"𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙮"
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IN WHICH ~ Jupiter Cassiopeia Lestrange thought she could escape her family's dark legacy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but in her second year, Tom Riddle's diar...
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"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it turns into a memory."
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May 11th, 1995
The Hogwarts grounds had never looked more inviting than when Jupiter was forced to stay inside. Spring was in full bloom, the warm sun tempting students outdoors, but for weeks, she spent every bit of free time indoors. If she wasn't holed up in the library with Harry, Hermione, and Ron, poring over spellbooks on defensive magic, she was sneaking into empty classrooms with them to practice hexes and spells.
Harry was focused on mastering the Stunning Spell, something he'd never had to do before. The practice required a few sacrifices—namely, Ron and Hermione, who took turns getting knocked off their feet. Jupiter flatly refused to let Harry stun her, and he didn't press the issue.
"Can't we kidnap Mrs. Norris?" Ron groaned one Monday afternoon, sprawled flat on his back on the Charms classroom floor after being stunned and revived by Harry for the fifth time. "Let's Stun her for a bit. Or you could use Dobby, Harry. He'd do anything to help you. I'm not complaining or anything,"—Ron rose stiffly, rubbing his bruised backside—"but I'm aching all over."
"Well, you keep missing the cushions, don't you?" Hermione snapped, readjusting the pile of pillows they'd borrowed for practice, a frown forming as she tried to perfect their arrangement.
"Honestly, Ron, just fall backwards," Jupiter advised, reclining safely in her own chair.
"Once you're Stunned, you can't aim too well, Jove!" Ron retorted irritably, shooting her a glare. "Why don't you take a turn?"
"No," said Jupiter and Harry in unison, exchanging a knowing look.
"Well," Hermione interrupted quickly, sensing an argument brewing, "I think Harry's got it down now. And we don't need to worry about Disarming—he's been able to do that for ages. I think we ought to start on some of these hexes tonight." She ran a finger down the list they'd compiled in the library.
"I like the look of this one," she said, tapping the page, "the Impediment Curse. It should slow down anything that's trying to attack you, Harry. We'll start with that one."
The bell rang, signaling the end of their free period. They scrambled to toss the cushions back into Flitwick's cupboard, hurrying out of the classroom.
"See you at dinner!" Hermione called, disappearing toward Arithmancy while Harry, Jupiter, and Ron headed in the opposite direction, making their way toward North Tower for Divination. Sunlight streamed in through the castle windows, flooding the corridor with golden light, and the sky outside was a vibrant, enamel-blue.
