JULIET {remus lupin}

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN

Juliet returned home from the Burrow feeling happier, Harry had been a weight on her chest for the last three years, she'd faced constant guilt over the secrets she kept from the boy, and was so relieved to finally find that he didn't hate her for it. The house was empty and the witch suspected Remus was with Sirius. She paused at the grand entry of the house, looking into the eyes of her younger self which confidently occupied a portrait. The Juliet who looked back at her had wild eyes, but was perfect in every other way. She couldn't remember the day of the portrait, perhaps she'd argued with Regulus, or secretly written to Remus, or maybe she'd just spent the day with Arabella Greengrass, whatever it was, there was definitely a glimmer in the young witch's eye. All she'd thought about on her way home was Remus, she'd automatically checked the wards when she arrived back, knowing without having to check that tonight was a full moon. She hadn't even had to check the house to know that he wasn't in.

As Juliet challenged her younger self with a narrowed glare, the witch smirked slightly, and winked.

"What?" She snapped.

"Merlin, Romilly, can I not leave you alone for a few hours before you start speaking to yourself?" A voice came from behind her and Juliet spun around to see Remus leaning lightly against the door frame to the huge house. He put his coat down on a chest of drawers and stood beside the witch, staring at her younger portrait, with his arms crossed. He didn't bat an eyelid as the elf came to remove his coat and Juliet inwardly smiled at how comfortable he was in Nathaniel Romilly's old home. 

"She's looking at me oddly," Juliet declared, staring into brown eyes on the wall.

"No, Juliet, that's the expression you always wore back then."

"Ha," she replied, tearing her eyes away from the portrait and beginning to walk away, not before noticing Remus' eyes fixed on the witch's likeness. "Have you been with Sirius?" She called behind her, knowing he'd be following.

"No," Remus said, "was guessing you'd be wanting to see him this evening, you mentioned it the other night, so thought I'd wait for you. We can go together?"

Juliet leant against the dining table and nodded, "yeah, nice. Where have you been, then?"

He grinned, "missed me?"

The witch rolled her eyes and turned away from him, "I have news, actually."

Remus paused, "so do I, actually. But you first."

"I saw Harry," she said, turning back around with a small smile on her face.

The man's eyes widened, "you did? When?"

"Today, I went to the burrow, I'd arranged it with Molly. Didn't tell Harry, though, so I'm sure I gave him a bit of a fright," she laughed. "His professor turning up on his doorstep."

"I didn't even know he wasn't at the Dursleys anymore."

The witch grinned, "Arthur's taking them all to the quidditch world cup, it's a surprise, I believe."

"Merlin, they'll all bloody love that," Remus said with a smile, feeling somewhat reminded of James and Sirius. "So, how was he? What did you talk about?"

"We didn't go too deeply into anything, I think he was more shocked at having a civil conversation with me than anything. But we talked about how I became friends with you all, about how James grew, how much he loved Lil," she said quietly. "About me going to Azkaban, about Reg, and Penny and Bella. It was all very surface level and I'm sure he has a thousand questions, but more than anything, I wanted him to forgive me for not telling him I'm his Godmother sooner."

"And, did he?"

"What?"

"Forgive you?"

Juliet chuckled a little, ""he's Lily Evan's son."