JULIET {remus lupin}

EIGHTY

Juliet was due to attend her first Order meeting two weeks after Christmas, but it got pushed back, and then again. She suspected there was a lack of trust for her, or that members felt uncomfortable with her being there after Nathaniel Romilly had been spotted at Christmas Day attacks on a muggle born family. She felt it was slightly unfair that they were basing her actions around a man who was not even her blood, a man that she simply shared a last name with. Arabella seemed to be mostly accepted in the order, with her having a mission mid-February with Remus. He had told her it was because she didn't have the dark mark, Juliet did. Persephone was also being denied. She understood, to an extent, and wasn't sure she wanted aurors awkwardly staring at her arm.

Not that she wasn't grateful for her safe house, she was, but was ready to leave it. Remus had said she would be able to soon, but also that sooner than later, everyone would be in a safe house. 

On the morning of her first order meeting, Juliet sat nervously messing with her jumper sleeves, pulling them over her hands to cover the dark mark and staring at her clock anxiously, waiting for Remus to arrive and apparate her from her prison. When she felt someone pass through the wards, she quickly stood up, tidying her living room with a few swift flicks of her wand. When she opened the door, the man in front of her had tears in his eyes, and looked exhausted.

"Juliet," he sighed, his head falling into the witch's shoulder and her arms going around his neck.

"Is everyone okay?" She asked quickly, worried.

"Yeah," he nodded, "sorry, didn't mean to worry you. Do you mind if we don't go to the meeting, I- er, need someone to talk to?"

Juliet swallowed, she had been waiting to be allowed to a meeting for weeks, but the sight of the man in front of her made her heart ache, "of course," she replied, retreating back inside and flicking her wand at the kettle.

"My mum died," Remus said suddenly, leaning back against the counter, holding his breath to stop any tears from falling as he forced the words out.

Juliet's mouth dropped open, she knew the man wasn't at all close with his mother, and that he had dreaded going home in school, and had longed to be at the Potter's. But she was the only family he had.

"Remus," she said sadly, handing him a mug. "I'm so sorry."

He sniffed and shrugged, "it's stupid really, to be upset. She wasn't a good mother at all, blamed me for Lyall's death. Hated me."

"She didn't hate you, Remus."

He chuckled a little, "she hated all magic after Lyall died. I just feel guilty. She was so alone, she adored dad," he said, his voice breaking a little. "I never saw her, I left her constantly. I've seen her twice in the last year. She was all on her own when she died. Her muggle neighbours found her. I should have seen her more, instead I was mourning Fleamont and Euphemia, not even my parents-" he choked, reaching out for the witch in front of him and wrapping an arm around her waist, hiding his face in her hair.

"Hindsight is pointless," Juliet said softly. "She didn't make your life easy. Don't blame anything on yourself."

"All she did was hate a monster," he said bitterly.

"You're not a monster, Lupin," Juliet snapped, kissing his jaw. 

"You're ridic-"

"I've never thought you are, even in school when I found out, and we 'hated' each other," she smiled, making parenthesis with her hands. "Anyone who hates you is awful, you're the best person I know, other than Lily at least," she joked softly.