(01 : MISSHAPEN CHAOS . . .
OF WELL-SEEMING FORMS)

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THE MARAUDERS WERE THE BANE OF any prefect's existence — especially Juliet Fawley's. Whilst the title provided her parents with something to gloat about, Juliet herself didn't much care for a shiny badge or authority figures in general. However, an obnoxious Ravenclaw by the name of Lori Wyndham found the Slytherin snogging Alexander Nott in a broom closet when she was meant to be patrolling one time. Old Slughorn didn't do much, too prideful of having connections with the Fawleys, but he did threaten her badge if she didn't take the role more seriously. And she really didn't want to hear that lecture from her mother.

It was a Thursday night and she was doing her rounds like a good little student when she heard a sound that made her ears bleed. Sirius Black. And where there was Black, Potter was never far behind. With an exaggerated sigh, she pushed up from the alcove she had settled into and placed her book face down. At least she'd be able to take some house points from Gryffindor. She didn't even want to know what Black was doing near the dungeons. No doubt trying to prank her house again — as if hexing the entire house's tongues to the roof of their mouths last week wasn't enough. They couldn't speak for most of the day!

"Mulciber, for the last time —"

Juliet stepped out of the shadows, cutting the boy off with a sharp, "I'd be careful how you finish that sentence, Black." Her stomach knotted as she scanned the group and found they were one member down. "And hate to break it to you, but I think you lost your fourth musketeer. That is what you call yourselves, right?"

"Marauders," Peter rushed to correct, indignant.

She shot the boy a saccharine smile, the white of her teeth shining like fangs in the dark. "Right, well, I suggest you go find Potter before the separation anxiety gets too much," said Juliet, inclining her head. "And since you're out after curfew, that'll be ten points from Gryffindor. Each."

Remus frowned. "Mulciber was here too."

Juliet made a show of spinning around in a circle, knowing that any decent Slytherin would have the self-preservation instincts to flee when they had the chance. "Too bad I don't see him anywhere."

"That's not fair! You're abusing your po—"

"Yes, the time-honoured prefect institution has been corrupted. The system is well and truly broken, what a shame." Juliet rolled her eyes, knowing it was a cheap badge and nothing more at the end of the day.

Sirius elbowed Peter, hissing, "Dammit, Wormy! You have the map right there in your bloody hands, a heads up would be nice next time."

Bless the bumbling fool that was Peter Pettigrew because he opened and closed his mouth like a fish. "I — You told me to keep an eye on Prongs in case he decided to hurl himself off the Astronomy Tower," he defended, bashful. "You know I don't multi-task well."

"That's a blank piece of parchment," Juliet deadpanned after snatching the object in question out of the boy's hand.

Relieved, Remus pocketed his wand without her catching on. "Then you won't mind if we have it back?"

When Sirius reached to grab it, Juliet held it above her head. Sirius was taller, so it didn't do much, but she was faster. "Let's not be hasty," she drawled. "Why does Potter want to pitch himself off the tower? He should know by now I'd gladly give him a push."

Juliet really wasn't interested in where James Potter was, but she happened to be smart enough to think of all possibilities, including the one where she had waltzed into an elaborate setup. The three of them being without Potter was rare, so she was suspicious. Especially since Remus was more the brains of their operations and didn't risk getting caught after becoming a prefect. His presence was strange.

"None of your business, snake," Sirius spat.

Shrugging, she neatly folded up the supposed map and placed it in her robe pockets. "It doesn't make a difference to me. But, if you tell me what he's doing whilst you three distract me, I might be less inclined to go to McGonagall and won't interfere." Juliet wasn't an unreasonable person — her lips would even twitch into a half-smile at some of their pranks. Albeit, she didn't like to be the butt of the joke and would gladly let her house take the hit if it meant she came out unscathed.

None of them said anything.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Juliet exhaled and fixed her stare on Pettigrew. Her eyes narrowed into slits, cutting through their weakest link like a butter knife and causing him to yell, "He's not here! I swear. He's moping over Lily in the dorms and we thought a prank would cheer him up."

Sirius slapped the upside of Peter's head. "I always knew you were a rat," he commented wryly and the three exchanged grins.

"Potter's moping?" She clutched her stomach, trying to refrain from laughing. "Salazar, I bet he's locked in your dorm, writing sonnets as we speak."

Remus scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and contemplated the possibility. "Um, he hasn't left the dorm all week actually."

At that, Sirius slapped the upside of Remus' head. "Moony! I thought you were the smart one." Sirius pointed at Juliet, then back to their little group, clarifying, "That is the enemy. We do not fraternise with the enemy, or tell the enemy valuable information about one of our own."

"You gonna tell them about the time you snogged the enemy then too?" challenged Juliet, smirking.

"I'd hardly call it a snog at ten, snake."

"See, you even have a cute nickname for me," she snorted. "I should probably find one for you . . . Pumpkin? Honey? Snuffles?" Juliet recalled Snuffles to be the name of the ugliest teddy bear she had ever seen, one that Walburga incendio-ed in front of the pureblood community when an eight year old Sirius took a liking to a muggle down the street. The redhead never did understand why the Blacks lived in a muggle neighbourhood.

Irritation danced in his grey eyes and he withdrew his wand, but before he could shout a spell, Remus stepped in front of his friend. "Accio Marauder's Map!" He swiped it up before Juliet tried to take it again. "Come on, Sirius. Let's leave it for tonight, we have all year to prank Slytherins."

"What, drawn, and talk of peace?" Juliet muttered once they started to walk away — so much for being from the house of the brave, what cowards! "I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Gryffindors, and thee."

When she said it, a faint smile danced across her lips, amused by her own words. If she hadn't been so caught up in her own thoughts, she would've noticed Lupin turned round at the last minute, his eyes sparkling in recognition of the muggle work. Suddenly, Juliet Fawley had gotten a lot more interesting.

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A.N: James will actually be in the next chapter, I promise. But, I thought we'd establish her dynamic with the other Marauders briefly. And not that I'm doing R&J scene by scene, but this was very obviously inspired by the opening scene with Romeo pining over Rosaline whilst everyone else is fighting in the streets.