Chapter Text
Chapter 1
New Beginnings
For almost a decade before even her first day at Hogwarts, rumours had been swirling about a young girl due to start this year. Rumours of how their sibling who had been known to be wonderful in every perceivable regard had likely joined the Death Eaters to serve he who must not be named and had mysteriously vanished. How these dreadful occurrences had driven the young girl mad with grief.
"How could they even allow someone like that to join Hogwarts?"
"Ought to be locked up in St Mungos instead if you ask me"
"Too right! And the other one in Azkaban if they ever find them!"
It was commonplace to overhear conversations like these. But unknown to them, Juliet wasn't mad, odd sure. Quirky, absolutely and many other variations of the same sentiment...but not mad. She had been very young still when her sister had gone. Had that been her saving grace? Maybe.
But Sephy wasn't missing, not any more. Sephy was dead.
Buried beneath a large willow tree in their Garden.
The funeral, if you could call it that had been an exceptionally quiet affair despite the many people who had been so fond of her sister. The family had effectively closed ranks though. The rumours after all couldn't be confirmed if Sephy was never officially found. As far as anyone knew she had simply moved away.
Her grave didn't even have a marker but their Mother had placed an ornate metal bench above where she'd been laid to rest and trained the roses to intertwine themselves along its curving backs and sides. The seat itself was kept immaculately clear as Mother still sat there everyday, sometimes all day every day.
Juliet wondered if she even realized a day had passed any more. It had been years....Maybe it was best if she didn't?
The young girl let out a soft sigh, her breath slightly fogging up the window she was leaning against and took a deep breath before readjusting herself in her seat. She fiddled with the small gold pendant hanging around her neck for a few moments, running her thumb over the embossed rose on the front before pressing gently on a small button on top. The front face sprung forward revealing a clock and Juliet sighed again. She'd been here for two hours already but the Hogwarts express was still not due to leave for an hour more. Not many students or staff for that matter arrived at the station this early but she'd been grateful to be able to board and choose a cabin towards the back of the train by herself, then taking her time arranging her belongings, including an old looking leather bag with an even more ancient clasp at her feet and the great mass of grey and white fur now contentedly purring away at her side.
"At least someone can relax" She mused, absent-mindedly combing her fingers through his fur. Schrödinger squinted one bright blue eye open for a moment before returning to his peaceful snooze.
"Perhaps you have the right idea?".
Settling back more comfortably into her seat, Juliet pulled a small black jar from the inner pocket of her currently plain black robes and having popped open its corked lid an irresistible sweet smell quickly filled the cabin. Attached to the underside of the corked lid was a small spoon which was almost overflowing with a thick and shiny, intensely blue substance. Careful not to spill a drop Juliet swallowed the spoonful and replaced the lid, a dreamy smile crossing her gentle features the moment she did. Her specially made honey, whilst having a delicate slightly floral taste also had the wonderful side effect of causing feelings of euphoria. She felt warm, the dreary station outside the window suddenly looked glowey in the barely there sunlight and so inviting. The world seemed...shinier. No sense in worrying now, students would begin to arrive soon. She could worry then.
Scruffing her great mass of white curls into something vaguely resembling a bun, Juliet raised her hood and pulled it low down over her dark juniper green eyes. A short nap couldn't hurt right? She'd been up so early and...Yeah...nap now, worry later...
Schroedinger's rhythmic purring was soothing and before long Juliet drifted into an unexpectedly deep sleep.