A Journey At Hogwarts

VII. Courtyard Fight

Warnings: Bullying, violence, physical injuries, almost swearing, mentions of economic crisis. 

Now that Juniper had all the spells required for the anticipated duel, Rowan and she went to Chester on the training grounds. He helped Juniper combine the creative advantage, the offensive magic and a healing method. He had Rowan and Juniper duel each other for practice. During the remainder of October as the snow and frost settled in and most of November, Juniper had been practising none stop. She even learned some new spells as backups. With the end of the first term looming, she was determined not to let Merula win this duel. Some of her school work was suffering slightly. Rowan was concerned that Juniper was too obsessed with winning but always ensured that her friend was still studying. Even Ben expressed his concern for her. However, Juniper brushed them both off and said that she was okay.

Juniper managed to convince Snape to allow her to use his classroom for potion practice even though she, in reality, made a small reserve of wiggenweld potions for her. She had Rowan join her to make it seem that they were hopeless students needing extra help studying. With the amount of practise that they had, professor Snape acknowledged them as slightly more competent students but only a slight amount.

The bright fires warmed the chill of the oncoming winter in the highlands in the great hall. The first snow of the year was only yesterday, which lasted only for an hour but today seemed to be more dry but chilly. Juniper was trying to finish her Herbology homework under strict instructions and supervision from Rowan.

A blonde-haired Hufflepuff girl named Penny Haywood rushed over to the Ravenclaw table. Juniper remembered seeing her in Herbology classes but also knew about her as she was the most popular girl in their year-correction in the entire school. They didn't talk much, so Juniper wondered why she would be running over to Rowan and her.

"Juniper! Rowan! Right?" She gasped for breath between each word. "Your friend Ben Copper is in trouble!"

"Slow down, Penny," Juniper got up.

"What's going on, Penny?" Rowan asked.

Penny's eyes darted about, anxious, as she lowered her voice so as not to raise any suspension from the teachers. "Merula is threatening Ben. He keeps trying to walk away, but she won't let him. He needs your help in the Clock Courtyard, and I heard you were training to duel Merula."

"How did yeh-"

"No time to ask now, Juniper. We need to help Ben!" Rowan grabbed her friend's arm and quickly went to the courtyard. Merula was using Ben as bait to garner Juniper's attention, and it's working. Rowan and Juniper knew it was time to confront Merula Snyde and hopefully end her reign of terror.

"You're an embarrassment to everyone in our year!" Merula's annoying voice echoed through the courtyard. She stood there with a 'friend' from Slytherin, and Juniper heard her shoes crunched through the snow. "Disgusting mudbloods like you shouldn't even be allowed in Hogwarts."

Juniper felt that rage slip through her again. Merula noticed the blue-haired girl marching over.

"Leave the magic to real witches and wizards."

"Leave him alone, Snyde!" Juniper yelled.

"Let me think about it...eh how about no." She maliciously laughed before pulling her dark wand. Juniper was ready to grab her wand before realising that the wand was pointing at Ben. "Flipendo!"

"Ben!" Both girls cried as they rushed over to a knocked-out Ben, and Rowan helped him as she stood in front of them like a shield. Merula's face shifted to disgust at the genuine care that they showed to each other. "You never learn, do you, Moss? Why don't you be more like your mad brother, and go missing?"