Chapter one hundred fourteen; Expect the unexpected
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The windows on the abandoned tea shop at the very end of Hogsmeade village were bolted up with planks of wood. A few of them were loose and hanging poorly down, while rusted nails were sticking out everywhere. The parts of the windows that showed were layered with dust so thick one couldn't see anything inside. The tarp above the front door was faded and torn. The only fairly well-kept thing on the house was the door, which looked like it was actually functional.
''Are you ready?'' Remus squeezed Jasmine's hand as their eyes kept raking over the old-looking house.
Jasmine squeezed it back but couldn't offer a smile of comfort. ''I think so.''
It all looked a bit too much suspicious and creepy, but this was not the time to back down. The pair already made an excuse to their friends as to where they are going and Jasmine talked herself into this the night before, so they had to go in. Whether this was an ambush or not they have still yet to find out.
Jasmine took a step forward and pushed at the heavy-looking old door. It moved with a creak and sent a bit of dust flying in the air around it, making Jasmine wave a hand in front of her and squint her eyes. The inside of the house was exactly as she imagined – nearly empty and full of dust. She refrained from coughing due to the thick air as her eyes adjusted to the darker atmosphere. They stepped into the first room which probably used to be the selling part of the store with the front desk and a bunch of shelves behind it.
Jasmine felt a nudge and curiously looked at Remus who then pointed further down the room to a closed wooden door. She stiffened at seeing a snippet of light coming from beneath it. In the dark, she searched for Remus's hand and she grabbed it tightly as he led the way to the door. Both had wands at the ready in case anything happened. Jasmine tugged at Remus' hand for him to wait as she stepped up beside him.
''Hello?'' She yelled at the door.
There was a scraping noise on the other side of the door and a second later footsteps followed. Jasmine stole a quick glance at Remus, fear present in her eyes and not surprisingly she didn't find any other emotion in him as well. The door creaked open slowly, letting a pool of light flow into the room the two were in as a dark figure appeared directly in front of them. Jasmine squinted her eyes to make out the figure, which weirdly enough wasn't in any way trying to attack them. Or this was just a ploy to distract them before the attack. But not long after, Jasmine widened her eyes and let go of Remus' hand at the familiar silhouette.
''Mum!'' Jasmine stepped forward and fell into her mum's embrace.
''Oh, Jasmine sweetie.''
Jasmine wound her arms even tighter around her mum and squeezed her eyes shut at the calm sound of her voice. She knew she missed her but she could never imagine in her head how their reunion would actually feel. It was all the emotions at once, she was happy to see her but she wanted to cry, she was surprised but at the same time very glad this was actually her mum and not a set-up. She also wanted to be angry because her mum just disappeared but that would make her guilty since she left for her own protection. She wanted to be angry for not ensuring her safety beforehand.
Mrs Pearson, well she wasn't Mrs Pearson anymore, Aleah released from the hug and took Jasmine's face between her hands. ''Look at you. My beautiful girl.''
Her eyes flickered over her daughter a few times and then the person next to her caught her attention, making her smile drop, but just for a second. Jasmine immediately caught on to her mother's look and turned her head to Remus.
''Oh, mum, this is Remus.''
''Hi, Miss – uh – '' His voice wavered a bit not knowing how to finish that sentence. Then he awkwardly cleared his throat and offered his hand. ''It's lovely to meet you.''
Aleah firmly placed her hand in his, already a smile playing on her lips. ''Hello.'' She looked then back to Jasmine. ''Boyfriend, I presume?''
Jasmine was simply ecstatic and there was no time to complain about her mother's question nor did she find her voice to answer her. She simply nodded.
''Ah, finally. Then it's very lovely to meet you too Remus. I was wondering for a very long time when I'll get to meet the boy that caught my daughter's eye.'' Aleah winked at them before she turned around and walked into the lighted-up room.
Her spoken words only then registered in Jasmine's mind and she did a double-take at her mum's back. ''What?''
Remus chuckled lowly, pocketed his wand and stepped into the room as well. Jasmine followed him with a bit of hesitance, wondering what her mother has to say to that.
''Oh sweetie, I knew way back in December of your sixth year.'' Aleah invited them to sit down at a small round table in an old kitchen in the backroom.
''Funny, that's exactly when my mother found out as well,'' Remus whispered to Jasmine. She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to tell him to be quiet and that he's not helping.
''It's mother's intuition. Then it was only a matter of time when I'll hear it from Jasmine too.'' Aleah definitely heard what he said.
''Don't be disappointed mum, no one knew for the first half of the year.'' Jasmine sat down and was presented with a cup of tea.
''Was this because of your father?'' Aleah sat down opposite them once she placed everything on the table. Her voice toned down a lot when she mouthed the word father.
Jasmine again couldn't find the voice inside her to say a simple 'yes'. She merely held her mother's glance and nodded ever so slightly. The less they had to talk about Mr Pearson the better. Aleah then smiled covering up any of the hurt from the past that might still linger around.
''Well, I'm very glad that didn't stop you from pursuing this. It may as well happened for a good reason and that's why you're here together.'' She switched glances between them.
Remus looked at Jasmine and squeezed her hand with a cheeky smile present on his features. She tried to hide her blush by looking away. That's when the whole place caught her eye and she observed the small kitchen area they were currently in. The room had two doors, one where they just came from and one to the back, which was closed and she had no way of knowing what was behind it. Although everything looked really old, at least it looked cleaner than the front room of the shop.
''Is this where you have been staying, mum?'' Jasmine asked, looking back at her.
''This place? Oh, no. This is just a safe place, no one would think to come to if they were to search for me. It's just for today. Anyways, I'm leaving again tomorrow, so I guess it's best to talk now before it's too late.'' The tone of conversation immediately turned solemn with Aleah's last words.
The sting of their last encounter last summer still didn't leave Jasmine's mind, how her mum forced her out of their family home and all but not sacrificed herself for Jasmine's safety. And then the letter she sent around Christmas time, saying they really need to talk but she didn't say what about and hadn't mentioned a single thing in fear of the letter being tracked and read by someone else. Jasmine too had a lot of questions that she desperately needed answers to and by now she believed that her mother was the only person able to give them.
''What do we need to talk about?'' Jasmine perched up in her seat.
Aleah sighed and it seemed like she didn't want to tear her eyes away from the tabletop. ''It's complicated.''
That much was anticipated, but then again there was no better place or time to talk. Jasmine didn't understand what was all the hesitance about, in the letter she sensed it was almost urgent for it to happen. Then Aleah looked up and after a good look at her daughter sadly looked at Remus sitting right beside her. It didn't take Jasmine long to register what the look meant.
''I don't think it's best for –''
''He stays.'' Jasmine cut her mum off and firmly grabbed Remus' hand under the table. She sent him a kind smile before offering a meaningful look toward Aleah. ''Whatever we need to talk about, he's okay to hear. I trust him and so can you.''
Jasmine felt a reassuring squeeze of Remus' hand and saw him smile appreciatively from the corner of her eyes. It wasn't as much of her stepping up for him, but she didn't think she was quite mentally prepared for whatever her mum had in store to push onto her. So, she needed Remus there, he was her support through all of this like he promised the night before. She didn't want him to leave.
Aleah sighed but nodded nonetheless. ''Alright, as you wish.''
She swished with her wand behind her and the other wooden door opened slowly. Nothing happened for a few moments and Jasmine and Remus started growing worried that this was some sick plan. But then Aleah slightly turned in her seat and called, ''You can come out now.''
Footsteps followed her call, so heavy the floorboards creaked under the feet of this person. The pair stared at the open door and the dark figure that slowly came out of the back room, which looked similar to a storage room. It seemed both of them widened their eyes at the same time at the very familiar black and golden robes of the certain person.
''Professor Smirnitsky?''
''Hello Jasmine, Remus.'' Smirnitsky smiled at them and almost awkwardly hung in the middle of his way towards the table.
The two gaped at him as they had just seen him at breakfast in the Great Hall not an hour ago and now he was here, standing before them unexpectedly.
''Is that what they call you now? Professor?'' Aleah chuckled lowly as she watched the interaction.
The wheels inside Jasmine's head started turning as she assessed the situation. She thought back at all of the thinking the group did over the past weeks, all the theories they threw out without a clue which one of them could be true. But one, in particular, stuck out now like a sore thumb and Jasmine could not, for the love of god, comprehend it. Her mum was here and now Professor Smirnitsky too. She let go of Remus' hand and pushed back with her chair making it scrape loudly on the floor.
She turned her head from her mother to Smirnitsky and back. ''So this is all true?''
Aleah looked at her with confusion. ''What is?''
Jasmine didn't hesitate to rummage through the pocket of her jacket and bring out the picture that was making her past weeks miserable. ''This. This family in the picture. And you two.'' She pointed between her mum and Smirnitsky. ''I knew it for a while deep inside my gut, but now that I know for sure, I can't believe it. And that you hid it for all this time. Mum, how could you?''
Aleah stared at her, a mixture of confusion and curiosity in her eyes. ''Jasmine, sweetie what are you talking about?''
''He's my dad!'' Jasmine turned her head to Smirnitsky.
The reaction she predicted never came. Both adults in the room look shocked as if this was some new kind of information and not some devastating news they were waiting to tell their clever daughter who managed to find out on her own. After a few moments of stillness, a laugh escaped Jasmine's mother.
Jasmine looked at her incredulously, nearly fuming as she stood at the table demanding any confirmation from the both of them. ''What's so funny?''
A small chuckle escaped Smirnitsky as well and then he finally spoke. ''Jasmine, I'm not your dad. I'm your uncle.''
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And finally the truth is out!