Chocolate Covered Strawberries [Remus Lupin]

𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗

Chapter one hundred eighteen; The Order

▴ ◃ ▾ ▹

The flowers that were once bright and colourful, were now all brown and withered from time. A new bouquet of beautiful white flowers replaced the withered one on the cold dark grey stone. Jasmine dusted off the stone around the bouquet before she sat down on the ground right before it. She rubbed her hands together to keep them warm, even though it was the beginning of July. Her hands just didn't seem to be warm no matter what and she wondered what kind of inner emotion was being portrayed through that. She let out a big sigh and looked at the words written above the bouquet.

"Hi, mum."

Just by saying those words aloud, an unwilling tear slipped down her cheek. The events of the engagement party ended worse than Jasmine could ever imagine. She began to believe she'll lose her freedom by having to marry Gabriel. She never imagined she'd lose her mum instead. But that was what her father did as his last act of pure rage. No one reacted quick enough to stop it and Jasmine has been beating herself up about it ever since.

"I hope you like the jasmines I brought." Her teary eyes checked the bouquet one more time. "Granddad and Grandma wrote back. They are devastated and they said they are visiting as soon as they can now that things aren't so dangerous. They were happy to hear from me, I didn't even know that they knew I existed, but they told me you let them know everything from the life you lived in Britain. I'm a bit excited to meet them, to get to know the Russian side of our family."

A small smile fought itself on Jasmine's face. Just as quickly as it came, it was replaced with a contorted expression.

"I'm still angry you didn't tell me things sooner. My head is so full of unanswered questions."

She wiped her cheeks free of tears and looked up at the grey sky to prevent more from spilling over. When she dug her cold hands in the pockets of her light jacket she remembered the letter she lodged in before she left for the graveyard. Tenderly she pulled it out and scanned her name written in cursive on the front. The letter was already opened, Jasmine knew the contents inside and she wanted to tell her mother as well.

Her ears picked up rhythmic steps on the pebbled road not far from where she was sitting. Her eyes sought out her uncle nearing her. He looked rather peculiar when he was wearing normal muggle clothes instead of the big black and golden coat that Jasmine was used to seeing.

"I knew I'd find you here." He came to a stop next to her and lowered himself to the ground as well. He noticed the new bouquet and showed appreciation through a small smile at his niece.

"How are you holding up?" asked Jasmine.

"In between somewhere. Same as you, I presume." Smirnitsky shrugged.

They didn't really like to talk about it. They liked spending time at the grave together or each by themselves, they liked talking to Aleah as if she was also sitting on the grey stone in front of them. But other than that they silently supported each other through the grief.

"Today's the day," said Smirnitsky.

"They transferred him?"

"To my information, your father is already all the way over in Azkaban, behind bars as he should be."

Jasmine didn't feel any happiness about that. Maybe relief since she'd never have to see him again, but regret was also circling within her. His exile should have happened long ago.

"Is that a letter from St Mungo's?" Smirnitsky gestured at the envelope Jasmine was holding.

She nodded silently and passed it over to him. While he read the letter informing the recipient of the Healer's program, Jasmine closed her eyes and imagined the words in her eyes have read over so many times.