JULIET {remus lupin}

NINETEEN

The rift between Gryffindor and Slytherin was more noticeable than ever in the weekend following Sirius Black's party, with the marauders taking any opportunity they got to take swings at Severus Snape, or indeed any Slytherin who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Slytherins had retaliated, of course, but knew that they had to be more careful as they weren't favored in the way that Gryffindors were.

Lucius had, predictably, been furious on their return. Instead of blaming the Gryffindors, which Juliet thought would have been the reasonable thing to do, he spent hours lecturing the group who had gone on house loyalties. Snape had been rather down, so Juliet thought that Lucius had probably told him to end his infatuation with Lily Evans. She was surprised that it had taken so long. 

Persephone too had been quiet, they hadn't had potions since the Friday evening, but Juliet guessed that her friendship with Sirius Black was over for good, as Caius had spoken to her for hours following the party.

When it came to the Sunday evening quidditch practice, Juliet was glad to get out of the common room and to have a chance to talk to Persephone without Ophelia listening in. 

"I don't need to stress the importance-" Flint was saying as they made their way down to the pitch.

"Merlin, you'd think there wouldn't be a need for this speech anymore, would you?" Juliet muttered to Persephone who just grinned stiffly. When she didn't reply, Juliet decided to confront the issue. "Are you okay? I mean with Caius and Siri-"

"I'm fine," she snapped. 

"Fine, I was only asking."

"And I was only answering."

Juliet rolled her eyes and found herself becoming more irritated at the sound of the Gryffindor quidditch team, who were making their way to the pitch behind them. 

"This'll be good," Barty muttered.

"Where do you think you're going, Potter?" Flint snapped. 

"We're dressed like this for fun, Flint," James said mockingly. 

"The pitch is reserved for us on Sunday nights-"

"Well, tonight, we're having it."

Juliet sighed and rubbed her temples, not in the mood for another Slytherin / Gryffindor confrontation. 

"The pitch is ours on Sundays-" Flint hissed. 

"Piss off, Potter." Regulus said calmly. 

"Apparently becoming a death eater means you grow some balls," Sirius scoffed.

Juliet watched her old friend stiffen and felt that she ought to reluctantly step in.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor," she said, an edge of boredom to her voice.

"What?!" James exclaimed. "What for?"

The witch raised an eyebrow, "what do you think, Potter?"

"Bitch-" Sirius said.

"Another five," she said sweetly. "Now fuck off."

"No- we're here to practice."

"And do you have a note from McGonagall?" Juliet asked James.

"I-we don't need one."

Juliet scoffed and Flint spoke up, pulling a piece of parchment from his robes, "actually, you do. We have ours here from Slughorn saying the pitch is ours on Sundays. Come back another time, come on-"