Juniper answered the door almost exactly as Delia
knocked. She had been looking forward to seeing her friend after yesterday. She
had eaten almost an entire case of Chocolate Frogs, and still hadn’t felt much
better. She knew that Delia would understand, though.

She could feel her despair washing away as she
hugged her old friend. Seeing Delia’s smile, which hadn’t changed at all in
thirty years, gave her strength.

“Junie! How are you?”

Juniper bit her lip. “Oh, I’m… I’m just fine, Delia,
how are you?”

Delia raised an eyebrow. “Junie. You know I can tell
when you’re lying.”

She sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

“Is there something wrong, Junie?”

“Well, you know… Nothing much.”

“Look, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s
fine. But you know you can tell me anything.”

“I know.”

Silence hung as thick as smoke in the air, until
Juniper clapped her hands, as if it were a spell that could banish the awkwardness.

“I’ve made some Gillywater for us! I know you take
yours with Gillyflower…”

“I do like a little spice. I don’t know how you
drink it with just the cucumber and Gillyweed. It seems so bland!”

Juniper said nothing as she brought the glasses.
Usually, accusations of blandness didn’t offend her in the least. Today,
however, Delia’s comment had struck a nerve.

Delia cleared her throat, “Well, you know, I mean…
thank you.” She raised the glass to her lips and took a sip, her eyes intent on
Juniper’s face.

“Am I boring, Delia?”

Delia almost choked on her Gillywater as she started
to laugh. “Boring? You? Junie, are you kidding? What in the name of Merlin’s
beard would make you think something like that?”

“Well, you know… My clothes, my career, my taste in
beverages…”

“Are you serious? Junie, do you remember the crazy
shenanigans we used to get up to at Hogwarts? Would a boring person have done
all that?”

“Well, no. But they were mostly your ideas.”

Delia laughed, and Juniper imagined she could almost
see her in her green Quidditch uniform again, dismissing Juniper’s apologies
for the bludgers she had sent her way during the match. “Juniper, you were the
most interesting person to ever be sorted into Hufflepuff.”

“Wow, Delia. That sure was a back-handed compliment!”
Soon, Juniper couldn’t help but laugh, as well. Good old Delia. She sure knew
exactly how to make her friend feel better.

“Look, Junie, you can’t keep listening to idiots if
they have a problem with you being a herbologist.”

“How do you know why I’m actually upset?”

“I’ve known you for thirty years, Junie,” said
Delia, tossing her curly red hair over her shoulder. “You realize it’s all just
the Gardening Effect, right? They’re just stuck up morons, and they don’t know
anything about what you actually do for a living. Plants are exciting, Junie!
Besides, people like me wouldn’t even have a job to do if it weren’t for you.
Without herbologists, potioneers would be nothing. And then where would healers
be? And then the whole wizarding world would just collapse!”

“I… I guess you’re right.”

“Speaking of which…. I need to make a large batch of
Forgetfulness Potion, but I’m running low on Mistletoe berries and Valerian
sprigs. Oh, and I think I need some Dittany, for Wiggenweld Potion, too. Think
you could help me?”

“It’s your lucky day! I actually have some of all
three that I just harvested yesterday!”

“Thanks, Junie. You’re the best.”

Juniper smiled, happy to be able to help her friend.
Maybe she was useful and important, after all. At least, that was how Delia
always made her feel. Ever since they were first years at Hogwarts, Delia was
Juniper’s cheerleader. When the other Slytherins picked on Juniper for being
poor at brewing potions, Delia was there to defend her. Delia was always trying
to help her in the greenhouse, too, despite having absolutely no idea how to
take care of plants. Herbology was always Delia’s weakest subject. In a sense,
the two of them completed each other, and Juniper was happy to have such a
great friend.

As Juniper handed Delia the jars of plant materials,
Delia just smiled. “Never forget how important your job is, Junie.”

“I won’t. It’s just… You know. You work for the
ministry, and you work with potions. Your job is so interesting!”

“You don’t really listen to me, do you, Junie?” Delia
shook her head. “You’re right. Potioneering is much more glamorous than
herbology. But we are completely useless without people like you. Who needs
glamor, anyway? You’re clever and talented, and without your expertise, my
potions would be completely useless.”

Juniper just nodded. Delia was right, of course she
was. Still, Juniper couldn’t help but feel that it might be nice to be a little
glamorous for a change, just a tiny bit.