JULIET {remus lupin}

SEVENTY SIX

July '79

Graduation wasn't as Juliet had always imagined it. She had always pictured Regulus Black at her side, her father watching, and when she was very young, her mother too. She had completed it, though, and she really hadn't expected to. She and Arabella hadn't gone to the official ceremony, instead, they'd had dinner, just the two of them, in Hogsmeade. Marlene Mckinnon's parents were murdered at the end of June, the first order members to be so, she had inherited their house, and so was allowed to 'keep' Arabella there. Persephone Parkinson, who Sirius Black had had a difficult time discussing with the order, had also been provided temporary protection, she had a safe house in muggle London, with Alice Longbottom acting as secret keeper. 

Remus and Marlene sat on the muggle train, both staring out of the window as they made their way up to Scotland. The blonde witch looked tired, there were dark bags under her eyes and her skin was dry.

"Do you want a tea?" Remus asked, sighing and standing up. "There's a cafe on board."

Marlene looked up at him, not making eye contact, "yeah, thanks Remus."

The man nodded and took his muggle money out of his wallet, walking away from the witch. He smiled at the cashier and paid, taking both drinks, grateful that he had grown up with a muggle mother and knew how to act around them.

The muggle woman winked at him, smiling flirtatiously as she handed both over, and he held in a laugh, knowing how much Sirius would love this.

"Here you go, Marl." He said, sitting back down and handing the woman a paper cup.

"Cheers."

"It'll be nice for you to see Bella, won't it?" He asked gently.

"Yeah, thought of it is the only thing that has kept me sane," she sighed. "I can't believe they never knew about her." She muttered, tears filling her eyes.

"You didn't tell them?"

She shook her head, "they were order members from day one. And, unfortunately, very house prejudiced against Slytherin. We're purebloods, we know the name Greengrass. They wouldn't have been happy."

"And the fact it's a witch, not a wizard?" He asked.

Marlene shrugged, "dunno. It would have shocked them, for sure. They always wanted me to end up with Sirius," she grinned. "Respected his heritage but also respected his views and how free willed he was. Came round a few times summer he left Grimmauld."

Remus nodded, remembering his friend's excitement in fifth year that Marlene had invited him round, "I remember that, actually."

She smiled again, "it feels like it's been a long time since all that, doesn't it?"

"Certainly does," he replied, reflecting on fifth year. The year they started the map, the summer Sirius left his family. It was Quidditch games in James' garden, begging Fleamont to reveal new passages to them. It was Lyall deteriorating, him dreading being home. 

Marlene sensed his sentiments and smiled, "we had a great time, didn't we."

"We really did. The best years of my life."

"Excited to see Juliet?"

A small smile formed on the wizard's face, "I am, yeah."

"I'm happy for you, Remus."

The man laughed, stirring his tea with his wand after making sure there were no muggles around.

Arabella and Juliet embraced when they noticed the blonde witch and tall wizard approaching them.