The winner takes it all

Difficult

The next morning both boys waited anxiously for Juliette to join the group at breakfast. She showed up fifteen minutes late, just enough time for everyone to be in the great hall and to be sure that Sirius and James would be there.

She stood in the entrance for a second and looked at them. James raised an eyebrow curiously. She just looked away blankly and began walking,

Straight to the Slytherin table.

She thought her favorite part about doing this would be the look on James's face. But really, it was the smirk on Barty's.

  "Morning Juliette?" Regulus said, next to her.
  "Morning Reggie, pass me the eggs would you?"
Dorcas scooted the plate towards her with the biggest grin and then chucked to Evan. She mumbled a thank you and began eating.

Her choice of seat didn't go unnoticed by anyone. There were whispers all around the room apart from others talking normally about other things.

She could feel James's eyes burning the back of her head, glaring at everyone at the table.
  "Are they looking?" She asked. Evan nodded with a huge smile.
  "Good." She replied wickedly.

"What the hell what that!" Lily asked. It was right after breakfast and Lily had called out to Juliette to make her stop.
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Juliette replied slyly.

"You sure as hell know what she means." Mary grabbed Jules arm and began walking with her.
"James and I got in a fight." The girl said simply.
"Do you sit with the Slytherin's when you fight now?" Asked lily.

Juliette moved her arm from Mary's grasp. "You don't understand." She said, "I'm so tired of everyone in my life trying to control me!" Lily and Mary almost looked hurt.
"Not you two of course... others, my parents, Sirius, James. I can't do it anymore... so I'm doing something I want to do."

Lily pulled her into the bathroom, Mary following them.
"We just don't want to see you getting hurt," started Lily, "or getting into more trouble than you already do." Added Mary.
"I won't." Juliette insisted. The have her a look. "I promise!" She laughed.

Juliette sat next to James in Transfiguration. That didn't occur to her until she began to walk into the classroom. He hadn't made it yet. Though it didn't matter to her at the moment. She sat in her usual seat.

James walked in late with Sirius.
"Mr. Potter and Sirius that is detention with me tonight." McGonagall said.
"Sorry professor." Sirius replied. They sat in two seats that were empty in the back of the room.

"Please sit in your assigned seats." She said.
  "I'd rather not." James replied.
  "Detention tomorrow as well Mr Potter."
James rolled his eyes with an agitated huff.

The class went on like usual. Juliette took notes and listened with intent while those behind her whispered.
The was a tapping coming from the back.
  "Whoever is making that noise I would ask you to please stop." McGonagall said, trying to face the room for a moment.

The noise didn't stop. It actually got louder.
  "James." She exclaimed, "Another day of detention!"
Suddenly James stood, grabbed his cloak and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

The sound made Juliette flinch and turn around to see Sirius looking directly at her. He looked sad, but so angry at the same time. It wasn't long before he stood and walked out to, making sure to slam the door as well.

People looked at her. Everyone knew why that left except for McGonagall.
"Back to work." She called out, catching the attention of the class.

This was only the start of so much more to come.

———

Jules walked with Dorcus to Astronomy.
"Would you like to talk about what happened this morning?" She asked.
"It's not really a long story. James and I got in a fight last night and I just wanted to piss him off." Replied Juliette.
"I think you did a good job." Dorcus chuckled.

Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Black, Rodolphus Lestrange, Bellatrix Black, and Walden MacNair stood in a group talking to one another when they caught sight of Juliette.

"Sallow! It about time you spend your days with the right people." Malfoy smirked.
"Whatever you say Lucius," she rolled her eyes. "MacNair." She said. He looked up. "Your shoe is untied." She pointed. When Walden looked down he saw that his shoe was in fact not untied. He did, however feel as if someone pushed him.

"You little-" he started but as he tried to stand he fell to the ground again, his shoelaces tied together. Juliette walked away laughing.

The class was over after an hour or so. Sleep called her name. This was a tiring day. Avoiding James and most of the others was exhausting. But she still had to get to her room.

The plan was to go in and head straight up the stairs into her dorm, no matter who said something or what happened.

" Fortuna major." She said to the painting guarding Gryffindor tower. The door swung open and Juliette walked in. To her surprise the common room was empty. But the universe hates her.

As she walked to the stairs she heard four voices coming down the stairs.
"I don't know wormtail! If she wants to I guess! But that's up to her! Not like she'll talk to me or anything!" James exclaimed.
"I was just wondering... you really don't know if your... you know... broken up?" Peter asked.
"Of course he doesn't know Wormy! She's infuriatingly difficult!" Sirius replied.

"Same to you!" She yelled at him. The group froze.
"Evening Jules." Remus said.
"Evening Moony," She replied. "How are you?"
"I'm well... and you?"
"Well... I've been better." She looked at James.
"Haven't we all." He replied.
"I'm off to bed... good night Remus, Goodnight Peter." She gave them a kind smile and began walking up the steps.

"Good luck in your quidditch match in a few weeks boys!" She called out.
It took them a second to understand what she was talking about but they soon realized. The Slytherin vs. Gryffindor match was in two weeks.