Chapter Text
It was a particularly rainy afternoon in Portland, Oregon. The sky was filled with dense clouds; dark, ash gray on the bottom, while a paler, ivory white sat on top. Juniper DiAngelo lay on her bed, staring at her ceiling. Dingy, rather ugly cement stared down at her, while some old, exposed piping hung in the corner, probably the home to a myriad of spiders. Rain rapped heavily against her windows, almost so loud that it drowned out her radio. At the moment, it was playing ‘Lost My Head (Again)’ by Juniper's favorite band, The 1666. It was a garish, rather clunky sound, with a heavy backbeat, which she was currently drumming against her thighs in rhythm.
A poster of the band featuring the members in drab, charcoal gray overcoats hung in the corner of Juniper's room, right next to her closet door. The main singer, Maximus Heathrow, who was depicted in the poster sporting a curly mess of vivid purple hair, always blew kisses at Juniper whenever she walked by. She secretly wished she could see the real Maximus blow her a kiss (or more).
Of course, it wasn't her only poster featuring The 1666. Juniper had what her friends called an obsession with them. Though she didn't agree. They were simply a rock band from Manchester that she could only describe as cool. The lyrics weren't anything special, that much Juniper knew, but the loud, grating sound was what she truly loved most. She was also partial to the fact that not many others seemed to have the same liking for them as she did.
Though most of Juniper's posters did feature Maximus, she also had a collection of other band posters that littered her room. Faces and emblems from Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and Nine Inch Nails found their place among her dark brick walls. Though these posters didn't move, even though Juniper had tried countless charms to animate them.
In addition, the band posters shared a home with Juniper's quidditch posters, a sport she was itching to play again. Her favorite team, The Sacramento Sasquatches, was framed right next to the United States National team. Juniper would often stare at the posters when bored, imagining herself on either team, swinging bludgers at players with a brutal force, the wind whipping against her face...
The radio was now playing ‘Foe Tha Love of $’ by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Juniper started mindlessly humming along, when Link, her black cat, started pawing at her foot. A pink scar snaked around her left ankle, and though faded now, the pink still contrasted against her copper-tan skin. Juniper had earned it while on the beach when she was eleven. A jellyfish sting. She supposed she deserved it after ignoring countless warnings from her mother. But then again how else was she going to find cool seashells for her collection?
Link was still pawing at Juniper's scar. Juniper giggled, he never seemed to tire of looking at it. He let out a low mewl, then hopped on top of Juniper's belly. She let out a soft oof.
"Bored Link?" Juniper asked, now stroking his sleek fur. She sat up, to fully cradle him, making the cat purr contentedly. She chuckled softly before pressing a kiss to his head.
Juniper looked out her window. Still raining. No chance of walking around in the streets trying to find something to do. She sighed a heavy sigh that sounded more like a groan. Her eyes found her bookshelf. Juniper walked over in hopes of finding something that could stifle her boredom.
She didn't want to read an old schoolbook, and she wasn't really in the mood to revisit an old mass-market paperback. She picked up a copy of Dracula and flipped through the pages. She wondered if the Count ever felt as bored as she did currently, being practically stuck in his castle. Juniper thought that if she were ever to be turned into a vampire, she'd eat as many loaves of garlic bread as she could, giving up sunlight was too much to bear.
She placed the book back on her shelf and looked over to her wooden surfboard, which was currently leaning against the bookshelf. A black lizard was inked onto the middle of the sand colored wood. Juniper ran her fingers over its surface, feeling the wax from her last surf day still on it. She pictured being out in the cold water, carving waves, looking out into the ocean. She wanted nothing more than to be at a beach, not sitting around in her room.
Juniper looked out of her window, and it was still, steadily raining. Great. But then again, a little rain wouldn't be so bad while surfing would it? She would be getting wet anyway. She looked at the clock on her wall; it read 5:27 pm.
Juniper knew her mom would be getting back from work soon. She could try apparating, but she was still too young, and her mother would surely ban her from leaving the house if she got herself splinched. Juniper looked over to her Firebolt, a broom she had newly bought. She'd spent the better portion of her summer working for an old wizard that sold potion ingredients. He would mostly send her out to the Willamette River to dive for Pickleweed and Widgeon Grass. She knew her mother would have probably gotten it for her had she just asked, but Juniper hated asking for anything.
Juniper grabbed the neck of her Firebolt. One hundred and fifty miles per hour, that was its top speed. The nearest beach was eighty miles away. If Juniper really hurried, she could get a solid thirty-ish minutes out on the waves before she had to head back...
She grabbed her indigo backpack, and threw in her wetsuit, along with some wax. She grabbed her wand from atop her nightstand. It was black walnut, with a simple handle that was a swirl of red and black.
"Reducio," she said, watching her surfboard shrink down to the size of a book. She threw it in her bag. Juniper pulled on her shoes, Atlantic blue Adidas, then shrugged on her backpack.
She walked over to her cat, who was now currently snoozing on her bedsheets, and pressed a gentle kiss on top of his head. "I'll be back soon Link," Juniper whispered, rubbing his head softly.
Juniper opened her door and stepped out of her bedroom. The difference between her room and the rest of the house was a total antithesis. The penthouse was spacious, embellished with old, regal-looking furniture and ornate carpets. Paintings featuring meadows with grass that moved with the breeze, or bodies of water with swirling waves sat atop the sage green wallpaper that was embellished with fetching flowers intermingled with small birds.
Juniper's mother always bugged her about letting her redo her bedroom. But Juniper argued that it was already perfect as is. Besides, she couldn't picture how all her band posters would look sat atop overly flowery wallpaper.
Juniper made for the stairs that lead up to the roof. She had only made it up three steps up the iron staircase before she heard a woman behind her clear her throat.
"Juniper, where do you think you're going? If you didn't know, it is raining outside," said the woman with an English accent so unlike Juniper's rough, American voice. Juniper sighed before turning around. Sure enough, it was her mother. Her black, curly hair sat in a bun atop her pale face, which was twisted into a stern expression. She was a short, slightly pudgy woman who was currently wearing a black blazer over a long, emerald green skirt. Her arms were crossed, and she stood waiting for an explanation.
"Hi, Mom." Juniper tried to hide her broomstick behind her back but failed miserably as she watched it clunk down the staircase. Her mother only raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you were supposed to get back from work at eight," Juniper said rather accusingly as if it was her mother's fault she had gotten caught.
"There was an incident at the coven where some angsty mandrakes started clawing out of their pots. I'm honestly lucky to still be able to have my eardrums intact."
"Wish I could've seen it," Juniper snorted.
"That's beside the point. Now, will you please tell me where you intend on going?" Juniper's mother asked exasperated.
Juniper shoved her hands into the pockets of her shorts and shrugged. "Surfing," she said nonchalantly.
"Surfing?!" Juniper winced at her mother's sudden change in volume. "Juniper DiAngelo you better not have exchanged your brain with a troll's."
"I was going to make it back by seven thirty at the latest, I swear!"
"We both know you would've been out till at least nine."
"But-"
"Juniper, did you ever think about how worried I would've been? You know how dangerous surfing is when it is dark out. Besides, you could have at least left a note, but you didn't even bother!"
Juniper felt her ears grow red and looked down at the ground, starting to feel ashamed. "Sorry Mom," she said quietly. Juniper suddenly felt a hand softly grip her shoulder.
"Oh darling, it's alright. I know you're practically allergic to sitting still. Just try not to make any more bad decisions just because you're bored." Juniper smiled faintly and stepped down the stairs. "Dinner will be ready soon, and I'm starving after today," Juniper's mother said, starting to head down the hall. Juniper watched her disappear downstairs, then went back inside her room.
She put her bag down onto her desk chair before kicking off her shoes and flopping onto her bed next to Link. She leaned over and turned her radio back on. Paint It, Black by the Rolling Stones was currently playing. She stared back up at her ceiling and closed her eyes, humming along to the song.
Juniper woke up to a gentle knocking at her door. "Come in," she called out. The doorknob turned, and a little house elf clad in a navy blue vest and black pants strode into the room. Juniper sat up, her hand finding Link's fur. "Hey, Pine." Pine was one of Juniper's two house elves that resided in the penthouse. She had known them ever since she was a baby, as they had taken care of her when her parents couldn't.
"Pine would likes Miss Juniper to know that dinner is ready," Pine said in a squeaky voice that cracked almost every other second.
"What'd you and Olive make today?" Juniper asked, grinning.
"Pesto pasta with potatoes and green beans, some rosemary focaccia bread, mashed potatoes..." Juniper leapt up, her mouth watering. She gave Pine a light pat on his head before holding the door open for the both of them.
"You're amazing, you know that Pine?" Juniper said as they headed downstairs together. Pine blushed, his hand pulling at the fabric of his vest.
"Pine thinks Miss Juniper is too kind," he said rather shyly.
Juniper walked into the dining room where her mother was already sitting. Next to her was Juniper's cousin Beatrice. She was two years older, and therefore, in her view, was allowed to tyrannize Juniper. She had olive skin with sharp cheekbones, and the same dark brown eyes as Juniper and her mother. Her umber colored hair was set in a neat braid, and she sat with her hands clasped in front of her.
Juniper pulled out a chair and slipped into her seat in front of them. "Hello darling," Juniper's mother said with a warm smile. Meanwhile Beatrice just stared at her with her eyebrows furrowed as if looking for something to comment on. Juniper looked out at the array of food in front of them, and watched as the bowls floated up into the air, and filled their plates.
"How was work today, Aunt Safiya?" Beatrice asked while twirling pasta onto her fork.
Juniper's mom took the time to finish her mouthful before answering, "It was fine sweetheart. Though, it was a tad disappointing to end the day early. Hopefully our herbologists are able to get the mandrakes to stop crawling out of their pots by tomorrow." Juniper's mother worked at the Pacific Northwest Research Coven. Juniper's mother specialized in researching healing, and was currently working on a potion that would be able to remove spider venom from one's skin.
"I had a rather interesting day as well," said Beatrice, still twirling pasta onto her fork. "The healer I'm shadowing let me try attaching a man's toe back onto his foot. It went perfectly, of course. Though, my robes will need a good wash, I got blood splattered all over them."
"You gonna eat or waste all your time talking?" Juniper said through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. Beatrice glowered at her, her hand tightening on her fork.
"Some of us take more than five minutes to eat a meal, Juniper," she said looking down at Juniper's almost clean plate.
"So what, this food's good," Juniper said, shrugging before taking a bite out of her bread.
"Ugh, stop talking with your mouth full. It's gross and I'm going to vomit if I keep seeing it."
"Says the person who was just talking about blood and reattaching toes!"
"Girls, don't bicker at the dinner table. Beatrice, you really should be eating," Juniper's mom said kindly. Juniper snickered slightly as she took a sip of water. "And Juniper, you really shouldn't be talking with your mouthful. It's unbecoming of a young lady like yourself."
"Yes Mom," Juniper grumbled. She gulped down her last spoonful of food, and watched as the plates floated up and disappeared into the kitchen. She mindlessly started to rap her fingers against the table while her mom and Beatrice started to talk about healing potions and whatnot. Juniper sat up when she heard Link's familiar mew. He was turning in a small circle close to Juniper's chair. "Link, you okay buddy?"
Link let out another soft mewl. Juniper got out of her chair and scooped Link up in her arms, standing. "Mom, I'm gonna go take Link up to the rooftop, okay?"
"Alright Juniper, just make sure you two be mindful of my plants."
"'Kay Mom," Juniper called from behind her shoulder. She made her way upstairs, and then found the wrought iron staircase that led up to the roof. The black steps were cool underneath Juniper's bare feet. She pushed open the door and placed Link down, watching as he padded ahead. The rooftop was bathed in a golden light by the abundant amount of lanterns placed around the edges. Juniper's mother's garden, filled with magical plants and herbs that she frequently experimented on in her study, occupied the better half of it.
Juniper chuckled as she watched Link chase what looked like a big rat. She made her way to the edge of the rooftop and leaned against the railing, looking out into the city. She could hear the cars moving below her, and the city lights reflected on the glass of the buildings. It was always beautiful at night, and the sight gave Juniper a reminder that in a week, she would not be able to see it again for nine months.
In a week, Juniper would be boarding the train to Hogwarts, the school that Juniper would be attending for her fifth year now. It was always a hard change, going from Portland to the Scottish highlands. The weather there was severely cooler, which Juniper was definitely not a fan of. She would sorely miss surfing, her favorite bagel shop, and walking through the dense forests by the Willamette River.
Juniper wasn't sure if she was particularly excited for this year. Sure she would be seeing her friends again, but this year was O.W.Ls exams. Her ambition had always been to be a curse-breaker. Endless treasure quests seemed to be a more suitable career choice than rotting away at an old desk in the Ministry to Juniper. But she needed to get top scores in a multitude of subjects in order to be able to fulfill her dream.
Not that it would be hard or anything. As last term's grade report indicated, Juniper was placed fifth in the ranking of students in her year by grades. Though, this was a title Juniper was rather embarrassed about. She didn't want to be seen as some overly pretentious nerd like Beatrice, or even worse, like Hermione Granger. Juniper took a fair amount of classes, but studied at odd times, and rarely in the library. She supposed it had to be either luck, or her mother's genius passed down to her through genes.
But, this year held no special event, like last year's Triwizard Tournament to look forward to. Even though the last event ended poorly, with Cedric Diggory's death, Juniper missed being able to watch the tasks and bet on champions. Plus, Juniper missed her ex-girlfriend, Gabrielle Delacour. She was a pretty girl from the French wizarding school, Beaxbatons, whom Juniper had asked as a date to the Yule Ball. She was Juniper's first real relationship, and though there was a language barrier, Juniper loved every second with her.
She knew she could easily get a date with someone at Hogwarts if she wanted to. A multitude of people had asked her out to the Yule Ball, and Pansy Parkinson would be more than happy to set her up with someone, but Juniper knew she needed to focus this term. (Plus she didn't think anybody else would live up to Gabrielle.) Studying for O.W.Ls would only be made more difficult while trying to fit quidditch practice into her schedule.
The wind blew through Juniper's hair and she sighed, leaning on the railing. Though excited about finally being able to have things to do, Juni wasn't totally excited about attending boring classes, or writing long essays. She hoped something interesting would happen this year. But that wasn't too much to ask for, especially for someone who attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.