CHECK YES JULIET ▷ JAMES POTTER [1]

𝟏𝟓. 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐀 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄?

(15 : WHAT'S IN A NAME . . .
THAT WHICH WE CALL A ROSE)

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     "REDWOOD AND PHOENIX FEATHER. TEN inches. Quite flexible. A wand like that is a sign of great change, Miss Fawley," Ollivander had announced when she bought her new wand. However, as she stood on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, Juliet somehow doubted the old man. No great change was coming — not when she was back to where she had started. The cold, stoic Juliet that was infamous amongst the Hogwarts population was back and the bright, fun Juliet that had made an appearance around the Potters was dead. To mark the occasion, she wore black, mourning the girl she could no longer be.

From feeling like she could take on the world to feeling the brunt of her father's anger, Juliet didn't like how her life was spiralling.

On the other side of King's Cross, the four Marauders were elbowing each other in a race to be the first on board — they had an agreement since second year that the last one on the train cleaned the dorm for the first week of the term. All of them stopped when they realised James stood frozen in the middle of the chaotic platform, oblivious to the annoyed parents with trunks and owls swerving him. When James looked up and caught Juliet's eye, time stilled around him. In a matter of days, she had become a shadow of who he knew — her eyes were sunken and sad, but she still walked with pride and purpose.

     "Juliet!"

Ignoring the shout, Juliet forced her way through the crowd and boarded the train in haste. Both James and Sirius were caught off guard by the cold shoulder whilst Remus and Peter were confused. In his usual attentive fashion, Remus scrutinised the crestfallen expression on James' face.

Motioning between their group, Remus shot a pointed look at James. "Care to clue the rest of us in? Since when were you on first name terms with her?"

"I told you I invited her over mine for Christmas," defended James. "You were the one who told me about what happened at Hogsmeade."

Remus shook his head. "I didn't think she'd agree. You spent Christmas with Juliet Fawley?"

"Wait, does this mean we like her now?" worried Peter, feeling left out.

"Yeah, she's cool, Pete," stated Sirius distractedly. "Well, she was before she started ignoring us. Do you think —"

"I'll talk to her later," interrupted James. "She probably didn't hear me. Come on, I'm craving some sugar quills and I want to beat the queue."

     Peter ran after James. "But you don't like sugar quills!"

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