Heya, another new one, I promise I'll get down to updating my other fics soon
Enjoy.
Albus Dumbledore was startled as his office door opened suddenly and unheeded. The young woman that entered, without the normal courtesy of knocking, was tall and rather skinny, red hair tumbled to her shoulders and her bright blue eyes twinkled mischievously. In a movement more akin to dancing than walking, she crossed the threshold to enter the circle of light cast by a single large candle that sat upon the headmaster's cluttered desk.
This was the third time that Juliet had entered this room for a specific purpose, to sit in front of this desk, conversing with the headmaster. She smiled at him and, as she tucked a long piece of her curly hair behind one ear, he took in the two fiery-red phoenix tattoos swirling down her face and neck.
"Ah Juliet, I suspect that you are here not only for a social visit? You want to rejoin my school?"
It had been a little over ten years since Albus had seen his sister. By right, she should be a little old woman by now, but Juliet Dumbledore was no ordinary witch. She was a Vampyre of the House of Night, therefore practically immortal.
"Of course, Albus…only, do you think enough time has passed? There are people who might recognise me, recognise my name."
"The only people here who would know you already know of your… condition." Albus Dumbledore's smile was apparent in his voice as he peered over his half-moon spectacles at her, "I suggest that 6th year would be good for you. You started there last time, didn't you?" He frowned down at her.
"Do you think that I could pass for a 5th year now?" Albus clasped his hands, elbows resting upon the arms of his chair.
"You should be able to." He said slowly, a pensive expression on his features.
They lapsed into silence, Juliet remembering the previous times that she had passed through Hogwarts.
The eldest of four, she had entered the school first, shortly followed by her two brothers, but everything had changed in her sixth year.
She had been Marked, forced to leave the safe environment that Hogwarts offered and move to the House of Night. Over next few years she successfully Changed, completing her transition from human, to fledgling, to Vampyre.
She had had to leave her old life behind, her parents, friends, and – worst of all – her three siblings, Albus, Abaforth and Arianna.
So, years later, she had contacted the headmaster at the time – Armando Dippet – intent upon finishing her magical education. However, certain circumstances had prevented that completion.
She remembered that day like it had been yesterday. It had been a Tuesday. Tuesday the 8th February.
"Juliet!" a set of footsteps rang out along the long, practically deserted, corridor. Juliet turned to see Tom Riddle running towards her, his warm brown eyes sparkling in the flickering light from the torches. As he reached her, he smiled, that warm smile that just made her want to melt. "How was Transfiguration?" He took hold of her hand and led her in a completely different direction to the way that she had originally been walking.
"Good, but I was just going to the Library to do some work, actually." He didn't take her hint, instead he pulled her into his own sleeping quarters, he was head boy and therefore had the luxury of a dormitory to himself.
They sat down, Tom picking a book up and beginning to read. Juliet peered at the cover; it was a blank, leather-bound volume, with what looked to be a bloodstain spreading from edge to edge.
"What is that?" She asked, but as he looked up at her, turning the page, his finger caught the edge, slicing it open.
The blood, which flowed freely from the small wound, seemed call to her. Its sweet smell making her want nothing more than to feel the warm liquid flowing down her throat.
Before she could control that impulse, she had acted upon it, drawing his hand towards her and lowering her lips to it.
Juliet shivered, she hated that memory: it reminded her of her greatest weakness; she was easily distracted, if blood was present. As the sun had set on that day, she had fled Hogwarts, not to return for over 30 years.
The next morning music could be heard throughout the grounds, drifting from an open window in the headmaster's office. Laughter mingled with the melodious music as Albus and Juliet danced, despite the age difference they both seemed as supple and elegant as each other. They shared more smiles, two sets of bright blue eyes sparkling with mirth.
There was a sharp rap at the office door, it swung open, and two people stepped over the threshold. Both stopped short as they saw the dancing couple. As Juliet caught sight of the newcomers she stumbled, wide eyed. Albus turned off the music as she approached the dark haired man. She reached out as if to touch his face, but she disappeared in a whirl of black, just to reappear almost instantly on the second floor of the office. The movement was almost like apparating, but this was a power unique to her, the ability to move large distances in mere seconds, without so much as a squeak. She peered over the banister her auburn hair swinging in front of her face.
"Severus." She whispered, his head snapped up, his gaze meeting hers. She stayed there for a few seconds, before disappearing again, in a whirl of black smoke.
She appeared, sat on her brother's desk. His eye brought back so many memories, that all was silent for a while.
A tear escaped from under her closed eyelids, as she saw a group of teenagers surrounding her. Lily, Charlotta, Amy, James, all dead, Sirius locked away, rotting in Azkaban, and dear sweet Remus suffering for something outside of his control.
Juliet finally spoke, a slight smile gracing her features, "You've changed, Sev." He smiled wryly, and she remembered their stolen moments, they got fewer and fewer as time wore on.
She approached him, unsure. He held out a hand, but she ignored it, opting instead to pull him into a hug. He stiffened, if only for a moment, before wrapping her securely in his arms, leaning a cheek on her head. She closed her eyes, relishing in the closeness that she had missed for 18 years. A closeness that had always been regarded with distain by Sirius and James.
"Ugh! Why did I decide to come back? There are just too many memories here now." Juliet was stood watching Severus tidy his store cupboard down in the dungeons.
"Do you not like it here? Am I too boring for you?" She knew Severus was only teasing her.
"Every time I turn a corner, something reminds me of them." She sighed, holding her head in her hands, "And the sunlight isn't helping, it just makes me more uncomfortable. I prefer it down here, there are less memories… of them anyway." She grinned up at him, moving closer.
"Julie… Juliet." He sighed, placing his hand on her shoulders to push her away slightly, "Don't. It'll just make this harder, more complicated."
"Make what harder?" she grinned, trying to get closer to him again.
"You're going to be a student. One of my students." He turned away from her, a frown fixed on his face.
"Sev, I'm over 60 years older than you." Juliet laughed, but he didn't turn back around, continuing to sort his many potions and ingredients.
Juliet burst onto platform 9 ¾, even after nearly 90 years, she still took it at a run. She crashed straight into someone on the other side, making them fall.
"Oh, I'm very sorry." She held out a hand to help the blonde boy up, "Here, let me help…" he scowled up at her, butting in.
"I don't need any help from you." She had seen a face like his before.
"Well if I had known in advance who you where then I would have never have even thought about it. I wouldn't want your slime all over my hands now, would I Malfoy?" Their glaring match was interrupted with a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Now now Draco, who's this?" He looked up at Juliet, and she saw him freeze.
"My my Lucius, your son is almost as slimy as yourself. Who, may I ask, has been stupid enough to marry you?" she smirked, "Oh of course, Cissy how lovely."
She turned her back on the slightly shocked family. She noticed a few wizards and witches staring, as well as a whole family of red heads.
She walked slowly to the train, most people rushing past her. She jumped on the scarlet steam engine just as the whistle blasted and the train began to move.
As she wandered up the train, looking for a compartment that wasn't completely full, she let herself fall back into her memories.
Her third stint at Hogwarts had been her best, nothing had gone wrong. No one had been mysteriously attacked. She'd made great friends; Lily Evans, Amy Johnson and Charlotta Wood, as well as Sirius Black, James Potter and Remus Lupin. She had met them all on this very express and, although they had thought her relationship with Severus both unwise and 'just plain wrong' – as Sirius had once put it, they had welcomed her and always been there for her.
After school, they had all moved in with their respective partners. There was just her and Sirius, both single, not wanting to live alone in those dark times. They had bought a small house, near Godric's Hollow. She'd put up with the ever-changing girls, if he would put up with her unusual eating habits. There was one night she remembered distinctly: she'd been to see Severus on last time – a stupid thing to do, in hind sight – she'd told him that she could never see him again, he was a death eater after all, and disappeared out of there.
She had materialized, slumped against a wall of the hall, sobbing.
Sirius appeared in the doorframe of his room, yet another girl peering curiously over his shoulder. When he saw the state that she was in he hurried the very annoyed girl out of the house. He hadn't asked what had happened, he just held her as she cried. That was the start to a great relationship.
The train jolted, catching her unawares, and she crashed into a wall. There, in the end compartment, was a space.
"Mind if I sit here? There is no room anywhere else." The three occupants nodded, she then noticed the fourth: a sleeping, shabby looking man with sandy blonde hair and a slightly scarred face. Remus!
"I don't think I've seen you before, what's your name?" the girl asked.
"Juliet, yes I'm new and I'm going into my fifth year."
One of the boys, the red head, nodded. "Two of my brothers are in 5th, Fred and George Weasley. I'm Ron, by the way, and this is Hermione Granger and…"
"Harry Potter." Juliet smiled, the last time she had seen him he'd been just a baby.
The door slid open, revealing two identical red headed boys.
"Ron, we're going down the front."
"Who's this?" There was hardly a gap between one finishing and the other starting.
"This is Juliet, she's going to be in your year." Hermione replied.
"Wicked. You can come and sit with us if you want." Juliet agreed, following them down the train.
The train jolted to a stop as they sat down in a compartment. We can't be there yet. Juliet thought, a little confused. The window frosted up, and their breaths came out in puffs of smoke. Before anyone could utter a word, a Dementor was standing outside their compartment; it's slimy hand reaching for the door handle. An intense chill entering the room with it, sucking the happiness out of everything.
A growl built in Juliet's throat, startling everyone. The Dementor turned towards her. The others in the compartment looked on in confusion as a series of slivery figures appeared between Juliet and the Dementor: her worst memories.
Juliet, her curling hair pinned up, in a long flowing ball gown, being told of her father's death.
Juliet, hugging each of her siblings in turn, tears streaming down her face, saying goodbye.
Juliet standing at the foot of a bed, Tom Riddle, covered in silvery blood, lying in front of her.
Juliet shouting at an 18-year-old Severus, the dark mark glowing eerily silver upon his arm.
Juliet and Sirius, standing hand-in-hand. Moving around a ruined house. The blank, lifeless, faces of James and Lily. Baby Harry crying, a lightning bolt shaped scar, bleeding on his forehead.
Finally, Juliet watching, as Sirius was committed to spending the rest of his life in Azkaban.
Juliet shuddered, drawing power to her fingertips, before casting a patronus. A magnificent phoenix flew from her out stretched hands, driving the creature away.
She sank down in a corner, shaking. The lights flickered back on, the train started moving, and chatter eventually resumed.
There was a considerable difference between the memories: the two swirling phoenixes had reached further and further down her face and neck as time had gone by.
A face appeared at the now open door, a very familiar face.
"Is everybody all right?" He asked in a horse voice. He then spotted her, sat in the corner. His eyes went wide, "Juliet?" he whispered, as if doubting her presence, "Jules? What's wrong? Ah, your kind doesn't really mix with Dementors, do they?" He raised his voice so that everyone could hear. "Here…you all need some chocolate." He broke a bar into six, handing them each a piece. "You know what you need, Jules." He gave her a stern glance, Juliet shook her head.
"No, don't make me." He frowned.
"You need all your strength. How long did it take you to recover fully last time?"
"That was different Rem and you know it. That last time was at Sirius' trial. Anyway, I can't do that to you." His frown became more pronounced, but he backed off and carried on up the train.