Everything to Me

83.

The days passed sooner than anyone realized. With NEWT classes and work, there was hardly any time to catch up with anyone.

With lessons with Dumbledore for Juli and quidditch for James and Sirius, they had no energy left at the end of the day to even look at each other, not that they didn't want to.

Sirius would often sneak into Juli's dorm at night and they would pass out due to exhaustion, not even talking. Somedays when it was better, Juli would go to the boys' dorm and talk to everyone for a while, before falling into a deep sleep.

They were grateful that they at least got to spend time together as know one knew what the future held.

"Juliette," Sirius mumbled one night, two seconds from falling asleep exhausted.

"Mhm?" She replied, nuzzling her face into his chest.

"I'll show you the flat during Christmas break."

"I would love that." She sighed contently and drifted off.

* * * * *

"I have a surprise for you!" Avery said excitedly.

Juli didn't look up from her book and waited for him to go on.

"You will be taught the three curses!!"

Her head snapped up in bewilderment and she looked at Regulus. He held her gaze for a moment before looking away.

"That's- that's..." She started, unsure how to react. "Wonderful!"

"Yes! And guess who will be teaching you?" He nudged her.

She crossed her fingers under the table, praying that it would be anyone but him.

"Mulciber."

There it was.

She gave him a smile and nodded enthusiastically, though her stomach was churning even at the mere thought of those curses.

"When?" Clarisse asked.

Juli could swear that if she ignored Clarisse properly, she would just sound like a fly buzzing around her ear. The one she could knock out with one hand.

Putting those thoughts aside, she waited for the answer. "Today."

"WHAT?!" She practically shouted, drawing everyone's attention on her.

She looked around nervously and met eyes with a worried Sirius. She then turned back to Avery. "Today?"

"This is the last weekend of the month and I thought we could go to Hogsmeade. He's meeting us there."

"What about Dumbledore? What if he comes to know?" She asked, depserate for any excuse to not go.

"He won't. Mulciber has found a place and the man is too old for his own good."

Juli fake laughed at that joke and closing her book, got up.

"I'll change and be right back." She practically ran out the Great Hall towards the Common Room and into her dorm. She took out two parchments and hastily scribbled.

"Sir,
Going to Hogsmeade to meet Mulciber. Will teach me illegal curses.
Juli."

"Star,
Going to Hogsmeade. Mulciber teaching me illegal curses.
Juliette."

She then tied the letter to Dumbledore on her owl's leg, thinking of a plan to let Sirius know.

She changed into the most comfortable clothes and put her hair in braids. Thank God for shampoo.

With the letter clutched in her hand, she opened the door and saw James waiting at the bottom.

She smiled at him and skipped down the stairs.

He returned her smile with a grin. "We heard you and then saw you leave abruptly. Everything all right?"

"Well...no." She said. "I am meeting Mulciber now. No time to explain." She said before he could interrupt. "Headmaster knows. See you soon." She then handed him the parchment and kissing his cheek, ran out the common room.

James' POV

He quickly opened the letter and read through it, his blood boiling at Mulciber's intentions.

He could never see Juli performing those curses. She was too kind to do so. He went back up to his dorm where others were waiting and showed them the letter.

"Star?" Peter asked.

"Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky." Sirius answered, with out looking up.

"What are we waiting for?" Remus stood up. "Let's go!"

"Well..." Peter said, thinking for a moment. "Shouldn't we wait for a while? If we go instantly after she does, they will doubt and her plan will fail."

Before James had the time to think, Sirius was already on the door.

"We don't know how he will teach her. We have to go. NOW."

"Think for a moment, Pads." Peter argued. "5 minutes of impatience will cost her more than 5 months of hard work. James was the one who told us that Dumbledore was informed. He will take care of it."

Something told James that Peter was not ready to go. "Listen, Pete," he said. "I don't know what has gotten into you, but I am going after her. Lily would like to come, too. You're more than welcome to stay back."

His tone was harsher than he intended and he ignored the summersault which his heart did at Lily's name.

"Guys," Remus said suddenly, eyes full of worry. "Dumbledore... I haven't seen him at meals since the last 5 days. I don't know where he is but he is not in the castle."

At those words, the boys bolted out the door, ignorant of where that one illegal curses lesson would lead Juli.