I make a fool out myself and conk myself out
Sirius Black jumped up and screamed out loud, his back to us, unaware of our presence.
“Peter, Peter! Where are you? This better not be another one of your tricks, you sodding betrayer!”
I clapped my arms unwillingly again.
“Pafoo, my Pafoo!” I cried, almost falling out of Dumbledore’s hands.
Sirius whirled around, eyes wide, almost stumbling when he saw me.
“Wha—Jazzy? Why are you there?” he asked, pointing at me dumbly, almost comically.
“Pafoo, bah!” I called out to him, almost jumping out of Dumbledore’s arms. Why, body? Why are you so embarrassing?
Sirius ran to catch me, but he was intercepted by the now newly dubbed Minnie.
“Stop right there, Sirius Black. Did you betray the Potters?” she asked, pointing her wand at his forehead, her hand trembling.
“NO! No, no, I would never,” Sirius said, shaking his head vehemently, eyes wet.
“Swear it,” McGonagall said, her voice trembling.
“I, Sirius Orion Black, swear upon mine magic and mine life that I would never betray James Potter and Lily Potter. So mote it be,” Sirius said strongly.
His wand lit up, and a thread of light flowed to me. My body moved involuntarily yet again (sigh, this is annoying) and tried to catch the light, giggling as I did.
Minerva dropped her wand and rushed to hug Sirius.
“Oh, my lad, I am so sorry I doubted you,” she said, holding Sirius’s face and pulling him into another hug.
Sirius stood stiff for a moment, then melted into her arms. He let out a mournful wail. It was so heartbreaking—the kind that no one should ever have to make or hear.
Upon hearing that, my body also started to cry. (Okay, that’s an excuse. I felt like crying, so my body reacted to it, I guess.)
“Waaaaaaah!” I wailed. In that moment, all my sorrow came rushing in. I had left everyone—my family, my friends, my home. I was now in a strange new world, one I had to adapt to or perish. I started to hiccup and panic. Would I survive? Would I be able to navigate this new world and new place? Am I capable enough to survive? All these questions ran through my head. I had always been a person with these insecurities.
“Shh, it's okay, my dear,” Dumbledore murmured as he lifted me, placing my head on his shoulder and patting my back. He rocked me side to side to soothe me. I took comfort in it. I could feel my body drifting to sleep. I felt I could rest now. The work was done for today. With that thought, I drifted to sleep.
Albus Dumbledore - Surrey, England
Jasmine had finally succumbed to slumber, her small breaths warm against my neck. Good. The poor girl had endured far too much today. As had the young man before me—no, not a boy, but a man. A man I had doubted, if only for the briefest moment. A regret that now weighed heavily upon me.
Minerva stood beside him, offering what little comfort she could. Behind me, Rubeus sniffled into his enormous handkerchief—a truly remarkable piece of fabric, quite possibly large enough to be repurposed into a tablecloth. I really should ask where he—No, Albus. Now is not the time for distractions.
Once Minerva and Sirius had steadied themselves, Sirius stepped forward, arms lifting in silent request. Without hesitation, I relinquished Jasmine into his care. He cradled her close, tucking the blanket securely around her small form, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Ah. I would need to reconsider my initial plan.
“Sirius, my boy,” I began, my voice steady, though the weight of the night pressed upon us all. “Would you be kind enough to tell us who betrayed them? Was it, perhaps, the very person you were shouting at earlier?”
At once, the air around us shifted, thick with tension. Sirius’s grip on Jasmine tightened ever so slightly, his jaw clenched, his fury barely restrained. Not for lack of rage, no—only for Jasmine’s sake.
He took a breath. Then another. Too quick. Slower, Sirius. Steady now.
At last, he spoke.
“Yes. It was Peter Pettigrew,” he said, his voice raw with self-loathing. “James and I thought it was clever—no one would suspect—ha.” A bitter laugh escaped him as he ran a hand through his dark, rather luxurious hair—Albus, focus.
“Never would’ve imagined Pete would be the betrayer.” His voice wavered, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as though willing away tears. “I should have known. It’s all my fault.”
I placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
“It is not your fault, Sirius. You trusted a friend. That is no crime,” I murmured, remembering an old, bitter lesson of my own. “I once trusted a friend as well. For decades, I blamed myself. But another friend, one who came into my life much later, helped me see a different perspective. Try to understand, Sirius.”
He exhaled, a reluctant nod following, though I could see the storm had not yet passed.
His gaze shifted then, taking in our surroundings—the neat, uniform houses, the well-kept gardens, the trimmed hedges.
Ah, yes. Surrey. So very prim, so very… orderly. The houses stood in perfect rows, their roofs neat and identical, their windows polished to an almost eerie perfection. So clean, so uniform—so dull. No whimsy, no color. Imagine if that house were gold instead. Or perhaps a charming shade of blue—yes, a rich, deep blue would do wonders for it. Or a bit of ivy climbing up the walls, giving it character—
No, Albus, not again. Focus.
Sirius, too, was looking around, frowning slightly. “Hey… this neighborhood looks familiar,” he muttered. “Why are we here, Headmaster? Actually, how did I get here? Last thing I remember, I was chasing that vile traitor, and then—I was just here.”
“Ah, my boy, I shall answer the last question first,” I said, stroking my beard in thought. “The child in your arms brought you here. Quite the remarkable display of magic, would you not say? Whether it was accidental or not remains to be seen.”
Sirius stared at me, astonished. As well he should be. In my 115 years, I had never witnessed such an extraordinary surge of accidental magic. Or was it accidental?
Jasmine was an unusual child, indeed. At times, far too aware for one so young. Could it be? No, no, that would be…
Ah, Jasmine. You have an eidetic memory. A curse I would not wish upon anyone.
It is good, then, that I have reconsidered my plan.
“As for my second reason, you need not concern yourself,” I said, my tone deliberately light. “I have changed my mind.”
“Albus, what are you—”
“Ah, bup-bup, Minerva,” I interrupted swiftly. “It is of no consequence.”
“Oh, wait—why are we in front of Petunia’s pla—”
Before Sirius could finish his sentence, I activated the Portkey in my hand, grasping his arm just as the familiar pull whisked us away—landing us safely within the walls of Hogwarts.