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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November 1978
"You.. You're seeing what I'm seeing, right?" Juliet squinted at the sight in front of her, whispering to her boyfriend.
"Since when have those two been this close?" He whispered back, leaning against the counter.
"Maybe since they've been sharing a room?"
Now that they had spent a fair share of time in each other's arms, the couple had been less engrossed by each other and back to being aware of their surroundings. Needless to say that the first thing they did not fail to notice was how close James and Regulus seemed to be.
"We need to bring Lily over and make sure we're not seeing things." Juliet said.
"Why do you still think that you're seeing things when your brother and your best friend are reading a journal together, sitting fairly close?"
"Because I still don't think my brother can read." Juliet responded, making Remus laugh.
The laugh got the two boys' attention as they turned to the couple with curious eyes. Juliet just shrugged at them to get their eyes off of herself and her boyfriend.
"You know what, no need to ask Lily. I'll ask Amos if he's noticed it."
"This is ridiculous. You could just ask them if they're friends now."
Juliet did not voice it, but she did not exactly think that they were friends. Those two looked like she and Remus did when something was starting to blossom between them. Was that happening to those two, too? Should she talk about it or just let it happen?
Well, Juliet did not exactly thrive on meddling with other people's businesses anyway. She'll let them be.
~
"Juliet!" Pandora barged into the Diggorys household.
Thankfully, Cedric wasn't asleep anywhere in the house since Daphne had taken him to the Weasleys so she could nap a bit, and who better than Molly to watch a newborn.
"What!? What happened?" The brunette immediately stood up from the couch on which she was sitting with her boyfriend, wand in hand.
"Xenophilius! He's back!"
Juliet frowned, exchanging a look with the other inhabitants of the house who had emerged in the room before she followed after the blonde.
It had been a while since she had heard that name. Perhaps even since she was found after having left on a quest to find the Horcruxes. She didn't know what had happened to him and wad too preoccupied to ask anyways. She knew most of her friends had gone into hiding, so she didn't pay much mind.
Mary, for instance, was still in contact with Fabian Prewett, but she was hiding with her family in Romania. Alice and Frank were also laying low. She assumed Xenophilius was doing the same, though she knew his radio network to still be active. She also knew that Alice and Kingsley participated in it rather frequently.
"What do you mean he's back? Where had he gone to?"
"On a stupid quest of his own. He suggested I go with him instead of leaving but Africa, but I could not leave my own quest for his. But he's back."
"Quest? For what?"
"I was hoping you'd help me find out." Pandora spared a glance at her best friend, looking worried.
Juliet nodded, the both of them silently walking to the Lovegood's house. Once they arrived, though, the silence was replaced with the angry banging of Pandora's fist against the door.
"Open the door this instant, Xenophilius Lovegood!"
That's truly a mouthful of a name, Juliet had no idea how Pandora did it, even angry.
"Dora!" Xenophilius opened the door with a grin, going to embrace his girlfriend before seeing her angry glare. "Okay, I can explain."
"No note? Nothing? You could have at least said where you were going so I could have come to you!"
As Pandora walked in, continuing to ramble angrily, Juliet just stood there awkwardly. Xenophilius sighed, turning to look at the brunette, who gave him a tight-lipped smile before walking in.
"Dora, alright, I think he gets it." Juliet interrupted her best friend.
"If he did, he wouldn't just leave like that! How was I supposed to know he'll be fine?! That nitwit!" She paused. "No offence, Jules."
Yeah, it sounded like a familiar scenario.
"None taken."
"I can explain everything later, please, just -"
"No! You knew I was upset when it happened with Juliet - no offence - and you still went and did the same thing."
Juliet, who had just been awkwardly listening to the argument, suddenly frowned. But it was not because of Pandora's comment. It was because she caught a glimpse of the necklace around his neck.
"What's that?" She couldn't help but interrupt to ask.
"This?" Xenophilius asked, pointing at his necklace. "It's the symbol of the Deathly Hallows."
"As in the fairytale? The Tales of Beedle the Bard?" Juliet tilted her head curiously.
She knew the tales, of course. Pretty much all purebloods of the wizarding world knew about it. Hell, she read it to the Weasley kids for their bedtime story the other day.
"Okay, I'm sorry, what does him being a fairytale fan have to do with anything?" Pandora jumped in the conversation, annoyed and confused.
"Because that was my Quest, Dora." Xenophilius explained calmly.
Juliet could almost see the smoke coming out of Pandora's ears as she was turning red. She had never seen her best friend fuming like that. She was usually so calm and composed and gracious. It was a bizarre sight to witness.
"You left me without a word for a wand, a stone and a magic cloak!?" She yelled.
"And, that's my cue to leave." Juliet spoke softly, taking steps back as Pandora continued to berate her boyfriend furiously.
Though, as she was exiting, she could not help but have a strange feeling. Had Xenophilius lost his mind? Going on a quest like that out of nowhere in search of something out of a fairytale? Or was it real? And someone had put the idea in his head?
She was struggling with the little she had to do anyway. She was already making good progress with Parseltongue, and boredom still filled her days. Perhaps if she found out more about the Deathly Hallows, she could help out her best friend.
* * *
Ican't believe it's already my second birthday with all of you, honestly so strange. So much time has passed already, and we're just halfway through the entire series
