chapter eighteen : occlumency
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The Christmas holidays passed too fast and for the first time in her life, Juniper was not looking forward to returning to Hogwarts. Going back to school would mean placing herself once again under the tyranny of Dolores Umbridge, who had no doubt managed to force through another dozen decrees in their absence.
Laying on the couch next to Fred and George, the trio made paper airplanes fly though the air without the use of their wand. Almost everyone was at work, except Sirius who had taken off to be with them. He was currently being the one who decided whose airplane landed the furthest.
It wasn't until the front door opened, that the four of them looked up from their small competition. Severus strode into the hallway, looking as though he wanted to be everywhere but here. June frowned.
"What are you doing here, Snape?" Sirius said, rather unfriendly, crossing his arms.
"I'm here to see Potter, Black," Severus spat. "Why don't you go get him?"
"Why do you need to see him?" Sirius questioned.
"That's between me, Dumbledore and Potter," Severus replied, the end of his lips curling up. "It's nothing of your concern."
"I'm his godfather!" Sirius exclaimed, almost growling. "I am allowed to know what is happening."
Juniper, Fred and George stood between the two men, their eyes darting from one side to the other. Eventually the twins moved back and dashed upstairs, getting Harry.
"Professor, Sirius has a point," June said gently. "He is his godfather."
Severus glared and Sirius moved to stand next to her, giving her a thankful gaze.
"Fine," Severus snapped, turning around and heading towards the kitchen. "The dog can listen."
"Sorry about that," June said, once Severus was out of earshot. "He has no right to call you that."
Sirius placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Thank you, June."
The two of them headed towards the kitchen (in no way would June leave them alone), sat down at the table and waited for Harry to arrive.
"Er," Harry said, a couple of moments later, announcing his presence.
Severus looked around at him, his face framed between curtains of greasy black hair.
"Sit down, Potter."
"You know," Sirius said loudly, leaning back on his rear chair legs and speaking to the ceiling, "I think I'd prefer it if you didn't give orders here, Snape. It's my house here, you see."
An ugly flush suffused Severus' pallid face. Harry sat down in a chair next to June, facing Severus across the table.
"I was supposed to see you alone, Potter," Severus said, the familiar sneer curling his mouth, "but Black —"
"I'm his godfather," Sirius said again, louder than ever.
"I'm here on Dumbledore's orders," Severus, whose voice, by contrast, was becoming more and more quietly waspish, "but by all means stay, Black, I know you like to feel . . . involved."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius said, letting his chair fall back on to all four legs with a loud back.
"That's enough," Juniper said, standing up, knowing that if she wouldn't interfere, things would go south. "Professor, get to the point, please."
"The Headmaster has sent me to tell you, Potter, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term," Severus said, looking at Harry.
"Study what?" Harry said blankly.
"Occlumency, Potter. The magical defence of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one."
"Why do I have to study Occlu— thing?" Harry blurted out.
"Because the Headmaster thinks it a good idea," Severus said smoothly. "You will receive private lessons once a week, but you will not tell anybody what you are doing, least of all Dolores Umbridge. You understand?"
"Yes," Harry said. "Who's going to be teaching me?"
Snape raised an eyebrow. "I am."
Juniper's eyes dashed from Harry to Severus and back. Oh, oh. This will not end well.
"Why can't Dumbledore teach Harry?" Sirius asked aggressively, apparently thinking the same. "Why you?"
"I suppose because it is a headmaster's privilege to delegate less enjoyable tasks," Severus said silkily. "I assure you I did not beg for the job." He got to his feet. "I will expect you at six o'clock on Monday evening, Potter. My office. If anybody asks, you are taking remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my classes could deny you need them."
He turned to leave, his black traveling cloak billowing behind him.
"Wait a moment," Sirius said, sitting up straighter in his chair.
Severus turned back to face them, sneering. "I am in a rather hurry, Black."
"I'll get to the point, then," Sirius said, standing up. He was rather taller than Severus who, Juniper noticed, balled his fist in the pocket of his cloak over what she was sure was the handle of his wand. "If I hear you're using these Occlumency lessons to give Harry a hard time, you'll have me to answer to."
"How touching," Severus sneered. "But surely you have noticed that Potter is very like his father?"
"Yes, I have," Sirius said proudly.
"Well then, you'll know he's so arrogant that criticism simply bounces off him," Severus said sleekly.
Juniper's mouth popped open in disbelief. Did he actually say that?
Sirius pulled his chair roughly aside and strode around the table towards Severus, pulling out his wand as he went. Severus whipped out his own. They were squaring up to each other, Sirius looking livid, Severus calculating, his eyes darting from Sirius's wand-rip to his face.
"Sirius!" Harry said loudly from beside June, but Sirius appeared not to hear him.
"I've warned you, Snivellus," Sirius said, his face barely a foot from Severus', "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better —"
"Oh, but why don't you tell him so?" Severus whispered. "Or are you afraid he might not take very seriously the advice of a man who has spent twelve years in Azkaban?"
Juniper winced at this.
"Tell me, how is Lucius Malfoy these days? I expect he's delighted his lapdog's working at Hogwarts, isn't he?"
"No!" Juniper said, knowing that they were about to hex each other. "Stop!" She jumped between them.
"June — get — out — of — it!" Sirius snarled, pushing her aside with his free hand.
The kitchen door opened and the entire Weasley family, plus Hermione, came inside, all looking very happy, with Arthur walking proudly in their midsts dressed in a pair of striped pajamas covered by a mackintosh.
"Cured!" he announced brightly to the kitchen at large. "Completely cured!"
He and the other Weasleys froze on the threshold, gazing at the scene in front of them, which was also suspended in mid-action, both Sirius and Severus looking towards the door with their wants pointing into each other's faces and June standing between them, hands outstretched to try and force them apart.
"Merlin's beard," Arthur said, the smile sliding off his face, "what's going on here?"
Both Sirius and Severus lowered their wands. Juniper looked from one to the others. Each wore an expression of uttermost contempt, yet the unexpected entrance of so many witnesses seemed to have brought them back to their senses. Severus pocketed his wand and swept back across the kitchen, passing the Weasleys without comment. At the door he looked back.
"Six o'clock, Monday evening, Potter."
And he was gone. Sirius glared after him, his wand at his side.
"What's been going on?" Arthur asked again.
"Nothing, Arthur," Sirius said, whi was breathing heavily as though he had just run a long distance. "Just a friendly little chat between two old school friends." With what looked like an enormous effort, he smiled. "So . . . you're cured? That's great news, really great."
"Yes, isn't it?" Molly said, leading her husband forward to a chair. "Healer Smethwyck worked his magic in the end, found an antidote to whatever that snake's got in its fangs, and Arthur learned his lesson about dabbling in Muggle medicine, haven't you, dear?" she added, rather menacingly.
"Yes, Molly, dear," Arthur said meekly.
That night's meal should have been a cheerful one, with Arthur back amongst them. Juniper was a bit down, though. Charlie had to return back to Romania last night as there was an urgent matter with one of the dragons, causing him to be unable to wave her off tomorrow. Sitting next to Aiden, who seemed to be around a lot lately, she listened to his story of how her mother had apparently broken Severus' nose once.
"I'm telling you," he said, smiling. "She was a total badass."
This caused June to smile and when Aiden turned to start a conversation with Sirius, June glanced at Nymphadora who was busy staring at Remus. The latter was talking to Harry and didn't seem to notice the fact that someone was staring at him.
"If you keep staring like that, your eyes will fall out," June told her amused.
Nymphadora jumped up, as if surprised that someone had caught her. She turned her head around, her guard up, but when she saw it was June, she relaxed before blushing like a fool.
Juniper laughed at this.
"Shut up," Nymphadora muttered, her cheeks burning up even more.
"Do you have a crush on Moony?" June whispered, grinning like a fool.
"I have not!" Nymphadora hissed. "He's just — extremely handsome." She sunk back into her chair, seeming embarrassed to talk about her feelings.
Juniper, deciding not to tease Nymphadora about it anymore, shuffled closer to her sister. "Why don't you just go for it?"
This caused Nymphadora to look at her, eyes wide. "What?"
"You know, make a move," June clarified, gesturing subtly at Remus. "Ask him out."
"What if he says no? I don't know Junior . . ." Nymphadora said, unsure. "I don't want things to be awkward."
"Of course it's for you to decide what you want to do but I'll just tell you this; take the risk or lose the chance," June said, placing a comforting hand on Nymphadora's arm. "I just want you to be happy, Dora."
"Oh, Junior," Nymphadora said, getting a bit emotional. "I'm really going to miss you while you're at Hogwarts."
"I'm going to miss you, too, Dora," June said, smiling. "But after I'll graduate Hogwarts, I'll be joining you at the Aurors."
"Junior," Nymphadora began, turning herself so she was facing June now, "I just want you to be happy. I was only joking about becoming an Auror. You can be anything you want and I'd still love you."
Juniper smiled, touched and leaned forward to wrap her arms around Nymphadora's neck. "I love you, too, Dora. You're the best sister anyone can ask for."
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The next morning, the Knight Bus brought them all to Hogsmeade where they said their goodbyes to Nymphadora, Sirius, Remus and Aiden who had accompanied them. After that, the seven of them struggled up the slippery drive towards the castle, dragging their trunks.
Juniper spent the next day catching up with her friends and waiting anxiously for Harry's first Occlumency lesson. She was curious as to who of the two of them would lose their patience first. Her money was on Harry.
"Hey June!" Liam said, beaming. He had run up to her just after lunch. "How was Christmas? I hope you enjoyed it!"
"It was good," June said, smiling down at him. "How was yours?"
"It was great! I celebrated it with my family which was fun. I really miss them when I'm here but I don't regret coming to Hogwarts," Liam said enthusiastically. "It's Hogwarts after all. Who doesn't want to go to Hogwarts?"
June laughed. "Well, I'm glad you had fun."
"Do you happen to know the next meeting with the DA?" Liam asked curiously. "I really missed that during the holidays."
"I'm not sure, I'll have to talk with Harry about that. Keep an eye on your coin," June said, subtly petting the pocket where her coin was in.
Liam nodded solemnly. "I will. Anyway, I have to go now. Have a nice day!"
And off he was. Juniper looked him dashing towards his friends again and smiled. He truly had a pure heart.
The day went by slowly since June always kept an eye on her watch, waiting for Harry's lesson to be over and hear all about it. It wasn't until she was sitting in the common room that evening, making some homework with Angelina and Alicia. She looked up when her cousin climbed through the portrait hole closely followed by Hermione and Ron.
"I'll be right back," June told her friends, throwing her homework aside before standing up and striding over to Harry.
"June, there you are," Harry began, ushering her towards a deserted corner in the common room. "I was looking all over for you. I realized something."
He then proceeded to tell June about what he had seen.
"So you're saying that whatever the weapon Voldemort is after, is in the Ministry of Magic?" Juniper said, summing up what Harry had just told her.
"In the Department of Mysteries, it's got to be," Harry whispered. "I saw that door when Arthur took me down to the courtrooms for my hearing and it's definitely the same one he was guarding when the snake bit him."
June frowned. "That's certainly something to think about." She then glanced at Harry who seemed very tired. "I'm sure those Occlumency lessons are taking a toll on you, Harry. Perhaps you should head to bed?"
"I think I will," Harry said, running a hand on his forehead. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, cousin. Sweet dreams."
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Published 27.06.2021
I hope you enjoyed it & tell me what you think of it!
We don't have any Charlie or Timothée in here but I wanted to add more Nymphadora time. However, once June (hopefully) graduates Hogwarts, they will appear more frequently!
Anyway, see you all in the next chapter! :)