romeo and juliet | harry potter

X: Curiosity rises

The morning after the Masquerade Ball came and most students from fourth year upwards were late getting up but that didn't matter because it was the weekend. James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were lying on the floor of the Gryffindor common room with throbbing headaches. Sirius' mask was askew and James had lipstick marks littering his cheeks. Remus looked generally tired and so did Peter, but Remus looked worse.

Sirius was the first to wake up. He held his head as he sat up and put his back against the wall opposite the fireplace. He sighed and tried to remember the events of the previous night. He remembered that it was the Masquerade Ball and that he met someone but not much after that. What happened with this mystery girl and would he ever see her again. Sirius stood up, feeling a sudden urge of urgency to find this girl, and walked briskly to the Great Hall.

The halls were relatively quiet at this time in the morning as most people were either still sleeping or outside sitting around enjoying the sun whilst it lasted. Although it was freezing, there were still small rays of sun and in October, you would make the most of the limited sun. He walked down the stairs, his hand brushing over the banister and veered off towards the Great Hall. Only a few people were sitting at their house tables but he spotted a few Gryffidors he recognised.

"Hey Lily," He said, still holding his head.

Lily turned to look at him, her hair poking out at various angles and her hair still in the plait it had been at the Ball. Sirius grinned at her slightly.

"Save it, Black. I already know that I look a mess. Where's James?" She asked.

"You mean your boyfriend? He's lying on the floor of the Gryffindor common room passed out from last night along with Peter and Remus." He said.

She nodded and dashed off to the common room hurriedly. Sirius shrugged and sat where Lily was previously, opposite Marlene and Mary and next to Alice.

"So Sirius, who was the mystery girl you were with last night? You made quite an impression on the rest of us," Marlene smirked.

"I have no idea what happened last night if I'm being honest so can you tell me what happened?" Sirius asked, desperation lingering in his voice.

"Well this girl in a big red dress with black hair came down these stairs and you asked for her hand then you got drinks. After that, you went to dance in the middle of the Hall and then James and Lily joined in. It was all really cute! I remember you both falling over then the mystery girl whispering something in your ear. After that, I didn't see you around until your performance at the end of the Ball when McGonagall kicked you out," Marlene laughed.

Sirius nodded thoughtfully, gazing out then his eyes went wide and he fell back of the bench.

"Ow..." He muttered, rubbing his back then he sprung back up. "I think I know who she is. Last night, I asked her if she could give me an initial of her name and I engraved it into a tree along with mine. I can't remember it but I know the exact spot I wrote it in." Sirius said, eyes wide still.

Marlene, Mary and Alice looked excitedly at each other and they all left the Hall together. They all walked down the corridor towards the grounds then Sirius broke out in a run. He took something out of his pocket which was a piece of paper coloured half in green and half in red. The initials SB were in one side and the initials JW were opposite. Sirius stopped suddenly and blinked.

"What is it, boy?" Alice giggled.

"Juliet," He said simply.

"What about her?" Mary frowned.

"It was Juliet," He said, eyes glassy.

"No, it couldn't-" Marlene started.

"Think about it for a minute, though Marlene."

"Sirius, Juliet wouldn't be caught dead in a red dress. Besides, she doesn't have black hair and she isn't that care-free. I think I would've known if that little bitch was getting cosy with you," Marlene said.

"She dyed her hair then!" Sirius shrieked then whispered to Marlene only. "This may sound crazy, but I love her."

"That does sound crazy. Does she even know?"

"I don't think so, although James did yell my name to get my attention and I looked..." Sirius frowned.

"There's only one way to find out if it's her or if it's just your lovestruck mind playing tricks on you. You need to go to her and ask her something only she would know from that night," Alice chimed in.

"I know exactly what to do, but I can't do it now. I have to do it this evening when she leasts expect it."

"And what are you doing to do?" Mary asked out of curiosity.

"I'm going to ask her what I told her before I left the black lake."

Throughout the day, Juliet couldn't stop thinking about Sirius Black. No matter how hard she tried to push the memories out of her mind, they just kept flooding back and brought feelings of dread and misery not anger and regret. She did love him, that she was certain of, but she couldn't act on it. She knew her parents had already arranged a marriage with her and Paris so love between Sirius and Juliet would be impossible. She wasn't even sure Sirius liked her.

She had spent the whole morning cleaning out black dye from her blonde hair and it had eventually come out but her hair was slightly darker than it had originally been. She knew it was him, she was sure of it. He chose the initial 'B' for Black. It was obvious.

During the day, she didn't do much except follow Martha around in utter silence. She didn't talk, she just thought. In the evening, she wanted to go over to Sirius and say something but if she did it would make her seem like a fool and she didn't want to come across like that. She didn't want to end up like Sirius either. A blood traitor, burned from his family tapestry like he had never existed. Like Orion and Walburga Black had one son not two. In the evening, she sat on the window sill thinking when she saw a pebble knock her window. She looked outside.

No one there.

She looked away and something else hit the window. She sighed and then opened the window to climb out onto the balcony. She glanced around and then noticed the figure of Sirius Black slowly being revealed.

"What happens if someone sees you, idiot!?" Juliet shrieked.

"Idiot? I thought it was handsome prince last night?" Sirius said, raising an eyebrow.

She went from slightly rosy to brick red with embarrassment.

"Don't worry beautiful princess, I'm not here to embarrass you. I just wanted to ask you something and it's about what I said before I left last night."

"What are you getting at?"

"What did I saybefore I left in the evening by the black lake?"

"Why do I need to-"

"Just answer the bloody question, I just want to find out if you were the one!" Sirius said urgently, looking around.

"Close together or far apart, you'll always have a place in my heart." Juliet recited, slowing down towards the end to watch Sirius smile happily in the moonlight.

"You're the one."