The winner takes it all

Slug Club

The day was not easy. Headaches and nausea had it out for her. James would check on the girl any chance he got. She felt better as the night came closer.

Right before dinner Juliette needed to use the bathroom, making sure she wasn't going to be sick and to splash a bit of water in her face.
"Hello Juliette." A third year girl, named, Ella said.
"Hey Ella, how are your studies?" She asked.
"Good, and yours."
"Good thanks for asking."
Ella nodded and left the room after washing her hands.

Juliette looked in the mirror. She was pale and her eye bags had eye bags. She wasn't even sure she had brushed her hair this morning. By the looks of it, no.

Marlene walked in after a minute.
  "Me too." She groaned. Juliette looked at her and smile a bit. Both girls looked like they were hit with a bus and every wheel got them.
  "Where did you go? You weren't in your bed this morning."
  "James, he let me stay in the boys dorm."

Marlene raised an eyebrow,
  "Did you two-?" She asked suggestively.
  "No! Not while I was drunk, he would never." She blushed. Marlene laughed,              
  "good."
They heard someone walking into the bathroom, praying it wasn't a teacher.
"You two look like shit." Dorcus chuckled.
"We're hungover." Juliette replied.
"I know, me too."

"Bullshit." Marlene replied.
"You think I'm lying McKinnon?" Dorcus smirked.
"Yeah, that's why I call bullshit." Marlene replied, stepping slightly closer to the girl. Juliette suddenly felt uncomfortable in the room with the two.
"Dorcus! Let's go!" Barty yelled from the hallway.
"I should go." Dorcus said, "see you McKinnon. My offer still stands Juliette."

"What offer?" Marlene asked after Dorcus had left.
"She told me that I should hang out with her and her friends sometime." Juliette washed her hands.
"You should, James and Sirius would love that." Marlene replied sarcastically. Juliette laughed in response.

———

It was eating at her. This deep longing to spend at least an hour with Regulus and the others. She felt guilty for it too. She had told herself that she would never want to be their friend, that was before she really knew them, other then the New Year's parties hosted by her parents, they would all attend.

Tonight was Slughorns dinner. Juliette didn't know what to expect as she stood outside of the room. She took a deep breath and walked in.
"Miss Sallow! How lovely for you to come! Please sit." Said Professor Slughorn from his chair at the head of the table. She sat next to Lily.
"Thank you for inviting me."

"We were just discussing Miss Evans parents, there muggles you know." He said excitedly.
"Yes I know." She replied kindly.
"What about your parents?" He asked.
Her heart felt like it stopped beating yet it was beating very hard.
"Mostly everyone knows them, I assure you Professor. My father works at the Ministry."

Regulus was looking at her with a slight smile of pity. He knew her parents, she knew his.
"What about your ancestry?" He asked.
"My mother is French and my father is Scottish, I had his accent for a while when I was younger but it's faded the more I attend Hogwarts." She explained.
"How interesting." He replied, then quickly moved on to another person, bombarding them with questions.

She picked at her food, the reminder of her parents existence awakened the things they would say, the things they expected from her.

Lily bumped her shoulder. When Juliette came out of her trance she noticed everyone looking at her.
"Yes?" She asked.
"I was wondering if you knew some other students that I had thought about inviting, Lucius Malfoy? Perhaps?" Slughorn asked.
"I know of him, we've never been friends though."

Anyone mistaking her for being friends with that white haired git made her almost throw up. Being friends with Evan Rosier was different that being friends with Rodolphus Lestrange like being friends with Belatrix black was different than being friends with Regulus Black.

Dessert was delicious. Pandora intrigued everyone with a colorful story about some creatures she stumbled upon one day last year.
  "What a delightful adventure!" Exclaimed Slughorn. "I'm afraid this night must come to an end, there will be a letter delivered to each person who I have decided will attend further meetings and events hosted by me for this exclusive club, i hope you all have a great night and don't be late for classes tomorrow." He announced, then dismissed them from the room.

Everyone had left the room before Juliette and a few others. She waited in the hall for one particular boy.
  "Reggie." She said to catch his attention. He stopped and gave her a slight smile approaching the girl. "Hi Pandora." She greeted.
  "Hello Juliette, you look lovely." She touched the girls hair.
  "Thank you," she replied. Pandora left the two alone.

Juliette engulfed him into a hug
  "How are you?" She asked eagerly.
  "I'm ok, and you?"
  "I'm fine, James and I-"
"I know." He smiled at her. She gave him a smile.
  "I should probably go. I just wanted to make sure your ok." She hugged him again.
  "Is there anything you want me to tell Sirius?"
  "Umm..... I'm not, sure." He hesitated, "yeah, there was a picture In his room, I took it."
Juliette nodded and left him.

"Wait, Jules!" He called out after her in the hallway before she got too far.
  "Yeah?" She asked. He hugged her again,
  "I love you." He said simply.
  "I love you too." She began to tear up. She sighed and went back to the common room.

"Hey love, how'd it go?" James asked, taking a swig of what she assumed was fire whiskey.
  "Good." She replied simply, giving him a kiss. Definitely fire whiskey. She walked over to Sirius and whispered in his ear. He smiled and said a quintet "thank you."

She looked at the coffee table in the middle of them all.
  "What are you planning?" She asked, gesturing to the Marauders map.
  "Nothing really, we just get curious at times, wondering where everyone is and what there doing." Peter replied. She hummed and sat in James's lap.
  "So you can't mind your business?" She asked with a smirk.
  "Never." Sirius smiled.

James held her close to him, breathing in the scent of jasmine, vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon. It intoxicated him, the mix of alcohol and her sitting on him. He wrapped his arms around her waist tighter while the group talked. She leaned back, exhausted from the day.
  "Alright love?" She asked.
  "Yeah." He whispered and kissed her shoulder.