"Anyway." Juniper continued pretending she didn't see the concerned looks the shudder had drawn from her friends. "That was three years ago. Since then you've stood by my side so many time. I remember the fight you got into with Seamus when he called me crazy, going with me to the ministry, holding me when I was raging over Sirius. Not to mention before. Ron you sacrificed yourself in the chess game first year, faced down giant spiders second, and a werewolf third. How could you possible think your not a hero?"
"You where in the lead every time Juniper. Your the hero I'm just the sidekick." Ron answered. "Your Juniper Potter the chosen one, girl who lived. I'm just that youngest Weasley boy who you hang out with."
"Your no such thing. Sidekick implies I could have done it without you and theres no way. Your not my sidekick Ron your my partner. When people talk about us its the Golden Trio, The Ministry Six not Juniper Potter and her friends. Even foreign ministries trying to give us sanctuary know we're a package deal."
"Your both stronger than me magically and wayyyy smarter. Only thing I bring to the table is muscle." Ron answered gloomily. "And I even screwed that up. I should have been able to destroy that stupid locket before it even started."
"Ronald Bilious Weasley You know good and well theres more than one way to be smart." Hermione practically screeched in a pretty good imitation of Molly Weasley.
"Bloody hell Hermione I'd like to keep my eardrums in one piece please." Juniper yelped. Then looked over to Ron. "Nobody expected it to come pouring out like it did Ron. In the end you did destroy it. Today you are the big hero." She leaned over kissing his cheek. "As for your prefect badge and spot on the team neither had anything to do with me. You got the badge cause McGonagall and Dumbledore though you where the best one for the job had nothing to do with me. I was never a prefect. I was captain of the Quidditch team but if Cormac had beaten you at tryouts he would have gotten the spot. I did get your date for the Yule ball but that was because you my friend have no game. Lavender is all you though I refuse to take any responsibility for that train wreck in the making."
"And your better than me at some spells. Like the ward or a Patronus." Hermione said.
"Cause you think too much." Juniper and Ron chorused together. It was something Juniper had told her many times. Some spells had to be felt not thought through. Hermione had a bad habit of finding reasons something shouldn't work instead of just believing it would which was why Juniper could do stuff Hermione never would be able too.
"Look heres the deal. Neither of you are who you are because of me. If anything bad shit has happened to you because your my friends." Juniper held up a hand to shut them both up when they started to protest. "I'm not above gagging you both and you know it. I can be insensitive I get caught up in the big picture and forget other stuff like telling you both how much I love you and how much I need and appreciate you both."
"Ron you are where you are on your own merits. No one had handed you anything because of me and your not riding my coattails your standing at my side. And occasionally you've stood in front of me. Your my Hero. You've stood for me when I couldn't. I can deal with the bad guys coming for me but you've been the one there when it was the people I trusted turning on me." She ignored the tears in his eyes as she turned her attention to Hermione. "As for you I think I've made my view on what that thing said clear but there is one more thing. Draco Malfoy? Really? You've beaten him at every turn. Academically, magically, hell you even punched him in the face and he did nothing. Why was Draco the face it used?"
"Its not him specifically Juniper. Its all he represents. The rich, pompous, pure blood bigots who are going to look down on me no matter what." Hermione answered softly.
"Yeah well your gonna punch them too metaphorically speaking anyway. In most cases. When this is over we'll have the power. We'll be the war heroes. The deatheaters did us the favor of overthrowing the Wizengamot so when it is reformed we will be choosing we gets in and who doesn't. The old guard had their turn and they screwed up. Its our turn. For the most part anyway. Augusta Longbottom stays, Amos Diggory stays. Any who fight with us in the final battle stays. Any others can be replaced by their heirs and if they try any funny business they can be threatened with being charged with treason by cowardice. I had a few talks with Kingsley and Moody after Dumbledore died. Kingsley will be on board with whatever we do. I'd be easier if Moody or Bones had survived but Kingsley can hold the aurors." Hermione nodded and Juniper knew she'd remember what she said and would do everything short of bending the nature of reality to see it done.
"Good. We all good?" Juniper asked the other two. Both nodded Hermione laying her head on her shoulder for a moment Ron squeezing her waist. And for the moment it was true. "Right. Jarvis?"
"Yes Ms Juniper?"
"Could you ask Peter to join if he could? I'd really like to know how he made that hot chocolate."
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As soon as Ron followed the girls into the kitchen Tony turned the movie down a bit as if trying to hear what was going on in the other room. "Next time I get thinner walls." He glanced at Steve. "I suspect you'd object to us listening at the door?" He asked. He wasn't interested in letting Bill and Remus know how complete Jarvis's abilities to monitor the tower was at the moment.
Steve gave him a glare. "Let them be Tony. Trust them to work out their own stuff. I'm sure they'll be plenty of overflow." Tony rolled his eyes but fell back into silence.
"Me, James, and Sirius where bad but never like this." Remus said leaning his head back against the couch.
"We're being punished." Tony said glancing over at him a glint of amusement in his eyes. "For everything we put our parents through. Poor Junipers got so many parents shes gotta work over time."
Remus snorted in laughter. "Yeah I'm sure Lily, James, and Sirius are all in the afterlife screaming at us right now. Lilys gonna give me a earful before I even cross all the way over."
"If shes done yelling at that Dumbledore guy." Rhodey said softly. "What is the deal with him?"
Remus sighed rubbing his hands over his face. "I don't even know anymore. We trusted him. He was the most powerful wizard since Merlin, leader of the Light, Defeater of Grindelwald, headmaster of Hogwarts the greatest school of magic in the world. We...we all just got so use to just...listening to Dumbledore...You still get shouted down for questioning him in certain company including Juniper's. Now looking back at some of the things he did...He use to say he didn't want to be minister of Magic because he didn't trust himself with that much power. But he was Headmaster of Hogwarts. He had complete control over every child who came through that school he shaped what we thought of the world. No one questions him. No one has for generations." He gave a soft snort. "Except apparently Ron Weasley."
"When you grow up with Fred and George Weasley you start questioning everything." Bill said getting a grin from Remus. "I don't know Remus. I hate to say it but Ron has a point about Juniper. The way she was raised...Imagine being a abused, neglected little girl whos repeatedly been told how bad your parents where how worthless you where then one day a man shows up and gives you a whole new world. In this world your parents where heroes you are a hero. People adore you and thats before you even add in magic and a chance to get away from the people who are hurting you for 10 months out of the year. This man Hagrid is warm kind and gentle and tells you all about the great wise and wonderful Albus Dumbledore. She must have eaten it up. And then this paragon pays attention to you, seems to trust you and believe in you. How far would you go to please that man? How terrified would you be that if you didn't he'd take it all away?"
"Anything." It was Peter who answered the question. The orphan who could barely remember his parents. Who'd been raised by his aunt with love and care but even so he would do whatever it took to please his own version of Dumbledore Tony Stark. "She would do anything he asked. Even if he asked her to die for him she'd do it."
"Mr. Parker. Juniper requests you join them in the kitchen. I believes she wishes to request more of the drink you made for her." Jarvis piped in. Peter gave a nervous smile obviously pleased both by the invitation and the chance to escape what was quickly turning into a uncomfortable conversation and scrambled to his feet hurrying into the kitchen.
"Christ." Tony muttered rubbing his hands over his face. "Mans dead and hes still got his hooks in her so deep she'll walk to her death if she thinks he would approve."
"He was good at it." Remus said softly a look of realization on his face. "He was my savior. He let me into Hogwarts even though I was a werewolf, made sure I had a safe place to change. But I always knew if he decided I was too much trouble or wasn't loyal to him he could take it away. And he did it without ever actually saying it. Even after I grew up and left Hogwarts I accepted anything he said. I believed him when he told me Sirius betrayed James, Lily, and Juniper even though everything I knew contradicted it. I believed it so much I never even wrote to him or tried to visit. I believed him when he said Juni was safe and happy with people who loved her. He told me if I tried to visit I'd lead deatheaters too her and put her in danger. Merlin she should hate me. Siri was in prison, James and Lily where dead, you didn't know about her." He glanced at Tony. "I was the one who could have saved her and I did nothing."
Steve put a arm around his shoulders. "Its not your fault Remus. You could only go by what you where told. You'd lost everything and you believed the man who was like a father to you."
"Not good enough." Remus muttered softly.
"I'm suddenly feeling very glad Dumbledore never singled me out as one of his favorites." Bill muttered. Then looked at Steve. "This may not be the time but I need you to talk to Juniper about 4th year. If I know the details of the ritual in the graveyard I may be able to figure out how to sever the link between her and Tom. Hermione thinks she may be willing to talk to you. The whole anchor thing. Evidentially she probably would talk to Luna if she asked."
"Why do I get the feeling this is time sensitive?" Clint asked softly.
"I'm not sure how much he can do with the link at this point but in the past he has sent her fake visions, real visions, possessed her once when they where close enough, and thats even without what that horcrux just pulled. Its possible the cup horcrux may be stronger we have no real way to gauge which ones where made first. Except we know the diary was the first. But I don't want her going after another with the link still open." Bill answered.
Steve nodded. "I'll go talk to her." He said standing.
"Steve get her away from the other two. You never know which way they are gonna go dealing with the twisty way she thinks is hard enough you don't need Ron getting protective and Hermione attacking with logic at the same time." Bill advised.
"Twisty?" Tony asked a grin appearing on his face.
"You haven't noticed? Juniper doesn't even think outside the box she gets out of the box kicks the crap out of it then duct tape and super glues it back into the shape she wants. Makes her magic amazing and scary and the lack of logical boundaries it gives her practically makes Hermione's head explode."
Steve gave a soft laugh. "Perfect girl for Bucky." He said before heading into the kitchen. Juniper, and Ron where sitting at the breakfast bar watching Peter and Hermione who where at the stove Hermione carefully adding grated chocolate to the milk Peter was heating. It was a reminder that despite how they sometimes acted and how much they had been through they where still only teenagers.
"Juniper can I talk to you?" Steve asked. Softly nodding towards the door that led out onto the patio before going out himself without waiting for a answer.
"Crap. The talks I get out there are never good." Juniper muttered softly. Hermione actually let out a little giggle as Juniper stood pulling the blanket around her again before following Steve out pulling the door almost closed behind her.
"Time for another pep talk coach?" She asked Steve joining him at the railing that ran around the edge of the patio.
"Do you need one?" Steve asked.
Juniper shrugged and pulled herself up to sit on the railing facing him. "The horcrux is gone and I think Hermione and Ron are okay. In the end thats the important stuff."
"Your important too Juniper." Steve said softly.
Juniper just shrugged again. "Is that what this is? Another intervention?"
"Bills right you are a brat." Steve said giving her a grin.
"He usually is." Juniper answered noticing that Steve had shifted closer almost instinctively as if ready to catch her if she lost her balance and started to tumble off the railing. "Saving people thing." She muttered softly. Steve glanced at her questionally and she just shook her head. "Nothing just something Hermione says. Bill sent you to talk to me right? I know what he wants."
"And?" Steve prompted gently.
"I can't." Juniper said softly. "That day...It was the second hardest day of my life and at least when we lost Sirius I wasn't alone. That day in the graveyard..." A hand went to her chest as if just the words made her heart hurt. "...I was a coward a weak coward and Cedric died because of it."
"You where a scared fourteen year old." Steve said gently.
"And Cedric was only 17. Merlin Cedric was actually younger then than I am now. He seemed so...so grown up to me then. I can still remember his eyes. And his father. I will never forget the way his father screamed when he saw his body. I never knew it was possible for a sound to hold that much grief and pain." Juniper said her voice hoarse. "It should have been me. Cedric had so many people who loved him. He was handsome, loyal, head boy, quidditch captain, top marks in his year, every guy wanted to be him all the girls wanted to be with him. All the younger students in all the houses knew if they where being picked on or needed help with homework they could go to Cedric. Ron use to call him Prince Charming."
"And your going to throw his sacrifice away by letting Tom into your head when Bill may be able to stop it?" Steve asked his voice as kind as the question was harsh. Juniper's eyes jerked to his in surprise. "People should know don't you think? What really happened to Cedric. What Tom did to him?"
Juniper felt her chest tightening, breathe catching, rubbing her wrists as anxiety rose in her like a tide. She felt Steve's hand on her back balancing her and nudging her off the railing so her feet where on the ground. "Its alright Darlin' Your home your safe. Do you want me to get your dad or Remus?" Juniper shook her head in the negative clutching his shirt in one hand.
"Juniper I know your scared. Its okay to be scared. Its normal. Its a survival instinct. But you can't let that control you and stop you from doing what you know you have to do." Steve said tugging her to sit down on one of the patio chairs and brushing her hair off her face. "Noone will judge you. You don't even have to tell anyone but Bill or you can have anyone who'd make you feel better. Safer."
Juniper shook her head. "It was bad Steve it was so much. I just can't..."
"Theres another way." They both looked over to see Hermione standing in the doorway watching them expression unreadable. "Juni you don't have to tell it. We still have the Potter Pensieve."
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When they came into the family room Steve with a arm around Juniper's shoulders Hermione, Ron and Peter trailing behind they all fell silent.
"Juni, doll are you okay?" Bucky asked softly. Juniper looked at him sadly and reaching out touching his cheek lightly something in her face made him think she believed something was about to happen that would make him turn away from her. But she didn't say anything before turning to Hermione who'd knelt on the floor and was struggling to pull something out of her bag. Something big and heavy looking.
"Bill, Remus I know you know what a Pensieve is. Could one of you explain it please." Juniper said her voice had dropped to a low emotionless monotone.
Surprise flashed in Remus's eyes. "A pensieve is a rare and valuable magical creation. Very very few people knew how exactly how they are made or how they work. There are maybe five families remaining in the world who retain the knowledge of how to make them. The Potters knew once but that was several generations back. Basically you put a memory in it and others can view it. But this is where it gets...mysterious. You won't see it from the point of view of the person who lived it but as yourself watching. You can see things the person who lived it didn't so its almost like you are projected back into the past. You can't interact of affect anything that happens. No one in the memory will sense you in any way. So you can't change the past."
He turned his attention back to Juniper and Hermione as the latter finally got the item out of the bag it was a clay basin shellacked to a lovely brown. It was old but beautiful runes carved into the sides inside and out. It seemed heavy as Hermione was using both hands to move it. But then Juniper reached out and picked it up with one hand and then balanced it on one finger as it seemed to...wake up maybe at her touch and float. She gave it just the slightest touch and it started to turn, spin slowly.
"The Potter Penseive." Remus said softly. "Bambi you don't have to do this."
"Evidentially I do." Juniper responded softly in that same emotionless voice that was squeezing everyone's hearts. "I'm not proud of what happened that day. I know if I'd been smarter, stronger, or braver everything would have turned out differently. It was my fault all of it. So just...just watch and you'll see." She put her wand to her temple closing her eyes and a silvery strand seemed to pull from her head and she dropped it into the spinning basin where it swirled glowing softly. "Just touch it." She said softly. In the end they all did. In the end they all needed to know. Not so much because they believed for a moment that the girl they where coming to care for had been any of the things she said but because it was the only way they could find out what they where fighting.
AN- Next chapter lets take a look at 4th year shall we? :) Bucky and Juniper have a rather intense conversation and Bill makes a discovery that makes him explode. Maybe a guest or too with important info pop in, Dobby finally gets back and if all goes as expects the muggle with the scars show up. Love ya all.