August 31st, '91
Juliet awkwardly fiddled with her Jumper as she sat at the kitchen table in her and James Roberts' flat. Her friend had gone to collect Annie, apparently she was staying here more permanently as she tried to find a job. Tomorrow for Juliet meant back to Hogwarts, it meant seeing Harry Potter, her godson, for the first time since he was an infant. That was a thought for tomorrow, something that she refused to dwell on. Dumbledore had asked her if she wanted the boy to be told about her position as his godmother, she had refused.
When she heard footsteps and laughter coming up the stairs her breath hitched, bracing herself. She heard a male voice mutter her name outside the door and a slight female gasp.
Anne stepped into James' flat for the first time since well before summer. Juliet had been away and so she had stayed, but when she returned James had wanted to respect her boundaries. And there she was. The woman that had occupied so many of her thoughts, so many of Remus' thoughts, for years. Annie wasn't a witch, and if they hadn't have told her, she wouldn't have guessed Remus or James were wizards, but magic seemed to ooze from the dark haired woman. Even as a muggle, she couldn't explain it, or understand it, but she just knew she was magical.
Juliet stared at Anne, taking her in, with James giving her a slight nervous nod from behind. The muggle was very pretty, it had to be said. She wore trendy clothes, and her face was lightly covered in makeup. The witch stood up, and offered a hand out.
"Juliet," she smiled.
Anne faltered, but then smiled back shakily, "Anne."
"Cup of tea anyone?" James asked, when both witches nodded Juliet watched with intrigue as he bustled around the kitchen, doing everything the muggle way. He hadn't done this with her all summer, and she supposed it was the Anne effect. She wondered if Remus did the same.
Anne looked at the witch hesitantly, there was a certain air about her. Remus had told her that she had been rich, popular, and powerful, and she could sense that now. She was a fair bit taller than her, with striking eyes and dark hair. Her skin was pale compared to her tan and Anne began to understand, as she realised how different they were.
"Please, sit," Juliet smiled, taking a seat at the table. "How was your journey?"
"A nightmare," she replied. "Trains are all so bloody slow from where I'm from. Had to change three times."
Juliet grinned a little and Anne noticed her eyes sparkle and softened a little.
"A couple of my girlfriends and I, witches, of course, back in our final year. We were trying to meet our mates down south- Cornwall, if you know it?"
"Yeah, never been. Rem- I've heard a lot about it."
"Well, the three of us were brought up pureblood, we tried getting the train only from London to Cornwall. Took us nine bloody hours," she laughed, remembering her frustration at Arabella.
"A normal - sorry - muggle train?"
Juliet smiled widely at Anne, "yeah, a muggle train. It was New Years Eve as well-"
"Gosh, I'll bet London was hellish."
"You're right, it was," she replied, accepting a mug from James who hovered awkwardly.
"You alright, love?" Anne asked, looking up at him.
"I'm needed at work..."
"It's okay," Anne smiled, squeezing his hand where it rested on her shoulder. "Go. We'll be fine!"
James glanced to Juliet who smiled and nodded, "duty calls."
"I'm not really sure what he does," Anne remarked once he left. "But he sure does work a lot."
Juliet hummed, "he has an important job. He's an auror, a dark wizard, or magic catcher."
"From what Rem- sorry."
Juliet smiled kindly, "you can say his name, Anne. It's okay."
"From what Remus told me I thought there wasn't a lot of dark magic going around anymore."
"Yeah, there isn't really."
Anne stared at her drink her tea in silence and her heart swelled a little. This was who Remus had been missing. This was the woman she had felt jealous of for years, who she had forced herself to hate. Juliet looked at her thinking the same, this was who Remus had been with. Who had replaced her. She'd wondered for a while, yet here she was, in the flesh.
"Thank you," Juliet eventually said, after mutual agreements to open a bottle of wine.
Anne cocked her head.
"I've only seen Remus once since... everything. He seemed more well than I expected. I daresay that's down to you. And now I'm watching you make James incredibly happily. Really, he practically bounces off the wall every time he comes home from spending time with you." She leant forwards a little, taking Anne's hand in her tipsy state. "There isn't a lot of happiness for a lot of people in our world. Everyone I used to know are now strangers to me, other than Roberts. He deserves happiness, so does Remus, I'm glad you have given it to both of them."
Anne blushed and beamed at the woman opposite her. She had been terrified to meet her, truthfully, but now she completely understood the infatuation with her. Yes, she was beautiful, enchantingly so, but she was kind.
"I think," Anne started, taking a large gulp of her wine before she spoke. "And I am completely ignorant to your world. But Remus explained a little of what happened to you, what you were accused of. I was so scared to meet you, I can't imagine what monster I would be if it happened to me. But here you are. You've done incredibly well."
Juliet's eyes shone and she laughed a little, no one had told her that for a while.
Then, the blonde muggle added, "if Remus knew you again, I think he would be unbelievably proud of you."
Her words were enough to send Juliet into floods of tears, panic appeared in Anne's eyes and she stood up, approaching the witch and wrapping an arm over her shoulders. Juliet leant into her and liked how familiar she felt, resting her head against her shoulder and silently crying.
"I think you and Remus would benefit from knowing each other again," the muggle whispered, absentmindedly stroking her hair.
"Maybe, one day. Not yet, though."
"I understand," Anne whispered, drawing away from the witch and sitting beside her.
Juliet sniffed and laughed, "Merlin, I don't think I have ever been so immediately open with someone."
"I'd like to be a friend to you, Juliet."
The witch smiled widely and squeezed the woman's hand. Fair enough, Lupin, she thought.
"I'm sure you will be, you remind me a lot of a woman I used to know."
"Oh, really?"
Juliet smiled, "Marlene McKinnon, you two even look similar."
Anne grinned back at her, "tell me about her."
"She was a - did Lupin tell you about the houses?"
When she nodded Juliet continued, "she was a Gryffindor, with Remus and the other boys. Best friends with Lily Evans, the one who was murdered."
"James Potter's wife," Anne said, remembering.
"Marlene was involved with my best friend Arabella Greengrass, they had a beautiful relationship, in fact, they made me less scared to confront my feelings for Remus," she sighed. "Marlene was a breath of fresh air, made everyone laugh, kind to everyone."
"I'm flattered," Anne laughed. "Did she die?"
Juliet sighed, "her and Arabella did. Very few of my friends made it out of the war."
"Who did?"
Juliet struggled to speak as she tried to think about who she had in the wizarding world.
"Roberts," she laughed. "Remus probably told you about my past?"
"Your family. Death...?"
"Death eaters, yes. Before I betrayed them, I of course had friends. Some of them have survived, some are out of prison."
Anne nodded and thought to herself before speaking, "well, you have me, Julie."
Juliet laughed out loud, "that's a new one."
September, '91
Everyone at the teacher's table seemed to be tense before the sorting, there were whispers of Harry Potter throughout the entire hall. She sat beside Severus, who looked more stoic than usual and suspected that he was probably feeling the same level of dread and intrigue that she was about seeing the boy. It was certain to bring up a lot of emotions for both professors.
"This is Professor Quirrell," Dumbledore said politely, leading a new professor to the table. The man took a seat to the left of Severus who curled his lip at the sight of the man. Jealousy.
Juliet rolled her eyes at Snape's callousness.
"Nice to meet you, Professor Quirrell. I'm Professor Blair."
The man recoiled a little at her words and his eyes went up to his head feverishly, as if concentrating on something, hard.
"Romilly?" He asked, before realising he had spoke out loud. "I-I mean- nice to meet you- P-Professor-"
"Her name," Snape said slowly. "Is Blair. And you'd do well to remember it."
The quivering professor yelped a little and shrank back into his seat.
Juliet caught Severus' eye.
"I have no idea who he is," she murmured, hoping the new professor couldn't hear her.
"Neither do I, but how does he know you?"
She shrugged, "hopefully he keeps his mouth shut."
"I'm sure Dumbledore..." Snape started, before trailing off and watching as Mcgonagall lead students into the hall. Both professors leant forwards into their seats, scanning the new faces. First, Juliet's eyes landed on a boy with bright blonde hair and piercing eyes, she gasped.
"Draco," she whispered. Severus looked down to her, he'd met the boy several times and thought him to be fairly arrogant. But, he respected Lucius and so he would respect his son. "I forgot he would be here."
"Hermione Granger," Mcgonagall called.
As the small witch stepped out of the way she revealed another boy who was instantly recognisable to Juliet as a Weasley, Snape followed her eyeline and they both saw him at the same time. Juliet heard Snape's breath hitch and she dug her knuckles into her palm as she stared at him. He was every bit James, apart from.
"He has her eyes," Snape said from beside her, not directing the comment in any particular direction. Juliet didn't allow herself to look up at the man, and instead sat more upright as Draco Malfoy swaggered towards the stool. The hat didn't even need to touch his head before shouting out Slytherin.
Snape leant down to mutter "obviously" so that only she could hear. She snorted a little and clapped along. Her heart hurt a little as a shaking Neville Longbottom took the stool, and she clapped a little harder when he was put in Gryffindor, thinking about how proud of him Frank and Alice would be. She hoped he and Harry would be friends. The Weasley boy was, predictably, put into Gryffindor, and she watched three other gingers on the table clapping loudly. Until finally, Harry's name was called.
She watched the hat ponder for a while and grinned to herself, imagining James' reaction if his son was put into Slytherin. When it was Gryffindor she heard Snape scoff beside her. The entire table, save Juliet and Severus who had both been hoping for Slytherin, clapped wildly.
Juliet smiled as she watched him shaking hands with Neville, and then she glanced across to Draco who was flashing around an expensive quill. These children could grow up peacefully, thanks to so many sacrifices and losses.
A/n
ok I never rlly read ff but ive been getting more into it recently.
EVERYONE and i mean EVERYONE tell me ur fave ffs right now. there are literally no ships or characters i dont read. my one thing is i need slowburn.
Here are some of my all time absolute complete and utter favourites:
1- my fave of all time is ALWAYS: hierarchy of need (tom riddle) by iimplicitt
2- isolation by bex chan ( i know dramione is a controversial one but this one is too good. I never rlly like other draco ones tho, i tried to read manacled and got bored, and same with dear draco)
3- dirty old town by @mannakell its regulus its ridiculously good (also the salt and the sea by the same author is amaze)
4- vivicendium i cba to find the author but its a sirius one and fuck me it is SOOOO good
5- the debt of time - again a controversial one and i do get it but its just too good to not love
6- what the room requires - dunno the author but its dramione
and ofc atyd !
EVERYONE GIVE ME RECOMMENDATIONS AND READ ALL OF MINE THEY ARE ALL SO GOOD TRUST ME