CHECK YES JULIET ▷ JAMES POTTER [1]

𝟒𝟑. 𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐈𝐃'𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖

(43 : SHE'LL NOT BE HIT . . .
WITH CUPID'S ARROW)

✧࿐ ཾ✧

     VALENTINE'S DAY SOON HIT THE castle in an explosion of heart confetti and hormonal teenagers. For Juliet, every kissing couple and rose bouquet was only a sore reminder of what she was missing. Her brief stay in Madam Pomfrey's care had reestablished her tentative friendship with James Potter — a friendship that neither of them were willing to shatter, leaving the girl to take her anger out on the commercialised holiday.

Both of them loved each other, which made the solution seem simple — they should get back together. Yet, James was far too egotistical to admit he was wrong further than through an imaginary tale he spun for her entertainment and Juliet was far too stubborn to make the first move.

Juliet was eating breakfast in the Great Hall, watching with a disgruntled expression as everyone swooned over love notes and chocolate-covered strawberries. Ares brought her nothing apart from a copy of The Daily Prophet, which had a photo of her trying on a wedding dress from months ago on the front page. In small writing — below the article — was the headline: FOUR AURORS REPORTED MISSING, PRESUMED DEAD.

"Have you found a ring yet?" Regulus leaned over to read the article, working under the assumption she was fixated on the article about their wedding.

In the Wizarding World, rings were meaningful and unique to each couple, so they were the one thing that they had been permitted to choose for themselves. They would each have to choose a stone and a rune inscription that best represented their relationship. The superficial elements of the ceremony — like the dress and the decor — were being controlled by Walburga Black whilst all of the specifics — like the time and the date — were already planned to coincide with the Dark Lord's schemes. It was almost humorous how it was such a big deal that they were allowed to have a say in their own wedding.

Juliet folded the newspaper in half, shifting away from him. "Not yet."

"I suppose you have time," conceded Regulus, using his fork to push some eggs around his plate. "Are you going to Slughorn's party tonight?"

     Professor Slughorn was the Head of Slytherin and a notorious sycophant. Both Regulus and Juliet were members of his Slug Club as members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, the latter attending all the meetings and parties to please her parents more than anything. Slughorn had made an extravagant show of cornering them both outside the dungeons a few weeks ago, promising the pair the party would help them forge promising connections for after graduation since he had invited some alumni.

     "I am," she replied shortly.

     Regulus nodded and didn't push the conversation further. Things had been strained between them since he told her about the fate of Eliana Fawley. Whilst Juliet was cordial with him, it was clear that she was trying to distance herself. Regulus Black had a front row seat to the insanity of the Death Eaters and he still chose to become one — he wasn't nearly as innocent as she wanted him to be.