So I just wanted to say that I've made some small changes to most of the previous chapters, if you want to check it out. Nothing too big. Also I wanted to finally thank all the people that followed this story, put it on their favorites, and reviewed. Specially Edwina B. Karch, who left such a nice review.
So thank you to DarkLight2589, DefyGravityByLettingItGo, Edwina B. Karch, Extop13, FonzFan, HetalianLover365, Satine Gold, .Uchiha, TabbyLynne, YourNotGonnaChangeMe, ZiggaZigAhh, blueeyedgirl6449, .kawaii, dragoon109, fisherlinda53, kaykay25, korppi76, lalasagwania, readingaddict24, romana45, EmiSemi, Jovie Black and witch71.
If you want to review your thoughts on this story, you are more than welcome to do it.
January was gone way too fast, and before they knew, the year was halfway through March and N.E.W.T.S. were just around the corner. Juliana did not have as many subjects as Severus did, but even without having her O.W.L.S she was allowed to take the tests. They studied together four times a week, and Juliana was having a hard time. The school had provided her with a wand, because she needed one for Charms and Transfiguration, mostly. She was told she could use it for D.A.D.A., but she was also allowed to use her own methods for that, because nonverbal and wandless magic were considered a high and relevant level of ability to use in defense.
With Herbology and Potions she didn't have any problems. History of Magic was a subject that she really liked, even if the professor was boring and it had more theory than any other subject. But it wasn't more than that, she just had to sit with the book in front of her and read a lot.
But when she had to use a wand she just couldn't do it. Either she ended up blowing everything up or it didn't work. She was studying extra hard for those two subjects, and slowly was becoming better, but she had a lot to practice still. In Brazil she didn't have anything like Charms or Transfiguration, so she was going to have an exam with expert students in two subjects she had just learned. She was going to aim for an Acceptable on both, but her gut told her she was going to get either a Poor or a Dreadful. She hoped the latter wasn't a real option, but she really was expecting the worst.
"Are you leaving for Easter?" Severus asked one day while she was trying to turn vinegar into wine, which wasn't working and was getting her very irritated.
"Not likely. I still have too much to learn." She replied, frowning at the cup in front of her. He nodded and looked at her.
"You can't hold your wand so tightly, and your posture is too stiff. As your frustration increases, the chances of getting it right decrease. Here." He said and got up from his chair, walking to place himself behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders. "Relax." He whispered on her ear and she felt herself calm down immediately, leaning back into him. He grabbed her forearm and guided her hand so it was pointing at the cup. "Loosen your hold on the wand." She did. "Okay, now concentrate. What you want has to be clear on your mind. Breathe. Now, try." She said the spell and was surprised to see the color of the liquid turn red.
"Oh my God." She said, amazed. "I did it!" She turned her face and kissed him briefly on the lips. She walked to the table and picked the cup, smelling it. She made a face. "Well, I successfully made wine vinegar... but I guess that's good enough for today." She said with a smile.
He kissed her one more time and they both started to put their things away.
"Well, tomorrow I'm going to Hogsmeade, so I will see you after dinner." He nodded and they kissed again, for a longer time. Severus was the first one to leave this time, and she waited a few minutes before leaving too.
Juliana spent a nice day with Amanda on Hogsmeade. The weather was getting warmer, and the snow was almost completely gone. After buying tons of candy and some books, they settled for a butterbeer on the Three Broomsticks, before going back to the school.
"You really are a lone wolf." Amanda said after taking a sip of her drink. Juliana raised her eyebrows.
"Uh?" She asked, confused.
"You love to be alone. You spend so much time on the library than anyone else, I think. I don't even know how you can take being on that place for so long." She said, frowning. Well, I'm not alone, that's how I can take it. She wanted to say.
"Oh, I just love to learn about this place." She half-lied. She did love learning about the way they used magic and Hogwarts history, but that wasn't the reason she spent so much time on the library. "Everything is so different here, I want to get to know all I can before I leave." Amanda nodded in understanding.
"We should get going, I'm supposed to meet Peter on the Great Hall at five." Juliana looked at her watch and frowned. She was already ten minutes late.
"Um... Amanda... it's already ten past five." She said carefully. Amanda's eyes widened instantly.
"WHAT? OH NO! We really need to leave." She said grabbing her things at record speed.
"I... really need to pee." Juliana said apologetically. "You can go, I'll catch up."
"No... no. I'll wait. Hurry." Amanda replied, getting nervous. She had been dating Peter for about two weeks, and being late was something she absolutely hated. She didn't want to give him a wrong impression.
"Really, go. It's not like I can get lost, I'll walk to the castle on my own." She said, insisting. She hated doing things in a hurry. Amanda hesitated for a second but quickly thanked her and left almost running from the place.
Juliana calmly picked her bags and made her way to the bathroom. She washed her hands afterwards, looked at herself in the mirror, and exited the pub.
She was alone walking on the path that led to Hogwarts when she heard her name being called. When she turned around she couldn't help but roll her eyes and keep walking.
About twenty feet behind her, walking unsteadily was Sirius Black. When he saw her walking faster, he hurried his steps.
"Julianaaaaaa..." she heard again, this time much more closer. She turned, already angry.
"What the hell do you want?" She asked, and took a step back when she smelled the stench of alcohol on him.
"Oh, don't get so worked up." He said drunkenly, popping the p at the end of his sentence.
"Go away Sirius, you reek of firewhiskey." She said, disgusted, and turned to leave when his hand on her arm stopped her. She pulled away immediately. "Don't touch me." She told him, anger clear on her voice.
"Oh, come on Juli... you know you want this." He said with a smile, pointing at himself. He tried to grab her shoulders and come closer to kiss her, but what he got was a strong fist connecting to his nose. His eyes watered and he felt warm liquid coming out, before feeling the taste of blood on his mouth. The blow was so hard that he nearly fell back, and it served to sober him a bit.
"Why the hell did you do that for?" He asked, his hand on his face, looking down at the blood that was starting to drip to the floor. When he looked up, he actually took a step back. The look on her face was one of pure hatred. He had only seen another person look at him that way on his life, and she was dating him.
"I'm sorry." She said lowly, her words filled with sarcasm, and he wished she was screaming at him, because he knew that tone was much more dangerous. "Was I supposed to punch you after you raped me and finally realized that I. Did Not. Want it?" He took another step back. I wasn't going to rape her, what does she think I am? "I want you away from me. I can't stand being more than five minutes in the same room as you. I don't know what you think of the girls that surround you, but believe me, not all women are willing to take off their panties whenever you ask. If I say no, it doesn't mean I'm playing hard to get. It means that I DON'T WANT TO. But what can you know, you could try to kill someone and get away with it. Wait... you already did." She finished, her eyes narrowed and her teeth clenched in anger. She turned and started to walk away, but he spoke again.
"Why him? What could possibly make you want to be with Severus Snape of all people?" He asked with no emotion on his voice. Before he could prevent it, another fist made contact with his face, this time on his right eye.
"We told you to shut up." She said, looking around to see if someone was around. She didn't see anyone.
"Why? The world should know that you are Hogwarts happiest couple." He said, his voice filled with malice and resentment.
She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him up. Their faces where inches apart.
"Listen to me, idiot, and listen carefully. Do not try me. Or I swear on my life that I will not only destroy you, I will also destroy everyone you love." She moved her face so her mouth was on his ear. "How would Remus feel if everyone knew he is a werewolf?" He pushed her back and looked at her with scared wide eyes. "That's what I thought." She said before turning for the last time and finally walking to the school without being stopped.
Not even in her wildest dreams Juliana would consider to tell anyone about Remus or destroying Sirius life along with the lives of everyone he loved. But she needed him to remain silent, and with someone so unpredictable, threats were the only thing she could think of that actually worked. She wished she didn't have to do it, but she was sure that if she didn't he was going to talk. And talking meant someone was going to die.
When she was finally out of sight, Sirius made his own way to the castle, completely sober by now.
What he didn't know, and what Juliana hadn't noticed either, was that there was someone standing not too far away that listened attentively to their whole conversation.
"This is just great." Avery said to himself, an evil smile starting to form on his mouth.
