A Journey At Hogwarts

VIII. A Curious Discovery

Warnings: Mild threats.

Juniper had hoped that December with her family would be more fun. But she was wrong. Her auntie and uncle left early on a trip to Morocco, leaving her alone again. Most of her time was spent with her father insisting that she study for her final class tests despite being months away. Basem was the only person with whom she really could hang out. However, she knew that if she ever brought him to the Hasni villa, her entire family would have a fit for bringing a boy home.

"You leave soon?" Basem asked, wolfing down on his dziriettes. Juniper had stolen them from the kitchen. They hung about on a large wall; it overlooked the neighbourhood. It was almost like a jungle covering the white stone houses.

" 'fraid so." Her words were muffled with her mouth full. "What year are you starting in February? At Uagadou?"

"My third. We get to learn how to turn into animals."

"You mean animagus?" She stopped eating the dziriettes. From what little Juniper knew from transfiguration classes, humans shouldn't meddle with themselves, including animagus. "Are students allowed to do that? Isn't it very hard to transfigure-tahwil-into an animal?"

Basem chuckled, "You Brits always make things hard than it is."

"I'm Scottish not British," Juniper corrected him with a sharp glare. He gave a small smirk back.

"Et algérienne." Basem corrected her. Juniper rolled her eyes but playfully nudged him. Don't remind me, Juniper thought to herself. She never felt Algerian, not like Basem or her family.

New years finally arrived with a huge feast and celebration at the family villa. Still, for Juniper, it signalled the last night before she could eventually go home. Early the following day, Juniper gathered her luggage and dressed warmly, ready for the portkey. Algeria's wet winter climate changes into the Scottish snow within seconds. Juniper rushed into the arms of her mother, warmed by her embrace. They exchanged presents and stayed up way past midnight catching up with hot chocolate. Juniper was happy to find her mum coping much better than she had thought. Their neighbour, Tilly, had looked out for her when her mum returned from the States.

Though the excitement of being back home was short-lived. Juniper didn't have much time to unpack and was already on her way to Hogwarts. She found Rowan and Ben on the express relatively quickly as they caught up on their holidays. Though Rowan and Juniper squashed themselves in one corner to quarantine themselves from Ben's snotty nose.

Immediately as soon Juniper set her foot into the Ravenclaw common room, Chester was on her case.

"You better make up for the loss. We can't lose to Hufflepuff." While with Chester, Juniper learned quickly it wasn't personal. He was this way with everyone, but other Ravenclaws made snide comments, and she either ignored them if they weren't worth her time or fought back. It felt good, finally standing up to people.

Not long soon, the three found themselves back into a routine again. This time for the better. Merula was harassing them or others less frequently though she still responded with growls and glares. The most Juniper needed to bare since almost every day after last period, they had to help Filch clean. A couple weeks in, Juniper ran into Penny Haywood again on her way to her detention.

"Hello, Juniper Moss. On your way to detention?" She radiates brightly alongside her sweet smile.

"Hey, Penny." A little weirded out by the Hufflepuff's knowledge of her schedule. "How'd you ken were I was?"

"It was very easy. Everybody knows what you do and where you go." Penny matched Juniper's pace, walking with her to the west corridors. Her two blonde braids framing her face swung elegantly.