Chocolate Covered Strawberries [Remus Lupin]

𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗

Dear Ms Pearson. We regret to inform you...

"I'm sorry, Jasmine." Smirnitsky put his arm around his niece in comfort. "I know how hard you have worked to get into the Healer's program."

"My grades just weren't good enough." Jasmine leaned her head on Smirnitsky's shoulder.

"I gave you an Outstanding in defence, just so you know."

A small chuckle escaped Jasmine. "I know, I saw. You were the most generous out of the professors when grading N.E.W.T.'s. But it was inevitable. I never cared for grades until seventh year and I tried as much as I could but I knew I wouldn't be accepted. I guess being a Healer really isn't in our blood, is it? Mum didn't train as a Healer either, even though she wanted to."

"Well, St Mungo's missed out on two brilliant witches by not giving you a chance," said Smirnitsky.

Jasmine shrugged. She couldn't care less about that now. "Are you really quitting as professor at Hogwarts?"

Smirnitsky nodded.

"Why? You were so great. Everyone loved you." Jasmine couldn't understand.

"That's not correct. Everyone thought I was strange. Only your group of friends loved me." He chuckled. "Anyway, times are changing Jasmine. I'm needed elsewhere."

Jasmine frowned at that information and wondered why he didn't give her any specifics. She hoped in the future that he wouldn't act like her mum did, full of secrets all her life. She hoped to really bond with her uncle.

Smirnitsky gave her back the envelope. "What are you going to do now?"

A small smile etched on Jasmine's lips at that question.

▴ ◃ ▾ ▹

"Am I allowed to open my eyes now?"

"No!" Came a chorused response.

Jasmine grumbled and continued to cover her eyes with her hands. She and her trustworthy friends were standing on the not-so-busy street of Diagon Alley. Whispers surrounded Jasmine as the others were arranging some surprise she wasn't allowed to see.

"What about now?"

"Not yet," said Remus who was standing closest to her.

She knew they were standing in front of an empty shop. It was the shop she bought with the money her father saved in her vault over the years. It was what she decided her life would be after Hogwarts, but she still had no clue what her friends were trying to surprise her with. It was her store they were standing in front of.

A couple more whispers and a loud crash later, she felt two hands on her shoulders.

"You can open them now," said Remus close to her ear.

Jasmine removed her hands from her eyes and blinked a couple of times due to the brightness of the day. She looked at all the smiling faces of her friends who were looking expectantly back at her. Her eyes spotted a long ladder lying on the ground, figuring that was what caused the loud noise before. Then she looked up and widened her eyes.

"Jasmine's Baked Goods." The letters were written above the window, announcing the name of the store. "I don't remember agreeing to name my store after myself." Jasmine scrunched up her eyebrows, eyes flying over her friends again.

"It was either that or Downright Delicious Desserts," said Sirius.

Jasmine chuckled with disbelief that they had only two options to choose from. Remus moved from behind her, keeping an arm around his girlfriend before looking down at her.