"Sticking up for mudbloods back there were you, Romilly?" Lucius said calmly as the group of Slytherin prefects sat in an empty compartment.
"Obviously not, Malfoy," she replied, rolling her eyes. "I just don't particularly want any of your bodily fluids anywhere near me, I'm sure none of us do-"
Narcissa unsuccessfully stifled a giggle at that and Juliet winked at her. Lucius had apparently had enough of the fifth year witch and simply shook his head before standing up, holding out a hand to Narcissa, and pulling her out of the carriage.
"What a prat," Juliet laughed to Regulus.
The boy smiled along with her but lowered his voice when he spoke, "you should be careful around Lucius, Jules. He's... "
Juliet rolled her eyes, "what? Dangerous? I'm a Romilly, he won't hurt me."
"If you stand against him he might," Regulus replied seriously.
Juliet began to laugh but stopped when she recognised the sincerity in what her friend was saying, "this is just a stupid school argument..." she said slowly, looking at the boy for confirmation.
Regulus smiled tightly and nodded, "of course it is, Jules. I'm just saying that as he gets older you need to be more careful around him, his family is incredibly powerful-"
"Do I need to start being more careful around you too then, Regulus Black?" She teased.
Her friend laughed, "of course not, Jules. But the Malfoys are in a far better position than my family anyway."
Juliet shrugged, "soon your family and the Malfoys will be one and the same, as soon as Lucius and Narcissa marry."
Regulus sighed and nodded.
"Not keen on Malfoy being a relative, Reggie?" She said with a grin.
"Not hugely, like I said, he'll always expect me to be on his side."
"It seems like you already are on his side," she commented quickly.
"Yes well," he started, before looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, just that you appear to have gotten closer to him since last year."
Regulus shrugged, "I'm older now, I'm sixteen next week, I guess they-"
"Well, Merlin, I'm sixteen tomorrow, are they going to try and recruit me too?"
Regulus paused for a moment and looked at Juliet quizzically, "recruit?" he asked.
She laughed, "yes, recruit me for whatever they want you for."
Regulus smiled tightly but said nothing.
"I'm just saying, you don't have to-"
"I'm a Black, Jules. Of course the older Slytherins are going to want to be my friend."
Juliet narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing, she had never heard him speak like that. As if he were higher, or more important than she was. Of course, in the traditional hierarchy of pureblood families, he was more important, but she thought that they both believed the system was antiquated. Something had certainly changed in her best friend over the summer, but she just wasn't sure what.
Neither friend spoke until the train came to a halt at the station.
"Come on then," Regulus said, picking up his own trunk in one arm, and Juliet's in the other.
"I do have arms, you know," she laughed as they stepped onto the platform.
Regulus was looking over his shoulder to talk to her as he stepped off and did not think to look around as he did so. Sirius Black bumped head first into his younger brother and watched as his eyes clouded over.
"Watch where you're fucking going," Regulus snarled under his breath.
Sirius laughed and made an "ooh," sound to James Potter and Remus Lupin, before leading them away from the Slytherins.
Juliet could not hear all of the words that Sirius had muttered to Potter and Lupin, but both she and Regulus heard the words "death eaters," being said. Juliet watched as Regulus' jaw clenched and she silently begged him not to cause a scene, it wouldn't do either of them any good to be in a fight on their first days as prefects. Her father had been so proud, it would be devastating to him if she was to lose the title.
"Do you want to say that again, blood traitor?" Regulus shouted after the boys, marching up to them.
"Reg..." Juliet started quietly.
"What's the matter, brother?" Sirius laughed, "Training for-"
"You haven't a clue what you're on about- you fucking coward-"
Sirius laughed and opened his mouth to speak but Juliet beat him to it.
"Black, if you want thirty points taken from Gryffindoor then carry on, if not, I'd suggest you shut up."
Sirius smirked and looked at Remus, "ah, Romilly, thankfully I have a prefect of my own right here," he said smugly. Remus shifted where he stood a little and stared ahead awkwardly.
Juliet caught his eye and smirked, before looking back to Sirius. "Something tells me that Lupin here won't take points unprovoked," she laughed.
"He will-"
"No, Sirius," Remus said and Juliet chuckled.
"Are you fucking- whatever," he said, beginning to walk away, "let's go boys."
"Thanks," Regulus muttered to his friend.
"Don't worry about it, why did they-"
"Don't worry about it," Regulus said quickly.
The three Gryffindoors trailed behind the two Slytherins up the path to the carriage, when they arrived they found only one remained and Juliet groaned.
"You have to be fucking kidding me-" she heard Sirius saying behind.
"Let's just get on," James said, quickening his pace, "leave them here, they can bloody walk-"
"They're enchanted-," Sirius snapped back, "they know that there's still students here- they won't leave- Merlin- do you know nothing Potter?"
The Gryffindoors caught up to the Slytherins who had already squashed themselves into the corners of the carriage, Remus hadn't spoken a word and circled the carriage multiple times. In all his years at Hogwarts, he had never seen anything pulling them, the beasts were huge and beautiful. He looked up at his friends in confusion, wondering why they weren't as shocked as he was, only to find that they were looking back at him with an equally puzzled look.
"Today, Lupin," Juliet Romilly said in a bored voice. "I don't fancy sitting here all night."
Remus clambered into the carriage and sat beside James, who was next to Regulus, whilst Sirius stared disgustingly at Juliet, who he was next to.
"What are these things?" He asked in awe, turning to James.
James laughed a little and met Sirius' eye, "what are what, mate?"
"Pulling the carriages," he asked, looking at Sirius. Juliet's eyes shot up and she raised an eyebrow and smirked a little.
Regulus, however, was far less subtle and burst out laughing, "Merlin, Sirius, I knew your friends were thick, but I didn't know that they were insane too-"
Sirius and James both ignored the Slytherin prefect and looked at their friend with a concerned expression, "you feeling alright, Moony?"
"Loony more like," Regulus snorted and Juliet grinned slightly but said nothing.
"I'm fine, I- can't you see them?" Remus asked, looking around the carriage. His two friends muttered their responses and Regulus shook his head, still wearing a huge smirk. When he looked at Juliet she was looking between him, and where he saw the beasts, with one eyebrow raised.
"Loony-" Regulus started, but Sirius cut him off.
"So, darling brother, what did you spend your summer doing? Being recruited?"
Juliet looked up quickly at Sirius' choice of wordage, remembering her earlier conversation with his brother. Regulus stayed stoic and showed no sign of getting annoyed.
"Father was working, and I studied and spent time at the Malfoy's."
James coughed a little and met Remus' eye, the wizard nodded and Juliet wished she could understand what they were saying to each other.
"Yeah? Orion was working, was he? Wonder what he was planning-"
"Probably working on getting his blood traitor son removed from any sort of inheritance plans," Juliet said coolly.
Sirius clutched his heart, "that would be devastating, Romilly. Tell me, what were you doing? Fraternizing with the Malfoy's also?"
"My father was working-"
"Surprise," James snickered and Remus laughed along.
"I don't know what-"
"Come on, Jules, we're here," Regulus said, standing up and offering the girl his hand, she took his hand and gave him a confused expression at why he seemed so desperate to get out of the conversation.
"Bye Reggie!" Sirius shouted cheerily.
"Bye Jules!" James exclaimed after him, Juliet turned around and put a finger up at the group, before following Regulus into the castle.
Juliet joined Arabella, Persephone and Ophelia at the Slytherin table in the great hall, the three girls were discussing their summers, and the lavish holidays which each of them had taken.
Ophelia, as always, had been in America visiting her cousins who attended Ilvermorny, she reminded the girls that she had connections to the wizarding world in America as often as she could. Apparently the boys there were better, kinder, and smarter, Juliet had to hold in a laugh when she said that Regulus was the only contender.
Persephone and Arabella had both been in France - ("only France?" Ophelia had said, scrunching up her nose in disgust,) and both seemed to be fairly happy to be back at Hogwarts, just as Juliet was. Ophelia, however, was finding an increasing number of faults with the school the more years she spent there.
"It's getting ridiculous," she scoffed, looking around the hall as the hat sorted the first years.
"What is?" Juliet asked, twiddling a strand of hair through her fingers.
"This fucking school!" She exclaimed. Juliet caught Arabella's eye and rolled her eyes, the girl smirked.
"What's wrong with it, Pheels?" Persephone asked, Juliet smirked at the pet name, knowing how much it would stir up Ophelia.
"Don't call me that, Penny," she hissed. "My name is Ophelia, Ophelia Rosier."
"Is it?" Juliet said sarcastically.
"Sorry, Jules," Ophelia replied, smirking as she watched the girl's expression turn sour. "Only Regulus is allowed to call you that, I forgot."
"Jealous, Rosier?"
"You'll be married to my brother, which leaves Regulus ready for the taking, so no, not really."
"I won't-"
Arabella rolled her eyes, and begun to speak. After years of putting up with the bickering between the two girls, she had come to spot when she ought to put an end to it.
"What were you saying about Hogwarts, Ophelia?" She interrupted.
The witch laughed, "look at the place, full of mudbloods and blood traitors, it's disgusting. Dumbledore is an old fucking fool."
Persephone laughed a little and Juliet rolled her eyes.
"So, if it were your way-"
"Hogwarts is a fine institution," Ophelia interrupted, "Slazar Slytherin himself helped found it, but it should be kept for the elite. The best of the best. Us."
"You mean the sacred twenty eight?" Arabella asked.
"Indeed," she grinned.
Juliet laughed, "if they'd done that, families all start to become entangled. Inbreeding may be your thing, Rosier, but it certainly isn't my families."
Arabella and Persephone dissolved into giggles at their friend's comment, but Ophelia glared at Juliet defiantly.
"Watch what you say about my family, Romilly."
"Or what, Rosier?"
At the Gryffindoor table, the marauders, save Remus, were being predictably loud and Lily Evans was trying her best to shut them up.
James and Sirius had started flicking food at each other the moment the hat had finished sorting, and Peter was squealing like a pig beside them. The whole hall watched, some in amusement, some in disgust, however, the more disgusted Slytherins that reacted, the more the marauders carried on.
Remus, however, was trapped in his mind. All he could think about was the beasts pulling the carriage. Was he going mad? That could happen to muggles, after trauma, he'd heard. But he thought he was stronger than that. And anyway, his dad dying wasn't really traumatic-
"Fucking look-" Sirius growled, snapping him out of his trance. Remus followed his friend's eye line to see Regulus Black, sat with Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, and Barty Crouch Jr.
"Do you think-" Peter started.
"Shut up, Pete, I'm trying to listen-"
Remus laughed, "you're not going to hear them from here you dickhead-"
Sirius groaned, "I preferred it when he sat with bloody Romilly, she might be a bitch but at least she's harmless."
Remus shook his head, "I don't think she is harmless, not for much longer anyway. There's something going on with her and Rosier-"
"Hot," James said with a stupid grin, nodding at Sirius who looked equally as eager.
"Evan Rosier," Remus corrected, smirking at his two friends.
Sirius dramatically threw his fork onto his plate, "I've lost my appetite. How'd you know that Moony?"
"Prefects' talk-"
"Prefects' talk," James mocked, pretending to polish a badge on his cloak.
"Why would she go for Evan?" Peter grumbled absentmindedly. "He's so ugly."
Remus burst out laughing and put an arm over Wormtail's shoulders, "jealous, mate?"
"Become a death eater, you may have a chance then," Sirius said with a smirk.
"Nah, I don't think they'd have him," James said, shaking his head.
"I am pretty useless," Peter replied with a grin.
"At least you know it, mate." Remus laughed, patting his friend's back jokingly.
"We need to prank them good this year," Sirius said.
"Who?"
"Fucking hell, Pete," James said. "The Slytherins!"
Lily Evans looked up from where she sat beside Marlene McKinnon, "you will not be doing any pranking whilst you're a prefect, Remus."
Remus nodded sarcastically, "of course not, Lil."
"You're such a strong woman, Lily flower," James said.
The girl shook her head and threw him a disgusted look before turning back to her food.
"That was a compliment," James shouted over to her. "It was a compliment," he said seriously to the boys.
Remus shook his head and completely ignored his friend, "shouldn't we be focusing on the map-"
"James and I nearly finished it over summer," Sirius started. Remus' heart sank a little, he wished he had been there for the summer. "But, Moony, it's up to you to find the remaining passages- on your patrols-"
"My dad told us about another, he's so easy to wear down-" James laughed and Sirius nodded his head eagerly. "From Honeydukes to the school, we'll use my cloak to check it out when we're in Hogsmeade."
"I can't find bloody passages when I'm with Lily," Remus whispered, trying not to catch the attention of the girl.
"You get to patrol with her?" James asked sadly.
"Sometimes- sometimes it's with other houses-"
"I wish I was a prefect," James grumbled.
Sirius laughed and slapped his friend's back, "so, pranks boys, ideas, lay them on me."
A/N THIS is once again gonna be so slow burn wow.