JULIET {remus lupin}

EIGHTY TWO

June, '80

Juliet watched Arabella fade away just as she watched Remus do the same. The two witches were once again confined to a safe house, Flint had promised that they'd be next. Neither witch was scared, they were sure they could over-power him, Arabella had been receiving auror's training for months, so she certainly could. Juliet felt she had numbed death a little, only feeling guilty that she thought of Regulus more than she thought of Persephone. Arabella rotted. In the month that they had been in the safe house, she had seen the witch leave for fresh air once. She sat on the sofa, accepting food that Juliet gave her but never making any herself, ignoring owls from Marlene and blankly staring at the muggle tele box Remus had brought them.

Remus too, was struggling, Juliet saw him once, a night before a full moon, he was quiet, and he was agitated. She knew he thought Persephone was his fault. He had chosen to let her go ahead so he could lock up and protect his flat, he felt he should have told her to wait, or been faster. Then perhaps she would be alive.

Sirius had written to Andromeda, who contacted Narcissa, about the death of Persephone Parkinson, everyone on their side knew. Her parents knew, and of course, they believed it was right. A traitor daughter was no longer their daughter. Narcissa gave birth, at the end of June, and Sirius had written to Juliet, swearing her to secrecy about a secret meeting arranged between Andromeda and her. It was a boy, they had named him Draco. Juliet wondered if there was ever a world where the son of Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy, could be friends with the son of James and Lily Potter.

July 20th, '80

After a lot of begging and guilt-tripping, Remus Lupin allowed Sirius Black to attend the safe house with him, it was an annoyance, knowing he'd have to change the wards, but he felt the witches might benefit from company that wasn't himself. Sirius seemed remarkably okay, he patrolled without bother, and took on extra work. He still drank at night, and had a cigarette every hour, but he too seemed immune to the war. Everyone was becoming accustomed to it.

"Girls," Sirius said cheerfully, bursting through the door of the safe house.

Juliet's, and even Arabella's, faces lit up when they saw him, with Juliet rushing over to give him a hug.

"You look better," she said to him, having not seeing him in a month. "Still stink of firewhiskey though," she whispered into his ear.

"We all cope in our own way, don't we?" Sirius asked, pulling away from the witch who subsequently went to Remus' side and leant into him a little. Sirius looked to Arabella as he spoke, trying not to look pitiful. "How are you both holding up?"

Juliet glanced at her friend who refused to meet her eye, "we're okay," she nodded. "I definitely wish I could be more help, though."

Remus Lupin sighed, the pair had been discluded from the last two order meetings, with Alastor Moody and Dumbledore doing a full investigation into Persephone Parkinson's death, apparently, since they were friends with the witch, the pair were the members they were most suspicious about. Remus had argued to no avail with the wizards, but they had promised they would be allowed back in August.

"You will be able to, soon," he said, looking at Juliet.

"I don't want to," Arabella grumbled.

"It helps," Sirius said softly, sitting beside the witch who was slumped on the sofa. "Trying, fighting, and distracting ourselves helps."

Juliet smiled and sighed, watching her friend soften and turning to Remus, "I'll make sure she comes back."

Sirius stood up from where he was muttering to Arabella and turned to Juliet, announcing, "I'm afraid I'm not here for you though, Bella, but for Romilly here."