"𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡, 𝙞 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙚."
-
IN WHICH ~ Jupiter Lestrange battles the haunting grip of Tom Riddle's malevolent diary as she unravels long-buried truths about her family, herself, and her growing feelings...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"The things you hide in your heart eat you alive."
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
It was no surprise that Neville Longbottom quickly became an outcast. After his missteps, he was banned from all future Hogsmeade visits, assigned detention, and, as if that weren't enough, forbidden access to the common room password. Poor Neville had to wait each night outside the common room, hoping someone would let him in.
Throughout the day, the staff at Hogwarts tightened security measures drastically. Professor Flitwick charmed the doors to recognize Sirius Black, Filch boarded up every small crack and mouse hole he could find in the walls, and Sir Cadogan was finally dismissed from his chaotic post as the Fat Lady's replacement. His absence was a relief, but Jupiter's relief was short-lived when she noticed the four hulking security trolls stationed in front of the Fat Lady's portrait.
"D'you reckon we should tell someone?" Harry murmured, glancing at the One-Eyed Witch passageway as they walked past it on their way to greet the trolls in order to gain entry to their common room.
"If that gets boarded up, you'll never be able to go to Hogsmeade again," Jupiter shrugged, and Harry nodded in agreement.
"Besides, we know he's not coming in through Honeydukes," Ron added with a shrug. "We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into."
Ron had somehow become a sort of celebrity around Hogwarts after his narrow escape from Sirius Black, and it was beginning to get on Jupiter's nerves. She watched, exasperated, as he recounted the story to anyone who would listen.
"Why did he run away?" Ron wondered aloud after the two second years he'd been bragging to finally scurried off.
"What do you mean?" Jupiter asked as they walked down the corridor to the Great Hall.
"Well, he could've killed me once he realized he had the wrong bed. It would've been easy to just—" Ron mimed stabbing someone in the chest. "Then move on to Harry."
"By the time he killed you and Harry, he'd have to take out the rest of the dorm and then the teachers. It's a lot of work," Jupiter replied dryly.
"You talk like you know," Harry joked, smirking.
"Maybe I do." She shrugged, a playful glint in her eye.
Before Harry could respond, a flurry of school owls swooped into the Great Hall, delivering mail. Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed before him, dropping a scarlet envelope onto his breakfast.
"Run for it, Neville," Ron said grimly. Jupiter recognized the Howler immediately; she had received one herself in her first year after Draco blabbed to her mother about her Sorting.
