▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐲 ━︎━︎ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐲 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐃 Juniper, she would tell you that Thestral's are beautiful creatures. You could see every out line of their bones, they were as dark as the midnight sky, but they were so calm and sweet and Juniper wanted to learn more about them immediately. Thunder and lightening echoed above them as they entered London, and when they safely landed they quickly ran through the Ministry until they reached the door that Harry had kept seeing in his dreams. Juniper hesitated in front of the door. She didn't want to see her father's dead body as soon as they walked in their, she wouldn't be able to handle that.

Her hand hovered in front of the door before she swallowed and pushed the door open. She walked in with Harry at her side. The room was dark, orbs were placed on thousands of shelves and they seemed to be the only thing in the room. She didn't know what they were, but she did know she had a bad feeling about this. All of them pulled out their wands, lighting their way. The sound of rumbling from behind them made them all quickly turn, but they saw nothing.

They started walking, Harry was counting out the shelves as they walked by them, looking for a specific number. He stopped when he found it. The others had stayed in place, Harry only allowed Juniper to come with him. It was her father after all. Harry pointed his wand at the ground, the place he had seen Sirius standing, but there was nothing. Harry turned to look at the others. "He should be here."

"Harry," Neville called, staring up at one of the orbs, "it's got your name on it."

Harry and Juniper quickly walked back over to them and Harry stepped forwards, looking up at the ball that had a slight blue hue to it. Hesitantly, he reached forwards and grabbed it. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approached," the ball said. "And the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal but he shall have power the Dark Lord knows not. For neither can live while the other survives."

"Harry!" Hermione quickly yelled, making him turn to look at her.

Across the way stood a figure with a mask, covered in a black cloak. Harry pushed his way to the front of the group, staring at the figure as it moved towards them. "Where's Sirius?"

"You know, you really should learn to tell the difference between dreams. . ." The figure pulled out his wand, waving it in front of his face to reveal Lucius Malfoy. ". . . and reality. You saw only what the Dark Lord wanted you to see. Now hand me the prophecy."

"If you do anything to us, I'll break it." Harry replied.

A maniacal laugh came from behind Lucius before another figure approached. "He knows how to play." The voice showed her face, and there stood Bellatrix Lestrange. "Itty, bitty, baby. Potter."

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Neville recognized.

"Neville Longbottom, is it?" Bellatrix asked. "How's mum and dad?"

"Better, now that they're about to be avenged." Neville quickly pointed his wand towards her and Bellatrix followed suit.

Lucius slowly put his hands up. "Now, let's everybody just calm down. Shall we?" He watched as Harry slowly lowered Neville's arm. "All we want is that prophecy."

"Why did Voldemort need me to come and get this?" Harry asked.

"You dare speak his name?" Bellatrix whispered. "You filthy half-blood!"

"It's alright." Lucius calmly said. "He's just a curious lad. Aren't you? Prophecies can only be retrieved by those about whom they are made." Juniper looked around, shoulders tensing when she realized more masked figures were surrounding them. She rose her wand, preparing herself. "Which is lucky for you, really. Haven't you always wondered what was the reason for the connection between you and the Dark Lord, hm? Why he was unable to kill you when you were just an infant? Don't you want to know the secret of your scar? All the answers are there, Potter, in your hand. All you have to do. . . is give it to me. Then I can show you everything."

"I've waited fourteen years." Harry said.

Lucius tsked. "I know."

"I guess I can wait a little longer. Now!" All at once the group yelled, "Stupefy!"

When their path was clear they all went running. They quickly turned a corner only to skid to a stop when Lucius blocked their path, and immediately they went another way. Juniper turned her head to see that Neville, Ginny, and Luna had all gotten separated. Juniper came to a stop when one of the Death Eaters appeared in front of her, blocking her from getting to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Immediately she started yelling out spells and the Death Eater kept blocking her blows, growing closer and closer to her with each block until he was right in front of her and sent a punch to her nose. Juniper felt to the ground, her wand flying from her hand.

The Death Eater pointed his wand at her and Juniper quickly held out her hand, sending some of the prophecies flying into the Death Eater. She scrambled up, snatching her wand and yelling out, "Stupefy!" He went flying and Juniper went running. When she spotted her group of friends she quickly ran up to them with Hermione grabbing onto her.

They turned, watching as a Death Eater began to approach. Ginny pointed her wand and yelled, "Reducto!" The spell flew down the path, hitting the Death Eater with a giant explosion. They all stood there for a moment, watching as every prophecy and every shelf began to fall down, and the chaos was quickly headed their way.

"Get back to the door!" Harry ordered and they all went running. They took a sharp right turn before spotting the door in the distance. They all ran faster, pushing the door open and jumping through it. Well, falling through it rather. They all landed a feet above the air in a sudden stop before they were dropped to the ground. Juniper let out a grunt, reaching a hand up to wipe the blood off her face.

Slowly, they all stood. "Department of Mysteries. They got that bit right, didn't they?" Ron commented.

They definitely hadn't landed in the same place they entered. In front of them, standing in the middle of the room, was a giant veil. It was surrounded in stone, like it was a door, a soft grey-white glow emitting from it. Harry walked towards it. "The voices," he said. "Can you tell what they're saying?"

Hermione shook her head. "There aren't any voices, Harry. Let's get out of here."

Juniper nodded. "I second that."

"I hear them too," Luna admitted.

"Harry, it's just an empty archway." Hermione said, and that made Juniper frown. She couldn't hear the voices, but she definitely could see the soft glow coming from it. "Please, Harry."

Harry suddenly turned, pointing his wand up to the area above them. "Get behind me!" Immediately, they listened, all of them pointing their wands up. Swirls of darkness suddenly surrounded them and before Juniper knew it, a Death Eater was holding onto her with his wand pointed at her throat. She realized all of her friends were in the same situation except Harry who was still standing in front of the archway, Lucius standing in front of him.

Lucius laughed, walking towards Harry. "Did you actually believe. . . or were you truly naive enough to think. . . that children stood a chance against us?" Lucius held out a hand. "I'll make this simple for you, Potter. Give me the prophecy now or watch your friends die."

Harry glanced at all of them, considering it. "Don't give it to him, Harry!" Neville yelled causing Bellatrix to jab her wand further into his neck.

Harry looked down at the prophecy before hesitantly reaching forwards and handing it to Lucius. Lucius inhaled in triumph, lifting the prophecy. Suddenly, the veil began to glow and Juniper's eyes widened when she saw her father appear. Sirius appeared behind Lucius, making the blonde turn. "Get away from my godson." Sirius punch Lucius, sending him to the ground, the prophecy shattering, and as if on cue the aurors started to appear.

The aurors quickly made the Death Eaters disappear from behind each of them, except for Juniper. "Get the hell away from my daughter." Anastasia Black's voice appeared behind Juniper and suddenly Juniper was free and her wand was back in her hand. Along with her mother, Remus, Mad-Eye, Nymphadora, Kingsley and a few others appeared and then a duel broke out.

Juniper ran towards the middle, trying to get to Harry but a Death Eater approached her and threw a curse at her which she quickly deflected. She dueled the Death Eater, clenching her jaw as she fought back. Remus appeared at her side, taking over as he deflected the next curse. Juniper nodded at him before continuing to run towards Harry and her father, dodging attacks as they were thrown her way. Juniper made it to them, just in time to watch as he father dueled Lucius.

Sirius disarmed him before sending him flying backwards. Juniper quickly ran up to her dad. "You're okay!" She smiled. Her smile fell however when she saw Bellatrix out of the corner of her eye about to throw a curse. Juniper grabbed her father, pulling him down just as Bellatrix yelled out, "Avada Kedavra!"

The sound of a gasp could be heard and Juniper looked at her dad with a frown before turning her head and freezing. Her mother stood there, her eyes wide before she fell to her knees and fell to the ground. Juniper's eyes widened. "Mom?" Quickly, she moved away from her father and towards her mom. "Mom?" She shook her, but she didn't move. Tears sprang to her eyes and she shook her head. "No, no, no. Mom! Mom! Mom, wake up!"

Sirius sat there in shock, staring at the body of his wife and watching as his daughter tried to shake her awake. He forced himself to pull himself together, standing up and grabbing onto Juniper. "No!" She yelled, pulling out of his grasp.

"Juniper," Sirius calmly said, trying to fight back his own tears.

"She's not dead." Juniper denied. "Mom?" Juniper shook her again as she started sobbing. "Mommy, please. Please. Please don't leave me. Please wake up." Juniper stopped trying to shake her, laying her head on her mother's chest. "I can't do this without you."

It felt like her entire world had fallen apart. Like a vital piece of her and just been ripped out of her chest. Her heart shattered, her mind melted with denial. Her sobs grew heavier and heavier because although she didn't want to admit it, her mother was dead. Sadness and rage boiled into one as she lifted her head and screamed, crying out in agony, sorrow, and grief. Power rippled from her body, exploding, sending her father and Remus flying backwards. Juniper cried, anguish ripping at her throat, clawing at her skin and ripping her apart from the inside out until she couldn't breathe and she was gasping desperately for air.

She didn't know when the others left, with Harry chasing after Bellatrix in his own blind rage. Her mothers blood coated her hands, tainting her with the memory of her mother's eyes staring up at the sky with nothing in her eyes. Juniper loved her mother's eyes, they had always been filled with life, with joy, with happiness, with love. And now. . . now they were empty. Drained. Emotionless. All the love in her eyes had disappeared and now it was nothing but an empty void.

Juniper couldn't stop crying, keeling over her mother's body, wishing her to wake up. She had to come back. She had to. Why wasn't she coming back? Hadn't Juniper already been through enough? Hadn't she suffered enough tragedies for a lifetime? Did they have to take her mother away from her? The woman that raised her on her own, who loved her so fiercely and unconditionally with every bone and breath in her body. The one constant in her life.

"We have to bring her back." Juniper whimpered, wiping away her tears as she nodded. She turned her head to look at Remus and Sirius. "We have to bring her back. We can-we can bring her back. There-there has to be a spell o-or something."

"June―︎"

"No, no, there's away. I know there's a way. I've read about it before. We can bring her back. She's not dead, okay? She's-she's fine. She's fine. She's going to make it. It's okay."

"June―︎"

"Harry survived the killing curse, which-which means there's a way, right? I mean, there has to be a way. There's a way to survive this, I know there is. I just need time. I need time to figure it out. Give me time―︎"

"Juniper!" Her father's voice snapped her out of her rambles. He kneeled down in front of her, placing both hands on her shoulders. He shook his head. "She's not coming back."

Juniper swallowed, shaking her head. "No. No, she is. She is."

"Juno," Remus softly tried.

"No." Juniper shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. "No. She is not dead! We can bring her back!"

"Honey―︎"

"Why are you just standing there?!" Juniper yelled. "Bring her back!" She pushed at her father's chest, but he didn't budge. "Bring her back! Bring her back, bring her back, bring her back!" She hit his chest until her hands fell and she started sobbing, lowering her head to the ground in shame and defeat. "I c-can't. I can't do this w-without h-her. Please. Please, daddy, don't make me live without her. Please."

Sirius pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. He closed his eyes, letting a tear slip down his cheek. "I'm so sorry, little star."

"She was supposed to stay." Juniper sobbed. "She was supposed to be here with me. With you." Juniper let out another sob, shaking her head. "Why didn't she stay? Why did she do that?"

"To make sure you were safe." Sirius softly said. "To make sure you survived."

Juniper's shoulders shook as she cried, looking up to meet her father's eyes. "I don't want to live in this world if she's not in it."

"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry."

Remus turned his head at the sound of approaching footsteps, watching as Harry, Ron, and Hermione carefully re-entered the room. Harry had just been in a fight with Voldemort, Dumbledore swooping in to save him, with the Minister coming down just in time to watch Voldemort disappear, approving that he was in fact back. Harry wasn't focused on that though, he was focused on Juniper.

"Sirius," Remus calmly said. "Sirius, you need to go. The Ministry is here―︎"

"I don't give a damn if the Ministry is here, Remus!" Sirius snapped. "I'm not leaving my daughter."

"It's not going to do her any good if you're behind bars." Remus warned.

Juniper forced herself to pull away. "He's right," she croaked. "You should go."

Sirius met her eyes before pulling her into a tight hug, giving her a kiss on the top of the head. "I love you so much, little star." Juniper didn't say anything before he pulled away and with hesitancy, he left.

Remus hesitantly walked forwards. He needed to take the body. Juniper didn't turn to look at him as she said, "Bury her next to James." Remus looked down at her with surprise before nodding his head. He grabbed Anastasia Black's lifeless body before he too was gone.

Juniper sat there in the middle of the floor on her knees, staring blankly at the ground. Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked up to her. Hermione kneeled on the floor in front of her as Ron and Harry placed themselves on either side of her. Juniper sniffled, not tearing her gaze from the floor. "She's dead. My mother is really dead." She started crying again and the three of them quickly hugged her.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐀𝐁𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘 nothing as they walked towards the train. She felt so empty, completely lifeless. It felt like she was a zombie, walking numbly, face blank of emotion. She hadn't spoken a single word to the others. Not since that day. People would say things to her, send her their sympathies, but she found herself unable to respond. The train ride was silent as she stared blankly out the window.

She didn't know where she was supposed to go. She couldn't live with her father because as far as they knew, he was on the run. Remus wasn't going to make an appearance out in public after what happened third year. What was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to live like this? Juniper got off the train, having no strength to tell her friends goodbye. She didn't know where to go from here.

"Juniper?" Juniper looked up to see Nymphadora Tonks standing there. The purple haired woman gave her a small smile. Nymphadora held out her hand. "I'm taking you home." Juniper just stared at her before accepting her hand. The apparated to Grimmauld Place and Juniper walked through the door. Her dog greeted her and Juniper gave him a pat on the head as she passed by before immediately going up the stairs.

Juniper entered her room and sat down on the bed. Shadow came trotting in after her, jumping on the bed and laying his head in her lap. A soft whimper fell from the dogs lips and Juniper nodded her head in understanding. "I know, baby." She forced a small smile. "But she's not coming back." Shadow crawled closer to her and Juniper hugged her dog like a teddy bear and Shadow let her.

Juniper couldn't help but question everything. Her mind replayed all of the events from that night, and not once did she remember her mother appearing in front of her. She felt like she was going crazy. Everything she thought she knew, she didn't. But one thing Juniper knew for sure above all else, she was going to kill Bellatrix Lestrange.