CHECK YES JULIET ▷ JAMES POTTER [1]

𝟓𝟓. 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐓

(55 : SLAUGHTER'D YOUTH . . .
FOR HERE LIES JULIET)

✧࿐ ཾ✧

     THE EARLY NOVEMBER BREEZE RATTLED the room, the various vials of ingredients shaking from the force of the blow. In the face of the harsh weather, Severus Snape remained steadfast and nimble, barely glancing up as he motioned for Juliet to close the window. Although she obliged, her calculated gaze remained pinned on the preparation process, still suspicious of the boy.

Just as the morning sunlight flitted through the broken shutters of the home on Spinner's End, Snape lifted a vial into the air and the pale pink colour of the potion was illuminated. "It's done and I do believe that makes us even."

"And you're confident it has been brewed right? I still think you should've cut and not crushed that —"

"Whilst you may be adept at abysmally failing in whatever you dare do, I am not," Severus drawled, monotone as ever. "I am quite certain that I have brewed it correctly. Now, if we are done here . . ."

As he shooed her towards the door, she narrowed her eyes. "And I am quite certain that I will haunt your miserable arse if you have done anything —"

"How could I when you have been looming over my shoulder like a poor imitation of a shadow the entire time?" sneered Snape, his mouth curling down in distaste. "Like I said, I have repaid my debt and I want nothing more to do with your moronic scheme. In return for your help with Mr Dagworth-Granger's apprenticeship, I have brewed you one perfect bottle of the Draught of Living Death." He failed to meet her glower as he began to methodically tidy the work station. "Ah, don't let the door hit you on the way out."

     "Do you take me for a fool, Severus?"

Unbothered, he snorted. "Are you sure you would like me to answer that?"

Snatching Snape by the left arm, Juliet applied pressure to where she knew his mark was located. "Here is how things are going to work, I am going to drink this pretty little potion and you are going to call the aurors with my location." Her voice dropped an octave and she continued, "If Voldemort is as smart as I think he is, he will then want his most skilled potioneer to verify my death. You are going to confirm my death, claim what I drank was poison, then you will come back the next day and give me the antidote. Nobody at the Ministry will even care to check the cause of my death as long as wizards continue to drop like flies under Voldemort."

"No."

"No?" echoed Juliet, almost bemused by his automatic rejection. "You would still say no even if I could promise that Lily Evans would start speaking to you again?"