Juliet

"Juliet, where on earth have you been!" Jennifer yelled, running up to me as I hurried to the Scamanders' back garden. Behind her I saw Hugo and the twins jump to their feet and head towards me also. "We looked all over the house for you when you didn't come back – I've been going out of my mind thinking you'd taken off somewhere! We only just came back out here, 'cause Hugo said if you did come back you wouldn't know where we were..."

"Calm down," I said, alarmed. "Sorry, I didn't know it would take that long. I was in Newt's study all the time..."

"No, you weren't," Jennifer said, irritated. "That was the first place we looked. Anyway, look, just forget it, we've had a summons."

"A summons? Where?"

"Back to Mum's office," Hugo said, as he and the twins reached us.

"Oh, Merlin," I groaned. "Already? Now?" I couldn't look at him, or Lorcan or Lysander.

Hugo nodded. "She's called a meeting with your parents and, um, McGonagall and Vector."

"Hugo and Jennifer told us everything," Lysander said, gravely. "Look, whatever happens – I mean, I – I don't know how things are going to work out, but – well –" He broke off, looking horribly awkward.

"What he's trying to say is that you'll both always be welcome here," Lorcan said gently. Even if you're expelled, didn't need to be said. I looked up at them gratefully, as Jennifer tugged my arm.

"We've got to go," she said. "We're late already."

"Use our Floo, it'll be quicker," Lorcan said quickly. "Come with me..."

He strode off toward the house with long, easy strides and we jogged after him. The house was full of noises – I could hear clattering and footsteps and voices upstairs and in various rooms - but Lorcan quickly led us into an empty sitting room where a low fire was burning and picked up a dish of glittering green powder from the mantelpiece.

"Have you used it before?"

"Yes, once," I said, taking a pinch.

"Great. Say 'Hermione Granger's study' and you'll be there in two ticks..."

The flames roared upwards, green and ferocious. I stepped quickly into the fire and Jennifer pressed forwards, ready to follow me. She and Lorcan looked at each other for one long moment, just as I yelled, ""Hermione Granger's study!"

I saw a frisson of understanding pass between them, but had no time to wonder what it meant as I span into the whooshing confusion of the Floo Tunnels...

Moments later, I spilled out onto the carpet in the Minister's office, which we'd left just hours before. The animated discussion going on came to an abrupt halt.

"JULIET!"

I looked up, with a horrible sinking feeling. It was Dad. He strode forwards and yanked me to my feet. Behind him, Mum sat, frozen, on the hard-backed sofa, obviously still in shock. I met her anguished gaze for just a moment – when Jennifer tumbled out onto the carpet behind me.

"JENNIFER!"

Dad pulled my sister to her feet, too, and shook us both, hard. I was shocked – and a little frightened. Dad had never shaken us before.

"What on earth," he said, letting us go suddenly – we both backed away, towards Mum – "have you been up to?"

"Well, we –"

"That was a rhetorical question!" Dad sputtered. "I – we – you –" I had never seen him incoherent with rage before. "The Minister for Magic has explained everything!" he got out eventually.

The Minister, who had been standing stiffly by the window all this time, came forwards.

"I brought your parents here and filled them in your - activities – while we were waiting for you," she said, sharply. "Sit."

With an acute sense of déjà vu, Jennifer and I sat on the hard-back sofa – this time, next to Mum, who neither of us dared look directly in the eye.

Dad was still ranting.

"...the number of lies you told your mother and me, how could you DARE to do such a thing, I thought we'd brought you up better than this, completely irresponsible...Minister, if we had known – we would never have allowed –"

"What's done is done," the Minister said curtly, cutting him off. "Now, I have asked Juliet's Headmistress and Head of House to join us in" – she checked her watch – "fifteen minutes' time."

Beside me, I felt Juliet tremble and I took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Oh dear," Mum said, faintly. "I – I suppose Juliet will be – I mean, she won't be allowed to stay on at Hogwarts, after this, will she?"

"We'll come to that in time," the Minister replied. "For now, I'd like to brief you on the current situation. I have just returned from my meeting with the heads of the Yazdani family; you should be relieved to hear that this went as well as could be hoped."

I looked up, catching my breath. Beside me I felt Jennifer sit up a little straighter.

The Minister continued. "I assured the Yazdanis that I and the British Ministry for Magic had nothing whatsoever to do with the break in. I maintained that the tent had been taken without my or my husband's knowledge or consent, and that its appearance overseas had nothing to do with me, or, again, the British Ministry. All these facts were, essentially, true."

"But," Jennifer said, incredulously. "Surely they didn't just – accept that?"

"Of course not," the Minister replied. "Not at first. I then, however, took a drop of Veritaserum in front of them as a demonstration of my goodwill and openness, and then I repeated each essential fact."

"Veritaserum?" Dad asked.

"Truth potion," the Minister said. "An exceptionally powerful one. It was a risk, I admit. Further questioning could have forced me to reveal what I had since discovered about the girls' exploits."

Mum gave a little moan and Dad swallowed visibly, but the Minister continued calmly.

"Had that been the case, I had already instructed my husband and certain of our friends to prepare to take steps to immediately protect your daughters and yourselves. However, Veritaserum is very rarely used in international political discussions, and I believe this took them – a family widely known for manipulation and deceit – by surprise. The basic facts, which I proved to be incontestably true, were that my tent had been taken; I had no knowledge of this until the Yazdanis questioned me; and that I, my husband, and my Ministry were not involved in any undercover operation in their household. They tested the Veritaserum on the adviser who had accompanied them, found it to be genuine, and I brought the meeting to a close as haughtily as I could. They withdrew with – admittedly grudging – apologies, to continue their investigations elsewhere."

The Minister allowed herself to look the tiniest bit smug.

"Impressive," Dad said at last. "Well – we can't thank you enough..."

"Yeah," I said hoarsely, feeling the most enormous relief. "That's – amazing." Beside me, Jennifer nodded vigorously.

"It really is," she added softly. "Thank you so much, Minister."

"It's my job," the Minister replied, a little stiffly. "At least – until this evening."

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed, horrified. "I'd hoped – I mean, seeing as you sorted this out – they're not making you resign, are they? All those people at the Ministry?"

"Minister," Dad said, stricken. "Surely you won't lose your job over this?"

"Yes," the Minister replied steadily, and Dad groaned. "And no. There's no need to concern yourselves too much. I have my enemies and doubters within my Ministry, naturally, and had the meeting gone badly, no doubt I would have had little choice in the matter. However, now that the Yazdanis have accepted my explanation, and withdrawn their threat to our government, my Ministry cannot make me step down."

Her gaze swept over me and Jennifer, and she frowned.

"However. I will be tendering my resignation tonight nonetheless."

"Oh, Minister," Mum said, after a dismayed silence. "Why ever is that?"

The Minister hesitated for a moment before replying, and – to my surprise – I saw two faint pink spots appear on her cheeks.

"For personal reasons," she said at last, turning on her heel and walking to the window with a frown. "I've done this job – well, I believe – for over four years. But, well...this has been a long time coming. Finding out that my Hugo was involved – even only a little – in this whole mess, without me knowing..." Her voice grew distant and thoughtful. "My son knew he could borrow the tent and disappear on a pretend visit for a week and I wouldn't notice a thing. It made me realise quite how much I'd lost touch...perhaps I have succeeded as a Minister, but I have failed miserably in other respects...oh." She shook herself visibly and turning back to us. "You don't need to hear all this."

"Not at all," Dad said firmly. "Fiona and I also should have realised something was going on..."

He glared at us and we both quailed, but the next moment green flames leapt high in the fireplace for a second time.

"Ah," said the Minister. "They are here..."

Moments later, Professor McGonagall stepped out of the fireplace, thin-lipped and clearly furious, and then right after her, Professor Vector, with a very serious expression on her usually serene and kindly face.

"My dear Juliet," Vector said softly and sadly to me, and McGonagall stepped forward, looking absolutely livid.

"Miss Belstone –" she began, clearly ready to tear me verbally to pieces, and I quailed; but then, to my surprise, the Minister held up her hand to silence her.

"With respect, Professor," she said calmly but firmly. "Both girls have already been seriously reprimanded, both by myself and their parents. I think they fully understand the seriousness of the situation, and deeply regret their actions, isn't that right, girls?"

We both nodded hastily.

"Absolutely –"

"Oh, yes –"

McGonagall pursed her lips together tightly, but acknowledged the Minister's higher authority with a curt nod.

"So," the Minister continued heavily, "now we must discuss Juliet's future..."

"We won't keep you in suspense any longer," Vector said softly, looking at me. With her sad, wise eyes and silvery hair she reminded more than ever of a kindly old owl. I remembered how close friends she had been with Aunt Ada – and thought, then, how disappointed Aunt Ada would have been if she could see us both now. As though from a great distance, I heard her say, "I'm afraid you won't be allowed to continue your studies at Hogwarts, Juliet."

This was hardly a surprise, but still my insides clenched as the words hit me. Numbly, I nodded, as Mum covered her face with her hands. I didn't dare look at Dad.

"The termination of a Hogwarts education is usually a last resort, especially when the student in question is as magically adept as Miss Belstone," McGonagall said. "But what Juliet has done this summer goes far beyond the boundaries of disrespecting school rules! Although, it appears, the consequences of her foolish actions have been mitigated, I cannot allow her to set such an example of flagrant disregard for authority, to our other pupils."

There was a pregnant pause.

"That's perfectly understandable," Dad said, heavily. "We're just so sorry, that Juliet chose to waste such a golden opportunity."

A painful lump had been growing in my chest as McGonagall talked. I had hardly realised before how much I had grown to love Hogwarts. Oh, I had hated it at first – but when I allowed myself to believe that Jennifer would surely soon be joining me there, I'd let my defences down. I'd made friends. I'd let the grand old castle steal a place in my heart. Images flashed at random through my mind... The library crammed with incredible books. My little blue-curtained bed in airy Ravenclaw tower. Marion, and Susie, and the other students I was just beginning to be friendly with. The Charms classroom, with warm afternoon light slanting across the old stone floor...strolling with Hugo by the lake and throwing crumpets to the Giant Squid... I took a deep, shuddering breath and Jennifer sympathetically rested her hand on my arm.

"Of course," McGonagall continued, "Juliet needs to continue her magical education, for the same reason that I explained to you all two years ago. There was a time when we would have snapped her wand in half and sent her straight home. But there were a few nasty incidents over the last century when expelled pupils struggled to contain or appropriately channel their magical powers, and laws were accordingly changed. Juliet must receive an education until she comes of age at seventeen."

Seventeen. I swallowed. What did they have in store for me, for those four long years?

"You must know, Mr and Mrs Belstone," Vector said in her clear, quiet voice, "that extra-curricular activities aside, Juliet has been an excellent pupil. Hard-working, capable, spending most of her time in the library – even, I understand, tutoring Hugo Weasley-Granger in Charms."

"Yes," said the Minister drily. "Hugo struggles in Charms. And I appreciate what your daughter has done for him. We also recognise that she was put in an unusual and difficult situation when she was separated from her twin sister, and that she clearly regrets her actions."

Professor McGonagall stepped forward, looking directly at me. "We both believe that to condemn you to an institution for delinquent young witches and wizards would be both unnecessary and cruel; although we will be keeping a close eye on you in future, Miss Belstone. But we've put in a good word for you to Selburton Spell School, and we have not told them the real reason for your needing to leave Hogwarts – else I doubt they would have offered you the place."

"Selburton?" I croaked, looking up at her, then over to Vector and McGonagall. "Where's that? What's it like?"

"It is in Lincolnshire," Vector said gently. "I won't lie: it is nothing like Hogwarts. But you can adequately finish your schooling there. It is by far the best remaining option."

The best of a bad bunch. She didn't need to say it, we could all see it was obvious. It must be awful. I felt utterly miserable, even though I knew it was more than I deserved.

"Up till now, you've been almost a model student, Juliet," Vector said to me. "We'll be keeping an eye on you even if you don't know it. Don't despair. Work hard at Selburton and you can still have a bright future."

The kindness and evident pity in Vector's voice finished me off. Unable to hold them back any longer, my eyes filled up with tears.

"Thank you," I mumbled, looking at the floor. A tear splashed onto the carpet. The room felt achingly warm. Suddenly, I was desperate to get out of there. "Can – can I go to the bathroom?" I asked, standing up.

"Of course," the Minister said gently, and I stumbled out of the room, dashing my sleeve across my eyes.

I didn't need the bathroom – I just wanted some privacy – and, after the stifling atmosphere of the study, some air. I ran out of the back door into the garden and found a sheltered corner between some flowering shrubs. I threw myself onto the grass, hugging my knees tight as I sobbed and sobbed.

So it had come to this. All my brilliant plans, the realisation of my fantastic day-dreams. I had been so sure that after this summer, Jennifer would be journeying back to Hogwarts with me for the start of her first year and my third at Hogwarts; joining me on the Hogwarts Express, being Sorted (into Ravenclaw, of course), having her first, thrilling introductions to Charms and Potions and Transfiguration...

But not only was Jen not joining me, I'd thrown away my place at Hogwarts too. She'd go back to Greenhill Academy and I'd be packed off to some awful dive of a school in bleakest Lincolnshire. Alone. We would never bridge this divide...

Or – would we? A frisson of shock suddenly shot through me and I sat bolt upright. I let the idea sink slowly through me, testing it for flaws. My breath became short and shallow. Yes. There was a way. A way to resolve this whole, horrible, terrible mess. Oh, it wasn't perfect – I'd learnt by now that no solution was ever perfect. But, Merlin help me, it might work.

Yes. It would work.

Slowly, I got to my feet, and walked, feeling as though I was in a dream; away from the house, away from the Minister, and my teachers, and my family. It wouldn't take long, if no one stopped me. I'd better be swift. Glancing back, I began to run; and my new resolve curled deep within me, hard and unyielding, like steel.


A/N: Sorry, bit of a heavy chapter, this one! Thank you for all your lovely comments so far. You guys keep me going!

~Beedle