AN- *Peeks in.* Hi. I'm still alive. *waves.* I know it's been too long but my mental health was not the best for a while. Feeling much better now that I've broken up with Zoloft and met Cymbalta. But enough about me you're all here to see what's up with Juniper and crew right :). We'll be at Hogsmeade then Hogwarts in a couple of chapters now so I hope everybody's still around. We get to hear the rest of Loki's story and his plan for defeating Grindlewald and send the Slytherins back to Hogwarts in this chapter. Getting all my chess pieces in the proper places. So here we go.
AN-demonstration1996 That's a good point I never thought of before. I'd hate for it to be draggy.
BioHazard82- Thank you.
n7kairos- I'll remember that for future duels .*Adds tied up Bucky to wish list.* Got it :)
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Chapter Forty-six
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Another great thing about a magical house was not having to open the doors himself when his arms were full. Especially when they were full of Juniper. He entered their bedroom and lowered her to the bed. She was so relaxed in his arms he'd thought she'd fallen asleep until he pulled away and saw her looking up at him a unfamiliar expression in her eyes.
He found himself lying on the bed facing her reaching over to brush her curls off her face. "What's going on in that head of yours?" He asked her gently.
"What did Mrs. Figg say to you?" She asked him softly.
"She wanted to know if I was serious about you. Warned me that I better not be playing with your emotions. She loves you a lot you know." Bucky answered.
"What did you tell her?" Juniper asked a bit hesitantly.
"That I love you. That I intend to be at your side as long as you want me. I'm not going anywhere doll. Not unless you tell me to. Not unless you convince me it's because you don't love me and you'd be happier with someone else. Even then I'd probably come back if you just smiled at me." Bucky told her gently.
"I do love you. Even if it would probably be better and safer for you if I didn't. I put you in danger. In my world, even without the war without magic, you'll always be at a disadvantage." Juniper told him her eyes bright as if she were trying to hold back tears.
"Between your brother's earring, my arm, and my weapons I think I can even things up pretty well. I know you've lost people you love and I know you're used to being the one responsible for everyone else's safety but I need you to trust me to protect myself." Bucky told her still stroking her hair.
Juniper reached out as well skimming her fingertips over his cheek. "I'd like to think I could let you go if you didn't love me anymore but I'm not sure I could manage it."
"It's a good thing we'll never have to test it then." Bucky told her.
Juniper smiled and moved closer to kiss him softly. Bucky returned the kiss just as softly enjoying the sweet gentleness of the moment. He pulled away before they could go further resting his forehead against hers.
"We should get some sleep." He told her voice husky.
"Don't wanna sleep." Juniper said with a pout caressing his thigh lightly.
Bucky caught her hand bringing it to his lips for a kiss. "Consent is a constant thing doll. And you can't give it when you've drunk as much as you just did."
Juniper gave a soft sigh and sat up. "Kreacher." She called out eyes squeezed closed to keep her stomach from rebelling at the quick movement and the ancient elf appeared with a snap.
"Mistress Black calls Kreacher?" He asked in his croaky voice.
"Do we have any sober-up?" She asked eyes still closed.
"Yes, mistress. Former master kept it on hand in case..."
"Please bring me some." Juniper broke in opening her eyes not wanting Kretcher to finish the statement. She knew Sirius would have kept the sober-up around in case she called while he was drinking needing help. Kreacher held up a hand and twisted a wrist a small bottle of pale blue liquid appeared in his hand and he gave it to Juniper before popping out.
"Thanks, Kreacher," Juniper called after him and took a deep breath before downing the potion. To her surprise, the Sober-up was possibly the best-tasting potion she'd ever tasted. Ginger and mint. She could actually feel her mind clearing, eyes sharpening banishing the slightly fuzzy edges of everything around her, and the slightly dizzy feeling vanishing.
Juniper looked over at Bucky. "Still sleepy?"
"The marvels of modern potions." Bucky said with a slow smirk remembering what Juniper had told him once. He sat up and reached over pulling her onto his lap. Juniper shifted so that she was straddling his lap as he slid a hand through her dark curls and pulled her even closer giving her the kiss he'd been wanting to all day.
Hot, hard, and incredibly passionate. A kiss that had Juniper practically melting against him, clinging to him, a soft whimper escaping her as he moved down to her neck which had her tilting her head back.
"Oh, Merlin." She moaned as he bit gently at a particularly sensitive spot.
"Oh no. No, moaning another man's name in this bed. Even one whos been dead for centuries." Bucky told her his tone playful nipping her a bit harder.
"Bucky." She whimpered pressing closer.
"That's my girl." Bucky whispered against her neck catching the bottom of her jumper and pulling it over her head tossing it to the floor.
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"Are you awake?" Bucky's voice was near a whisper as he gently ran a hand over Juniper's hair the other stroking Alpine's snow-white fur. He wasn't even sure when the cat had joined them. He'd just woke up to find her curled up against his side purring softly.
"Depends." Juniper's voice answered drowsily as she hid her face in his chest. "If I say yes are you gonna make me get up."
"Make you leave our bed? Never happen." Bucky promised as he twined one of her curls around his fingers. He was honest when he said he loved her hair. Medium brown to jet black strands in wild curls that seemed to hint at her true nature just as the glint of mischief she occasionally got in those emerald green eyes of hers did.
"I do need to get up though. Draco and his shadows are leaving today I wanted to pack up some food for them to take back to Hogwarts." Juniper muttered not lifting her head from his chest so her warm breath whispered across his skin.
Bucky smiled softly. "Let me guess you're going to make some of those pastries you're so talented at?"
"As long as Kreacher doesn't have seizures at the sight of me actually baking. Elves have...thoughts about wizards doing what they consider their jobs." Juniper answered.
Bucky gave a soft laugh before asking, "Want some help?"
Juniper raised her head to look at him her green eyes wide in her best puppy dog look. "Will you make some pancakes?"
"My pleasure Doll." Bucky answered tugging her curls lightly. "Wanna share a shower?" He offered with a wicked grin.
"Umm for future reference the answer to that will always be yes."
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Cooking with Bucky was different than cooking with Pepper but just as fun. If much messier. For some reason, Bucky seemed to think the flour belonged in her hair and smudged on her nose. Oh, course she'd had to retaliate and he now had powdered sugar covering his black shirt and chocolate icing on his cheek. They were both giggling like children as Kreacher bemoaned the fate of the House of Black and twisted the blue tunic he was wearing in apparent misery from the corner when the others started trickling in.
"You can cook too?" Blaise asked her an amused grin twisting his lips as he picked up a cupcake from the table and took a bite. His eyes widened and he sat down at the table to wolf it down. "Merlin one more reason to regret letting Diggory beat me to asking you out."
"Would have picked Cedric anyway as he wasn't snogging my cousin." Juniper answered sweetly handing Tony a blueberry muffin, stepping around Alpine who was chasing spilled chocolate chips across the floor. Tony let out a snort of amusement and dropped a kiss on her floury curls before sitting as well.
"Is there anything you can't do Potter?" Draco asked a bit of jealousy showing in his voice if not his face.
"She can't sing." Ron answered for her flopping down in one of the chairs.
"I can too." Juniper replied hotly.
"Not so anyone would want to hear." Hermione said with a snarky grin.
Juniper let out a gasp. "Traitors both of you. To the ninth circle of hell with you both."
"What?" Ron asked frowning in confusion not getting the reference.
"Dante's Inferno. It's a muggle book I'll loan it to you." Hermione answered.
Ron shook his head. "Don't bother I'd read the first page then lose it." he claimed. It had happened before or at least that's what he told Hermione when she asked if he'd read the books she'd loaned him.
"You should give it a try. It's actually rather good." Loki said as he entered and studied the array of food on the huge table and sidebar before picking some fruit.
"No pop-tarts?" Thor asked a bit of sorrow on his face.
Juniper picked up a small tray of cherry tarts. "Try these." He picked up one popped it in his mouth then grinned hugely taking the tray from the girl and sitting down with one arm curled around it protectively. His smile widened a bit more at seeing Juniper's pleased look.
"Before you three leave we should plan a bit." Loki suggested gesturing towards the Slytherin trio. "There are decisions that have to be made. You will have to let those back at Hogwarts know what they will have to do."
"Right." Juniper said as Bucky put a plate of his special pancakes in front of her before sitting at her side. The others gathered around the table which seemed to enlarge as necessary to accommodate them all the table was now round instead of rectangular as it had been so they could all see whoever was talking.
"First thing is of course to get the children out. Sixth years and below." Hermione offered.
"Sixth years? Really? You expect Weaslette and Loony to run? Not to mention the president of The Potter Fan club. You'd have to drag Creevy out kicking and screaming." Pansy pointed out with a snort.
"Ginny, Luna, and Colin are not fighting." Juniper said giving her a cold glare.
"I say we let fourth years and up stay. We need canon fodder." Draco said with a shrug.
"We are not using 14-year-olds as canon fodder." Juniper growled.
"Why not you fought a dragon at 14? I'm sure your Gryffindor 4ths can handle a death eater or two." Draco answered.
"While the Slytherin 4ths hide in the dungeons I assume?" Juniper asked.
"Not like you let the Slytherins join your little defense club was it? They aren't nearly as well trained." Blaise pointed out licking the icing off a second cupcake.
"That's because most of the Slytherins we knew joined Umbridge's little goon squad." Hermione answered glaring at him.
"Like we had a choice. Most of our parents work for the ministry. We were ordered to toe the line or our parents could have lost their jobs." Pansy pointed out.
"My dad worked for the ministry. Me, Ginny, and the twins still managed to do the right thing." Ron pointed out.
"We're getting wildly off-topic here." Steve said trying not to scowl. The idea of 17-year-olds fighting was bad enough letting 14-year-olds fight was of course out of the question. The wizarding world's acceptance of child soldiers was frankly disturbing. "Anyone under seventeen will be evacuated."
"Fine but don't say we didn't warn you when the younger years revolt." Draco said with a shrug.
"Wouldn't it be safer for the younger years to stay in the castle and take the battle fully to Hogsmeade?" Loki asked.
Juniper shook her head. "The last Horcrux is in Hogwarts. I have no doubt he has alarms set up to notify him the second I set foot back inside, so we will have limited time to act. Unfortunately, the safest place in the castle as well as the location of the safest secret passage out has to be empty to get to the Horcrux."
"The room of hidden things." Draco said softly then burst out. "Do you mean I was literally in the same room as a Horcrux for hours on end last year?"
"Umm, Yeah yeah that's what I mean." Juniper answered after a moment nodding.
"Juniper...I...can't go past the Hogwarts' wards." Loki said softly for the first time sounding unsure.
"What?" Tony almost growled alarm flashing in his eyes. "You said you would help. Promised you would."
"I didn't know the final battle would be at the school." Loki answered. Despite Tony's words it was the look in a pair of big green eyes that put a hint of guilt in his tone. Those eyes of Juniper's should be registered as a weapon. Honestly, she was worse than Thor. "Remember when I told you the story of my time at Hogwarts and you asked why I left?" Loki asked her his voice soft.
Juniper nodded as Pansy raised a hand to cover Blaise's mouth knowing the boy wouldn't have been able to resist breaking in with questions. Pansy wanted to hear this.
"I think it's time you hear the story of why I was forced to leave the closest thing to a home I ever found." Loki told them taking a deep sip of the coffee as if fortifying himself with caffeine.
Juniper reached over twining her fingers with Bucky's everyone giving Loki their full attention just as they had the other night. He found he wasn't enjoying it quite so much considering the look on their faces. Especially Juniper and Thor.
"As I told you I had been at Hogwarts for a little over 25 years. Salazar and his children had left a few years before so I was teaching the older years dark arts as well as self-transfiguration to those students with the necessary power and interest. I was...I was as happy as have ever been. Sal's absence was the only flaw and I think we were all of the belief that he would return once he was done mourning for his wife and younger children."
"Then the summons came from Odin. A summons ordering me to return to Asgard. He said I had wandered long enough. My mother missed me and it was time I started training to be Thor's advisor when he became king. I did not wish to return. I was happier at Hogwarts, more respected, more accepted than I ever was on Asgard." He paused for a moment taking a deep breath.
"I...requested that he let me stay on Midgard. At least for the lifetime of the founders, but Odin was never one to accept even the barest hint of defiance. He sent a message back. 'Return on your own or we will destroy your school, your friends, and any others who stand in the way.'" Thor shifted uncomfortably. He wanted to deny that his father would have said such a thing to his brother but if he was truthful he knew he likely had.
"Unfortunately Godric and Rowena were in the hall and heard the message." Loki sighed a look of fond annoyance crossing his face as if from just the memory of how his friend's reactions. "They did not take it well."
Juniper shifted slightly biting her bottom lip. She could only imagine. Godric had been well known as a warrior with a fierce temper and an even fiercer protective instinct when it came to his friends, family, and students. Rowena from the tales Luna had told about her house's founder had also been a warrior and any challenge would bring forth a cold fury that had on a few occasions rattled the windows of Hogwarts itself. She doubted either of them would have allowed anyone even the King of the Gods to take a friend from their home against his will without a mighty fight.
Loki nodded at her reaction. "Godric nearly ran the messenger through with that big sword of his. Rowena used her magic and her ties to the castle to expel him. My father was not pleased. He threatened to lay waste to the castle. I knew that I would have to return to Asgard but even that would only partly pacify him."
He looked over all the teens the Slytherins now regarding him with as much awe as the Gryffindors had upon hearing him speak so casually of the founders. "How much do you know about the Hogwarts wards?"
"They have existed as long as the school has. Rowena Ravenclaw originally created them but the other founders added their own powers to it. Every headmaster has added to it over the years as well as the residual magic from all the students passing through seeps into it. The full wards have only been activated 3 times in the history of the school. The basic wards allow the school to be hidden from human eyes and make it unplottable. They also make it impossible for anyone to apparate into or out of Hogwarts. Well, except for house elves anyway." Hermione recited. Juniper wouldn't have been surprised to find she'd quoted directly from Hogwarts: A History. Apart from the part about house elves which was something they'd found out from Dobby.
"Helga had a soft spot for house elves." Loki remembered with a slight smile. "She insisted every measure be taken to make their jobs easier. The majority of wards created after were based on Rowena's with the exception for house elves. I doubt even the ward masters realize what that particular part of the spell does." He took another deep breath blinking away the emotion quickly.
"The Wards at the time were strong but not strong enough to stand against Asgard. I added the unplottable elements myself, as well as the ban against operation, and then..." He paused for a moment. "Myself, Godric, Rowena, and Helga added another element. A power drain loop. Any Asgardian magic user who passes over the wards will be caught in it. They will be unable to move, unable to speak, and they will fall into a state much like what you Midgardians call a coma. Their strength would feed into the wards making it even stronger. It will work on any magic user, not from this realm and the stronger they are the quicker they will fail until they cease to exist from magical drain."
"You can never really go home." Juniper said a deep sadness and understanding in her tone.
"I can never go home." Loki agreed looking into the eyes of another who had considered the castle their first real home.
"Your father is a right bastard." Juniper said anger replacing the sadness eyes blazing. Loki felt a warmth in his chest. The last person who had ever been so angry on his behalf was Godric.
"He is a good father. He does what he believes is best." Thor finally spoke unable to deny the urge to defend his father.
"A good father to you." Juniper told him her eyes going to him. "That makes it worse. Don't you see? If he is a good father to you that means he is capable of it. He is capable of love and kindness but he only shows it to one child. How do you think that makes the other child feel? They start thinking it has to be their fault that something is wrong with them. Something that makes it so their aunt...I mean father can't love them."
Bucky squeezed her hand lightly no one else gave any indication they'd noticed Juniper's slip but they all had.
Thor looked at Juniper for a moment his expression softening then he looked to his brother. "Little Stark is right. The way father treated you was wrong. I am sorry I never did more to defend you from his harsh words and treatment."
A flash of shock showed on Loki's face. Despite tales of his silver tongue, He'd never had the exact words to tell Thor how their childhood had affected him. Not that he would have. But Juniper understood and she'd had it worse. His father had been cruel but he'd had his mother and he'd always known that Thor loved him even when they were trying to kill each other. Juniper had been alone until she went to school. He'd never imagined he would hear his brother apologize and was surprised to find it actually helped. As if one small crack in his heart had sealed. He merely nodded not feeling the need for words.
"I don't want to interrupt this heart-warming moment or anything but this puts us right back where we where before Loki showed up. The only chance we'll have to get Grindelwald will be a sniper shot from Bucky, Natasha, or me." Clint pointed out. "And that will only work if he's not shielding like Juniper did."
"Black Island." Draco said suddenly. "We can hide out there. We'll have to be cautious and only bring those who will be useful. It will give us time to train until Juniper and I reach our full magical strength."
Juniper and Hermione's eyes met and despite the circumstances, they couldn't help laughing. Draco gave them an offended look.
"Sorry, Draco it's just...funny that you and Ron both had the same reaction. He also suggested we retreat to Black Island." Hermione informed him.
"Might be rethinking that strategy now." Ron said seeming to be trying to burn a hole in his friends with his glare.
"There may be another way but it is dangerous." Loki said solemnly.
"We don't have much to lose at this point." Juniper answered.
Loki nodded. "We should talk about it privately."
"In other words without the Slytherins listening in." Draco stated dryly.
"Because you three have absolutely no secrets and have told us absolutely everything." Ron said dryly. "Say Draco has Snape handed out any potions to your house the rest of the school doesn't have access to? You know protection, stamina boosting, perhaps even
Felix Felicis for his favorites?"
"Don't know what you're talking about Weasley." Draco said a bit of a growl in his voice.
"Yeah and I totally believe you." Ron replied. "See now both of us are liars."
"Could you two do this another time? Perhaps when we're not trying to come up with a plan to save all of our lives and our world as we know it?" Hermione asked with a sigh.
"Fine. We need to get back to the school anyway." Draco said scowling as he stood Blaise and Pansy moving only seconds after he did.
Juniper stood as well across from Draco. "Draco." He turned his gaze to her. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way but I'm very glad I've finally got to meet Draco Malfoy instead of Lucius Malfoy's son." She held her hand out to him much as he had her on the train back in first year.
Draco studied Juniper's face for a moment then took her hand shaking it before bowing slightly at the waist and kissing the back of her hand. "Lady Potter Black." He released her hand and took a step back. "A word of warning. The witch you have locked up in the dungeon has some kind of mind magic. She cut through my shields like they were nothing and twisted my worst memories to use against me. I suspected she did the same to your father." He glanced at Tony who only gave a slight nod. "Be very careful with her."
Juniper rewarded him with a sweet smile. "Oh don't worry. I have plans for her and her little friend. Nobody gets away with attacking my family." Then she called out. "DOBBY." The little elf popped in at Juniper's side giving Draco a distrustful glance. "Dobby could you please take Draco and the others back to the castle then if you have time come back here we have plans to talk about."
"You trust the elf to help with your plans more than us?" Draco asked in that slightly offended tone that seemed to be becoming his default when talking to Juniper reappearing.
Juniper put a hand on Dobby's shoulder and met Draco's eyes. "I would trust Dobby with my life." The little elf beamed at her as if she'd fulfilled his life's dream big eyes filling with tears.
"Oh no don't start that crying. I want to get home before dark." Pansy snarked at the elf earning glares from Hermione and Juniper. Dobby took one last sniff and stepped away from Juniper holding his hands out to Blaise and Draco who took them. Pansy put her hand on his shoulder and they flashed away with a soft crack.
Juniper sat down with a deep sigh. "We should have known. Everything was falling into place too well. Something was bound to go wrong."
Ron who was sitting on her other side reached over giving her a quick hug. "We'll figure it out. It's what we do right?"
"I am sorry Juniper." Loki said a solemn look on his face.
"Not your fault. But if I ever meet your father I might be tempted to smack him." Juniper told him.
"Yeahhh, I have a better idea. Let's not do that. Getting smited by the king of the gods does not sound like a good time." Ron suggested. Dobby popped back in and was absolutely delighted when Tony motioned him to take a seat in an empty chair that had just appeared at the table at his side. He scrambled into it just barely able to peek over the top.
"You said there was another way?" Juniper asked Loki.
"He also said it was dangerous." Tony reminded her.
"More dangerous than flying a nuke into a portal?" Juniper asked him sweetly.
Tony gave Rhodey an accusing look knowing without a doubt who'd shared that tidbit. "Is no one ever gonna let me live that down?"
"Nope." Juniper and Rhodey answered together before exchanging a grin. Tony sighed and pretended to roll his eyes even though in truth he was glad to see them bonding even if it was over teasing him. It distracted him from the churning of his stomach. He just knew the danger Loki had spoken of would be to Juniper. It would be nice if just once someone else would carry the weight of saving the wizarding world.
"You have The Resurrection Stone." Loki stated more than asked. Juniper nodded. She'd already told him that. "It can call back those who have crossed over. Including Wizards or witches who were stronger than Grindelwald. Those who could defeat him. Maybe who already have."
"Dumbledore." Hermione almost whispered. "But...he would be a ghost, right? He wouldn't have magic. Wouldn't be able to fight."
"From what I understand of the stone what is called back isn't a ghost. It's the essence of the person who had died and crossed fully into the next life. A ghost is a shadow of who they once were. The essence would be more fully and truly who they once were. As such they are capable of...for want of a better word possessing a willing subject. They would then have full access to the powers and memories they had when they were alive." Loki explained.
The trio exchanged looks. "A possessing spirit gives no benefits to its victims." Ron said repeating what Bill had said about the horcrux.
"Different thing entirely. If a ghost is a shadow a spirit is nothing but an echo with nothing left but the will to consume and live again. It's said evil people who don't pass fully become spirits while the good or neutral become ghosts." Loki explained patiently.
Hermione glanced over at Juniper. "We need to add this information to the Hogwarts classes. Maybe Defense?" She turned her attention back to Loki. "Would you consider writing a textbook?"
Loki blinked as if a bit confused by the off-topic question. "Textbook?"
"Not now Hermione." Ron said. "What's the dangerous part?"
"The dangerous part would be when the fight is over and it would be time for the...essence to leave. When they enter a living body the essence can start to forget the afterlife. Sometimes even forget they are dead. Some will fight to stay in the body. Some out of fear, some out of confusion, and some just determined to live." Loki explained.
Juniper was struggling to keep her breathing even. Loki's words had brought her right back to that night in the department of mysteries. Tom's spirit slamming into her pushing her back. Using her powers to nearly kill Neville. Her Neville. Her god brother and friend. The conscience of the six. She remembered fighting to escape his hold. Her body moving in ways she would never have allowed, her voice speaking words she would never have said. The feeling of violation. The loss of control. She couldn't do it again.
It had been Dumbledore who'd pulled her back. 'Its not how you are alike. It's how you are different.' Looking up to see her friends. Flashes of memories of the love, friendship, and connection they had shared. She could do it. She had to. If Grindelwald lived her friends and family would die. They would fight him and he would never let them survive.
"Juniper." Loki's voice was soft. She looked up at him jade green and emerald green eyes meeting in a moment of understanding.
She nodded at him. "Tell me how it's done."
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AN- Bucky Barnes King of consent. Next chapter Juniper uses the stone to practice for the final showdown and gets to see her parents and Sirius. Since Remus is very much alive there is an alternate 4th. Any guesses? I will tell you it's not Regulus he's busy preparing for the sequel...I mean the arrival of the mad titan. Then Juniper wants a word with the Maximoff twins. Finally, Bill, Sam, and Fury arrive with backup. Love you all! Hugs and kisses!