chapter fourteen : the lion and the serpent
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Juniper felt as though she were carrying some kind of talisman inside her chest over the following two weeks, a glowing secret that supported her through Umbridge's classes and even made it possible for her to smile blandly as she looked into Umbridge's bulging eyes. June and the DA were resisting her under her very nose, doing the very thing Umbridge and the Ministry most feared, and whenever she was supposed to be reading Wilbert Slinkhard's book during her lessons, June dwelled instead on satisfying memories of their most recent meetings, remembering how Neville had successfully disarmed Hermione, how Colin Creevey had mastered the Impediment Jinx after three meetings' hard effort, how Parvati Patil had produced such a good Reductor Curse that she had reduced the table carrying all the Sneakoscopes to dust.
June and Harry were finding it almost impossible to fix a regular night of the week for the DA meetings, as they had to accommodate three separate teams' Quidditch practices, which were often rearranged due to the bad weather conditions; but June was not sorry about this; she had a feeling that it was probably better to keep the timing of their meetings unpredictable. If anyone was watching them, it would be hard to make out a pattern.
Hermione soon devised a very clever method of communicating the time and date of the next meeting to all the members in case they needed to change it at short notice, because it would look suspicious if people from different Houses were seen crossing the Great Hall to talk to each other too often. She gave each of the members of the DA a fake Galleon.
"You see the numerals around the edge of the coins?" Hermione said, holding one up for examination at the end of their fourth meeting. The coin gleamed fat and yellow in the light from the torches. "On real Galleons that's just a serial number referring to the goblin who cast the coin. On these fake coins, though, the numbers will change to reflect the time and date of the next meeting. The coin will glow hot when the date changes, so if you're carrying them in a pocket you'll be able to feel them. We take one each and when Harry or June sets the date of the next meeting, they'll change the numbers on their coins, and because I asked June to put a Protean Charm on them, they'll all change to mimic theirs."
A blank silence greeted Hermione's words. She looked around at all the faces upturned to her, rather disconcerted.
"Well — I thought it was a good idea," she said uncertainly, "I mean, even if Umbridge asked us to turn out our pockets, there's nothing fishy about carrying a Galleon, is there. But . . . well, if you don't want to use them —"
"It's a brilliant idea, Hermione," June assured her.
"So that means we're using the Galleons?" Hermione said hopeful, looking around.
There was a murmur of assent and everybody moved forwards to collect one from the basket. June took a moment to admire the coin before shoving it in her pocket, a grin plastered on her face.
As the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, drew nearer, their DA meetings were put on hold because June insisted on almost daily practices. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were taking a lively interest in the outcome, for they, of course, would be playing both teams over the coming year; and the Heads of House of the competing teams, though they attempted to disguise it under a decent pretence of sportmanship, were determined to see their own side victorious. June realized how much Professor McGonagall cared about beating Slytherin when she abstained from giving them homework in the week leading up to the match.
"I think you've got enough to be getting on with that at the moment," she said loftily. Nobody could believe their ears until she looked directly at June, Angelina, Alicia, Fred and George and said grimly, "I've become accustomed to seeing the Quidditch Cup in my study, boys and girls, and I really don't want to have to hand it over to Professor Snape, so use the extra time to practice, won't you?"
Severus was no less obviously partisan; he had booked the Quidditch pitch for Slytherin practice so often that the Gryffindors had difficulty getting it to play. It wasn't until June played the Godfather Card in one of their many discussions about it, that he managed to give them some time, too.
Sometimes it came in handy that she had him as her godfather.
Juniper felt optimistic about Gryffindor chances (though she would never tell her teammates that); they had, after all, never lost to Slytherin. Admittedly, Ron was still not performing to Oliver's standard, but he was working extremely hard to improve. His greatest weakness was a tendency to lose confidence after he'd made a blunder; if he let in one goal he became flustered and was therefore likely to miss more. On the other hand, June had seen Ron make some truly spectaculars saves when he was on form; during one memorable practice, he had hung one-handed from his broom and kicked the Quaffle so hard away from the goal hoop that it soared the length of the pitch and through the center hoop at the other end; the rest of the team felt his save compared favorably with one made recently by Barry Ryan, the Irish International Keeper, against Poland's top Chaser, Ladislaw Zamojski. Even Fred had said that Ron might yet make him and George proud, and that they were seriously considering admitting he was related to him, something they assured him they had been trying to deny for four years.
The only thing really worrying June was how much Ron was allowing the tactics of the Slytherin team to upset him before they even got on to the pitch. June herself had gotten used to it by now. With her being Head Girl the comments had even stopped. They knew she could deduct points whenever she felt like it.
But Ron had never endured that and June could tell it bothered him. And so she had taken him aside on the morning of the match. His face had an abnormal green color and his eyes were wide.
"Ron," June told him gently but firmly, "you will do fine. I believe in you. I know you can do this. If you couldn't, I wouldn't have put you on the team. You're our Keeper and you'll do fine. Hell, you'll do great. You only need to believe it yourself, too."
This seemed to make him feel slightly better and June gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Don't forget it."
When the team entered the Great Hall, they received a rousing welcome at the Gryffindor table, where everyone was wearing red and gold, but far from raising Ron's spirits the cheers seemed to sap the last of his morale; he collapsed on to the nearest bench looking as though he were facing his final meal. June took a mental note to check up on him later.
After ten minutes, June realised she couldn't stay anymore. She stood up and turned towards her team. "When you're ready, we're going to go straight down to the pitch, check out conditions and change."
Harry and Ron nodded, the latter still looking very nervous. June, Angelina, Alicia, Katie, Fred and George made their way down to the Quidditch pitch. The frosty grass crunched under their feet as they hurried down the sloping lawns towards the stadium. There was no wind at all and the sky was a uniform pearly white, which meant that visibility would be good without the drawback of direct sunlight in the eyes.
Juniper changed into her Quidditch robes and went to the final line-up for Slytherin. By the time she came back, everyone was already dressed into their robes including Harry and Ron.
"OK, I've only just found out the final line-up for Slytherin," June said, consulting the piece of parchment. "Last year's Beaters, Derrick and Bole, have left, but it looks as though Montague's replaced them with the usual gorillas, rather than anyone who can fly particulary well. They're two blokes called Crabbe and Goyle, I don't know much about them —"
"We do," Harry and Ron said together.
"Well, they don't look bright enough to tell one end of a broom from the other," June said, pocketing her parchment, "but then I was always surprised Derrick and Bole managed to find their way on to the pitch without signposts."
"Crabbe and Goyle are in the same mould," Harry assured her.
They could hear hundreds of footsteps mounting the blanked benches of the spectator's stands. Some people were singing, though June could not make out the words. She was starting to feel nervous, but in a good way. She always loved playing Quidditch and nothing would change that.
"It's time," Juniper told her team in a hushed voice as she looked at her watch. "C'mon everyone . . . good luck and Ron," he turned around to face her, "remember what I told you."
He gave her a short nod and the team rose, shouldering their brooms. They marched in a single file out of the changing room and into the dazzling sky. A roar of sound greeted them in which June could still hear singing, though it was muffled by the cheers and whistles.
The Slytherin team was standing waiting for them. They were wearing silver crown-shaped badges and when June narrowed her eyes to see what was written on it. She cursed when she saw it.
WEASLEY IS
OUR KING
This could not lead to anything good.
The new captain, Montague, had massive forearms like hairy hams. Behind him lurked Crabbe and Goyle, almost as large, blinking stupidly, swinging their new Beaters' bats. Draco stood to one side, the sunlight gleaming on his white-blond head. He caught June's eyes, but didn't give any sign of recognition.
"Captains, shake hands," Madam Hoock ordered, as June and Montague reached each other. Montague shook her hand and tried to crush her fingers. Juniper, however, didn't wince. "Mount your brooms . . ."
Madam Hooch placed her whistle in her mouth and blew.
The balls were released and fourteen players shot upwards. Juniper leaped forwards and grabbed the Quaffle.
"And it's Black — Black with the Quaffle, what a player that girl is, I've been saying it for years but she still won't go out with me —"
"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall yelled.
"— just a fun fact, Professor, adds a bit of interest — and she's ducked Warrington, she's passed Montague, she's — ouch — been hit from behind by a Bludger from Crabbe . . . Montague catches the Quaffle, Montague heading back up the pitch and — nice Bludger there from George Weasley, that's a Bludger to the head for Montague, he drops the Quaffle, caught by Angelina Johnson, Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor reverse-passes to Alicia Spinnet and Spinnet's away — dodges Warrington, avoids a Bludger — close call, Alicia — and the crowd are loving this, just listen to them, what's that they're singing?"
And as Lee paused to listen, the song rose loud and clear from the sea of green and silver in the Slytherin section of the stands.
"Weasley cannot save a thing,
He cannot block a single ring,
That's why Slytherins all sing,
Weasley is our king.
Weasley was born in a bin
He always lets the Quaffle in
Weasley will make sure we win
Weasley is our king."
"— and Alicia passes the Quaffle to June!" Lee shouted.
June was boiling as she had the Quaffle tucked under her arm. She knew Lee was trying to drown out the words of the song and she would thank him for that when the match was over.
"Come on now, June — looks like she's got just the Keeper to beat! — SHE SHOOTS — SHE — aaaah . . ."
Bletchley, the Slytherin Keeper, had saved the goal; he threw the Quaffle to Warrington who sped off with it, zigzagging in between Angelina and Alicia; the singing from below grew louder and louder as he threw nearer and nearer Ron. June could only hope he would ignore it.
"Weasley is our King,
Weasley is our King,
He always lets the Quaffle in
Weasley is our king!"
June tried flying after Warrington, but she was too far behind. Even with the Firebolt she wouldn't catch up with him. It was all on Ron now.
"— and it's Warrington with the Quaffle, Warrington heading for goal, he's out of Bludger range with juts the Keeper ahead —"
A great well of song rose from the Slytherin stands below.
"Weasley cannot save a thing,
He cannot block a single ring . . ."
"— so it's the first test for Gryffindor Keeper Weasley, brother of Beaters Fred and George, and a promising new talent on the team — come on Ron!"
But the screams of delight came from the Slytherins' end; Ron had dived widely, his arms wide, and the Quaffle had soared between them straight through Ron's central hoop.
"Slytherin scores!" came Lee's voice amid the cheering and booing from the crowd below, "so that's ten-nil to Slytherin — bad luck, Ron."
The Slytherins sang even louder.
"WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN
HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN . . ."
"— and Gryffindor back in possession and it's Alicia Spinnet tanking up the pitch —" Lee cried valiantly, though the singing was now so deafening that he could barely make himself heard above it.
"WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN
WEASLEY IS OUR KING . . ."
"Harry, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" June screamed, soaring past him to keep up with Alicia. "GET THE BLOODY SNITCH!"
"WEASLEY IS OUR KING,
WEASLEY IS OUR KING . . ."
"— and it's Warrington again," Lee bellowed, "who passes to Pucey, Pucey's off past Spinnet, come on now, Angelina, you can take him — turns out you can't — but nice Bludger from Fred Weasley, I mean, George Weasley, oh, who cares, one of them, anyway, and Warrington drops the Quaffle and Juniper Black — er — drops it, too — so that's Montague with the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Montague takes the Quaffle and he's off up the pitch, come on, now, Gryffindor, block him!"
June zoomed towards Montague, the stands still singing.
"WEASLEY CANNOT SAVE A THING . . ."
"— and Pucey's dodged Alicia again and he's heading straight for the goal, stop it, Ron!"
But Ron let it pass.
June gritted her teeth, knowing that the song didn't help. She glanced up and met Harry's eyes. She gave him a nod and he nodded back. Both of them knew what he had to do.
"THAT'S WHY SLYTHERINS ALL SING
WEASLEY IS OUR KING . . ."
Twenty-nil was nothing, that June knew. However, the fact that Ron's confidence wasn't coming was something she worried about.
"Don't forget why I told you!" June yelled at him. "Ignore them!" She then headed after Angelina and Alicia.
But Ron let in two more goals. A flash of panic entered June's mind but she quickly banned it out. Panic wouldn't help them and she knew it.
"— and Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor dodges Pucey, ducks Montague, nice swerve, Angelina, and she throws to Black, Juniper Black takes the Quaffle, she's past Warrington, she's heading for goal, come on now, June — GRYFFINDOR SCORE! It's forty-ten to Slytherin and Pucey has the Quaffle —"
June high fived Alicia before flying after Pucey.
"— Pucey throws to Warrington, Warrington to Montague, Montague back to Pucey — Johnson intervenes, Johnson takes the Quaffle, Johnson to Spinnet, this looks good — I mean bad — Spinnet's hit by a Bludger from Goyle of Slytherin and it's Pucey in possession again . . ."
"WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN
HE ALWAYS LET THE QUAFFLE IN
WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN!"
Juniper turned her head to see how Harry was doing and was relieved to see that he had seen the Golden Snitch. It was hovering feet from the ground at the Slytherin end of the pitch.
Draco and Harry were racing side by side, both of their arms extended toward the golden ball. June and everyone else stopped to watch what was happening. For a minute, her heart skipped a beat as she watched Harry close his fingers around the tiny ball. Then, she laughed and punched the air.
They had won.
Harry pulled his broom upwards, holding the struggling ball in his hand and the Gryffindor spectators screamed their approval . . .
Juniper grinned but that quickly stopped when a Bludger hit Harry in the back, making him fall off his broom.
"Harry!" June exclaimed, flying down and kneeling down next to him. "Are you all right?"
"'Course I am," Harry said grimly, taking her hand and allowing her to pull him up.
"It was that thug Crabbe," June said angry, glaring at the Slytherin player above them, "he whacked the Bludger at you the moment he saw you'd got the Snitch — but we won, Harry, we won!"
June heard a snort from behind them and turned around. Draco had landed close by. White-faced with fury, he was still managing to sneer.
"Saved Weasley's neck, haven't you?" he said to Harry. June pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes dangerously. She knew that whatever would come out of her cousin's mouth probably wasn't going to be anything good. "I've never seen a worse Keeper . . . but then he was born in a bin . . . did you like my lyrics, Potter?"
Harry didn't answer and neither did June. They turned away to meet the rest of the team who were now landing one by one, yelling and punching the air in triumph; all except Ron, who had dismounted from his broom over by the goalposts and seemed to be making his way slowly back to the changing rooms alone.
"We wanted to write another couple of verses!" Draco called, as Angelina hugged June. "But we couldn't find rhymes for fat and ugly — we wanted to sing about his mother, you see —"
"Talk about sour grapes," Angelina said, casting Draco a disgusting glance. "Really, June, I don't understand how he is related to you."
With pain in her heart June thought back at how it had been last year and the year before. They had been friends, family even. It had all changed when Voldemort returned.
"Yeah," she said, turning her back to Draco. "Me neither."
"— we couldn't fit in useless loser either — for his father, you know —"
Fred and George had realized what Draco was talking about. Halfway through shaking Harry's hand, they stifffened, looking around at Draco.
"Leave it!" June said at once, recognizing the looks on their faces. She grabbed Fred's arm and pulled him towards her, away from Draco. "Leave it, Fred, let him yell, he's just sore he lost, the jumped-up little —"
"— but you like the Weasleys, don't you, Potter?" Draco said, sneering. "Spend holidays there and everything, don't you? Can't see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up by Muggles, even the Weasleys' howel smells OK —"
Harry and Angelina grabbed George, while June didn't find any better than hugging Fred tight, not letting him get to Draco. She honestly didn't know whom she was trying to stop. Herself or Fred.
"Or perhaps," Draco continued, laughing openly, "you can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it —"
June froze. Her vision went white from rage and when she released Fred and turned around to teach Draco a lesson he wouldn't soon forget, she noticed she was already too late.
Harry and George were already sprinting towards Draco.
"Harry!" June yelled, running after them. "HARRY! GEORGE! NO!"
The only thing that stopped her from joining the fight, was her place as Quidditch Captain and Head Girl. Her hazel eyes were wide as she watched Harry and George leap towards Draco. Girls were screaming. Draco was yelling. George was swearing. A whistle was blown.
"Impedimenta!"
George and Harry were knocked off Draco and Madam Hooch dashed towards them.
"What do you think you're doing?" she screamed, as Harry and George leapt to their feet.
Draco was curled on the ground, whimpering and moaning, his nose bleeding; George was sporting a swollen lip, Fred stood right behind June; and Crabbe was crackling in the background.
"I've never seen behavior like it — back up to the castle, both of you, and straight to your Head of House's office! Go! Now!" Madam Hoock yelled.
Harry and George marched off towards the castle and June watched them, hoping that they would simply get detention. But something inside of her told her it would be much worse.
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It was worse. Harry, George and Fred were all banned from Quidditch. It had been that Umbridge woman. She didn't even let Fred play because she couldn't separate the twins.
Juniper was standing into her captain's office as she tried to push her anger back. She had just received an owl from McGonagall saying she needed not one, but three new players.
They were officially doomed.
"June," a voice said from behind her and June balted her hands and clenched her jaw. He was the last person she wanted to see.
"Get out."
"June —"
"I said. Get. Out," June almost growled, turning around and facing her cousin. "Get out, Draco, before I hex you into oblivion, because trust me, I'm pissed enough to do it." Her hazel eyes were gleaming dangerously and Draco took a step back.
"I didn't mean to attack you, only Weasley —"
"You mess with someone from my team, you mess with me and you don't want to mess with me, Malfoy," June hissed, glaring at him. "I thought you were different. I thought family meant something to you. I thought we were family."
"June —"
"But family doesn't bully each other," Juniper went on, ignoring him. "You're a bully, Draco." She took a step closer to him. "If you bully one of my teammates again, if you even think of doing it, you'll have to deal with me and trust me," an evil grin appeared on her lips, "you don't want to deal with me. You're not my family anymore, Draco. You lost that privilege the moment you talked about Harry's mum, my aunt — mind you." She laughed emotionless. "I always tried to see the good in you, Draco. I tried to ignore the things others said about you. I defended you. But now," an emotionless expression appeared on her face and she shook her head. "You went too far. This time I can't forgive you. This time I can't see the good anymore. I'm sorry, Draco. I truly am. I had hoped you'd turn out good, but it seemed you're just more of the same."
Draco looked at her, his eyes wide. He seemed even paler. His grey eyes were glassy and June had to suppress her own tears. She wouldn't cry, not in front of him.
"Goodbye Draco. I hope this was all worth it."
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Published 02.05.2021
I hope you enjoyed it & tell me what you think of it!
So, yeah, June and Draco's relationship has reached its ending (or not, who knows). I was re-reading this chapter in the book and realised I couldn't just leave it out because that's how Draco is and it wouldn't be accurate if I didn't let him react this way. I think Draco maybe needed some harsh words before (maybe) realizing that what he's doing is wrong.
Anyway, the path to redemption is long and maybe June will help him with it, maybe not. (They are after all a lion and a serpent.) I guess you'll just have to wait and see ;)
Next chapter will be out on May 5th together with the announcement!
I hope you're having a great day/night!
Stay safe and healthy everyone! <3
Laura