juniper's pov:

I woke up for the first day of Hogwarts bright and early. This was not my decision. If I'd had my way, I would still be sleeping, but Vivian dragged us all out of bed at an ungodly hour so she could run hairstyle options by us. Vivian takes great care in picking out her hair, makeup, shoes, and accessories, since it's basically the only thing she gets to personalize with our uniforms. I only forgave her because she made coffee, that and we're are not being very helpful.

Rory was still drifting in and out of sleep, plus to was better not to ask her anything in the mornings, unless you wanted your eyes clawed out. And Jade was being her usual sweet and understanding self, but even she was yawning after the twentieth half up half down look. I had no idea why Vivian even bothered to wake me up. I was pretty much useless in these types of situations.

Vivian snapped her fingers at us, "Are the three of you even paying attention?"

"Not at all." Rory peered at her through half lidded eyes, earning her an evil eye from Viv.

"I am, Jade tried to smile brightly, kind of..."
"Honestly V, I stretched my arms, you'll look good in any of them."

"Ok that is so not helpful." Vivian sighed dramatically, "You know I'm not good at making decisions."

I laughed, pecking her on the cheek as I rose from the bed and made my way to the shower, "Sorry Viv."

The jolt of cold water hit me the instant I turned the shower on, if that didn't wake me up I don't what would. Hogwarts had a really crap heating system, figures since it's an old castle, but you would think they would've updated to catch up with this century. My whole family has Muggle cell phones, Dad said we needed to learn how to do certain things without magic, and they were actually pretty useful. Of course no technology works here, but James and I discovered in second year that if we stand in just the right position at the top of the Owlery, we can sometimes get one bar of service.

When I hopped out of the shower, I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and attempted to detangle the knots in my hair. However, I failed, and proceeded to plait a pair extremely crooked braids. Oh well, Vivian should just be happy it wasn't in a ponytail.

"Shower's free!" I called out, wrapping a towel around myself.

Rory entered the bathroom, and I heard the familiar high pitched exclaim everyone made when the freezing spray washes over you for the first time. Jade was already in her uniform, and she was busy twisting her gorgeous dark brown hair up into a bun. Meanwhile, it looked like Viv had decided on the two small braids that journeyed back her scalp with rest of her pink highlighted hair sitting in loose curls. She was the one who took the most risk with her uniform, not to mention she was wearing Mary Jane platforms. Her prized possession. I just know if I was wearing those I would fall flat on my face, which is why I stick to my comfortable black converse.

"What do we have first?" Vivian asked from her place at the vanity.

Jade consulted her freakishly organized color coded schedule, "Herbology, then you and Junie have Divination and Ror and I go to Runes."

"Ugh." I made a face. Herbology and Divination were not my strong suits. Uncle Neville really tried, he did, but I was just not interested in plants. As for Divination, I've been taking the subject for two years and have learned absolutely nothing. But it's an easy course, Professor Trelawney is crazy and so long as you keep up the dramatics in your readings, you're pretty much guaranteed good marks.

In general, I didn't enjoy school. It wasn't that I was dumb or anything, more like I just disliked homework and exams. I would much rather be out on the pitch playing Quidditch, or using magic in live combat, or creating spells of my own invention to use in pranks.

We all had our strong suits, mine was Defense Against the Dark Arts, it was one of the only classes I looked forward to attending. James was amazingly proficient in Transfiguration, a fact that my Aunt took great pride in. Teddy, well, Teddy was actually really really good at lots of things, he would probably be right the top of the class with Leo, Jade, and Rory in almost everything if he actually cared, especially in Charms. Charlie was best in Care of Magical Creatures, and Leo loved History of Magic, and had an affinity for Potions.

"You ready Ror?" I waited by the door with Vivian and Jade as Rory secured her prefect badge on her collar.

"Coming!" She grabbed her book bag, and the four of us walked out into the common room together. We clambered out of the portrait hole, greeting the Fat Lady, and making our way down to the greenhouse.

Some students had arrived already, but we were pretty early. Professor Longbottom waved at me from the front of the room, and I wondered if I should let him know he had leaves in his hair. Eh, he'd probably figure it out sooner or later.

Jade looked excited, Herbology is her favorite subject, and Uncle Neville definitely favors her. And it doesn't hurt that she's the daughter of Uncle Seamus and Uncle Dean.

Rory looked excited too, but that's normal, Rory lives and breathes school. Her and Jade took a seat right in the front, while Vivian and I slummed it in the back, trying to be as invisible as possible so we could pass noted without anyone seeing. I plunged my book bag down on the stool and slid on the gardening gloves we were all required to wear. They were always damp, with a faint earthy smell.

Vivian wrinkled her nose as she held hers out at arm's length, "This is the bloody Wizarding World, shouldn't we have some way of making sure gardening gloves aren't so disgusting."

"Ah but what would Hogwarts be without its shitty gardening gloves. At this point it's a defining characteristic." Leo said, sarcasm dripping off his voice. The boys, as it was every year, were last to class. Or as James put it, "fashionably late", I knew they only did it to get more attention.

Leo swung his legs over the stool beside me, adjusting his tie as he did.

"Where's your prefect badge?" I furrowed my brow, searching for the glint of silver.

"You should probably ask your brother." Leo gave James a dirty look across the table. "Him and Charlie seem to think it's hilarious to hide my badge in various places."

"Because it is." Charlie grinned, "You should've seen it Junie, we had him scaling towers."

I snickered along with  James and Charlie, and Leo shook his head, "Why I put up with you lot I'll never know."

"Ahem, Professor Longbottom cleared his throat, welcome, welcome, before we start pruning those lovely Bubotubers you see in front of you, I want to introduce my T.A. for the year, Madison Torres."

Madison smiled at all of us, and Teddy leaned back in his chair smugly. I did not miss the slight flutter of her fingers she sent his way. Ooh boy it was going to be a long year in Herbology.

Professor Longbottom sent us all off to work individually on the ugly, pus producing plants. I would never understand how anyone could look at these things and call them beautiful.

Teddy had moved to the front of the room with a so- called question about the Bubotubers. But he was really just using it as an excuse to flirt with Maddie, who was completely indulging him, twirling her hair around her finger.

I pruned my Bubotuber aggressively, sending a spray of pus that spattered onto my hair, I groaned. That was just great. Uncle Neville put a calming hand on my shoulder, "Try using a little less force Junie..." His eyes were wide, and I realized in my annoyance, I had been cutting the plant so ferociously there was almost nothing left.

Leo side eyed me, "Still? Really?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I pursed my lips, staring pointedly down at the plant

"Right." Leo rolled his eyes, returning to his pruning.

"I hate you."

"Love you too Junie."

Suffice to say, I did not have a great start to my morning. Between Maddie and Teddy, the horror that is Divination, the four essays we got assigned, and the foul smelling goo that lingered in my braids, I could not wait for the day to be over.

The only thing getting me through was the promise of Quidditch tryouts later. Finally, finally, I was free. I changed into my practice clothes as quickly as I could, a pair of black athletic leggings and a jersey, and bolted to the pitch.

Then I waited for the players to gather. Most were familiar faces, Viv, Teddy, James, Charlie, Marie Kim, Delilah Brown-Parkinson. I spotted Evelyn and Ethan, and to my delight also Pippa and Phoebe. Rory and Jade were not big on Quidditch, and they sat in the bleachers with Leo. I had always thought this surprising considering their parents, especially Rory. I'd tried for ages to convince her to join the team, but I knew it was a sore spot with her and her father.

"Okay huddle up everybody, I clapped my hands briskly, I know a lot of you were on the team last year, but this does not mean you will be on the starting team this year. Also just because you are on second string does not mean you won't play, Quidditch is violent, people get hurt all the time." I surveyed the people that had come out, and took stock of everyone's skills, before assigning positions.

"Teddy, Viv, Beaters for red, I threw them the jerseys, Charlie Keeper, James and Pippa Chasers." I threw them each Jersey as well as they took to the sky, "We won't be playing with any Seekers because that's me."

"Evelyn, Ethan, Chasers for blue, I instructed, Marie go Keeper, Phoebe and Delilah Beaters." I blew my captain's whistle and the scrimmage began.

I observed the players closely, I was planning on winning that cup this year, Last year we had lost in a devastatingly close match to Ravenclaw, and Rose had gloated for weeks.

After an hour or so, I had my team. I summoned the team uniforms, and called them down to the ground, doing my best not to look at Teddy. He was practically irresistible when he was playing Quidditch.

"Alright guys, brilliant work, all of you, however only six will make first string, and if you didn't make it, try again next year." I hated this part of being captain, if it was up to me they would all be on the team.

"So Gryffindor's Quidditch team this year will consist of me as Seeker, our beaters will be Theodore Lupin and Vivian Knox, I shared a quick smile with my friend, her and Teddy busy celebrating their victory, the three Chasers will be James Potter, Evelyn McGonagall, and Ethan McGonagall, and our keeper will be Charlie Granger-Weasley." I winced as I looked at the crestfallen faces of the others, but soldiered on, "Our second string keeper will be Marie, Pippa will be a backup Chaser, and Phoebe will be a backup beater. To the rest of you I deeply apologize, and encourage you not to give up."

"Hells yes!" James yells, hugging me, "I knew you'd make the right choice Junie!"

"You better behave James, all of you." I shake a warning finger at my new team, blowing my whistle, "Now go get changed, hustle!"

"Someone's got to take that whistle away from her." Vivian whispered teasingly, and I glared at her.

"I know, Junebug's gone power mad." Teddy ruffled my hair, and I elbowed him.

They all split off to their separate locker rooms to clean up, and I distribute the practice schedules. I went to the girls first, congratulating Vivian again.

I knock first before entering the boys' locker room, I made that mistake once and I never will again.

"Come in." Leo shouts from behind the door.

"Hey guys, I started, here are the-" I stopped mid sentence, my words catching in my throat as Teddy walked nonchalantly out from the showers dressed only ina low hanging towel. I completely forgot my train of thought, struggling to form a coherent sentence.

"Hey Potter, he tousled his damp hair and I nearly choked, what's up?"

"I- erm- well-"

I could feel my neck grow hot, Leo staring at me with a smug expression on his face. Damn it, damn it, damn it. I thought we were past this Juniper!

"I was just passing out the schedules, I cleared my throat loudly, desperately looking anywhere but Teddy, so- er here." I shoved the paper into his hands quickly.

"Oh, he said, smiling  seemingly unaware of my uncomfortableness, thanks Junie." He tugged my ponytail and disappeared around the corner to find his locker.

Charlie and Leo grinned behind me, "Some things never change."

"Shut up." I replied through gritted teeth, flipping them off.

"I think I saw a little bit of drool, Charlie laughed, pointing at his chin as he nudged Leo, what do you think Leo?"

"Oh there was definitely some drooling action going on."

"I'm going to kill you." I whack them both over the head with my stack of schedules, turning on my heel and leaving the locker room before anything else could catch me off guard.