𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 | b. black

✧.*┊xxv. the fall of dumbledore

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
the fall of dumbledore

.·:*¨༺ ☾ ༻¨*:·.

𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐒, and weeks into months, yet all the same, it felt as if no time had passed at all. It had been quiet since Christmas, and all the days seemed to be blending together.

It was rather lonely. Aside from the usual conversation with Tonks or a brief "hello" to one of the other Aurors stationed in Hogsmeade, Juniper kept to herself. She'd been ignoring letters from Andromeda, and even Ted. She occasionally got mail from Bellatrix, but she was so upset with her over what she did to the Weasleys' home that she hadn't even bothered to open them.

All of these letters sat untouched and unopened in the bottom drawer of her desk in her room at the Hog's Head. She'd skimmed over a few of them out of curiosity – apologies from Andromeda, reassurances from Ted that what happened wasn't her fault, and something about following protocol from Bellatrix.

Following protocol or not, did she really have to burn down their entire house?

Bella always did enjoy playing with fire.

Juniper closed the bottom drawer with a cross between a sigh and a scoff. Deciding that she needed some air, she grabbed a sweater and left the pub.

It was a warm spring day; the kind of day in which it seemed nothing eventful was going to happen. The birds were singing, flowers were blooming, and the last of the winter's snow had finally melted.

As night fell, a cold chill fell across the village. Clouds filled the sky, and Juniper couldn't help but shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

And then she saw it.

Hanging in the night sky above the tallest Hogwarts tower was the Dark Mark of Lord Voldemort.

Juniper pulled her wand out of her robes and sprinted towards the castle. She fought past the Death Eaters that had invaded as she made her way down to the Hufflepuff common room. Her only concern was getting Dorothea out of the castle and somewhere safe.

Juniper stopped in her tracks when she saw someone else outside the common room trying to crack the code on how to enter. "What are you doing down here?"

Bellatrix met Juniper's gaze. "Didn't you hear the news? There are Death Eaters in the castle."

"Yeah, and I'm staring at one right now." She lifted her wand to fire a spell, but Bellatrix expelled it from her hand with a lazy flick of her curved walnut wand. Juniper quickly picked it up and raised it again. "You have no business being down here, Bellatrix. Leave. I'm not going to let you hurt anyone."

Bellatrix pouted mockingly. "Is that honestly what you think of me, Pip?"

"After that stunt you pulled at Christmas, yes. You almost got Thea killed!"

"Oh, please, my sister's beastly child was fine." Bellatrix rolled her eyes. She ducked when Juniper shot a spell at her. As she rose back up, she raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, just calm down—"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Juniper snapped. "I have every right to be furious with you!"

Bellatrix slowly lowered her hands. "I know," she said quietly. She set her wand down on the floor. Hesitantly, Juniper did the same. "I know you don't trust me. But that's why I'm here. I . . . I'm righting a wrong, Juniper. I was trying to get Dorothea out, but I have no clue on how to enter the common room."

"You also have no brain if you think that Thea would ever go anywhere with you after what happened at the Ministry and the Burrow."

"Then I guess it's a good thing you showed up. Because you're right. She doesn't trust me. But she does trust you." Bellatrix nodded to the barrels guarding the entrance to the common room. "How do you enter?"

Juniper glared. "You have to swear to me that you're not going to hurt her."

Bellatrix exhaled slowly through her nose. "I swear."

Juniper eyed her with slight suspicion before picking up her wand and tapping the middle barrel in the second row with her wand to the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff. The barrel swung open, and they entered. Juniper led the way to the 5th year girls' dorm. She caught a quick glimpse out the window at the fight outside, and it wasn't looking good for the Order.

Juniper pushed open the door. She spotted the only bed with a pig and walked over. She knelt down beside her goddaughter and gently shook her shoulder. "Thea. Thea, honey, wake up."

Dorothea groaned softly. She rolled over onto her stomach, mumbling incoherently into her pillow.

"Dorothea." Juniper shook her shoulder a little harder. "I know you're tired, but we need to get you out of here now."

Dorothea's eyes slowly opened. She yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up. "What's going on?" she asked, dazed and confused as she looked around the dorm. She spotted Bellatrix standing behind her godmother and let out a small, scared gasp. "Wh-What's she doing here?"

Juniper gently held Dorothea's face in her hands when the teenager's breathing picked up. "You don't have to worry about her, she's not going to hurt you. Now hurry up, grab your things. We have to get you somewhere safe. There are Death Eaters in the castle, and judging by the Dark Mark in the sky, someone was just murdered."

"Someone was murdered?"

"Now, Thea."

Juniper grabbed Dorothea's trunk and started shoving her belongings into it. Dorothea wrapped Porcus securely in her arms. She looked curiously between Juniper and Bellatrix before meeting her aunt's gaze.

"So . . . y-you and June . . . ?"

Bellatrix waved her hand carelessly in dismissal. "Now's not the time for questions, Dorothy."

"Dorothea."

Juniper's head turned when one of Dorothea's roommates stirred. "We have to leave," she whispered, zipping up her goddaughter's trunk. "Quickly. Before someone wakes up."

"Yeah." Dorothea nodded and took her trunk. "Don't want anyone seeing a wanted criminal in their dorm."

"A criminal?" Bellatrix gasped in mock offense, placing a hand to her chest. "You wound me, Doretta."

"Dorothea." The teenager rolled her eyes in annoyance. Bellatrix merely smirked.

Juniper led the way out of the castle. Bellatrix kept her hood over her head and face hidden from the students and staff that had come outside to see what was going on. There was a crowd gathered at the foot of the astronomy tower.

Juniper caught a quick glimpse of Albus Dumbledore's dead body before they left the Hogwarts grounds and apparated away.