(20 : COME WEEP WITH ME. . .
PAST HOPE, PAST CURE, PAST HELP)

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BY THE TIME JULIET AND Regulus arrived back at Hogwarts, it was past curfew and Dumbledore had seemingly retired for the night. The two Slytherins stepped out of the Floo — Juliet, then Regulus — and brushed some soot off their formal wear before leaving the headmaster's office with heavier consciouses than before.

"Where are you going?" asked Regulus, noticing Juliet was veering in the opposite direction to the dungeons.

     "I don't know," she admitted, picking up a brisk pace and continuing on. "I need some space to think. Away from you. Away from everyone else in our house who believes in his bullshit cause."

     Regulus halted. "Juliet . . ."

     "Don't," she scoffed. "Don't talk to me, don't say my name. Just . . . don't."

     Feeling like he'd been hit, Regulus recoiled. "I helped you," the boy harshly reminded her. "If I hadn't knocked over that glass, you would have been exposed for the traitor you really are and tonight would've ended a lot worse. Presumably with some poor house elf cleaning your blood off the floor."

    In an abrupt movement, she pivoted and glowered at him. "Come on, Reg, tell me what you really think."

     Frustrated, Regulus tugged on his hair. "I didn't —"

     "You did!" screamed Juliet, her voice shaking with anger. "Do you not like me? Is that it? Is that why you chose me? Or was it some kind of joke? Ha ha, I can't stop laughing at how funny it is to sign someone's death sentence because they're not some fascist bigot."

     "You wouldn't understand," he protested. "It's complicated. More complicated than you can imagine."

Folding her arms over her chest, Juliet remained doubtful. "Uncomplicate it."

     "I can't." Regulus stared at his shoes. "Not yet, at least."

     "Then we're done," she stated in a clipped tone. "I'll attend your parties, I'll stay at your side, I'll fake a smile. I'll do everything that is expected of me, nothing more. But outside of all that? We're done."

Regulus swallowed back the hurt that was bubbling in the base of his throat. "I didn't — I didn't throw your name into the running for a laugh. I definitely didn't do it to be mean-spirited either. You need to know that, Juliet. I would never do that to you."

Her entire body shook in disbelief as she let out a mirthless chuckle. "You already did. It doesn't matter why you did it because I'll be dead by next June unless I can find bloody Nicholas Flamel himself and that's your fault," she accused, pointing a finger at his chest. "You were my friend. Merlin, I trusted you. Nobody else knew about my alchemy talents and then you handed my secret to You-Know-Who on a silver platter."

"You would be on the brink of insanity otherwise," maintained Regulus. "I needed to give him something because he's tortured people for far less than your crimes."

With a shake of her head, the teenager's expression shifted into one of disgust. "Being half-mad sounds a whole lot better than marrying you, if I'm honest."

Regulus clenched his fists. "Go then!" he exclaimed. "You'll be dead before you say 'I do' without me."

     "Pity," she deadpanned.

The last thing she heard before she walked away was the sound of Regulus throwing his fist at the wall.

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As soon as she rounded the corner, Juliet broke into a sprint. She didn't care if Filch spotted her, all she cared about was getting to the one place she knew she wouldn't be disturbed — Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. The second she arrived at her destination, she threw the door open and stumbled into the centre of the room, breaking into a series of heavy, gut-wrenching sobs.

     Juliet sobbed for Anna.

     Juliet sobbed for Regulus.

     Juliet sobbed for herself.

     After months of pretending she was forged from marble and stone, Juliet allowed herself to completely shatter under the emotions that had been accumulating inside of her since the start of her year. Sinking to her knees, she cried until no more tears would fall — not caring whether her face was puffy and red or whether the bathroom floor was dirtying her expensive dress. For once, she didn't fight the sorrow that came crashing over her in waves, she simply took each hit with a hopelessness that was wholly heartbreaking. From Lucius to her own father to the Dark Lord, Juliet Fawley's undoing had been a long time coming.

     It was impossible for her to know how long she had lay there before the bathroom door creaked open. At one point, she had simply remained unmoving — all of her open wounds bleeding out with hot tears leaking out instead of her pure blood. In fact, that was the position she was found in by Lily Evans.

     "Hello?" called a feminine voice. "It's after hours and I'm a prefect, so —"

     Lily's words died in her throat when she entered the bathroom and saw a young girl in a state of utter defeat, looking like a dementor had swooped in and sucked her soul out.

    Juliet didn't notice the new arrival until she felt a soft touch on her shoulder, causing her to leap back. When she realised she was no longer alone, Juliet began to rub her face as if her touch could erase the months — years — of misery that had etched themselves into her frown lines.

"It's Juliet, right?" checked Lily. "I'm Li—"

"Lily Evans," Juliet finished, her voice hoarse. "Potter talks about you enough that I think the whole school knows who you are. Plus, we sit next to each other in Potions."

Lily nodded, then hesitated before sitting down beside the girl. It wasn't lost on Lily that Juliet spoke frankly and without repulsion when it came to the Gryffindor. "You're not disgusted in me because I'm — you know — a mudblood?"

The Slytherin stiffened, feeling rather indignant. "Don't call yourself that!"

"Words only have the power we give them," Lily defended, acting more casual than one would expect considering the serious topic of conversation. "I didn't mean to offend you though. A lot of people say you're one of those Slytherins. You know, the kind who are—"

"Prejudiced gits?"

There was a faint smile on Lily's lips as she corrected, "I was going to say pureblood fanatics, but that works too."

"You're one of the most talented witches in our year," Juliet commented, ignoring how much her throat still ached. "It would be a blatant lie to claim you were somehow lesser than me because of your blood when your magical abilities no doubt surpass my own." A sigh of regret escaped the pureblood's mouth. "I didn't always think like that though, so I suppose what you heard isn't wrong. When I first came to Hogwarts, I was as indoctrinated as any other pureblood child and now I'm seventeen, still trying to shake my biases."

"You're trying. That's more than most," said Lily softly.

A silence fell between the strange duo — not an awkward silence like you would expect, a content one. Apart from sitting beside each other in Potions, they hadn't interacted much over the years. Yet, in the bathroom, the two were perfectly happy to listen as droplets of water hit the sink in a rhythmic pattern.

Perhaps four or five minutes passed before Lily questioned, "Do you want to talk about whatever made you so upset?"

"Only if you have all night," Juliet remarked, the sarcasm hanging off her words.

Biting down on her lip, Lily peaked at the time on her gold watch. "It's only eleven," she mentioned. "I don't have anywhere else to be. If you want me to stay here all night, I will."

The crack in Juliet's heart widened. "I don't understand," she whispered. "If our roles were reversed, I wouldn't have hesitated in taking points or brushing off the noise from the bathroom. You could've walked out the moment you saw that I looked like shit and I wouldn't have thought less of you."

"Well, it looked to me like you needed a friend," answered Lily. "One that doesn't expect you to earn their kindness, or leaves you when you're low. If you want to talk about what happened, I'm here. If not, we can always sit and talk until you forget what happened."

     Caught off guard, Juliet eyed Lily — being in Slytherin meant everything had a price. It was strange to think not everyone operated like that. "I don't think I can forget," she settled on. "And I don't think even I can be selfish enough to tell you because my problems will only put you in danger, Lily. All that being said, I really appreciate the offer. I think it's just something I need to deal with alone."

     "I think you think you need to deal with things alone, but I know it's always easier to shoulder the weight of a problem between two." Lily inclined her head and added, "I'm always available to listen if you need it, but I will respect your decision."

     "Thank you." Juliet stood up and began to fix her appearance in the mirror. "I should be heading back to my common room though now. Since it's after curfew and all."

Coming up behind Juliet in the mirror, Lily intercepted Juliet's quivering hands. "Here, let me," she suggested, making quick work of reassembling the girl's disheveled braid. "I know you said you can't forget, but if you do need a distraction, Potter's throwing a party tomorrow night. Apparently it's his birthday, although I swear those boys have about eight birthdays a year. Each."

From the corner of her eye, Juliet observed Lily's playful eye roll and cracked a smile herself. Maybe the Marauders weren't all bad.

"I doubt anybody wants me there."

"I want you there, that's why I invited you," insisted Lily. "And I know Potter has taken a liking to you. I saw him run after you the day that you got a howler."

Juliet scoffed. "Because it was his fault in the first place and he felt guilty."

     Lily shook her head. "Just think about it."

The Slytherin was exasperated and began, "I have —"

     "Lionheart," blurted Lily.

     In confusion, Juliet wrinkled her nose. "Um, bless you?"

    "The password is lionheart," elaborated Lily, already halfway to the door. "In case you change your mind."

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A.N: Do I miss writing James? SO MUCH. That's why I'm very happy to say he's back next chapter because it's his birthday. But, I feel like Juliet was due a breakdown and we're having no petty female rivalries over a boy in this book. I hope you enjoyed Lily and Juliet bonding. Even if I was very sad writing the friendship break up of Juliet and Regulus.

Question, what house are you in?