Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 02

Jenna felt her heart flutter at the ever so familiar voice. Soft yet somehow husky, just like how she remembered it. But she hadn't heard it in twelve years now.

      She put her arm down as her eyes looked at him motionlessly; his hair long, his face dirty, and his expression pallid and ghost-like. He was thin and looked almost unrecognizable.

    But her shock was nothing compared to Sirius's, staring at her as if he had seen a ghost. As if he couldn't believe his eyes.

      She was supposed to be dead. They had told him she was dead. But here she was, standing right before him, as beautiful and breathtaking as he remembered her.

     He waited for her to say something. Anything. But she just stood there, as though paralyzed or petrified at the sight of him.

     Growing worried, Sirius took a step toward her, looking at her up and down as they both breathed heavily.

      He didn't know what to say. He had no idea how she was alive. He didn't know how she was going to react. So all he managed to do was to say in a low whisper,

      "Hey."

     As if suddenly coming to herself, Jenna's eyebrows knitted together in a frightening frown and in a blink of an eye, she gritted her teeth together and jumped forward, slamming her fists into Sirius's chest and pushing him backwards.

      "YOU BASTARD!" she roared, moving forward again to push him further away, but Sirius took a hold of her wrists, his eyes widening as he watched her fight to break free from his grasp.

     "HOW COULD YOU!" she yelled, trying to break away from him to struck him again, but even now he was stronger than her.

     "Jenna — please let me explain —"

     "H-how could you do that to me!"

      "I swear it wasn't me — if you could just let me ex —"

     "Explain!?" she exclaimed, finally jerking her hands away from him. "Explain what, Sirius!? That you left me when I most needed you!? When I begged you not to go!? What's there to explain!?"

     "Wh-what?"

     "I — I wanted to tell everyone that you would never — that you loved James as your brother — but it was too late!" she said between her sobs. "They had already taken you away — and they had no reason to believe me anyway — I had no idea what had happened — all that I knew was that you would never..."

     "You — you don't think it was me?" said Sirius with a hollow voice, speaking in disbelief.

     "Well of course I know it wasn't you! But I had no idea what had happened — YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO COME BACK! YOU PROMISED!"

     Sirius stood there, his gaze falling upon the floor as Jenna panted heavily through her nostrils, fighting back her tears.

      "What happened?" she asked more calmly this time, yet still glaring at him.

     "It was Pettigrew," Sirius muttered, his voice drowned in disgust. "It was always Pettigrew. And now he's alive."

     "How's that — wait," her face fell and she gulped when the realization finally hit her. "The only explanation is that you've — but you would've told me if you had switched..."

      Sirius wetted his dry lips with his tongue as they stared intently at each other. "I'm so sorry..."

      "YOU SWITCHED THE SECRET KEEPER!?" Jenna bellowed. "AND WITHOUT TELLING ME!?"

      "Jenna —"

     "What!? You thought I would tell someone!? YOU THOUGHT I WOULD BETRAY MY OWN BROTHER!?"

      "I was just trying to keep you safe!"

     "HOW!?"

     "Because I thought if you didn't know, it would keep you away from danger — I was wrong to switch the Secret Keeper last minute to Pettigrew... and I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

      "Do you have any idea what you cost me by not telling me?" said Jenna in a mere whisper. "Do you know what you cost us!?"

     "I know I screwed up! I know!" said Sirius loudly, holding his face with his hands, cursing himself under his breath.

     Jenna shook her head, closing her eyes to prevent herself from crying. "I thought I would never see you again..."

     "And I thought you were dead," said Sirius in a hollow voice, causing her to look up at him. "They told me you were — I was devastated — but you're here — and I — I... everyone thought you were dead. They just couldn't find your body."

      He closed his eyes and turned away from her, running his hands across his face anxiously.

      Jenna's heart was pounding furiously against her chest as she looked upon him. Then, slowly and hesitantly, she took a few steps toward him.

      Sirius dropped his hands, watching her reach up to him. "Jenna—"

     He was trying to say, but she cut him off when in a quick motion she grabbed onto his face and pulled him closer, pressing her lips against his and bringing him into a kiss.