The Last Peverell

Chapter 57

Chapter 57

The last few weeks of the summer flew by in a typical fashion. Jasmine spent most of her time at Potter Manor in the main sitting room or in the library.

James was attempting to finish all of his summer work within the last week, asking for Jasmine's help with potions and charms. Which is how she found herself in the library most afternoons supervising her cousin's homework. She'd respond by telling him which page numbers the answers might be on and roll her eyes when he'd get frustrated because she lied. Though, every now and again she would help him, there were a few questions that were tricky and purposefully misleading in potions. Jasmine knew Slughorn was trying to see if they could apply what they had learned in the previous terms to a new, but similar potion. Adaptability was important in potions.

Most students couldn't manage this on the first try, not without help and once Jasmine framed the problem that way to her cousin he didn't need nearly as much assistance...as for charms, James just wasn't great at theory. Actually, he was rather bad at the theory in charms. Which made no sense to Jasmine, he was fantastic at transfiguration, and that was significantly more complex. James usually had Remus or Sirius help with charms, but it was Remus' time of the month and Sirius was having some kind of Black family gathering before he went back to school.

The poor thing must be suffering.

Gringotts had gotten in contact with her about the apprenticeship interview that morning. The Ward Master was away until the middle of October, so it was being put on hold until then. Jasmine was fine with that, as much as she would love to have an excuse to leave Hogwarts early to begin hunting down Horcruxes, sixteen was a little too soon. She still wanted to spend some time with her friends before they all had to wander off into the soon to be war torn battle grounds of the United Kingdom.

There was a loud smack against the wall behind her. She turned to see a textbook lying on the floor. James was glaring at the book he'd just thrown, as if daring it to get up. Jasmine put the notes she had been reading down to raise an eyebrow, her left hand motioning to the object on the floor.

He glowered, leaning back in the plush loveseat with his arms crossed. "Bloody thing deserves the floor."

Before they knew it, they were both on the train back to school. Euphemia and Monty, who had finally been cleared to leave the house, wished them a fond farewell at the Hogwarts Express. Monty had made sure that they got there early and gave them extra-long hugs before they had to rush onto the train. She hadn't seen him this excited in months.

James dragged her to his usual compartment, Remus wasn't there, but he had prefect meeting and Sirius was sulking in the corner. He was curled up rather tightly on the seat, and his hair was covering his face. His clothing was a little baggier than Jasmine remembered.

Jasmine sat next to him after she hefted her luggage onto the racks and her cousin sat on the seat directly across from his best mate hoping to illicit some kind of response from him. When none was forthcoming, and the train started to move James decided enough was enough. "Sirius, Padfoot, are you okay?"

Silence.

Very carefully Jasmine touched his robe clad shoulder. Sirius flinched and his head turned towards her slowly and he thunked his head on her shoulder and let out a small whine. "I'm not okay," he muttered, wrapping his arms around Jasmine's waist. Well, at least she knew he wasn't feeling too awful, he was still the same clingy dramatic little shit he'd always been.

"Padfoot, you're manhandling my cousin, tell us what's wrong before someone thinks that you're courting, again."

Sirius groaned, kneading his head into her side. "That's the problem, Prongs, courting. My father gave me an ultimatum, either I pick a fiancé within the next couple years to a woman on a list he gave me, or he's choosing one for me. I have till I'm nineteen to pick someone."