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Juniper groaned as she rolled out of bed and landed on the floor with a loud thud. "Ow." She mumbled, holding the part of her elbow she hit on the nightstand.
She stood up and looked around the room again, wondering if all the houses had such fancy dormitories. The bed was an ancient four-poster with green silk hangings, and bedspreads embroidered with silver thread. More tapestries and large windows lined the walls. She guessed they made the furniture so elegant to distract you from the fact that you live in an underwater dungeon. Though, she didn't mind it and actually felt quite at home.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she got dressed and gathered everything she needed for her first classes. Leaving her room, Juniper found her way back to the common room and made sure to look at the noticeboard for the password before heading to the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was fairly empty due to the fact that it was still early and most students were just waking up. Juniper noticed Harry, Ron, and Hermione sitting together at the Gryffindor table. She was about to head to an empty spot at the Slytherin table when Hermione walked up to her.
"I'm sorry about yesterday." Hermione offered an apologetic smile. "I was wrong to judge you for sitting with Draco. I realized by judging you for that, I was being the same way Draco is towards me for being muggle-born."
"Apology accepted." Juniper smiled and let Hermione pull her toward the two boys.
She sat down next to Hermione and started picking at a piece of bread bun as they all talked about random things. Harry looked up to see a black owl with red eyes flying in their direction, it carried a rectangular brown package with it.
Instead of just dropping the package, the owl flew down and landed on the table in front of Juniper, looking up at her expectantly. She rolled her eyes and fed the bird a few pieces of bread, patting it on the head. "Thanks, Ghost."
"No offence," Ron started, looking at the owl on the table. "But your bird is creepy."
Juniper laughed as Ghost turned to stare at Ron. "Careful, he might claw your eyes out."
Ron's face held a look of fear until Ghost flew off. Juniper leaned forward and unwrapped the brown paper from the package, revealing a black leather book with a crescent moon embossed on the front cover.
"What is it?" Harry asked, looking between the three of them. Hermione and Ron both shrugged and looked to Juniper for an answer. A note sat on the front with words written in handwriting she didn't recognize.
Use it wisely. You'll need it.
Her face drained of all emotions as she stared at the book in front of her. Juniper stood, an angry look forming on her face, and grabbed only the book in front of her before storming off, bumping into Draco on the way out.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all shared a confused look as they watched Juniper leave. Hermione gathered Junipers things and walked over Draco, handing them to him, before returning to the table. She assumed they had some classes together, and if not, he'd at least be able to give them to her in the common room or something. He was just as confused as the rest of them, none of them knowing what caused her to storm off.
⚕
"Alastor Moody." He said, writing his name on the board. "Ministry malcontent. And your new defence against the dark arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end. Any questions?"
The class stayed quiet, unable to decide how they felt about their new teacher. Juniper just stared straight ahead of her, her mind swarming with pesky thoughts that had nothing to do with the class. Draco, who was sitting next to her, had brought her books to class for her.
"When it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many unforgivable curses there are?"
"Three sir." Hermione answered.
"And they are so named?" Moody asked, writing on the chalkboard.
"Because they are unforgivable. Use of any one of them will..." She said, her voice shaky as if she was scared.
Juniper fidgeted with the Slytherin house ring on her finger, tuning everything out. She searched her mind, thinking who would've sent her that book and why.
Should I keep it? Is it even legal to have it? Why would I need it?
Juniper sighed and shook her head, turning her attention back to the class. Looking around, she noticed Mad-Eye Moody was using the Imperius curse to send a spider flying around the class.
"Don't worry. Completely harmless." He assured, but many of the students still looked unsettled.
"But if she bites... she's lethal!"
Draco laughed as Moody dangled the spider on someone's face, causing him to snap his attention toward the boy.
"What are you laughing at?" He asked, sending the spider flying onto Draco's face, who freaked out.
Wimp. Juniper thought. A cute wimp.
Moody raised his wand just slightly, about to put the spider on the girl sitting next to Draco. Noticing the cold, emotionless stare she was sending his way, he stopped and turned his attention elsewhere. He knew exactly who she was.
"Talented isn't she? What shall I have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself?" Mad-Eye dangled the spider over a bucket of water.
"Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only did you-know-whose bidding under the influence of the imperius curse. But here's the rub, how do we sort out the liars? Another.. another.. Come on, come on. Longbottom is it? Up."
Neville stood up from his seat ."There's um..." He hesitated. "The cruciatus curse."
"Correct! Correct! Come, come." He motioned for Neville to follow him to the front. "Particularly nasty. The torture curse." Moody said, torturing the spider and causing it to squeal.
Juniper noticed the look of intense discomfort of Neville's face and was about to say something, but Hermione beat her to it.
"Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him, stop it!" She yelled and Mad-Eye stopped, looking back at the clearly disturbed boy behind him and clearing his throat.
The Professor picked up the spider and walked over to Hermione's desk. "Perhaps you could give us the last unforgivable curse Miss Granger."
Hermione shook her head.
"Avada Kedavra." He said and the spider disintegrated.
Mad-Eye Moody had barely finished saying the curse when Juniper stood, taking her wand out of her robes.
"Expelliarmus." She said, her voice calm but laced with anger, causing Moody's wand to fly out of his hand and onto the floor.
Juniper kept her wand pointed at him, ignoring the surprised looks from her classmates. Moody looked at the wand in her hand, and upon recognizing it, turned his attention away from her once again.
Juniper sat back down and crossed her arms over her chest. She couldn't stand to watch a teacher abuse their power and mentally torture students, whether intentional or not. Draco looked at her, still surprised by her actions, and watched as she calmly placed her wand on the desk.
"The killing curse. Only one person is known to have survived it. And he's sitting in this room." Moody said and approached Harry's desk, stopping in front of him.
