𝐸𝑉𝐸𝑅𝐺𝑅𝐸𝐸𝑁 𝑀𝐼𝑆𝑇 || 𝐷.𝑀.

thirty six

    Commotion began once again as news traveled that Voldemort's army was returning and Harry Potter wasn't in sight. Rumors began spreading like wildfire around those who remained and everyone began to gather outside at the front of the partially destroyed school that was Hogwarts.
    The sight of the colossal castle that Juniper fell in love with upon her first night arriving at Hogwarts when she was eleven broke her heart more than it already was. The students and professors gathered around quietly as Voldemort and his army stood in front of them, a smile was on his wicked snake-like face.
    "Who's that? Who's Hagrid carrying?" She heard Ginny Weasley ask frantically. The words that no one wanted to hear came out of Voldemort's mouth. The boy who lived, the chosen one, was reported dead.
    "Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort shouted, causing his army to laugh and cheer wildly. Ginny cried out and Juniper sighed deeply, unable to comprehend that Harry Potter was truly dead. "Now, you're all going to answer to me," Voldemort laughed again, "or die."
    "This is impossible!" Multiple people were yelling out.
    "Quiet!" Voldemort shouted. "You'll all answer to me, now who is going to make the right choice and come join us?" He asked the crowd of students and professors, but not a soul moved.
    "Draco..." Juniper moved her head as she heard her boyfriend's name being called out. A woman with dark and white hair spoke, his mother.
    "Draco." Lucius said shortly and angrily, motioned for Draco to come over to them.
    "Draco, come." Narcissa said lightly, holding her hand out for her son to walk across the grounds and go to them. Juniper saw a tear by his eye, knowing his heart was hurting by defying his mother.
    Draco looked down at Juniper, her bright green eyes that were red from being tired and crying looked up at him. He felt more peaceful as he looked at her, conflicted as his mother was calling out to him and then he felt Juniper's hand grasp his.

Juniper slid her fingers into his hand and they intertwined their fingers tightly, she gave his hand a small squeeze as she looked at him again. Draco knew in that instant exactly where he belonged: right there with Juniper. He looked over at his mother, her eyes were staring at his and Juniper's intertwined fingers and he swore he saw a small smile on her face. He looked to his father who balled his hand into a fist, an angry look spread across his face.
"Draco, stop playing around and get over here." Lucius spoke through gritted teeth. "Come, now." Lucius was seconds away from screaming by the looks of him, but he kept it inside as Narcissa grabbed his arm, shaking her head to signal that Draco wasn't going to come to them. "DRACO!" Lucius yelled loudly, causing him to jump ever so slightly, closing his eyes for a brief moment and then he opened them, keeping his hand locked with Juniper's tightly. Draco shook his head at his father, causing Juniper to give a smile up at Draco and she looked over to Lucius and Narcissa, trying to keep the smug look on her face to a minimum.
"It's alright, Lucius. He's made up his mind." Voldemort laughed. "Anyone else?" He offered. Neville Longbottom began to limp forward, causing everyone to erupt in laughter. "Not what I was expecting nor hoping for." Voldemort hissed.
"You think I'm here to join you? You're weak! You will lose!" Neville yelled and then suddenly pulled the Sword of Godric Gryffindor out if the Sorting Hat and Harry Potter, the boy who lived who died, dropped from Hagrid's arms and ran over to the side of Hogwarts.
"Potter!" Draco yelled instantly, pulling his wand out and throwing it to him so Harry could begin fighting against Voldemort once again. War broke out again and Juniper became increasingly worried about Draco who now had no wand to use.
"You do not leave my side, you hear me? Do not leave my side." Juniper said frantically as she pulled him with her, avoiding the spells that flew around by them. Draco nodded to her, agreeing they'd stay together, but naturally they got separated in the commotion around them.
As Juniper tiredly fought the witches and wizards from Voldemort's army, she was terrified for Draco, not knowing where he was or if he had a wand with him that he took from someone who'd died.
Draco did have a wand, as he was running to find one, his mother found him first and gave him hers. Draco left her as quickly as he saw her, going back to fight inside the castle where students were threatened. He watched Ginny Weasley nearly get killed by his aunt, Bellatrix and then saw as Molly Weasley destroyed Bellatrix within seconds. He helped to destroy other Death Eaters until those in the school had won and as he was about to go outside, he was asked to help move the bodies of those seriously injured or sadly deceased.
Juniper was still outside, fighting the last of the Death Eater's and watched as others fled the castle as the side of Hogwarts was fighting back harder and stronger. Harry was battling with Voldemort on his own and no one knew where they were, but she knew that they had won once suddenly the Death Eaters stopped throwing spells and looked at each other, their faces dropping with fear and they began to flee Hogwarts. Voldemort was dead. Harry Potter had won the war. They had won the war.
    She looked at Neville and Luna who were at the grounds with her, all of them speechless as they looked around on the empty grounds now. It took them a second before the three who'd rarely talked ever all rushed to each other hugging tightly, crying in joy that it was over.
    "Let's go get our friends." Neville told them with a smile on his face, his arms around girls as they headed toward the castle. Juniper was about to go look for Draco, but was stopped when someone called her name from behind her.
    "Juniper?" She heard a familiar voice. She turned around and saw Narcissa Malfoy standing there, looking slightly nervous. "Juniper Hartley?" She asked. Juniper stared back at the woman who looked remarkably like Draco, her breath catching in her throat as she felt herself nod her head slowly to confirm that she was, indeed, Juniper Hartley.
    Once Draco had helped others move those injured and fatally injured, he began searching for Juniper. He had no clue where she was and it terrified him. He was praying he wouldn't come across her body, that she was alright and alive.
    "Neville! Have you seen Juniper?" He asked frantically as he ran over to Neville who sat next to Luna.
    "Yeah, yeah! She's in the castle, we all came in together. She was incredible, fought like hell." Neville told him, making Draco sigh with relief.
    "She was looking for you, you'll find her. Would you like any help?" Luna's high and happy voice asked him, but he shook his head.
    "No, thank you, Luna. It's alright, thank you both." Draco said quickly before running off into the castle more. He rounded a few corridors and then he saw her, the sight of her messy hair and dirt covered skin excited him, relief filling his heart. He was completely shocked, though, to see her stand with his mother.