Following the events of the same universe where Juliet Potter and Remus Lupin fell in love, the insouciance has faded into misery as all parties prepare for the war, willing to pull any card to win a war from which none will truly come out victoriou...
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July 1978
"Andy, what's wrong?" Regulus was the first one to ask after he noticed his cousin's facial expression.
Juliet was starting to dread whatever she was going to say. The letter she had in hand came from South America, where Amos and their other friends had gone to.
So the letter Andromeda held in hand either came from South Africa where Remus and Pandora were, or South Asia where James and Sirius were.
"Dromeda?" Ted called, frowning.
"Um." Andromeda seemed to snap out of it. "Sirius, they're coming back."
Juliet immediately frowned and walked over. "Let me see."
As she took the letter to read it, Andromeda explained the content to the rest of the members. "Their group got followed and attacked by Death Eaters, they've made it out fine with minor injuries and have decided to abandon the quest and come back."
"Someone needs to tell Alice." Daphne immediately said.
"We don't know where she is, only Frank does." Juliet shook her head. "So, we don't have any losses?"
"Thankfully not," Andromeda confirmed.
"What about the rest of them?" Arthur asked.
"South America group is doing alright but the research is going nowhere. They've discovered a lot of things but nothing relatively close to helpful concerning Parseltongue. They will keep on searching until we call them back." Juliet went first.
"South Africa group think they have a lead," Regulus affirmed calmly. "They've heard rumours of an African tribe amongst which Wizards are hiding and they're planning to find out more about it."
It made Juliet anxious that it concerned her boyfriend's group but the fastest they'd know more, the sooner they could come home. There wasn't much they could do.
~
"Hey." Hope greeted Juliet as she went to sit down next to her in the backyard.
"Hi." Juliet greeted back.
"I don't think I've seen you at all since.. the funeral." The mother smiled sympathetically.
"Sorry about that, I had gone on a lone wolf mission." The girl smirked at her little joke.
Hope couldn't help but chuckle. She was so delighted that Remus had found himself a girl like her. So accepting and loving.
"Yes, well, surely that's something Remus would understand better than I would."
Juliet hummed.
"How are you holding up?"
"Me?" The brunette girl raised an eyebrow and watched as her boyfriend's mother nodded. "I don't like to sit down and think about it."
"That's not healthy, though, is it?"
"Probably not."
"You know. We, unmagical humans, have this thing called therapy."
"I know what therapy is, Hope." Juliet laughed.
"Good, maybe you should try it."
"And, how exactly do I tell a therapist about the hell I've been through since I was sixteen? 'Hey, doc! I was assaulted and harassed by crazy boys that don't know a thing about love in that wizard school I go to, and I jumped into my very first battle without a wand, just you know, kicking people around while my parents were out looking for little objects that hold the soul of a snake-looking piece of shit! Also, my parents are dead now. But I didn't have the time to even grieve them properly because I had to leave everyone I love and care about just to protect them and tried to continue my parents' mission but I got tortured, then I got rescued and I guess I'm fine now, but now it's what's left of my family that's in danger. So what do you say, a little potion for the ride?'"
Hope listened patiently until Juliet was done, and breathing in deeply as her expression dropped.
"Maybe I do need therapy."
"It's going to be okay." The mother patted her shoulder reassuringly before pulling the girl in for a long hug.
"I'm sorry. For dumping that on you. Half of these, you shouldn't even know about." Juliet whispered, she was getting teary-eyed. It felt as though the numbing feeling had just suddenly disappeared and now she only craved comfort.
"It's okay, I can pretend I never heard a thing." Hope let the girl cry silently in her arms, and she tried not to think of the horrible things she had mentioned, like the assault and the torture. Poor girl never got a break. "I know I'm not your mother, but I want you to know that you feel like my own, and you can rely on me."
That only made Juliet cry harder. She remembered the times she had spent at the Lupins because her mother was off saving the world, and she would spend time with Hope, thinking that she mothered her better than her own. She felt so guilty, if her mother ever knew she had felt that way, she would have been devastated.
When Juliet had calmed down, the two were just laying on the grass, watching the stars.
"Ladies, are you having a stargazing session without me? How dare you?" Andromeda teased, joining them.
"Hey, Andy. Where are Daphne and Molly?" Juliet asked.
"With the kids."
"Speaking of, you have an adorable little one." Hope complimented.
"Oh that one, she's a little devil, but she's bright, she'll be good." Andromeda smiled.
"I can't wait until I become a grandma!" She exclaimed joyously.
Juliet choked on her saliva and then laughed nervously. "Yeah, but that's in a long time. Right?"
