JULIET {remus lupin}

FIFTY THREE

Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew walked into the Christmas Ball awkwardly, both feeling rather out of place without James and Sirius there being loud. The Great Hall was packed, and looked beautiful, however there was a noticeable drought of Slytherins.

"Wonder where they all are... Odd for them to go home, don't you think?" Remus asked his friend.

"What?"

"The Slytherins, none of them are here..."

"Er- Juliet is, look."

"I wasn't talking about Juliet, I meant in general," Remus replied.

"Oh- er- how am I meant to know why?"

"Relax, mate." Remus laughed, hitting his friend on the back, "there's Mary and Marlene, come on."

"Who's that with her?"

"Arabella," Remus said, following Peter's eyeline.

"I didn't know she was friends with Gryffindors."

"Her and Marlene are close."

"Oh?" Peter prompted.

Remus shrugged in response and smiled as Mary embraced him, "Merry Christmas," he grinned at the three witches.

"Thanks, Lupin," Arabella giggled, throwing her arms around the wizard and then doing the same to Peter, who stiffened immediately.

"Lighten up, Pete," Marlene smirked. "Look what Bella brought to the party," she said, pulling a bottle of firewhiskey from under her cloak. "Have some," she urged the man.

"I'm alright," Peter replied shortly.

"Wormy likes to stay in control," Remus grinned. "How'd you get this in?"

"I'm a Slytherin," Arabella whispered. "We're sneaky."

"Apparently so," he chuckled in response, glancing at where Juliet and Persephone stood talking.

"Fucking look at him," Persephone muttered to her friend.

"Who?"

"Pettigrew," she hissed. "Stood there as if he's the greatest friend that ever lived."

"Bella shouldn't be around him," Juliet stated. 

"She's got no one to let down-"

"Persephone-"

"What? I'm sorry but it's true. You're a Romilly and I'm engaged to an Avery. We're being far more watched than she is."

"You think Pettigrew is reporting back..."

"Of course-" the witch started, before slapping a hand over her mouth. "That's how Caius found out about Sirius. Obviously."

"Fuck. Yeah. That does make sense. Merlin."

"We have to tell them somehow."

"They aren't going to listen to either of us, not as long as we've got these," Juliet replied quietly, gesturing to their covered arms.

"I wonder how serious it is right now... We know that Pettigrew reports to Caius, but fuck knows what Caius has done to him. It doesn't necessarily mean that he's a death eater like the rest of them."

"Exactly, and I think if he were playing such an important role we'd know."

"We wouldn't. Not with my connection to Sirius."

"Regulus would know and he'd tell me."

"Would he?"

"He's my fiance," Juliet said stiffly.