September , 1978

Regulus Black had not thought that in the second week of term he would have found himself sat in Dumbledores office with Juliet Lupin and Rory Carter. He had not expected to find himself in the middle of Juliet's equal rights movement and he had not expected the young girl to follow him around the common room that Monday morning. Even Evan questioned why the child was so obsessed with being near. From what Regulus had observed, Rory was a loner, and Juliet does not want her to be outcasted.

"With all due respect sir, she was raped by someone within our year group. You cannot tell me that isn't serious. I understand you have concerns surrounding people's lives, but Rory has experienced something very extreme."

Juliet and Dumbledore hadn't always see eye to eye, in the fact they hardly ever had. Almost any time the two had spoken in the last sixth year (and likely the rest of seventh year) Juliet had something to disagree about. She wasn't exactly like her brother, and with Remus gone her kindness was still there but her human rights stance became much louder.

Dumbledore watched her, he never truly smiled around Juliet, not like he did around James, Peter and Sirius, he never really smiled fully around her brother. Juliet had always taken things personally. There was an empty smile on his lips, something that irked both her and Regulus. His eyes looked between the three. Juliet sat to the right and Rory sat between the two seventeen year olds — Juliet and Regulus were apart of the youngest in their year group, having July and August birthdays. Dumbledore thought before he speaks, he has lots of big matters at hand and children's safety should have been one of them — it was one of them, just not to the standard Juliet had expected. "Miss Lupin, I understand this issue resonates deeply with you, but if you cannot provide a name I cannot do much for Miss Carter."

For the first time, Juliet didn't want to be nice. She gently offered her hand out to Rory, the young girl gripped it tight, fearful tears in her eyes. "She's not the first to be raped within this castle, Professor, does that not concern you. We may not have a name but you should be investigating this. It is Rory's first week you cannot dismiss this issue, she is a child. You are not listening to her voice. How can she feel safe if this is what she's facing after being here for seven days?"

Regulus watched the side of Juliet's face. She was always awfully passionate, anyone's who had spoken to her knew this. Juliet would fight tooth and nail about human rights, and oddly enough her stance had caused Evan to drag him along and use charms on those that have tried to hurt Juliet's beliefs. Evan was a good friend, but Evan was like Regulus; and Juliet had a kinder heart than them. Regulus and Evan used their wands, Juliet used her voice. Juliet had always wanted to be a politician, she wanted to matter, to make the world better. But no one ever listened. Regulus thought she'd have been a more respected head girl, but Juliet was adamant that Carrie was fit for the position. But, he supposed he thinks anyone other than a mud blood would be better fit; but Juliet's passion could have been the making of Hogwarts. Juliet never just fought for girls, she fought for everyone and anything.

"As Lupin says, with respect, Professor, Carter was promised safety and she has been greatly failed, she has told you what she knows. She's told you what he was wearing, what house he was from. Carter has done what she can considering she is only starting her second week today and considering she was woken up at the end of the act."

Juliet looked at Regulus. It's not often they agreed, simply looking at their bloodline is enough to understand why. But in this moment she couldn't help but have her lips tug up just smallest amount, her passion didn't feel so wasted. She pulled her attention back down to Rory, a soft 'I'll keep you safe' kind of smile on her lips before she turned back to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore knew they're right. And he knew this issue will not be dropped, if he didn't step in he had the concern of someone as intelligent as Regulus and someone as loyal as Juliet seeking out this person and causing their own revenge. And he knew, given the motif (a young terrified child) they would do it because the two have similar morals.  Even if no one's saw it. The two care about people, their people; for Regulus that's his fellow Slytherin students, a pureblooded girl who had been degraded — and Slytherin had to look after their own. And for Juliet, it was anyone surviving with a struggle, she was always there for those who struggled, even if they didn't reciprocate. And Dumbledore lmew that was the reason the two had not made so much as the final cuts for head girl and head boy, not in fear of power going to their heads, but in fear of them being reactive.

Juliet and regulus were two sides of the same angst filled coin. 

"I will investigate this issue, but I cannot ensure that what you hope happens will as we do not have a name."

Both Juliet and Regulus walked Rory to her class, explaining to Slughorn that Dumbledore had needed the three of them. Regulus had led this small talk, considering Slughorn did have a soft spot for him. Juliet had instead wished Rory luck and waved her off. And with their backs turned and the two made their way to a shared class, the professor couldn't help but think the two were like parents walking their child to their first ever class.

Due to the risk of the outside world, the students had been invited to Hogwarts a week earlier than usual, something the two were impartial about; each had their own reasons why. But, had Juliet knew walking into defence against the dark arts class would cause an internal panic, well, maybe she'd have dropped out of Hogwarts and prayed someone took on her legacy and carried her movement for her.

At the front of their shared class stood a man Juliet had not seen in seven years. She was sure she was frozen in the door way, a sinking feeling in the stomach, an awful taste in her throat. The cold eyes had met hers and she soon wanted to crash to the floor and prey it would open up and swallow her whole. There had been a reason Juliet was so passionate about Rory's case, and that was because hers had remained unsolved and unreported. And due to that, her first and last year at Hogwarts were going to be the worst she experienced. She wasn't to sure how or when she had moved away from the door way or how she had ended up next to Evan Rosier and Felix Greene. All she knew is she wanted to die in this moment.

Felix was half asleep on his chair, not fully even aware his close friend had sat down. But Evan on the other hand had, he side eyed her as Regulus explained why they were late before he took the seat the other side of Evan. Normally, Evan was sure Juliet wasn't scared, he was sure the last time he had seen her like this was October or November of their first year when Juliet would not talk to anyone and jumped and flinched if people came near her. Evan was not sure what was wrong.

Juliet was still. Her bag remained on the floor, her parchment and quill and books in there. She could not bring herself to move. Her saliva tasted thick. He was speaking and she was not sure what; something to do with refreshing on earlier topics in case they had missed anything. Juliet did not participate in the way she usually would, she simply stared at the wall at the front of the class and prayed it collapsed in. She did not know what she did to deserve this, but today for the first time in a very long time her own rapist stood in front of her class, his eyes piecing her soul as she wished to never exist again.