▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐱 ━︎━︎ 𝐈 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐨𝐨 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 off the train she couldn't help but awkwardly stand there for a moment. For a moment, her smile faded and sadness started to creep in because no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't find her mother. Maybe she'd just gotten caught up with work and forgot today was the day that they were coming home for break. She trudged slowly, pulling her trunk behind her. She couldn't exactly be mad, her mother worked for a part of the ministry after all and she was an important person. Juniper just didn't think work was more important than her, but maybe she was wrong.

     "Juni?" The sound of her mother's voice made her snap her head up. She searched for her, desperate to find her and when she did, she dropped her belongings and went running. Anastasia met her daughter halfway, scooping her up into a big hug and holding onto her tightly. "Oh my sweet girl, how I've missed you so."

     As Anastasia put her back down, Juniper looked up at her mother. "I thought you forgot about me."

     Anastasia shook her head. "Darling, I could never forget about you. Work ran me a little longer so I was a little late getting here. I'm so sorry. I promise I was breaking as many wizarding laws as I could just to be able to get to you on time."

     Juniper smiled before hugging her again. "I missed you."

     "I've missed you too." Anastasia pulled away before grabbing Juniper's hand and walking over to grab her trunk. "Come on, let's go home."

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐒 she stepped into the home. They didn't have a big mansion like the Malfoy's―︎ although they could if they really wanted to, but Anastasia liked to think they were better this way, claiming that when her father got out of Azkaban then they could move to his old manor if they truly wanted to. Juniper didn't mind. Her home was quite comfortable, and even if it wasn't a mansion, it was still very large.

There was one thing that Juniper had that a lot of wizarding families didn't because they simply didn't believe in pets that didn't have purpose of being magical, and that was a dog. A giant black German Shepherd came running up to her, jumping on her causing the girl to laugh. She smiled widely as she gave the dog so much love, giving him kisses and belly rubs before he jumped off to who knows where.

     "How's Shadow been?" Juniper asked her mother.

     "He's been good. Missed you of course. The first few nights he sat at your door, whining. I guess he thought you weren't coming home." Anastasia explained, using her wand to lift Juniper's luggage up to her room from the bottom floor. Once it was there she stuffed her wand away and smiled at her daughter. She put her arm around her before leading her into the kitchen. "Let's eat, yeah?"

     Juniper smiled. "Yes, please! I'm starved."

Juniper sat down at the table that was big enough for six people, sitting in the spot right beside of her mother. Her mother always sat at the head of the table, and Juniper always sat on the right side of her. They always wanted to be close with each other and they'd rather be beside each other than sit on opposite ends of the table. She smiled at the food in front of her, quickly digging in.

     "So, tell me, how's school been?" Anastasia asked.

     Juniper shrugged her shoulders. "It's been alright."

     "Anything exciting happen?"

     "Well I almost got murdered by a troll," Juniper shrugged nonchalantly, eating another mouthful, whilst Anastasia stared at her with wide eyes. Juniper glanced up at her, her chewing slowing down. "What?"

     "You just said a troll tried to kill you, would you care to elaborate."

     "Oh. Not really."

     "That wasn't a question, Juniper." Anastasia scolded and Juniper huffed.

     "Basically, Hermione was having a moment, I went a found her, someone let a troll loose and at the moment we're assuming it's Snape but we have no evidence. Anyways, troll came into the bathroom, destroyed everything, my leg got punctured with wood and I sliced my hand open with a piece of broken sink. It was this whole thing but everyone's alive now so that's all that matters." She took a breath and then looked at her mother who looked furious.

     "I cannot believe someone didn't tell me about this!" She scoffed. "This is unbelievable. I should go up there and have a word with someone."

     Juniper rolled her eyes. "Mother, I believe you're being just a tad dramatic."

     "I'm not being dramatic," Anastasia snapped. She paused, closing her eyes  to take a deep breath as she calmed down. "You are my only daughter. I deserve to know when something has happened with you so that I can go about it accordingly. I know you think I'm being overprotective, and I am, it's my job as your mother, but. . ."

     Juniper frowned. "But what?"

     "I have went through too much, I have seen too many things that no child should ever see, and I've lost more people than I'd care to admit." Anastasia placed her hand over Juniper's, frowning. "I can't lose you, Juni. You and Remus are all that I have left. If I lose you. . ."

     "You won't." Juniper quickly cut her mother off, placing her other hand on top of hers. "You won't lose me, mum. I promise. I'm not going anywhere." Juniper's voice grew a little softer. "You and Remus are all I have left too, you know."

     "That will change. You have a whole life ahead of you." Anastasia smiled at her daughter. "I have already lived."

As the night grew closer and Juniper was getting ready for bed, she couldn't help but stare at the photo she kept on her dresser, the one of her mother and father when they were kids. Sirius was holding Anastasia, both of them laughing as Sirius dipped her before bringing her back up for a kiss. Juniper smiled at the photo, running her thumb across it. This was why she didn't believe all those rumors everyone attached to her father. The photo alone showed Juniper who her father was, how kind he was, how in love with her mother that he was. How much he loved her. Juniper placed the photo back down before changing into her night clothes and then crawling under her covers.

Anastasia knocked on her daughters door before carefully pushing it open, smiling at Juniper and laughing as Shadow barged in, jumping up on the bed and immediately laying beside of Juniper. The young girl chuckled at the dog, rubbing his head as he placed his chin on her leg.

     "Mother?" Juniper asked, staring at Shadow for a moment before moving her eyes to look at her mother.

     "Yes, love?"

     "Tell me about you and Dad as kids."

     Anastasia was taken aback by this question, staring at her daughter with surprise before shaking it off and making her way into her daughters room. She sat on the end of her bed, smiling at her. "What do you want to know?"

     "Anything. Everything." Juniper answered.

     Anastasia smiled. "Well, back then, your father was a bit of a player. He could choose any girl he wanted, get anyone he ever desired, and somehow he chose me. Back then, my parents had been killed, Euphemia and Fleamont Potter took me in at such a young age that I basically became their daughter. James was like my brother, in fact I even saw him as my brother and called him my brother. He saw me as his little sister―︎because he was simply two months older than me―︎and someone that had to be protected at all costs.

     "Sirius and James were best friends, and when Sirius had a clear liking for me, James was not too happy about it." Amelia smiled as she remembered that day like it was yesterday.

James Potter stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, staring at Sirius with a slight anger in his eyes. Anger wasn't the right word. James was just protective. Anastasia was everything to him, she was his little sister that he'd promised his parents to protect no matter the cost. And protecting her from Sirius was definitely something he needed to do. He knew his best friends ways. He knew how he was. He would be damned if he ever let Sirius treat Ana the way that he's treated other flings. He refused.

     "No, Sirius." James said sternly.

     "James, you have to understand."

     "I love you, you're my best friend, but she's my sister, and I know how you are. I won't let you do this to her." James clenched his jaw. "She actually likes you, Sirius. Although I've done everything in my power to try and keep her from liking you, she does. I don't like it one bit."

     "You don't think I like her back?" Sirius quizzed incredulously. 

     "I know you don't." James shook his head. "This isn't up for debate, Sirius. Leave my sister alone. Whatever this is between you, it needs to end now before she ends up hurt."

     As James walked away, Sirius stood there. "You're right." James stopped. "I don't like her. I love her. And I know she deserves more than me. She deserves the entire world and I know that I can't give that to her." Sirius watched as James turned to look at him, desperation in Sirius' eyes. He'd never felt this way towards anyone before and if he was being honest, the feeling absolutely terrified him, but she was worth it. Anastasia Hathaway was worth it and Sirius had to find a way to prove that to James. "James, you have to believe me. Something about her. . . she's not like anyone I've ever met. I've never felt this way for anyone. If I'm being honest, I'll probably never feel this way again."

What Sirius didn't know was that Anastasia was making her way down the steps leading from her room. She and Lily Evans had just been in there gossiping about how James was undoubtedly in love with her and Lily just kept on denying him. Anastasia was trying to sway her in the right direction because even though she knew James could be a complete dick sometimes, he was worth it. She just had to see that. When Anastasia heard Sirius' voice, she came to a gentle stop. She listened to every word that he said and her heart swarmed, her stomach filled with butterflies.

     She stepped out into the common room, her footsteps quiet. She stared at Sirius, her mouth slightly agape in shock. When Sirius had noticed James looking past him, he stopped rambling, turning on his heel, coming face to face with Anastasia. "Ana," Sirius breathed, his nerves now eating away at him. He cleared his throat, trying his best not to panic. "What're you―︎what're you doing down here?"

     Anastasia didn't say anything. All she could do was stare at him before she pulled herself together and asked him one question that would change everything. "You love me?"

     "I―︎" Sirius stopped himself. He was going to take it back, tell her she had completely misheard everything he'd said, but something inside of him told him that this was now or never. His voice grew quiet, fear of losing her taking over his facial expression. "Yes."

     Anastasia stepped closer to him, searching his grey eyes for any sign of deceit. She came up empty handed. "Sirius. . ."

     Sirius grabbed her hand as she reached for his face, his eyes never leaving hers. "I love you, Anastasia. Even if you don't feel the same, you deserve to know. I know that I can't give you everything you need, but I can sure as hell try."

     Anastasia smiled at him, reaching on her tip toes as she pressed a kiss to his lips. She pulled away, cupping his face in her hands. She looked him in the eyes, smiling as she said, "You are enough. You're all I need and I couldn't be any luckier than to have the Sirius Black tell me that he loves me. I love you too." She chuckled as Sirius beamed, pure joy on his face as he quickly pressed another kiss to her lips.

     James tried his best to repress a smile. He waited for Anastasia to leave before he walked over to his best friend, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You hurt her, I'll kill you." He gave Sirius a smile, patting him on the back before walking away.

     Juniper smiled, watching the love in her mother's eyes. "Dad really loved you, didn't he?"

     Anastasia nodded, "More than anyone else."

     "Everyone thinks Dad is a bad man, that he's the one that killed all those people." Juniper softly said.

     Anastasia cocked her head slightly, "And what do you believe?"

     "I don't think he did it." Juniper told her. "I never thought he did. But what if. . ."

     Anastasia shook her head. "No what if's. You listen to your gut and what your gut tells you because it is almost always right. I understand why you would believe otherwise, there are rumors and people are cruel. But, I just want to tell you one thing. Your father is not a bad man. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, no one gave him the chance to explain." Anastasia squeezed her daughter's hand, looking in her eyes as she said the next part. "Your father loved James and Lily like they were his family―︎they were his family. He didn't do this."

     "Do you think. . ." Juniper stopped herself.

     "What is it?"

     Juniper rubbed Shadow's head, frowning slightly. "Do you think we'll ever see him again?"

     Anastasia tried to hide the tears in her eyes. She smiled at her daughter. "I sure hope so." Anastasia stood up, walking over to place a kiss on her daughters head. "Goodnight, Juni. I love you."

     "I love you too," Juniper replied, pulling the covers further up to her chin as her mother walked out of the room.

As Anastasia closed the door behind her, making it to her own room, soft sobs fell from her lips. She missed her husband. All she could hope was that one day some miracle would happen and they would be able to bring him home.