𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐘𝐑𝐀 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊, born to Lyra Potter and Regulus Black, is Harry's older cousin, 1/3 of the Prankers Trio and niece to mass murderer Sirius Black.
Life at Hogwarts was fun, relaxing and normal. That's until her younger cousin sho...
Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the Tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. June always made sure to check if he was outside every once in a while.
None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast — a Howler.
The school owls swooped into the Great Hall, carrying the post as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet enveloppe clutched in its beak.
June, who were sitting opposite a couple of seats away from him, recognized the letter as a Howler at once.
"Run for it, Neville," June could hear Ron say.
Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope and, holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the Hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the Entrance Hall — Neville's grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family.
"Poor Neville," Alicia said, looking at the Entrance Hall in pity. "He didn't deserve this." She then turned around to look at Angelina and June. "So Hogsmeade weekend is coming up again, what are we going to do?"
"Actually I think I'll pass," June said, as her hand went towards the small box in the pocket of her robe. "There is something I want to ask Professor Lupin about my parents."
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That Saturday, Juniper did not follow her friends down to the Entrance Hall, instead, she made her way towards Lupin's chambers. She knocked on the door.
"Professor Lupin?"
A shuffle came from behind the door and a second later it was pulled open, revealing a rather tired looking Remus Lupin.
"Are you alright?" June asked worriedly, her eyes traveling from his face towards his robes and back.
"Yeah," he replied, not very convincing.
"Can I make a cup of tea?" Juniper asked.
"That would be wonderful, June," he sighed, as if somehow, the whole world was on his shoulders.
"You just sit down," the black haired said, nodding at one of the chairs in front of the fireplace.
Remus didn't argue as he let himself fall in a chair. June made her way towards his small kitchen and started making tea.
"Here you go, professor," she said, handing the man a cup of tea.
"Thank you, June," Remus said, taking the cup, "and please, if it's just the two of us you can call me Remus." His gaze saddened. "You know, if everything would've gone as it should've, I'd be Uncle Moony to you."
June smiled sadly. "Would you tell me about them? My parents, I mean?"
Remus smiled and leaned back in his chair.
"Lyra Potter and Regulus Black," he hummed. "They were quite a special couple." He grinned. "Your father knew he was in love before your mother did. It was pretty obvious, actually, everyone saw it but her."
He adjusted his hold on the cup. "At first, James was against it. He didn't want his sister to be with someone who followed Voldemort's beliefs."
June's cup fell out of her hand and landed on the floor, breaking into a thousand pieces.
"My father was a Death Eater?"
Remus' eyes snapped up at her. "You didn't know?"
When she didn't reply and stared at him in disbelief, Remus pursed his lips.
"You didn't know."
"Is this the face someone makes when they know?" June exclaimed, standing up and throwing her hands in the air. "My father was a freaking Death Eater!"
"Let me explain," Remus said, standing up, too. "Yes, Regulus was a Death Eater, but your mother changed him."
"What do you mean?" June stared at him.
"Your father was already a Death Eater at the age of sixteen, the year he met your mother. Lyra," he shook his head, smiling fondly, "she didn't want to hear it. His love for her brought him back to the light, as some may say."
He then smiled kindly at her.
"They both loved you very much, June. More than life itself."
Juniper sighed and sat back down, feeling as if it was all too much.
"Is it possible to miss someone even if you don't really know them?" she asked quietly.
Remus knelt in front of her and placed his hand on her knee.
"It's normal you miss them, June, they are your parents."
For a moment, June didn't reply. Her hazel eyes stared into the fire, then, she started to tear up.
Remus pulled her into an embrace and listened to her sobs, wishing he could do something to stop them, but he couldn't bring back the dead.
Juniper hadn't cried for a long time. Not for her parents anyway. But something had changed. She had gotten the ring, something that had meant a lot to her mother, and she found out her father had been a Death Eater, a good one, but nonetheless a Death Eater.
Remus murmured some comforting words as he hugged her tightly, caressing her black hair.
After five minutes of crying intensely, Juniper pulled herself together again and accepted the handkerchief he handed her. She dried her tears without before blowing her nose.
"Sorry," June apologized, looking down.
"There is absolutely nothing to be sorry about, June," Remus assured her, giving her a small smile. "It's only human.' He stood back up, flicked with his wand and the tea cup was whole again, filled with tea once more.
"Here," he said, handing it to June.
"Thank you," she said, taking the cup and bringing it to her lips.
They enjoyed their tea in silence, both lost in their thoughts, and when the evening fell, the two of them left for dinner.
"I noticed you're close to Harry and Draco," Remus began, "I imagine that must be a hard task since the two of them don't really — er — get along well."
"I am and it isn't," June sighed. "Apart they are two dolls, but together . . ." She shook her head. "I don't think they'll ever get along."
"Well, you know what they say, never say never."
"I'm pretty sure a lot has to happen before they start acting civilized with each other," June said, rolling her eyes.
They arrived at the Great Hall and when Juniper sat down at the Gryffindor table, she realized she hadn't told him about the ring.
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Published 03.10.2020
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