bahnannah- You'd do that to poor Luna? Maybe if we gag him? Ohh now I dearly want to put Pansy in secondhand clothing or maybe clothes borrowed from Hermione? *Evil Smirk.* You really shouldn't give me ideas. Blaise is easy to work with the slates pretty blank, and Draco has a compelling backstory. Pansy on the other hand was just developed enough in cannon to be awful but not enough to have a reason to be like that makes her harder to work with. Juniper however will always be polite to her because her dad saved her life once.

n7kairos- I'm not sure how well Juniper would connect with that wand as she has bad feelings towards Dumbledore now. I also don't think they are related. I did consider Narcissa's wand but then went in a totally different direction. I think you'll approve. And I think you'll enjoy Leta's progression.

BioHazard82- Thank you so much. Your support is appreciated.

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AN- Alot of talking this chapter. *pokes charcters.* hey do something interesting! *Winter Soldier and Juniper Black glare.* GULP! Okay that is it I'm bringing in Loki and Thor next chapter so I can hide behind them! *winks*. Seriously though I hope you enjoy the talks about what being a hero means, the difference in love and obsession, the contrast between the way muggleborns and pure bloods view the magical world, and Pepper, Leta and Junipers difference of opinions on what fear can make you do.

AN- I did a lot of research on wand woods and cores to find exactly what I wanted. The core I used was the last on the list and I was like YESSS! That is Juniper's wand core. I was seriously considering making it Dorea's wand but where the core came from had to be factored in. I think the reason I came up with works and ties in nicely with a earlier chapter. I would have liked it to be Sirius's wand but it didn't work. Her wand isn't the only thing that is different though. You'll have to read on the find out what I mean.

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CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

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As soon as the door to the dungeon closed behind them leaving them back in the brightly lit hallway Juniper leaned back against the wall (conspicuously bare of any portraits, or paintings at all. No one needed to know who came and went from the Black dungeons.) wrapping her arms around herself closing her eyes tightly.

"Juni, kiddo. Open your eyes and look at us okay?" Tony said his voice soft and gentle as his hand landed on her shoulder.

"I'm fine dad." Juniper said opening her eyes to look up at him to see his worried expression. "I just...never thought I'd be practically sentencing a man to death. Or walking away from someone begging me for help. I'm suppose to be the good guy right?"

"Peanut, your at war sometimes you are going to have to do hard things make hard choices. That...man doesn't deserve to live. He betrayed everyone who ever trusted him and he will keep doing it. He has also escaped enough times to make it dangerous to let him live even in your dungeons." Rhodey said softly.

"Hes a weak pathetic coward." Juniper muttered the sentiment she'd heard from Sirius more than once.

"Oh really?" Bucky asked leaning against the wall beside her. "Lets see he fooled your father, mother, Sirius, and Remus into thinking he was a loyal trustworthy friend. He convinced Tom to listen to him even though he had a reputation for being on the light side. When Tom's plan went pear-shaped he didn't panic he knew he had to get rid of Sirius. First because from what you and Remus had said about him he knew Sirius would never stop coming for him unless he had undeniable proof of his death. Second Sirius was the only one who knew for sure he was the real secret keeper. So he came up with and executed a plan that involved facing Sirius and cutting off his own finger framing him. Then he successfully hid in the wizarding world for 12 years. He was captured in the shrieking shack and grabbed the single chance he'd have to escape and did so. He was able to find and aid Tom when none of the other deatheaters could, rescued Barty Crouch Junior from his father's custody and helped plan and execute Tom's resurrection. I think Wormtail's greatest strength is his ability to make people underestimate him."

"Never considered it like that." Juniper admitted leaning her head against his shoulder.

"He is a danger to you kid and to Remus. He has already betrayed both of you and he hurt you." Tony said softly taking her left hand and pushing up her sleeve putting a hand on her scars. "There was never any chance in hell of him walking out of here alive. Giving Remus the right to decide how was the right thing to do. And you deserved the answer as to why. Even if it was a dumb-ass reason."

Juniper smiled slightly but it was not a amused or happy smile. "Yeah didn't see that coming. Its so bizarre. From some things I've heard my dad, James, had a habit of pissing people off but I've never heard anyone say a bad thing about my mum. Its just...Severus Snape was a Slytherin, a death eater, he despised dad and was never quite about it, but he loved my mum. He loved her so much that even after she chose another he tried to save her. He devoted his life to protecting me because I'm her child. Hes not a good person but loving my mum made him better than he would have been. Wormtail was a Gryffindor. He was, I think at least at first, a good guy. He at least pretended to love my mum too. I saw the pictures before I know the truth and there's one where he is hugging her after she gave him a birthday present. Loving my dad made him a bad man. Made him do horrible things. How can love make one man so much better than he was meant to be and another so much worse?"

"There's a difference between love and obsession." Tony told her still holding her hand. "Snape loved Lily he wanted her to be safe and happy even if it wasn't with him. He wants to protect the one she loved more than anything in the world, the one she died to protect, the only piece of her left. Wormtail wanted to own James and since he couldn't he decided to destroy him and anything that would remind him that James didn't want him."

"Sometimes being a hero means making the hard calls. Saving the most people you can and when necessary eliminating the biggest threats." Rhody said softly.

"I'm not a hero. I wish people would stop calling me that." Juniper muttered.

Bucky's eyes met Tony's over her head. "Why would you think your not a hero doll?" He asked softly.

Juniper let out a sigh straightening but staying close to Bucky. "I'm not. Steves a hero. He chose to take that serum and go to war because it was the right thing to do, and he wanted to help people. Dads a hero because after he escaped the Ten Rings he made a new suit and started fighting back. They made choices. All of you have even Remus, Ron and Hermione. I was never given a choice. It was fight or die. I always knew the moment the blood wards on my aunt and uncles house fell when I turned 17 that Tom would be able to find me. No matter what happens I have to fight or let him kill me. Every thing I have done has been motivated by self interest in one way or another. What I have wanted more than anything more times than I could count is to just find some place to hide and let somebody else handle the whole mess."

"We all have that urge." Juniper glanced up at Steve's words to see that he and Remus had joined them at some point. "In fact you should have been able to do just that. They asked to much of you Juniper, right from the start. You were a child. You should have been protected and cherished. You don't feel like a hero because the truly heroic things you do are things that are second nature to you. Protecting your friends from bullies and Basilisks alike. Saving people you barely know from trolls and the Black Lake. There is a reason people look up to you and follow you."

"It doesn't feel heroic. It doesn't feel like enough."

"And that is part of what makes you a hero." Rhodey told her. "I haven't met one who didn't think they don't do enough." He gave both Steve and Tony pointed looks. "And every single one of you has imposter syndrome at one point or another."

"Agree to disagree. Got things I have to get done tonight and I really really want some sleep." Juniper suggested. "Not to mention the moon will be up soon." She looked over at Remus. "Hes in the cell next to the one you planned to use. The bars between will disappear 15 minutes after the moon rises. I thought that would give you time to shift and recover a bit." She did not want Wormtail having a chance to attack Remus midshift. It most likely would have done nothing but enrage the werewolf even further but it wasn't a chance Juniper was willing to take.

"Am I to be locked in the same cell? I should think you'd be able to manage better for your own cousin. Especially as I have been taking Wolfsbane." Juniper glanced over as Draco with his shadows lurking behind entered the hallway.

"Oh, Draco if it was up to me I'd lock you in one of the family cells. Those are particularly unpleasant you know. Meant for Blacks who'd betrayed their own family." Juniper told him with a grin.

"I'm familiar. I heard the stories. You don't have the stomach for that." Draco answered suppressing a shudder.

"Go to the bottom of the stairs and go left instead of right there's a small sitting room there with a fireplace and a comfortable bed. Since you are on Wolfsbane I trust the main door will be more than enough." Juniper directed.

Draco nodded then turned to Pansy and Blaise. "I'll see you in the morning. Blaise, please make sure Pansy doesn't get herself killed."

"I'll do my best but she does seem to have her self destruct tendencies on full display this evening." Blaise answered both boys ignoring Pansy's sound of denial. Draco started towards the dungeon door but Blaise grabbed his arm and pulled him back for a quick kiss.

"Awwww." Juniper cooed then grinned when Draco gave her a scowl. "Hey you wanted a younger cousin."

"Sure your not jealous, Tesoro?" Blaise asked teasingly showing absolutely no hesitation in flirting with a girl right in front of her father after kissing her cousin. He definitely got points for guts.

Juniper took a step closer to Bucky curling her arm around his and giving Blaise a grin. "Absolutely positive." Bucky gave the Italian boy a cold smirk.

"Ah, I was wondering who'd put those marks on your neck. Pity. I was hoping to score the pair of Blacks." Blaise said with a grin that faded with a yelp as both the Blacks in question hit him with a stinging charm. Juniper's a bit stronger despite being done wandless and wordless.

Blaise and Pansy gave her a shocked look but Draco just shook his head. "You know what? I'm not even surprised anymore." He said then pulled the heavy iron door open and descended into the darkness.

Remus turned to Steve and they also shared a kiss a bit longer. "Are you sure you don't want me to come down. I could stay outside the cell." Steve offered.

Remus shook his head. "I don't want you to see that. Maybe...maybe next month with wolfsbane but not tonight." Steve sighed but nodded. Juniper hugged Remus before he followed Draco and then pulled the door closed turning the old rusted key in the lock and removing it hanging it on a hook that seemed to suddenly grow out of the wall.

"Alright lets find my new wand." Juniper said with a sigh as Bucky put a arm around her to pull her close to his side his unsettling stare not leaving Blaise until she led him away.

"Thats guys...intense." Blaise muttered to Tony and Rhodey.

"Oh you have no idea." Rhodey assured him.

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The first wand Juniper tried was actually the Willow wand that had once belonged to Lily Potter. Holding it had brought tears to her eyes for two reasons. First because she could feel waves of warmth and comfort coming from it washing over her as if the wand had absorbed some of the love its owner had felt for her daughter. Second because she knew it would never be hers. Lily had been a light witch who had never so much as dipped a toe into the darker spells until it had been necessary to protect her family and even then Juniper suspected it had been done with rituals not wand magic. This was a wand meant for a healer not a warrior. She regretfully placed it carefully back into its case for Dobby to replace in the family vault.

James was a bit more of a fit. The mahogany wand was stronger than the willow and could probably handle the amount of power Juniper would channel through it but still it didn't fit somehow. It was placed to the side as a possible temporary solution.

Dorea Potter her grandmother's wand was close too a English oak. But Juniper wasn't sure if the highly loyal wand was ready to bond with her as closely as she would need so it joined James's.

Kretcher for some reason thought it would be a good idea to hand her Walburga's Chestnut wand which actually burned her hand. Nasty thing. She would have ordered it destroyed if it hadn't been for the heart breaking look on the little elf's face.

So it went for nearly two hours. A wand from the Black family, two from the Potter family, one that had belonged to a Prewitt cousin, another Black, another Potter. Glasses exploded, nasty smells filled the room, grey smoke puffed from the wand in question. One after another the family wands all proved no match for Juniper.

Juniper was getting more and more frustrated to the point she snapped at Hermione when she asked about Sirius's wand reminding her that his original wand had been snapped when he went to Azkaban and his second had gone with him through the veil. Both where nearly in tears and even Pansy and Leta where obviously feeling bad for Juniper.

Then Kretcher crept forward holding a case of dark wood marked with a unfamiliar wandmakers symbol. He opened it and held it out to Juniper a intent look on his face. Juniper sighed hoping she wasn't about to get burned again and reached out picking up the Laurel wand. She gasped softly as she felt it. A deep connection, a relief from the aching pain the loss of her Holly wand had created in her chest. Sparks burst from her wand red and gold. Silver and green. Blue and Bronze. Black and yellow. She actually let out a laugh of relief.

"Kretcher, who did this wand belong too?" Juniper asked.

Kretcher gave her a happy smile. "It did belong to Master Regulus. Now it belongs to Mistress Juniper."

As it turned out Regulus's wand had been a singular creation. Walburga had been so disgusted with everything relating to Sirius after he'd been sorted into Gryffindor she'd very nearly sent Regulus to Durmstrang but in the end their father Orion had put his foot down. He had however allowed her to take him to America for a special wand. It had been made by a American wandmaker named Alec Lightwood custom made for Regulus. 11 inches long, nice and supple made of Laurel with a horned serpent horn core. A core particularly suited to Juniper as it turned out.

"It is said that a laurel wand cannot perform a dishonorable act. The owners are often on a quest for glory." Juniper paused to give Ron and Blaise dirty looks until they stopped snickering at that. "They perform powerful and sometimes lethal magic and can be very loyal. They have also been known to cause a spontaneous lightning strike if another witch or wizard attempts to steal it."

Juniper paused to lean more against Bucky whose arm was around her waist where they where sitting on the floor. The wand still held firmly in one hand as she ran her finger's over the runes carved into it. A attribute her Holly Wand hadn't had. It was the same length and still a light wood but a bit darker than the Holly had been.

"Horned serpent horn is a very rare core. Only used in America as a matter of fact. I think there may be 5 or 6 in the entire world. They are exceptionally powerful, and they are especially tuned to parseltongue. It is also said to warn its owners of danger with a low musical tune." Juniper explained.

"Merlin, Potter the thing will never shut up." Pansy quipped. "So, its stronger than your old one."

"Yes." Juniper answered feeling disloyal both to her Holly wand and Ollivander even as she admitted it. "I'm a bit surprised it suited Regulus though. Merlin knows if he'd spoken Parseltongue his parents would have screamed it too the skies."

"Maybe it was always meant to find its way to you." Hermione said softly. Juniper looked over at her in surprise. "Well there has to be some kind of link between you and Regulus. I mean you said you talked to him when you died."

"YOU DIED?!" Blaise near yelled.

"Only for a few minutes." Juniper muttered averting her eyes to her wand. The Avengers exchanged looks and a few moments later they had all burst into laughter as the kids and Leta looked at them like they had all lost their minds. But oh, god it was hilarious to see someone else reacting to Juniper's insane antics

"Muggles." Pansy muttered under her breath. Then looked over at Juniper. "Alright Potter lets see what it can do. I heard a rumor you have a corporeal Patronus that true?"

"We both do." Ron interjected. "A few members of the DA do."

"Really?" Blaise asked sounding doubtful. "A basic Patronus is impressive enough Weasley. Most full grown wizards can't do it. No need to exaggerate."

Ron smirked and drew his wand. "Expecto Patronum." He didn't put as much power into it as he had when chasing off the horcrux but it was enough. The Jack Russell terrier burst from his wand and bounded around the room before settling in front of Ron to bark fiercely at Blaise for a moment before disappearing.

Blaise, Pansy, and even Leta where obviously impressed. There was a new respect in Blaise's eyes and Pansy's speculative look from earlier had turned to downright scheming.

"Mr. Zabini is right it is very impressive that you are capable of a fully corporeal Patronus at your age. Did Albus teach you that?" Leta asked in her smooth voice.

Ron snorted. "No, but we did have a very good teacher." He glanced over at Juniper. "Who learned herself at thirteen."

"Thirteen?" Leta asked her eyes widening.

"My boggart was a dementor. I needed a way to fight them." Juniper answered.

Amusement glinted in Leta's dark eyes. "So instead of avoiding, denying, or even facing your greatest fear like most people do you decided to find a way to fight back against it. You are a very unique young woman."

"Why do I think you don't mean that as a compliment?" Juniper asked.

"Unique is dangerous. It makes people uncomfortable. People often try to destroy things that make them uncomfortable. That your also powerful, rich, and attractive is only going to add to that." Leta answered. Her eyes darted to first Hermione then Pansy as if to include the other two girls in her warning. "The magical world isn't as misogynistic as the muggle world can be but there are still many powerful men who will see a strong woman as something to use or to break."

"There always will be." Pepper said meeting the older woman's eyes. Leta wasn't wrong but she wasn't about to let her try and twist the girls to become as untrusting and paranoid as she seemed to be. "But that doesn't mean we should hide who we are and become what they want us to be to pacify them. These three girls have the potentialto be amazing women." Pansy looked surprised to be included in that statement but not displeased. "Fear hasn't stopped any of them yet and it won't in the future either."

"You'd be surprised what fear can do to you. You are all so very young. You think you've seen war. Think you've experienced pain. You have no idea the hell on earth Grindelwald can bring with him. Until you've felt fiendfire consume your flesh as those around you 100 of men and women are reduced to cinders in the lake of fire, until you see the inferi rise from their graves and come for you, until you know in your heart of hearts that the only way to save your world and everything you've ever loved is to let it go and cause untold grief to everyone you held dear don't assume you know what fear can make you do." Leta said her eyes dark with memories she dearly wished she could purge.

"It can cause you to stand up to make sure the same thing doesn't happen to anyone else." Juniper said her voice soft. "I've seen the inferi and I've seen the fire destroy them. I've lived knowing that my death would be necessary to save the world even though thanks to my family it didn't stick. I've never experienced fiendfire but I have been put under the cruciatus twice by one of the strongest Dark lords in history and I got back up. I will not be ruled by fear. Not of Inferi, not of pain, not of loss and not of Grindelwald."

A small smile played across Leta's lips. "Unique, like I said. He will come for you." She glanced over at Hermione. "And from what I've seen and heard I rather suspect you as well."

"Me?" Hermione asked eyes going wide. "But...no I'm a muggleborn."

Leta laughed aloud. "Oh my dear haven't you learned yet to look more closely at the difference between what people say and the evidence that shows the truth? A few of Gellert Grindelwald's closest acolytes where muggleborns. He never had a issue with muggleborns. Unlike your Tom Riddle Grindelwald believed all capable of wielding magic had value. Its the muggles Grindelwald hates and wishes to control. He believes muggles to be destructive foul creatures capable only of violence and cruelty. He wants to rule the magical world and enslave the muggle one while Riddle from what I've seen just wants to destroy everything. I would assume Grindelwald is bidding his time until Riddle is vulnerable but I can guarantee he has no intention of letting him live."

"Well gosh if you can't trust a evil genocidal dark lord to stand by his alliances who can you trust?" Clint asked with a sneer.

"Just remember Grindelwald doesn't see himself as a dark lord he sees himself as a revolutionary. We are dealing with two very powerful men who are willing to do whatever they feel they need to in order to reach their goals. Their methods are different however. Riddle is all cruelty, iron fist and pain. Grindelwald is the slowly boiling water, the velvet glove until you realize too late that he has you exactly where he wants you." Leta replied glancing back to Juniper and Hermione. "Don't let him get in your head. In fact don't listen to him at all the man is practically a siren."

Hermione and Juniper exchanged a glance. "I read he tried to pull you to his side during the Paris rally but you attacked him instead. You saved both of the Scamander brothers, and destroyed his skull-hookah." Juniper heard Pansy gasp as she realized who the older woman was. If Blaise reacted it wasn't vocally but she knew he would recognize the story. Leta Lestrange was famous among Slytherins who held her as one of the icons of their house. Not for being on the right side of the war, or sacrificing herself to save her friends but for being powerful enough to stand against Grindelwald and destroying one of his items of power.

Leta's eyes clouded slightly. "It was a dark time and one I do not enjoy revisiting. I'm a old woman now and this war is not my war. I will advise you. I will give you any information I can on Grindelwald and his tactics but I will not fight him again. I lost everything but my life the first time."

"I won't ask you too." Juniper said softly.

Leta nodded. "I believe it is time for me to retire. As I said I am a old woman."

"Kreacher." The elf poofed in. "Could you show Ledda to her room and make sure she has anything she wants or needs please?"

Kreacher gave her a stern look. "Mistress Black has no need to say please to Kreacher." The little elf said motioning for Leta to follow him.

"Was I just reprimanded by my house elf for being polite to him?" Juniper asked eyes wide as the elf led Leta out.

Blaise and Pansy where both snickering at her. "If you'd grown up with Sirius, as a Black, Kreacher would have helped raise you. That was a completely normal and typical interaction between a family elf and a new young head of house." Pansy told her shaking her head.

"Witches and wizards are weird." Hermione muttered.

"There right there." Pansy said pointing at Hermione as if she'd just made a point for her. "Newsflash Granger you are a witch. There are muggles out there who'd put you to death as quick as they would any of the rest of us. Stop acting like your so much better than us."

"I don't..."

"You do. All the mu...muggleborns do. Come in acting like we are so backwards and archaic trying to change the way we've done things for centuries without even bothering to find out why we do things the way we do." Pansy sneered.

"That...that's not..." Hermione looked at first Juniper then Ron as if searching for help.

"'Mione she's not...completely wrong." Ron said softly. "You tend to get so focused on how you think things should be you don't bother to try and figure out why they are the way they are. Like second year when you brought your wristwatch to Hogwarts and then got upset when it pretty much fell apart."

"And you just tend to accept things because its just how things are." Juniper told him. "Thats why we need both viewpoints moving forward. Why we need both proper Muggle studies and wizarding etiquette classes. If the two of you..." She gave Pansy and Hermione both a good glare. "could attempt to get along I think you could help strike a good balance going forward. Hermione suggesting things that could be changed, Pansy explaining why it hasn't been that way then testing what works best."

"Your actually serious about what you where saying earlier aren't you? About balancing the old and new the light and dark." Blaise asked.

"I am. But it won't work unless the leaders of this generation stand together and demand change. Thats me, Draco, Terry, and Susan. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Together. Everyone else will fall in behind us." Juniper told him.

"If you really mean what your saying Draco will cooperate." Blaise promised.

"You can't guarantee that Blaise." Pansy said.

"Yes I can. I can be very persuasive." Blaise answered giving her a wicked grin.

"Your not that good in bed." Pansy said with a sneer.

"Yes I am." Blaise smirked without a hint of doubt or modesty.

"OhhhKay changing the subject now." Ron insisted.

"Aww and every bodies always saying the Gryffindors know how to party." Blaise said with a teasing pout.

"They know how to get drunk and make noise." Pansy corrected with a sniff.

"How do you not get punched in the face every day?" Hermione asked shaking her head.

"I don't usually associate with heathens." Pansy answered.

"Alright, alright that's enough." Tony said coming out of his proud dad haze enough to realize someone should say something before the two girls actually did come to blows. Usually it would be Steve but he was worried enough about Remus that he was distracted. "Juniper you still haven't tried any magic with the new wand except the umm, fireworks. Lets see the deer again."

Juniper smiled and stood. "Just for you dad." She waved the wand in the appropriate movements. "Expecto Patronum." Something was different. It was obvious immediately. Oh it brought the same feelings of warmth peace and love but last time Juniper's Patronus had started as a silver mist. This time it was white and instead of forming into a silver stag it became a big white wolf.

Juniper's eyes went wide in shock and Hermione gasped loudly staring at it. Even Blaise swore under his breath and Pansy stared at Juniper as if she'd done something even more shocking than using wandless, wordless magic.

"No antlers." Tony observed.

"Thats not..." Juniper broke off her words as the wolf moved to her nudging her just as Prongs always had. "But how?"

"Love." Hermione said softly.

"What?" Juniper asked looked over at her in confusion.

"A patronus can change form for one of three reasons. A great loss which yes you've had but not since the last time you called Prongs, a change in personality which the umm, dying could be or falling in love. Snapes patronus matched your mums because he loved her but sometimes if the love is true and deep even a already settled patronus will change to match. Bucky may not be a wizard but for some reason your subconscious has connected him to the form of a white wolf." Hermione explained. Juniper's hand went up to rest on the white wolf necklace around her neck that Bucky had bought her at Coney Island.

It was proof, solid tangible proof of the love between them. But at the same time. "Prongs will never ride again."

"What?" Hermione asked with a deep frown at the look of sorrow on her friends face as the wolf whimpered.

"The night we found out the truth about Siri, the night we went back in time I thought it was somehow my father who cast the patronus remember?" Juniper asked.

Hermione nodded as Blaise hissed. "Went back in time?"

"Because James patronus and animagus form was a stag." Hermione said softly.

"James Potter was a animagus?" Blaise echoed. Pansy hissed at him to shhh.

"Dumbledore told me 'You think the dead we have loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Juniper, and shows himself most when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night.'" Juniper's voice was soft. Yes she was furious at Dumbledore and the things she had found out had forever tainted his memory but still some of the things he said still held great value for her. She built too much of her life on what he'd taught her to throw it all out.

"Its still Prongs, Juniper. He just looks different." Ron assured her reaching out to pat the wolf. "Besides I think this would have delighted James Potter." She looked over at him in surprise. "I'm pretty sure he would have wanted you to find someone to love."

"Hes right." Clint agreed. "All parents want their children to be happy and healthy. Part of that is finding love. I'm pretty sure James Potter where ever he is would be pretty pleased right now."

Juniper turned her gaze to Bucky who was sitting on the floor next to her his eyes on hers. He was still wearing the winter soldier persona for the Slytherins but he was turned so only she could see the look on his face. He was looking at her in wonder as if surprised at the proof that she loved him as he loved her. The wolf flared brighter for a moment as their eyes locked before fading away. Bucky held out a hand to her and she linked her fingers with his.

"Maybe we should all take a hint from Ledda and head to bed." Pepper said. "Hopefully tomorrow we can get some downtime before Bill and SHIELD arrive and we have to go to Hogwarts."

"That would be nice." Juniper said. She could use at least one day to get her footing back. Everyone else had a least had a few days while she was unconscious after her 'death' but for her it had been one thing on top of the other for so long she was having trouble catching her breath. As Bucky started to stand she glanced over to see Ron looking at her and he jerked his head towards the kitchen. She nodded and turned to Bucky. "I'll be up in a minute. I need to talk to Ron."

"Will I be able to find the room?" Bucky asked her remembering what she'd said the night before.

Juniper stretched up a bit whispering in his ear. "I'll always want you to be able to find our room Buck."

"I'll be waiting for you." He whispered back and gave her a look that practically had her toes curling.

"Maybe Ron can wait." Juniper said Bucky chuckled and gave her a slight nudge to the kitchen where Ron had already disappeared.

Juniper entered the kitchen to find Ron already sitting at the breakfast bar and sat on the stool beside his. "Are you okay?" She asked picking up the tea cup Dobby already had waiting for her and she gave the little elf a warm grin of thanks.

"Yeah. Dad said some stuff." Ron answered a thoughtful look on his face.

"What stuff?" Juniper asked. She adored Arthur and didn't think he'd ever say anything that would hurt Ron but whatever it was he was obviously thinking about it too hard.

"He said the parents...fathers do their best with their kids, set rules and guidelines, and try to be a good example. Try to show their kids by their actions how they should live their lives but they can't know if they succeeded until the child was a adult. He said he knew he did well with Charlie first when he stood up to mom about wanting to be a dragon handler, with Bill when he stood up for Fleur when mom and Ginny didn't like her, and with the twins when they found a way to open their shop and follow their dream on their own. He said he knew today when he saw the way I had your back and had stood by you and Hermione that he'd done well with me as well. That I was the good strong man he'd always hoped and knew I could grow up to be." Ron told her his eyes straight ahead his eyes shimmering with tears.

"Want me to set him straight?" Juniper asked her tone teasing but her eyes warm. Ron looked over at her a bit of surprise in his eyes then grinned at the look on her face. "Its not a surprise to me Ron. You where a good strong boy when we met on the Hogwarts express I never doubted you'd grow up to be a good strong man that would make your family proud."

Ron's grin widened slightly then faded. "I have to break up with Lavender. If I'm going to be the man my dad...and you think I am I can't keep stringing her along when I can't love her like she does me."

"I know." Juniper said. Ron looked over at her in surprise. She shrugged. "I've known since last year when you called out for Hermione in the hospital wing." That had been the one time when Hermione had wavered between Ron and Viktor but in the end her love for the Bulgarian had won over her affection for her long time friend and one time crush. Lavender and Ron had almost broken up then but he'd managed to convince her it hadn't meant anything.

"Well why didn't you tell me?" Ron asked sounding so annoyed Juniper laughed aloud.

"The same reason I never told Hermione who to date. Same reason I never told Ginny she and Dean would never work out. I'm not getting involved in anybody's love lives when my own is so dismal. Or was so dismal." She grinned slightly thinking of Bucky.

"Oh sure rub my nose in it just as I tell you I'm breaking up with my girlfriend." Ron said with a amused snort.

"I guess its just your turn to be the single one in the group. Although if you decide you want someone I'm sure It won't take you long." Juniper told him then leaned over and hugged him. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks." Ron said his face slightly pink. "Go on now and have fun with your boyfriend. Not too much fun though. Like Tony would say I'm too young and irresponsible to be a uncle."

"Think your pretty cute don't you?" Juniper asked with a laugh.

"I certainly hope I am as I'm going to be on the market for a new girlfriend pretty soon."

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AN- Ending this here because its gonna be a busy night if the cup Horcrux has anything to do with it. The next chapter will have more action in more way than one. Thor and Loki will be making their appearance and depending on how long that part runs the Maximoff twins may be popping back in as well. Love ya all!