Chapter one hundred fifteen; The truth
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Jasmine stared blankly in front of her, not even capable of muttering out a crazy 'what!?' because of the shock waves coursing through her. She only started receiving signs from around her when Remus put a comforting hand on her thigh. That's when she realised that amidst her shock she sat down and was staring at the table. She would have felt embarrassed for uttering out the most stupid assumption if she didn't have so much on her mind already.
"I thought I'd never see this picture again," said Aleah as she held the picture in her hands, eyes flickering over the smiling faces.
"Me either actually, after it was stolen from my classroom." Smirnitsky pointedly looked at the two students and slowly sat down at the table as well.
"We're sorry about that." Remus apologised with as much sincerity as he could muster.
"You guys made quite a mess but it was not at all hard to figure out who had done it." Smirnitsky's eyes lingered on his niece.
Jasmine blinked a couple of times, finally regaining control of her receptive feelings. "So who is that on the picture then?"
Aleah turned it around and first pointed with her finger at the little girl. "This is me, standing next to me is little Adriel and behind us our parents."
Suddenly the picture made a lot more sense as Jasmine connected the faces to the names. Many theories have been thrown around it but the truth stung much less than the one, where she thought Smirnitsky was her dad.
"Are they still alive?"
"Yes, they are very much still alive and living back in Russia, where I came from."
"So you are really Russian?" Jasmine was full of questions to the brim. Letters came back into her mind as well as certain Russian books she took notice in their old family home.
"Half Russian." Aleah and Smirnitsky answered at the same time.
Jasmine made a face of confusion at them. She thought she already gave the impression that she wanted to know it all, but her mum was still giving her answers that were a single sentence long.
"It's a long story." Said Smirnitsky.
"A very long story," added Aleah. "But it's time you hear it."
"Our father is British but our mother isn't and they met when our mother moved to London temporarily from Moscow. It turned out it wasn't only temporary as they got married and started a family in London. They had me and five years later they had Adriel. Now we were born in the sixties which was the height of the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union and believe it or not our mother was very frightened about it even though Britain was neutral. She was homesick and a big part of her thought we'll all be safer if we move back to Moscow."
Smirnitsky jumped in with something else. "It's important to know our parents are also Muggles."
"Wait a second, Muggles!?" Jasmine pushed back in her chair. "You're not pureblood, mum?"
"I'm not. And neither are you." Aleah said as if it was nothing.
"But father –"
"There's a lot you still don't know, Jasmine, so please just listen. I'll explain everything." Aleah continued. "Yes our parents are Muggles but both me and Adriel were born with magic. By the time our mother decided to move I was already in my fifth year at Hogwarts. She said it's best to move then so Adriel can start the new school at the new place fresh but she hadn't taken me into consideration. Being the typical fifteen year old I refused to move and your aunt Talisa supported me in my decision, even offered me a place to stay. Another reason for not wanting to move was because I was in love and to a teenage girl first in love moving sounded like the worst torture in the world. After weeks of begging, I actually named enough good enough reasons for my parents to agree and let me stay in Britain. They took mum's maiden name Smirnitsky out of safety when moving to the Soviet Union and I kept dad's family name, Cadman. I regretted the decision to stay for multiple years to come.''
''You stayed because of father? You were actually in love with him?''
Aleah let out a deep sigh and looked at her daughter with as much sincerity as she could. ''I know it's hard to believe, but your father wasn't all that bad when we were all going to Hogwarts. He and his brother Dominic, Will's father, were one of the most popular people there, they were a year older and I felt like I was the luckiest girl alive when he started to talk to me. He believed I was pureblood because I let everybody know so, no one knew of my family, no one knew I was half Russian and that I have a brother. In those times it was just easier to live like someone pureblood. My stupid mind thought it would always be easier like that.''
''If you're not pureblood, then your family name isn't in the Pureblood Directory. How did you manage to convince Mr Pearson to believe you?'' Remus couldn't get the two puzzle pieces together.
Aleah quirked up an eyebrow at his smart remark. But she had an answer for every question spoken out loud. ''I was on the side of wizards and witches that believed there are more pureblood families than those written in the Directory. And because there was absolutely no history of my family anywhere he couldn't prove me wrong. It's something I put in his brain when he was a stupid sixteen year old and he never questioned it again.''
Jasmine slouched back in her seat, this information finally dawning upon her. She's not pureblood. She never was. All those years of turmoil from her father to keep their reputation, to act as all pureblooded did, and the arranged marriage. The engagement, which wasn't even valid anymore as the rules of pureblood families wouldn't apply. A rash question appeared in Jasmine's mind as she wondered why her mum didn't come forwards about this before and all the trouble Jasmine had with the engagement wouldn't even have to happen. But she quickly realised it was never safe for Aleah to say anything, all in all, Mr Pearson is still a powerful wizard, he could have killed her for that in the worst outcome. He abused her for much less all these years.
Jasmine's eyebrows wrinkled from the way her thoughts were making her uncomfortable. She realised she probably drifted away and missed an important part of the story her mum was telling, but Aleah was carefully watching her daughter with worry in her eyes. When Jasmine showed a small smile and nodded for her to continue, Aleah spoke up again.
''After Hogwarts your father and I got married pretty quickly, as did Will's parents. And not long after that Will was already born. Apart from us, Will's mother was actually pureblood so Will is as well and another thing that is expected from all pureblood families is to have children as soon as possible. When Will was born I still wasn't pregnant, not because I didn't want to be. Having a child was one of my dreams, but maybe not as soon as I did. I simply couldn't get pregnant for some reason, and because your father's brother already had a child and we didn't, he started to –''
Aleah's voice broke at the end and she couldn't get herself to finish the sentence. Suddenly she was aware of everyone in the room, that this wasn't just her and Jasmine. She wasn't sure how much Jasmine told Remus but she decided this detail better be left unsaid.
She cleared her throat and continued with a different tone. ''I was twenty when I had you, Jasmine. You are the best thing that happened to me in my whole life. And the moment I first held you in my arms I realised the mistakes I made, but ironically enough those mistakes led me to have you. So I decided that I'll do anything in my willpower for you to have a much different life than me and a much better life. I'm sorry I only started to fix things not so long ago. It never should have come to the engagement at all.''
Jasmine reached with her hand forward and placed it upon her mum's hands in comfort. This was a lot to say in the span of one afternoon and it wasn't the easiest. Aleah smiled at her daughter in appreciation and let out another deep breath. Anyone could nearly see how a big weight was lifted off her shoulders.
''Speaking of the engagement,'' Smirnitsky jumped in. ''You needn't worry about that, it's our problem from now on.'' He pointed between him and Aleah. ''You should really focus on NEWT's, it still decides a big part of your future.''
Jasmine only nodded kindly at her uncle, even though she already knew the engagement was being taken care of. She just hoped dearly deep inside that any plan Sirius concocted with Isla is actually going to work.
''That's right, Adriel has told me you have been doing really good in your classes this year, especially in Defence.'' Aleah knocked Smirnitsky lightly with her elbow. Even after all those years, the sibling's connection could be seen between them.
''Are you still planning on being a Healer?''
Jasmine nodded. ''I already applied. We're going to hear back after we take our NEWT's. I think I've never been more anxious about something in my life. I never thought I'd care for my grades ever.''
The last comment produced a small chuckle from the group as everyone knew how bad at school Jasmine used to be.
''I'm sure you'll do great and I'm most happy you're going to live the dream I never could.'' Aleah patted Jasmine's hand softly. ''What about you, Remus?''
Jasmine snapped her head almost too quickly to look at him next to her. That question was a very touchy subject for him. To the adults across the round table it went unnoticeable, but Jasmine saw that little strike of pain in his eyes. Remus didn't let out any other indicator that he's the most unsure of his future out of all graduating students at Hogwarts this year, because of his condition. After much convincing from his friends, he also applied for a job, even though deep inside he knew he wasn't going to get it.
''I applied for the Ministry.'' He said simply.
''Which department?''
Remus cringed again, this time more noticeable. ''I didn't specify. Any of them would do, so much as I get in.''
Aleah caught on the sensitivity of this topic quickly after that and decided not to pry anymore. That was something she and Jasmine had in common, being good at reading people.
''So then, tell me all that I have missed in this past year and a half.'' Aleah leaned more forward in her chair, switching glances between her daughter and the boy next to her. She looked like a schoolgirl ready to hear the gossip that she missed.
''That's my cue to leave.'' Smirnitsky stood up.
''What are you on about?'' Aleah looked at him with confusion.
Smirnitsky sighed and looked at Jasmine and Remus. ''They are still my students. And I think I have already seen and heard enough about their relationship.''
Jasmine blushed from embarrassment. She remembered how she came to him for advice after she and Remus had that big fight, thinking he was merely her professor and he was always so kind to her. Now, the fact that he's her uncle, sheds a whole new light on this situation. She never thought that she would ever explain her love life to her uncle.
''I think I might leave too.'' Remus slowly stood up as well. Now Jasmine was the one to look at him with confusion. ''You should have some alone time.'' Remus understood that Jasmine and her mum desperately needed it.
Jasmine nodded and smiled at him. ''I'll see you later.''
He kissed her forehead quickly in goodbye before he took his leave through the front door, Smirnitsky following suit. Jasmine turned back in her seat to look at her mum who was smiling at her with adoration in her eyes.
''So?''
Jasmine chuckled. She couldn't express how long she wanted to tell her mum everything about Remus. And there was no better time for it than now.
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