AN- BioHazard82- Thank you for your continued support. I appreciate it so much.
AN- N. A. Wennerholm- Thank you so much for your thoughts. You've definitely given me some ideas about what kind of changes Juniper and the others will be implementing after the war. Assuming they win oh course.
AN- n7kairos- Thank you for your help and ideas. I can't tell you how much you helped
AN- I think this will be the last angst heavy chapter. Junipers not like Harry she was never going to accept what Dumbledore did as easily as Harry did. I added my own justification for what Dumbledore did to Sirius one I think he may have given but also had Snape speak what I believe is the truth :). Snape is a good author avatar. I wasn't expecting the Quirrell stuff but when I went back and skimmed the Prince's story chapter I saw that Dumbledore had in fact told Snape to keep a eye on Quirrell. That made my blood boil as at the least it meant he knew there was a death eater in the school the rest flowed from that.
AN-Juniper's personality will be shifting a bit within the next few chapters once the horcrux is removed from her head assuming she survives. Oh course that kind of thing affects the behavior as well as the draining. Expect her to become more like her dad. I'm sure Hermione will be thrilled.
AN- Yeah Sams a squib and Juniper was a bit closer to Mrs. Figg than Harry was in cannon. I thought about making it Fury but I've seen that done before and I've had requests to bring in Sam. I'm not sure how good I'll be at writing him as I've not seen the falcon and winter soldier but I'll do my best.
Remember reviews are my favorite thing. Love you all.
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CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
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"Sir, they are back." Tony and Pepper who had been at the computer asking for a meeting with King T'challa looked up at Jarvis's announcement and at Pepper's nod Tony immediately deserted the screen to hurry back into the family room. The moment he saw the three girls who knew it was bad. Very bad.
Natasha was standing her face set in a hard cold expression that made it clear that she wanted to kill someone. Hermione was sitting on the coffee table as if she hadn't been able to take the few steps to the couch and the expression on her face... She looked like a child who'd just been told Santa, The Easter Bunny, and The Tooth Fairy had all died. Bruce was sitting on one side of her Rhodey the other both talking to her softly. Juniper was sitting on the floor the Pensieve sitting lifeless now on the floor in front of her. She looked like she'd been told Santa, The Easter Bunny, and The Tooth Fairy had not only died but had been replaced by serial killers who were now coming for her. Ron and Bucky where flanking her both trying to get her to respond to them but she wasn't saying anything to them or reacting at all just sitting arms wrapped around herself eyes staring straight ahead.
"Kiddo, baby." Tony said softly kneeling on the ground putting a hand on her cheek. "What happened?"
Juniper blinked frantically for a moment as if waking from a nightmare and her eyes focused on him. She looked lost as if whatever she'd just seen or heard had shaken the very foundation of her life to the point where she couldn't seem to regain her footing. She looked over to Ron. "You were right."
Ron nodded very solemn. "Yeah. I didn't want to be right you know." he said softly reaching up to rest his hand on the back of her neck. Juniper nodded then leaned into him squeezing her eyes closed for a moment.
"What happened?" Bill asked softly eyes on Hermione and Natasha as Juniper didn't seem to be in any condition to answer.
"Think of the one thing, the one betrayal Juniper would never be able to forgive even from Dumbledore. The one person who was more important to her than he was." Hermione said softly her eyes going to Remus.
Remus went very pale and his eyes widened. "No Hermione..."
"HE KNEW." The words burst from Juniper as if a damn had burst and a flood of sobs escaped her as she straightened the words that followed barely understandable. "He knew Peter was the secret keeper. He knew Siri didn't betray us."
"No." Remus said shaking his head. "No...why?" He asked seeming no more able to accept than the girls where that the man they'd trusted and adored so completely had betrayed them on such a massive level. Steve stepped closer rubbing his back comfortingly.
"He said." Natasha said her words so cold they could have been made of ice. "That he knew Sirius wasn't the secret keeper but he did believe he'd blown the gas main and killed Peter Pettigrew and the 12 muggles. That if he had a trial he'd be given Veritaserum?" She glanced at Bill who nodded. "A truth serum and he'd never be convicted as the heir of a ancient and noble house. No one would care so much that he'd accidently killed muggles and he should be punished for it. So he just made sure he was sent to prison without a trial."
"He was probably right." Bill said softly. "At most they may have given him a slap on the wrist a fine or a few years in Minimum security if he'd been found guilty but with the Veritaserum it would have been proven it was Peter. Sirius would have been freed. And most likely would have been given custody of Juniper."
"I could have had a home. I could have had a family." Juniper cried. Remus crossed the room to drop down beside her and pull her close and Ron, Tony, and Bucky all pulled back just a little. More than anything else this pain belonged to the two who had loved Sirius Black more than any of the others.
"Snape didn't believe him." Hermione said softly. "He accused him...He said Dumbledore knew that if Sirius had raised Juniper she would have known her worth I think is the way he put it. That she wouldn't be so willing to die for the wizarding world, for him. That he wanted to be her mentor and hero. He accused Dumbledore of trying to keep them apart. Of not trying to get him a trial after he escaped. He never went to Amelia Bones, Cornelius Fudge, or Augusta Longbottom. Never tried to bring it before the Wizenmagot. Never did a thing."
"What did he say when Snape said that?" Tony asked rubbing Juniper's back lightly.
"Whats done is done." It was Juniper who answered her voice and tears muffled in Remus's shoulder. "12 year in Azkaban being tortured by dementors. 12 years with the Dursleys being starved and beaten and shoved in a cupboard under the stairs. 12 years alone no pack, no mate, no support and all he can say is whats done is done." It was the first time they'd heard that note of bitterness in Juniper's voice. "He destroyed three lives to get a leash around my neck. I'm so sorry Remus." She nearly whispered the last looking up at him.
"This was not your fault." Remus said his voice thick with tears as he brushed the tears from her cheek. "He fooled people older than you, people who'd known Sirius and should have known he'd never betray James. Me, Andi, Mad-eye, Mcgonagall. We all should have known. The only ones who every spoke up to Dumbledore where Lily, Marlene, The Prewett twins, and Alice Longbottom by then they were all dead or in Alice's case incapacitated. For most people there was just such a sense of relief that the war was over. Tom was dead or as it turned out at least gone. Everyone in power was struggling to hold on to what they had. No one wanted to rock the boat and to have questioned Dumbledore's decisons right then would have flipped it completely over."
"I Hate Him." Bill actually winced at the emotion and hoarseness of Juniper's voice. The thing about Juniper was that despite how much she'd gone through, the pain she'd experienced, and how badly she'd been treated she never seemed capable of pure hatred. She still felt enough compassion for the Dursleys to not let loose those who wanted revenge on her behalf. She'd looked Tom Riddle right in the face and told him she felt sorry for him because he'd never known love. When she spoke of Barty Crouch Jr who'd betrayed her she almost seemed to hold a little fondness for the madman. Bellatrix she was afraid of yes and wanted to kill there was hate there but she also understood her to a degree and when she'd had the chance to cast the torture curse on her there wasn't enough hate in her to make it work even though she'd just watched the woman kill Sirius. Peter was probably the closest she came. Maybe it was because she understood the others but betraying someone you loved wasn't something Juniper was capable of understanding but even then Bill believed it was more a sense of betrayal and vengeance than pure hatred that drove her when it came to Peter.
This was different. Bill had the uneasy feeling if Dumbledore was in front of her she could have cast the Cruciatus curse on him with no problem. This was real hate. She had loved and trusted Dumbledore near worshipped him. Even more she had believed he loved her that he thought of her like a granddaughter. They all had. And he had betrayed her stealing from her the one thing she'd always wanted and the one adult in her life she trusted more than Dumbledore himself. Even worse she would never be able to get answers as to why or get revenge because Dumbledore was already dead. That kind of pain and hatred could leave a wound even in someone as good as Juniper. The kind of wound that could fester into bitterness and anger towards the world in general. He suddenly felt like she was teetering on the edge of a cliff and he was afraid if he reached out to pull her back he might instead end up giving her that last nudge over the edge. He looked over to the others seeing the same knowledge and fear in both Tony and Steve's eyes. But not Ron, Hermione, or Bucky he realized. They loved her and had so much faith in her goodness the possiblity wasn't even occurring to them.
Thunder suddenly cracked outside lightning flashing as the clouds let loose with a torrent of rain. He glanced at the window nervously. "Wasn't supposed to storm today." Clint said.
"This isn't a normal storm." Bill said softly. "This is the kind of storm that happens when a Black is upset. Her magic is shifting."
Hermione stood her legs trembling slightly as she moved to sit on the floor with Juniper who was still clinging to Remus and leaned closer putting a arm around her. "Hope, friendship, and love Juni. Just like you told the horcrux remember. I hope wherever Dumbledore is hes suffering for what he did to Siri, and you, Remus, even Snape. But you can't let what he did change who you are. The girl who always chooses hope, friendship and love over fear, hate and power."
"He was part of who I am Hermione." Juniper said her voice strained.
"Yeah and he always will be." Ron said putting a hand on her other shoulder. "He wasn't all bad Juniper. He did do some good things."
"But how much of it was manipulation? How much of the good he did was to put people into position where they owed him?" Juniper asked raising her head from Remus's shoulder. "The things he did to Snape alone..."
"What did he do to Snape?" Bill asked. He still remembered being in the unpleasant man's classroom. He'd always been nasty to Gryffindors but not quite on the level he'd heard he was to the trio.
"Snape loves my mom." Juniper said softly looking up at Remus.
"Well, they were childhood friends but they, I don't know fought and drifted apart. I don't know if they spoke much after like 6th year maybe." Remus told her with a frown shaking his head a bit.
"No, Remus listen to me Severus Snape is to this day head over heels in love with Lily Potter. To the point that he risked his life as a spy for Dumbledore, to the point that he pledged to protect me even though he pretty much considered my existence a insult, to the point that his patronus is still a doe." Juniper said watching as his eyes widened in shock at that last part.
"Snape was the one who told Tom the prophecy he didn't realize until it was too late that the Potters where one of the families it could fit." Hermione informed them. "Afterwards he begged Tom to spare Lily, and Dumbledore to protect the Potters."
"Thats why Tom gave mum a chance to step aside." Juniper said her voice now faint.
"And thats why the sacrificial magic worked. Lily could have lived if she'd stepped aside and let him kill Juniper." Bill said more pieces clicking into place in his head. After all it wasn't like this was the first time a mother had tried to protect her child but in this case the man would have murdered Juniper and had every intention of sparing Lily Potter. Then his eyes flew back to Juniper's face. "Oh god Juni. You remember that night, don't you?"
"The main event. I can tell you my parents last words. I can tell you what Tom said to my mum. I can tell you how much it hurt when the curse hit me. What I didn't remember was Snape coming afterwards. Holding my mum and crying as his heart broke, picking me up and comforting me afterwards before putting a soothing charm on me so I slept until Hagrid came." Juniper answered closing her eyes for a moment. "And then Dumbledore guilted him into pledging to protect me if Tom ever came back. Everything he did since first year was to both protect me and leave himself in a position that he could rejoin Tom as a spy if, and when, he returned."
"But...but...he killed Dumbledore." Ron said frowning in confusion.
"Dumbledore was dying." Hermione said. "The curse on his hand would have killed him before the year was out. Tom had ordered Draco to kill him. He told Snape to do it instead. He said Draco wasn't completely lost yet and he wanted to protect his soul."
"Yeah Draco's soul. Draco Malfoy's soul. To hell with Snape's soul right? To hell with my soul." Juniper said her voice raising as she spoke.
"Oh Juni." Hermione said surprise in her voice.
"He knew something was going on with Quirrell Hermione you heard him. He told Snape keep a eye on Quirrell." Hermione let out a tiny gasp it had been a tiny snippet one comment that she hadn't registered the importance of until now. "So why the hell did I have to kill a man at eleven? Where was his concern then? Maybe it just didn't matter because he intended for me to die the whole time anyway. Or maybe it was a test. Maybe he wanted to know how far I would go."
Ron wrapped his arms around Juniper from behind now laying his head on her shoulder. He knew he and Sirius where the only ones who'd ever known how much that night in first year had tormented her. Killing the death eaters last year had been different for one reason. She still didn't know would never know if Quirrell had volunteered to be possessed by Tom or if he'd been a innocent victim who'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Since he'd once been the muggle studies professor he knew Juniper was inclined to think the second. Which would mean the man she'd killed before she'd even reached her teens had been as much a victim of Tom as she had been.
"Juniper you didn't do it on purpose. You had no choice." Hermione objected.
Juniper's felt like her mind was whirling her head pounding. She knew she was surrounded by people who loved her. Truly loved her. Ron holding her from behind Remus still sitting slightly to one side his hand on her knee. Her Dad beside Ron rubbing her arm lightly. Bucky at her other side. She was holding his hand she realized. So hard that anyone who wasn't as strong as he was would probably be wincing in pain. In front of her Hermione was watching her with her worried let me fix this with logic expression. But still she felt filled with anger, and pain. Filled with hate. She had put so much faith, so much trust in Dumbledore. For so long his word had been gospel to her. And he had betrayed not only her but Sirius. The closest thing she'd ever had to a father. The closest link she'd had to her parents. The only real family she'd ever known. Until Tony. The thought intruded. But if he knew? Would he still want her if he knew?
"Yes I did." Juniper forced the words out. The truth only Ron and Sirius had ever known. The last secret Juniper held in the darkest corner of her mind and heart.
"What?" Hermione asked surprise flickering across her face.
"I had a choice and I knew my touch could kill him." Juniper answered looking straight into Hermione's startled hazel eyes. "He grabbed me by the throat on the steps trying to strangle me but when I grabbed his wrists my touch burned him. I heard him scream, I smelled his flesh burning, I saw the burns on his hands halfway up his arms when he pulled away. I scrambled away but when I did he grabbed my robes my pocket ripped and the stone fell on the steps. He turned away from me to grab it. I could have run for the door, or tried to grab the stone. I didn't. I grabbed his face knowing full well what my touch would do to him. And I didn't let go Hermione. He screamed and writhed and hit me but I didn't let go not as his skin burned and his blood covered my hands. Not when the screams stopped and his flesh crumbled. Not until the spirit of Voldemort left his body and slammed into me throwing me back onto the steps. I chose not to run. I chose to kill him."
"Oh Juni I'm so sorry!" Hermione burst out throwing her arms around Juniper and hugging her so hard she would have knocked her flat if Ron hadn't already been hugging her from behind. That had not been the reaction she'd expected. She'd been waiting for anger, horror, denial, or flat-out rejection but not this.
"HERMIONE! Are you listening to me? I murdered a man at eleven." Juniper nearly yelled.
"I HEARD YOU!" Hermione yelled right back pulling back a bit so she wasn't yelling in her ear or in her face. "Merlin Juni I'm not deaf! I heard a scared little girl trying to do the right thing, trying to save the world as she knew it, fighting a grown man who'd already tried to strangle her and would have tried again as soon as he got the damn stone had to make a horrible choice. If your gonna try to make me believe that little girl was evil because of that your gonna have a long damn wait. You didn't know, you still don't know if Quirrell let Tom possess him or if he was as much a victim as you, and you have no clue if he would have survived whatever Tom would have done to him once he had the stone. SO STOP IT. Horrible things happened at Hogwarts in the last seven years and none of it was your fault. It wasn't your responsibility to keep that school safe. It wasn't our responsibility. Merlin Juni we where kids. There was a reason there where teachers, and headmasters, Head boys and girls and prefects, even school governors. They are the ones who put everyone in danger. Dumbledore playing games..." She stumbled a bit there with a audible sob. She'd trusted and idolized Dumbledore almost as much as Juniper. "...put everyone in danger. Not you. Merlin Juni, I love you but you have to stop this savior complex of yours. You can't save everyone and its not your responsibility too."
At some point as she'd yelled at Juniper whos eyes had went wide in surprise staring at her Hermione's hand had risen to rest on Juniper's cheek without her even realizing it until Juniper leaned her cheek against it slightly.
"Another complex to add to the list for the mind healer?" She asked her voice weak but slightly more normal letting those who'd been holding their breaths waiting to see which way Hermione's little explosion was going to tip Juniper take a full breath.
"Yeah well I'm pretty sure you come by it honestly." Hermione said very solemnly nodding towards Tony. "Probably a genetic thing."
"HEY!" Tony objected. But honestly more than anything he was suppressing the urge to grab the bushy haired girl in a hug of thanks for pulling Juniper back from the well of self-hatred and bitterness she'd been starting to tip into. Even the storm which had hit so suddenly was starting to calm the thunder, lightning, and pounding rain calming now to more a steady almost drizzle.
"Hey? Thats your comeback? Your slipping Tones." Rhodey said softly. Juniper glanced over at first her dad then her uncle seeing only acceptance and compassion.
Then she heard it a second before everyone else did. The song. The most beautiful song that had ever existed. A song that seemed to come to life both inside and outside each listener. A song that reached inside them soothing hurts, calming minds, easing worries and pains. It strengthened convictions, renewed courage, and shored up faith and hope. The healing song of the purest, most innocent creature to ever exist in either the human or magical world. And then he appeared in a burst of flame in the middle of the living room in midair. Hedwig above him talons lightly holding one wing. And if the Avengers had thought Hedwig beautiful this creature was completely breathtaking. Red and gold feathers a few with black stripes almost made him look as if he was made of fire the golden tail as long as a peacock's trailing nearly to the floor. He had a golden beak and talons and huge dark eyes. He seemed to glow faintly as if from a inner source of heat and at the sight of Juniper, Ron and Hermione he let out a trill of pure happiness that warmed the hearts of everyone in the room.
"Hello Fawkes." Juniper said softly. The phoenix swooped down to land nimbly in her lap just as he had in the Chamber and looked up at her with his beautiful dark eyes then turned to give Hedwig a look that seemed almost chiding. Juniper couldn't help thinking the ancient bird was scolding Hedwig for not taking proper care of her witch.
"Its not her fault." Juniper said trying not to feel foolish for defending her familiar to the Phoenix. "I don't listen to her near as much as I should. She takes very good care of me."
"Thats a Phoenix." Clint said softly wonder in his voice sounding slightly choked up. He wasn't the only one who'd been affected either. As Juniper looked around she saw the amazed, awed, and admiring looks from the Avengers. Tony reached out tentatively and seemed thrilled when Fawkes butted his head against his hand like a cat looking for pats.
"How on earth did Hedwig find him so fast?" Hermione asked. She wasn't quite as affected as she had met Fawkes a few times and had spent time in Care of Magical creatures class with the Unicorns. The only beings that nearly matched Phoenixes in their purity. They where edged out some said by how vicious some stallions could be in protecting their mares and colts. That just made Hermione appreciate them even more.
"Ohh I bet I know." Bill said a smile curving his lips as he caught sight of a bit of blue ribbon around Hedwigs leg. "All the regular floos to England have been closed but not the owl floos at Gringotts. They aren't large enough for humans and no one tells the goblins what to do. You posed as a Gringott's owl and slipped through their floo didn't you? You clever girl."
Hedwig preened clearly glad someone had the sense to appreciate her cleverness as most of them some to be entranced by the silly phoenix. "Thats my girl." Juniper said softly the affection and softness in her voice seeming to please the owl who perched on a bust on one of the bookcases and tucked her head under her wing for a nap.
Fawkes seemed to have had enough of Tony's attention because he moved to Juniper's shoulder and looked over the others in the room. Before he focused on Remus who he was most familiar with from his many trips to the headmaster's office with the other Marauder's as a child, after particularly difficult full moons when Dumbledore said he would benefit from the Phoenix's song, then as a teacher for that one horrible, wonderful year and finally as a member of the Order of the Phoenix and let out another trill of greeting.
"Hello Fawkes." The werewolf said warmly. "Do you know what we need?" The look Fawkes gave him clearly indicated that it was silly he'd even bothered to ask.
"Everyone here whos starting the think the birds are smarter than we are raise your hands." Clint ordered. Every hand went up.
"If you think the birds are smart wait til you meet Crookshanks Hermione's cat." Ron suggested.
"Kneazle." Hermione corrected.
"Bless you." Tony said then looked back over to Bill. "No offense to umm Fawkes but wasn't he Dumbledore's familiar?"
Fawkes let out a sad little cry that had Juniper stroking him and giving her dad a glare. No matter how she felt about Dumbledore it was obvious that hadn't spread to his familiar.
"Fawkes bonded to Dumbledore many many years ago. Phoenixes can't see the future he couldn't have known the things he would one day do. He saw the potential in Dumbledore for greatness and Dumbledore did do great things. He even did some objectively good things. We can't blame Fawkes for what Dumbledore did." Bill said then gave a sigh. "Even when Dumbledore was doing things that hurt people he was most likely following his vision of 'the greater good'. He just became so convinced that his vision, his view of what the future should be was the only one that was valid that he was willing to do anything to reach it."
"Are you defending that bastard?" Bucky asked. If it hadn't been for Fawkes's calming presence it would have been a growl as his hand tightened just slightly around Juniper's.
"No. There is no defense for Dumbledore. But Fawkes is innocent of his crimes. Once the familiar bond is created there is no way to sever it. For better or worse it is permanent until the death of either the familiar or the wizard. No matter how much the familiar disagrees with the actions of their wizard." Bill explained.
"And due to their basic nature some familiars are more capable of displaying their displeasure than others." Remus gave the sleeping Hedwig a fond smile. "I'm guessing due to the depth and length of their bond Dumbledore was able to keep Fawkes from acting on any objections in the presence of others."
Fawkes gave a soft whistle and hopped back into Juniper's lap to stretch his neck and rub his head against Juniper's cheek as if in apology. "Its not your fault Fawkes." Juniper said softly rubbing his neck. "If it wasn't for you I would have died in the chamber." Fawkes started singing again and this time the song was more focused on Juniper specifically. A song of love, healing, and friendship that helped uproot the hatred trying to set up house in Juniper's soul. If it hadn't followed Hermione's unconditional love, Ron's unwavering support, and the compassion and acceptance of her father, Rhodey, and Bucky maybe it wouldn't have been successful but as it was Juniper felt that hard clench of anger and pain easing. She would never again trust as fast and as completely as she had in Dumbledore. She would never again believe unquestioningly in someone who claimed to have all the answers, or follow blindly but as someone so many other people where willing to follow maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Fawkes turned to look at Hermione then looked at her ever present bag then back to her face.
"Right, right." Hermione said and opened her bag digging through it. "Remus how long do Phoenix tears last?"
Remus smiled softly. "Phoenix tears don't expire Hermione. They are magic remember."
Hermione pulled a glass vial about the size of her middle finger from the bag and pulling the cork out before holding it out towards Fawkes. Fawkes eyes welled up with huge pearly tears and he leaned forwards letting them fall into the vial until it was a little over half full then pulled his head back and looked up at Hermione cocking his head a little.
"This is more than enough Fawkes. Should I destroy anything left over?" Hermione asked. She didn't want to it was a valuable and precious substance but it was Fawkes's tears and belonged to him. He lowered his head slightly and pushed it against the hand holding the vial towards her clearly indicating it was hers now. It warmed Hermione's heart to know he trusted her that much. "Thank you Fawkes. I will treasure it, respect it, and use it only for those worthy." Hermione said solemnly.
The Phoenix nodded back regally then looked around the room meeting the eye of each of them and directing a few notes of his song to each of them. More than a few for Bucky, Natasha, Bruce, and Tony maybe sensing they where a bit more in need of the healing and peace his song provided. He then stretched out his wings obviously intending to take his leave.
"Your leaving?" Juniper asked softly. He leaned forward resting the top of his feathered head against her forehead for a moment before pulling back and nodding. "Will we see you again?" Fawkes nodded his head again with a comforting trill. Juniper smiled. "Stay safe Fawkes. And um if you can keep a eye on everyone at Hogwarts." He met her eyes and Juniper suddenly knew if he could speak he would have asked, 'My dear child what do you think I have been doing all this time?' He spread his wings and lifted into the air above Juniper before disappearing in another flash of flame.
Bucky glanced over at Juniper. "Like I said before the most interesting people."
"Fawkes isn't really a people technically. Although he is smarter than some people I've met." Juniper said looking over at him.
Bucky reached over laying a hand on her cheek gently for a moment. "Hell of a day doll." He observed seeing the dark shadows under her eyes and her pale complexion.
"Had worse. But it is definitely in the top five." Juniper said her voice soft.
"You've agreed to a plan that involves you technically dying, battled your cousin, had your dark side wake up however briefly, been shot, and found out your mentor betrayed you." Tony pointed out softly.
"Yeah I know but there was also muffins, and bridesmaid's dresses. Dobby, Hedwig, Andi, Tonks, and Fawkes all came." Juniper answered her voice small. "And nobody died."
"Nobody on our side died." Steve corrected. "I'm pretty sure Bucky killed the skinny guy, and I think Bellatrix killed the dark-haired woman whos hand you blew off."
The other magicals looked at Juniper in question. "The Lestrange family is now extinct in the male line, and if that was the killing curse Bellatrix fired Blaise is the newest Hogwarts orphan."
"Crap." Ron muttered. He wasn't crazy about Blaise but he didn't even want to imagine losing his mum. "Maybe you could start a club. You, Neville, Luna, Susan, Draco, Blaise. And that only among the people we know well."
Juniper smiled slightly. "Thanks but if its all the same to you I'd rather join the chocolate frog card collectors club."
"Well at least we made some progress. We have the horcrux and the Phoenix tears." Hermione commented.
"But no clues on the stone?" Clint asked he didn't want to remind the girls of the things they'd seen in the pensieve but that had been the reason they'd done it in the first place.
Juniper and Hermione answered at the same time. Juniper with a "Yes." Hermione with a "No.". Both girls looked at each other in surprise.
"What did you see?" Hermione asked.
Amusement flashed in Juniper's eyes. "You don't use your eyes do you?" She asked in a playful tone of one using a inside joke and glanced over at Ron. "And Fluffy wasn't even there to distract her." Ron snickered and Hermione glared at them both and motioned for Juniper to get on with it as Tony made a mental note to ask about Fluffy later. "When Snape was treating Dumbledore's hand what was on his desk?"
"I was kinda paying attention to Dumbledore's hand. It looked like something from a book in the restricted section. I was trying to remember what curse did that kind of damage." Hermione explained with a grimace.
"But did he have three heads?" Ron asked with a grin. Hermione whipped her wand at him and he yelped when the stinging curse made contact. "See Gryffindor girls are abusive."
"The ring was there but the stone had been removed, there where books, and what looked like quill pens and ink bottles. A decanter and glass of some kind of drink I'd assume alcohol, papers, a map of some kind not like yours, a gold ball, and medical supplies." Natasha supplied.
Hermione's eyes went huge. "A gold ball." She repeated.
"A gold ball." Juniper repeated nodding.
Hermione swore under her breathe and grabbed her bag yanking stuff out of it almost frantically. "Oh course. I should have seen it. I thought it was a sentimental thing but he had a reason for everything didn't he?"
"Seems so." Juniper answered sadness coloring her words but when Bucky reached over sliding a arm around her waist she smiled up at him shifting to lean into his side.
"I gotta have one of those bags." Tony muttered fascinated at how much was coming out of the bag. Oh course he'd known it was magic even before the big heavy pensieve had come out of but this was even more impressive.
"I'll make you one." Hermione muttered. "The ones in the shops are much more obvious and going back to have the charms reapplied is a pain. Mine last longer." She finally found what she was looking for and pulled out the golden ball. Like the one he'd seen Juniper playing with before except this one didn't have wings.
"Golden snitch?" Tony asked remembering what Juniper had told him when they where talking about Quidditch. "The seeker which is you catches it. Its worth 150 points and when its caught the game ends so the Seeker has to make sure their team score is high enough to win when they catch it."
Juniper gave Tony a brilliant grin obviously happy that he'd remembered what she'd told him making Tony extremely glad he had. "This is the snitch I caught in the very first game I ever played." She said taking it as Hermione held it out letting it sit in her palm. "Dumbledore left it to me in his will like he left Hermione the book, and Ron the Deluminator he invented."
"The stone would fit inside." Hermione said softly.
"The stone is inside. Its exactly the kind of game Dumbledore would play. Its figuring out how to get it out that'll be the trick." Juniper said softly.
"Snitches have flesh memory so it will always respond to the first person to catch it." Bill said softly. "I would think it would open at your touch."
"Except she didn't catch in with her hand did she?" Ron asked raising a eyebrow.
Juniper let out a groan.
"Wait wait wait. You said you caught the snitch first game but I don't think I heard this part." Tony said sensing a amusing story he hadn't heard yet.
"She caught it in her mouth. Near swallowed the thing." Hermione said her own eyes sparkling. At the time the whole thing had been terrifying but so many years and horrors later a cursed broomstick and nearly choking on a snitch was more amusing than anything.
Juniper elbowed Bucky lightly as he laughed and raised the snitch to her mouth. "This was easier when I was eleven and desperate to win the game." She muttered and took it in her mouth for a moment before spitting it out into her hand. It didn't open but black script appeared written across the snitch. "I open at the close." She read aloud. "Thats it?"
"What does that even mean?" Ron asked.
"It means jerking me around my whole life wasn't enough for him. He has to keep doing it even after hes dead." Juniper answered with a sigh.
"Why is everyone sitting on the floor?" Everyone looked over as Pepper entered. She'd ended up on the conference call with King T'challa longer than she'd expected as the two of them had danced around for the longest time trying to figure out if the other knew about the magical world and the war going on in England. It had been Juniper's name that had finally broken the stalemate. She had to wonder how famous her soon to be step daughter was that the king of Wakanda knew her name and parts of her story.
Juniper gave Pepper a smile. "Habit?" It wasn't a lie. The Dursleys had never allow her to sit on the furniture, and at Hogwarts first year it had been easier sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace than trying to get the chairs before the older students so it had just become their thing to sit in the floor in front of the fireplace. In fact if the trio where sitting in chairs in the common room Percy or the twins usually thought they were up to mischief. Usually true.
Pepper went over to Juniper and held out a hand. "Come on Sweetie. Enough death-defying antics for today. You can help me make dinner then we can watch a movie before bed."
"Your cooking?" Tony asked in surprise. Not that Pepper couldn't cook it just wasn't something she did often as she much preferred her work at Stark Industries and it didn't leave a lot of time.
"We are." Pepper answered firmly. She'd realized just that morning that Juniper enjoyed cooking and thought of it as a mother daughter bonding activity making it the best way to get close to her. Not to mention the cleaning magic she'd used made things so much simpler. Juniper smiled brightly and leaned over to kiss Bucky's cheek before taking Pepper's hand and standing a bit stiffly from the time she'd been sitting on the floor shoving the snitch into her pocket and followed her into the kitchen. Tony, Bucky, And Remus stood from the floor moving to chairs while Hermione and Ron who'd adopted more of Juniper's weird habits just shifted so they were leaning against the couch.
"You okay?" Ron asked Hermione.
"Kinda miffed I didn't see what he was doing." Hermione muttered softly glancing at the kitchen door as if making sure Juniper was really gone. "We're suppose to watch her back and Dumbledore slipped right under my radar. I didn't see any of it."
"Yeah well thats why theres two of us itn't it." Ron answered with a bit of a smirk.
Hermione gave him a sneer that would have made Snape proud and started returning her stuff to her bag.
"Steve I think its time to call Sam." Tony said heavily he wanted to believe Juniper was going to be okay but was afraid she wasn't done processing the magnitude of the betrayal she'd uncovered. He didn't like at all that she was more broken up by what the man had done to Sirius Black, and Severus Snape than by him plotting her death. "Natasha does SHIELD have any way to get in contact with Thor, or you know the other one?"
"Him? You'd bring him into this with how vulnerable Juniper is?" Clint asked in surprise.
"He has magic Clint. Strong magic. We may need someone with a little more firepower for this Grindelwald guy and I would give him the tesseract myself if thats what it took to save my daughter." Tony growled.
"I may be able to contact Dr. Foster if anyone knows how to get Thor's attention its her. From what I've heard he and Loki are travelling the realms to help repair some of the damage he caused." Natasha answered.
"Call her then. See if she can arrange for us to talk to Thor. He wants to protect Earth we may need his brother to do it." Natasha nodded and both she and Steve exited to make the phone calls in private.
"Tony." He looked over at Ron's soft voice. "Shes going to be okay. Shes a survivor. She gets knocked down and gets back up usually ready to curse someone. You saw her in the graveyard. She'll get back up from this too."
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It was so much easier to bond with Pepper as a parental figure than it had been Tony. Maybe it was because there was no blood tie so there was a bit of a difference or maybe because as close as she was with Molly Weasley there had always been that bit of distance she'd tried to hold not wanting to interfere in her bond with her real children. It had nothing to do with how much she looked like Lily Potter no matter what she knew Hermione would say about the subject. Sirius on the other hand had been as good as a father to her.
"How many cheeseburgers do you think Ron could eat?" Pepper asked as she seasoned the meat for the burgers watching Juniper slice tomatoes.
Juniper grinned. "On a good day three or four. He used alot of magic today so maybe five."
"Do you have to eat more when you use a lot of magic?" Pepper asked.
Juniper nodded. "Food, sleep and time recharges our magic. The elements too. Earth, wind, water, fire its why I was so charged up after Bucky took me to the beach."
"How many do you want?" Pepper asked softly.
"Just one will be fine." Juniper answered.
Pepper gave her a stern look. "What did you just tell me?" She asked. Juniper gave her a sheepish look. "Your eating at least two. And fries."
"Yes mam." Juniper said drawing a smile from Pepper. "Pepper do you think you and dad will have kids?" She asked moving onto to cutting up some onions.
Pepper paused not sure how to answer this question. She and Tony had talked about having a kid and had decided that if they did they would only have one but hadn't spoke of it since they'd found Juniper. It might change things. She would never want to do anything to make Juniper feel unsecure or that she was being replaced. "I'm not sure. Would that bother you?"
"No." Juniper answered. "I wouldn't mind having a little brother or sister. Besides Ginny and I guess Peter he seems to come with dad. I mean if you'd even want me to be around. I don't have to be you know..."
"Juniper." Pepper abandoned the hamburger and reached over tilting up Juniper's chin so she had to look her in the eyes. "Your not getting away that easily. Even if your dad and I have a dozen kids which I can guarantee that won't be happening you will always be our oldest girl. You are family now and forever. You try to escape and I will track you down and drag you home. Got it?"
Juniper felt a warmth in her heart at Pepper's words. "Got it." She affirmed and told herself the tears in the eyes where from the onions.
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Sam agreed to join them for dinner that night as he'd just been planning to hang out at home. Steve without telling him exactly what was going had told him it was a emergency and that had sparked his curiosity enough to draw him away from his home even though it was chilly and to the Avenger's tower where Steve had met him in the lobby giving him a medallion to wear. Sam gave the medallion a suspicious look but followed Steve into the elevator with no questions and then into the conference room where Tony, Bucky, a mild looking man with brown hair and a dangerous aura, and a muscular red-haired man where waiting for them.
"Sam thank you for coming." Tony said more seriously than he'd seen him for a long time.
"Yeah well Steve said it was important. Sparked my interest." Sam answered.
"Need to ask you something Sam." Bucky said. "Remember when you mentioned wizards as one of the big three? How serious where you?"
Surprise flickered in Sam's eyes then they seemed to shutter. "I've heard things." He answered seeming cautious.
"What things?" The red-haired stranger asked with a British accent.
"Just...things." Sam answered.
"Let me ask you does Hogwarts mean anything to you?" The brown-haired man asked. "Or Albus Dumbledore? How about Juniper Potter?"
"And the Voldemort wars?" Sam asked his voice soft.
"How?" Tony asked with a frown.
"Are you familiar with the term squib?" Sam asked.
"A squib is kind of the opposite of a muggle-born. A child of wizards born without magic." Bill said trying to keep pity out of his eyes. "They can usually sense magic but not use it."
Sam nodded. "Yeah. Thats why my dad split when I was a kid. Didn't want to accept that me and my sister where both squibs. Wanted my mom to get rid of us and when she refused he left."
"Get rid of?" Steve repeated a note of horror entering her voice.
"Its one of the dark secrets of the pure bloods." Remus said disgust creeping into his voice. "Children who turn out to be squibs tend to disappear. The lucky ones have their minds wiped of any memory of magic and end up in the muggle foster care system."
"And the unlucky ones?" Tony asked.
"Wizards have unique and effective ways of disposing of bodies." Sam said voice hard. "Some of them claim its kinder. After all growing up knowing about magic and feeling it but not being able to use it...Well some witches and wizards have decided its better to be dead than to live without magic."
"We didn't know Sam. If you'd rather not have anything to do with the magical world at all we'd understand." Steve said kindly.
Sam shook his head. "No if this has anything to do with Juniper Potter I'm in."
"Why's that?" Bill asked curious about just how much the American wizarding world had heard about Juniper.
"Arabella Figg. We heard about that even here. Fifteen years old hauled in front of the Wizenmagot on false charges for protecting herself and her cousin and she goes off on the court for disrespecting a squib. No other wizard would have done that. From what I heard not even Albus Dumbledore objected to them being rude and dismissive to the poor woman but that kid yelled at them not to speak to her like she was less than them." Sam answered.
Bill couldn't hold back a grin. He remembered that. He hadn't been there but his dad had described it along with the chest pains he'd experienced when it happened. He'd claimed if the twins didn't give him a heart attack Juniper would. He still believed only Amelia Bones defense and Juniper's ability to produce a patronus had saved her from having her wand snapped that day.
"Arabella was Juniper's babysitter and neighbor growing up. She was the only adult who was ever kind to her." He informed them.
"Well no matter why she did it it gave squibs hope. Shes powerful, both in magic and political backing. She can change things for Squibs. But if Voldemort takes over chances are squibs will go right after muggleborns. I'm not the only one ready to back Juniper Potter if she needs it, more than a few squibs have gone into the military. A side effect of spending eleven years disregarding muggle education in hopes of your magic manifesting and then growing up in foster care. Is she here? And those two partners of hers Granger and Weasley?"
"All three of them are here. All three of them are dealing with major PTSD and other effects of being basically at war since they were eleven years old and Juniper is also a Stark. Shes my kid Sam." Tony said looking over at him letting him see the pain in his expression. Pure shock washed over Sam's face. "I met her mother Lily before she married James at University and well...Lily was a very beautiful woman. According to the DNA test shes biologically mine and according to Remus who was a friend of James and Lily she was magically adopted by James."
"Oh wow." Sam said softly then his eyes locked on Tony. "I'm so sorry Tony. I can't imagine how hard it must be to find out you not only have a child but that your child has been in danger so many times and you weren't there to protect her." Sam did have a way of going straight to the heart of the matter. "How has Juniper taken it?"
"At first she was upset oh course but we're had a few conversations and shes coming around to it. Shes started calling me dad." The look on his face made it clear how pleased he was at that. "And yeah its hard. Shes only 17 but shes technically a adult and has been a soldier and a leader even before she hit her teens but shes also my baby girl. And I can't help her Sam. Magic can damage technology so most of my tricks will be useless."
"Then find new tricks." Sam advised.
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Don't mention Sirius Black, don't mention Albus Dumbledore, and don't mention Voldemort, or Tom Riddle as Sam had been told was the man's true name. Also don't tell Juniper he was a counselor. He'd agreed to the guidelines Tony had laid down. He just wanted him to observe the trio and see how badly they needed counseling. He'd tried to tell Tony he needed someone more qualified for this but Tony had told him quite clearly that he needed someone who knew about the wizarding world that they could trust so he was elected. He could do this Sam assured himself. He couldn't imagine that Tony was wrong about all three of the teens needing counseling it was just a question of if any of them where in immediate crisis at the moment.
Then just as they were about to enter the kitchen Bucky shot him a cocky grin that made Sam think he was about to do something Sam was really going to hate. As he entered behind him Bucky crossed over to where the girl Sam recognized from newspapers his mother had showed him as Juniper Potter sat talking to Pepper. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and when she leaned back against him he leaned in to kiss her.
The girl who lived. The savior of the wizarding world. The hope of people like Sam all over the world and she was making out with The Winter Soldier. "Oh hell no." Sam muttered. And then realized he'd made the worst first impression on Juniper possible when she looked over at him as if not sure if she was amused or annoyed.
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AN- I liked making Bucky act like a little shit to annoy Sam. I think thats in keeping with what I've seen of their relationship. Horcrux removal should be in the next couple of chapters I wanna say the next one but every time I do that I end up being wrong. I'm not sure if T'challa and/or Shuri will appear in person or if they just help from afar but I image two peoples hiding from the rest of the world for the exact opposite reasons (one with magic one with advanced tech) probably had friendly enough relations.
AN- Loves and hugs to everyone and since I doubt I'll post another chapter before Thursday Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it.