CHECK YES JULIET ▷ JAMES POTTER [1]

𝟐𝟎. 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐄

(20 : COME WEEP WITH ME. . .
PAST HOPE, PAST CURE, PAST HELP)

✧࿐ ཾ✧

BY THE TIME JULIET AND Regulus arrived back at Hogwarts, it was past curfew and Dumbledore had seemingly retired for the night. The two Slytherins stepped out of the Floo — Juliet, then Regulus — and brushed some soot off their formal wear before leaving the headmaster's office with heavier consciouses than before.

"Where are you going?" asked Regulus, noticing Juliet was veering in the opposite direction to the dungeons.

     "I don't know," she admitted, picking up a brisk pace and continuing on. "I need some space to think. Away from you. Away from everyone else in our house who believes in his bullshit cause."

     Regulus halted. "Juliet . . ."

     "Don't," she scoffed. "Don't talk to me, don't say my name. Just . . . don't."

     Feeling like he'd been hit, Regulus recoiled. "I helped you," the boy harshly reminded her. "If I hadn't knocked over that glass, you would have been exposed for the traitor you really are and tonight would've ended a lot worse. Presumably with some poor house elf cleaning your blood off the floor."

    In an abrupt movement, she pivoted and glowered at him. "Come on, Reg, tell me what you really think."

     Frustrated, Regulus tugged on his hair. "I didn't —"

     "You did!" screamed Juliet, her voice shaking with anger. "Do you not like me? Is that it? Is that why you chose me? Or was it some kind of joke? Ha ha, I can't stop laughing at how funny it is to sign someone's death sentence because they're not some fascist bigot."

     "You wouldn't understand," he protested. "It's complicated. More complicated than you can imagine."

Folding her arms over her chest, Juliet remained doubtful. "Uncomplicate it."

     "I can't." Regulus stared at his shoes. "Not yet, at least."

     "Then we're done," she stated in a clipped tone. "I'll attend your parties, I'll stay at your side, I'll fake a smile. I'll do everything that is expected of me, nothing more. But outside of all that? We're done."

Regulus swallowed back the hurt that was bubbling in the base of his throat. "I didn't — I didn't throw your name into the running for a laugh. I definitely didn't do it to be mean-spirited either. You need to know that, Juliet. I would never do that to you."