Juniper and Riddle had avoided each other for the first week and a half of November. Early Saturday morning, Juni once again found herself buried behind books in the library. It was nearly 5 am, but she was full of nervous energy.

She was getting restless being stuck in the past, especially as she still didn't know who had tried to kill her a few weeks ago. Every day Juniper could feel… Something growing inside her, but she couldn't pinpoint what the feeling was. All she knew is that it was making her even more restless and uneasy by the day.

Within half an hour, she heard soft footsteps pause at the end of the row before they slowly came near her. Turning the page of her book aggressively, she read on, annoyed. She had purposefully come to the library this early to not be disturbed. On the table in front of her were all the books that she could find on time-related magic, one specifically dedicated to time-turners, their magic and their history rested in her hands.

The loud dragging of wooden chair legs on stone echoed through the library, the chair creaking gently as someone took a seat at her table. Exhaling sharply at the audacity, Juni's eyes flashed upwards to look at-

She didn't immediately recognize the boy who had sat a few seats down the table and across from her. He was wearing Slytherin robes and seemed to have a cool arrogance about him, his longer dark hair tied neatly at the base of his head. He set the book in his hand on the table, a O.W.L. test prep transfiguration book, and dug in his bag for some parchment and quills.

"Are you intending on staring at me for long?" he asked, quiet but direct, causing Juni to sit up straight. Clearing her throat softly, she looked back at her book. "Rion."

"What?" she asked, looking back at him to find him now staring at her. His dark eyes appeared dull, but it could be attributed to how early it was.

"Rion," he repeated, cocking an eyebrow as he looked at his book, flipping it open and turning a few pages. "That's my name."

"Oh," she said awkwardly as she gave him a look. "I'm Juniper-"

"I know."

Pausing at the abruptness of his response and silence afterwards, Juni hesitantly went back to her book. After a minute, she sighed and rested the book on the table as she looked at Rion.

"What do you want, Rion?"

"...Why do I have to want something?" he asked, looking up at her.

"How many dozens of seats and tables are there in the library?" Juni gestured slightly with a hand, as if showing him invisible seats away from her. "Why sit next to the only other person in here?"

Rion watched her, a small smile tugging at his lips as he sat back in his chair. Crossing his arms, he glanced down the aisle of books before turning his head back to her.

"I saw an older-than-me Slytherin sitting alone," he began, his voice almost soft. "I know that you're newer to our school, but a Slytherin is a Slytherin. We're the same." Juni bit down gently on the inside of her cheek, watching him and considering what he was saying. "I'm working on my OWL prep. What if I needed help? No one else is awake downstairs."

Relaxing a little, Juniper lowered her guard- just a little bit- suddenly more sympathetic. She remembered what it was like trying to prepare for the OWLs.

"Oh," she said awkwardly, giving him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, you're right. Err, let me know if you have any questions. I was actually quite good at transfiguration." Rion gave her a small smile and nod, a few strands of dark hair falling from his bun to frame his pale face.

After several hours, Rion had asked Juniper a handful of questions. Luckily nothing too complex, so Juni was able to answer him confidently, proud of herself for helping the younger boy. Tugging a small pocket watch from his pants, Rion swore as he shoved it back inside.

"I'm going to be late meeting my friends," he said hurriedly as he stood, shoving his things back in his bag.

"Oh, that's alright," Juni told him with a smile. As he was shoving books back into his bag, he paused, something having caught his attention. Pausing for a moment, he dug out a slightly crumpled up envelope. Rion tossed the sealed envelope on the pile of books in front of Juni and she looked at him curiously.

"Someone gave that to me the other day, actually," he made a confused face that matched Juni's. "Sounded like its gone through a few hands already, but no one opened it or knows who it's from… Addressed to you." Shrugging a shoulder. "See you later, Juniper."

"I, uh," Juni watched the boy as he hurried his way down the aisle of books and disappeared around the corner. "See you…"

Eyes flicking to the envelope on her books, she stared at it for a few moments, unsure what to do with it. The last mysterious letter she had gotten had very nearly gotten her killed. But that was delivered via owl, and not…

Shaking her head at her own thoughts, Juni nudged the envelope with the corner of the book still in her hand. After it sufficiently had no reaction, she hesitantly set her book down and picked up the envelope, still cautious.

As she inspected it, she noted that the wax seal on the opening flap was still shut. Flipping it over, she read her first name and fake-last-name on the front of the envelope. Rion had told her it went through several people before it even got to him… It made Juni wonder just how many people this letter had gone through before her? Was the letter the real reason that Rion had found her and insisted on sitting with her so early in the morning?

Turning the envelope over again in her hands, she delicately tore it open, fishing out the letter inside. Opening the parchment, she nearly dropped it as she recognized the delicate letters traced along the page. Riddle.

The acid in her stomach bubbled angrily as she skimmed the letter, deciding then and there she wasn't going to actually read it- '-putting me through hell-'

What? She couldn't help but to skim even faster, skipping down the letter. '-a pathetic excuse-'

Okay stop, stop. Juni shook her head quickly, shutting her eyes tightly before reopening them again. Start at the beginning and actually read the damn thing. Exhaling slowly and controlled, she read.

November 5, 1944

Juniper,

Don't think that I haven't noticed what you've been doing these past few weeks. Did you really think that I wouldn't notice? You aren't nearly as bright as you may think you are.

Pretending to avoid me while doing nothing but stare when you think I'm not paying attention isn't going to get you anywhere, and in fact has only been more irritating than your obvious obsession and infatuation.

This clear temper tantrum and pouting at the lack of attention is pathetic. Having to work with you on our potions project was simply putting me through hell and I decided that I have had more than enough. You have put more than enough input into our paper, I'll finish it myself.

Now. Let me make myself clear, so there is no room for confusion.

From now on we are to only speak when forced to during classes.

I want nothing to do with you.

I have no reason to communicate with you any further than this letter.

You are not to speak to me outside of what is required in class with any of your… Problems, as I know all they are is a pathetic excuse to speak to me again.

I am not interested in you or anything you have to offer.

This will be the end of this (and any further) discussion.

T.R.

Juniper's hands were shaking as she held the letter, fingers curling tightly around it, bending and wrinkling the paper. Her face felt hot as her mind spun with pure unadulterated rage and disgust.

How dare he? How in the hell did he get the idea that she- Obsession?! Was he this full of himself?

The veins in her hands and arms stood out slightly against her skin as she gripped the letter tightly in her fists.

Forcing herself to take several deep, shaky breaths, she crumpled the letter up into a ball and shoved it into her bag on the floor next to her.

Standing abruptly, she just stood there, staring at the pile of books on the table in front of her. Unable to make sense of the hundreds of angry thoughts buzzing around her head, she sat back down again, the chair making a loud scraping noise against the stone floor. Standing again, she grabbed the pile of books and tried shoving them into her bag, several of them too big to fit inside. Growling softly in frustration, she slammed the bag and larger books onto the table.

Aggressively taking the contents of her bag and dumping them onto the table, she began re-shoving things into her bag, attempting to fit everything. Left with two books unable to fit into the bag, she slammed them onto the table, dropping herself into the chair once again, bag landing in her lap. Moving the contents of the bag around again, she tried to stuff the books inside, giving up when they wouldn't fit for a third time.

Standing again, she swung the bag around her shoulder and roughly grabbed the books, opting to hold them instead. Storming her way down the aisle, she made her way out of the library.

Only one thing was certain in her mind: she wanted to tear him apart.