▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐒𝐢𝐱 ━︎━︎ 𝐈 𝐂𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 way back to the castle, walking through the now empty corridor. The silence was deafening, and Juniper didn't even want to know how many they had lost. "Where is everybody?" Hermione asked, squeezing Juniper's hand a little tighter.

     "I guess we're about to find out." Juniper whispered.

Ron pushed the doors open, and the silence in the room was even worse than the one in the courtyard. Those who were alive were sitting on the side, some were being tended to while others were taking a minute to breathe. They all walked in and as soon as Ron spotted his family crowding around someone, he went to them. George turned to look at his little brother, immediately pulling him into a hug as he cried. Fred was dead.

Juniper watched them with heartbreak before turning her head to look at the others who had fallen, and suddenly the entire world stopped. Time froze, her breath hitched in her throat. Her wand fell from her hand in what felt like slow motion. She took one step forwards and fell to her knees.

     "Not you," she whispered, voice cracking. "They didn't have to take you too." Tears filled her eyes as she looked up to the ceiling, closing her eyes tightly before looking back down. She let out a choked sob before her walls began crumbling and she fell apart. Juniper sobbed, leaning her head on his chest. It was like losing her mother all over again. The pain that came with grief and loss wrapped around every part of her body. It crawled up her neck, choking her so tight to the point she couldn't breathe.

     A hand was placed on her shoulder as a voice said, "He died saving my life."

     Juniper lifted her head, turning to look at him. Her face contorted into one of both relief and heartbreak. "Daddy," she cried. Sirius kneeled down beside her, holding onto her tightly as she sobbed into his chest. Sirius stroked her hair, his own eyes filling with tears and he looked at the body of his best friend and his best friend's wife.

     "I'm so sorry I couldn't save him." Sirius whispered, trying his best to keep his own emotions at bay. "I'm so sorry."

Juniper held onto him tighter as she sobbed harder. They were supposed to be on opposite sides of the castle, but Juniper knew her father, and she knew he would run to where there was most danger. Remus had been on the side with the most danger, and now he and Nymphadora were dead, leaving behind their baby boy. She hated this. She hated every second of this. She wished she could go back in time and fix it somehow. But she couldn't. And now Remus and Nymphadora and Fred Weasley were all dead.

     "I can't do this," Juniper sobbed. "I can't do this anymore, dad. I can't, I can't, I can't." She shook her head. "I don't want to. I'm so tired. I'm so. . . so tired."

     "I know, baby. I know."

     "Will it ever stop?" Juniper whispered. "The pain? The grief? The suffering? Is there ever going to be an end?"

     Sirius closed his eyes, his heart shattering in his chest for his little girl. He swore to keep her safe, and he had failed to do just that. "I don't know, star. I don't know."

     "Can you pretend?" Juniper asked. "Just for a minute."

     Sirius pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "It will end. All of it. Soon."

     "Promise?"

     Sirius swallowed, forcing himself to look at his dead friend, as he said, "I promise."

     They sat like that for a moment, long enough for Juniper to calm down, and when she finally pulled away, she wiped at her eyes. She stood, her father following suit. She looked at Remus and Nymphadora one more time before forcing herself to turn away. "I need to find Harry." Without saying anything else, she walked out of the great hall.

Juniper spotted Ron and Hermione sitting on the steps and they both looked up at her. Juniper walked over, taking a seat on the other side of Ron and hugging him. Ron hugged her back. The three of them said nothing, just staring in front of them. Footsteps from behind them made them turn, and immediately they all stood when they saw Harry.

     "Where've you been?" Hermione asked.

     "We thought you went to the forest." Ron said.

     Harry walked down the stairs, right past them. "I'm going there now."

     "What?" Juniper asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

     "Are you mad?" Ron asked. "No!" Harry kept walking and Ron quickly followed him. "You can't give yourself up to him."

     All over again, tears pooled in Juniper's eyes. She knew that he knew, and when he turned around and met her eyes, he knew that Juniper knew. "What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked.

     "What is it you know?" Juniper asked, stepping towards him.

     "There's a reason I can hear them. . . the horcruxes. I think I've known for a while. And I think you have, too." He nodded towards Hermione and Juniper.

     Hermione started crying and Juniper shook her head. She couldn't lose anyone else. She couldn't handle it. "Please," Juniper softly begged. "Please, Harry. I'll go with you."

     Harry shook his head. "No, kill the snake. Kill the snake and then it's just him."

     Juniper shot forwards and hugged him, trying her best to hold herself together. She needed to, for him. For her brother. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you," Juniper whispered. Harry only hugged her tighter. She pulled away, letting Hermione hug him. Harry and Ron shared a knowing look with each other before Harry pulled away from Hermione and turned to walk away from them. Juniper watched him go and she felt the last of her fight die out of her.

     Her face was caked in dirt, cuts and bruises were littered all over her skin and Juniper walked forwards and sat down on a step. "He's going to die." Juniper numbly said. "And then this would be for nothing."

     Hermione walked over to her, wiping away her own tears. "It's not for nothing. We're going to win, Juniper. We just have to keep fighting for a little longer."

     Juniper shook her head. "I don't think I can." Hermione took a seat beside her and Juniper turned her head to look at her. "I'm tired of fighting, Hermione. I have nothing left in me. All of the light has vanished, and all I see is a dark end."

     Hermione reached forwards, wiping away a tear that had slipped from Juniper's eye. "Then let me be the light you need to carry you." She grabbed Juniper's hand, interlacing their fingers. "We're in this together, remember?"

     Juniper stared at her for a moment, eyes searching hers. She felt a tiny spark ignite inside of her, the last ounce of determination that she could muster. Finally, she nodded. "Together." Hermione stood, holding out her hand. Juniper looked up at her before reaching forwards and grabbing it. Hermione pulled her up and gave her a soft kiss. Juniper closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. "Let's finish this thing."

Hermione and Ron exchanged a look with each other before letting Juniper lead the way.