xxix. welcoming arms
- silks of heaven, chapter twenty nine -
JASMINE WAS STUNNED FOR a few moments. Then her eyebrows furrowed and she stared at him intensely.
"You're leaving? Now?" she spluttered. "Regulus.."
"Jasmine, it's the smartest thing to do. Where's the first place that they'll come looking for Sirius?" Regulus asked. "Here. And if they find me here. Hell, I'll be disowned, too."
He was right, and Jasmine knew it. But she didn't wand to admit it.
"But ... when are you leaving?" she asked, hopeful.
"Now. Like I said.. the sooner, the better," he responded. "I'm sorry."
Her heart sank, "I understand."
Regulus nodded at her, almost like saying thank you, and walked upstairs silently. Jasmine turned back around. Sirius was in Euphemia's arms, still, but everyone was staring at her.
Her eyes fogged with tears and her face crumbled. James ran up to her and took her in his arms, holding her tightly. She sobbed and sobbed.
He stroked her hair, rubbed her back, but her crying didn't stop until she heard Regulus walk back down. She wiped away her tears quickly enough for him to not notice it.
Regulus walked up to her and sighed, "I'm so sorry. I don't want to leave ..."
If it was even possible, her heart sank lower.
"Don't be sorry," she relented. "You don't have any other choice."
She tried to form a smile, but couldn't manage. She just stared at him. Regulus held her hands into his. His eyes were sparkling with tears.
"I'll see you at school, okay?" he said quietly. She nodded.
"Do you want be to Apparate with you?" she offered.
"No, no, no," he assured. "Stay here with Sirius and James. I'll be fine, I promise."
Jasmine nodded again. He kissed her head and Apparated.
She sat next to her mother, as everyone else began talking to Sirius. He explained everything, but she was zoned out, only thinking about Regulus.
***
Despite the fact that Regulus had left with not much goodbye's, Jasmine felt lightweight over the week leading up to Christmas Day.
Sirius was staying with the Potters now, he really did get disowned this time from his family. James and Sirius kept her distracted from Regulus, but she didn't mind. It wasn't his fault, he was right.
She was happier that he left, otherwise, who knows what could've happened? His parents could've found him here and forbade him to see her anymore, and they both would've hated that.
Sirius woke her up every morning, with a nice cup of tea and some biscuits. She liked it, but it hurt her heart to know he did this only to make it feel like they were family.
"Morning, Sirius," Jasmine would say every morning.
But, the last day of the week, it was something different she said to him when he brought up her tea and biscuits.
"Sirius," she called before he left the room again. He turned around and nodded.
"Why do you do this every morning?" she asked. He stared at her and his eyes darkened.
He shrugged, "This family is like my own. Better, even. I just want you all to know how grateful I am for you."
Sirius sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. Smiling, he asked, "Heard from him, yet?"
Jasmine knew already that he was talking about Regulus. Her heart sank.
"No," she replied. "But it's been a week, so I can't blame him." As she stared into his eyes, she couldn't help but notice how similar he and Regulus looked. It was scary.
Sirius nodded in agreement. "Come down for breakfast, soon. Effie's made pancakes again."
She smiled and hopped out of bed. Sirius swung his arm around her neck and held her close as they walked down the stairs.
Jasmine sat next to her mother at the breakfast table. She didn't eat much, like usual, but that's just because she never really had a huge appetite in the mornings.
Unlike any other days, Jasmine found her owl sitting on her windowsill with a letter wrapped around his leg after breakfast. She was fast to quickly snatch the letter, feed the owl, and run off to open the letter. She locked her bedroom door and ripped the envelope open.
Jasmine,
I've arrived home a few days earlier, I'm safe. As much as I hate it here, it was a better idea to come.
How is everyone? Hope you're doing okay, and I'm so sorry I couldn't be there. There's nothing I wish more than to spend Christmas with your family..
But, it's not our last Christmas together, hopefully. We still have many years to come, and soon I'll be moving out, possibly even moving out next year.
On Christmas morning, I'm sending over my Christmas gift to you, but don't open it until after Christmas dinner.
I love&miss you more than you can imagine and I can't wait to see you again,
Love, Regulus.
After reading it, Jasmine smiled to herself and folded the letter neatly, then stashed it into a drawer, keeping it safe, so she could always return to it.
She walked back downstairs and nearly toppled over when she saw Sirius' mother, Walburga Black, in the entrance hallway. She was saying something to Sirius.
"You do realise, if you decide to stay here, there is no coming back home? This is it, we will not take you in again," she said, in a quiet, but cold tone. Jasmine shuddered as her voice echoed off the walls of the hallway.
"I'm not leaving," Sirius spat. "And I'm sure as hell not going back to that house."
"You are not staying here, Sirius Orion Black! Not with these filthy blood-traitors!" she shrieked, making Jasmine jump back in shock.
"Mind your mouth, Mother," Sirius snarled. "If they're 'blood-traitors', then I'm one, too."
Walburga Black looked furious. She stood speechless, staring at her son.
"One day you'll understand," she said. "Why, Sirius? Why on Earth couldn't you have been like your brother? Your perfect brother, who listens when he's told and carries out the bloodline. Hm?"
Jasmine's heart sank at the mention of Regulus, and she felt the urge to write him a letter back.
Sirius scoffed, "He's really not all that."
Walburga's nose flared and her eyes twitched. "He is much better than you will ever be."
"So, treat him like it, God damn it!" Sirius burst. "If he's your perfect little boy, why do you carry on hitting him —"
Jasmine's mouth dropped and her heart sank even deeper. A lump formed in her throat, all the colour in her face drained out.
She walked to Sirius, slid past him, and was staring right at Walburga Black, who was in front of the closed door.
"Get out of my house," Jasmine said, calmly. "Get out."
"Move out of the way, girl, I'm talking to my son," Walburga said, carelessly.
"I won't repeat myself again. Get the fuck out of my house!"
By now, Euphemia and James ran over to the hallway. Euphemia gasped to see Walburga and James stood next to Sirius.
Walburga stared at all of them. She shot an icy glare at Jasmine, turned around, left the house and slammed the door shut.
Jasmine's face was flaming hot. She hated to think of Regulus, all on his own at home. And now she knew that they hit him, things only got worse.
Sirius looked at her with sorrow in his eyes.
"Did they hit you, too?" she asked. Stupid question, of course. Regulus was their "oh-so!" perfect child, yet they still hurt him. Why would they spare Sirius?
Sirius nodded slowly.
Jasmine ran up to him and flung her arms around his neck, "I'm so, so sorry, Sirius .."
He hugged her back, tears swelling in his eyes. Jasmine knew that her heart had never been heavier.
***
author's note:
sad chapter:(( i love them sm.
anyways, this is officially a
walburga black hate club. to join,
just sign your name down below!
fuck u walburga :)