𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝕬𝖓𝖉 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖊𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖉
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Summer 1975
"Boys! Hope! The twins are here!" Lyall Lupin announced as they stepped out of the fireplace.
Juliet was looking around when quick footsteps were making their way to them. The Lupins' house was very lovely, cozy and seemed welcoming. It was smaller than the Potters' but she didn't mind at all, she liked it better.
Big houses created a sentiment of loneliness in her, which was why despite the fact that her brother's friends tend to annoy her, she still enjoyed having them over.
"Oh, hello my dears!" Hope greeted then with a wide smile, pulling Juliet in for a hug.
While in the woman's embrace she could see James snicker and immediately knew what it was about, and hence glared at him.
"Hello, Mrs. Lupin." They said simultaneously.
"Hate to disappoint, but I'm the only deer here." James said after the mother also embraced him.
The brunette woman looked between the two with a confused frown making Juliet chuckle awkwardly. "It's an inside joke."
"Oh, I see." She nodded, a smile making its way back to her face. "Peter and Remus are in my son's room, feel free to join them."
"Sirius isn't here yet?" James asked.
The couple exchanged a glance. "It seems the Black family has a busy schedule so, um..." Lyall explained after clearing his throat.
Juliet watched the long face her brother pulled and nudged him playfully. "Come on, you won't die because you didn't see him for a week or two. Write to him frequently and it'll be like he's right here with us."
Immediately cheered up, James rushed upstairs after mumbling that this would be exactly what he will do.
Lyall Lupin followed, probably going to his own room, and Juliet was left with Hope.
"Do you like Fruit Fool?" The woman asked joyfully.
~
It was no wonder Remus Lupin was such a kind soul. He seemed to have inherited it from his mother. The brunette girl just experienced the woman feeding adorable little stray kittens while she was enjoying her dessert -that she was apparently eating as an appetizer. Funny.
"We wanted to take them in. But they got scared of Remus, must be the werewolf in him-" She gasped, looking at Juliet in shock.
The girl stayed confused for a second before she realised. "Oh, no, don't worry, I know about it." She reassured.
"Wait, you do?" Hope seemed surprised by the news.
"I found out accidentally, but yeah." Juliet nodded with a small smile.
"You're okay with it?" There seemed to be a sparkle in Hope's eyes for a moment for some unknown reason.
"Of course." She shrugged.
And out of the blue, she was pulled into a hug. Juliet looked at the petite woman squeezing her and noticed how she was trembling.
"Mrs. Lupin, are you alright?" She worried. A nod. The brunette patted the woman's back in hope to comfort her.
When she pulled away, the mother cupped the girl's face in her hands and Juliet could now see her tear stained cheeks. "You are the best thing that could have ever happened to him." She told her.
"I'm sorry?" The blue-eyed girl asked softly, confusion evident on her face.
"Juliet!" Their discussion was interrupted by the three boys coming down the stairs.
"Hey Remus, Peter." She smiled at them.
"Sorry we took so long to come down, Remus insisted that he had to look presentable." Peter quickly said.
"You rat!" The taller boy smacked the blonde's arm.
"Hey, don't blame him, you're the one who wanted to look good for the pretty girl, lover boy." James teased and Peter snickered.
A wide-eyed Remus looked over at Juliet to see that she was trying to hide her blushing by looking anywhere but at them.
"Alright, enough with the teasing you four, help me out with dinner instead, will you?" Hope jumped in, making the girl mouth a 'thank you' her way and she winked.
~
"Thank you for the meal Mrs. Lupin!" Juliet smiled politely, getting up to help the woman wash the dishes.
"Oh, no, no, you don't. Remus, honey, why don't you show Juliet around while the boys help me?" Hope turned to her son who nodded.
Peter was about to complain when James nudged him with a wide grin. "Yes, yes, go, we'll help Moony's mum."
When making their way up the stairs, Juliet suspiciously watched the tall boy. "Should I be worried?"
"About what?" He looked back at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Am I about to get pranked?"
His confused frown was soon overthrown by a mischievous smirk. "Well, wouldn't you like to know?" He teased before stopping in front of a specific door.
"Yes, yes, I would like to know. That's why I'm asking." She squinted her eyes at him. "I'm not getting in there."
"Why not?"
"I saw James' devil-like grin. He's preparing something. I'm not getting in there."
"I wanted to be a gentleman and let you in first though." He leaned closer.
"And I say peg the patriarchy, now get in." She demanded, also leaning in.
At that point they were five centimeters away and did not care at all. They studied each other's faces before Remus finally stepped back and went to open the room's door.
"Very well." He said, entering the room.
She waited for something to jump at his face patiently and when it never happened, she hesitantly stepped inside.
After processing the objects surrounding her, she turned back to him. "Is this your room?" She asked with the ghost of a smile, though knowing the answer.
"That obvious, huh?" He snickered.
"No, I would have never guessed! It's not like the perfectly neat room, the folded sweaters on the bed, and the extremely huge library don't scream Remus Lupin! At all!" She stated sarcastically, making him laugh.
There it is again. The weird feeling in my stomach. Did I eat too much?
"Alright, alright." He nodded in defeat, sitting on his chair.
After a minute or two of watching the books on the shelves, which were mostly muggle ones that she really wanted to read, she made her way to him and sat on his desk, facing him.
"I like your room." She finally declared and he almost sighed in relief but stopped himself in time.
"Yeah?" He said instead.
Juliet nodded. "It's very Remus-like."
He could feel his heartbeat's pace quicken. She liked the room because it was Remus-like. Does that mean she liked him?
"Also those are adorable." She pointed at three little plants laying on his desk.
Remus smiled but it fell immediately when he saw her reach out to touch them. "No, wait! That's a-"
"Ouch!" She retrieved her hand in a hurry.
"Cactus." He finished with a chuckle. "Let me see."
He took her smaller hand in his, looking for a wound, and feeling reassured once he saw none.
Lifting his head, he found himself nose-to-nose with her. Literally. And did not feel the rush to pull away, at all.
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yes, I'm cruel :)