Following the events of the same universe where Juliet Potter and Remus Lupin fell in love, the insouciance has faded into misery as all parties prepare for the war, willing to pull any card to win a war from which none will truly come out victoriou...
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December 1977
"Regulus!?" She exclaimed, yet whispering, looking around to make sure they were alone. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that." He raised an eyebrow at her, crossing his arms. "You've been missing for five months from what I've heard."
"How do you know?" Juliet frowned, her paranoia not fading just yet.
"Pandora reached out to me, asking if I've heard from you, she said you disappeared after your parents' funeral." He trailed off. "My condolences."
"Thanks." She nodded, unconsciously letting her eyes fall on his left arm.
Regulus seemed to have noticed, as he nervously fiddled with his sleeves. Tension started to raise, and as Juliet was staring him down, she suddenly gasped when she saw the shame in his eyes.
"What did you do!?" She scolded him in a quiet voice.
"I had to." He responded weakly.
"Regulus?" She called in disbelief, internally begging him to tell her it wasn't true.
"It was my duty, and I truly believed it was for the greater good. I was convinced the rest of you would finally understand once we reached our goals. I was convinced that we had been the victims all along, fighting for our rights, I-" He rambled, cutting himself off with a sigh.
The brunette girl watched him slowly raise his sleeve, horror settling on her expression as she laid eyes on the Dark Mark on his inner left forearm.
"What did you do..." She whispered, a shaky hand slowly raising to her mouth, covering it.
"I was wrong, Juliet." He cried, and it was one of the rare times she'd seen him cry. "I was wrong. I thought he was defending us, I thought that the things he did was his way to get Muggles to leave our kind alone, I thought we were defending ourselves, I just-"
"They don't care about us, Regulus, they don't even believe we exist anymore. They don't do witch hunts anymore, they don't burn us or hang us anymore." Juliet spoke slowly.
Regulus stood quietly, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Times have changed." She added. "And now, they are being killed, not understanding what's after them or why."
"I know that now." The boy whispered.
The Potter girl watched him, he had already pulled his sleeve down and he was back to fiddling with it. "When did this happen?" She questioned.
"Earlier this month, at the beginning of the break."
Juliet frowned, confused. "Then, what changed your mind?"
He lifted his gaze from the pavement. "What have you been looking for?"
"What makes you say I've been looking for something?"
"They're looking for you. There must be a reason."
"So they know." Her heart dropped as she realized.
Regulus studied her, able to tell that she was starting to panic. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that everything was related, and she needed his help as much as he needed hers.
"Let's get you somewhere safe." He said, offering her his hand.
Juliet looked between his hand and his eyes hesitantly.
"Can you trust me once more?"
She sighed, letting herself follow that inner voice that told her that Regulus would never betray her. And she grabbed his hand, as they disapparated.
Regulus and Juliet apparated on a field she failed to recognize. But once she looked behind her, her eyes fell on a lovely looking cottage house.
She barely had time to send a confused glance at the boy when the house's front door swung open, showing Pandora standing there, teary eyed.
The blonde girl rushed to her best friends embracing the both of them but also hitting them, chuckling at their complaints.
"Where have you been?" She asked Juliet sadly, before turning to Regulus, a bit angrier. "You just left your bed empty and didn't bother to leave a note?? And you, how dare you just cut us off like this!?"
"Love, why don't you and your friends discuss about all this inside?" Xenophilius walked up behind her, smiling at her friends and ushering them all to go in while he put up protective charms all around the house.
"Right, he's waiting for us anyway." Pandora agreed, turning around and starting to walk towards the house.
"Who's waiting for us?" Juliet frowned as Regulus simply followed after.
Inside, to her surprise, was the House of Black's loyal servant, Kreacher the house-elf. She's heard about him from Regulus, having been told that he's the only one in the entire household that he could tolerate.
Juliet knew it wasn't true, had Andromeda not been disowned, he would have greatly appreciated her presence. And if Sirius hadn't left, perhaps they could have built a better relationship.
Anyway, Kreacher had respectfully greeted her, as she responded to him politely, staring at Regulus to signal him to tell her what the hell was happening.
That was how Juliet and Pandora learned that Regulus was horrified by Voldemort's treatment of Kreacher, but also by the existence of his Horcrux which troubled him, causing him to regret the decision of ever joining his side.
Juliet knew about the Horcruxes but she didn't say anything yet.
"Merlin." Pandora muttered.
"Then, what now?" The brunette asked him. "What will you do? Your mother has surely noticed your disappearance and they will start suspecting you."
"I can't let him win anymore. But I will no longer be able to live on if I leave them. I knew what I had gotten myself into and I've accepted it." He responded calmly.
"You're just going to let them kill you?" Pandora scoffed.
"Not before bringing him and the rest of them down with me."
His confidence was extraordinary, and it gave Juliet the courage she needed.
