You're Not Alone-Hermione Granger(Currently Editing)

Eighty-Three

"Dragons! The First Task is bloody dragons?" Summer exclaims the next morning as Juniper paces around, having just explained to them about last night. Lucas was leaned forward, sat on the couch of the Room of Requirements, his hands together as he stared at the ground, thinking things over. 

"This isn't good" Lucas sighs out. "We just need to think of a spell that could subdue it long enough for me to get past it. Charlie Weasley said to Hagrid that they were guarding whatever it is that I needed to get to." Juniper brings up.

"Yeah, well, we're a bunch of fourth years, June. We haven't learned nearly enough as the rest of the champions who are much older and wiser than us. And I doubt fourth year spells will do much for us here. They're dragons after all" Summer had retrieved a book off one of the shelves and was frantically searching it, Lucas still trying to come up with some sort of idea as well.

After some time, with all of them having looked through the different books on the shelves, Lucas stands, shaking his head. "If there's nothing here, I'm sure we can look in the library?" He suggests. "You two go ahead" Juniper nods, waving them off. They both share a look but leave her to head to the library and Juniper moves towards the window, opening it up to see a familiar owl.

She takes the letter from it, giving it a quick pet before opening it up.

"I'm sorry, Juniper

I'm sorry I'm just responding to your letter now. If I knew it was so urgent, I would've tried to respond much sooner. I have no idea who could've put yours or Harry's name into the Goblet but I assure you, Padfoot and I are trying our best to figure this out. 

Why anyone would be targeting you specifically confuses me as you've never been a target to anyone to begin with. The only thing I can think of is that time you had to jump in to save your best friend from getting hit with the Cruciatus Curse but I'm still not sure of that one.

These tasks are difficult, Juniper. More difficult than anything you could ever face. These tasks are gonna test you greatly and you should be prepared for anything. If you need any help, I'll be glad to help you as I am no longer a professor and think you are too young to do this on your own. 

The only advice I can give you right now is use everything you've ever learned so far and use that resilience of yours. You've got a ton of it and it should be put to good use. I'll try my best to help as much as I can and maybe make it for the third task. As for now, stay strong, Juniper. You may think you're weak but you're the strongest girl I know and no matter what the tournament throws at you, I believe you are capable of great things. Don't give up now.

Love, Remmy."

Of course Remus would tell her to stay strong when she felt like everything was falling apart. Why wouldn't he? The only problem was whether she believed she was capable in doing so. But, if Remus had some faith in her, maybe she should too, right? Then again, Remus is unaware of the fact she was about to face off against a dragon. 

Would he be saying the same if he knew that fact? She shoves the letter into her pocket and leaves the Room of Requirements to meet up with Summer and Lucas in the library.

*****

"What if we got Moody to turn you into a ferret like he did Draco and you skitter past the dragon?" Lucas suggests. "That could be good" Summer hums. "It's possibly guarding something, remember? Something I might have to pick up. I'd need my human hands to do so" Juniper points out.

They go back to researching. "We could always shrink you." "And have this huge thing tower over me even more? No thank you" Juniper scoffs. It had been this way, back and forth for hours now. Lucas and Summer would come up with something that could possibly work until they realize it wouldn't be able to and they'd move on to the next thing. Juniper was starting to think this was impossible.