𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐑━︎━︎H. Granger ︎✓︎

❝CHAPTER ONE❞

▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞 ━︎━︎ 𝐇𝐨𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐒𝐀𝐓 in her room, a book in her hands as she read about potions. Her curly hair fell down her shoulders, feet crossed at the ankles as she sat on her twin sized bed. Her dark purple walls reflected in the sunset shining through her window, soft white curtains keeping the rays from actually entering her room. A photograph of her family hung on the wall in front of her, the moving figures of her parents smiling down at her when she was just an infant. The time was coming, her first year was going to start soon. Hogwarts was going to become her second home.

Juniper chewed on her bottom lip, unable to focus on the potions as her mind became muddled with worry. She knew the looks that everyone was going to throw her way as soon as she stepped on that platform. The only people she could count on to not throw dirty glares her way were Remus Lupin and her mother, and both of those people weren't going to be with her. It dawned on her that this was going to be the first time that she was truly away from her mother. A shiver ran down her spine. She didn't want to be away from her mother. She couldn't protect her if she wasn't with her. Maybe going to Hogwarts wasn't the best idea.

     "Knock, knock." Anastasia's soft voice came through the door, her knuckles gently tapping against the brown wooden door before she turned the golden knob, pushing the room open and peaking her head inside. She smiled at her daughter. "Tomorrow's the big day," Anastasia said excitedly, sitting down on the edge of Juniper's bed. "Are you excited?" She placed a hand on her leg that was covered by her blankets, rubbing her thumb gently across it.

     Juniper looked at her mother, forcing a smile as she nodded her head. "Yeah." She looked down at her hands, playing with her fingers.

     Anastasia noticed this immediately, a frown pulling at her lips. "Baby, what's wrong?"

     Juniper hesitated for a moment, opening her mouth and then closing it again before a soft sigh fell from her lips. "I don't want to leave you, I can't protect you if I'm not home."

     Anastasia softly chuckled, "Sweetheart, I promise you that I will be alright. I'm supposed to protect you, remember? Hogwarts is a safe school. I trust Dumbledore, he'll keep you safe."

     "We're supposed to protect each other," Juniper whispered.

     "Juni, what's this really about?"

     Juniper looked at her mother with sadness in her eyes. "I don't want you to be alone."

     Anastasia stared at her daughter, her heart breaking. She knew what her daughter was really trying to say. She was all that Juniper had, and Juniper couldn't lose her. Just like Anastasia couldn't lose her. They had been with each other every single day, this was going to be the first time since Juniper had been born that Anastasia was going to be in the house alone. "I'll be alright, don't you worry about me."