AN- I so wanted to get this out for Christmas but Covid came back. It's a horrible evil virus. Still only a day late not bad right? Not much here but the crew having fun. I meant to have a Loki talk but it didn't fit it is coming soon I promise. There's not a lot of stuff happening in this chapter but things should start moving next.
Chapter Forty-Five
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Tony was going to find the creator of Bertie Bott's every-flavor bean and he was going to kill him. Then he was going to offer him a job. He could hear Juniper laughing at him, a more real laugh than he'd heard from her before. He gulped more from a bottle of what Hermione had said was called butterbeer trying to get the taste of rotten egg out of his mouth.
"This is a horrible game," Tony said giving Juniper a mock glare. She wasn't the only one laughing but she couldn't seem to stop. Only Clint seemed to sympathize with him, but he had been the loser in the last game and had gotten an ear wax flavored bean.
"Sadistic," Clint said in agreement.
"It's your turn now kiddo." Tony told Juniper with a stern glare.
"Give it your best shot dad." Juniper answered with a grin and raised a bottle of what she had informed him was elf-made wine in a toast to Bruce who'd been the one to get Tony with a history trivia question.
It was a simple game. One person would pull a trivia card from one of the two boxes in the middle of the table and ask a second person of their choice the question. If they were wrong they would pull a bean from the black bag and have to eat it. If they were right the questioner had to do the same. The beans were a crap shoot. So far there had been tutti fruity, grape, blueberry, and watermelon. There had also been black pepper (which Peter had actually liked.), grass, soap, and sausage. Then they were the gross ones Tony and Clint had gotten. Ron had also warned them cheerfully that they were also dirt, vomit, and boogie-flavored ones. How they had gotten the tastes so close was the question Tony wanted answered. The kids had all echoed the same answer. Magic.
Tony studied the two trivia boxes. One held magic trivia cards the other muggle ones. An addition to the game from Justin Finch-Fletchley who was according to the kids a clever muggle born in their year at school. Bruce had nailed Tony with a muggle history question but it didn't bother him. History was very much in the past and Tony was about the future. of course now though he would always remember that The Temple of Debod in Madrid was built by the Egyptians. He wondered if his kid had the same weakness he did and pulled a history card from the magical box then grinned
"What was the name of the magical family awarded Order of Merlins after the Ilfracombe Incident in 1932?" Tony read aloud.
Juniper frowned biting her bottom lip. She knew this she knew she did. Both Hermione and Draco obviously knew the answer and she was certain if they'd been in class Hermione's hand would have been high in the air.
"Welsh green dragon attacked a beach in Ilfracombe the family defeated the dragon saving the muggles and performed the largest memory charm since Newt Scamander and his Thunderbird for all intents memory charmed all of New York in 1926. I remember Tilly but I'm not sure I ever knew her last name." Juniper recited as if giving a report in history class.
Pansy gave her a smirk as Hermione nearly vibrated at the effort it obviously took to keep from blurting out the answer.
"Umm Travers?" Juniper was pretty sure it was a T name and Travers was an old wizarding family name.
"Tooks!" Hermione and Draco chorused nearly together.
"Tilly Tooks. How do you remember everything except the name?" Hermione burst out.
"I was looking for ways to fight dragons at the time. I didn't care about who just how." Juniper answered she looked like she couldn't decide if she should laugh or pout.
Tony couldn't hold back a slight snicker. Proof once again that she was his kid. Bucky laughed before leaning in to kiss her neck lightly. "Mental note history is the Stark's weakness."
"The Starks have no weaknesses." Tony protested then met Juniper's eyes giving her a wink. "You should take some history classes. Learn enough to cover both of us."
"No thanks. I've had more than enough History of magic classes." Juniper answered making a face. "Besides I can always ask Hermione and you can ask Bruce. Makes them feel needed."
"Thanks for the consideration," Hermione said dryly.
"Anytime." Juniper answered with a cheerful smile that faded slightly as Pansy held out the bag of beans towards her. "Right." She muttered softly and reached into the bag biting her bottom lip and pulled out a red one.
Ron smirked slightly. "Cherry, cinnamon, or...earthworm."
"Whoever comes up with these flavors is seriously demented." Clint muttered.
"Screw up your Gryffindor courage and swallow it down Saint Potter." Pansy said obviously hoping it was earthworm.
Juniper scowled at Draco knowing exactly where the nickname had come from then closed her eyes and popped the bean in her mouth almost immediately her face screwed up and actually turned a bit green as she struggled not to gag her eyes tearing up.
"Earthworm." Ron said solemnly as Juniper struggled to swallow.
"You spit it out or vomit you gotta do two more." Pansy said gleefully.
"You can do it Lady Juniper. You will not be defeated by a bean." Thor said as if encouraging a friend in a great battle.
"You got this Juni." Ron chimed in.
Juniper swallowed hard and then gasped before gulping the wine. "This is a horrible game." She gasped out repeating Tony's words from earlier.
Tony couldn't hold back his laughter. "I warned you." Juniper stuck out her tongue at him and took another sip of the wine.
"This is getting boring let's play something else." Pansy suggested correctly assuming if Juniper took her turn she'd be targeted.
"Okay, how about truth and dare." Juniper suggested with a smirk. She knew truth and dare wasn't popular with Slytherins. Truth gave others possible ammunition against them and their sense of self-preservation revolted at the thought of dares.
"Bring it on Potter." Blaise answered for all three of them.
"I think this is my cue to retire for the evening." Leta said with a slight smirk. Too bad Juniper was quite sure she had more than a few interesting secrets. Bruce, Rhodey, Remus, Loki, Steve, Pepper, Tony, and Thor also stood deciding it was time to leave the younger group to hang out.
"Don't let Peter drink too much." Pepper whispered to Juniper as she hugged her. Juniper nodded glancing at the youngest of the kids who seemed delighted at being included in the games. She had noticed already that Ron and Hermione had been giving him butterbeer which was supposedly only slightly alcoholic as opposed to the firewhisky, or wine the others where drinking.
"Good all the adults are gone." Ron said once they'd left.
"Excuse me? I am a father." Clint said giving him a mock scowl as Natasha, and Bucky just looked amused at being grouped in with the kids.
"Good all the mature adults are gone." Ron corrected.
"That's better." Clint approved.
"Who goes first?" Hermione asked.
"Me. I had to eat an earthworm it's only fair." Juniper insisted. The others mostly nodded in assent. Juniper grinned and looked over the others before her eyes settled on Pansy. "So Pansy truth or dare."
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A hour or so later everyone was at least a little drunk except for Bucky and Blaise. The first was thanks to his super soldier metabolism the second because he had been careful not to drink to much just in case Draco and Pansy needed to be reigned in. Pansy's hair was a bright purple from Juniper's dare. Ron had been forced to admit he wasn't in love with Lavender. Everyone now knew Hermione had crushed on both Lockhart and Remus when they were teachers. Juniper had revealed that her first crush had been on Oliver Wood. Draco had always secretly wanted to be a healer. Clint even half drunk was able to shoot an arrow that bounced off objects on all four walls and hit dead center of the apple Draco had dared him to put an arrow in. Bucky had split the arrow and the apple in half with his knife throw at Clint's dare. Blaise had chosen truth than actually turned red when Bucky made him admit that yes he was in love with Draco. Then Blaise had dared Hermione to kiss the most attractive person in the room. After clarifying that he meant objectively attractive, and with courage bolstered by firewhisky she'd kissed Natasha causing Blaise to declare himself the winner of best dare.
After that Ron had decided to head up to bed looking just a bit downcast. Bucky and Natasha exchanged glances as they saw Pansy trail after him but neither commented. Ron wasn't out of it drunk and he was a big boy. He could handle the girl. Hopefully. Peter flopped down on the couch falling asleep immediately.
"Your little brother is a lightweight," Draco told Juniper smirking slightly his voice a bit slurred. He'd been watching Tony and Peter's interactions and had assumed that Peter was Juniper's half-brother. Juniper was fine with that.
"He's fifteen and I doubt he's ever drunk before give him a break." She said as Blaise went over to the old fashion record player and picked up one of Sirius's old records.
"I don't know any of these." He muttered. "Why doesn't he have anything by the Weird Sisters?"
"Umm AC/DC find AC/DC you'll love it I promise." Juniper said and stumbled to her feet she would have fallen if Bucky hadn't reached out to steady her a little amused at the first sign that the truly impressive amount of alcohol she'd drunk was starting to have an effect on her.
She turned to him as he stood as well wrapping her arms around his neck. "Hi." She said to him brightly.
Bucky chuckled softly. "Hello, doll." He said kissing her forehead.
AC/DC's Back in Black blasted from the record player and Blaise jumped to turn it down even as Hermione lurched to her feet.
"Umm too loud." Hermione complained swaying slightly.
"I think 'Miones drunk." Juniper confided to Bucky.
"We'll help her to bed," Natasha said standing as well and taking Hermione's arm. Clint stood as well and picked up Peter who muttered something under his breath. "We'll take this one too." She glanced at Bucky and Blaise and must have decided they were sober enough to look after Juniper and Draco and nodded. "See you in the morning."
"Good night Nat." Juniper said not looking away from Bucky. "Can't really slow dance to AC/DC." She noted.
"This is your house I think you can pretty much do whatever you want." Bucky replied with a smile. He loved it when Juniper looked at him like this. Of course her tipsiness cooled his blood a bit. He'd never slept with a drunk girl not even back in the days when it was considered acceptable to do so he wasn't going to start with Juniper.
"It is isn't it," Juniper said brightly. "And there are like other people in it too. Like family-type people. People who like me."
"People who love you." Bucky corrected. "I think everyone who meets you likes you."
Juniper snorted at that. "For someone, everybody likes I have a disturbing amount of people who wanna kill me."
"Politics." Bucky told her making her giggle.
"Hey Juniper how does this thing work?" Juniper and Bucky both looked over to see Draco with a pool stick in his hands leaning over the table as if hitting invisible balls.
"Careful that's Siri's table don't rip the felt." Juniper warned and hugged Bucky before releasing him to walk over to Draco.
"Oh, Merlin. A tipsy Potter trying to teach a tipsy Malfoy how to play pool. A muggle game." Blaise looked over at Bucky for the first time since he'd forced him to reveal his feelings. (Didn't the man know Slytherins didn't do that kind of thing?) "I'll be able to sell this memory."
"Shut up Zabini." Juniper said scowling at him. She was still annoyed that he'd laughed so hard his eyes had nearly teared up when Hermione had gotten her to admit Oliver had been her first crush. Oliver would probably be an awful boyfriend as obsessed as he was with Quidditch but as a crush he was perfect.
"Uh-oh, I'm Zabini again. Someone's a cranky drunk." Blaise observed. Juniper picked up one of the balls on the table and looked at it as if considering throwing it at his head. Blaise wisely retreated behind Bucky.
"Oh, yeah 'cause that's safer." Draco snorted squinting at him slightly. Blaise looked up at Bucky and at his cold look, he took a step backward. Juniper giggled and seemed satisfied turning back to Draco picking up her own pool stick to demonstrate how to hold it.
Bucky sat back down not aware of how his face softened when he watched Juniper or that Blaise was still watching him.
"You're in love with her." Blaise's voice was soft as he sat down across from him.
"We aren't playing truth or dare anymore." Bucky said coldly.
Blaise shook his head with a smirk. "Too late I saw the way you were looking at her."
Bucky fixed him with his cold dead-eyed stare that had made men much older and harder than Blaise Zabini back down. "Then maybe you should stop flirting with her."
Blaise had to fight down the urge to run from the room. You don't run from a predator. You don't give your back to something that would delight in chasing you down. He reminded himself. And for all Bucky Barnes looked like a man there was something in him that was extremely predatory. He hoped Juniper knew what she was doing.
"It's second nature to flirt with Juniper. I don't even know I'm doing it half the time. Neither one of us takes it seriously not anymore. And it drives Draco crazy with jealousy." Blaise shrugged.
"Find another way to make him jealous." Bucky suggested cooly.
"Juniper is the best way. Leta was right when she said Blacks tend to only take other Blacks seriously as competition." Blaise replied but Bucky's glare had him quickly reconsidering. "On the other hand flirting with a muggle maybe even better as he considers them beneath him. Is Juniper's little brother seeing anyone?"
"I believe Peter is straight." Blaise answered trying not to let the amusement he felt at Peter's possible reaction to Blaise's flirting show.
"Pity." Blaise said. Then glanced over at where Juniper was showing Draco the correct way to rack the balls. "You know of course I'm not the only one. I think every straight guy at Hogwarts has considered making a play for her. Well except the Weasley boys, Longbottom, and ironically enough Wood." He glanced back at Bucky. "She's pretty, rich, famous, powerful, smart, and the head of two houses. She can have anyone she wants."
"She wants me." Bucky pointed out giving him a smirk.
"Which will come with its own set of complications," Blaise said. "Blacks aren't easy. They can be arrogant at times but they also have a streak of..." Blaise paused as if choosing his words carefully. "Self-doubt that seems to come from nowhere. When a Black crashes they crash hard." He glanced over at Draco again as he spoke as if making sure he was okay. Bucky had a brief memory of Juniper breaking down in Tony's arms her first night in the tower, not to mention her devastation after she'd shown them her memory of the third task. Blaise looked back at him. "They can have a possessive streak as well. They will let someone they care about get away with a lot but if they decided you've pushed too far forgiveness is not an option. They can also be absolutely ruthless. I've personally never seen that in Juniper but hurt someone she cares about and I don't doubt its there."
"She also has Stark Blood and Potter magic." Bucky pointed out.
Blaise smirked slightly. "Juniper is more Black than anything else. Just ask Lupin. She has the power and the darkness. If you love her keep her balanced. Don't let her get bored she'll get reckless looking for a release. Don't let her push you away for your own good. Loving a Black isn't easy but...It's worth it."
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"They're talking about us aren't they?" Draco asked Juniper glancing over to where Blaise and Bucky were talking quetly glancing over at them occasionally.
"Of course. About how awesome we are no doubt." Juniper took a shot then frowned as the cue ball shot past the other balls to hit the bumper. "Balls moved."
"Bloody evil balls." Draco snarled glaring at the table. His scowl struck Juniper as funny and she started giggling before taking the firewhisky out of his hand for a drink.
"I think we may be just a little tipsy."
Draco snorted taking the bottle back and studying it. "Can't be only half the bottles gone."
Juniper glanced at the bottle. "That's my bottle from Ogden's. It automatically refills." A perk of being the majority shareholder.
"Oh." He turned and pulled himself up to sit on the pool table. "Nah see I'm good. perfect balance."
Juniper popped up to sit beside him. "That's because we have exceptionally good balance. We are athletes. But the room is kinda spinny." She lay back on the table raising her arm to cover her eyes knocking her glasses askew.
"Oh. Is it not supposed to be doing that?" Draco paused frowning making Juniper giggle even more. He lay down beside her and glanced over at her.
"Juniper." Draco's voice was soft and she looked over at him. "Your gonna have to let out your Black side to win the war. You know you will."
Juniper sighed softly. "I'm afraid. What...what if I let go and then can't get back."
"It's trust. I trust Blaise and Pansy will bring me back. You have to trust your anchors." Draco answered.
"Did Bellatrix trust her anchor?" Juniper asked softly.
"I think Lovegood and Rogers are cut from a different cloth than Tom Riddle." Draco told her with a snort. "Blaise told me." He told her when she glanced at him in surprise. "You picked possibly the two most...pure people you could have. I'd be more nervous that they won't let you go far enough."
"I almost killed Neville at the ministry." Juniper admitted.
"I almost killed Greenglass at a birthday party when we were eight." Draco replied. Both of them were looking at the ceiling, not meeting each other's eyes. "Its a part of you. It's not going away. It's like magic you learn to control it or..." He paused shaking his head. "It controls you. It breaks free. You're strong Juniper and you have good anchors you can do this."
Juniper looked over at him. "I think I like you better drunk."
"Its Dumbledores fault. We could have been friends years ago if they'd let us drink at school." Draco said glancing over and grinning at her before attempting to empty the fire whisky bottle into his mouth without sitting up. A second before it emptied it refilled spilling all over his face. Juniper burst into laughter. "I warned you. It refills."
"Gotta get me one of these," Draco muttered sitting up and using his shirt to dry his face.
"I think it's time for all good little Blacks to go to bed." Blaise said as he and Bucky stood to go over to the pool table.
"No such thing as good Blacks." Juniper said brightly then sat up. "Whoa Bucky make the room stop spinning."
"Sorry doll only times gonna fix that." Bucky said brushing her hair off her face and adjusting her glasses before scooping her into his arms. She made a soft happy sound and buried her face in his neck.
"Gonna carry me?" Draco asked Blaise giving him his best puppy dog eyes as Bucky carried Juniper towards the stairs.
"Sorry, babe I'm not a super soldier with a metal arm I don't think you want me trying to carry you up stairs." Blaise told him and kissed his forehead. "I do however have a hang-over potion for you up in our room."
"My hero." Draco groaned as Blaise helped him off the pool table and they headed out of the room.
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AN- Action is gonna pick up next chapter. The Slytherins are off back to Hogwarts, Loki and Juniper have a overdue talk, and Bill and Shield arrive. Gotta question the Maximoff twins as well. Juniper is not gonna be kind. The final battle is close. This may be our last breather chapter. Buckle up. Luv and hugs to all.