"It's nothing, don't worry about it." Jasmine said, turning around to face the sixth year Slytherin again.
The sight of the words Filthy half-breed seemed to have pissed Regulus off.
Jasmine just couldn't pin why.
"Who did this?" He growled, his grey eyes growing darker. "It doesn't matter, it happened years ago."
"Granger, tell me."
Jasmine hesitated, she hated lying. Well, technically she hadn't been lying but rather had been moving the time line of things up.
"Look, a couple years before I moved to England and came to Hogwarts my parents were talking about joining the Order." Jasmine didn't have to elaborate what order as she saw Regulus' eyes flicker.
"Vol- the pureblood supremacist had my parents hunted down and killed. My brother and I were lucky to escape with just a few scars. They just happen to be one of them, as well as this one."
She said, moving her fringe to show the lightning bolt scar.
"It's no big deal."
"It's no big- why would you put up with me calling you all those names, Granger? Why when you had this carved on your back?"
Jasmine looked up and squinted her eyes, she met Regulus' stormy ones and said clearly. "Because I have faith that one day you'll do the right thing."
"Oh yeah?" He sneered, looking at her disbelievingly, "And why do you believe that?"
"Because despite saying all those names, you haven't done anything to me. You care about Narcissa and don't give me that pureblood crap, you could have anybody in this whole school as your best friend but you choose Narcissa. Your blood, the one person who doesn't worship the ground you walk upon. And I saw the way you reacted just now, if I had told if was one of these guys in school who had done this to me, what would you have done?"
When he looked away and didn't answer she continued.
"I'd like to consider myself a pretty good judge of character. At least, better than my brother. I know a lot of people here are gonna turn out to be irredeemable death eaters but I have faith you will do the right thing. It's not just you I think will do the right thing either, that Severus Snape, I think he'll do the right too."
"Why?" Regulus asked finally, still looking away.
"Not to sound like Dumbledore but, love is love. It's saved my life before, several times." Regulus turned to look at her again, his expression torn slightly as if he didn't know what to do.
"My parents are my heros because even after everything they went through, they never lost faith in the people they care about. My philosophy is it's never too late. To forgive or be forgiven. I mean, we live in a world full of magic. Anythings possible. But back to the main topic, I'll know you'll do the right thing, because you're braver than peoply give you credit for."
"Bravery?" He repeated, completely caught off guard. "I don't know if you've forgotten, Granger, but we are currently standing in the Slytherin common room-"
"Braver than me, at least." Jasmine cut off. "My brother was sorted into the Ilvemorny equivalent of Gryffindor. The thunderbird approached me but I asked to be in the same house as my brother because I was scared to lose him. By the way, I so would've placed you in Ravenclaw."
"Where is this conversation going?"
"I'm not sure, I think I wore myself out by waking up so early and getting excited by the snow."
The clock of the mantlepiece chimed suddenly. Jasmines eyes widend, "I'm gonna miss the train! I've gotta go- keep an eye on Narcissa for me!"
"Granger wait!" She stopped by the common room entrance and looked back over her shoulder. "Yeah?"
"Who did that to you?"
She hesitated, "Lestrange, I think." Jas admitted, she definitely remembered him. Who the other death eater was she had no idea. "Lestrange... One last thing, tell my brother I want to talk to him when he comes back."
Jasmine looked down and grinned. "Will do, Reg, will do."
She ran out of the common room and Regulus turned to go check on his cousin. Neither of them had noticed the boy who had slipped out of his room ages ago.
***
Jasmine managed to board the train just before it was set to leave, she wandered up and down the aisles- and froze outside of one.
Xenophilius Lovegood.
Luna's father, it didn't even cross Jasmines mind he'd be in this timeline.
He was completely alone in the compartment, scribbling away in a notepad. Jasmine glanced down the aisle of the train to see if she could spot one of the Marauders before knocking on the compartment door softly.
Xenophilius jerked at the sudden noise and quickly covered his note books. He looked up as she slid the door open with a sheepish expression.
"Er- sorry to bother you. Lovegood, right?"
He nodded timidly, still hiding his books. She stepped in the compartment and glanced around.
"Why are you sitting alone? Wouldn't you prefer to sit with your friends?" She asked, kindly.
"I like it better alone." He said quietly, "And I don't have any friends." He turned his head away from the girl.
"Oh..." She said guiltily, "Do- do you mind if I sit here? I can't find my boyfriend anywhere." He gave a measly shrug, so Jasmine took a seat opposite him.
He looked like a male version of Luna, Jas had to admit. His long platnium blonde hair, pale eyebrows, grey eyes. Except there was a note of bitterness he carried around himself, unlike Luna.
She knew at any minute Siruis and the other Marauders would come check if she made the train, she glanced at the book beside him and her eyes widend in surprise,
"Freshwater Plimpies?" He jumped and tried to hide his drawing.
"Oh- sorry! I just couldn't help but notice- you know what? Never mind. Sorry." She fell silent and glanced out of the window, internally cursing herself.
"H-how do you know what they are-?"
Xenophilius was peering up shyly, his knuckles turning white from the grip he had on his book.
A small smile graced Jas' lips. "I a friend at my old school, she knew all sorts of... unique creatures. From Nargles-"
She saw him sit up straighter, "-To crumple-horned snorkacks. Wrackspurts, Billywigs, Plimpies... Some fruits too..."
"Crumple-Horned Snorkacks?" The teenager asked, his eyes sparkling in excitement. "Really? Do you know they're the most shy creature I've heard of? There was a story where a flobberworm moved too fast for the Snorkacks liking and it-"
"-Trampled a dragons nest to get away." Jasmine finished, laughing softly while nodding. "It's horn is grey with sigils at the bottom. My friend had one."
Xenophilius continued to babble on about all the creatures he knew that everybody else called him crazy for. Occasionally, he'd show her some of his drawings, he was actually quite good at rough sketches.
But, as predicted, an hour into the train ride Jasmine heard familiar voices echoing up the isle.
Xenophilius froze mid rant about Billywigs in confusion.
"That's my cue," Jas said, "My boyfriend couldn't be quiet even if his life depended on it."
She stood up and opened the carrige door, "Padfoot! Prongs!" Xenophilius' eyes widend is recognition-
He had been talking about Billywigs to Siruis Blacks girlfriend.
"They you are! We've been looking for you for ages, I thought you missed the train. What'd my brother want?"
"Woah- slow down there. Narcissa wanted me, girl stuff."
Siruis grimaced.
"Yeah. I was just talking to Xeno-"
"The weirdo-? Ow!" James yelped, clutching his side, "Why'd you pinch me!?"
"He's not weird!" Jas whispered harshly. "He's just open minded. Say sorry."
Siruis snorted loudly as his friends expression.
"What?"
"Say. Sorry. Prongs."
"Ah! Stop pinching me- alright alright. Sorry."
***
A/N
Sorry for the slow updates- I have a case of writers block.
Anyway- what do you think? Is Xenophilius gonna stick around?