JULIET {remus lupin}

EIGHTY ONE

May, '80

Remus followed Persephone Parkinson as she apparated to Diagon Alley from Sirius and Remus' flat. His friend had refused to see the witch, saying he already had a broken heart and did not intend to make himself sadder by reminding himself of old times. So he hadn't invited her in. Marlene was sick, or depressed about her parent's death, Remus suspected, so it was just to be himself, Persephone, and Gideon Prewett. The older man was already there, and said he would meet them.

He apparated approximately ten seconds after Persephone Parkinson, and when he arrived at the foot of Diagon Alley, he was met with the body of a Slytherin witch he had known through Juliet at school. His breath hitched and he looked up to see a man in a mask, he grabbed his wand and fired, the mask came off to reveal Caius Avery. Her husband.

"Tell all the traitors, Lupin," he spoke, grinning. "Romilly, Greengrass, Black, that they're next. We'll get you all."

Remus tried to fire a spell at him, but the wizard apparated on the spot.

Black, it hadn't occurred to him that the death eaters did not know that Regulus was dead. He knew Narcissa did, but she could not have given up the details, or perhaps did not know them. That was a good thought. They knew Regulus was good.

He blinked at the lifeless body at his feet, Gideon jogging down the street to meet them, a concerned expression growing on his face.

"Lupin, mate?"

Remus didn't say anything and just kept staring. The girl who sat behind him in potions. The girl Sirius had claimed he loved. Juliet's best friend.

"Mate," Gideon said, swallowing as he looked at the body. 

"I came here ten seconds after her," Remus croaked. "They knew."

"How would they know?" Gideon asked, shaking his head.

"I don't know. He must have been waiting. They must have known."

"Did you see who it was?"

"Caius Avery,"  he said. "My year at school."

Gideon nodded and worked fast, taking the order's enchanted coins out of their pocket and tapping it with his wand.

"The headquarters, now."

"Juliet needs to know."

"What?"

"Romilly. Her best friend."

"Ah, okay," Gideon nodded. "You're her secret keeper?"

"The wards have been dropped," Remus breathed. "Until we all get protected houses, she's staying with McKinnon."

"Send a patronus, Marlene and Arabella will have been summoned. Make sure they bring Romilly."

Remus shakily held out his wand and conjured a patronus, his wolf.

Juliet, Sirius and Arabella held their breath at the sight of Persephone Parkinson's body, they weren't supposed to see it, but they did. The three held hands and Juliet blinked away tears, squeezing Arabella's hand as she sobbed. Regulus and Persephone, two of the bravest Slytherins, gone. 

"Someone leaked the patrolling timetable," Remus said plainly to the marauders, the Prewett's, and Dumbledore. "It can't have been a coincidence. It was Avery, that means something."

Arabella let out another sob at that, and Sirius put an arm around her, seemingly numb to emotion, but smelling of firewhiskey far stronger than he usually did.

"Are you suggesting a member of the order did, Remus?" Peter asked.

The man rolled his eyes, "no one else has it, do they?" He snapped.

James raised an eyebrow, "I know you've had a terribly traumatic day, but-"

"But nothing, we have a fucking leak."

"Chill out, Moony," Sirius said plainly.

"No, they said Bella is next, they said Jules is next. Someone fucking leaked it."

"Mr Lupin," Dumbledore said calmly, "we will investigate, of course. But with no proof, and only speculation, we must assume it was an extremely unfortunate coincidence."

Remus scoffed, "you're deluded if you think that-"

There were a few raised eyebrows and James stared in shock at the way the man had just spoken to their former headmaster, the greatest wizard alive.

Dumbledore sighed, "it's an emotional day for all."

Once back at Sirius and Remus' flat, the mood did not lighten. Lily had come to be with Juliet and Arabella, and the three witches sat on a small sofa, watching the marauders grow more and more frustrated with each other.

"Moony, just listen to Dumbledore, you stubborn git," Sirius groaned, sipping a glass of firewhiskey.

"Listen to yourself, Padfoot, it makes no fucking sense. He just doesn't want to accept we have a fucking leak-"

"We know everyone!" Sirius exclaimed. "Who do you suppose it is, then? 'Cos I'd say, out of everyone, it's gonna be our two Slytherins here-"

Juliet rolled her eyes, ignoring the man, her heart heavy. Sighing as Remus pulled his wand out.

"Say that again-"

Sirius groaned, head in his hands, "I obviously know it's not them. Just, come on, be rational."

"You're the one being irrational. There's a leak. Her fiance killing her is not a coincidence. And Avery has never been spotted before, he's careful. You loved her, Padfoot, you loved her and you're brushing her death off. Are you too cowardly-"

"Moony," James said, standing up and holding his hands up to the wizards, who both now had their wands drawn. "Don't."

"She goes back in a safe house," Remus said, gesturing to the dark haired witch behind him. "Tonight. He said she's next."

Sirius nodded at his friend bitterly, "I couldn't agree more. Andy said she can go back to the house whenever."

Juliet's eyes shot up, "that house was Andromeda's?"

Sirius nodded, his eyes not leaving Remus, "yeah. You can go back, tonight. I'll tell Moody."

"Thanks," Juliet said quietly.

"Bella too," Marlene nodded, "you should be together."

"Yeah, both the spies together," Arabella joked, earning a guilty look from Sirius.

"Sorry, bel," he said sheepishly.

"Why are you so against there being a leak?"  Remus snapped.

Juliet sighed and stood up, taking the man's arm. 

"Safe house, please? I just want to be with Bella."

He nodded, apparating the two witches without saying another word to his friends, silently sorting out wards as they arrived, and making himself secret keeper. Arabella was already inside, and Juliet watched him from the porch.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I should've been there for you. I should have been there for Penny-" he began, his voice breaking.

"It wasn't your fault," Juliet muttered. "Somehow, they were waiting. Go to Sirius, don't fight. There's a war."

He nodded and turned away, sensing her coldness.

"I'm sorry, Jules. I'll see you soon."