From Beauxbaton to Hogwarts

Chapter 13: Confessions

At Sirius' words, Jasmine stopped moving away from him. She realized that he didn't mean to flinch but yet she still wanted to know why. Then Jasmine thought, "How could he possibly be there for me in the way that I need if he can't really understand what I've been through? Lily has tried over and over, but she can only do so much. She really only partially understands because of Petunia. She doesn't understand the guilt I feel for my own mother's death."

Jasmine was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt an arm wrap around her. She looked over to her right and saw that Sirius had moved to sit next to her again. Jasmine saw the look in his eyes, and she almost felt like he would actually understand what she had been through. Jaz wasn't sure how she knew, but she just did. So, she voiced some of her previous thoughts. "Sirius, there is so much more I want to tell you, but first there is one thing that is bothering me." Sirius gestured for her to continue on. "Why did you flinch when I was thanking you for coming over for my 16th birthday?"

Sirius hesitated, but he knew now that Jaz wouldn't see him any different. He knew now that she could at least relate with the abuse he experienced, even though hers was emotional while his was physical. So, Sirius made up his mind. "Well, Jasmine, that day something awful happened." He looked up and saw worry written all over Jasmine's face. "Before I go into what happened, first I have to tell you about my family. I know I haven't told you much, but that was because I didn't want to drag you down with my hell of a life, especially after you told us about you being an orphan. I didn't want to bring my up my family life and parents when you didn't have yours. I guess I also just didn't know if you would understand, but now I know you would."

Sirius paused. He was about to tell the girl had fancied and loved about the worst years of his life. He needed to prepare himself. He took a deep breath and continued. "You're not the only one who has been abused since you were 11." Jasmine gasped but didn't interrupt. "You see, my whole family has been in Slytherin, even my younger brother Regulus. I was and still am the only Black to be sorted into Gryffindor. It was after that fateful day that I got the first letter from my parents about how there would be repercussions when I got home at Christmas. I just tossed that aside as I would get grounded or something stupid. I knew they would be angry, so I just brushed it aside. That Christmas break was the last Christmas I spent with my parents and brother. It was over that break that the abuse started. Sure, I got several mean letters, but I had expected that. What I hadn't expected was my parents to hit me repeatedly when I got home for Christmas."

Sirius paused because he could feel the tears threatening to fall down his face. He had to hold it together for Jasmine, though. He didn't want her to see him cry, but he couldn't stop the tears. As soon as they started falling, Sirius felt the girl beside him pull him into a hug. Then he proceeded to cry into her shirt.

It was about 15 minutes later before Sirius collected himself enough to continue on with the story. Before he could though, Jasmine said, "You don't have to tell me anymore Sirius. I know how hard it is to open up about abuse." But Sirius felt like needed to tell her the rest of the story.

"No, it's fine, Mare. I need to finish." She nodded and let him continue. "I didn't tell anyone about the abuse. The guys all knew about my parents and the letters they sent, but I didn't tell them what happened over the break. Actually, it wasn't until 4th year that I actually sort of told someone what was happening at home. It was at the end of the year, right before we were to go home for the summer that I found your cousin in the owlery crying because of a letter her sister sent her. I then comforted her and didn't exactly reveal that I was getting abused, but Lily figured it out anyway. She then comforted me, and for a while we just sat in a corner of the owlery crying and comforting each other. Afterwards, we swore we wouldn't tell anyone. I mean I hadn't even told James about the abuse yet, so I couldn't just go up to him and tell him about what had happened. He would have asked too many questions. That's why she never told you, Mare."