our universe

- B E S T R O N G -

Juniper stared at her reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing the person who stared back at her. An image of stranger, dressed in clothes that she should never have had to buy. Not yet, anyways.

But here she was, head to toe in black. A simply cut dress, long sleeve with an open back. It wasn't ugly by any means. It just felt wrong. It all did. Her hair straightened and held back with a simple black ribbon that disappeared in her raven locks. Her black ballet flats, stiff around her toes. She'd never worn them before. Even her black stockings, they were itchy, and far less sheer than what she usually preferred.

Then again, maybe it wasn't the clothes making Juniper comfortable, but the occasion. What it meant. The finality of it all. Time to move on, her black dress was saying. It's really over after today, the itchy stockings echoed.

Juniper peered out her old bedroom window, there was a shimmering gold tent set up out back, interwoven with pansies. Her mother's favourite flower. Underneath it sat rows of chairs.

It was a stunning day, fresh snow glittering like a jewel below. That was no accident. Her mum loved the snow. Had loved the snow.

"You ready?" Teddy rapped his knuckles softly on her open door, leaning against the frame.

Juniper bit her lip, "Not really," She shoved her hand in the pocket of her dress, rubbing her thumb over the cool metal chain. It had been the one thing of her mum's that Juniper had wanted. The necklace her grandmother had given to Miranda. It had been passed through the family for decades. Juniper kept it on her person at all times.

"That's okay," Teddy laced his fingers through hers. "I'll be with you the whole time."

"Promise?"

Teddy tilted her chin up for a kiss, "Always."

"Oh, perfect," Rory beckoned the couple over when she saw them walking down the hall. "Hermione wanted us to get linens for the tables, can you help?"

"Sure," Juniper obliged, grateful for a distraction.

Rory and James stood beneath a patch of ceiling, a door that led to the attic. Juniper hadn't been in the attic in ages. The Potters rarely used it. But that must be where the nice linens were. The one that went untouched due to the relative messy nature of her family.

Juniper pulled down the rickety stepladder with a huff, coughing as a huge cloud of dust was released. She looked at her other three friends expectantly, "So who wants to go up? We probably need at least two people to carry everything."

"In the attic?" James asked, eyeing the dark space above.

"Yes," Juniper's forehead furrowed. "Why?"

James shuffled his feet nervously, "Just— there's like spiders and shit up there."

"And you know," Teddy added, scratching his head, "er— I have a really severe allergy to— to dust. So you know for my safety..."

Rory and Juniper glanced at each other lips twitching.

"No, we understand," Juniper nodded, smirking. "We get it. You guys are scared. That's alright."

James and Teddy began to protest, "No— no— I'm not scared."

"It's the dust thing—"

"—cobwebs."

"It's kind of cute actually," Rory teased, her and Juniper actually enjoying themselves as they watched the boys squirm.

"We're not scared!"

"You should have just led with that," Juniper grinned.

Rory rolled her eyes, already following Juniper up the ladder, "Babies."