Chapter seventy-six; Isla the cat
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''What the...?'' Jasmine's words ceased to come past her lips.
In front of the closed doors to the living room stood a new figure on the exact spot, where Isla was sitting previously. A beautiful black girl, looking a little older than an average Hogwarts student, with curly dark hair styled into two buns on the top of her head, had her arms situated against her hips. A silver chain with a big red pendant was hanging around her neck and that was the only thing noticeable that wasn't covered by her long black coat that reached to her boot dressed feet.
''Jasmine. Sirius.'' The girl greeted them slowly and cautiously, waiting for any other kind of reaction than their jaws being dropped.
''Isla?'' Jasmine whispered.
She thought it couldn't be true, that this was her mind making things up. But the nod offered by the black girl, correction, Isla, was very real. Isla was definitely of age already since she was no doubt an Animagi. There's no other way that she could have been the black cat in Jasmine's possession.
Jasmine finally got over the shock. ''This is so messed up.'' She widened her eyes even more and started moving around the living room.
Sirius crossed his arms his eyes still glued to one and the same spot as before. ''Wait, you're the black cat that has been sitting just there?'' He pointed at the spot.
Isla nodded slowly. ''Yes, now please don't panic.'' She raised her hands in a warning manner.
Jasmine stopped pacing and turned to the black girl with her face screwed up weirdly. Isla quickly picked up her wand and cast 'silencio' on the room, afraid that Jasmine was going to start screaming.
''Don't panic? You work for my dad don't you?'' She questioned.
Isla nodded again. ''I do, but –''
''Don't try to excuse yourself.'' Jasmine picked up her own wand for protection. ''All this time you have been listening to every single word I spoke in my room, you know all about me, you were spying on me for my dad! That's fucked up.'' Jasmine was really getting worked up about this and she noticed by her own rapid breathing.
''If you just let me explain –'' Isla tried.
''No! I don't need to hear anything. You've done enough.'' Jasmine took a step forward, raising her wand.
In an act of fear, Isla dropped her wand to the floor and put up her hands to show that they are empty.
Jasmine kept her stance still when a realisation hit her. ''Oh god, you were there all the nights that I talked to Remus. And every time I was out with Sirius. You listened to all my conversations with Robyn.''
''Jasmine,'' Sirius said and pushed her hand down so her wand wasn't pointing at Isla anymore. ''Just let her tell her part of the story.''
Jasmine moved her eyes away from Isla to Sirius, not believing he was taking the cat's side. ''What's more, to tell, she already knows everything and has been probably ratting me out to my dad all this time.''
''Has she? You said dad gifted you the cat for Christmas and you know how much happened since Christmas yet you're still here and your dad still doesn't know about you and Remus.'' Sirius tried to reason with Jasmine.
This time she didn't have a comment to say back. She lowered her eyes to the floor before turning back to Isla. The words seemed true enough coming from Sirius and when he talked in such a calm tone everyone would believe him. But she wanted to hear it from Isla as well.
The girl nodded, her hands still up in a defensive manner. ''Sirius is right. I haven't told your father anything.''
''Well, what about that time he found out I was sneaking out?'' Jasmine questioned.
''I had to give him something otherwise my life was at stake. But there were so many things that I kept my mouth shut about. Please, you have to believe me I'm on your side. I would have told Mr Pearson everything a long time ago if I wanted, but I didn't.'' Isla defended herself.
''Why?'' Jasmine asked. ''Why haven't you told him?''
Isla slowly but surely let her hands drop down by her sides. ''I couldn't do that to you, Jasmine. Frankly, I had no choice but to take this job, like I said, I was threatened with my life. From the beginning, I thought that I'm just going to do my job and get the hell out of here when I get the chance. But then I got to know you through your conversations and your actions with your friends. I couldn't understand why your dad was doing this to you until I spied on him more and learned what kind of person he is. That's when I started lying to him for you. I said that you were at Hogwarts exactly how he expected you to be and that's all. I had no intention of ruining your life ever.''
A few very long and tense minutes passed as Jasmine didn't want to break her stare towards Isla. She was studying her and at the end realised that the girl had been telling truth. Jasmine let her shoulders sag a little as she nodded, showing that she understood what Isla all said. She sighed as the realisation of the situation dawned upon her and she dropped onto the couch. Her dad was spying on her for more than half a year. Father of the year really.
''Wait, why are you telling us these things now? Why not before?'' Sirius asked.
Isla picked up her wand off the floor and ventured further into the living room so she could speak face to face with Jasmine, even though she was addressing both of them. ''I was afraid of Jasmine's reaction, understandably. I was also afraid if I tell you somehow Mr Pearson is going to find out but I'm quite sure that's not going to happen now.''
Isla sat down on a chair that was facing the couch, seeking Jasmine's eyes. ''Jasmine, you and your mum are in great danger. You have to get out of here as soon as possible.''
Jasmine refrained from rolling her eyes as she leaned forward. ''I know, I've tried and it didn't turn out the best. I can't just go because mum is going to take the consequences then.''
''This is why both of you have to go. And I just might help you with that.'' Isla stood up again, hardly being still for a few minutes.
''Who are you exactly?'' Sirius asked suspiciously nearing the couch.
Isla chuckled quietly as she realised that she hadn't introduced herself yet. ''Isla Halliday. Auror trainee, but Mr Pearson doesn't know that. Being a spy is my speciality and working on both sides of the wizarding world right now is my mission on becoming a full-time auror.''
''You work for Voldemort?'' Jasmine widened her eyes.
''Not exactly.'' Isla denied the statement. ''I have contact with his followers.''
''Is my dad one of them?'' Jasmine asked before her mind could register what she was implying by it.
Isla had no time to answer when they heard the entrance door shut loudly, either someone coming in or going out. ''Ah, Aleah dear, you're not at work?'' No doubt Mr Pearson's voice came muffled through the door to the living room.
Jasmine jumped off the couch as if it was on fire and turned around to Sirius with wide eyes. ''Shit, he's home. You have to go, now!''' She whisper shouted even though she knew that the 'silencio' spell was still working in the room.
Sirius returned his own panic looking expression and looked around as if the random objects in the room will give him clues on how to exit. ''I can turn into my Animagi form and run out.'' He suggested with a helpless shrug.
Jasmine vigorously shook her head. ''Bad idea. I'm going to be the one questioned after about what a big black dog was doing in our house.''
Jasmine bit her lip in nervousness and ran a distressed hand through her hair. She turned to the girl who was nearing the door to the hall. ''Isla?'' She questioned if the girl had any ideas.
Isla shook her head. ''I can't go out there, your mum doesn't know who I am.''
Jasmine sent her a bewildered look, asking herself who exactly does even know who Isla is. Does William know? Isla put a finger against her lips to indicate Jasmine and Sirius should be quiet as she beckoned them over to the door. The muffled voices became clearer from the hall outside.
''Has Jasmina responded to the letter I told you to send?'' Mr Pearson asked.
Jasmine widened her eyes. Her suspicions about the letter were right, her mum never wrote to her. And now it all made sense that her dad made her mum write to her. As if he wanted to bribe her to come home. She never hated a man more in her life and she had to clench her fists to contain her anger at that moment.
''She came home.'' Mrs Pearson answered as calmly as she could.
''Really, where is she?'' Jasmine's father asked immediately with a stern voice.
''Up in her room, I think.'' Mrs Pearson lied a little less confidence in her voice than before.
A few silent moments passed and then the thumping feet of Mr Pearson ascending the stairs sounded through the main floor. Isla turned into a black cat again when Jasmine creaked the door open. Her mum stood right in front of the kitchen door, staring absentmindedly at the floor. Mr Pearson's echoing footsteps could still be heard at the upper level of the house when Jasmine pulled Sirius out of the living room and they stalked across the hall. Mrs Pearson picked up her head and widened her eyes at the pair before she waved at them to quickly get moving and get out of the house. Jasmine didn't hesitate then anymore as she was sure that her dad is going to find out very soon that she isn't in her room. Tiptoeing across the floor wasn't an option anymore and Jasmine sprinted for the entrance door, hearing Sirius right behind her.
''Jasmina!'' Her father's voice sounded from somewhere in the house.
''Go! Go!'' Jasmine yelled as she beckoned Sirius to run faster and escape out the house.
Jasmine made the mistake to look behind her when they were outside on the gravel path and she could see her father appearing in the doorway. She ran faster to where she knew the barrier would be, Sirius running ahead of her and stepping safely on the pavement. On the other hand, Jasmine felt like she hit something solid, almost like her body collided with a wall and she landed on her backside on the grass. She let out a groan from the pain of hitting first the wall and then the floor. Her eyes shot open with a start and she got up, fearing that she didn't just imagine all of this. She tried to walk forward but her hands hit against something solid and invisible.
''No, no, no.'' She muttered as she pressed her hands on the invisible barrier. Then she screamed closing her hand into a fist and hitting the wall with her hand in anger. ''No!''
Sirius heard her and looking behind him and only then noticing that she wasn't running a few feet behind him. He stopped, turning around and Jasmine knew he wanted to return for her. She locked eyes with him and shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek. Every try for an escape would be futile by now. Shutting her eyes shut and letting out a sob, Jasmine realised what situation she was in. Not only will she never get anywhere until the end of the summer but she is at some serious risk of getting punished.
Sirius couldn't do anything, he could only watch from the corner how Mr Pearson came stomping down the path and dragging a screaming Jasmine inside the house.
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