Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood make civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of... star-crossed lovers take th...
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Dinner that ensued that evening couldn't have felt more awkward for Sophie's family. The only people that were talking at the table were Sophie's father and Grandfather. The thirteen year-old girl didn't look up from her plate of food that evening whilst her mother kept glancin up at them both. Eventually, Sophie's Grandmother decided to talk.
"It's a nice area you live in, Pandora." Sophie's Grandmother commented. "Much better than our old house you grew up in."
"Thank you, Mum." Sophie's mum replied nervously.
"I was at the bus stop this morning for school, as per usual, and I started speaking to this man. He said his name was Neville Longbottom."
At this, Sophie's Mum dropped her fork.
"Know anything about him. When I mentioned the name Frank Longbottom, I disappeared. Turned the corner and vanished. He also told me he was getting on a purple bus." Sophie said. "Can anyone explain this to me?"
Everyone remained in utter silence except Sophie's father who had no clue what was going on.
"No? Didn't think so. If anyone wants me, I'll be in my room. Goodnight."
And with that, Sophie ran off to bed full of resentment for her family.
*******************
"Is there any way you can get rid of the mark? Maybe with some hot, soapy water?" Sirius asked Juliet.
"Hot, soapy water? It's not a stain, Sirius, it's permanent. I've heard stories of how ex-death eaters have gotten rid of them. It's not pretty..." she sighed.
"There has to be something we could do, something I could do for you."
Juliet just shook her head in hopelessness. She looked over the wonky bridge and sighed.
"Would you do anything for me?"
"Of course I would, why do you ask?" Sirius frowned.
"Would you give your life for me if that's what it took for me to be safe?" Juliet said, her tone of voice wavering as she spoke.
"Without a doubt." Sirius stated.
"Would you become a death eater on order to protect me?" Juliet said in a whisper to stop herself from bursting into tears.
Silence ensued.
"No, I wouldn't." He said solemnly.
Juliet nodded in understanding then bowed her head. Pulling her hair behind her ears, she perched over the edge of the bridge and and sighed.
"I could do it, you know."
"Do what?" He asked sceptically.
"I could jump." Juliet said, fixated on what lay at the bottom of the hill.
"No. If you decided to jump, I'd be there to, either catch you, or jump with you. A world without you in it would be unbearable." Sirius said.
Seeing Juliet's concerned face made him think for a minute.
"I'll find a way out of this, even if it's the last thing I do."
"Wouldn't that beat the whole point of fixing everything if you're dead. Then everything won't be fixed." Juliet explained.
"Not necessarily..." He trailed off then shook his head, turning back to reality. "Anyway, I've got to go and see James and Remus. We have plans this evening."
"What plans?"
"We're sneaking into Honeydukes." He said seamlessly although he felt bad for lying to Juliet. "You wouldn't want to come."
"Oh, okay." She said disappointedly. "See you, then."
"Goodbye, Juliet." Sirius said glumly.
Rather depressing conversation, he thought. We had to talk about death eaters and suicide. Great.
On the way to the Gryffindor common room, he passed a few students such as Martha and Newt together, Wendy walking out of Professor Dumbledore's office looking as pale as a sheet, Amos Diggory wearing a multicoloured boy tie that made him look very similar to a clown and a group of Ravenclaw students walking by. Unfortunately, Sirius had not accounted for speaking to his brother today so when he was tapped on the shoulder, he was taken aback slightly.
"What do you want?" He said harshly. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else. Wait - I'm supposed to be mad at you! Go away, betrayer!"
Clearly the words stung sixth year Regulus as he recoiled from Sirius.
"Look, i know I'm not supposed to be here but I need to tell you something. It's urgent." Regulus said frantically.
"No. If it was urgent, you would have told your parents and all your relatives. It can wait." Sirius grimaced.
"They're your parents too, Sirius Orion Black!" Regulus said angrily. "You know what, I'm glad that I'm not telling you this because the world would be so much better without you in it!" He spat.
Sirius looked at his brother with anger but it quickly faded as the words that he had just said hit him like a ton of bricks.
"No...I didn't mean that..." Regulus said.
"Then what did you mean?!" Sirius roared then turned his back on his brother.
"I don't want you to die, Sirius..." Regulus whispered in the dark of the corridor after his brother. "I'm sorry."
*******************
"Sophie, can I come in?" Pandora asked.
"Go away, mum." Sophie moaned into her pillow. "Unless you want to be truthful to me about...life then go away. Please."
Pandora Austen-James pushed open the door to her daughters bedroom which was rather messy. What had been a bright pink on her walls had now been covered with posters of various bands and music posters. Sophie's mum sat on her bed next to her and sighed.
"We don't tell you things for a reason. It's to protect you, protect you from the truth. You wouldn't believe it even if we told you."
"I think I could handle it." Sophie said sourly. "But if you really think I can't handle the truth, tell me bit by bit, start small and get bigger."
"Fine then." Pandora said, racking her brain for some small, unknown fact about herself that her daughter didn't know. "Okay then, when I was younger I didn't have any parents until your Grandma and Grandad adopted me because something bad happened to my real parents."
"What happened to you parents, mum?"
Pandora took a deep breath and whispered. "I killed them."
